Chapter 19
19
T he sun streamed into the sitting room where Aurelia and the party planner, Marisol, had set up shop. Swatches of fabric, elegant stationery, and mood boards covered the table between them, a controlled chaos that reflected the scale of the event they were planning. Marisol, a vibrant woman with a warm smile and a sharp eye for detail, gestured animatedly as she spoke.
“A black-and-gold theme could be stunning,” Marisol suggested, holding up a sample of shimmering fabric. “It’s classic, elegant, and versatile.”
Aurelia nodded, excitement bubbling beneath her nerves. “I love that,” she said. “But I’ve never planned something on this scale before. I don’t even know where to start.”
“That’s why I’m here,” Marisol said with an encouraging smile. “We’ll make it seamless. Think of it as curating an experience. What kind of mood do you want to create? What do you want your guests to feel when they walk in?”
Aurelia tilted her head thoughtfully. “I want it to feel…glamorous. Sophisticated. Like a celebration but not too over-the-top.”
“Perfect,” Marisol said, jotting down notes. “We can do towering floral arrangements, mood lighting, and a live quartet for the cocktail hour.”
The two women continued brainstorming, their laughter and easy camaraderie filling the room. By the time they reached the guest list, Aurelia was feeling more confident.
“We have a basic list we use for these events,” Aurelia said, pulling out a neatly typed document Michalis had left for her. “But he said I can add anyone I want, as long as they pass the security background check.”
Marisol raised an eyebrow. “That’s…intense.”
Aurelia gave her a wry smile. “It’s Michalis.”
Marisol laughed, shaking her head. “Well, if you think of anyone, just let me know. I’ll make sure they’re added.”
After Marisol left, Aurelia lingered by the table, her gaze drifting to the guest list. Her earlier excitement began to fade as she stared at the page, her thoughts turning inward. The memory of her discussion with Michalis replayed in her mind— You can add anyone you want, agápe mou, provided they pass the background check.
The overwhelming urge to contact David hit her like a freight train, sending her reeling and gasping for air. As she held her new phone, his number displayed on the screen like a daunting challenge, it seemed as though a thousand phantom hands were grasping at her, crushing her chest with suffocating pressure, threatening to consume her whole. Was she about to open a door that led to a dark and irreversible path?
Her fingers hesitated over her phone. We never actually broke up. Inviting him to the party now is the best way to do it, the polite way. We can have closure’ and if he doesn’t want to come, he can always say no, and Michalis said I could invite whoever I want, so grow a pair and call already.
She finally pressed call, her heart racing as the line rang.
“Aurelia?” David’s voice was sharp, a mix of surprise and something else she couldn’t place.
“Hi, David,” she said softly. “I wanted to reach out. I’m helping plan a party, and I thought…well, I thought you might like to come.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “A party,” he said flatly. “At his house?”
“It’s…it’s just a party,” she said, a note of defensiveness creeping into her tone. “I thought it would be a good way to?—”
“To what?” David interrupted, his voice harder now. “Show me how happy you are playing the perfect little mafia wife? What happened to a quick annulment? What about us?”
Aurelia flinched, the words hitting her like a slap. “I’m not a mafia wife. Where would you even get an idea like that?” she asked, her voice trembling. “I––you don’t understand?—”
“You’re right,” he said, his voice cooling slightly. “I don’t understand. Because the Aurelia I knew wanted to be with me; she wouldn’t have gotten herself into this mess in the first place. How can you be with him?”
Her throat tightened, hurt and anger warring within her. “I’m sorry, David. I didn’t ‘get myself’ into anything,” she snapped. “And you have no right to judge me.”
David exhaled sharply. “You’re right, again,” he soothed after a moment. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I just…Aurelia, you don’t have to stay there. I can get you out. I can help?—”
“I don’t need help,” she said quickly, though the doubt in her voice made her cringe. “I’m fine. And if you don’t want to come to the party, I’ll understand.”
David was silent for a long moment. “No,” he murmured, his tone guarded. “Send me the details. I’ll be there.”
She ended the call, her hands shaking. The conversation had left her feeling raw, her earlier excitement about the party now tainted by unease.
