Chapter Twenty-Three.
Alicia
I smiled at Devon as he opened my car door and helped me stand.
We’d headed out for the weekend because I needed a break from the constant barrage of bullshit from Oliver and Eve.
Everywhere I looked, they were there: social media, business magazines, and tabloids.
Oliver was making waves. Eve was on several of the covers, lauded as his fiancée and an exciting new designer.
That was ludicrous considering some of the fashion disasters she’d worn recently.
The gossip sites also cited numerous rumours about the end of my marriage and Eve’s role in it.
Oliver and Eve remained silent, giving the excuse that they wouldn’t speak ill of anyone and, therefore, hinting it was my fault.
Devon and I had also gained some headlines, although we both declined to comment.
Oliver had been quoted bad-mouthing Mystique’s designs and stating I was becoming stale.
Mystique released a statement saying that if Oliver felt that way, she was quite happy for him to return the collections, and she’d take them elsewhere.
Oliver shut his mouth after realising that trashing me would damage his own sales.
I didn’t recognise him anymore. Whether he’d always been like this, I couldn’t say.
Oliver had clearly been a master at hiding his true self.
Other women were also coming forward for their fifteen minutes of fame.
It appears Oliver’s affair with Eve wasn’t the first. It had been happening throughout my marriage.
What a fool I’d been. It was the last article that had nearly broken me.
A woman claimed to have Oliver’s child, and he’d been paying her a substantial amount to keep her mouth shut.
She stated that DNA proved he was the sperm donor.
Devon had seen my face when the news broke and booked a long weekend away for us. It was poor timing, but we both needed it. It was a secluded holiday let near the coast and just what the doctor ordered. The moment I stepped foot into it, I relaxed.
“This is beautiful, Devon,” I said as I gazed around. The cottage was styled nautically, but it was very comfortable and shabby chic too. Devon smiled as he entered and dropped our cases.
“Did you see the boat tied up at the dock? How about some fishing?” he suggested.
For a moment, I was transported back to being seventeen, just after my parents died.
I’d forced Oliver to stay away, learning he was cheating on me, the same day I was made an orphan, had soured everything.
Devon kept turning up, sometimes not saying a word as he sat with me.
After a few weeks, he’d coaxed me to leave the house and return to school.
After school and at weekends, we took long walks until we discovered fishing.
I was awful at first. Devon had been amused at how squeamish I was, and I forced him to bait my hook every time we went out.
Fishing became our thing. Instead of Devon hanging with the team or popular kids, he ignored them and joined me.
Devon sacrificed everything to ensure I was okay. How had I missed that?
Without thinking, I reached out and cupped his face with one hand. Devon’s eyes widened. “Thirteen years ago, I was a damn idiot. I should have followed you.”
Devon smiled. “Maybe it was me who should have chased you. I knew what I was letting go, but the pressure from my parents…” he trailed off. There was no need to say more.
I moved closer to him. “I was so determined to make my own way; I overlooked what was in front of me.”
Taking a risk, I stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
Devon stiffened a little and wrapped his arms around me.
I plastered myself to his body as my hands sank into his soft hair.
A hand cupped my ass, his cock pressed into me.
Devon deepened the kiss as tingles ran through me.
My pussy clenched as I embraced how hard Devon was.
“If you change your mind at any time, tell me to stop,” Devon hissed as he broke off. I grinned and shoved him backwards against the wall. I was never the aggressor during sex, but I needed Devon.
Devon’s eyes widened as I slid his top upwards and admired his taut muscles.
Oliver had lost definition and certainly didn’t boast a six-pack anymore.
Devon, on the other hand, made me drool.
His body was perfectly sculpted. I leaned forward and sucked his nipple.
A gasp left him as I dragged my teeth across it lightly.
“Alicia!”
I smiled. “Do you like that?”
“Fuck, yes!” he ground out as I took his nipple again and nipped gently.
Devon’s hips jerked in reaction as heat pooled between my legs, and I became wet.
I placed a hand over his groin and rubbed as I lavished attention on the gorgeous man in front of me.
