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Chapter four
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2026-08-07 02:56:27I walked down the long, sunlit corridor, my heart pounding a victorious rhythm against my ribs.
I’d finally done it.
After years of shrinking myself into nothing, of swallowing my pride until I choked on it, I had finally clawed my way out of the grave Ethan dug for me. The sound of his furious roaring echoing from the dining room, because of me, was the absolute sweetest music I’d ever heard.
Let Sophie deal with his bruised ego.
I didn't actually go shopping. Not yet. You don't walk out of a billionaire's dining room in a string bikini just to jump into a chauffeured SUV. I needed to let the massive rush of adrenaline burn off before I actually went into the city to buy everything flashy for myself.
I pushed open the glass doors leading to the estate’s private terrace. The massive infinity pool glittered under the morning sun, completely deserted and inviting.
I didn't hesitate. I let the sheer green silk wrap slide off my shoulders, pooling softly on the stone tiles, and dove straight into the deep end. The freezing water hit my skin like a violent shock of electricity, washing away the last lingering traces of the pathetic, docile wife I used to be.
I swam underwater for a long moment, enjoying the absolute weightlessness. But when my lungs began to burn, I broke the surface, gasping for air and sweeping my long, wet hair out of my face.
"I have to admit, Mrs. Hayes... you know how to make an exit."
I gasped, spinning around in the water.
Elijah was sitting at the edge of the pool deck, his long legs dangling into the water. He was wearing nothing but a pair of dark swim trunks, his broad, incredibly muscular chest gleaming beautifully in the morning light. He held a glass of iced water, watching me with a dark, predatory amusement that made the breath stall in my lungs.
"How much did you hear?" I asked, my voice slightly breathless as I treaded water.
"Enough," Elijah smirked, setting his glass down on the stone tiles.
He slid effortlessly into the pool. The water lapped at his chest as he began to wade toward me, moving slowly.
"Elias texted me from under the table. Apparently, my brother was highly entertained by your breakfast rebellion. Ethan, on the other hand, sounded like he was ready to commit murder."
"He told me to find a distraction," I replied, lifting my chin defiantly, refusing to back away as Elijah closed the distance between us. "I simply informed him that I took his advice."
"Is that so?" Elijah murmured.
He stopped just inches away from me. The sheer size of him in the water was completely overwhelming. I could feel the searing heat radiating off his wet skin, warming the freezing water between us. My body, still violently aching and frustrated from my pathetic, tear-filled attempt in my bedroom hours ago, instantly flared to life.
"You're shaking, Clara," Elijah observed smoothly. His dark eyes dropped to my chest, entirely unapologetic as he stared at how the cold water had hardened my nipples against the thin black fabric of my bikini top.
"The water is cold," I lied, my voice betraying me with a slight tremble.
"I don't believe that," Elijah said, his voice dropping to a low, rough rumble that sent an unwanted shiver straight down to my core.
"You're tense. You're wound up so tight I’m surprised you haven't snapped in half."
He didn't ask for permission. He moved directly behind me.
My breath hitched violently as his massive hands gripped my bare waist. His long fingers splayed across my stomach, his thumbs resting dangerously close to the delicate strings of my bikini bottoms. The solid, rock-hard wall of his chest pressed firmly against my wet back.
"Elijah..." I whispered, half in warning, half in absolute desperation.
"Relax your shoulders," he commanded softly, his lips grazing the wet shell of my ear.
He slid his hands up from my waist, tracing the curve of my ribs. I swallowed hard, heart thumping.
After years of starving for affection, of crying in the dark while my husband degraded me, this was exactly what my body had been screaming for. A man's strong, unapologetic touch.
"Let me show you how to move," Elijah whispered, completely ignoring my half-hearted protest.
He guided my arms, moving me slowly through the water as if he were teaching me a swimming stroke. But there was absolutely nothing innocent about it. His hips moved with mine, the thick, obvious bulge of his arousal pressing firmly against the cleft of my ass beneath the water.
I closed my eyes, a soft, helpless whimper escaping my lips. I melted entirely against him, letting my head fall back onto his shoulder.
I was playing with absolute fire, but I was so cold I didn't care if I burned.
"That's it, Clara," Elijah groaned softly against my neck, his hands sliding dangerously low on my hips. "Just let go..."
The violent crash of the glass door slamming open echoed like a gunshot across the terrace, followed instantly by the shattering of glass against the stone tiles.
My eyes snapped open.
Standing at the edge of the pool deck, staring down at us with a look of pure, unadulterated, murderous rage, was Ethan.
The remains of his crystal scotch glass lay completely shattered at his expensive Italian leather shoes. His chest heaved beneath his tailored suit, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were stark white. He looked directly at where Elijah’s large, tan hands were firmly gripping my bare hips, and his dark eyes practically bled with fury.
"What the fuck is going on here?" Ethan roared, narrowing his eye
Elijah didn't pull away nor flinch.
Instead, his grip on my waist tightened possessively. He slowly turned his head to look directly up at my furious husband, the wicked, devastating smirk returning to his handsome face.
"Just giving your wife a swimming lesson, Ethan," Elijah called back smoothly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Since you're so terribly busy with your companion."
Ethan looked like he was about to rip his own skin off. He took a violent, threatening step toward the edge of the pool.
"Get your hands off her!" Ethan snarled. "Right. Now.”
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