9. Knox
KNOX
Four o’clock.
I glance down at my wristwatch just as the clock hands align, marking the official start of our booking. Everything is set and planned down to the smallest detail. Henry is on his way back from picking her up, and according to the last update, they’ll arrive in two minutes. Perfect timing.
It’s strange how the past few days have passed in a blur. Between managing my usual workload and personally overseeing every arrangement for this weekend, I haven’t had a moment to truly stop and think. Only now, standing here and waiting, does the reality of it all begin to sink in. She’s coming.
For men like me, bookings with The Network aren’t unusual. It’s part of our world. We have demanding jobs, complicated lives, and little time for relationships. The Network fills that gap, and normally, I wouldn’t think twice about it. This time, though, I know it’s not the same.
I step outside just as the sleek black car turns into the driveway.
Aurora Elite’s gardens stretch around me, blooming in their faint greenery.
Despite the city growing taller and noisier around it, I’ve made sure this piece of calm has remained untouched.
The old hotel carries a luxury that newer places can’t imitate, and I want her to see that.
She mentioned her love of plants in her profile, and I took note and figured she may enjoy the view here.
The car rolls to a gentle stop, and Henry steps out, ready to open the door. I lift a hand to stop him. He steps aside immediately, and I move forward, opening the door myself.
And there she is.
Scarlet looks breathtaking. Her dark hair falls loosely over her shoulders, soft waves framing her face.
A pair of vintage glasses sits perfectly on her nose, bringing out the warmth in her brown eyes.
Her deep maroon dress fits her like it was made for her, accentuating her curves in all the right places all over again.
“Welcome,” I say, offering her my hand as she steps out of the car. The faintest hint of her perfume drifts toward me, familiar and intoxicating all at once. Just like that, every bit of composure I’ve practiced over the last few days threatens to unravel.
She greets me with a smile, and her gaze drifts toward the hotel, taking everything in. Her lips part slightly, and for a moment, she looks genuinely awed.
“This is … beautiful,” she says softly. I’ve seen that reaction before; Aurora Elite tends to leave people speechless, even though it sits quietly on the outskirts of Cascade Point, far from the usual noise and luxury of the city center.
“Come,” I tell her. “Let me give you a tour.” She follows beside me as we walk through the main hall, our footsteps echoing faintly against the marble tiles.
The space is lined with expensive artwork and fresh flowers, filling the air with a subtle fragrance.
We pass through the café next that still carries the same character it had a century ago.
Its polished wood counters, patterned tiles, and antique mirrors make it timeless.
From there, we move into the part of the hotel that means the most to me—the small gallery my mother inspired.
She had a passion for antiques and rare collectibles, and after her passing, I turned that passion into something lasting.
Every piece in the display was hers. Scarlet mentioned she likes pieces that carry history, and what better place to take her to than this?
She slows her steps, her attention caught by the old photographs, glassware, and ornate trinkets that fill the shelves.
Her eyes widen slightly as she takes it all in, clearly fascinated by the history in front of her.
Watching her appreciate something that meant so much to my mother stirs something inside me.
It’s yet another thing I have to attempt to ignore.
Finally, I lead her to the suite reserved for us. It’s spacious, elegant, with soft lighting and a calm atmosphere. Aside from the hand-carved wooden furniture and a balcony overlooking the city, it also includes a bathroom with a private spa, the only one of its kind in the entire hotel.
Throughout the tour, I find myself watching her more than I probably should. The way her eyes light up is almost magnetic. I can’t seem to look away, no matter how hard I try.
By the time dinner arrives, I’m grateful for the shift in focus.
We take our seats at the rooftop restaurant, since it has the best view in the building.
Below us, the city glows, with its lights stretching far into the horizon.
On the other side of the hotel, the forest begins, dark and endless.
Two worlds meeting at the edge; the city and the wild.
Opposites, yet somehow perfectly balanced.
Like us. We’re different in so many ways, yet sitting here together, it feels strangely harmonious.
For dinner, we’ve both gone with the chef’s recommendation, a warm porcini mushroom risotto paired with a glass of Pinot Noir.
The food is delicious, but my attention isn’t on the plate.
I can’t stop watching her. Every time she takes a sip of wine, her nose scrunches just slightly, as if she’s still deciding whether she likes it.
“Tell me more about you,” she says after a pause as she catches me staring. “We’re spending the weekend together, so I figured we should get to know each other just a little better.”
Opening up has never been something I do easily. Over the years, I’ve built walls so high that no one has ever climbed over them. I’ve convinced myself that I like it that way. Being on my own is simpler, or so I’ve told myself for a long time.
“I work a lot,” I admit. “This hotel chain belonged to my mother before she passed away. I was twenty-four when it happened. I assume you already know that, since you did your research before we met.”
Her expression changes. The brightness in her face softens, and her eyes drop for a second. “I’m really sorry to hear that,” she says gently. “That must have been so damn hard. Do you have family around you? People who helped you through it?”
“Just my father, but I’m not close to him,” I say quietly. “Aside from all the drama he’s caused, he also believes I should marry someone ‘appropriate,’ but that’s not something I care about. My focus is on my work … at least, most of the time.”
