C5 Unmasked

Liam’s POV

“Who is there?!”

Her voice cut through the hush like a blade sharp, startled, ringing off the high ceilings and polished wood, freezing me in place instantly.

Shit. I’ve been caught.

Without a second’s hesitation, my hand moved fast. I shoved myself roughly back into my pajama pants, zipped them up in one sharp motion, and smoothed down my rumpled shirt in the same breath. In less than two seconds, I transformed entirely from a man burning with need, pleasuring himself to the sound of her voice, into the cold, unyielding figure everyone feared. My face settled into an unreadable mask, no trace of my arousal showing. My eyes darkened, turning sharp and watchful as flint.

I gripped the heavy oak door and swung it wide open, forcing it all the way inward with a loud, authoritative thud that echoed like a gunshot through the silent office.

The moment she saw the door fly open and my frame filling the entire space, panic seized her completely, her breath caught, her shoulders went rigid.

Her hands flew everywhere at once, trembling uncontrollably. She slammed her phone shut so hard the entire desk shook, cutting off her soft, breathless sounds mid-moan. The screen went black, the stream ended instantly, leaving only the heavy quiet between us.

She scrambled backward across the desk, legs kicking out wildly as she hauled her robe tight over her half-exposed body, clutching the fabric to her chest like a shield. Her hair was wild and tangled, and the handkerchief covering her face had slipped down slightly. She fumbled to pull it back into place, as if hiding her identity could erase what had just happened. But I wasn’t about to let her leave, not after she’d dared to use my office for something so wild, and certainly not after she’d made me lose control of the discipline I prided myself on. Not when just the sight of her made me forget every dark memory and brought something alive in me I hadn’t felt in years.

“I… I’m sorry… it wasn’t what it looked like,” she stammered, her voice shaking as she scrambled toward the edge of the desk.

She leaped down, her bare feet hitting the floor with a soft thud, and turned to bolt straight for the side exit, desperate to escape, hoping she could slip away before I got a clear look at her. But tonight, she wouldn’t be getting off that easily.

I moved faster than she could take a single step. I lunged forward, my hand shooting out to wrap firmly around her wrist in an unbreakable grip, yanking her back so sharply she stumbled and crashed hard against my chest. Before she could react, I spun her around and pressed her back gently but firmly against the edge of the desk.

Surprisingly, my touch was softer than I intended, gentle enough to surprise even myself. I lifted her easily and settled her onto the desk, making her sit facing me. Slowly, I brought one hand up to adjust her robe, pulling it closed a little more securely over her exposed skin. The gesture was oddly tender, even as my gaze remained intense and unwavering.

My fingers drifted slowly from the edge of the robe, brushing lightly over her thigh, just enough to make her shiver, before hovering, then moving upward toward her face.

“W-What… what do you think you’re doing?” she whispered, her voice trembling, eyes wide with a mix of fear and something else… curiosity, maybe, or uncertainty.

In an instant, the softness vanished. My hand shot up to wrap firmly but not painfully around the side of her neck, just enough to hold her still, to make her feel the full weight of my attention. I felt her pulse racing beneath my fingers, fast and erratic. She gasped, a small, terrified sound, and tried to pull away, but my hold didn’t yield an inch.

“Who are you… and where do you think you’re going without explaining yourself?” I let out my voice low, steady, and terrifyingly calm. No shouting, just a quiet, unshakable command that made her blood run cold. “You dare enter my office, spread yourself out on my desk, and put on that wild, sinful show… and you think you can just run away? Don’t you think I deserve an explanation?”

She shook her head frantically, tears spilling from under the mask and tracing shiny paths down her cheeks.

“Tell me… who are you?” I demanded, loosening my grip just enough to let her breathe, but stepping closer until there was barely an inch of space between us, invading her world completely. She coughed softly and gasped for air as I leaned down until my face was inches from hers, my eyes fixed on the edges of the fabric covering her features. Slowly, deliberately, I reached one hand to the back of her head and found the thin ties holding the mask in place, while my other hand wrapped gently but securely around her tiny waist.

She didn’t fight me. She simply sat there, trembling, as if she knew this moment was inevitable.

With one hand, I pulled her gently closer by her waist, feeling the rapid, frantic thud of her heart beating hard against her ribs — most likely from fear.

With the other, I loosened the knot, letting the fabric slip slowly away to reveal her face at last.

The moment the mask fell completely, my breath caught in my throat. All the sharpness, all the boldness I had tried to hold onto shattered instantly. I stared, completely mesmerized. Even ignoring the rest of her, the soft curves, the full breasts, the hard nipples, the smooth, fair skin — just her face alone was enough to drive any man wild. Her eyes were large and dark, deep enough to feel like they could stare straight into my soul, sending my pulse racing. She had a perfectly shaped, sharp jawline, and every single feature was so ethereal, so flawless, that I felt as though I was looking at something too beautiful to be real.

Strangely, there was something familiar about her like someone I had seen before, though I couldn’t place where. Or maybe I was just imagining things, blinded by how stunning she was. Still, I couldn’t look away.

I lost all sense of control. Every last trace of discipline vanished. Before I could even think straight, I pulled her closer until her chest pressed firmly against mine. My hands came up to cup her face, my thumbs brushing gently over her soft cheeks and tracing the line of her jaw. Before I knew it, I leaned in, drawn in without choice, my lips hovering just inches from hers, ready to kiss those unforgettable lips.

But...

Pah!!

A sharp, loud slap cracked across my cheek, stopping me cold.

The sting burned bright against my skin, instantly jolting me back to my senses.

She pushed me away hard and stared straight into my eyes, her gaze blazing with anger, embarrassment, and a sharp defiance that cut right through the haze of my desire.

Not a single word left her lips — no excuse, no curse, no plea. In one swift, fluid motion, she pushed herself off the desk, her bare feet landing firmly on the carpet. She snatched up her phone, pulled her robe tight around her body, and marched straight out of my office, leaving me standing there with my cheek still throbbing.

She walked fast, never once looking back, while my eyes remained fixed on her retreating figure as she disappeared down the hall and out of the building entirely.

I stood frozen in place, my hand still resting against my stinging cheek. But the burn on my face was nothing compared to the fire she had just lit deep inside me.