Devon yanked his tee off, and I ran my fingers over the flesh on show.
Focusing on his other nipple, I kept pressure on his cock.
“Alicia,” Devon groaned. His voice needed thickening, and it hit me where it mattered. My fingers undid his belt and then slowly popped the buttons on his jeans. I went to my knees, willingly, and pulled them down. Devon reached out and stopped me.
“This is my choice,” I said, knowing why he’d done so. Everyone had heard about Oliver choking Eve with a blowjob. Luckily, Oliver hadn’t done that to me, but the thought had occurred to Devon. His consideration aroused me even more.
I pulled his boxers down and gazed hungrily at his cock. It was thick and long, with a prominent vein running down it. I leaned forward and licked the vein, and his cock twitched.
A smile crossed my lips as precum coated them.
Oliver moaned, and his hands caught in my hair as I sucked on the tip like a popsicle.
I ran my tongue down the meatus part of his cock, and Devon’s head banged against the wall.
Oh, he liked that. I cupped his balls and squeezed them lightly, checking to see what he enjoyed.
His cock twitched towards me, and in a smooth move, I took him into my mouth.
Devon released a strangled cry as I took him as deep as I could.
He was so thick he stretched my mouth, and my pussy pulsed in response.
Devon would stretch me to my limit, and it would be delicious.
With one hand holding him steady, I slipped my other down my yoga pants and touched myself.
I mewed around his cock as I found my clit.
Devon’s hands gripped tighter, and the pain sent tingles through my body.
I gently ran my teeth over his shaft, and Devon let out a strangled shout. “Christ! Alicia.”
I popped him out of my mouth and skittered back. Quickly, I yanked my clothing off, so I was naked before him. Devon’s eyes raked over me, and his cock jerked as Devon palmed it roughly.
“Touch yourself in front of me,” he ordered. With a coy smile, I lay down and opened my legs, and Devon hissed.
I paused, a little uncertain; this was something I’d not done in front of anyone before. I lay back, and my hand found my clitoris.
“Jesus, baby,” Devon moaned.
I cried out as I began massaging the hard nub, and my pussy tightened in anticipation. Devon’s eyes narrowed on my core as he kept palming himself. I whimpered as my orgasm built, and then Devon was between my legs. He hauled my hips up and slid inside me.
“Yes, Devon!” I screamed. His cock was slightly painful as he was so big. Devon didn’t give me time to adjust as he lost control and began hammering into me. The pain sent me spiralling over into an orgasm, and I clenched around him, making him grit his teeth.
“Alicia! Fuck, I’m going to come,” Devon yelled. I tightened my legs as I kept rubbing my clit against him, savouring my orgasm. Devon shouted as he shoved deep once and made me cry out. His own release flooded me, and my pussy walls clamped down, milking his cock for everything it was worth.
My vision tunnelled, and I saw stars. I thought I was going to black out as Devon kept fucking me hard. My entire world narrowed to the pleasure he was giving me and his cock. My nipples were rock hard, and my hands pinched them just as Devon reached between us, and he flicked my clit.
A scream resounded as Devon cried out in triumph, and we came together again.
The world turned black with tiny starbursts of light, and I swear I blacked out for a few seconds.
Devon collapsed onto his elbows and then rolled to his side, taking me with him.
He cupped my head and leaned it on his shoulder as his hand ran up and down my flank.
Our bodies were sweaty, hot, and sticky, and I couldn’t care less.
“Again,” I muttered, and Devon broke into laughter.
“Might need a few minutes to recover,” he teased.
“Ten minutes and then a repeat, please,” I said through little pants.
“Anything you want, baby,” Devon promised.
I liked the sound of that.
Devon
Two days made a hell of a different in Alicia.
It was mind-boggling and totally surprising.
After the first day, which we’d spent mostly in bed, Alicia seemed to come out of her shell.
Glimpses of her old self poked through her reserved behaviour several times.
It warmed me that Alicia was so comfortable with me that she could relax that guard of hers.
The girl I’d known wasn’t lost but buried deep under what Oliver had created. It would take time, but I could undo what he’d wrought.
