Too Young For What I Want

Cora’s POV

I covered my mouth with my free hand, forcing my eyes wide in an exaggerated display of horror as I watched the dark red wine soak into the pristine fabric of his custom suit. The liquid slashed across his crisp white shirt like a bleeding wound, ruining the immaculate silk tie and dripping down the lapel of his tailored jacket.

I flashed him a sweet smile, batting my eyelashes to sell the innocent act. "Oops. You know how clumsy I can be."

The heavy tension radiating from his massive frame made it clear to both of us that the spill was intentional. The dead silence in our section of the lounge amplified the sound of the liquid hitting the floor.

Magnus did not flinch. His chiseled face hardened into a mask of lethal anger. He stared down at the damage for a long second before lifting his sharp blue eyes to meet mine.

He gritted the words out, his voice dropping to a dangerous, grating register that sent a warning shiver straight down my spine. "You’re proving to be quite stubborn, Miss Brooks."

I waved off his anger with a dismissive flick of my wrist. I tilted my chin up, refusing to let him intimidate me in front of half the city's elite. "I am just a clumsy girl making silly mistakes in a crowded room. Try not to take it to heart, Mr Thorne."

The last thread of his famous restraint finally snapped. His jaw clenched tight enough to grind bone.

He issued a dark challenge. "Fine. How about you fight me on this, then?"

Before my alcohol-fogged brain could process the threat, my entire world flipped upside down. Magnus lunged forward with terrifying speed. His thick, muscular arm wrapped firmly around my waist. He hoisted me effortlessly over his broad shoulder like a sack of trouble. All the breath knocked out of my lungs in a loud gasp as my stomach hit his solid muscle. My heartbeat hammered in my ears, drowning out the thumping bass of the club's sound system.

I began thrashing, kicking my legs hard against his chest. My hands scrambled for purchase, gripping the frames of my glasses to keep them from flying off and shattering on the sticky club floor. I demanded, "Put me down right now!"

He ignored my struggling. He merely leaned his head close to my hip. His deep voice vibrated against my skin, cutting through the noise. "Keep talking. You will deeply regret pulling this little stunt."

He marched out of the mansion. He moved with long, purposeful strides, ignoring the wide-eyed gasps, the pointing fingers, and the hushed whispers of the elite party guests. I caught glimpses of shocked faces blurring past us. No one dared to step into his path. The cool night air hit my flushed skin as he carried me down the grand stone steps of the estate. The abrupt change in temperature did nothing to cool the fiery embarrassment burning in my chest.

A waiting luxury SUV sat idling at the curb. His silent driver snapped to attention and opened the heavy rear door. Magnus did not bother setting me down gently. He threw me into the plush back seat. I landed with a breathless huff on the smooth leather, my limbs tangled in a messy heap. The cold surface sent a sudden jolt through my overheated skin. My short dress rode up high on my thighs, tossing my remaining dignity out into the night.

The driver shut the heavy door, sealing us inside the quiet, dimly lit interior. Suffocating tension thickened the air. The faint smell of his rich cologne mixed with the sharp scent of expensive leather and spilled wine, trapping me in his overwhelming presence. The silence in the vehicle felt like a heavy vacuum compared to the chaotic noise of the party.

I scrambled to sit upright. My hands pulled down the hem of my dress to cover my bare skin. I pushed my messy hair out of my face and shoved my glasses back up the bridge of my nose, muttering in frustration. "Your behavior is unbelievable! You cannot just carry people around like luggage!"

Magnus shot back, his low, furious voice echoing in the confined space and vibrating against the tinted windows. "And you're reckless. You got drunk in an environment that is far from a safe playground. The ruthless men inside that party would have eaten a naive girl like you alive."

I scoffed at his scolding. My pride stung sharply at being called naive. I crossed my arms defensively over my chest, glaring at him through the dim light of the streetlamps flashing by outside. I argued, stubbornness lacing my tone. "I can handle myself just fine. I do not need you to play my overbearing guardian."

