Chapter 5

Emma longed to submit herself to the throes of passion, to let this man erase the memories of the worst day of her life.
“I’m not Grace,” she whispered with what little power she had left.
The spell was broken. Something inside him shattered as he pushed himself off this imposter. This common whore. Not his Grace.
“No. You aren’t.”
Emma thought he would be angry, but she was surprised to see a tragic sadness in his eyes. He was in pain. Just as she was.
“But I can be her. I can be Grace for you, if that’s what you’d like,” Emma said. She tried not to feel any sympathy for him. This is a business deal, she thought. Just a business deal.
Will scoffed and sat up, trying to put as much distance between them without getting off the bed. How could he mistake this hooker for his Grace? Now that she was cleaned up, it was clear she was beautiful. And under other circumstances, he’d had every intention of finishing what they started. But not like this.
“Of course, you could. I’m sure you’ve pretended to be many different people before,” he sneered at her.
Emma rolled her eyes. She felt very exposed and snatched up her bathrobe to cover up.
“It’s not like that. I’m not…” she looked away from him. “I’m not a prostitute. I’ve never even had sex before. But I do need money.”
Will snorted. But his expression softened.
“A virgin?” He asked. That was surprising.
Emma kept looking away from him. A furious blush spread across her face. Will reached across the bed and cupped her face.
“Look at me,” he said. She looked at him with a sad, defiant look in her eyes. “Tell me your name,” he smirked.
She almost laughed. Here she was, sitting naked on a bed in a hotel suite with a sexy stranger. And she felt lighter than she had in a long time.
“I’m Emma,” she replied. Emma found herself staring at him. Something in his gaze ate at her defenses. It was like a fairy tale. The princess is rescued from certain doom by the handsome prince. But that fantasy was ripped away by monstrous betrayal not long ago. Now she was an almost sex worker using this man for money.
Emma saw several emotions flash across his face. What settled was something dark, and brooding. It made him feel dangerous.
There was something about her that intrigued him. He pulled the bathrobe down, exposing her. Emma shrunk into herself in an attempt to hide. His eyes scanned her naked body. Emma shivered under his stare.
Those eyes, she thought. He was so sexy, and he knew it too.
Emma was losing her nerve. What was she thinking? She had to get out of there.
“I…um, I’m gonna go,” she squeaked.
“Hmm. You’re going to leave naked?” Will smirked, leaning closer to her.
“I can put my old clothes back on,” Emma answered.
“They’re wet and ruined,” Will hummed into her neck. Emma vibrated.
“My family may be worried about me. My roommate may be waiting for me,” Emma whispered as Will laid her down against the luxurious plush bed.
“I don’t think so,” Will said as his fingers traced her skin. He started at her jaw and teased his way to her chest. He would stop if she wanted him to. But he was certain she wanted him to take her. Emma caved. She wound her fingers into his hair and stared back into those dangerous eyes. Her breaths came in ragged pants.
“Finally,” Will responded as he devoured her in a hungry, feverish kiss. They were an explosion of lips and tongues and hands. In that moment, Emma allowed herself to feel. She could forget that this was a business deal to her for now. She just wanted to feel him. She always imagined that her first time would be with Matt, not with a rich stranger in a hotel room. Her senses were in overdrive and she found that she did not care.
Will knew it wasn’t Grace writhing beneath him. He’d buried his sorrows into many different girls since he lost her. What’s one more, he thought. At least this one didn’t come with any risks. He tried to remind himself to be gentle. Emma was a virgin after all.
He flipped them over so that Emma was on top of him. She yelped with surprise. Emma felt all of him underneath her. His muscles were lean and taut. One of her hands remained tangled in his hair while the other rested against his chest. A small fire began to build in the pit of her stomach. Instinct took over and she began to grind against him to relieve the delicious tension rising inside her. Moisture grew in between her thighs and a small moan escaped her lips as she felt Will harden underneath her. Matt had never made her feel this way.
“Slow down,” Will said, pulling part from her. “I’m trying to take it easy on you.” They were both panting.
