Evangeline
“Fuck. . .”
I hear the grumble of that word over and over and over. The voice distant, almost soundless like an inaudible echo in my head. I hum and stir, groaning in relief at the softness that wraps around me from beneath.
“Fuck, What the fuck have I done?” I hear again, louder and firmer this time.
A man.
A man.
Fuck, a man.
My breath catches as realization settles in, my pulse quickening to the memories that slams into me. Memories of last night, the bar, the drinking, the kisses, the tongue that had me orgasming many times over, and the cock that railed me throughout the night.
Mr. Alexander Creed.
I jerk up from the bed, sitting up with a strained grunt. Gosh, my head is hurting so bad. “Fuck,” I whisper, the tips of my fingers massaging my temple.
I feel his gaze burning into me, almost piercing through my skin. What now. . . I crane my neck to the side and stare back at him with just the same amount of intensity he’s staring me with. His throat moves as he swallows nervously and I smile in triumph. I unnerve him just as much as he unnerves me. Good.
“Do I have drool all over my face, Mr. Creed?” I ask, my voice laced with sarcasm. His brows pull into a frown, causing me to snort. “You’re staring too hard.”
Alexander throws his head back and breathes out a heavy breath, a hand raking through his hair. “I’m sorry for last night,” he says, his tone soft, but the heaviness in his voice gives him away.
Sorry?
Why’s he apologizing?
“Why’re you apologizing?” I ask, my eyes narrowing.
He shifts uncomfortably, his hand rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well. . .I believe I took advantage of your drunken state—”
I cut him off with a chuckle, the sound mocking. “Me? Drunk?” I ask, my index finger pointing at myself, “If anyone was drunk, then it was you, Alexander. I consented to everything that happened between us last night, so you don’t have to apologize simply because your wedding is today.”
His eyes snap to mine, the frustration in them glaring. “It’s not today,” he murmurs with a hush.
“What?” I ask, blinking.
“The wedding is not until two days.”
I raise an eyebrow. “So why did you have the party yesterday?”
He leans back, rubbing his temple like he’s already exhausted by this conversation. “Well, I have to travel for business and I won’t be here until two days.”
“Where?” I quiz.
“London,” he says, his voice softer now, eyes cautiously flickering to mine. “I don’t want to seem disrespectful, but I’d like to appreciate you somehow for last night. As much as it unnerves me to admit, it was the best night of my life, and you made that happen.”
Something shifts in the air and heat almost creeps up my cheeks. Maybe he doesn’t mean the sex, but my stupid, dirty mind is starting to get ideas.
He’d like to appreciate me?
There’s something I do want, but it’s not the right time. He cannot know just yet.
“What you said last night,” I murmur, my voice quieter, “about being confused and loathing the woman you’re marrying, was that true?”
His eyes narrow in an instant, his jaw tightening, as though to snap at me and tell me to mind my business. But he doesn’t speak. He looks away and grunts out a breath before turning bringing his eyes up to mine. “You shouldn’t dwell on the things I said while I was probably drunk,” He stands abruptly, his hand still rubbing the back of his neck. “Just get dressed so my driver can take you back home.”
I swing my legs off the bed, planting my feet firmly on the floor. And then I start to approach him, my steps slow, provocative, my lips curling sultrily. “Let me come with you.”
He takes a step back, putting more distance between us as he asks, “What?”
“I would like to come with you to London,” I whisper, my steps closing up the distance between us, my eyes narrowing seductively.
My hand shoots forward, moving to rest on his chest. He draws back and whispers my name tiredly. “Evangeline. . .”
“It’s two days before your wedding, Alexander, and I don’t want you to be confused going into a marriage. I want you to be sure.”
“Why do you care?” He asks frustratedly.
I place my hand flat on his chest and his body shakes with a breath. I smile. “Because I do.”
“You don’t understand, do you?” He says, his voice strained.
“I do,” I say firmly, taking a step closer to completely eradicate any distance between us. “I see it. Your desperation for a way out.” I let my words hang, giving him a moment to absorb them. “Let me be your distraction for two days. Let me be your woman for two days. And if by the end of it, you’re still confused, then you owe it to yourself to walk away from a marriage that will make you miserable.”
His lips pull apart, but no words come.“Fuck,” he mutters, dragging both hands through his hair. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. I knew you were trouble.”
I stare at him with a small smile, no words spoken, no convincing needed. I watch as he resists my charm—or tries to resist my charm. He fails woefully. His head veers back and a heave of breath escapes.
“No sex, angel,” he suddenly whispers, his eyes holding mine. “If this is to work out, then we cannot sleep together.”
I pout. “Why not?”
His lips part again and a scoff breezes through. A scoff of disbelief. He almost can’t comprehend the kind of woman I am, what I want from him, and I want it to remain that way. I want him to continue to wallow in confusion. For now.
“Because it’s two days before my wedding,” he breathes as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Of course, the wedding.” I reply softly, “I’ll keep that in mind, sir.”
As I speak, I wink at him just as I slowly lower myself to my knees. His muscles go rigid underneath my touch as I run a hand over his thigh, my eyes holding his.
“Fuck me,” he breathes, shaking his head, wanting to refuse. But the pleasure his flesh craves betrays him.
I pull out his cock from his briefs and gently run my hand over it. The length pulses erratically, desperately, precum leaking. I flatten my tongue over his cap and lick—just a single swipe that drags a strained moan from his throat.
