Beneath Him...

Her heart pounded in her ears as she wiped off the fake acne makeup. Shit! He'd seen through her mask. But how?

It took an hour each morning to make herself just the right kind of ugly. But it was a necessary chore if she wanted to have the life she sought. And now he'd seen through it.

Her mind raked over the day. When had she smeared it? While applying it this morning? No, she was careful. Checked it three times in the mirror. Some time during the day then? But when?

"Fuck!"

She cursed when she remembered the bee hitting her in the face and her wiping it away - the slip of a moment that might have cost her everything. Her makeup was good. It took her another hour each night to clean it off properly. But it wasn't completely resistant to removal. That just left the scar. She winced as she peeled it off, the glue tearing at her flesh as it slowly came loose. She raised a hand to the red mark it left on her cheek and stroked it absently.

Finally, she turned towards at him and swallowed her fear. She steadied her breath - and looked into his eyes.

Maybe he still wouldn't see her. Not for who she was. But she'd heard of Maximillian Pierrot-Smith - who hadn't, despite the dumb fucks he'd attacked. He wasn't known as oblivious, or an idiot.

Part of her hoped he did see her... at least, what she wanted him to see.

His brow raised. He let out a soft, sarcastic laugh and sneered.

"Celeste J Wynterbourne?" he said. "Never expected to find a gem like you under a pile of shit."

"Now you know," she said.

"I know who you are," he said. "But not why you're hiding."

"I'm the daughter of Joseph Wynterbourne," she said. "You know, the head of Wyntec Security? I don't want the hassle that comes with that. That's why I'm studying in England too instead of Harvard."

"Don't lie to me!" he said, his voice harsh enough to make her shiver. "The heir to an international communications security company is nothing special here! We've got royalty, the children of tycoons. This whole university is about money - old money, new money. You barely rate a 5 on the interest scale here, maybe a 4."

She felt the bile rise, the anger at being spoken to like that. If only he knew. But he couldn't.

"Or are the rumors true?" Max cocked his head and gave her a knowing grin. "Is that all just a cover for the other stuff?"

"Ummm..."

She slowly shook her head. It wasn't a denial of what he was saying. It was a desperate hope that he didn't know what he obviously did.

"The black hat hacking, the bribery and corruption, the dark web presence running the gamut from political secrets to torture porn."

Celeste bit her lip, refusing to speak.

"So you're hiding out where his enemies can't touch you so easily?"

She sighed. "I guess you know everything, huh?"

He studied her carefully. She felt herself shudder under that intense gaze. She couldn't help it. She just hoped that he didn't notice... or perhaps that was what she wanted. She couldn't be sure anymore. Her fingers curled into her palms. Flexing. Something to keep her focused.

"No," he said. "That's not it is it?"

He was getting close. She knew it. He'd found the obvious, now he was reaching for something more.

"You can hide without making yourself look like something out of a fucking horror movie."

He strode across the room and grabbed her by the throat. He pushed her back, slamming her into the wall. His hand gripped her painfully as he turned her face back and forth slowly. He was reading her. She knew it. Could feel it. She was a book and he was tearing back every page. His grasp hurt her. She closed her eyes and drew in a ragged breath, savoring it.

"No, that's why you're here. It's not why you look,.. Like that."

Say it. She begged him silently. Say what you know.

"You're fucking turned on," he said. "I can see your nipples poking through your shirt. Your breathing is ragged. You're starting to sweat."

"You... you don't know what you're talking about."

She said it but she didn't feel it. She wanted him to peel every layer away. She was caught. She couldn't escape. She hurt where he squeezed. And she wanted it.

"Tell me the truth," he growled, leaning into her face. "And you better not lie, bitch!"

She recoiled. Not at the word, she realized, but at her response. She loved the anger, the shame and disgust. It tasted like punishment, but punishment she craved.

"You... don't know..." she couldn't even finish the sentence. He did. He knew. Finally, someone knew. And even the danger of it gave her relief.

He squeezed harder, threatening to cut her breathing. Threatening... but stopping short. She gasped, thrilling to the danger and sensation. She wanted more. Before she could recover, his mouth crushed hers. It wasn't a kiss - it was a claim, pure aggression in a sensual touch. "You're mine!" He didn't need to use words.

"You disgusting pervert," he said. "You dressed ugly so nobody would treat you like a financial princess or a crime-lord's brat, didn't you? You wanted someone to ruin you."

She started to protest again, but he raised a finger to her mouth and silenced her.

"Don't lie to me," he said. "I know what a dirty little pig you are!"

"No!"

He thrust his free hand down the front of her skirt as he held her pinned her like a butterfly. Her thighs tried to clamp tight, but couldn't. She wanted him to know, needed him to feel how soaked she was - for him, for this, for the pain and the shame and the ruination. His fingers slipped into her panties, thrusting hard into her slit. He was rough; hard and demanding. She closed her eyes, mumbling something under her breath. Another protest? A prayer? A submission? He raised his fingers in front of her and ran them across her cheek from side to side like he was marking her with warpaint.

"This is the only makeup a lying, rich bitch like you deserves," he said. "From the source! From your filthy truth!"

He moved the fingers in front of his own face, taking a deep draft of her scent before licking them clean. A hungry wolf grinned on his face.

"Get to the fucking bedroom and I'll show you what happens when someone sees through your shit."

He shoved her towards the hallway, manhandling her like she was property. Her legs gave way as he let go. She grabbed his arm to steady herself, not realizing what she'd done until she was able to stand on her own.

"Go!" he said. "And get your clothes off. I'm gonna make you pay for lying to me and then... then we'll see if you're worth getting your nasty pussy filled!"

She didn't speak, didn't nod, didn't acknowledge him at all. She just stumbled towards her bedroom, lost between fear and a high she had never experienced.