The message arrived on a Wednesday evening, just as Alison was undressing for a bath. Four words lit her screen.

After hours. My office.

No greeting. No signature. No need.

She sat on the edge of her bed, towel sliding loose around her hips, staring at the text with a pulse that suddenly wouldn’t steady. She should’ve ignored it—she knew she should. But the thought of Frederick alone in that vast office, waiting for her, undone her in ways she couldn’t fight.

By the time she slipped into a fitted dress and heels, her hands were trembling, though she’d never admit it. The city was quiet by the time she arrived, the glass tower rising like a monolith into the night sky.

Inside, the lobby was deserted, save for a single bored security guard who barely glanced up as she passed. Her heels clicked softly on the marble floor, every step echoing the anticipation curling low in her belly.

The elevator ride felt endless, her reflection in the mirrored walls a reminder of how deliberate she’d been—hair loose, lipstick deep, perfume light but sharp enough to linger. She wanted him undone the moment she walked in.

When the doors opened, the top floor was drenched in shadow, save for the golden glow spilling from one office. His office.

She paused at the threshold. The thought of him rooted her in place for a moment. Alison stepped inside and closed the door with a soft click that seemed to echo through the darkened office. The silence after was thick, intimate, like the air itself was waiting for them.

Frederick was leaning against his desk, jacket discarded, sleeves rolled, collar unbuttoned. The faint light painted him in warm amber, sharpening his jaw, making him look more dangerous than she remembered.

His eyes lifted to her the second she entered. He didn’t smile, didn’t speak, just watched her with that same gaze that had burned her alive at the gala. Frederick’s gaze traveled down her body—slow, deliberate, as if he were analyzing every line of her dress, every curve beneath it. She felt it like a physical touch, her skin prickling with awareness under the weight of his stare.

Her breath caught. The silence pressed down heavy between them until he finally broke it with a voice that was low and deliberate.

“You came,” he said finally, voice low, the corners of his mouth curling almost imperceptibly.

Her lips curved in response, teasing, though her pulse betrayed her calm. “Did you ever doubt it?”

He chuckled once, deep and quiet, shaking his head. “I doubted my self-control. Not yours.”

Alison let the words settle, then crossed the room toward him, her heels whispering against the carpet. She stopped just shy of his desk, leaning back against it, deliberately invading his space. Her perfume mingled with the scent of his cologne, warm and sharp, sparking an ache low in her stomach.

“Then why invite me here?” she asked, tilting her head, voice dipping into a velvet murmur. “Business after hours… or something else?”

His eyes darkened, and for a moment, he looked like a man caught between restraint and ruin. “I wanted to see if you’d look at me the way you did that night.”

Alison’s laugh was soft, breathy, her tongue brushing her lower lip as she held his gaze. “And do I?”

He closed the distance in two strides, bracing one hand on the desk beside her hip. The sudden nearness stole her breath—his heat, his scent, the sheer force of his presence pressing into her.

“You look at me like you want to consume me,” he murmured, his mouth inches from hers. His other hand hovered at her waist, not quite touching, teasing her with the anticipation. “And the worst part is, I want it. Every fucking second.”

Her breath hitched, her body arching ever so slightly into the ghost of his hand. “Then why are you still holding back?” she whispered.

Frederick’s jaw clenched, his eyes blazing. “Because once I start, I won’t stop.”

Alison leaned forward, her lips grazing his ear as she whispered back, hot and merciless, “That’s exactly what I came for.”

She was right there, perched on the edge of his desk, lips parted, eyes gleaming with the kind of dare that could ruin a man.

Frederick hovered close enough to feel her breath warm against his mouth, but he didn’t close the gap. Not yet. He dragged the tension out, letting silence coil tight between them, savoring the way her chest rose faster with every heartbeat.

Alison’s hand slid up, fingertips brushing his tie, tugging it slowly through her fingers. She looped it around her palm like a leash, pulling him closer until his lips almost grazed hers. “I don’t think you know how bad I want you,” she whispered, eyes locked on his.

He clenched his jaw, every nerve taut, refusing to give in just yet. “Oh, I know,” he murmured, his gaze falling to her mouth. "But I think you like wanting me more than you’ll ever admit.”

Her smile was wicked, and before he could breathe, she tugged the tie hard, yanking him into a kiss that was all heat and demand. Her tongue met his instantly, hungry, desperate, no space for teasing anymore.

The control he’d been clinging to snapped.

He gripped her waist with both hands and yanked her forward against him, groaning into her mouth as she arched, her body pressing flush to his. She tasted like red wine and sin, her moans spilling into him as though she’d been waiting for this since the gala.

His hands roamed lower, under her dress, sliding over silk and bare thigh, fingers digging into the soft flesh as he pulled her closer, closer. The desk pressed hard against her hips, but she didn’t care—her legs wrapped around his waist, locking him in place.

“Fuck, Alison,” he muttered against her neck, teeth scraping her skin as she gasped and tipped her head back. Her nails dug into his shoulders through his shirt, sharp enough to sting, but he only wanted more.

She pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, her lipstick smeared, pupils blown wide. “I told you,” she panted, grinding against him, “I don’t want restraint. I want you.”