Emma stared at him. She couldn’t let herself drown in this ocean of pleasure, but oh how she wanted to. Will was having a hard time controlling himself.
He hovered over, a hand on either side of her head. He looked positively feral.
His control was thin. If she baited him like that again, he would demolish her. “…and slow. And gentle.”
“I don’t want you to be nice, and slow, and gentle,” Emma answered. “I want…” Emma pushed aside the girl who once loved Matt. She cast away the unwanted stepdaughter, the pawn in Jane and Anna’s game. She cast away the nice girl. She was on a mission. Will was merely the means to an end.
“But I want you to fuck me.”
Will’s eyes flashed with wild danger. Without word, he moved away from her and reached over to the nightstand. He pulled out a foil packet and ripped it open with his teeth. Will slid the condom along his impressive length. Emma took it in for the first time. She had never seen one in real life. Are they supposed to be that big? Is this going to hurt?
Will didn’t answer, he plunged inside her all at once. It took Emma’s breath away. The air left her body as he stretched her from the inside out.
“Oh my god,” she whispered. The pain she expected did not come. Instead, she felt moist fullness and intense throbbing between her thighs. She had touched herself before, but nothing ever felt like this. She let her body take over, and began to move against him.
“Does it hurt?” he rumbled.
“No,” Emma answered. “Keep going.” Please keep moving.
Will threw his head back and took slow breaths in an effort to control himself. It would be so easy to shatter her. And as bold as she was acting, she was still a virgin and he did not want to destroy her. He felt her begin to move against him. He looked down at her. Her eyes were closed and she was gripping the sheets with her all strengths. Small pants and moans escaped her parted lips.
“Open your eyes. I want you to look at me when I make you cum.”
Emma’s eyes flew open at his command. He flipped them over again. Will hands grabbed around her hips and he began to bounce her up and down along his throbbing member.
“Holy shit,” she moaned as he began to thrust into her in time with the bouncing. She threw her back and tried to keep from losing herself in those dangerous eyes.
“Eyes on me,” he demanded. She looked back at him. I can give in for now. Just for right now. “How does that feel?”
“Good. So good,” Emma answered breathlessly. The heat began to coil in between her legs. It was so intense she didn’t know whether to hold back or let go. Will mercilessly drilled into her. Pumping in and out until both of them were incoherent with pleasure. Emma’s mind was blank and she couldn’t focus on anything but they rhythm Will created with her body. Now she understood why people wanted sex all the time. She never wanted to stop. Will’s grasp tightened on Emma’s hips and with one final thrust, they both came.
Emma collapsed on his chest, breathless and spent. Will’s arm held her against him. They said nothing as they tried to regain their breath. After a few minutes, Emma realized that Will had fallen asleep. But her mind was whirling so violently that the solace of sleep escaped her. She disentangled herself from Will’s grasp and covered him with one of the many blankets. She wrapped herself in an oversized bathrobe and sat by the window.
She must have sat there for hours. It was almost dawn. The sun had set on her old life. But she was surprised to find she still had a few tears left to shed for it. After the crazy night she went through, Emma allowed all her bottled emotions to flow, and cried. She cried for her alcoholic father, for the abuse she suffered at the hands of Jane and Anna. She cried for Matt and Vivian’s betrayal. And lastly, she cried for herself. She felt so broken and alone.
Will watched her for a while. She sat silent and motionless for a long time. Then out of nowhere, she began to cry. He was surprised. What a sad girl, he thought. She wasn’t like any woman he’d ever encountered before. She was brave and bold even though she didn’t know it.
“Was I that good?” Will asked in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Emma gasped and turned around. Will was propped up by one elbow and stared at her with a predatory look in his eyes. The blankets were strategically draped on him outlining every detail of his body. A body that Emma now knew very well.
Emma hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Get over yourself, that’s not why I’m crying,” Emma blustered. “Thank you, for everything.”
Will smirked at her and lit a cigarette,
“Let’s settle the bill. How much do you want?”
Emma took a deep breath and squared her shoulders at him. This was no time to be scared or unsure. If this was going to work, she had to be secure.
“$50,000.”