Trapped By The Ruthless Billionaire Heir

The Plaza Hotel glittered like a diamond choking on its own brilliance. Crystal chandeliers threw fractured rainbows across the silk wallpaper, and the air tasted of expensive champagne and hollow laughter. Adelia pressed her back against the dark mahogany paneling near the terrace doors, willing herself to become part of the shadows. Her black dress was a deliberate choice-sleek, modest, forgettable. She just needed to make it through the night without being noticed by the one person who mattered most.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic bird trying to escape its cage. She kept her head down, her eyes fixed on the polished marble floor, and took a step toward the terrace. The cool night air would be a relief. It would clear the suffocating scent of gardenias and cigar smoke from her lungs.

She took another step. Almost there.

A hand shot out from the darkness behind a marble pillar. Thick fingers wrapped around her wrist like a vise, the grip bruising, inescapable. The sudden pressure sent a jolt of pure adrenaline through her veins. Before she could scream, she was yanked backward, her heels scraping uselessly against the floor.

She stumbled into the dimly lit service corridor, the roar of the banquet muffled by the heavy fire doors. The familiar scent hit her first-cedar, vetiver, and something darkly masculine that always made her stomach clench. Kain's chest pressed hard against her back, the heat of him burning through the thin silk of her dress.

He didn't say a word. He just dragged her deeper into the shadows, away from the light, away from safety. His breath was hot against her ear, his silence more terrifying than any shout.

"Let me go," Adelia whispered. Her voice trembled, betraying the fear she tried so hard to hide. She pulled against his grip, but it was like fighting a steel cable.

Kain ignored her. He pushed her forward until her back hit the cold plaster wall with a dull thud. He caged her in instantly, his large hands slamming against the wall on either side of her head. The sound echoed in the narrow space, a gunshot in the quiet.

He stepped closer. His knee forced its way between her legs, parting them with a rough, proprietary motion. The hard muscle of his thigh pressed against her core, and a dangerous heat seeped through the thin fabric of her underwear. She squeezed her eyes shut, humiliated by the way her body reacted to his proximity, the traitorous warmth pooling low in her belly.

His thumb found her chin. He dug his digit into the soft flesh, forcing her face up. He didn't caress; he possessed. His thumb dragged across her lower lip, pulling it down, examining her like a piece of livestock he was considering buying.

"Were you trying to hide from me, Adelia?" His voice was a low rumble, vibrating through his chest and into hers.

She turned her head, breaking his gaze. She couldn't look into those