**Elena**His cock was still hard inside me.Still deep.My walls clenched around him again, and his breath hitched against my neck.“I can feel how bad you want it,” he muttered, licking the shell of my ear. “Still so fucking wet. So tight. You’re not done either, are you?”I didn’t answer.Didn’t have to.I rolled my hips, slowly, deliberately, grinding against him while he was still buried inside.His hand shot to my waist.“Fuck.”He flipped us in one move.Now I was on top.Straddling him.Naked.Open.Dripping.His cock still inside me, stretching me from underneath.His eyes burned into mine.“Ride me,” he growled. “I want to watch you fall apart on my dick.”The command shot straight through me.I braced my hands on his chest and moved, slow, testing the pressure, before lifting my hips slightly and sinking back down.Fuck.The angle was deeper.So much deeper.I moaned as my thighs trembled, barely holding me up.He gritted his teeth, watching the way I moved. Hands gripping
**Elena**“Fucking take me, Xavier,” I whispered in his ear, voice shaking, breath hot on his skin.God. I've been starving.His arms tightened around me.I was still wrapped around him, legs curled around his waist like I never wanted to let go.His chest rose and fell hard against mine, and when he looked at me…his eyes were dark blue, wild, full of something more than lust.Need.He kissed me again.Slow this time.Like he was trying to memorize the shape of my mouth, the way I tasted, the way I trembled in his arms.His lips moved over mine, soft at first… then deeper. His tongue slid in, twisting with mine, and I moaned into his mouth.One of his hands roamed my thigh, fingers stroking my skin.My knees weakened in that instant.Lira growled.My skin burned.And I was so wet.I could feel it between my thighs, thick, warm, slippery.And from the way he paused to inhale, I knew he smelled it too.Fuck.His head dropped to my neck, lips brushing along my jaw. He nipped my skin s
**Elena**Laughter echoed. Lights flickered. Music played.I sat on a cold wooden bench like I was watching a celebration I didn’t belong to.Because I didn’t.Not after what happened yesterday.Not after Xavier took the file and left without a word.I pulled my coat tighter around me.“Are you sure you want to be here, my Queen?” Ivana asked.No.“Yes,” I lied.She nodded, but not convinced.Across the field, a couple of kids ran past, laughing with glow sticks around their necks.Someone howled dramatically near the bonfire pit. Others were already halfway into their second round of wine.And somewhere in that crowd, I knew Xavier was here.Probably with her.“Don’t look,” I told myself.But my eyes moved anyway, scanning.There.Of course.Trisha stood near the food stands. She was smiling, talking to someone. Her hand touched Xavier’s arm again.I looked away fast, my stomach knotting.“They can't even hide it,” I muttered.Ivana followed my gaze. “Would you like me to bring you s
**Elena**“Oh, there you are!” Trisha’s voice rang out.I froze.Xavier turned first immediately.She walked toward us, her heels clicking. Lips curved in a soft smirk like she owned the whole damn mansion.“Xavy baby,” she said sweetly, then glanced at me. “Oh. You’re here too.”I said nothing.Yeah act like you didn't know I was here.She stepped closer, casually slipping her hand around Xavier’s arm.“I’ve been looking for you,” she continued, her eyes flicking to me again. “They need your final say on the guest arrangements for tomorrow.”He didn’t say a word. His jaw tightened.I could still feel the heat of his fingers on my wrist.But now… they were gone.Replaced by hers.I nodded to myself. “Well. I’ll let you two handle that.”I turned to leave, keeping my pace steady. Even though my throat felt like it was burning.Behind me, I heard her giggle. “You look tense… Want me to help you unwind later?”I didn’t wait for his answer.Just headed straight to my room.I shut the doo
**Elena**I watched as Trisha followed Xavier’s shadow like he'd vanish if she let him out of her sight.Something in me twisted. My laughter died in my throat, replaced by a lump I couldn’t swallow.“You okay?” Nick asked, as he followed my gaze.I blinked, snapping out of it. “Yeah… I’m fine.” I forced a smile, hoping he wouldn’t press.But the smile didn’t reach my eyes.I didn’t want to drag Nick into my mess. Xavier had already misunderstood things between us.I couldn’t let him twist it again.So I quickly changed the subject. “What about Helena? Any leads?”Nick scratched the back of his head. His lips pressed, like he was hesitating. “I didn’t want to say anything before, not with the whole Adolfo mess, but now that it’s done… I’ll focus fully on finding her.”“Please do,” I said, letting out a soft sigh.Her return… it could be my one chance at peace. Maybe if she came back, all this pretending would stop. Maybe I could finally breathe.Nick’s phone buzzed suddenly. A noti
**Elena**The walk to my chambers felt like the longest and most heart aching moment of my life.Every step echoed too loud in the hallway, like it was mocking me. Telling me how alone I was.How he let me walk away.Why the hell am I crying?I wiped at my cheek harshly, as if scrubbing the tears away would erase the pain too. But it didn’t. The tightness in my chest stayed. The lump in my throat refused to budge.Why does this feel like a break up?No, scratch that…why does it feel like a funeral?Of something I stupidly believed in.I sniffed, trying to draw back the wetness in my nose, trying to pull myself together. But before I could even breathe right, a sharp voice cut into the silence.“You evil thing.”I turned, blinking through the haze, and there she was.Aunt Lena.Hands on her hips. Eyes blazing. Mouth twisted in disgust.Of course.Because the night hadn’t already dragged me through enough.I exhaled slowly. “Look who’s calling me evil.”Her expression tightened.“Where