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Ahren likes me, I know he does, and I could be with him right now. It would be so easy. I could walk around in public with him, hold his hand, and even kiss him, but instead, I chose a man who’s against the rules.
“A penny for your thoughts,” Elian says.
“I’m just wondering why I chose you,” I tell him honestly. Even if I wanted to lie, it wouldn’t make a difference because he needs to know what I’m thinking, or this won’t work. I’ve seen too many relationships fall apart because of lies and secrets.
“Because you like a challenge. You like doing things that are against the rules.” He doesn’t sound surprised, and he doesn’t even sound disappointed at my thoughts. “It makes sense. The forbidden is always that much sweeter,” he tells me.
I have to agree. I’ve always been someone who enjoyed going against the grain. Even when I was a kid who didn’t realize I was being bad. It started with little things, but by the time I turned sixteen, it became more. So much fucking more.
“Tell me about your family,” Elian says suddenly.
“I grew up in the public eye. My father was a senator, as you know,” I start my story. Even in the darkest night, I’ve never truly spoken about my life to anyone. “He loved me. I was his little girl, which only pissed my mother off to no end. She would spend her days smiling like the dutiful wife, but at night, in our home, she was cold as ice.”
“So, you didn’t get along,” he says. “Nothing new. Most kids have their favorite parent.” There’s a hint of sadness in Elian’s tone, but I don’t look at him because I don’t want to stop him from talking, and I have a feeling if he felt my gaze on him, he’d shut himself off and turn to sex to cover up his heartbreak. “I learned all I know from my dad. Everything, including how to treat women. I watched his marriage break down. Before my mother divorced his cheating ass, she said one thing that always struck me as strange.”
This time, I do look at him. “What was that?”
“Your son will never be like you,” Elian responds, his voice thick with agony and pain.
“Why would she say that?”
“Because at the time, I was in love. I thought it was forever.” My heart skips wildly in my chest at the thought of Elian with someone else, married to someone else. I can’t explain it because I hardly know him, but I can’t see him with another woman. For some reason, I just can’t picture it, and it has nothing to do with jealousy.
“What happened?”
“She was the one to cheat on me. I was loyal. One thing my father always taught me, even though he didn’t do it himself, was to be loyal to those around you.” Elian looks straight ahead, his voice becoming nothing more than a pained whisper.
“Why would she cheat if—”
“I walked out one night after …” Elian glances at me and offers a small smile. “Let’s talk about you,” he says. “Any serious boyfriends in your life?”
Shaking my head, I think back to my almost-limited experience. “No. Nothing serious. I … I guess you could say I played around, learning, doing stupid shit.” I shrug. “My father tried to keep me in line, but mostly I hated being home, so I would sneak out to parties and stay out all night with friends, with boys.”
Elian stiffens beside me, his body rigid at my admission. He doesn’t look at me when he asks, “Is it strange that makes me angry?” I don’t know why I smile, but I do. I like that he’s jealous because I don’t feel like an idiot for my own emotions.
“Why me, Elian?” I ask something I questioned him about a while ago. I need to know if this is something real or only physical.
“I don’t know, Arabella. All I can think about is pinning you down on the fucking ground right now and having my way with you.” Elian’s voice turns dark, the thick, huskiness tracing its way from my ear, all the way down between my legs.
“And then what?”
“Then I’ll make you scream my name so loud everyone down there will hear you,” he tells me, nudging his chin toward the endless view of the lights from the road that leads into town. “I want to feel your cunt around my dick. I want it to pulse and tighten, to stretch for me, and me only.”
“That sounds like you’re laying claim,” I counter. The challenge in my voice is clear. “If this is going to be exclusive, then I want to know.”
“Why? Because you want to go and fuck Ahren as well?” This time, Elian looks at me, his stare burning a hole right through my chest. There’s a darkness in his voice.
