She turned slowly to face him. When their eyes met, Granger knew the answer. This is what they do when they're together, isn't it? They break these little, insignificant rules. Granger walked down the side aisle. His steps were calm, yet determined, as he made his way toward the corridor leading to the confessional booth. Perhaps it was fear, but Elena felt her heart pound in her throat just at the thought of being caught. She could barely imagine how she would be talked about by the entire condominium; how Damon would react; the consequences she would face. Elena took a deep breath. The consequences would come in the future, so she would deal with them then. There was a rosary hanging around her neck, and she tucked it inside her dress. As the priest finished his prayers, she slipped out through the side of the pews and headed toward the confessional booth too. Her heels echoed against the corridor's floor, each click a testament to her resolve as Elena approached the small
The sight of them together made her stomach churn with disgust, her eyes narrowing in disdain. "What?" she asked tersely, crossing her arms defensively. "How's the project going?" Damon inquired, his tone deceptively casual. Meanwhile, Kesha trailed her nails provocatively along Damon's arm, laying claim to him as if he were her possession. "Great. Production of the devices will start in two days," Elena replied in a forced professional tone, her gaze flickering briefly towards Kesha, "and we have a dinner at the Granger mansion tomorrow with the entire team." Damon reached for his glass on the table, taking a long gulp before speaking again. "How many devices will be produced?" "Ten," Elena responded, her voice steady despite the tension in the room. "I want more. I want a fucking thousand," Damon demanded, his voice laced with authority. "Impossible, Damon. The project may be yours, but the one funding everything isn't you," Elena retorted. "Oh..." Damon feigned surprise, a
Elena's eyes, wide and glistening with unshed tears, were already fixed upon him, her expression a complex interplay of emotions — hurt, and a hint of resignation. "It's okay," she managed to muster a semblance of a smile, though it faltered at the edges. "I need to find Damon," she added, her voice tinged with a note of urgency as she glanced around the room. "Elena, wait..." Aaron reached out, his hand poised to grasp her arm, but before he could make contact, she had already begun to slip away, melting into the crowd. A sense of helplessness washed over Aaron as he watched her recede into the distance, his heart heavy with the weight of unspoken apologies. He was about to follow her, but someone stepped in front of him. "What did you think of my speech?" Sabrina smiled broadly. With a firm grip, Aaron's fingers closed around Sabrina's delicate arm, their pressure conveying a sense of urgency. He guided her forcefully away from the crowd, his steps determined and purposeful.
Elena and Aaron were lying on her bed, naked. She entwined her fingers with his, lost in thought. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought about everything you told me yesterday," he murmured calmly, "and I think it's nonsense." Elena smiled. "It's not nonsense, Aaron. We're taking risks every time we're together. Right now, Damon could come in here and..." She buried her head in the pillow. "Damon is in my office now, waiting for a meeting with me." "Even so," Elena looked at him, "is this what you want to live? A furtive, hidden love..." "Elena, I need you to be honest with me." Aaron held her face in his hands. "Are you with Damon because you love him?" She hesitated for a moment, debating whether to tell Aaron the truth. Then, she shook her head. "Then why are you married to him?" "Because my family needed money. And currently... Damon has ways to control my life. He bought my family's company, pays for my father's treatment..." She sighed. "I can't divorce him un
Elena's words hung heavy in the air, each one a sharp reminder of the fractures in their relationship. Damon's jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides as he struggled to contain his rising anger. "Don't you dare blame me for everything!" he shot back, his voice laced with venom. "You think you're blameless in all of this? You think you're some innocent fucking victim?" Elena met his gaze squarely, her eyes blazing with defiance. "I never claimed to be perfect, Damon. But I didn't betray you. I didn't hurt you the way you hurt me!" She retorted, her voice trembling. A flicker of guilt crossed Damon's features, but he quickly masked it with a mask of defiance. "You pushed me away, Elena." He insisted. Elena shook her head. "No, Damon. You made your choices. You chose to betray my trust, to break our vows," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her. "And now you have to live with the consequences." "You're wrong if you think I'll deal with the conseq
Elena always had in mind that men with money weren't capable of putting anything above power. She proved this hypothesis with her own husband. Deep down, she knew that the elite was composed of egocentric and distrustful people, and Aaron was part of it. "The contract has been ready since the first night, at the club. My plans for you didn't start yesterday." The truth was that Aaron always presented the contract first, then got involved with women. He never allowed himself to be with a woman without the protection of her signature, as he always feared exposure, or something more serious. However, with Elena, he barely had time to think about the ink of a pen before touching her body. "I'm not going to sign," was all the beautiful lady needed to say. "Whether married or single." From those words on, Aaron understood everything else. The man confirmed with a nod, indicating that he understood what he had heard. She wouldn't be part of an agreement, and he wouldn't have a non-co
However, amidst the chaos, what surprised the man was knowing that his relaxation, largely, was because he knew that Elena's life would not be compromised, nor her safety. She was okay, and that was all that mattered. ** The sun infiltrated the room like a shrewd inspector. The light was capable of revealing traces of the previous night, the early hours, and mid-morning. The open curtains indicated that the people in that room hadn't had time to close them. The clothes scattered on the floor were evidence of how carnal the previous hours had been, of how little time they had to waste. And it was in that hotel room that Elena woke up the next morning. The strong sunlight forced her to rub her eyes at first, then to adjust her vision. The sheets were soft, but they were so crumpled that they didn't deny the turbulence they had gone through. The woman's eyes wandered to her side, where Aaron Granger was sleeping peacefully. The man was naked, covered up to his waist by the white