I know she’s a distraction, and I should be more careful, but I can’t bring myself to mind. For once, I want to let go of all the rules I’ve made for myself and enjoy this moment, however fleeting it might be.
Scarlet remains silent. Perhaps I’ve shared too much. I can’t tell. I don’t remember the last time someone’s gaze had such an effect on me.
“Your turn,” I say finally. I’ve said everything there is to say, my entire life summed up in a few sentences.
“Well, I lived in Tennessee my whole life. I met my ex-boyfriend there, and he’s actually the reason I moved here.
Before you ask, no, it didn’t work out. We broke up two months after I arrived.
I started job hunting, and a friend of mine mentioned The Network.
I applied, got in, and well … I’ve been there ever since.
” She takes another slow bite of risotto before continuing, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
“But I have to say, I’m not surprised you have commitment issues.
Your Venus is in Sagittarius, and that’s never a great sign. ”
I lean back, crossing my arms. “You can’t actually believe in that stuff.”
Her brow arches in amusement. “Of course I do. The stars have never lied to me. And right now, they’re saying that you avoid commitment because you’re afraid of losing yourself. Or, at the very least, the part of you that’s completely consumed by work.”
A flicker of irritation runs through me, mostly because she’s right. Change has always felt like a threat that I’ve avoided at all costs. And yet, sitting here across from her, I’m forced to wonder if change would be such a bad thing after all.
Still, I keep that to myself. I tilt my head slightly, studying her. “And what exactly are the stars telling you right now?”
Her lips curl into a smile. “That you’ll be getting laid in about half an hour.”
And she’s right.
We barely make it to our suite before the layers of our clothes scatter across the floor. I can’t get them off her fast enough; all I want is to feel her bare skin against mine and to hear the breathless little gasps that escape her full lips as I fuck her.
My hands are on her hips, pinning her back against the door. Her lips part as she stares at me, her hands trailing down my chest, until they reach the buckle of my belt, undoing it. She needs this as much as I do, I can tell, with the way she trembles underneath my fingers.
“Knox,” she murmurs, and the sound alone makes my cock hard. I want to claim every inch of her until she’s turned into a quivering, soaked mess. Just for me.
My lips find her throat, trailing hot kisses that have her shuddering against me.
Her breasts press against my chest, and her hands fiddle with my pants until my cock springs free, hard and ready for her.
Right that second, she wraps her hand around my shaft, stroking me in a slow, teasing motion that drives me insane.
With willpower I don’t even know I possess, I pull myself back. My hand finds her throat, wrapping around it firmly, and my gaze locks on her, stern and demanding.
“Beg for it,” I tell her. Her lips part, and my grip tightens around her throat, ever so slightly … to remind her who’s in control. And she submits instantly, melting into my touch.
“Please. Oh, God, please,” she pleads, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.
“Please, what?”
“Please … fuck me. I need you to fuck me.” She means every word, I can tell, with the way she looks at me.
Now, I’m no longer able to hold back, either.
I reach for the dresser to my right, where condoms are placed in the first drawer.
I figured I’d need them when I planned our stay here.
In one swift movement, I roll the thin layer of protection over my cock before I press back against her.
There’s no time to go back to bed, I realize as my cock slips in between her soaked folds.
She whimpers, like she needs me more than she needs air, and then, in one rough, quick movement, I shove myself inside her. I move hard and deep, yet her arousal makes the motion nearly frictionless.
A loud moan tears from her lips, echoing through the room, and I use my hand to support her body as pleasure undoubtedly tingles through her. It’s written all over her face—her lips part, her expression scrunches, and her eyes flutter. It’s a sight unlike any other.
Her inner muscles massage me as I continue to thrust, tightening around me and soaking me with each movement. Every muscle in my body is tense, aching for that sweet release that I can only find deep inside her.
“Don’t stop,” she pleads, “oh, God, don’t stop. Oh, fuck!”
I don’t intend to.
My hand, around her throat until that point, now moves toward her mouth, covering it.
Muffled moans echo against it as she struggles to breathe, but I can tell she enjoys every fucking second of it.
Despite the pleasure that roams through me, my eyes remain locked on hers, observing her every reaction.
At any point, if needed, I’m prepared to stop if she needs me to.
The pleasure seems to swallow her whole, though. Her eyes roll back into her skull as I fuck her, and the moans grow louder, silenced by my palm. I trail hot kisses across her throat until I reach her ear.
“How fucking filthy of you, to moan like this as I fuck you,” I pant. “To the point where I have to silence you so other guests wouldn’t hear how well you take my cock.”
Those words trigger something in her. Before I know it, she squirms against me frantically, her hands digging into my back as she reaches her peak. I’m right on the brink, too, soaked in her juices, and somehow trying to drag out the moment, so that I can linger inside her a little longer.
Because this, right here, must be my version of heaven.
I can only hold back so long, though. As I feel her tight pussy start to tighten around me once more, my orgasm hits me, too, so hard that it nearly makes my knees buckle. Her bliss joins mine, dripping down my balls as I give her a few more weak thrusts.
Then, and only then, do I pull my hand back from her lips … only to lean in and kiss her. Because it’s the only thing I want to do at that moment.