When Love Is a Lie

Noel lifted whitney with ease and placed her on the desk, itis hands rested on either side of her, and his intense gaze locked onto hers. There was a storm brewing in his dark eyes, and whether it empted depended entirely on her next m

But Whitney wasn tone to hack down

“Am I your time or vour pet? Why should I listen to you?” she snapped, leaning slightly back to keep some space between them. Her hands braced against the desk, but she winced, forgetting that her lett wrist still wasn’t fully heated

Not need inmediately. He polled ber doser, cently supporting her inom

you want to be my pet?” he said, histone mocking. “I could make you my canary–kept, pampered, and caged.”

“Are you delusional?

hot back, heranger flaring,

Acar meant woman who was kept with na freedom and no identity of her own. The thought made her stomach chum. She would never be that person. His words weren’t just insulting they were degrading

(what’s your plan?” Noel leaned in, his voice low and war against her ear. “Why are you playing nice with Stachel?!

His breath brushed her skin, and his lips grazed her railobe as he spoke. The unintentional intimacy sent an welcome shiver down her spine

It’s none of your business,” she hissed, poshing him away.

He didn’t budge. His tall, leantime towered over her, and his piercing eyes searched herster a crack in her defiance.

Without warming, Neel grabbed the back of her head and kissed her hard. There was no tendemess in the kiss–it was a mix of punishment and frustration—in

het ista

“Mm You

her head to break free. Her lips pressed tightly shut,

her waist sharply, and she instinctively gasped. He took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, ignoring her struggles.

from the lack of air post when she thought she might pass out, Noel finally pulled

“What are you planning with Rachel? Is this about going

that Damian had refused to break off the engagement and do something unforgivable to

ground and decided to

her fingertips reddening the skin around her

of your concem,”

scupped. “You made me a promise. Or

flared with defiance. “You forced that promise out of me. It was never mydasice!”

anger matching his Neither of them

phone buzzed on the desk, breaking the tention Whitney glanced at the screen. “I need to take this,” she said, her voice

the phone she checked the caller ID–a real estate

life anymore,” she told Noel firmly. “We’re done. Let’s keep it that

and I’ll go mineTM

With that, the

the dida

heaviness in her chest. Noel imvolved in her plans. The less he knew,

It push came to shove, he’d probably

retumed the real estate agent’s call “Sorry, I was