THE HIGH GROUND

WILD DESIRES

As Daemond leaned closer, his chest practically brushing against the soft rise and fall of her torso, her breathing hitched. Another soft, breathless whisper tumbled from her parted lips, clearer this time, cutting through the low rumble of the thunder outside.

"Ummm... no... please... don't go... Daemond..."

The words were a desperate, heavy plea. She was dreaming of him. Beneath all her fierce, independent pouts and defensive stammers, she was attracted to him in the exact same consuming way he was drawn to her. *Such a mystery girl,* he thought, a dark, triumphant smirk carving into his perfect features.

But before he could pull back, Bella stirred restlessly in the sheets. Her beautiful, slender arms reached out blindly in her sleep, searching for the phantom in her dreams. Her hands locked onto the smooth silk of his charcoal shirt, her fingers tightening with surprising force as she pulled him down toward her.

"Umm... don't... leave me..." she whimpered.

Caught off guard by her sudden strength and entirely unwilling to fight it, Daemond was pulled down onto the mattress. He landed heavily on the side right next to her, his massive, towering frame sinking into the plush bedding. In an instant, their bodies were completely glued together from chest to thigh. The sheer, intoxicating impact of her soft, voluptuous curves pressing directly against his rigid, aching muscles completely shattered the last remnants of his sanity.

He could no longer resist. Every boundary, every rule of professional decorum, and every ounce of his legendary billionaire restraint went up in absolute flames. Looking down at her flushed, dreaming face, he muttered darkly in his mind, *You did this, Miss Swan.* A wicked smirk played on his lips as he claimed his prize. Dropping all hesitation, Daemond let his hands roam entirely free over her body. His large, tanned palms traced the narrow indent of her waist before sliding upward, pressing firmly against every lush, breathtaking curve. His fingers hooked into the low-cut neckline of the black silk nightgown, pulling the fluid fabric down to completely free her breasts.

His breath hitched at the sight. They were magnificent—full, heavy, and pale against the dark sheets. Unable to look away, his hands moved to grab the soft, aching blossoms, squeezing the heavy mounds roughly yet lovingly, testing their incredible weight.

The intense, direct contact shocked her subconscious. A sharp, breathless gasp tore from her throat. "Ahh..."

That sound was the absolute end of Daemond’s patience. Bowing his head, he captured her plump, cherry lips in a deep, bruising kiss.

The sheer intensity of his mouth on hers finally dragged Bella out of the deep layers of her sleep. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her half-sleepy, dazed eyes. In the dim, shadowed light of the room, she saw the silhouette of the man who had been haunting her thoughts. Lost in the heavy fog of her desires and believing it was still the continuation of her vivid dream, Bella didn't fight him. Instead, she let out a soft whine and kissed him back, her small hands sliding up into his thick, dark hair, completely allowing him full control.

This sweet, compliant gesture completely relieved Daemond of any lingering hesitation. He went wild. Sliding her nightie completely off her upper body, he buried his face in her chest. Those full, rounded breasts drove him absolutely crazy. He opened his mouth, grabbing each heavy peak in a full, wet seal, sucking hard against her sensitive skin and biting gently with his teeth.

Bella’s head throbbed, a white-hot current of pure electrical pleasure shooting straight down between her thighs. She arched her back off the mattress, her fingers tightening desperately in his hair as he devoured her. Daemond was entirely, painfully hard now, his rigid length pressing menacingly against her hip through his trousers.

But as the sharp, wet sensation of his tongue biting at her skin intensified, the heavy fog in Bella's brain suddenly cleared. Her eyes snapped wide open, staring up at the grand canopy of the bed. The cool air of the room hitting her bare skin, the heavy, muscular weight pinning her down, the distinct scent of rain and luxury—this wasn't a dream.

*This is real. Daemond is here. In my room. On top of me.* Panic, cold and sharp, flooded her veins, instantly instantly washing away the pleasure. "Oh no..." she thought, her heart seizing. She tried to speak, to open her mouth and tell him to stop, to find the strength to resist, but Daemond was already moving back up her body. He claimed her lips once again, his tongue sliding deep inside her mouth, greedily sucking her sweetness and driving her crazy with his rhythm.

Bella tried to twist her head away, but her desperate resistance only sounded like muffled, needy moans against his mouth. And each frantic moan she uttered only drove the billionaire wilder, convincing him she wanted more.

As he kissed her madly, drowning out her voice, Daemond slid his large hand down the smooth silk of her gown. His fingers trailed over her bare, shivering thigh, moving higher and higher until they hooked into the delicate elastic of her underwear, ready to pull the panty completely off and claim her.

In that split second, Bella’s moral senses came rushing back with the force of a freight train. She knew exactly what was about to happen, and she knew what it meant. She was still a virgin. She had spent her entire life protecting herself, saving her first time for someone who loved her, someone she truly knew. She couldn't give something so precious away to a cold, ruthless man she had barely met a few days ago, no matter how desperately her body desired him in this dark room. This was special, and she simply wasn't ready.

As his fingers tugged at her underwear, a surge of pure, panicked adrenaline exploded within her.

Gathering every ounce of her strength, Bella brought her hands down against his massive chest and pushed him off with a violent, desperate heave.

Daemond, completely blinded by his own lust and assuming she was entirely compliant, was caught completely off guard. He didn't have time to brace himself. The sheer, terrified force of her push sent his heavy frame flying backward across the mattress.

*CRACK.*

A loud, sickening thud echoed through the quiet guest suite as the back of Daemond’s head and forehead slammed violently into the sharp, carved wooden edge of the heavy headboard.

The physical shock instantly broke the spell. Daemond grunted sharply, his eyes snapping open as he recoiled, his hand flying straight to his forehead as he tumbled off her and sat on the edge of the bed.

Bella frantically scrambled backward toward the opposite side of the mattress, her breath coming in ragged, hysterical gasps. She desperately grabbed the discarded white blanket, pulling it all the way up to her neck to cover her bare, exposed breasts, her limbs shaking uncontrollably.

"I-I'm sorry..." she choked out, her voice trembling with a mixture of terror and shock.

But as she looked across the bed at him, the words died in her throat, her eyes widening in absolute horror. Daemond slowly pulled his hand away from his forehead. There, splitting the skin right near his temple, was a sharp, jagged cut. A thick, brilliant stream of dark crimson blood was already rushing down his handsome face, staining his pale skin and dripping heavily onto the pristine white sheets below.