Chapter 42

Cedric reached out and covered her hand where it rested on her lap. The rough pads of his fingers brushed gently against her smooth, delicate skin as he leaned toward her, the space around her growing warmer.

"Come home with me, hmm?" he murmured, his breath hot and heavy.

The air thickened with his scent, but Liliana's mind was crystal clear. She was weighing her options. If she refused him, could she find another way to get the medical records she needed from Riverbend City's hospitals?

No. She couldn't.

The moment that truth settled in her heart, she had made her choice.

She remained perfectly still, her body rigid, as Cedric's cool lips descended onto hers. The tense, confrontational atmosphere in the car slowly melted away, replaced by a scorching heat.

The first rain of late autumn began abruptly. The headlights illuminated the empty road ahead as tiny droplets splattered against the windows, tracing paths down the glass. The sound of the rain mingled with the man's ragged breathing. He took the hand she had pressed against his chest, his own desire palpable.

A few days without sex and he was already climbing the walls. This dry spell was killing him.

He wanted to fuck her right there, in the car. They never had before, and the thought excited him.

Ignoring the resistance still lingering in her tense frame, he lifted her into his lap. She hadn't said yes, but he knew she wouldn't refuse. She might be putting up a fight this time, but she knew how to read a situation. She knew when to take the opportunities he gave her.

Liliana didn't refuse, because she knew she couldn't afford the consequences. But she didn't agree, either.

As long as she never said the words out loud, then once Hale's case was resolved, she could bring up the divorce again without breaking her word.

Cedric was lost in the moment, his hands already working at her clothes with an urgency that suggested he planned to finish what he started right there. She had to admit, he desired her body, but that was all it was—a physical craving.

But this was still out in public, and Cedric's upbringing had instilled in him a certain degree of self-control.

He drove home.

A curtain of water streamed down the car windows, reflecting the fire burning in his eyes. The air was so thick with his need that he completely overlooked the deep sorrow in Liliana's gaze.

*We've slept together so many times*, she thought. *What difference does a few more make?*

But when it came down to it, she discovered the emotional chasm was impossible to ignore. Before, when he kissed her, she would fantasize that he was looking at her with affection, that they werein love. Now, even as his handsome, aristocratic face contorted with

passion for her, she couldn't lose

herself in the act.

This was a transaction. Their marriage was continuing because he had bartered his power for it.

Outside, the rain fell in a steady patter. Inside, Liliana bit her lip and complied.

Cedric was deeply satisfied, so

much so that he lost a bit of control.

vel

He knew he was being too rough, that he was hurting her, but he couldn't stop himself. He told. himself it was punishment for her recent misbehavior. Besides, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were hazy with pleasure. She was enjoying it, too. A punishment like this was practically a gift.

Toward the early hours of the morning, the rain lessened. They moved from the car to the house, where their night continued. Liliana was draped in nothing but his shirt her fong, slender legs bare. The sight of her, so fragile and exposed, was enough to reignite the embers of his desire.

They didn't sleep at all.

Liliana drifted in a haze, half-awake, half-asleep. At some point, she heard Cedric take a call. His voice was raspy from their lovemaking, but edged with urgency. "Sylvia, just hide and keep yourself safe until I get there!"

He got out of bed and went into the walk-in closet. Less than two minutes later, he emerged, dressed in black trousers and a crisp white shirt. As he passed the bed, Liliana pushed her aching body up and grabbed his sleeve.

"Cedric, Hale's case..."