Lahat ng Kabanata ng Game Of Chess With My Ex-Husband's Uncle : Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

~ Lorenzo's POVI looked at Eric standing in the doorway of my study, his usually composed expression tinged with guilt. In all the years he'd worked for me, I could count on one hand the number of times he'd actually apologized for anything."For telling Ms. Duarte about your mother. About what happened that night." He shifted his weight slightly, a tell that showed his discomfort. "I know you didn't want her to know. I overstepped."I leaned back in my chair, studying him for a long moment. My initial instinct was to be angry—he'd shared something deeply personal without my permission, exposed vulnerabilities I'd spent twenty-five years hiding.But then I thought about Vivienne's face when she'd come back into the sitting room. The understanding in her eyes. The way she'd held me.If Eric hadn't told her, she would have left. Walked out of my house and possibly out of my life, thinking I was just another man trying to use her."You did overstep," I said finally, my voice calm but fi

~ Vivienne's POVMy heart was doing somersaults in my chest as I stared at Lorenzo standing in my doorway. He looked impossibly good in that gray suit, the jacket fitted perfectly to his broad shoulders, his shirt crisp and white against his tanned skin."Hello, Vivi," he said again, that nickname sending warmth spreading through me. "I hope I'm not interrupting."I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. "Lorenzo. What are you doing here?"He stepped into my office, closing the door behind him with a quiet click that seemed to echo in the sudden silence. "I came to check on my father's appointment. Make sure everything went smoothly."Right. Of course. He was here about Richard, not me.The disappointment that washed through me was completely unreasonable, especially since I was the one who'd asked for space."The examination went well," I said, forcing myself into professional mode. "I've recommended some additional testing—MRI, bloodwork, cognitive assessments. Hannah is coordinat

~ Lorenzo's POVI stood outside the hotel long after Vivienne disappeared through those glass doors, my lips still tingling from our goodnight kiss, my body still aching with unfulfilled need.She wanted me. She'd admitted it tonight—"'I want you so badly it scares me."'Those words had nearly destroyed what little control I had left. It had taken every ounce of willpower not to follow her inside, not to push past her boundaries and show her exactly how good we could be together.But I'd respected her wishes. Again. Because that's what you did for someone you—I stopped that thought before it could fully form.The drive back to my mansion felt longer than usual, my mind replaying every moment of the evening. The way she'd clutched onto me during the scary parts of the movie, her small frame pressed against mine. How she'd climbed into my lap without hesitation when desire had overtaken fear. The taste of her skin, the sound of her moans, the perfect weight of her breasts in my hands.

~ Lorenzo's POVI was drowning.That's what it felt like every year on this day—like being pulled under dark water, unable to breathe, unable to surface, unable to do anything except sink deeper and deeper into the abyss of memory and grief.Twenty-five years. Twenty-five fucking years, and it never got easier.I sat on the floor beneath my bedroom window, my back against the wall, my hands pressed so hard against my face that I could feel my skull beneath my palms. As if I could somehow push the memories back inside, lock them away where they belonged.But they wouldn't stay locked. Not today.The flames. The smoke. My mother's screams. The sharp crack of the gunshot. The smell of burning flesh.All of it replayed in my mind with crystal clarity, as vivid as if it were happening right now instead of twenty-five years ago."Stop," I muttered to myself, my voice hoarse. "It's not real. It's over. She's gone."But knowing it wasn't real didn't make it feel any less real. My heart was ra

~ Lorenzo's POVHer weight on my lap was perfect—warm, soft, real. Her thighs straddled mine, the fabric of her dress bunched around her hips, and I could feel the heat of her core pressing against me through our clothes.My hands found her waist automatically, gripping her as she deepened the kiss. Her tongue swept against mine with a hunger that matched my own, and I groaned into her mouth.This was different. Everything about this felt different.She wasn't pulling away. Wasn't stopping. Wasn't putting up those walls she'd carefully maintained every other time we'd gotten close to this point.Her hands moved from my chest to my shoulders, fingers digging in as she ground against me. The friction made my cock harden instantly, straining against my pants.I wanted to ask her. Wanted to confirm that this was really happening, that she was really ready. But I was afraid that speaking would break whatever spell had fallen over us, would give her a chance to second-guess, to retreat back