The alcohol rushing through my veins made me feel brave and untouchable. I refused to back down in my tipsy haze. I decided to play the part of a daring seductress to wipe that arrogant scowl off his face. I wanted to prove I was not just his timid little assistant.

I leaned in closely toward him, letting my sweet perfume fill the narrow space between us. I injected a husky, experienced tone into my voice, ignoring the nervous flutter in my stomach. "How do you know I am not actually a bad girl who just likes to have a little wild fun?"

Magnus scoffed at my attempt. His cold, calculating gaze raked slowly over my body with brutal, stripping honesty. He proceeded to dismantle my facade piece by humiliating piece, leaving me feeling exposed and foolish. He paused, his icy blue eyes dropping to my lap to track my nervous movements with predator-like focus.

He tore my lies apart. "Look at your slipping, smudged glasses. Look at that conservative dress clearly bought from a clearance rack, hanging off you awkwardly. Look at those ridiculous sensible teacher shoes you insist on wearing every single day to the office. Look at the frantic fidgeting of your hands right now. You are trembling in your seat. I doubt you’ve ever been bad a single day in your life."

I swallowed hard. Heat flooded my cheeks, burning away the last of my liquid courage. He read me with terrifying accuracy. I hated how small and transparent he made me feel. I was desperate to save face and maintain my bluff at any cost.

I lied smoothly, lifting my chin in the hopes that my voice would not shake. "I have a boyfriend who could firmly attest to my extensive experience in the bedroom. He knows exactly how wild I can be behind closed doors."

Magnus coldly reminded me of my own words, calling my bluff without missing a single beat. He stared at me with ruthless clarity, dissecting my lies with effortless precision. "You confessed to being single just yesterday in my office."

I opened my mouth to form a defense, but no words came out. My fingers twisted the fabric of my dress in a dead giveaway of my rising panic. Why did he have to remember every single detail I shared with him?

He shifted his massive frame, moving directly into my personal space. He trapped me against the plush seat until our knees were almost touching. His broad shoulders blocked out the passing streetlights, casting me in his imposing shadow.

He murmured the words, his voice dropping from anger into a dark, possessive growl that sent intense shivers over my skin. "I don’t believe you have a boyfriend. A real man wouldn’t let his woman anywhere near a place like that. He wouldn't let other men look at what's his."

A secret, forbidden thrill shot straight through my core at his dark, overwhelming dominance. My breathing turned shallow. The tight, confined space of the SUV suddenly felt suffocatingly hot. The air crackled with a dangerous electric charge.

He lifted his hand. His strong fingers gripped my jaw, tilting my head up so I was forced to meet his intense, burning gaze. His touch carried a heavy, sensual command that rooted me to the spot.

He issued a dark promise. "If you were mine, Cora... you wouldn’t be sitting in that dress, testing me like this. I’d make sure you learn what happens when you push too far. You wouldn’t be able to sit for a full day."

My eyes went wide behind my smudged glasses. Every rational thought scattered from my alcohol-soaked brain. My body reacted with a sudden, undeniable pool of heat collecting between my thighs. Was my ruthless, strictly professional, uptight boss actually talking about bending me over his knee and spanking me? My chest heaved rapidly as I stared at him in pure disbelief.

I stammered, my mouth opening and closing as I failed to form a single coherent response to the explicit threat hanging heavily in the air between us. "I..."

He asked smoothly, a predatory shift in his expression making my pulse race wildly. "You don't even understand what I'm talking about, do you?"

His rough thumb skimmed across my trembling bottom lip with a light, burning pressure. The touch sent deep, jagged tremors down my spine. I remained paralyzed under his dark gaze, caught in a snare of my own making as he let the heavy silence stretch out for agonizing seconds. His eyes filled with a terrifying, intoxicating hunger that made my breath hitch painfully in my throat.

He leaned in closer, his voice wrapping around me like a dark velvet rope. "That's because you're too innocent, Cora. Too pure. Too naïve for my world. Too young for what I want to do to you."