That was it. He spun her around, pressing her chest down against the polished wood of his desk, her hands splayed on the cool surface. His body pressed into hers from behind, pinning her in place as he kissed a line up her shoulder, biting at the edge of her neck until she moaned.

Her dress bunched higher, his hands greedy now, sliding along her thighs, gripping tight enough to bruise. She wiggled back against him, teasing, pushing him closer to losing himself completely.

“Alison,” he growled, hips grinding against her, “you’re going to drive me insane.”

She glanced back over her shoulder, hair wild, lips parted, her voice a low, taunting whisper: “Then lose your mind.”

He slammed his mouth back onto hers, bending over her from behind, their kiss messy and frantic as she writhed under him. His hand slid between her thighs, teasing, testing, until her cry filled the room, sharp and broken.

Her need was palpable, soaking, pulling him in—and when his fingers sank into her, her body trembled violently against him, clutching at the desk like it was the only thing keeping her upright.

The sound of her moaning his name, the feel of her shaking under his touch—it was too much. His own arousal pressed hard, demanding, and every ounce of restraint he had left was hanging by a thread.

“Say it,” he rasped against her ear, fingers working her, desperate. “Say you want me.”

Her cry tore out, ragged and raw. “I want you inside me. Now.”

And in that instant, Frederick knew he couldn’t hold back anymore.

Frederick didn’t hesitate. The moment the words left her mouth, he ripped the tie from around his neck and bound her wrists with it, pinning them to the desk. Alison gasped, half-shocked, half-thrilled, her body trembling under his grip.

“You don’t get to tease me all night and then beg without consequence,” he growled, his voice low, feral.

She arched back into him, lips parted, breathless. “Then punish me.”

That was all the permission he needed.

He shoved her dress higher until it bunched at her waist, exposing smooth skin and the lace that barely covered her. His palms ran rough over her hips before sliding down to cup her ass, squeezing hard as his arousal pressed against her, straining through his trousers.

Alison whimpered when he tore the lace aside, baring her completely. His fingers teased her slick heat, sliding through it slowly, deliberately, until her thighs shook and she pushed back against his hand, desperate.

“Please,” she begged, her voice breaking.

Frederick leaned in, his lips brushing her ear. “You’ve been driving me mad since the gala. You’re going to feel every second of what you did to me.”

And then, without another word, he entered her in one deep, relentless thrust.

Alison cried out, her body clenching around him, and Frederick groaned, burying himself to the hilt, savoring the heat, the wetness, the way she took him in like she’d been made for him.

The desk creaked beneath their weight as he drove into her again, harder, the sound of their bodies colliding filling the office. Her moans spilled out, raw and uncontrolled, echoing off the walls as she writhed under him, restrained and helpless except for the way she could move against him, beg for him, take him deeper.

“God, you feel so good,” he gasped, pounding harder, his grip bruising her hips as he pulled her back onto him, over and over.

Alison was lost, her voice high and broken, the tie digging into her wrists as she twisted, her body caught between pain and unbearable pleasure. “Don’t stop,” she cried, “Frederick, don’t you dare stop.”

He bent over her, one hand sliding up her body to squeeze her breast through the thin fabric of her dress, his teeth scraping her neck before biting down. She shuddered, clenching tighter around him, and he nearly lost it right there.

Her body bucked violently as he thrust harder, faster, each movement rough, claiming. The polished desk rattled under the assault, papers scattering, pens clattering to the floor, but neither of them cared. The world outside the office didn’t exist—only the heat, the sweat, the desperate rhythm that drove them closer to the edge.

Alison’s legs shook as she tried to hold herself up, but he was merciless, pulling her against him with every thrust. Her cries turned frantic, breathless, until finally she shattered, her orgasm tearing through her with a scream that made his chest tighten. Her whole body spasmed around him, gripping him so tightly that it dragged his own climax dangerously close.

Frederick bit back a curse, grinding into her harder, chasing that inevitable end. He pulled her upright suddenly, still deep inside her, her back pressed against his chest as he kept pounding into her. One hand gripped her throat, tilting her head back so he could devour her mouth in a messy, desperate kiss.

Her body was wild in his arms, trembling, quivering, already oversensitive but still begging for more, her words spilling out incoherent between moans and kisses.

And then he lost it. With a guttural groan, Frederick buried himself one final time, exploding inside her as every muscle in his body tensed. He held her tight, locked against her as waves of release tore through him, raw and unstoppable.

The two of them collapsed forward onto the desk, sweaty, panting, the tie still tight around her wrists. The office was a wreck—papers everywhere, chairs knocked askew, the sharp scent of sex heavy in the air.

For a long moment, there was only silence. Their bodies pressed together, hearts racing, breaths ragged.

Finally, Alison turned her head, her lips brushing his cheek, a wicked smile curving across her face. “That,” she whispered, voice hoarse, “was worth the wait.”

Frederick kissed her shoulder, still trying to catch his breath, and let out a low laugh. “And it’s only the beginning.”

Frederick barely gave them time to catch their breath. Still buried inside her, his body slick with sweat, he slid the tie loose from her wrists and spun her around, forcing her forward until her stomach pressed against the edge of the desk.