Fucking asshole. Why would Oliver destroy what he supposedly fell in love with? It didn’t make sense to me.
The second day, when we got out of bed and ate, we headed out to fish. Alicia made me laugh as she still couldn’t bait a hook for love or money. She wrinkled her nose, laughing and handing me the worms and her rod.
Within moments of casting, Alicia was tucked into my side with her head on my shoulder, just like old times. Life couldn’t get any better.
That night in bed, Alicia was enthusiastic to try anything.
I’d noted a little pain got her off, but she didn’t like a lot.
Caning, for example, was out, but a spanking was acceptable.
How the hell Oliver had cheated on her, I don’t know, but he was a fucking tool.
Alicia lit up for me, and she became bolder every time we slept together.
I finally had my girl, and it was like a dream come true.
Alicia
Devon was doing wonders for me. My confidence was beginning to soar, and if I made a mistake, he didn’t look at me with pity or condemnation.
He constantly praised and complimented me, and as someone who’d been starved of compliments, I was soaking them up.
The voice Oliver had installed in my head kept popping up and challenging Devon’s words even as I struggled to squish it.
Oliver remained very much present in my mind despite not being in my life.
I think Devon picked up on when I was doubting myself because he instantly praised me to challenge the negativity.
I did note that I smiled more often around him, and that he ignored any errors and didn’t criticise.
The sheer scope of how under Oliver’s thumb I’d been alarmed me.
Worse, I could recognise it, but that didn’t help me battle it.
The fact Oliver hadn’t valued, cherished, and loved me as I had him hurt more than I could say.
It would be a long time before I healed and recovered from—hell, I was unsure what to call it—conditioning?
Without the constant barrage of sly comments, I was kind of lost. Devon was so genuine, and I was uncertain how to handle that.
Oliver would never have booked a cottage on the coast. He’d have gone big and booked an exclusive resort, and even there, I would have been on display.
Devon was quite happy to let me lounge about in yoga pants and tees.
Oliver would have had a fit. Despite not wanting to contrast the pair of them, I did so constantly.
That was because the differences between the two of them were glaringly obvious.
Devon seemed genuine, as far as I could tell, while Oliver was beyond fake.
“Hey.” Devon flopped down beside me on the blanket. He’d been swimming in the sea and shook himself all over me.
“Devon!” I squealed, and he laughed.
“I couldn’t resist; you looked so serious.”
“I’m okay, was just lost in thoughts,” I replied.
“Don’t bring him here. He’s not worth it,” Devon said, and I nodded.
“You’re not wrong.” I stretched and smiled up at him. “What’s for dinner tonight?”
Devon cracked a wicked smile.
I giggled, smacked his hard chest, and added, “Not what you’re thinking.”
“But an Alicia with whipped cream is my favourite dessert,” Devon complained, ducking his head and nuzzling my throat.
“Food, Devon, you know, sustenance,” I teased, and Devon made a moaning noise.
“Evil woman… but I can’t have you waste away. Plus, I need my strength to keep up with you,” he whispered in my ear.
I shivered, and his eyes took on a wicked look. I leaned up and kissed him, and then jumped to my feet and raced back to the cottage. Devon roared and chased after me as I laughed like a loon.
Winona
I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “Are you serious?”
Aaron shook his head. “Appears so.” “This is bullshit!” I exclaimed. “You’re not going?”
“Fuck no. But the timing is convenient. Zade just marched into second place, and Oliver’s shitting himself.”
I growled at Aaron. Oliver’s latest stunt was to throw a huge charity event, and he was inviting the most influential people around. The Funding Five had been ignored and not included. It was a deliberate slap in the face. “Cain Russell?” I asked.
“Also left off. Oliver’s circling the wagons, but many of those he’s invited have already refused, pending a prior arrangement.” Aaron smiled.
“Which one?” I demanded.
“Oh, we’re holding a fundraiser for the new children’s hospital wing and air ambulance,” Aaron said. “Lines are being drawn, and we’ll make a note of who chooses Oliver’s side.”
Holy hell, were we entering a war that the business world had never seen before? Because it certainly seemed like it.