Page 76 of Release Me

‘I’m not asking you to.’Not yet, anyway…but there’s no way I can give her up.

‘I don’t know how this can end well,’ she admits, eyeing me over the rim of her glass.

‘So let’s not let it end then.’ I shrug with more nonchalance than I feel.

She huffs out a bitter laugh. ‘So, you’re happy to be my bit on the side? It’s not fair on you, Rian.’

‘I’m happy to be your anything, woman. What part ofI’m obsessed with youdo you not get?’ I close the distance between us, pulling her into my arms. ‘It’s not like you share a bed with him, or your body. You might be his on paper, but in reality, you’re mine.’

‘That’s what worries me,’ she says quietly.

‘Don’t worry. Let’s just concentrate on having some fun.’ I smooth her hair from her face.

‘Yeah, I think I earned it for putting up with his shit for the past three years.’ She lifts her drink in a silent ‘cheers’.

‘You mean three years, four months, two weeks and five days.’ I clink my glass against hers.

‘I can’t believe you remember that,’ she laughs.

‘I remember everything about you, sweetheart, but I will never forget the first moment I saw you. It’s etched into my brain forever.’

‘That might be the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.’ She tilts her head back to gaze up at me.

‘You didn’t ask which part of my brain.’ I wink.

She tips her head in question.

‘Wank bank.’ I smirk, and that familiar warmth floods me as her laughter pierces the air again.

‘You are so bad.’ She slaps my chest playfully.

‘Maybe, but I promise you, sweetheart, I’ll never be bad to you.’

‘I know.’ She nods, and there’s an earnestness in her eyes. ‘I know. You’re the first man who’s never let me down.’

A loud hammering pierces the air. Fists bang on the door. She jumps, and I cradle her tighter to my chest. ‘Fuck off, we’re busy,’ I yell, half hoping it isn’t Anthony, and half hoping it is so this is all out in the open and he can watch my cum drip from between his wife’s legs. If that isn’t staking a claim on her, I don’t know what is.

‘Naked busy?’ Ivy squeals. There’s no missing the excitement in her tone.

‘Don’t open the door or you’ll find out the hard way,’ I warn.

‘Oh. My. Fucking. God,’ she wails. ‘Hurry up and get out here, Rebekka, I want all the sordid details. I need to know if Baby Beckett’s dick is as big as he claims it is.’

Rebekka shakes with laughter in my arms. ‘It’s bigger!’ she shouts, snorting with laughter.

‘Filthy bitch!’ Ivy bangs on the door. ‘About time! Now hurry up and join us! Dickhead De Courcy and the hoe have left the building. Let’s get lit!’

The sound of her footsteps drift into the distance.

‘I suppose I better show face. It’s my opening night, after all.’ I drain my drink and place the glass on the table. I reach for my suit trousers. I have a gift for her in the pocket. I wasn’t sure she’d show up tonight, but I brought it just in case. I feel inside the pocket until my fingers find what I’m looking for. ‘I’ve got a present for you.’

‘Another one?’ She winks, but her mouth drops open as she spots the tiny Cartier box.

I push it into her hand. She pauses for a long beat before she opens it.

‘Oh, wow.’ Her hand cups her mouth as she drinks in thegold charm I selected for her bracelet—a book covered in tiny sparkling diamonds for the front cover. ‘That is so thoughtful,’ she gushes, colour flooding her cheeks. ‘I love it. Thank you so much. Typical,’ she glances down at her wrist. ‘It’s the one day I forgot to put my bracelet on.’

‘No worries. You can put it on later. I just like the idea of you having something from me with you all the time.’