All Chapters of OFF LIMIT: FOURTEEN NIGHTS WITH MY HUSBAND'S BEST FRIENDS : Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Chapter 62ElowenI woke to cold sheets and emptiness where Matteo should have been, my hand reaching across the bed automatically before my brain caught up with consciousness, before I remembered falling asleep wrapped in his arms and feeling safe for the first time in days.But he was gone and the space beside me was cold enough that he'd been gone for hours, and when I sat up I found the room was exactly as we'd left it with our clothes scattered across the floor and the rumpled carpet bearing evidence of what we'd done, but no note, no explanation, no sign of where he'd gone or if he planned to come back.My stomach dropped with a sickening certainty that he'd left because of me, because I'd been too much or not enough or maybe just because the reality of what we were doing had hit him in the morning light and he'd decided he couldn't face me after everything.I gathered my torn lingerie and robe with shaking hands while trying not to let the hurt show even though no one was there

Chapter 64MatteoThe morning sun streamed through Giuliana's bedroom windows and painted everything in shades of gold that made her dark hair shine like silk where it spread across her pillow.And I sat in the chair beside her bed watching her sleep while drinking the espresso Marco had brought up an hour ago, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest and thanking whatever deity was listening that she was still here, still breathing, still mine for another day.She stirred around eight and her eyes fluttered open to find me exactly where I'd promised I'd be, and the smile that crossed her face was worth every sleepless night and every moment of terror that came with loving someone so fragile."Buongiorno, principessa," I said softly, setting down my cup to move closer. "Come ti senti stamattina?" How are you feeling this morning?"Meglio," she said, stretching carefully. Better. "My chest doesn't hurt as much and I can breathe without that scary sound.""Bene," I said, relief fl

Chapter 66Matteo The boy started crying immediately, tears streaming down his red face while his feet kicked uselessly in the air, and his two friends scattered like roaches when the light comes on, running toward the crowd while shouting for help."I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the boy sobbed, his hands clawing at my grip on his collar. "Per favore, non farmi male!" Please don't hurt me!"Papa, mettilo giù," "Papa, put him down." Giuliana's voice cut through my rage, small but firm. "Non ne vale la pena." He's not worth it.But I couldn't put him down yet, couldn't release him before he understood exactly what he'd done, couldn't let him go without making sure he never spoke to another child like that again."You listen to me very carefully," I said, my accent thick with barely controlled fury. "You don't talk to people like that, you don't mock children who are different from you, and you sure as hell don't go near my daughter ever again, capito?"Before he could answer, a wo

Chapter 68ElowenThree days had passed since Matteo disappeared and each morning I woke up hoping to find some explanation, some message, some sign that he hadn't just used me and vanished into thin air like I meant absolutely nothing.But there was nothing.Just silence and his empty chair at breakfast and Adrian's knowing smirks and Kian's continued indifference that somehow hurt worse than his cruelty ever had.I'd stopped going to town after that first day because Amante hadn't shown up again and wandering alone just made me feel pathetic, made me too aware of how completely isolated I'd become, made me realize I had nowhere to go and no one who actually cared whether I existed or not.Instead I spent my days by the pool pretending to read while actually just staring at the same page for hours, my mind spinning with thoughts I couldn't escape and questions that had no answers.Where had Matteo gone and why hadn't he at least sent a text to explain?The thoughts circled endlessly

Chapter 70Elowen I remembered being eighteen and aging out exactly as predicted, standing outside the final group home with a garbage bag full of my possessions and nowhere to go, no family to call, no safety net to catch me if I fell, just me and the world and the crushing weight of unwantedness.I remembered meeting Adrian and believing for the first time that maybe I could be loved, that maybe he saw something in me worth keeping.That maybe all those years of being passed over had just been preparing me for him, for this man who chose me when no one else ever had.I remembered our wedding and thinking I'd finally found home, finally found someone who wouldn't leave, finally proved I wasn't unloveable after all.And I remembered the accident two years later and watching that love transform into hatred, watching him decide I wasn't worth keeping anymore, watching history repeat itself as another person decided I wasn't valuable enough to love.The tears were endless now, flowing d