LOGIN“You’re gentle. You’re not always gentle, Julian…” “It’s our anniversary…” he muttered. Before Lena could respond, Julian placed his thumb to her clit and pushed a finger into her. “Julian,” she gasped. . . . Days after their third anniversary, Lena’s husband came home and asked for a divorce. No warning. No apology. Just a decision he had already made, for a woman who had already left before. Lena signed the papers. She walked away. And while Julian went back to the love of his life, Lena went back to something she had been hiding all along—her name, her family, and an empire worth more than everything Julian Black had ever built. She was never a nobody. He just never bothered to find out who she really was. Two years later, they’re in the same room again. Same circles, same boardrooms, same suffocating tension neither of them knows what to do with. Julian is starting to understand exactly what he threw away. And Lena is trying very hard to remember why she let him go. But some mistakes don’t stay buried. And some feelings refuse to stay dead. And some secrets fight to resurface. But what are those secrets?
View MoreTick.
Tick.
Tick.
The clock continued to tick. Seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours. And yet Lena’s husband was not home.
Three years.
That was how long Lena had been married.
Three years of convenience. Three years of an arrangement that had never pretended to be more than what it was. And yet, sitting alone at the dining table, Lena found herself wondering when exactly things had started to feel different. When hope had begun to quietly and dangerously creep in where none had been invited.
Maybe it was just her.
Maybe she had imagined it all.
Maybe she allowed her heart to deviate from the boundaries, expectations and rules herself and Julian agreed on when they decided to go into a marriage.
The clock on the wall ticked again.
Lena glanced at the clock, then stared at the dinner she had spent the entire afternoon preparing. Not that she had expected much. If anything, she would have been more surprised if he had arrived on time. Punctuality had never been Julian’s strong suit, especially when it came to things that concerned this marriage.
Finally, the door opened and the sound of it pulled Lena from her thoughts.
Julian was home.
Her heart skipped, betraying her in the same way it always did whenever Julian returned. It was an instinct she had tried, and failed, to unlearn over the years. No matter how much she reminded herself of what this marriage was, her body never seemed to listen.
She stood, smoothing the fabric of her dress with her palms that had gone damp with nerves.
“Lena?” Julian’s voice echoed through the hallway, slurred enough to tell her he’d been drinking.
The last thread of hope she’d been clinging to snapped quietly.
“In the dining room!” she called.
Julian appeared moments later, leaning heavily against the doorframe. His tie hung loose around his neck, his shirt wrinkled and untucked. The sharp smell of whiskey clung to him. His eyes were distant, unfocused.
“Happy anniversary,” Julian said, flashing a crooked grin that felt more careless than celebratory.
“Happy anniversary,” Lena replied, forcing a smile. The words sounded hollow to her own ears.
“I bought you a gift,” he muttered.
“Wow… that is…” Lena exhaled, “thank you…”
“You haven’t even seen it yet,” Julian said.
Lena chuckled. “I’m sure it’ll be an interesting gift.”
She knew Julian did not know how to give a gift.
He knew how to spend money alright, but he never once cared about buying what Lena truly needed.
Lena was fairly certain he had once again purchased a car.
Julian’s gaze drifted to the table, taking in the carefully arranged dishes, the candles, the effort she had poured into tonight. For a brief moment, just a heartbeat, she thought he might apologize.
She thought he might acknowledge her.
She wondered if he might finally see her.
“You cooked?” He raised brow.
Lena swayed forward then backwards. “You promised to take me out for dinner. I called multiple times but you did not answer… so I thought it best to cook…”
“You thought we were going out to dinner?”
“I didn’t think, Julian. You told me yourself that you’d make reservations,” she answered.
“I wanted to… but you never like to go out with me and I thought… I thought…”
“It’s fine… you don’t have to explain,” Lena said with a soft smile.
“I’ll make it up to you,” Julian murmured, his unsteady steps bringing him closer. His hand brushed her arm, lingered, then slid to the small of her back, pulling her toward him. “But on the bright side, you look absolutely gorgeous.”
Lena’s throat quivered on a swallow of nothing. “Do I?”
