CHAPTER 5 ~ SILK

ALEXANDRA’S POV

I held the heavy golden key tightly in my right hand and walked away from the dark leather booth and headed directly toward the private elevator located at the back of the hotel lounge.

The thick, dry fabric of Maximilian's expensive suit jacket rested heavily on my shoulders. The high-quality material completely blocked the freezing air of the lounge from reaching my wet skin.

I inhaled deeply, breathing in the strong scent of cedar wood and expensive cologne that lingered on the dark fabric.

The masculine smell made me feel incredibly safe after surviving such a traumatic and humiliating evening.

I reached the elevator and pushed the call button with my index finger. The metal doors opened immediately.

I stepped inside the carpeted box and inserted the golden key into the secure slot located above the floor buttons. The elevator instantly began moving upward toward the top floor.

I leaned my wet head against the mirrored wall and closed my eyes. I felt completely exhausted. The emotional trauma of dropping my anniversary cake and finding David in bed with Chloe drained all the physical energy from my body.

My wet leather boots squished quietly against the floor as I shifted my weight.

The elevator chimed loudly, and the metal doors slid open. I stepped out into a massive, brightly lit hallway. I walked toward the large wooden double doors at the end of the corridor and pushed them open.

The interior of the penthouse suite was incredibly warm and spacious.

A young female hotel staff member wearing a neat black uniform stood near the center of the large living room. She held a stack of wet towels in her hands, clearly finishing her cleaning duties.

"Good evening, Miss Petrov," the staff member said politely, offering me a warm and welcoming smile.

"Mr. Volkov instructed me to prepare the suite for you. I drew a hot bath in the master bathroom, and I poured two cups of luxury lavender bath oil into the water. I also placed a clean silk nightgown on the edge of the mattress for you to wear when you finish bathing. Do you need me to bring you anything else tonight?"

"No, thank you," I replied, my voice still sounding slightly hoarse from crying in the pouring rain earlier.

"You have been incredibly helpful. I really appreciate your hard work."

"You are very welcome, Miss Petrov. Please have a restful night," she said before walking past me and exiting the penthouse suite through the large front doors.

She pulled the doors shut behind her, leaving me completely alone in the quiet, warm room.

I walked across the thick carpet of the living room and entered the master bathroom. The room was massive, featuring white marble countertops and a large porcelain bathtub sitting exactly in the center of the floor.

Steam rose thickly from the hot water filling the tub, carrying the strong, relaxing scent of lavender oil into the air. I reached up and pulled Maximilian's large suit jacket off my shoulders.

I folded the expensive garment carefully and placed it on the dry marble counter so it would not get ruined. I reached down and unbuttoned my wet, oversized wool coat.

I dropped the heavy, ruined coat onto the tiled floor. I kicked off my wet leather boots and peeled off my damp clothing until I stood completely naked under the bright overhead lights.

I stepped carefully into the large porcelain bathtub and submerged my freezing body into the hot water. The extreme heat immediately relaxed my tense, shivering muscles. I sat down and let out a long, heavy breath.

I picked up a bar of luxury white soap from a small silver tray resting on the edge of the tub. I scrubbed the soap over my arms and shoulders to wash away the dirty Chicago rainwater.

I leaned my head backward into the water and massaged a large amount of liquid shampoo into my thick dark hair.

I scrubbed my scalp thoroughly and rinsed the soapy bubbles out of my wet strands. I sat in the hot water for thirty minutes, allowing the lavender oil to soothe my exhausted body and warm my freezing skin.

When the bathwater finally began to cool down, I stood up and stepped out of the bathtub. I grabbed a large, fluffy white towel from a heated metal rack attached to the wall.

I wrapped the towel around my wet hair and walked directly over to the massive mirror hanging above the double sinks. The bright vanity lights illuminated my entire body perfectly.

Normally, I would immediately look away from the mirror. David always told me to cover my body because he hated my thick curves. He explicitly told my sister that looking at my heavy thighs made him lose his appetite.

I looked down at my full hips, my wide thighs, and my soft, plump stomach. I remembered the exact words Maximilian spoke to me inside the dark hotel lounge just an hour ago.

He looked directly into my eyes and told me my body was gorgeous. He told me I was beautiful and I should never let a man hide me in the dark ever again.

"He actually thinks my curves are beautiful," I whispered out loud to the empty bathroom, staring at my reflection under the bright vanity lights. "He did not look disgusted by me at all. He looked completely obsessed."

I dried my skin with another thick towel and walked out of the bathroom. I entered the large master bedroom and found a long, dark red silk nightgown resting on the edge of the large mattress.

I picked up the smooth fabric and pulled it over my head. The expensive silk slid down my body and clung perfectly to my full chest and wide hips. I climbed into the massive bed, pulled the thick white comforter up to my chin, and closed my eyes.

The exhaustion finally overpowered my racing thoughts, and I fell into a deep, uninterrupted sleep.

I woke up the next morning to the bright morning sun shining through the large glass windows of the bedroom. I stretched my arms above my head and sat up against the pillows.

I took a deep breath and immediately smelled the strong aroma of frying bacon, cooking eggs, and fresh coffee filtering through the air.

My stomach rumbled loudly because I had dropped my anniversary cake and missed dinner entirely yesterday. I pushed the heavy blankets aside, swung my legs out of bed, and stood up on the carpeted floor.

I walked out of the master bedroom and followed the delicious smell down the short hallway into the penthouse kitchen.

Maximilian sat at a large, circular wooden dining table located near the kitchen island. He wore a crisp white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a pair of dark tailored trousers. He typed rapidly on a digital tablet resting flat on the table in front of him.

A large silver platter filled with cooked bacon, scrambled eggs, and sliced toast sat in the center of the wooden table.

I took a slow step into the dining room. Maximilian stopped typing immediately and looked up from his digital tablet. His intense gray eyes locked directly onto my face, and then his gaze slowly traveled down my body.

He stared openly at the way the dark red silk nightgown hugged my thick thighs and my soft stomach. He did not try to hide his intense physical attraction to me.

"Good morning, Alexandra," Maximilian said, his deep voice sounding incredibly smooth and commanding in the quiet room. "You look absolutely stunning in that red color. It complements your gorgeous figure perfectly."

"Good morning, Maximilian," I replied, feeling a warm blush spread rapidly across my cheeks. "Thank you for letting me sleep in this amazing room. And thank you for cooking all of this food. The bacon smells incredibly delicious."

"I want you to walk over here and sit down in the chair right next to me," Maximilian instructed, pointing his large hand toward the empty wooden chair positioned very close to his own seat.

"I want you to eat a very large breakfast, and I want you to listen to me very carefully. I have a very important update regarding your pathetic ex-boyfriend, David.”