CHAPTER 4

“This is fuc… fuckinggggg good.” Thalia hissed, the words catching up in her throat. 

Julian didn't say a word, he pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes before he plunged back in, slow and agonizingly deep. 

“Uhmm” he growled as he buried himself deep inside of her. 

“Ahhh...please” she choked out, her head tossing  from side to side as the tension coiled right there in her gut.

"You’re so sexy."  he groaned, his hands moving to grip her hips, his fingers bruising her skin as his thrusts became faster and rougher, hitting her so hard and deep that everything in the room even started to blur again. 

He buried his face deep in the crook of her neck, his body shaking as he emptied himself into her. 

“Ahhh” he let out one final gasp before collapsing beside her. 

Silence took over the room, broken only by the sound of their wrecked breathing. Julian laid on his back, his sweat cooling on his skin, he felt so light… the kind he hadn’t felt in years. And for a fleeting second, all his thoughts were blank until reality came crashing in. 

He jerked up, his eyes wide with a sudden fear. "Damn it! I just... I fucked up."

Thalia blinked, still recovering from the aftermath,

"What's wrong?"

But he wasn't looking at her face, his eyes were fixed on her legs, his eyes laced with panic. "I finished inside you without protection." He ran a frantic hand through his hair, the Holy Billionaire suddenly looking very much like a man who had lost his altar. "I shouldn't have done that. I lost my head for a second... I should have exercised some goddamn restraint."

Thalia let out a chuckle staring at him like some funny statue. "Come on, Julian... chill. It’s not that serious.” 

"Not serious? What do you mean?" he snapped, pacing the room. "I’m not ready to be a goddamn father! Especially not with a whor..." 

He stopped himself quickly, the word hanging in the air like a poisoned blade with guilt in his eyes, but the damage was done.

Thalia smiled. "With a whore? Say it, Saint. Complete the word. If that makes you a saint." 

"I didn't mean it like that," Julian rasped, his voice full of shame.

"You did." Thalia sat up, pulling the sheet around her naked body."But let me put your mind at ease. I'm a professional. I handle the risks so you don't have to. You paid for the premium service, remember? Rest assured, I'm also not ready to be a mother, so a pregnancy isn't part of the itinerary. I've got it covered. Okay?" 

Julian stood frozen, watching her. "You're sure?"

"Yes... Very sure. Now, stop overthinking it and enjoy the ride you just bought for some hundred dollar bills." 

He eventually got back into bed, propping himself up on one elbow. He watched her as she tilted her head to adjust her hair, the morning light hitting the side of her neck. And that's  when he saw it, a tiny mark hidden behind her ear. It looked like a birthmark, but the shape was too deliberate that it could be passed for a tattoo. 

"That's beautiful," he murmured, his fingers reaching out to trace it. "It looks unique. Does it have a meaning behind it?" 

Thalia stiffened slightly, pulling away quickly "It’s just ink, Mr. Valentino. Part of my work aesthetic."

"Aesthetic?" he repeated. He didn't believe her. He'd seen a symbol like that before, years ago. "That's nice. And Sorry for the outburst earlier. I honestly didn't mean..." he said softly. 

"I understand you perfectly, Mr. Valentino," she quickly interrupted. 

“Thank you. Since we’re stuck here, how about we get to know ourselves better? I believe you’re not just some random girl from the streets right?” 

“Why?” 

“Because I'm curious to know." 

"I don't think there's a need to know ourselves on a personal level." 

"But..." 

She turned to him, her eyes devoid of any warmth. "Let's get one thing straight Mr. I'm a sex worker, and you're a client. I'm here because you have the cash. The minute those gates open, I'm back to the grind, chasing the bag with this body." She gestured to herself with a cold indifference. "Do not confuse this service for a soul connection. Good? 

The word client hit Julian harder than the drug ever could. It was a bucket of ice water over his ego. He went mute.

"Guess that's more than enough information for you. I'll go clean up now." She said, getting out of the bed while he watched her. 

Soon, the sound of the shower running filled the room. Leaving Julian with the cold, and hard reality of the things that had just happened in the past few hours. 

He sat on the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands, as regret clung onto him like his second skin. It wasn't just about the drug anymore, it was the fact that he had enjoyed every  bit of the fall. 

“Damn it!” He hissed. 

His five years of discipline, of building a reputation, and of proving he was above the primal urges that destroyed other men. And in one night, he had let it all crumble. 

His eyes landed on Thalia’s ruffled dress on the floor, then moved to the squeezed bedsheets, 

"Julian?" Thalia’s voice echoed from the bathroom, cutting through his thoughts. "Please… can you find me something to wear?” 

“Sure!” he replied sharply.

He went to his closet and grabbed a pair of gym shorts and an oversized white T-shirt. 

“This would do,” he muttered. 

Forgetting he hadn’t put back his clothes, he walked to the bathroom with the intention of just dropping the clothes by the door and walk away. 

But when he got there, the sight in front of struck him like lightning. Through the bathroom glass, Thalia stood under the shower, the water slicking down her flawless skin, looking even more radiant than she did in the morning light. A definition of pure temptation, Julian’s body reacted immediately, and he let out a low, frustrated growl. 

“Fuck! We aren’t doing this right now.” he murmured under his breath. 

Thalia turned and smiled when she noticed him there with his dark stares, she stretched out her hand, but she wasn’t reaching for a towel. Instead, she leaned one hand against the bathroom’s glass, arching her back until her breasts pressed against the cold surface, her wet skin glistening under the light. She moved slowly, with her eyes locked on his as she slid the sponge over her thighs.

He quickly forced his legs together, trying so hard to hide his hardness with his eyes squeezed shut, his knuckles shaking as he gripped the clothes tight. 

"Not again." he hissed under his breath.