Page 70 of Sexting My Ex's Dad

As much as I want to reach out and touch her, to assure her that I won’t hurt her again, I remain still, my hands gripping thearmrests of the chair. The seconds tick by excruciatingly slow, each one stretching into an eternity as Stella’s dance continues.

Finally, the timer goes off, signaling the end of the song and the conclusion of our illicit encounter. Stella steps away from me, her breath coming in shallow pants as she mutters, “I have to get back to work.”

“Wait—” I start, but she cuts me off with a firm shake of her head.

“I can’t, Elio,” she says, her voice barely audible as she turns away.

I can’t let her walk away.

If I’m being honest, I’m selfish. Even though I know I shouldn’t be with her, I can’t let her be with anyone else.

It’s me or nobody.

My hand shoots out, fingers wrapping around her delicate wrist as I keep her from leaving. “Come to my place later.”

“Why?”

“So we can talk.”

She scoffs. “Talk about what? How much it hurt when you dump me? No, I told you that if you walked out then I wouldn’t even think about you again.”

“Then you’re fooling yourself. I’m all you think about.” I wouldn’t say I’m cocky, but the truth is so evident in her eyes.

“I’m not coming,” she says.

“Then I’ll come to you.” I shrug. “But either way we’re going to talk.”

She stares at me for a while, face all scrunched up, and I can tell that there’s so much she wants to say however she walks away without saying them.

I smirk. I would bet every last penny I had that I’d be seeing her tonight at my mansion.

41

STELLA

Ipull into Elio’s driveway, my heart racing with anticipation. I can’t help but feel a pang of envy at the sight of it, so different from the cramped and crumbling apartment that I call home.

I don’t want to be here, but it’s not like Elio had given me much of a choice.He’s really starting to get on my nerves with how back and forth he’s being.

Billionaire bully. My nickname for him seems to become more fitting the more time I spend with him.

“Stella,” Elio says, opening the door before I even have the chance to knock. There’s no surprise in his face, probably because he’d known the truth just like I did – there was no question over whether or not I was coming tonight.

I hate him for making me this predictable mess, but, more importantly, I hate myself for constantly falling into his trap. When would I learn?

I don’t say anything, and Elio doesn’t push it, moving to the side so I can come in and closing the door behind me. Then, he leads me into the living room.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Elio asks, gesturing towards a well-stocked bar in the corner of the room.

“No, thank you,” I reply, my voice steady despite the fluttering in my chest. “I want to know why you invited me here tonight.”

He stares at me, as if I’ve just asked him the hardest question in the world and sighs. “I don’t know.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “You can’t be serious?”

“Stella…”

“You don’t get to snap your fingers and have me magically appear. I’m leaving…” I’m not going to let this man waste any more of my time.