CHAPTER 19: The Invitations

Sybil

I felt the hard wood of the door press against my spine. My breath hitched in my throat as Elias trapped me completely in place.

He was too close. His broad chest was inches from mine, and the sheer heat radiating off his body was terrifying, but it was also deeply intoxicating.

"I am asking you a question," he said softly. "Do you prefer my brother's company?"

I forced myself to meet his dark eyes. I refused to cower against the door.

"Mr. Stavros," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Emrys simply requested I take a break. He was just being kind."

Elias’s jaw tightened. "Kind."

"Yes, kind," I repeated. "Something you clearly do not know much about."

The moment the words left my mouth, the air in the room shifted.

Elias’s eyes darkened instantly. He did not yell. He did not argue. Instead, he stepped flush against me, pinning me completely to the door.

I gasped as my stomach met his hips. I could feel the thick, heavy ridge of his arousal pressing hard against me through the fabric of his trousers.

The stark physical proof of his desire sent a sudden, violent jolt of heat straight down my spine.

"You think I do not know how to be kind," he murmured.

Before I could answer, he crashed his mouth down onto mine.

There was nothing gentle about the kiss. It was demanding and punishing, fueled by a raw, intense passion that completely overwhelmed my senses.

He parted my lips easily, his tongue sweeping into my mouth. I tried to keep my hands flat against the door, but the intense physical pull was too strong. My hands moved to his shoulders on their own accord, gripping the fabric of his suit jacket.

Elias reached down and gripped the back of my thighs. He lifted me effortlessly.

I wrapped my legs around his waist to steady myself. The solid wood of the door dug into my back, but I barely felt it.

Elias unzipped his trousers with one hand. With his other hand, he hiked up my skirt and pushed my cotton underwear aside.

He did not give me a moment to prepare. He pushed inside me in one deep, heavy thrust.

I threw my head back and cried out. The stretch was intense, filling me completely. He felt incredibly hot and solid.

"Look at me," he commanded.

I opened my eyes. He was watching my face, his expression tight with his own pleasure. He began to move, setting a relentless, driving pace.

Every time his hips slammed against mine, the pressure sent a heavy wave of pure heat rushing through my veins.

He was treating the intimacy not just as a medical requirement for his contract, but as a direct way to prove his absolute dominance over me. He wanted to erase the afternoon I spent with Emrys. He wanted to claim every single part of my attention.

I hated it. My mind was completely conflicted. I hated how easily he controlled my body, making me ache and burn for him, while he kept his actual heart completely locked away behind his corporate walls.

"Elias," I gasped, my nails digging into his shoulders.

"Hold on," he ordered quietly.

He thrust deeper, hitting a highly sensitive spot that made my vision blur.

I could not hold back. The pleasure was too intense. A tight coil snapped low in my stomach and I shattered completely, my inner muscles clenching hard around his thick length as a massive wave of release washed over me.

I moaned his name, my body trembling violently against the door.

Elias groaned a rough, deep sound. He drove into me two more times, his grip tightening bruisingly on my thighs, and finished deep inside me.

He rested his forehead against my shoulder for a long minute. His breathing was heavy and ragged against my skin. We stayed pressed together in the quiet study.

For a brief second, wrapped in his arms, I felt incredibly safe.

Then, Elias pulled out and set me back down on my feet.

The warmth vanished instantly. He turned slightly away from me, zipping his trousers and adjusting his belt. When he turned back, the passionate, dominating man was entirely gone. The cold, impenetrable CEO had returned.

"You are dismissed for the evening," he said flatly.

I stared at him. The sudden shift felt like a slap to the face. I reached down and smoothed my skirt, feeling a sudden, crushing wave of humiliation.

I could not even understand why I expect anything more from the man. I was just an incubator to him. A body he used when biology or frustration demanded it.

"Yes, sir," I said quietly.

I unlocked the heavy door and walked out of the study. I did not look back. I went straight to my room.

I stripped off my clothes, and got into the shower. I scrubbed my skin, feeling utterly used and incredibly foolish for letting myself enjoy his touch.

The next morning, I arrived at the office early.

I sat at my desk, organizing the files for the day. My body was sore, a lingering ache between my legs reminding me of exactly what happened in the study.

Elias was already inside his office, the double doors shut tightly. We had not spoken a single word to each other since I walked out last night.

The private elevator dinged at the end of the hall.

I looked up from my monitor. Quinn Hayes stepped out of the elevator.

She looked flawless as always. She wore a tailored white designer dress and high heels. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled, and a massive diamond ring caught the light on her finger. She looked like she owned the entire building.

She walked down the corridor, her heels clicking sharply against the floorboards. She stopped directly in front of my desk.

"Good morning," I said, forcing my voice to remain polite and professional. "Mr. Stavros is currently reviewing a file. Would you like me to announce you?"

Quinn did not even look at my face. She opened her expensive leather handbag and pulled out a thick stack of envelopes.

She dropped them directly onto the center of my desk. They landed with a heavy thud.

"Do not bother him," Quinn said smoothly. "I am just dropping these off."

I looked down at the desk. The envelopes were made of thick, cream-colored cardstock. They were sealed with custom wax, and the return addresses were printed in elegant, golden foil.

"I need you to run these through the executive mailroom today," Quinn instructed. She finally looked at me, a polite but entirely dismissive smile on her lips. "Make sure they go out to the VIP list immediately. We are finalizing the catering numbers by Friday."

I stared at the top envelope. The golden foil caught the light. It was a formal invitation.

‘You are cordially invited to celebrate the engagement of Elias Stavros and Quinn Hayes.’

The words blurred in front of my eyes. A cold, heavy weight dropped directly into my stomach.

I looked up at Quinn, completely speechless, as she turned around and walked back to the elevator, leaving me staring at the undeniable proof of exactly where I stood in Elias's life.