All Chapters of His Contracted Temptation; Velvet Lies : Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

VALERIAA few minutes later, the car door swings open and Dante slides in."What happened?" I ask. The door slams."Made a call," he says, voice cool and even like he didn't just order me into this damn car."Oh," I say quietly. I sneak a glance at Dante whose eyes are glued to his phone, his expression poker straight."Was it about what Alex said?" His fingers still mid scroll. A tic running along his jaw."Yes, Valeria." He lets out a rough breath. "To find out how she's is getting her information."And here I was thinking he was giving her a piece of his mind, not that Dante looked like that kind of guy but still. The silence in that car is daunting, and for once I embrace it.My phone buzzes, cutting through the quiet. Diego's name flashes across my screen and I end the call. Beside me, I feel Dante's eyes on me and I press my forehead to the glass, pretending to enjoy the landscape when another call rings–still Diego. My stomach knots, dread coiling tight inside me. I stare at th

VALERIA “Dinner’s pretty damn good, huh?” I ask, taking a bite of empanadas. Diego nods beside me, face flushed. He grabs his glass of water, sniffling. “Fuck!” I drop my fork and pat his back. “Is it too spicy?” Dante snorts across the table. “No,” he rasps, coughing once. “Just not used to this kind of heat.” I look up to find Dante wearing a smug smirk, chin propped on his fist. Show-off. I haven’t even tried his food, but I just want to finish this and see what kind of mess he’s cooked up. “So,” he says evenly, “you and Valeria seem pretty close.How long have you known each other?” Dante asks, about to take another bite of empanadas. “A year,” I say quickly. Dante lifts a brow, like he’s saying, "I wasn’t talking to you, missy." “Thanks, Valeria.” I don’t miss the sarcasm in his voice. “You’re welcome, babe,” I mutter. “You’re not used to this sort of food? Valeria says it’s popular in Colombia.” Dante sips his wine, staring at Diego through the glass. “I eat

VALERIAAfter three rounds of sex, your body tends to remind you that you're only human. I don't think I've ever felt this stretched–like my body still remembers Dante. I turn to my side slow and careful not to wake him up.Dark waves fan his pillow, chest rising and falling with each breath. A small smile tugs my lips as last night comes rushing back... Dante is like a fucking energy drink, and his libido is, oh my God. It's a wonder he still had the strength to clean us up– I was fucking exhausted.My back and hips ache when I stand. The swollen ache between my legs makes me hobble; I silently promise myself to tone it down next time.After freshening up, I head to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I could get revenge, but since I'm in such a good mood, I stick to a traditional meal of butter-toasted corn cakes with cheese and scrambled eggs with tomatoes and scallions. Perfect for two people with a huge appetite.Coffee comes next, Cafe Colombiano–strong black coffee, brewed slow.

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GRAPHIC SEXUAL VIOLENCE, RAPE, ASSAULT, MURDER, TRAUMA, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND REVENGE THEMES. READER DISCRETION ADVISED.VALERIAAs a little girl, I dreamed big—actress, a pop star, designer maybe or a model... basically anything that would slap my face on Vogue and of course lots of paparazzi attention.Well, here I am... margarita in one hand, phone in the other, scrolling—when I see a picture of me and Dante on the Daily Mail. My lips curl at the headline; Blue Cyber CEO spotted with new lover. New lover, alright.I take a sip of my drink, grinning in satisfaction, then proceed to go through the pictures, analyzing which ones captured my best angles. Shots of other attendees pop up too, most faces I don't recognize, all except Alex—or do I call her Alessio? She has on one of those Barbie smiles that does a good job hiding her vile personality, blonde waves fall over shoulders, not a single strand out of place... the typical nepo baby who thinks she's A

VALERIAYeah, I lied. Obviously. But I was genuinely hyped about the whole store hunting... past tense—I was excited till I had to inspect eight stores, none of which fit into my perfect Elle Woods meets Sophia Vergara aesthetic.Trust me, it's hard to settle for less when you've had a certain idea ingrained into your brain for years. Every single spot had something wrong with them and I just knew I couldn't picture myself serving coffee in any of those sad, dusty little buildings. By the ninth store, I was bracing for another round of disappointment, but it turned out perfect. Too perfect.I mean, why else would it be across from Matteo's office? Cute coincidence, right? I know, I thought the same when I suggested a popular café to meet with my interior designer only to find out it's also a few streets away from Matteo's home. God really loves arranging my steps like Pinterest boards.Which is why I'm parked across from my new store, in one of Dante's Mercedes, munching on a double c