“You do,” he whispered. He leaned down and his lips found hers. His hand crept up her face, cradling it as he kissed her slowly and tenderly.
Lena kissed him back.
She moaned into his mouth. He swallowed it, savored the taste of her lips like a man who has all the time in the world.
After a moment, Julian pulled back. His eyes had darkened, locked intensely on hers. His thumb traced along her cheekbone in a slow, absent stroke.
Lena held very still, afraid that if she moved or spoke or breathed too loudly, the moment would collapse.
Then Julian’s hands dropped to her waist and he lifted her in one smooth motion, and her legs wrapped around him instinctively, her arms finding his shoulders.
“Julian—”
“What,” he murmured against her mouth.
“What about dinner?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.
He shook his head. “Dinner can wait. I’m sure you’re not that hungry…”
Lena did not speak any further as he carried her upstairs.
This was how it had always been between them. Words were scarce. Gestures were straightforward. Desire was uncomplicated.
Before they reached their room, their breathing was echoing harshly across the space, their clothes half discarded.
Lena hoped for fast and wild as they’d always done.
But Julian, for some reason, was tender.
His breath was warm against her skin. He glided his tongue across the valley of her neck to her mouth and their lips fused once again.
Lena moaned desperately.
Julian groaned.
Lena pulled back, holding Julian’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he murmured.
“You’re different tonight,” she pointed out.
“How different?” Julian asked in genuine confusion.
“You’re gentle. You’re not always gentle, Julian…”
“It’s our anniversary…” he muttered. Before Lena could respond, Julian placed his thumb to her clit and pushed a finger into her.
“Julian,” she gasped.
“What were you saying…” he taunted as he pushed another finger in and rubbed his thumb in slow circular motion over her clit.
Lena’s back arched, she moaned his name over and over, louder every time.
“You’re loud,” he mocked, gliding his tongue over her nipple. “You’re never loud.”
“Julian… Julian…” Lena moaned even louder.
He paused his movement. “What do you want… tell me what you want…”
“I need you… I need to come…” Lena pleaded.
“Not yet,” Julian whispered as he pulled his fingers out of her.
“Julian,” Lena whined.
“Not yet…” he repeated, trailing the wet fingers up her stomach to her mouth. “Open that mouth for me, Lena.”
She did as she was told.
“Good…” Julian pushed the fingers into her mouth, all the way down to her throat. “If you will come tonight, it will be on my cock.”
Those were the last words he said before Lena saw stars.
He slammed into her with one single motion.
He moved his waist and fingers at the same time, fucking both Lena’s mouth and pussy at the same time.
Lena arched her back, cried out as loud as she could, but still loved her waist to match his pace.
Julian was inspired by her response. He fucked her dirty and yet there was a hint of tenderness.
“Lena…” he whispered.
Lena opened her eyes. And Julian was looking at her, directly at her, with an intensity that she hadn’t seen from him in longer than she could remember.
For one breathless moment Lena felt completely seen, like every wall between them had dissolved and there was nothing left but this, them, the truth of three years compressed into a single look.
Her heart cracked open quietly.
“You’re so beautiful tonight,” Julian whispered.
“Julian… please don’t…” Lena shook her head.
“What?”
“Don’t give me hope… don’t do this to me anymore, Julian,” Lena pleaded.
“Lena…”
“No more drunken promises, Julian. Just fuck me…”
Julian inhaled and exhaled a long breath. “I’m sorry…” he murmured, shut his eyes and gave Lena his all.
They gave to one another until there was nothing more to give.
