Chapter 16 Eva
Mr. Beaumont takes a seat at the head of the table.
He arrived not long ago, making his presence known like it was such a big deal. Maddy appeared to be the only one who greeted him with a smile, embracing him while he doted on his only daughter.
Mrs. Beaumont retreated to the kitchen to check on dinner, barely saying a word even when he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. It was apparent it was purely for show—possibly one of the coldest interactions I’ve ever witnessed.
As for Aston, his demeanor changed the second his father gave him a stern look. Something passed between them, the tension mounting in the room. I have no idea why he insisted I stay, given that he hasn’t spoken two words to me.
I knew the next hour would be torturous.
Damn me for having no backbone and agreeing to support my best friend.
Then, Viviana arrives.
I hate to admit it, but she’s attractive—if you’re into blondes. She’s wearing a gray knitted turtleneck dress that hugs every curve, accentuating her full, perky boobs. Her hair is pulled back into a sleek bun, giving her a polished, refined look.
My wraparound denim dress and knee-high boots look out of place. My hair also took a hit with the wind earlier—Maddy calls it my sex hair.
Which would be great if I were actually having sex, which I am not.
Of course, Aston sits beside Viviana, across from me, with a mischievous smirk. He dressed appropriately for dinner in dress pants and a black button-down shirt. His sleeves are rolled up, making him look incredibly sexy, and his smug expression is warning me to pay attention to his next move.
This man knows how to push my buttons.
“I’m pleased we are having dinner tonight,” Mr. Beaumont begins, raising his glass to toast. “I apologize my wife couldn’t make the luncheon on Saturday.”
Mrs. Beaumont keeps her poise, staring blankly at her husband like a puppet waiting for the next move.
“What matters is we’re all here now.” Roland Whitney raises his glass.
“Aside from my son. It’s always a challenge to pull Myles away from the city, especially when he’s on the verge of supposedly casting the next Patti LuPone.
With the wedding not far away, he’s trying his best to get all his work done. ”
Everyone raises their glasses in a toast, then sips the rich red wine—a bold, velvety blend with hints of dark berries and a subtle oak finish that lingers warmly on the palate.
Maddy smiles, but I can see in her eyes that she is over it already.
Myles’s mother glances at Maddy and asks, “And I assume both you and Myles will be living in Manhattan?”
“We’re looking around Brooklyn, actually,” Maddy replies.
“Brooklyn?” her father questions with an arrogant laugh. “My daughter will not be living there.”
Maddy shoots dagger eyes at Aston but shifts her focus back onto her dad, evidently annoyed by the comment.
Maddy is low-maintenance when it comes to the finer things in life, which surprises most people since she comes from a wealthy family.
To this day, she still uses my Netflix login because she can’t be bothered paying for it.
“I like Brooklyn. Besides, not everyone can afford a penthouse on the Upper East Side.”
“The company pays for that penthouse,” her father quickly informs everyone. “The perks of being employed by the Beaumont Group.”
Across from me, Aston takes the glass and drinks the red wine in one go. His muscles have tensed. Every now and then, he looks my way, but I quickly distract myself. My attention is drawn back to him when Viviana leans over to whisper something in his ear.
“Georgina,” Mrs. Beaumont calls softly, “Viviana’s family owns a lovely property on Martha’s Vineyard. Madelina mentioned you were looking for a place?”
Myles’s mother wipes her mouth with her napkin. “It would be nice to find a place for our future grandchildren to spend time with us on vacation.”
Underneath the table, Maddy’s knee begins to bounce. It happens when she’s anxious. I move my hand to her thigh and squeeze it tight. Maddy wants kids, but I know she plans not to start trying for at least three more years. She wants to do so much before she settles into family life.
Mr. Beaumont rests his fork on his plate. “Quite an investment, Roland.”
“Yes, but like Georgina said, we are thinking about our future grandchildren.” Myles’s father lovingly places his hand on his wife’s. “It’s time for me to retire, Harvey. Pass the reins over to my son. With my own father quite frail, we’re learning to enjoy the simple things.”
I want to laugh, given that a house on Martha’s Vineyard is far from simple, but keep my expression still.
