The picture was a close-up of Jackson’s lips—his upper and lower lips were both visibly broken. It was clear the kiss between him and Lily had gotten way too intense and rough. Maybe it was the sight of the bright red blood on Jackson’s lips, but it pierced James’s heart like a blade. Pain tore through his chest, deep and violent. Suddenly, the air around him felt stifling. Even opening a window didn’t help—he still couldn’t breathe. He had to get out. He’d barely stepped out of his room when he ran into Lily coming up the stairs. And the first thing he noticed—those soft, red lips of hers, still flushed and glistening. Tonight, she hadn’t just kissed Jackson with passion—she’d even bitten him hard enough to draw blood. How intense had their make-out session been for Jackson’s mouth to end up like that? A wave of bitter jealousy and helplessness tore through James, ripping apart whatever rationality he had left. His body moved before his brain could catch up. By the time he came back to himself, he’d already stormed forward and pulled Lily into his arms. Like a beast completely unhinged, he clamped his mouth down on hers in a bruising kiss. “James, you…” Lily had just gotten upstairs. She hadn’t expected James to be standing right outside his door. She tried to keep calm, tried to act casual in front of him, but after everything that had happened the night before, there was still an awkwardness she couldn’t shake. She fought down her discomfort and tried to greet him with some semblance of grace. But before she could even finish a sentence, he suddenly grabbed her and kissed her—hard. Startled, Lily’s eyes flew wide open. Her mind blanked completely. It took nearly thirty seconds before her brain started working again. He was supposed to be repulsed by her, hell-bent on her ending up with Jackson. So why the hell was he kissing her like this now? Could it be… that drug Wesley gave him—was it too strong? Even after purging most of it last night, had it left some kind of lingering effect? Was it flaring up again? She’d never heard of a drug doing that, but what other explanation could there be? Under normal circumstances, James would never kiss her like this. This had to be the only reason. “James, the drug’s acting up again, isn’t it?” Lily whispered shakily, lips barely parting. “I… I’m Lily. I’m a woman.” “You… you like men. If you’re feeling that bad, I… I can call Wind Pub for you…” But before she could finish, his kiss deepened violently, swallowing every word. The door to James’s room was still wide open. With a single turn, he swept her inside, shielding her waist with one hand while pinning her against the wall. His mouth continued to ravage hers like he was losing his mind. “You… you can’t do this…”The protest slipped from her lips in a trembling voice, and it jolted James back to reality—just enough to realize what he was doing. He was being vile. Filthy. He’d crossed the line again. She loved Jackson. No matter what their legal status was, he had no right—no excuse—to do this to her. He should be keeping his distance. He should let go of her right now. But her lips were so soft, so warm, so dangerously tempting. Her body pressed against his, melting against him like a dream. The scent of her wrapped around him, pulled at his lungs, wrapped around his soul. He kept telling himself to walk away—but instead, his arms tightened around her waist. He tried—really tried—to turn his face away, but his mouth wouldn’t listen. His lips drifted downward from hers, moving lower with a hunger he couldn’t stop. His other hand—god help him—was moving too. Wild, desperate, out of control. “James…” She felt him losing it, and a wave of panic gripped her. She didn’t want the Luke family finding out about any of this. If anyone saw them like this… But at the same time, what if he really was suffering? What if the drug was eating him alive, leaving long-term damage? She didn’t know what to do. She was torn between fear for his health and the terror of someone walking in on them. Her coat slipped off her shoulders, the fabric underneath barely clinging on. He pressed her down onto the couch, and in the heat of the moment, she couldn’t help but kiss him back. Her hands moved on their own—one even ran boldly across his abs. The second she realized what she’d done, she yanked her hand back like she’d been burned. Voice hoarse, she stammered, “You… you really don’t seem normal right now.” “Maybe we should call a doctor?”“James, what’s wrong with you?” Just the thought of someone as proud and composed as James losing his mind from time to time, unable to control himself, desperate for anyone—man or woman—made Lily’s voice catch. She was terrified for him. Her worry came out wrapped in a cry. That soft, tear-laced voice hit James like a blade. His heart clenched, his whole body froze. Only then did he realize—he hadn’t just kissed her against her will. He’d torn her clothes, crossed lines he had no right to cross. His hand was still on the delicate curve of her back. His lips were still moving… And the other hand—god, the other hand had already…