“So? What do you say?” I drawl.
Of course he’ll agree, because he’s at his weakest—with my hands massaging his pulsing cock and the heat of my mouth blowing over his cap. . .who’ll ever refuse a request in that state.
His jaw ticks just as his hand finds my hair, holding firm, eyes dark. “I guess we’re doing it.” he forces out.
Then he slams his length into my mouth.
AlexanderMy life has crumbled. My life has moved with the speed of light, from happiness and fulfillment to tragedy. I've gone from almost having a family to being on the verge of losing my wife and unborn son. The hospital is ridden by chaos. Nurses run in and out of the ER, their feet moving with desperation, their voices echoing my fears. The cops have been filing in and out of the hospital, asking questions that I have no answers to. All I know is one thing: The person who did this will pay. I hunch forward, my elbows digging into my thighs, my trembling hands pressed against my face. My feet bounce against the floor in a frantic rhythm. I don't know how long it's been. I don't know if it's been seconds or minutes or hours. Time has blurred into this dreadful moment. My lungs ache as I drag in a breath.“Alex…”My head tilts upward. My eyes meet Julius's. My pain comes rushing back, this time with shame. I did, in fact, fail him. I couldn't protect his sister…“It’s be
EvangelineOne week later.I swipe open the message from an unknown number and mutter its content out loud: Meet me here by 10:30.Underneath the message is a pinned location. I navigate the map, my brows creased into a frown. It leads to an old event building not very far from my museum.It clicks.A smile drags my lips wide.Alexander is the only one who knows that I’m still cooped up at the museum at this time. Maybe this is his way of luring me away from work after giving up on complaining. Or maybe he’s finally about to reveal the surprise he swears he’s been planning all week long.My heart flips at the thought, then drops when I realize I’m dressed too casual and reek of paint oil.I immediately FaceTime Alessio. She answers on the second ring, grumbling. “Girl, couldn’t you have picked a better time to call?”“I need you…” I pause, “wait, why are you doing your makeup?”She gives her eyes a dramatic roll. “I have a date.”I raise a brow in disbelief. Not that I don’t believe A
AlexanderOne month later.The museum empties slowly, the air finally quieting after a long night of loud chatter, clinking of glasses and storms of applause.I shrug off my suit jacket and drape it over my arm as I watch my Evangeline share goodbye hugs with the last few people.She has been radiant all night.It’s my time seeing her in her work space and it was a good view. She killed it. I was almost split open by pride and longing while I watched her soak into her world.And now that everyone has left, I have her all to myself.My lips lift as she approaches me on slow, sultry steps.“So?” She questions, her eyes bouncing around.“You have to ask?” I joke. “You nailed it. Excellently.”The light is too dim, but with the way her head drops, I can tell her face is burning hot with shyness.“Thank you… for coming…” she breathes.I stepp forward. “I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”She looks at me through the veil of her lashes as she carefully threads her fingers through mine.
Evangeline“Jesus, Xander, what took you so long in there?”The words slip out before I can stop them. I’ve been sitting here in the hallway for hours, restless, praying that my father and Alexander would get along. When Julius walked into the office, I knew the chances for that to happen will be very slim. And now, this man is stepping out with his usual composed strides and a smile on his face.“Were you worried I wouldn’t handle him?” he asks, a glimmer of humor tugging at his mouth.I fold my arms across my chest, pulling my brows into a deep furrow. “Shouldn’t I have been? You took too long…”“And I’m here, am I not?” he answers, adjusting his cuff.I drag my eyes over his frame. Once. Twice, and blow out a breath. “So?”“So…” he drawls, pretending like he doesn’t know what I’m asking.I groan in frustration. “What happened in there?”“Well, I learnt that your father loves you,” he says, a softness melting into his gaze.It’s not much of an answer, but it still loosens a coil in
AlexanderI’m here for one reason only: I miss my woman. And to see her here, comfortable, glowing, and happy in the place where she grew up, with the people who she’s loved all her life… it brings me an immense sense of peace and happiness.We made the right choice.Her eyes catch on mine like there’s a magnetic force pulling them in. Her smile widens. Her face glows even brighter even as she tries to conceal her ecstatic smile from her family. It’s futile.Her body’s reaction—which is in fact out of her control—is very telling. Her shoulders rise on a deep breath. Her pulse ticks erratically at the base of her throat as she raises a brow at me as if asking what I’m doing here.I respond with a smile of my own.You know what else is telling? The energy that is now pulsing in the room.It’s not discomforting, yet not comforting.Her brother eyes me with the same distaste he showed during our dinner nights ago..Her mother… is simply a mother who’s careful for her daughter not to get
EvangelineIt feels good to be home. It feels good to breathe the air of this house again.It feels… absolutely amazing.And it feels even better to know I’m not here with a broken heart. I’m not a girl who is back to this house in shame.I’m back as a woman looking forward to a new beginning with the man I want to share my life with, with the father of my child.The quietness this morning is serene. Warm. I lie on my side and watch the seconds on my bedside alarm clock tick by, slow and steady. I press my palm to my belly. The baby shifts,... maybe even flips and twirls like the restless little devil he is.I smile, my memories taking me back to this routine me and Alexander began: Wake up, lay in bed and feel our baby move around.God, I miss him. That’s the only down part of being back home: missing out on the warmth Alexander provides. Missing out on those early morning kisses. Missing out on the adoration that burns bright in his eyes. Missing out on his kind words, his gentlene