Chapter 55

Laura's POV

The city lights flickered, painting the streets in a beautiful mix of gold and silver, but all I saw was red.

He left me.

I had waited. Like a fool, I had sat in that damn office, watching the clock, assuming he would, at the very least, have the decency to take me home. But no, Kelvin Aldoracco was too much of a bastard for even that.

My fingers curled into fists as I walked toward the nearest bus stop. The heels I wore pinched my feet, but I refused to let myself stumble. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction, even if he wasn't here to see it.

The bus arrived with a hiss, and I stepped inside, dropping a few bills into the slot before finding a seat near the window.

Maybe I should ask Katie how to hide a dead body.

Not that I was planning anything. Yet.

But the idea of stuffing Kelvin into a trunk and tossing him into the river had a certain poetic appeal. Maybe I’d start with his stupid, expensive ties. Strangle him with one just for the irony.

The thought made me smirk, but it did little to cool the fire in my veins. The anger churned like an angry volcano waiting to explode.

By the time the bus pulled up near the Aldoracco estate, I was still debating whether burning a person left too much evidence. Probably. But poison? Now that has potential.

The guards at the gate straightened at my approach. They didn't ask questions, only dipped their heads in greeting before stepping aside.

I paused at the entrance, exhaling slowly. My feet ached, my patience was threadbare, and the last thing I wanted was to walk into that house to see his smirking face.

So, with a quiet, defiant sigh, I reached down and pulled off my heels, one by one. The cool pavement soothed my sore feet as I walked barefoot through the grand entrance.

My fingers curled around the door handle, my mind already forming a biting remark for Kelvin when I finally saw him.

But before I could push the door open, it swung inward on its own.

And out walked a woman.

Dressed in barely anything.

Long, wavy hair cascaded down her back, her skin glowing under the chandelier lights spilling from inside. A silk robe hung loosely off her shoulders, barely concealing the black lace lingerie beneath. She moved with the kind of confidence that came from knowing she had just been thoroughly satisfied, her hips swaying as she strutted past me without sparing a single glance in my direction.

The scent of expensive perfume clung to the air between us, floral and sweet, with an underlying musk that made my stomach churn.

I didn't move. I couldn't.

The woman disappeared down the driveway, her heels clicking against the pavement, and with every step she took away from me, the darkness in my eyes grew darker.

Kelvin left me in that office. He made me wait like a fool. And for what? So he could rush home to fuck someone else?

A sharp, bitter laugh bubbled in my throat, but I swallowed it down. My fingers clenched around my heels so tightly that I felt the heels straining, but I didn’t care.

I marched inside, my bare feet slapping against the marble floor. I knew exactly where to find him.

The bastard didn’t even have the decency to be discreet.

I stormed up the stairs, my steps echoing through the silent house. My blood boiled hotter with every breath I took.

By the time I reached his bedroom door, I didn’t hesitate. I shoved it open, hard enough that it slammed against the wall.

And there he was.

The bastard, standing in the middle of the room, a towel slung low around his hips, droplets of water gliding down his toned chest. His dark hair was damp, freshly showered, washed clean of whoever the hell had just left his bed.

His gaze flickered to me, utterly unbothered. If anything, his lips curved into the faintest smirk, as if he had expected this reaction, as if this was all a game to him.

"Laura," he drawled lazily, reaching for a glass of whiskey on the nightstand. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

I saw red.

"You’re breaking the damn contract!" I snapped, my voice sharp enough to cut through the thick air between us. "You think you can humiliate me like this? Leaving me stranded while you…" I gestured wildly toward the door. "While you bring another woman into our house?"

Kelvin took a slow sip of his drink, his dark eyes watching me over the rim of the glass. "Our house?" he mused, his tone mocking. "I don’t recall ever calling it that."

Bastard.

I stepped closer, my pulse roaring in my ears. "Fine," I hissed, "if you get to fuck whoever you want, then I will too."

His smirk vanished.

I tilted my chin up defiantly. "I’ll find a man, someone very willing, and I’ll let him touch me the way you’ve been touching your little whores. Let’s see how you like it."

I turned on my heel, ready to leave, ready to find someone to erase the way Kelvin had humiliated me tonight.

But before I could take another step, a rough hand clamped around my wrist, yanking me back.

I barely had time to react before my back hit the door with a thud, knocking the air from my lungs.

He loomed over me, his dark eyes stormy, burning with something violent and possessive. The whiskey glass was gone, forgotten somewhere, as his hands caged me in.

"What the fuck did you just say?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

I refused to cower. If he thought he could intimidate me, he was sorely mistaken.

I met his glare head-on, my lips curling into a smirk. "I said," I repeated, my voice wickedly slow , “I’ll find a man to fuck me the way you fuck your sluts.”

The tension snapped like a live wire.

His grip tightened, his body pressing against mine, heat radiating from his bare skin. His jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring as if he were barely holding himself back.

Then, without warning, he crashed his mouth onto mine.

His lips were hard and demanding, his teeth nipping at mine, punishing, furious. I met his anger with my own, parting my lips to bite back, to take, to give.

A growl rumbled deep in his chest as his hands slid down, gripping my waist, pulling me tighter against him.

I should hate this. I do hate this.

But my hands betrayed me, reaching between us, yanking at the knot of his towel.

The fabric dropped to the floor.

He smirked against my lips. "Changing your mind already?" he taunted.

A wicked thrill shot through me as my fingers skimmed over the hard planes of his chest. His breath hitched, his muscles tightening beneath my touch, but I didn’t stop. I pressed against him, feeling the heat of his bare skin sear into mine through the thin fabric of my dress.

His hands gripped my waist possessively, but I didn’t let him take control.

Slowly, deliberately, I rolled my hips against him, my body molding against his in a way that made his grip tighten. A low growl rumbled from his throat, and I felt the way his body responded to me. His cock in my palm was hot and throbbing. It was way bigger than I had envisioned. A solid 9 inch.

For a moment, I almost gave up on my plan. I'd give anything to have him inside me.

But then, just as his hand slid down, just as he leaned in to claim my lips again, I shoved him back.

Hard.

He stumbled, caught off guard, his dark eyes flashing with confusion.

I smirked, taking a step back, watching as realization dawned in his gaze.

"My body isn’t cheap," I said smoothly, adjusting my dress as if I hadn’t just been pressed up against him. "If you want me, Aldoracco, you’re going to have to earn me."

His jaw clenched, and then morphed into a smirk. "Laura…"

But I was already turning, already heading for the door.

I sashayed out with slow, deliberate steps, knowing full well he was watching, knowing full well that I had just flipped the game in my favor.

And just before I disappeared into the hallway, I glanced over my shoulder.

Kelvin Aldoracco stood there, completely naked, frustration, hunger and amusement burning in his eyes.

I smirked. "Goodnight, darling."