The rest of the evening passed in a haze. Aurelia couldn’t shake the conversation with David from her mind. His sharp words and the anger replayed in her head, filling her with doubt. Was he right? Had she changed so much that she no longer recognized herself?
She wandered aimlessly through the house, her thoughts chaotic. By the time she found herself in the library, she was physically drained, as though she was sinking under the burden of her decisions. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d made a mistake, but she wasn’t sure what the mistake was, or how to fix it.
Michalis closed the library door behind him, the quiet click reverberating through the room like a warning shot. Aurelia stood by the window, her arms crossed, her silhouette outlined by the faint glow of the estate lights outside. She hadn’t noticed him yet—or was pretending she hadn’t. Either way, the tension in her posture set his teeth on edge.
“You’re distracted,” he said, his voice low and cutting through the silence.
Aurelia turned, her eyes widening briefly before narrowing again. “I’m fine,” she said quickly, her tone clipped. Too clipped.
“Liar,” he said without hesitation, the word leaving his mouth sharper than he intended. He crossed the room slowly, his steps measured, deliberate. “What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing,” she said, retreating a step as he advanced. Her arms tightened around herself, her gaze darting away.
Michalis stopped just short of her, his height and presence filling the space between them. She’d called David; he didn’t need to go watch the video feed to know. Her guilt was written all over her face. The change in her behavior spoke volumes.
He’d told himself he was in control. That this was what he wanted. He needed her to invite David, to bring the man into his territory so he could observe, manipulate, and destroy if necessary. It was a calculated move. He’d planned for it.
But now, seeing her here—so distant, so distracted—the plan seemed more and more like he’d lit the fuse of an explosive and thrown it between them.
He should have found another way to get to David. This one was unacceptable. The very thought of another man coming anywhere near his wife had him ready to hunt down and kill the bastard, even if there was no connection to Khomenko.
Aurelia was hiding what she’d done. Was she was still in love with David? Was she planning to run again? Rage and pain tore through him at the thought.
He reached out, his fingers brushing against her arm, testing her reaction. “Don’t lie to me, Aurelia,” he murmured, his voice soft but unyielding. “I can see it in your face. What are you hiding?”
Her lips parted, her breath hitching, but she said nothing. The silence grated against him, each second winding his tension tighter. “Aurelia,” he said again, his tone sharper now. “Don’t make me force it out of you.”
She looked up at him then, her expression guarded, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her cardigan. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke. “I invited David to the party.”
Michalis froze. For a moment, all he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears. His mind screamed at him again that this was what he’d wanted, what he’d planned for, yet hearing the words directly from her mouth ripped all reason from him. The possessive fire igniting in his chest didn’t care about plans. His need to dominate, force her compliance, rid himself of the threat David represented roared out of control.
“You did what?” he said, his voice low, dangerous.
“I invited him,” she repeated, her voice faltering. “I thought it would be…a good way to...to explain things.”
“To explain what?” he demanded, his voice lowering ominously. “Why do you need to explain anything to him? He’s not your husband. I am.”
“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve answers,” Aurelia shot back, her own frustration flaring. “I never got to explain anything to him after I left. He wanted to marry me, and I thought I wanted that, too. I came here to get an annulment from you, not…not…I just think he deserves to know the truth.”
The truth. The word slammed into him like a blow, his mind conjuring images he couldn’t suppress—images of her with David, of whispered promises and lingering touches. His jaw tightened, his fists curling at his sides. “And what truth is that?” he asked coldly. “That you’re married now? That you belong to someone else? Or are you planning to run? To tell him you still want a divorce? Something I should know?”
Her glare sharpened, her hands balling into fists. “I’m not planning anything,” she snapped. “But I need to do this for myself, Michalis. For closure.”
“Closure,” he repeated, the word bitter on his tongue. He took another step closer, his voice dropping lower. “Is that what you call it? Inviting your lover to our home?”
Her breath hitched, her anger flashing like lightning. “He’s not my lover,” she spat. “How dare you?—”
“How dare I ?” Michalis interrupted, his voice rising. “You’re my wife, Aurelia. And yet you’re still thinking about another man. Why? Are you hoping to rekindle something? Are you planning to sneak away with him at the party?”