“Once the kids are done with Broadway,” Mr. Beaumont responds condescendingly. “It’s important to keep the family name alive. Is it not?”
“Harvey, please. The kids are enjoying themselves,” Myles’s father informs him.
The answer doesn’t please Mr. Beaumont. He raises his glass to his lips before following with, “A big portfolio to manage, Roland. I can’t see how Myles can continue to focus on Broadway and manage all your investments.
Perhaps we can sit down and look at some alternatives.
I mean, if Madelina is to focus on bearing and raising children, it’s important Myles also has the time to be around for his family. ”
Aston narrows his gaze while his hands sit on the table curled into fists. I’m drawn to the way his knuckles turn so white. He relaxes them, only to reach for more wine. Not that I’ve been counting, but I swear it’s like his third glass in the space of ten minutes.
Then, his eyes reach mine, and something in his tortured stare pulls me in. I knew he wasn’t the biggest fan of his father, but assumed because they worked together, things got better since high school. The more I hear Mr. Beaumont talk, the more I realize their relationship is still strained.
“Enough business talk, and how about we cool it down with the baby plans,” Maddy interjects, a welcome relief. “So, Viviana, are you and my brother getting back together or what?”
I hold back my urge to gasp, instead reaching for the wine to ease my irritation.
I’m glad Mrs. Beaumont served multiple bottles on the table.
It’s almost like she knew everyone needed a bottle just to get through this damn uncomfortable dinner.
Since I’m driving, my one glass is my limit, so I try to savor it even though I desperately want to drink it down in one go, much like Aston.
“Madelina,” Aston mutters, his jaw clenched. “Are you really asking that question?”
Viviana places her hand on Aston’s to calm him down. My stomach hardens. Aston doesn’t move, welcoming the gesture as I bitterly turn away for the sake of my sanity.
“Aston is my date for the annual Cures For Cancer Charity Ball. It’s kind of our thing.”
Our thing?
I force myself to keep my gaze fixated on the plate of roast beef and vegetables in front of me, but the burning sensation in my chest is hard to ignore. Why the hell am I so bothered by this? It’s not like he’s my boyfriend or anything. God, we haven’t even kissed.
Well, recently, anyway.
“Nice,” Maddy says simply, before blurting out, “So, what else is happening with everyone? The weather has been pretty drab, and the roadwork at the corner of Ginger Grove and Butterscotch Boulevard is a real hindrance. Oh, and Eva is dating Dr. Wilde.”
An unflattering gasp leaves my lips. “Maddy!”
“What? It’s not a secret.”
Wow, Maddy will throw anyone under the bus to take the attention off her. Given that this dinner is for her family, I’m taken aback by the overshare of my personal life.
“Dr. Wilde is a respectable physician. Everleigh’s personal life is perhaps not the ideal conversation to have when we’re hosting guests, Madelina,” Mr. Beaumont scolds.
“Better than all the plans for my future,” Maddy mumbles under her breath.
At first I dare not look across the table, but the sadistic side of me slowly lifts my gaze, only to be met with the scornful eyes of the man who warned me last night that no other man could touch me.
But that was before Viviana came into the picture.
“My relationship with Dr. Wilde is private. Besides, his name is Marco,” I correct her while everyone watches me curiously. “He’s not my doctor. Just for clarification.”
Maddy rolls her eyes, then sighs. “Is he your plus-one at the wedding? You never told me. I mean, of course you can bring him, it’s just we keep adding people and it was supposed to be only one hundred people.”
“A wedding is a time to celebrate, Madelina,” Georgina interjects. “You only get married once.”
“Exactly,” Mr. Beaumont agrees. “Considering you’re not paying for the wedding, I don’t understand why additional guests should be a problem.”
Beside me, Maddy lowers her gaze to avoid an argument. Despite her earlier outburst regarding my personal life, I can’t help but feel sorry for her. Maddy only wanted something intimate, and judging by the conversations had tonight, this wedding is becoming a bigger event than she anticipated.
My hands twitch nervously beneath the table. “I’ll get back to you about Marco. It depends on a few things, I guess.”
This night is going progressively downhill.
