I lie in bed by myself, unable to fall asleep. I don’t even know what time Alexander will be home tonight.
Outside of the bedroom we don’t talk—there are no texts, no phone calls. I have no idea what his days even look like.
Even now that I’m married, I fall asleep alone almost every night. My heart aches as I think of everything I wanted out of life. A happy family of my own that would be nothing like my own family. Children that would be loved beyond compare. A husband that adores me.
I saved my mother’s life, but I gave up my own in return. I have no regrets. If given the choice, I’d do it all over again—but that doesn’t mean that I don’t mourn the dreams I’m giving up on. It doesn’t mean I don’t wonder what I might be missing out on.
I turn around in bed, my eyes falling to Alexander’s pillow. How is it possible to experience heartbreak over something I’ve never had?
The door opens and I sit up in surprise, the sheets falling to my waist. Alexander doesn’t even notice me as he walks in, his eyes on his phone.
I slip out of bed and walk toward him. He glances up and pauses, his eyes roaming over my body.
“Alexander, you’re home.”
He nods and takes a step closer to me, bridging the remaining distance between us. He brushes my hair behind my ear, an unreadable expression on his face. “You’re still awake.”
I nod. “Couldn’t sleep.”
We’ve been married for a week now, but we’ve barely spent any time together. Alexander comes home after I fall asleep, and he’s up before I am.
“How was your day?” I ask.
He frowns. “Long.”
I nod. “You look tired.”
He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. “I am. My cousin, Dylan, is fucking useless. I’m always doing twice as much work as I should be doing. I’m sick and tired of cleaning up his messes.”
He pulls his tie off and inhales deeply.
“Hmm,” I say, trying to think of a way to lighten his mood. He and I will be stuck together for the rest of our lives, and we had a rocky start, to say the least. I won’t hurt to be nice, to be civil. “Tell me three good things that happened to you today?”
Alexander looks at me, his expression making me freeze.
“Elena, what is this?”
I blink, surprised. “I… what do you mean?”
“What’s with the small talk?”
I bite down on my lip, suddenly annoyed. “Just trying to cheer you up. You seem stressed.”
He shakes his head. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t interfere with my private life? This isn’t a real marriage, Elena.”
My heart twists painfully even as my anger rises. “You had no issue with me asking that question at Inferno.”
He takes a step closer to me and buries his hand in my hair, his face close to mine. “I didn’t know who you were at Inferno. Back then you were just a pretty girl that caught my eye. I didn’t know that you’re Matthew’s sister,” he says, his voice low. “Now? Now I own you. I told you the day before you married me that you’d be selling yourself to me the way you would at Vaughn’s, didn’t I?”
I nod, my heart racing, nervous jitters running down my spine. I know what I signed up for, yet I foolishly hoped Alexander and I would be able to enjoy each other’s company the way we did at Inferno.
“It’s not your mind you were selling at Vaughn’s, Elena. It was your body. That’s all I want from you.”
He traces the straps of my nightgown with his fingers, and my heart starts to race.
“You want to cheer me up?”
I glare at him, but all that does is make him smile. Alexander pushes the straps off my shoulders and leans in as my nightgown falls to the floor, his lips brushing against mine once, twice, before he finally takes my lips. His hand wraps around my waist and he pulls me flush against him. He kisses me, taking his time, until I finally melt against him. A soft moan involuntarily escapes my lips and I rise to my tiptoes, deepening the kiss.
By the time he pulls away, we’re both breathing hard. He grabs my hands and places them against his chest, his eyes on mine.
I obey his silent order and unbutton his shirt, my arousal increasing with every button I undo. His shirt falls open and I trace his abs with my fingers, enjoying the way he tenses underneath my touch. He thinks he’s got so much power over me, but he craves my touch just as much as I do his.
Alexander smiles and lifts me into his arms, carrying me back to bed as if I weigh nothing. He places me down gently, his eyes on mine as he finishes undressing. He’s watching me, enjoying the desire I don’t bother to hide.
He leans in, his fingers hooking around my panties. “Up,” he orders, and I raise my hips for him as he tugs them off. Alexander grins at me as he raises the lace fabric to his face, inhaling deeply.
“Fucking delicious, Elena.”
He lets my panties drop to the floor and joins me in bed, holding himself up above me. He lowers his lips to mine and I thread my hand through his hair, pulling him closer. He smiles as he lowers himself on top of me, his body flush against mine.
A small moan escapes my lips when he kisses me, and I pull on his hair, wanting more. Alexander chuckles and moves his lips to my neck, kissing me in places I didn’t even realize were sensitive.
He strokes my inner thigh, teasing me, and I moan when he finally touches me where I want him. “So wet and slippery,” he says, pulling his fingers back. He grins at me as he brings them to his lips, tasting me. “I knew you’d be as delicious as you smell.”
I wrap my leg around his hip, wanting more, wanting him closer, and he smiles. “So hungry for my cock, baby. If anyone saw you right now, they’d think I starve you.”
He lines himself up and pushes in just a little, making me whimper. “Alexander,” I whisper. I push my hips up, trying to get him in deeper, and he smiles.
He pushes into me slowly, inch by inch, taking his time. I moan in delight when he’s finally deep inside me, and he drops his forehead to mine.
He fucks me slowly, the long deep strokes driving me half insane, and he knows it. I pull on his hair and he chuckles as he grabs my hands, pinning them above my head.
“Has no one ever told you that patience is a virtue, baby?”
He pulls back almost all the way and slams into me, pinning my wrists down with his weight as he does so. “Patience is overrated,” I tell him, and he smiles.
“Looks like I’ll need to teach you a lesson.”
He slows the pace down even further, teasing me with every stroke. “Can you come for me just like this, baby? Let’s find out.”
He pushes into me slowly, stimulating something deep inside me every time he does so. I feel the pressure building inside me, and I’m impatient for more.
“Please, stop teasing me,” I moan, my voice husky.
He looks into my eyes and smiles as he continues to tease me. “You’re a little slut for my cock, aren’t you? Look at you. Look how desperate you are to come on my dick.”
I swallow hard, trying my hardest to hold on, but I can feel my control slipping.
“Come for me, Elena.”
He pulls out almost all the way and pushes into me hard, taking me right over the edge. “Oh God,” I moan, pleasure washing over me, wave after wave. My muscles contract around him over and over again, and his forehead drops to mine.
“Good girl,” he whispers. He increases the pace, thrusting into me hard and fast, his eyes on mine when he comes.
He collapses on top of me and turns us over so I’m lying in his arms, both of us panting. He wraps his arms around me, holding me tightly.
I listen to his heartbeat as mine slowly returns to normal. My eyes start to feel heavy and my breathing evens out. Right before I fall asleep, I hear him speak, his voice barely above a whisper.
“A new acquisition, the sun streaming in from my office window, and having you in my bed.”