Her silence was deafening, her refusal to deny it slicing through him like a blade. His jealousy surged, drowning out any speck of reason. “Did you let him touch you?” he demanded, his voice raw, harsh. “Did he ever make you feel the way I do? Did he ever make you scream his name the way you scream mine?”
The words tumbled out before he could stop them, his own fury and desperation driving them. Aurelia’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked stunned. Then her own anger ignited.
“You know he didn’t,” she hissed, her voice trembling with fury. “You know I was a virgin. You were the first, Michalis, or did you forget? Maybe I’m just one more notch in a long string of forgettable women? Is that all we are? Licensed fuck buddies?”
Her words hit him like a slap, but they did nothing to cool the fire raging inside him. He couldn’t see past the thought of David—of another man occupying her thoughts, her time, her affections . His mind whispered cruel possibilities, and he hated himself for it, but he couldn’t stop.
“Then why?” he demanded, his voice breaking slightly. “Why did you invite him? Why are you even thinking about him?”
“I told you—” she began, but her voice faltered. She looked away, her arms wrapping tightly around herself again. “I don’t know. Until a few weeks ago, I thought––” she hesitated, “I cared about him. I thought you and I were––”
Her admission gutted him, and something inside him snapped. “You thought what? Do you love him? You’re mine, Aurelia,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Maybe it’s time he sees it for himself.”
Her head snapped up, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means,” Michalis snarled, “go ahead and invite him to the party. I’ll fuck you right in front of him. And when you’re screaming my name, not his, he’ll get the message, even if you don’t.”
Her hand flew up before she could think, the slap resounding in the silence. Michalis’s head turned slightly from the impact, his cheek stinging, but when he looked back at her, his expression was unreadable. Slowly, a faint smile curved his lips, dark and full of promise.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said softly, his voice low and dangerous.
Before she could respond, his hands shot out, gripping her waist and pulling her flush against him. His mouth crashed down on hers, the kiss hard and unrelenting. She pressed her hands against his chest, trying to push him away, but he didn’t let go. Instead, his grip tightened, his possessiveness radiating through every inch of his body.
Her anger flared again, and she fought against him, her nails digging into his shoulders. But then his lips softened, the desperation in his touch giving way to something deeper, more consuming. Slowly, her resistance melted, and her hands slid up to tangle in his hair, pulling him closer.
Michalis broke the kiss just enough to murmur against her lips, his breath hot and heavy. “You belong to me, Aurelia. Every inch of you. But since you don’t seem to understand that yet, I’m going to show you.”
With a growl of impatience, he tore his shirt over his head, buttons flying like tiny bullets in every direction. His chest heaved with exertion, his abs ridged and hard. He unzipped his pants, relieving the strain, a testament to the fire burning between them.
Aurelia’s cheeks flushed crimson as she averted her gaze, but not before she’d seen the hunger in his eyes. The knowledge that he desired her this much simultaneously thrilled and terrified her. She was at his mercy tonight, and she both craved and feared what was to come next.
She’d pushed him too far, she could see that now. Whatever he was about to do to her, it was going to be primal. He was going to force her to submit, to give him everything he wanted. Her panties became soaked with her shameful desire. She shouldn’t want this. Shouldn’t crave what was about to happen. But she did.
She bit her lower lip, torn between fear and desire as Michalis maneuvered her back against the desk. His body pressed insistently against hers, leaving no doubt as to how much he wanted her. She should hate him for his possessiveness, his cruelty, for treating her like property to be branded and claimed. But instead, she found herself arching into him, desperate for more. This attraction was wrong, twisted by anger, but try as she might, she couldn't deny the pull he had on her.
With quick, efficient movements, Michalis had her stripped naked and lying on the desk, her wrists bound above her head with the belt he’d carelessly discarded. He smirked down at her and then finished undressing, taking his sweet time until she thought she might combust.
He stood proudly before her, erection straining between his legs. “You’re mine,” he growled. “I think I’ll take you just like this in front of David. He can have a front row seat,” he growled, spreading her knees wide, his fingers spreading her feminine lips.”
