16. Chapter Sixteen #2
Alessia’s features were colorless, drained of life, a stark contrast to the upbeat and loud personality that always emanated from her, whether I wanted it to or not.
Suddenly, her eyes flew open, startling me and causing me to jerk back.
As I regained my composure, I realized I was sitting next to her in the back of my SUV.
We were on our way to the Mayor’s State of the City Gala, an event that could secure investors, funds, and publicity before our soft opening in two weeks.
That night, I needed everything to be perfect. I needed Alessia to be perfect. But she was refusing to cooperate. “Please, just tonight, can you stop being a brat?” I rubbed my temples, a headache starting to form.
“I’m not being a brat by telling you that I’m tired.
I’m so tired of these events! I don’t want to go and talk to these boring-ass people.
They are so fucking boring.” She ran her hands over her face.
“If another old white dude tells me about his golf swing, I’m going to stab myself in the eardrum.
” Alessia waved her hands as she spoke—being theatrical was second nature to her.
At first, it was her fiery, unapologetic nature that drew me in. Her confidence was sexy, fearless, and she always spoke her mind.
“We all have responsibilities. This is what being an adult means, Alessia,” I lectured her, a routine that had become all too familiar in our relationship.
“Don’t use that condescending tone with me. I know what being an adult is. You always bring my age into every argument. I’m so fucking tired of it.”
“As you Americans like to say, if the shoe fits,” I shot back.
“I just want to be home with Misha. He’s sick, and I’m stuck at another one of these stupid events.” She kept tugging at her wedding ring, sliding it up to her knuckle and back down again.
These stupid events are what provide you with the expensive dresses and jewelry you’re wearing, I wanted to say, but I knew better than to provoke the bear.
“The babysitter is with him. He’s fine.”
“He needs me.” Alessia let out an exasperated sigh, the sound laced with frustration and annoyance. “It’s like talking to a wall. Or a toddler.” She turned to face me, adding, “I guess you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
She knew exactly where to hit me. The reality of how little time I spent with Misha stung deeply. There were days I left before he woke and returned after he was asleep. Sometimes, I wondered if this was by Alessia’s design, a way to keep him away from me.
“I’m doing this for him. For us,” I pleaded, trying to get through to her.
“You’re doing this for yourself and your stupid legacy,” Alessia shot back. “Pavel, stop the car, please.”
Meeting Pavel’s gaze in the mirror, I nodded. If she didn’t want to go, fine. I’d attend the gala alone. Better to let her calm down than risk an explosive scene in front of the cameras.
“I hate you,” Alessia said, her voice laced with venom, before she slammed the door and walked away.
I never imagined those would be her last words to me, forever etched into my memory.
If I were a better man—a better husband, a better father—I wouldn’t have let her leave like that. I would’ve tried to talk things through, to find a way for us to work together. But I was too absorbed in my business, too consumed by ambition to focus on anything else.
The scent of lavender suddenly envelops my senses—new, yet already familiar, the same one that lingered on my green suit jacket.
Letting my mind wander for another moment, I fight to snap back to the present.
The nightmare continues to gnaw at me, suffocating me, when a voice, sweet and calming, pierces through the darkness of my thoughts, calling my name.
Acting on instinct, I seize her by the neck.
When I open my eyes, Aurora’s surprised gaze meets mine, her shock unmistakable even in the dim light.
My grip immediately loosens. What is she doing here?
Despite the darkness, I can make out the softness of her skin and the delicate curves of her features.
My hand glides up her neck, fingers slipping under her hair.
I say something to her, and she responds, but I’m not sure if the conversation unfolds only in my head or if it’s really happening.
Aurora’s presence in both realms has intensified, blurring the lines and making it harder to keep them separate.
Which is the only reason I can think of to explain me pulling her on top of me.
She straddles me, allowing me better access to the masterpiece that is her ass.
A soft sigh parts her luscious lips, the ones I’ve been fantasizing about every single night.
My gaze sweeps down her curves while my fingers trace a slow path along her shoulder, over her ribs, her waist, until they reach past her hips and dig hard into her flesh.
She shivers under my touch as her skin comes alive, the rosy hue spreading down from her cheeks. God, she’s absolutely stunning.
When she grabs my shoulders to steady herself, her beautiful long hair falls forward, partially covering her face. Her eyes grow hazy, filled with desire. Another moan slips from her, sending electricity through my body, straight to my cock.
Control.
I’m on the brink of losing it with Aurora, my son’s nanny, for fuck’s sake. I scold myself, fighting the urge to act on my darker impulses.
I need to get her out of here, fast.
“You shouldn’t come in here uninvited,” I say, my voice cold and sharp as I release my grip on her neck.
Her reaction is immediate. She recoils, and before I can soften my tone or offer an explanation, Aurora darts out of my bedroom.
Good. It’s better she stays away from me.