CHAPTER FIVE

~Jane’s POV~

The heavy bass of the club thudded right through the soles of my heels, but the only sound I could actually hear was the frantic rushing of my own blood.

If looks could kill, the entire lounge would have been reduced to ash.

"Benjamin..." I breathed, the name slipping past my swollen lips before I could stop it. The playful, confident mask I had worn over the phone suddenly felt incredibly thin.

He didn't say a word to me. He didn't even look at my face.

Instead, Benjamin crossed the remaining distance between us in two blindingly fast strides. Before the rugby player could even register the imposing figure towering over him, Benjamin’s hand shot out like a vice.

He grabbed the guy’s wrist. With a sickeningly calm, brutal pressure, he twisted it completely away from my skin, forcing the larger athlete to double over with a sharp, choked gasp of pain.

"Hey! What the hell, man—" the guy yelled, his face turning bright red as he tried to pull away. He might have been on the university rugby team, but compared to Benjamin’s heavily muscled frame, he looked completely outmatched.

"You have exactly three seconds to vanish," Benjamin whispered. His voice wasn't loud, but it held a terrifying vibration that cut straight through the roaring club music. It was a lethal, quiet promise. "Before I snap this wrist in half."

The guy took one look at Benjamin’s size, saw the madness swirling in his dark eyes, and realized he was dealing with a psychopath. He didn't say another word. The moment Benjamin released his grip, the guy practically sprinted away, disappearing into the sea of dancing bodies without looking back.

The immediate space around us cleared instantly. People in the VIP lounge subtly started backing away, sensing the violent aura radiating off the man in the unbuttoned midnight-blue suit.

I stood my ground, my heart hammering violently against my ribs, entirely drunk on the chaos I had created. I had broken him. I had dragged the elite, powerful Benjamin Williams out of his high-society reservation and forced him into a crowded college club out of toxic jealousy.

I tilted my chin up, letting a reckless, teasing smile touch my lips despite the shiver of fear running down my spine. "You're late for dessert, Benjamin. I thought you were enjoying your exclusive reservation at the pavilion with Victoria."

He finally snapped his eyes to mine, and the intensity of his gaze almost knocked the breath right out of my lungs. His eyes swept over my backless, skin-tight black mesh dress, tracking every single curve it clung to, before dropping to my sky-high stilettos and my dark, glossy lips.

"You think this is a game, Jane?" he growled, stepping into my personal space until his chest was practically brushing against my bare shoulders. The familiar, intoxicating scent of his expensive cologne mixed with cedar and heat wrapped completely around me.

"I told you I was just making new friends," I purred, intentionally lowering my voice to that vulnerable tone. "Since you were so busy taking care of someone else."

A low, guttural sound tore from his throat.

Before I could even process his movement, Benjamin’s hand shot forward, wrapping firmly around my upper arm. His grip was like iron—not enough to hurt, but completely unyielding. He yanked me straight against his massive chest, anchoring me to him as his ragged breath slid over my face.

"We are going home. Right now," he rasped, his voice trembling with a fury that made my skin tingle with adrenaline.

"What if I don't want to leave?" I challenged, my eyes flashing defiantly in the dark neon light. "What if I want to stay here and find someone who actually wants to spend their evening with me?"

Benjamin’s grip tightened, and he leaned down until his lips were brushing against the shell of my ear.

"If you don't walk out of this club with me this very second, Jane," he growled, "I swear to God, I will pick you up, carry you through this crowd, and show everyone in this room exactly who you belong to. Don't test my patience tonight. You've already pushed me to the absolute edge."

The possessive hunger in his words sent a violent jolt of electricity straight down my spine. He was completely unraveled, his sophisticated facade shattered, and I was the one holding the pieces.

Without waiting for my reply, he turned and began pulling me through the VIP exit, his large frame easily cutting a path through the crowded lounge. I didn't fight him. My heels clicked rapidly against the floor as I hurried to keep up with his urgent strides, my mind racing with a mix of triumphant ecstasy and breathless anticipation.

He pushed open the heavy exit doors, dragging me out into the cool night air of the alleyway where his luxury sports car was parked, the engine still idling loudly. The door to the passenger side was already flung open.

Benjamin shoved me gently inside, his dark eyes boring into mine one last time before he slammed the door shut, walked around the hood, and slid into the driver's seat.

The moment he closed his door, the silence inside the car became suffocating. He threw the vehicle into drive, the tires screeching loudly against the asphalt as we tore away from the club and accelerated down the dark, empty streets toward the estate.

I watched his hands grip the steering wheel, his knuckles white, his breathing still heavy and erratic.

"Are you going to tell Victoria why you abandoned her at the restaurant?" I asked softly, deliberately poking at the wound.

Benjamin didn't look at me. He kept his eyes fixed rigidly on the road, his face cold and full of fury.

"Shut up, Jane," he hissed, his voice dropping into a lethal, quiet register. "You've had your fun running around in that ridiculous dress. But the moment we get past those estate gates... you are going to learn exactly what happens when you disobey a direct order from me."