Chapter 3

The bedroom door opened to reveal a space that was both luxurious and impersonal—a king-sized bed with dark silk sheets, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering city, soft lamps casting amber shadows across the walls.

The door clicked shut behind them with a finality that made Yuqi's heart pound.

Ezra released her wrist abruptly, walking around to the other side of the bed. He began unbuttoning his cuffs slowly, deliberately—each soft snap of fabric echoing in the silent room.

Yuqi stood frozen by the door, her pulse thrumming in her throat.

"Last chance, doll," he said without looking at her. His voice was calm. Almost gentle. 

She should run.

Every instinct screamed at her to turn around, open the door, and never look back.

But she thought of Ming. Of the debt. Of the men in suits standing over his beaten-up body on that cold apartment floor.

"I'm not changing my mind."

Ezra turned to face her. His dark eyes searched hers one last time—looking for the lie, the hesitation, the crack in her resolve.

He didn't find one.

He sat down at the edge of the bed.

"Then come here."

And Yuqi, against every better judgment she had, walked forward. Her heels clicked softly against the hardwood floor until she stood between his spread legs. She could smell his cologne-something expensive and masculine that made her head spin slightly.

Her breath hitched as his large hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer between his thighs. She could feel the warmth of his body through her dress and the way his fingers pressed into the fabric. Her hands moved nervously before resting on his broad shoulders to steady herself.

“Nervous?” he asked, looking up at her.

“What do you think?” She scoffed.

He chuckled, moving his hand up her back.

The sound of the zipper descending was deafening in the silence. Cool air rushed over her suddenly exposed skin as the fabric parted, pooling at her feet. She stood before him in nothing but her lace bra and panties, feeling vulnerable and exposed under his intense gaze.

His dark eyes travelled over her exposed skin slowly, lingering, but not leering. Almost... respectful. It made the situation feel somehow more intimate, more devastating.

"Beautiful," he murmured, his thumbs tracing idle circles on her bare hips. "Foolish, but beautiful."

Before she could say anything, his lips touched her stomach.

Soft. Unexpected. Gentle.

Not what she had prepared herself for. His lips moved and pressed against her bare skin just above her navel—a tender, almost reverent touch. Then another lower. And another. Leaving a trail of wet kisses down her abdomen like he was worshipping something sacred rather than claiming something owed.

“What are you doing?" she asked, biting back a gasp.

"Well... If we're doing this, might as well make it enjoyable for both of us, right?" He answered.

The logic twisted her brain. This was a transaction. A debt payment. She had prepared herself for coldness, for cruelty, for him to simply take what he was owed without a second thought to her comfort.

Instead, he was on his seated on the edge of the bed, treating her like a lover.

"You—" 

A surprised gasp left her mouth when he pulled her to straddle him.

The movement was sudden but controlled. One moment she was standing; the next, she was straddling his lap on the edge of the bed, her core pressed flush against the hard bulge in his slacks. His hands held her steady on his hips, thumbs rubbing soothing circles into her lower back.

"Easy, doll," he murmured against her collarbone.

She felt absurdly small perched on him like this, her legs trembling slightly. The position left her completely at his mercy.

He could do anything he wanted. And yet his patience was the most maddening thing of all.

His lips found the hollow of her throat, pressing another slow, achingly gentle kiss there.

Her fingers clenched harder in his hair, pulling slightly. She wasn't even trying to guide him; she just needed something to grip. Everything felt too delicate, too careful. Too... intimate. 

This was supposed to be a business transaction, not some damn romantic tryst.

The bra fell away easily, leaving her bare to his touch. She gasped as his hands moved to cup her breasts gently, thumbs brushing over her nipples. His mouth followed the path of his hands, kissing and sucking softly—no roughness, no hurry. Just slow, thorough attention that made her knees weak.

He took his time exploring her body like he had all night. His fingers traced every curve, his lips pressed gentle kisses everywhere he could reach. He treated her like a goddess rather than a woman he was paying for. It was almost cruel how gentle he was being.

"Ezra," she gasped out, not even sure what she was asking for. 

More? Less? Something to break this weird bubble of tenderness? His mouth closed around her nipple, and she arched into him without thought.

He could feel it-the way her body betrayed her, the small involuntary hump against his hardness. His hand slid from her breast down to her thighs, gripping them firmly.

"Someone seems eager," he murmured against her skin, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. "Even when you think you're sacrificing yourself." He kissed her breast again, softer this time.

"That's not—"

"Shh," he hushed her gently. His free hand slid under the hem of her panties, cupping her core. She gasped, jerking at the contact, but he held her steady. 

"You're soaked through," he whispered against her ear, his breath hot, feeling her wetness. "Your body's a terrible liar, doll."

Her thighs squeezed instinctively around his hand, seeking more pressure even as shame burned her cheeks. He was right. She was. And it terrified her more than anything he could have done to hurt her.

“S-shup up. It's just a physiological reaction," she whimpered.

"A physiological reaction, you say," he echoed mockingly, sliding a finger along her soaked folds. She whimpered, hips twitching involuntarily. "Your body's in the wrong. Your mouth's in the right."

His finger teased her entrance without pushing inside, driving her mad with anticipation. "Tell me to stop. Right now. Before I can't."