When They Beg I Rise (Lemira) novel Chapter 859

Her heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs, her mind spinning wildly.

Catching the terrified, deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes, Orion found it incredibly amusing.

He purposely walked over to the plush lounging sofa in the corner of the room and gently laid her down. "Continuing what you started, obviously."

Continuing?!

The moment her bare back hit the velvet upholstery, panic won out. She shoved her hands against his solid chest, her voice trembling. "O-Orion."

"Hmm? I'm right here," he murmured, though his hands certainly weren't stopping.

Her face was burning with the heat of a thousand suns. She scrambled to grab his roaming hands, her voice dropping to a frantic whisper. "Here? Now? I don't think this is a good idea."

"Not here? So, we change venues?"

Pretending he had completely missed her obvious panic, he scooped her back into his arms. "Where to, then?"

She stared at his strikingly handsome face, completely flustered. "I... I haven't decided yet."

"If you haven't decided, then don't throw yourself at me like that next time."

Lemira blinked, stunned. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "When I'm with the woman I want, my self-control isn't nearly as flawless as you think."

Quite the opposite, actually. Around her, his restraint was virtually non-existent.

Before she could respond, he leaned down and captured her lips in a bruising, claiming kiss, then abruptly pulled back. "Next time, I won't stop."

She understood the heavy implication behind that promise perfectly.

She watched as he stood up to straighten his clothes. His once immaculate dress shirt was a crumpled mess, and his belt was still unbuckled.

She quickly looked away, busying herself with smoothing down her own dress. The memory of their near-miss left a lingering heat radiating from her skin.

Once they had both made themselves decent, they returned to the dining table.

Orion casually placed a piece of food on her plate. "If you like it, we can eat here all the time."

"Is this the new permanent menu for Bistrova?"

"No. This menu was designed exclusively for you."

Lemira paused. "Isn't that incredibly extravagant?"

"The PZ Group will likely approach Asher soon. The Langston Group is in serious trouble this time. PZ Group is notorious for their ruthless acquisition tactics."

"That's fantastic news."

Lemira couldn't care less if the Langstons crashed and burned.

Orion hesitated for a split second. "But your parents built that company from the ground up. Asher wouldn't have an empire if it weren't for their blood, sweat, and tears. Can you really stomach watching it burn?"

"It hurts, but I refuse to bail him out."

He reached across the table, covering her hand with his. "We can orchestrate a hostile takeover. You can rip the company out of his hands and run it yourself. That changes the narrative entirely."

She thought about it. "That sounds like a massive headache. Honestly, I don't have the bandwidth for corporate warfare right now. I just want my revenge!"

Thinking about how Evelina and the Sinclairs had destroyed her in her past life filled her with a toxic rage.

She had fought tooth and nail to get to this point. She was going to make sure the real culprits paid in blood.

Orion reached over and gently smoothed her hair. "You're right. Making them pay takes priority."

"Exactly. Evelina is still out there, and the Sinclairs are still sitting pretty. I can't let my guard down yet. You can't be greedy in this life; you can't have everything."