I desperately eye the bottle of wine, wishing I could drink all this tension away.
The temperature inside the room increases to an uncomfortable level.
My breathing becomes much faster, forcing me to reach for the glass of water to calm myself down.
As I bring the glass to my dry mouth, I catch a glimpse of Aston staring at me with his lips pressed flat and eyes burning with jealousy.
My head falls, desperate to control the desire consuming me. I’m all shades of fucked-up. How can this man across from me turn me on with his toxic behavior? Everyone knows jealousy is a red flag.
“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom,” I inform everyone.
I wander down the hall to the restroom toward the back of the house. Inside, I wash my hands before resting them on the countertop to gather my thoughts.
The creak of the door catches my attention.
I don’t look up, consumed by my racing heart and the adrenaline running through my veins. Whoever has just opened the door has made their presence known.
My eyes close to control my breathing until Aston’s body presses up against my back, and his lips find their way to my neck.
“Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear yesterday,” he murmurs, placing small kisses on my skin, which drives me insane. “I won’t allow another man to touch you.”
I open my eyes, staring at our reflection in the mirror. “Then I won’t allow another woman to touch you.”
He pauses mid-kiss, meeting my gaze with a brutish smirk. “Jealousy looks beautiful on you.”
“I never said I was jealous.”
Aston moves his hand toward the base of my neck, keeping me locked in this position. With his eyes still focused on the mirror, he brings his lips to my earlobe.
“So, Viviana getting down on her knees and begging to take me in doesn’t make you jealous at all?”
My chest rises and falls rapidly, making it difficult to respond. Inside my stomach, a swirl of desire threatens to take my entire body into meltdown mode, warning me my next move is dangerous.
“Does me getting down on my knees begging to take the doctor in make you jealous?”
Aston presses against my ass, his hard cock only making me more turned on.
I’m no longer in denial; his shaft is big.
“Sweetheart, the only cock you’ll be taking in is mine. You understand me?”
I purse my lips together, then tease, “And who says my body belongs to you?”
His lips angle into a wicked grin as his hand moves toward the hem of my dress. I suck in a breath, forcing myself not to combust as he nears the edge of my panties. He wouldn’t dare, not here inside his parents’ home with his entire family sitting inside the dining room waiting for us.
“The biggest mistake you can make, Miss Woods, is questioning my authority,” he rumbles.
His hand moves in the opposite direction from my thighs to the belt holding my dress together. In a swift move, he tugs on the knot and exposes my bra and panties. A slight growl escapes his lips as his eyes burn with desire, admiring my body.
I follow his every move. The way his hand shifts to my neck to hold me in place, his other hand gliding back down into my white lace panties. The moment his fingers rub against my clit, I let out a moan.
“Be a good girl and keep very quiet,” he warns, glancing briefly at the door. “We wouldn’t want to be caught, now would we?”
I can’t even think straight, let alone string together a sentence.
Ashton’s fingers dive inside me, sending me into a delicious trance. I close my eyes, momentarily lost in his scent, allowing it to intoxicate my senses.
My body shivers in anticipation, and upon opening my eyes, I see the turmoil in his reflection as he slowly slides another finger inside of me.
Another moan accidentally passes my lips, forcing Aston to cover my mouth with his hand. “I warned you to be quiet.” He pushes in more as I scream into his hand. My thoughts are incoherent, desperate to push the boundaries. “Good girl. Now look at me.”
His tortured gaze is enough to push me over the edge.
I’m falling into a beautiful abyss, struggling to control my body. I buckle in his embrace, tightening my grip on his wrist while I ride out the most intense orgasm I have ever had.
It takes me several moments to gather my composure and control my ragged breaths, only for him to remove his fingers from inside me and turn me around so we’re face-to-face.
He brings his fingers to his lips and sucks on them with ease. “You taste just how I imagined.”
In a bold move, I take his fingers and bring them to my mouth, sucking on them as well. The scent of my arousal lingers between us, only making me want more.
With a roguish smirk, he rubs his thumb against my lip. “Next time, you’ll be taking me into this beautiful mouth of yours.”
What is he doing to me?
And the frightening thing is, I know there will be a next time.