"No!" Aurelia gasped out, but her protests were weak and breathy. She swore at herself for sounding like a wanton wench in heat instead of the strong woman she knew herself to be.
Michalis chuckled darkly, his eyes alight with desire and something else she couldn’t quite place. “I warned you,” he said, and then dropped to his knees in front of her.
His tongue circled her clit, slowly at first, and then picking up speed, devouring her with insatiable hunger.
A soft whimper escaped her lips as his hot breath wafted across her damp center. There was no going back now. She arched her back and cried out as he drove her to the edge of sanity, his tongue and fingers working in tandem to reduce her to a quivering mass of need. She was so close, so very close to the precipice of release when he abruptly pulled away, leaving her panting and shaking with unfulfilled desire.
“Can your precious David make you feel like this?” he growled, straightening up. Far from leaving her bereft, he pushed three fingers deep inside her, found that special ridge and started stroking. “Does he know what this does to you?”
Aurelia gasped, unable to form a coherent response as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her. The ache between her thighs increased tenfold, and she mewled in frustration as he continued to tease her mercilessly.
“Tell me to fuck you, Aurelia. Tell me you want me to fuck you right in front of David.”
“Oh god.”
“God isn’t here. Now, say it.”
Tears of frustration spilled down her cheeks as she ground against his hand.
His fingers plunged deeper, finding that sensitive spot again and again as she thrashed against her restraints, desperate for more.
“Say it,” he growled, his voice dark and dangerous.
Her cheeks burned with shame but she knew there was no choice if she ever wanted relief. “Fuck me,” she panted, her breath coming in short gasps. “I-I want you to fuck me. R-right now, in front of him.”
Michalis arched an eyebrow before positioning himself at her entrance. “Louder, I don’t think he heard you.”
Aurelia screamed, “Fuck me now, Michalis!”
“Where?”
“In front of him! Fuck me in front of him!”
With a growl of triumph, he slammed home, burying himself to the hilt in one stroke. The force of his entry tore a cry from her lips as he started pounding into her with relentless strokes. Her cries of passion filled the room, bouncing off the walls in time with their frantic movements.
“Now tell David how much you want me to come deep inside you,” he ground out. “Tell him how much you love it.”
Aurelia moaned, her head thrashing from side to side. “I love it,” she panted as an orgasm barreled down on her like a freight train, “and I--” She bit her lip, unable to say the words that would seal her fate.
Michalis stopped moving, his entire weight pinning her against the desk. “Say it,” he hissed in her ear. “Say you want me to come inside you while he watches.”
Aurelia's body screamed for release but her pride rebelled. "No," she gasped, clenching her muscles around him in refusal.
Michalis growled and spanked her bottom, hard enough to sting but not enough to leave a mark. “I’ll stop if you don’t.”
The thought of him leaving her this way was enough to break her.
“Fine!” Aurelia cried out. “I love it when you fuck me! I love it when you fill me up––while he watches! I want you to come inside me right now!”
His response was to recklessly pound her even harder, thrusting deep and fast, his hands gripping her hips so tightly she knew she'd have bruises later. But for now, she didn't care because all she could think about was the swell of ecstasy building inside her, threatening to spill over at any moment.
"Say it again," he growled through gritted teeth as he pounded into her relentlessly. “You want him to watch me come inside you. You want him to know you’re mine.”
“I–I want you to come inside me,” she gasped out, on the verge of climax, “while he watches. Oh, god, Michalis, I-I’m going to—” her words were cut short as her orgasm ripped through her body like lightning. The pressure inside her built and built until she was certain she would shatter into a million pieces. “I want him to know,” she sobbed. Tears of shame and pleasure mingled on her cheeks as the orgasm from before came roaring back ten times sharper than the last.
Her body spasmed and contracted around him, milking his shaft as she screamed through the unexpected release.
Michalis growled her name like a battle cry and then stilled inside her, groaning his release, his body shaking with the force of his climax, his seed pulsing, shooting, driving deep inside her.
His heart pounded against hers, their breaths labored in the heavy silence that followed their shared climax.
Aurelia closed her eyes against the harsh reality of what had just happened.
He leaned down, brushing her sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.