His Plaything Became the Heiress He Can't Touch

"Keep your voice down. Someone might hear us."

Edward had his hand tight around her waist, clearly up to no good.

There were footsteps shuffling outside. Carol bit her lip, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "You're literally in my room in broad daylight-what, scared someone in the house might actually catch us?"

On the surface, she was just his assistant. His step-sister. But behind closed doors, that label didn't mean a thing.

Tonight was the Dawson family dinner. Mr. Timothy Dawson Dawson had hinted there'd be an announcement, so everyone was back. And yet Edward was still lingering here, wasting time fooling around with her.

Carol tried to stay composed, but as the teasing dragged on, she finally broke. "Enough."

"Oh? Already giving up? When did you get so soft, huh?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, digging her nails into his arm without thinking, leaving a trail of red marks.

Edward dipped low, lips brushing over her earlobe with maddening slowness. "Is this the only way to get you to behave?"

Still clinging to the last of her calm, Carol snapped back, annoyed. "What are you even rambling about again?"

Since the day things started between them, she'd never once gone against what he wanted. What was with the crap now?

"Then explain last night." His grip tightened on her waist, forcing her to tilt her head back. His voice was low and hoarse. "I asked you to come to the hotel. You didn't show. Worse-what, thought sending another woman in your place was a good idea?"

"I only did it... because I thought that's what you liked," Carol whispered, voice raspy.

She'd once caught a glimpse of the girl's photo in the pocket watch he always carried-probably someone he'd been hooked on before booze got the better of him.

"Carol, haven't I told you? Stop guessing what I'm thinking."

Just then, the door handle rattled. In that tense moment, Carol's eyes went wide.

"Carol..."

It was her mother, Sophia.

Right as she was about to push the door open, Carol shouted in panic, "Mom-don't come in! I'm... I'm changing."

Edward had that smug smile on, brushing his lips against her bare skin blatantly.

Outside, Sophia hesitated. "What's taking so long? Everyone's here already."

Carol inhaled, about to say something, but Edward suddenly moved lower. Caught off guard, she gasped out loud. "I-mmph..."

Sophia's voice grew sharp through the door. "Carol? What on earth are you doing in there?"

Carol lowered her gaze and saw that smug little smirk tugging at Edward's lips. She pinched her arm hard, trying to snap herself out of it. Right then, her mom's voice came again from behind the door-

"By the way, have you seen Ed? His grandfather's been looking for him just now."

How on earth could Carol admit Edward was literally all over her?

"Haven't seen him."

Sophia was about to head off when she paused, as if remembering something. "Oh, there's a gift box in