Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Marley's mind raced, churning in a fog of confusion. What the hell was he saying? Before she could react, the man's hands gripped her firmly, pushing her back against the cold wall. He leaned in closer, his muscular chest pressing against her, leaving no room for escape. Lowering his head, his lips met hers—hot, demanding, and impossible to ignore.
The familiar scent of his breath stirred something within her. Shit. This was him—the mystery man from last night. The one who had shared her bed. But how did it come to this? Why was she here with this stranger? Marley's thoughts raced as her heart pounded, but they were soon interrupted by a sudden movement.
In one swift motion, the man lifted her off her feet and threw her onto the bed. His body flushed with heat, a mix of desire and impatience.
"Wait," Marley managed, trying to make sense of the situation. Her body hit the mattress hard, jolting her back to the present. She pushed against his chest, but her struggles only seemed to fuel his urgency.
"Stop fighting me," he growled, his voice low and commanding. Marley felt the unmistakable hardness of his erection against her thigh, and terror seized her. Who the hell was this man? Where is her husband?
Fear clawed at her insides, growing more intense with each passing second. But beneath the fear, another emotion surged—anger. How dare he treat her like this? What gave him the right? She wouldn't let him control her, not without a fight.
Marley's mind raced, her heartbeat thrumming in her ears like a war drum. She had to do something, anything to get away from this man. In a split-second decision, she quelled the fear within her and raised her right hand, encircling her arm around his neck.
"Fine," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You want this? You got it."
With that, Marley pressed her lips to his, kissing him with increasing fervor. The man's eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting her sudden change in attitude. His guard dropped, if only for a moment, and Marley seized the opportunity. Without warning, she bit down hard on the tip of his tongue, tasting the metallic tang of blood as it filled her mouth.
"Dammit!" he cursed, reeling back from the pain and releasing her in the process. Marley didn't hesitate, pushing him away with all her remaining strength. She stumbled out of bed, grabbing the men's coat hanging from the door as she flung it open, sprinting into the hallway.
"Hey!" the man roared, clutching his bleeding mouth. His eyes were alight with fury, burning a hole in Marley's back as she disappeared from view.
The bodyguard stationed outside the door was quick to notice the commotion, concern etched on his face as he took in the sight of his boss' split lip.
"Boss, what happened?" he questioned, anxiety apparent in his voice.
Dane Adams barely managed to suppress a snarl as he dabbed at his bloody mouth with a handkerchief, his expression stormy. With a flat, seething tone, he looked over at the bodyguard and barked, "Hurry up and find out who that woman is. And don't let her get away."
"Y-yes, sir," the bodyguard stammered, hurrying off to carry out his orders as Dane's anger simmered beneath the surface.
But Marley was already gone, fleeing through the hotel's dimly lit corridors, wrapped in the ill-fitting coat and cursing her situation. She'd escaped for now, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this stranger—this dangerous, infuriating man—would not be so easily left behind.
The cold, windy morning nipped at her bare feet and sent shivers down her spine, but fear was fueling her now. She hugged the baggy men's jacket around her body, cursing her lack of underwear and the vulnerability it brought.
"Great job, Marley," she muttered to herself. "You've really outdone yourself this time."
Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape route from the mess she found herself in. Just then, a taxi rolled up to the curb, as if answering her desperate prayers. She could almost hear the heavens singing.
"Hey, taxi!" she called, waving frantically. The driver eyed her warily before pulling over. No doubt he was taking in her disheveled appearance—clad only in that oversized coat and flushed from her recent...activities.
"Where to?" the taxi driver asked, his eyes flicking over Marley's exposed legs and the oversized jacket that was her only cover. She rattled off Archer's address, feeling heat rise in her cheeks as he continued to gawk.
"Got any money?" the driver grumbled, clearly still dubious. Marley couldn't blame him, really. She looked like a hot mess.
"Let me check," she replied, flipping open the wallet. Inside, she found five or six black cards—clearly belonging to someone well-off—but not a single bill of cash. Perfect. Because why make things easy?
Again, she fished inside the coat pocket, fingers brushing against cold metal—a pocket watch. A gold one, no less.
"Here," she said, thrusting the timepiece into the driver's hand with more force than necessary. "This should more than cover it. Now drive."
"Alright, alright," the driver muttered, starting the car and pulling away from the curb. Marley sank into the backseat, her heart thudding wildly in her chest. Every bump and turn of the cab felt like a ticking clock, counting down the seconds until her life imploded.
"Damn mysterious men and their stupid games," she thought to herself, gripping the edges of the coat so tightly her knuckles turned white.
"Here we are, safe and sound," the driver announced, pulling up in front of Archer's residence. Marley practically threw herself out of the cab, slamming the door behind her with a huff of frustration.
Her mind raced as she approached the front door, her heart pounding in her chest. The events of the night were a whirlwind, but she needed answers. She needed to find out what her husband knew – and why he had put her in that position.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone