Page 25

Nolan

I could not help but trail my gaze to her as she entered the breakfast room and went to the breakfast table to get her food. We had fucked two more times after 'the lesson' and I still wanted her now. I wanted to remove everyone in this room. Mom and Magnus can go wherever, and I could throw her on that glass table and drive my cock into her tight pussy.

You're the only one who makes me feel like this. Simple words that made me feel like a king. She's mine. Mine for the time we were married, at least. And since we had arrived at a silent agreement that we could not ignore our sexual chemistry, I was going to make sure we fucked everyday hour of everyday if we have to until I got her out of my system.

She caught my gaze when she turned to go to her seat and her cheeks flushed. They looked almost exactly as they did when we were fucking under the shower. Her blush deepened. I grabbed my phone and shot her a text. I waited for her to read it.

Me:

Are you thinking of our shower interlude?

I watched her as she slid into her chair, opened her phone while it was on the table, her face changing as she read the text. She glared at me, then fired back a text.

A:

Your mother is here.

Me:

Don't worry. She's not telepathic, but your face was giving you away.

A:

??

I chuckled, got back to my coffee, and opened the newspaper app on my phone. I liked to read the news early in the morning, but it was tough to concentrate this morning. My gaze would occasionally wander to her, but it seemed she was not as obsessed as I was. She kept to her meal and ate in silence. She only spoke when my mother addressed her. Meanwhile, I was dying to get her alone again so I could fuck her one more time.

Her phone pinged. She got another message. Not from me. From who? A wave of jealousy gripped me, until she looked at me, her features softening. "Sorry I'd forgotten," she said. "The foundation wanted to know if we could use the Hawthorne yacht for a charity event. Thalia said I should ask you."

I was so distracted by the way her mouth moved, that I almost didn't catch what she was saying. "Uh why?"

"They—we will be hosting a party after the game and the women thought it would be a good idea to host it on a boat. Preferably a large one."

"You can," I said. The refurbishments were done, and I wasn't planning on using it anytime soon. Her eyes widened. "Only if you agree to go out with me tonight," I added.

"Where?" She seemed apprehensive. Oddly, I thought she would like it.

"Just some small club in town. It's opening night, and the owner wants us to give it a celebrity flare. You can even call your paparazzi guy."

"I never—I didn't." She sighed. "If I go, will you say yes?"

I nodded. I didn't really care about the club, but I didn't want to be home tonight.

"Fine. I'll go."

"Great. The yacht is yours."

Cutlery cluttering down on to a plate brought my attention to my mother. "Nolan!"

What now?

"Since when did we start renting out the yacht to the masses?"

"Well, they won't be renting. It would be for free," A clarified.

Mother drew a sharp breath.

"Like I said, it's fine."

Mother looked like she was about to blow her top off, but she has always been a reserved person, so she waited for Ay to finish her breakfast and leave to talk to me.

"I thought you said she was just a business deal to you," she said in a loud whisper.

I lifted my gaze from the business article on my phone that had captured my attention to the woman sitting from across me. "She is."

"Then why are you treating her like an actual wife?"

"She is."

Mother's eyes narrowed. " Don't be deliberately obtuse. You've given her the yacht to do whatever she wants with it with riff raff. Destroy it even. "

Thinking of the billion-dollar-rich patrons of the foundation were 'riff raff' was funny, but I don't think mother would have taken a laugh in her face kindly.

"I'll be there, don't worry." I wasn't planning on attending the polo match. Thalia and Gemma had been trying to convince me to come, but I never enjoyed attending those things. However, being there with Ay didn't seem as dreary as going alone. "I'll make sure no one spills cheap wine on the seats." I tried, but I could not take the sarcasm out of my tone.

"She has a hold on you." Mother declared.

"Who?"

"Aelin. You are different."

I got up suddenly, deciding this conversation was over. Spending breakfast with my mother was punishment enough. "I'm still the same person, mother." I went over to her and placed a kiss on her forehead. "No woman is going to change me."

***

The club was already full when we arrived. However, "full" was relative; Hunter, the owner of the club, was only admitting invitees, and there weren't enough of them to fill the large club. It was an underground parking lot he had turned into a cyberpunk looking club with futuristic lights that lined roughened industrial walls. The dance floor was on the ground floor opposite the bar. The VIP section was on the same floor as the dancefloor, but behind glass cubicles. The third section, the VVIP section, was on the first floor. It was also partitioned into smaller sections by glass walls. The dim blue lights made the club feel illicit in a reckless sort of fun way.

The dance floor pulsed with people dancing to a celebrity DJ, while a few others scattered among the VIP and VVIP sections. I had to give to Hunter. He had found several celebrities. It was an interesting mix of people. You had your regular pop and rap stars, some actors, and a few influencers. Then there was another group of people, much more interesting. One guy I recognized, Giovanni Morelli, was here with his wife, and was pretty sure that the couple was involved with the Mafia. A few of my business associates were here, the cooler, more fashion conscious ones at least.

I wrapped my arm around A's waist. She was stiff and a little shy, which was odd, because wasn't this her scene? The dress she was wearing, though, contradicted her shyness. It was a silver short dress with crisscross straps at the back, down to the curve of her back. The front had a dipped neckline that showed off her beautiful breasts. She completed the look with cute silver strappy heels that a dominatrix would love. I got hard as soon as I saw her and it had been tough not to touch her.

"Come," I said to her. "There are friends of mine I want you to meet."

She was slow to walk as if hesitant, but we made it to the VVIP section on the upper floor of the club where there was another bar and a lot more people than I expected occupied the mini lounges. Emilia, our recent partner in our jewelry division, was in one. She was talking to Giovanni and Simona Morelli. Emilia waved me over when she saw me, giving both of us a hug when we arrived. I greeted the gorgeous Italian couple and introduced Ay to the group.

"Where's Axel?" I asked when I was done with the introductions.

"Down there." Emilia pointed at a bar. "I asked for a drink that I now regret learning can only be found there." She turned to me. "I didn't think you'd come."

"I wanted to support a friend," I replied. "Where is Hunter, anyway?"

"He's with my brother," Giovanni gestured his head to two men sitting at the bar in deep discussion.

"This looks better than I expected," I said.

Emilia nodded. "I didn't think he could pull it off. I thought it was going to fail or he would get bored like all his other projects. "

"Not with Dante's money on the line," Gio said. Everyone laughed.

Holding Aelin's hand, I drew her into the booth and we sat down on the empty couch opposite the other three. A table in the middle of the chairs held various alcoholic drinks. I leaned in and whispered, "Do you want something?"

She shook her head and leaned into my ear. "What was so funny?"

The music was loud enough to drown our conversation, such that we could talk without the other's hearing. "Dante Morelli over there," I gestured to the man talking to Hunter. "Runs a not so legal global operation." Aelin frowned, not understanding my meaning. "He's like Michael Corleone ," I added. At which her eyes widened. I chuckled. "He's a great guy and not scary at all, actually."

"And is Giovanni his brother also..."

"Part of the family business? Yes. Although he's involved in the financial, more legal side of the business."

Aelin turned her gaze to the group. Axel arrived with a cocktail for Emilia; she was awed by the simple gesture, as if he had hunted a bear for her.

"You have a peculiar set of friends," Aelin said.

"What about your friends? I've never seen you hang out with them? "

"Huh?" She whipped her head so fast I was afraid she would get whiplash. "Uh... I don't have a lot of friends. And you know, there's a long distance between LA and New York." Suddenly, she shot up. "I feel like dancing. Wanna join me?"

My eyes grazed her sexily clad body. I would love to dance all night with her, but I had business I needed to discuss with Emilia. "I'll join you later."

I watched her as she shuffled out of the booth and glided down to the dancefloor. She disappeared into the throng of people dancing, and I had to clench my fists not to follow her. A burst of laughter took my focus off her and onto the group I was with.

"You owe me a hundred," Simona said to Axel.

"What now?"

The two couples didn't bother hiding that they were laughing at me. Mirth played on their faces, and Giovanni was outright smiling. Simona explained. "Axel was convinced that you didn't like her. I thought otherwise, so we made a bet."

I did not like the idea of my friends making bets about my marriage behind my back, even though if the shoe was on the other foot, I would have done so. "Axel is right," I said, trying hard not to search for Aelin in the crowd below.

"Really," Emilia challenged. "Is that why you were holding onto her so tightly?"

"So possessive," Simona added.

"He was looking at her like a meal," Giovanni chimed in.

I bit back a retort, when in the corner of my eye I spotted Aelin swaying on the dancefloor. Her dress caught the lights and made her look like a fairy. Not the Tinker Bell variety, but the sultry, more adult variety. A few men around her were taking notice, and one was already trying to make a move on her. She was oblivious to them all as she continued dancing.

I got up. "Fuck you guys," I said.

They all laughed. By the time I reached the stairs, I heard Giovanni say, "Remember when he swore up and down that women didn't affect him? My man is whooped." That garnered more laughter. They could think whatever they like. I wasn't obsessed with her, as they were implying, I thought as I made a beeline towards her. The dance floor was full now, and I had to muscle my way through the crowd until I reached her.

The shock on her face when I grabbed her arm was easy to read even in the low lit club, but it quickly melted away when she realized who I was.

"Wanna dance?" she said over the music, swaying in time to the beats. She looked so enticing, I wanted to say yes. To join her. But I am not a dancer. At least not one who dances to pop music.

"Not my kind of jam. "

She chuckled, twirling around. "So, why are you here?"

Someone staggered behind Aelin as they passed, jostling her forward, her body slamming into mine. I felt a rush down my spine as her breasts made contact with my chest. "Are you okay?"

Aelin nodded. She splayed her hands around my arms, and her face was so close that one small move would have resulted in a kiss. I waited for her to let go, but she didn't. Instead, she started swaying to the music again, forcing me to move or drop her arm. I swayed along with her, my hands sliding to the small of her waist, teasing the rim of the skirt of her dress.

The pulsing rhythm beat in time with my heart as we danced to the music. Her eyes locked with mine, imprisoning me within her space; I didn't want to escape. I drew her closer until her hair was brushing against my cheek. My lips slid down her neck as my hands covered her butt, drawing her against me so she could feel my erection. Her moan was like an aphrodisiac. I wanted her then and there.

"Nolan," she whimpered in my ear.

It was a cry of need. I knew what she wanted. It was the same thing I wanted. I looked around the club and spotted a corner. "Let's get out of here," I said and took her hand in mine. We weaved through the throng of people, my mind focused on one thing and one thing only.

The corner bent into a small dark passage with three locked doors. It was empty. There was no one here, and no one could see us, but we could hear the music. I pushed A against the wall and claimed her mouth. Just like all the times I've kissed her before, she responded with hot fervor. Kissing me back as her hands slid to my neck and hair. My own went down to her thighs and up her dress, straight to her groin. Her panties were drenched.

There was no time. I wanted her now.

Aelin's hands went to my pants, and she unbuckled my belt, unbuttoned my jeans while I ripped her panties off. She squealed in my ear, a sound that made me want to please her by sinking my two middle fingers inside her and flicking her clitwith my thumb. She squirmed, her knees buckling with pleasure. She retaliated by taking my cock out and rubbing the pre-cum around the head. I groaned at the feel of her soft, small hands on my erect cock. She grazed the skin with her nails, causing me to slam my hand against the wall beside her head. I claimed her lips again, kissing her harder. Wanting more than just petting.

"I wanted to be inside you," I muttered against her lips .

Suddenly, she withdrew her hand and pulled away from me. The cold air of the room brushing my exposed cock and bringing me down to earth.

"What's wrong?"

She readjusted her clothes and hair, casually, as though we weren't rubbing against each other's bodies a few moments ago. "It was a test."

"What test?" I was louder than intended. My frustration at quickly realizing I was getting blue-balled made me irrational, but she remained unfazed.

"I wanted to see if you are as in control as you pretend to be." She finished fixing herself up, gave a quick smile, and left.