I shouldn’t have expected anything else. “I feel like I’m the one making all the compromises…”
“Because I’m the one doing you a favor.”
“Oh, really?” I spat.
“Most men would treat you like a dog. Trust me on that. You know I never would.”
After meeting Maddox, I believed him, but I still wasn’t happy.
“And I have compromised.”
“No, you haven’t.”
“You asked me to be faithful. That’s a big sacrifice to make. I won’t sneak around behind your back and do my best to keep it a secret. I’m a man of my word, and if you want to be my only, I’ll give it to you. That’s a lot to ask of a man like me.”
I poked my pasta with my fork. “Well…have fun fucking as many women as possible before that day arrives.”
He stopped eating his food altogether. “I haven’t been with anyone since your mother asked me to marry you.”
“Why?”
“It feels wrong.”
He didn’t owe me anything, so it was a sweet gesture. “I haven’t been with anyone either…” I had been in too foul a mood to take a man home, and since I would be sleeping with someone else very soon, it seemed strange.
“Then are you still going to make me wait?”
I could feel his heated stare across the table, feel the copious amounts of desire leak through his skin. I was the target he wanted to claim, the woman he wanted to dominate. “Is this revenge? Do you want to marry me because I said no? Do you want me so you could lose that battle but win the war? Is this some toxic masculinity bullshit?”
He continued to stare at me. “Does it matter?”
“It does to me.”
He leaned forward, lowering his voice so no one could eavesdrop on the conversation. “I want to fuck you. I want to own you. And I want the world to know I fuck you and own you. That’s all.” He leaned back and grabbed his glass of wine again.
It was a power play. If I’d said yes to him in the first place, my marriage would be much better. He would be kind, affectionate, and respectful. But I took the wrong path, and even though I ended up in the same place, this time…I got the monster.
4
Hades
I walked with her up the stairs to her front door. She was in a black dress with matching pumps, sterile in her work attire but still sexy in anything she wore. Her ass shook from side to side as she walked, her long legs carrying her like a queen without a crown. She occasionally brushed her hair behind her shoulder with her fingertips, showing her fair cheeks and painted lips.
I didn’t want to wait.
She stopped at the large mahogany doors and faced me. “Goodnight.”
“Thought I’d say hello to your mother.”
“You can say hello when we move in together.” She grabbed the handle to open the door.
I wanted to grab her and keep her close, but I refrained from touching her. “You never answered my question.”
She halted and turned back to me, still significantly shorter than me despite her formidable heels. Her long brown hair was in wavy curls, and her thick eyelashes were curled with dark mascara. Even after a full day at the office, she looked just as fresh as she did in the morning. “What question?”
“Are you going to make me wait until our wedding night?” It’d only been a week since she’d become my fiancée and my celibacy had begun, but it was already destroying me. I was a man who needed sex on a regular basis, and while I could get laid whenever I wanted, I preferred to wait for the best pussy I’d ever had. If I was going to screw someone, there was only one woman I had in mind.
She looked away when she couldn’t handle the desire in my eyes. “Yes.” She opened the door.
I swallowed the disappointment, fought the demon living inside me. Sitting across from her over dinner was torture because I wanted her so much, wanted to fist that hair and take her roughly. I wanted those hot, passionate nights, when she grabbed me by the front of the shirt and kissed me deeply. I didn’t want any more cheap one-night stands. I didn’t want a stranger in my bed.
I wanted the woman I loved.
If only I could tell her that. If I did, it would just chase her off again.
I was committing myself to the torture the gypsy promised me, but I’d rather be tortured every day with her than be miserable without her.
She stepped inside and shut the door.
Just when I turned away, it opened again.
“Hades, please come inside.” Maria grabbed my arm and ushered me into the entryway. “Please excuse my daughter. I raised her to have better manners, but she never listens to anything I say.”
Sofia stood with her arms over her chest, visibly annoyed by her mother’s intervention.
“She does,” I said. “She’s just stubborn.” I kissed Maria on the cheek. “How are you holding up, Maria?”
“I’ve been better,” she said with a sigh. “But I’m thrilled by this gorgeous ring you gave Sofia.” She grabbed her daughter’s left hand and examined the diamonds. “Perfect clarity…and the perfect size for her slender hand.”
Sofia kept up her attitude.
Maria turned back to me. “I spoke with the manager of the hotel, and the ballroom is free in two weeks. How do you feel about getting married on such short notice?”
“Two weeks?” Sofia asked incredulously. “That’s way too soon—”
“I’d marry her tomorrow if there was availability.” I looked at Sofia as I said those words. She would be mine soon, whether it was in a few weeks or a couple months. I already owned her in so many ways.
“That’s so sweet,” Maria said. “So, we’ll do two weeks.”
“How am I going to get a dress by then?” Sofia asked. “Or drop a few pounds?”
I couldn’t control the chuckle that escaped my lips. She really had no idea just how perfect every damn curve was.
“I can get any designer you want to create your dress,” Maria said. “I’ve already talked to the florist and the caterer. We can pull this together with no hiccups at all. It’ll still be the wedding of the year.”
The sooner I married her, the sooner I could peel off her dress and fuck her.
Jesus Christ, I couldn’t wait. A thrill ran down my spine just thinking about it.
Sofia looked horrified. “This is happening too fast. I literally just got my ring today.”
“Because you wanted one,” I reminded her. “The sooner you’re my wife, the sooner you’ll get to run that hotel exactly how you want. The sooner we’ll get everything we want. This is a good thing.”
Maria turned to Sofia. “He’s right. We’ll get to work on your dress tomorrow.”
Sofia stopped arguing, but she ran her hand down her cheek as she struggled in silence.
I turned to her mother. “Sofia and I agreed to live together at my place in the city. I would love it if you accompanied us. The entire second floor is unused, and my staff are the best.”
“Wow…that’s such a generous offer.” Maria rested her hand against her chest, genuinely surprised I would extend that invitation. She glanced at her daughter then turned back to me. “I’d love to, but you two should have some privacy, especially as newlyweds.”