Their footsteps echoed roughly against the tiled floor.Leo wiped again and again at his bleeding lip, his mouth curled into a snarl. He wanted to be angry about this—he couldn’t. He was angry quite alright but that anger was more for his failed relationship than for the fight that had just ended between him and Antonio.He wondered if this was the end, if the fact that they both brawled like animals meant that whatever was left of them was over.Leo took the left corridor.Antonio took the right.They needed something…Distance.Space.Air.Anything to breathe.But that too didn’t last. As long as their were under the same roof, Leo and Antonio could not bear to keep their distance from one another.“Leo.” Antonio’s voice cut through the hallway.Sharp.Rough.Leo didn’t stop even though every nerve screamed for him to.“Leo.” Antonio’s voice came again.Nothing.Antonio’s steps echoed faster as he made a turn and chased after Leo. He reached him in no more than five steps and grabb
Leo’s fist landed clean against Antonio’s face. The crack against his bone echoed louder than earlier when they stumbled into the kitchen.Antonio barely had time to register it before he swung back, hard, fast, his fist connecting with Leo’s jaw and snapping his head to the side.“Fuck!” Leo staggered, but didn’t fall. He lunged forward with a growl, his eyes darkened more by hurt than by rage.They crashed into the sink, glass rattling, metal groaning under the force of their weight.“Are you out of your mind?!” Leo shouted, grabbing Antonio by the collar again and slamming him back this time.“You started it!” Antonio barked, driving his shoulder forward and forcing Leo back.“That was a warning!” Leo yelled.“Well this is me not listening!” Antonio yelled back.Leo threw another punch. Antonio shoved him again and they stumbled, knocking into one of the doors. The door swung open violently and Leo grabbed it, slamming it shut so that they could continue fighting.Their fists flew
The restroom door barely had time to close before Antonio grabbed Leo by the collar and slammed him against the wall. The impact echoed. Hard. Sharp. Leo’s head snapped slightly to the side, but he didn’t fight it immediately. He just looked at Antonio. Calm. Steady. Infuriating. “What the fuck do you want, man?” He asked finally. “You knew,” Antonio breathed, his grip tightening. “You knew about my brother and your sister and you said nothing.” Leo let out a quiet scoff. “We’ve established that.” Antonio’s jaw clenched. “Don’t do that.” “Do what?” “That thing where you act like this is nothing!” Leo’s eyes flickered, but his voice stayed even. “Because to me, it is.” That hit wrong the wrong nerve and Antonio shoved him harder into the wall. “Our families are about to tear each other apart and you’re standing here acting like it doesn’t concern you?” “It doesn’t concern me,” Leo shot back, sharper this time. “It concerns Julian and Lena.” “They dragged us into it!” “T
Three days later.“Antonio?”“Si, papa?”“You’re very restless today.” A beat. “What’s wrong?”Julian’s brother, Antonio, was standing beside their father in the living room. His hands were crossed at the wrist at the base of his back and he rocked back and forth whilst they waited for Lena’s father to enter.It had been days since Julian told Antonio about his complicated personal life, but Antonio hadn’t yet gathered the courage to tell their father, knowing that the only thing it’d result in is chaos.“I met with Julian,” Antonio said to their father, his voice a whisper.“I already know that.”Antonio swallowed. “You need to know what we discussed.”“Not now.”“Papa—”Before Antonio could even finish speaking, the door opened and Pedro King was led in, followed closely by his son, Leonardo King.Antonio’s heart jumped into his throat and he had to swallow loudly to keep him from sputtering nonsense.“Pedro!” Julian’s father exclaimed as he saw his old friend. “I’m so happy you dec
The roar of congratulations had settled slightly, and now Lena was with her father, speaking to a few of his friends who attended his birthday party.They spoke of everything and nothing at the same time. Some of the men spoke mostly of Lena’s beauty and carriage and the way they’d like her to meet
Lena returned home hours ago, but as the sun began to set and night fell, she began feeling guilty about how she had left her lunch with Jack.Which led to picking up her phone and dialing his number.Jack answered on the first ring. Though the act made it seem as though he was eager, he did not sa
The car merged smoothly into traffic, Leo’s grip tight on the steering wheel. The city blurred past them, morning light filtering through the windshield, too bright, too awake for how Lena felt inside.Lena pressed her palm against her cheek, wiping away the last traces of tears before Leo could l
The night was truly worth every bit of Lena’s time. Physically, at least. Emotionally, however, she felt hollow. Empty. So empty that she in fact began to wonder why she had easily succumbed to sexual temptation.Was it because she was jealous of the chemistry between Rose and Julian? Lena asked he






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