Forever After All: Chapter 21

Elena walks into the bar I asked her to meet me at and I sit back, watching her from afar. She’s wearing a red dress that at once looks fucking sexy on her, yet perfectly appropriate. Her eyes find mine, and she smiles, drawing attention to her red lips.

I told Elena to meet me here so we can start getting the rumor mill going about us. I’m certain someone will attempt to take a photo of us, so I told her to dress up. I didn’t expect her to look this beautiful, though.

We’ve been married for two weeks now, and we’ve gotten into a routine of sorts. I was worried that she’d be needy, that she’d promise me one thing and demand another, but that hasn’t been the case. She’s kept out of my way without me having to remind her of her promises, and she’s been keeping my mother company when I can’t be around. She’s been the perfect daughter-in-law, and she’s been an even more perfect wife, spreading those beautiful long legs for me without complaint, without any drama. She agreed to give me her body, and she’s done just that, without demanding my time outside of bed.

Elena walks up to me, and I’m not the only one that notices her. I watch as at least a handful of men follow her with their eyes, but she doesn’t even notice it. Most women I know revel in the attention, but not Elena. She’s looking at me.

I rise from my seat as she reaches our table, my arm wrapping around her as soon as she’s within reach. I pull her into me, my lips finding hers. Elena is startled and freezes, but then she melts against me, her arms finding their way around my neck. I don’t pull away until she’s breathless, her lipstick smeared.

She looks into my eyes, our arms still wrapped around each other, and I smirk. I love that flustered expression of hers. Making her blush has become one of my favorite activities.

“Hi,” she says, sounding a little breathless.

“Hi.”

Elena’s lips tip up in a smile and she brings her thumb to my lips, wiping away the lipstick she doubtlessly left. “Red looks good on you.”

I smile at her teasing tone. “It does. You should try leaving it on the rest of my body too.”

Her cheeks redden, and I chuckle as I pull away from her. Elena takes a seat, tensing when she realizes all eyes are on us.

“This is the best place to create some rumors about us. It’s the place to see and be seen. That kiss was the perfect start.” She nods, her cheeks tinged red as I pull my chair closer to her. “It won’t take long for people to start gossiping.”

Elena orders a cosmopolitan and I lean back with a whiskey in hand. “You look nervous.”

She looks up at me and shakes her head. “No… I… maybe a little? It’s been a long time since I moved in these circles.”

I lean in and trap her chin between my thumb and index finger. “You’ll need to act natural. You’re playing the role of my girlfriend right now, and soon, you’ll be known as my wife. I need confidence, borderline arrogance. Right now, you aren’t merely my possession, Elena. During these little acts of ours, you’re my equal, the only person who has any rights to me.” My words only make her more nervous, and I smile as I lean in closer. “Kiss me,” I order.

Elena hesitates, and then she threads her hand through my hair, pulling me closer. Her lips find mine and her hand cups the side of my face. She kisses me softly, deeply, her tongue making me wonder what her lips will feel like wrapped around my cock. By the time she’s done with me, I’m rock hard.

Elena smiles knowingly when she pulls away, and I shake my head. I grab her hand and place it over my bulge, enjoying the way her eyes widen. “I told you to kiss me—not to fuck my mouth with yours. Don’t make me drag you into the restrooms. I’ll have you on your knees and I will fuck your mouth. I’ll watch you leave red lipstick rings on my cock. I’ll show you just how good red looks on me.”

Elena licks her lips, and I almost give into temptation right here and now. “That was meant to be a threat, baby. Don’t look so excited.”

She laughs and sits back, pulling away from me with a satisfied look in her eyes. Elena Rousseau… she’s an enigma.

I lean back, my eyes roaming over the room, settling on a girl that looks vaguely familiar. Isn’t she one of Jennifer’s friends? I look away and take a sip of my drink, hiding my smile behind my glass.

“Hey, I wanted to thank you,” Elena says, her voice soft.

I look at her with raised brows.

“I know we have a mutually beneficial agreement, but even so, I… I’d have lost my mother if not for you.” She swallows hard, an anguished expression on her face. Elena blinks and forces her lips into a smile. “You saved her life, and you saved mine.”

I push her hair behind her ear and shake my head. “I did no such thing. You saved your mother’s life. As for yours… your life I bought.”

I expected my words to wound her, to remind her that I’m not doing her any favors, that she’s paying a hefty price for her mother’s life. But Elena merely smiles, her expression serene.

“Yes,” she says. “But I’d rather belong to you than be at Vaughn’s.”

The thought of her there infuriates me. Had I come in just a few minutes later, who knows what might have happened to her? John would have had her naked, his hands over her body. Who fucking knows how he might have touched her, what he’d have made her do.

I cup the back of her neck, my thumb on her throat. I almost walked away from her. When I saw her standing there, when I realized that she’d deceived me, fuck. I almost left her there, and Vaughn would have let his members use every part of her body. Because of me. Because he thought he’d be avenging me.

“You’re mine now, Elena. No one is touching you but me.”

I lean in and kiss her, her full bottom lip caught between mine. A soft sigh escapes her lips when I pull away, her throat moving against my thumb as she swallows.

“No one touches what’s mine, Elena. No one will even dare think of you, dream of you. You belong to me now, and I don’t share.”