Alison gasped, steadying herself on her palms, breasts flattening against scattered papers. She looked over her shoulder at him with that same wicked, knowing smile, her hair falling wild around her face. “You’re not done with me, are you?”

His answer was a sharp thrust that made her gasp and claw at the wood.

“Not even close,” he growled, gripping her hips and yanking her back onto him, the sound of their bodies colliding echoing louder than before.

Her dress was bunched at her waist, her skin gleaming under the office lights as he took her from behind, relentless. His hands roamed over her ass, squeezing, spreading, leaving red imprints as he drove into her over and over. Each thrust was harder, deeper, claiming her all over again.

The desk creaked violently beneath the force, pens rolling to the floor, but Alison was beyond caring. Her moans filled the room, high and desperate, her body rocking with his rhythm. “Oh God—Frederick—” she cried, every word breaking apart with the impact of his hips slamming into hers.

He leaned over her, one hand sliding up her back until it tangled in her hair. With a sharp tug, he pulled her head back, exposing her throat as he thrust harder. She whimpered, arching, caught between the sting of his grip and the pleasure flooding her body.

“You feel incredible like this,” he rasped against her ear, his breath hot on her skin. “So fucking tight, so wet—driving me insane.”

Alison shuddered, pressing her hips back against him, meeting every thrust with frantic desperation. “Harder,” she begged, her voice raw, needy. “Don’t stop, don’t you dare stop.”

His response was merciless. He tightened his hold on her hair, his other hand gripping her hip so hard she’d bruise by morning, and slammed into her with ruthless force. The slap of skin on skin echoed off the office walls, the scent of sex thick and heavy in the air.

Her knees trembled, barely holding her up, but Frederick wouldn’t let her falter. He kept her bent forward, held in place as he drove into her, faster, harder, the desk rattling violently beneath their bodies.

Alison’s cries grew wilder, unrestrained, as wave after wave of pleasure shook her. Her body clenched around him, pulling him deeper with every thrust. “Yes—yes—oh God, yes!” she screamed, her nails dragging across the desk, leaving faint scratches in the polished wood.

Frederick groaned, nearly undone by the way she pulsed around him. He pressed her flat against the desk, his chest against her back, still pounding into her with animalistic need. One of his hands slid down, fingers finding her swollen heat, stroking in time with his thrusts until she was sobbing with the force of it.

Her climax ripped through her violently, her body convulsing, squeezing him so tight he nearly lost control. She cried out his name like a prayer, like a curse, her voice breaking into raw moans as her body trembled beneath him.

He held nothing back, riding her orgasm with brutal thrusts until he reached his own edge. With a guttural sound torn from his chest, Frederick buried himself deep, shuddering as he came hard inside her, the intensity of it nearly buckling his knees.

They collapsed forward together, Alison’s cheek pressed to the desk, Frederick still inside her, both of them gasping, drenched in sweat, trembling from the force of what they’d just done.

For a moment, the room was nothing but ragged breaths and the ticking of the office clock. Then Alison turned her head, still panting, her lips curling into a sly grin.

“Obsessed, Frederick?” she whispered, voice hoarse, daring.

He kissed the back of her neck, still catching his breath, and whispered against her skin, “Completely.”

Frederick slowly pulled out of her, the sudden emptiness leaving Alison trembling against the desk. His hands steadied her by the waist before sliding up her sides, soft now where they’d been so merciless just moments before. Papers were scattered around them like fallen petals, a glass teetered on the edge, and the office reeked of sex—an unshakable mark of what they’d done.

Alison pushed herself up slowly, still braced on the desk, her hair sticking to her damp cheeks, her dress still bunched around her waist. She turned to face him, her chest rising and falling as if she’d just run for her life, her lips parted in a breathless grin.

“Do you always work your clients this hard?” she teased, her voice ragged, sultry.

Frederick laughed under his breath, though his eyes were still dark, hungry. He leaned back against his chair, loosening his tie completely now, his shirt damp and sticking to his chest. “Only the ones who drive me insane,” he murmured, gaze locked on her.

Alison slipped down from the desk, legs shaky, but she closed the distance between them anyway. She straddled his lap without hesitation, pressing her lips to his in a deep, lingering kiss that tasted of sweat and heat and everything they hadn’t said aloud.

His arms wrapped around her, holding her close, almost too tight, as if he couldn’t bear to let go. The desperation of before simmered now into something slower, more dangerous.

She broke the kiss, brushing her lips along his jaw, whispering in his ear, “You’re not going to forget me after this.”

His grip tightened, and his voice came out low, rough with truth. “I couldn’t, even if I tried.”

Alison smiled against his skin, that same wicked curve of her lips from the very first night, the one that promised more trouble than he could handle. “Good,” she whispered, sliding off his lap and smoothing her dress back into place.

She walked toward the door, pausing to glance over her shoulder, her eyes gleaming with the thrill of what they’d just shared. “Because this is only the beginning.”

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Frederick alone in the chaos of his office, the scent of her perfume still hanging in the air. He sat there in the silence, heart still pounding, already knowing he’d chase that obsession again, no matter the cost.