The following weekend, Damon still showed no sign of life. That didn't mean anything bad for Elena. On the contrary. Being away from Damon Donovan was a blessing. On Saturday, Elena and Anastasia went on a work trip. To check the production of the communicators, they traveled to Los Angeles to spend two days. The first day was filled with work, visits and meetings. But, on the second day, they took time off and went to a nightclub. Elena wore a bloodthirsty red dress, with a generous neckline and opening on the sides. She was the personification of sensuality, or debauchery; that depended on the mind of whoever saw it. She had very little left to the imagination, as every line of her body was on display. As she walked among the people, she attracted so many looks that it would be impossible to say that she wasn't the most attractive woman in the room. It wasn't about beauty, a symmetrical face or a curvy body. It was her confidence. It was the certainty that she would get whatever
"It's okay" He whispered to reassure his daughter, gently rocking the baby in his arms.The girl had an inexplicable connection with her father. Every time he heard the man's voice, he stopped crying, and had been doing so since he was born. In some cases, she even attempted a smile, which always made Aaron melt.A few minutes after changing his daughter's diaper, Aaron was sitting on the armchair next to her crib. He told a story to get the girl to go back to sleep."The princess was the most beautiful girl in the kingdom, and she had never found a prince to marry..." he told her in a low voice while she looked at him with large blue halos. "The princes tried hard to get her attention, but she didn't want them" Aaron paused briefly to observe his daughter's expression, who was welcomed into her father's arms. "There was also a... a toad. Yes, a toad" he tested the term on his lips.While Aaron was presenting a story to his daughter, Elena was in the doorway, leaning against the doorf
"He is sure?" This question, coming from Aaron, actually surprises me."All the certainty in the world" I guarantee.Aaron pulls me onto his lap and his hands rest on my ass as we find ourselves again in an intense kiss.He goes down and runs his nose along the length of my neck, then places a tender kiss on the spot. All the blood in my body ignites and I see my inner goddess more than connected. Aaron trails his kisses down my lap, until he reaches my breasts. I grab his hair and pull him against me. His hot breath hitting my skin wreaks havoc on my self control.I move my hips in slow circles over his considerably large erection. Aaron lets out a muffled moan above me."Elena" my name is a prayer on your lips. Completely dominated by repressed desire, I move my hands down until I find the edge of my pajamas. His hands squeeze my ass tighter as I try to lower the fabric.We remained staring at each other for a few minutes. I rest my forehead against his when I finally pull down his
"Good morning" I respond with a smile.I do not know how to deal with this phase of ours. It feels strange to go back to the way we were, and it also feels wrong to walk away.I get up, even though I want to spend the rest of the day in bed, and walk to the living room.Aaron is sitting on the floor on the shag rug while typing something on his Mac. He appears to be very focused despite the casual setting and sweatpants."Hi" greeting.He stops for a moment and takes me in completely, letting his eyes roam from my feet to my eyes. "Did you sleep well?" It's your first concern."I tried" I shrug. I approach him slowly, not wanting to force our shaken intimacy."Hungry?" He asks. I think the last reasonably acceptable food I ate was yesterday's lunch, still at home."A lot" I answer sincerely. I sit on the sofa, very close to him."I didn't order breakfast before because I thought I would wake up late" he smiles sideways, a little embarrassed. I could say it's almost cute to see him lik
"Elena" Aaron calls. He lifts my chin with his fingertips, analyzing every detail of my face. We both know our situation as a couple, but this moment seems beyond normal. Looking at him after thinking I would be killed is like balm for my scars."I've had all the shit I could handle for one day and now I am in a hospital. When I stop and think about everything that happened, I feel so confused. I just need to rest and maybe forget… everything" I mutter quietly, letting it out.I let the tears flow down my eyes. It's a very heavy load that I've borne alone since I woke up today. I tried to be strong and push through, but with him here, I want to share. I want to forget everything, I feel ready for that.He closes his eyes, as if my pain consumes him."I am sorry" he asks in a whisper. I shake my head positively, several times. "It was my fault, the fault of the enemies I made. You shouldn't be here. I failed to protect you." Aaron says without looking me in the eye.I look for his face
I stagger to my feet, moving away from him. I still think about running, but I wouldn't be faster running than him running. Damon tries to grab my arm once again, but I quickly move away from his touch."Your death won't be quick, I want to savor it" he says. "Don't be useless, Kisha" Damon now addresses the woman who is still on the ground.She looks at him with a bad expression, one of pure hatred and remorse. Kisha gets up and picks up the revolver she dropped on the floor."Build a fire, I need closure for this bitch” he mutters and turns his gaze to me. My stomach turns with the disgust I feel hearing him quote me like that."Stay away from me, you disgusting thing” I whisper.He leans down and grabs the lapels of my coat. My face is close to yours and I can feel your hot alcoholic breath hit my cheek.I turn my face to the side, avoiding his gaze."Look at me, RoseFord" he asks in a firm voice. I do not look at him and, in response, he pulls my coat tighter, bringing my body clo
Perhaps Damon Donovan's death was God's mercy, for if I had laid hands on him, I would have torn him apart, just like Kisha. Any insult seems little to such a son of a bitch.It doesn't take a genius to know that, after Damon's death and Elena's disappearance, Kisha is involved.I open the door and go out, I need air. Breathing is difficult knowing that I do not have my wife with me, that's why I say I prefer her to oxygen, I need her more.I walk back and forth on the sidewalk. When will this hell end? When will I hold my son in my arms and look at my beautiful wife at the same time, without worrying about some maniac after my happiness?I feel the cell phone vibrate again. I answer before I even look at the caller ID."Granger" I say between nervousness and impatience."Aaron" his sweet voice fills my ears.It's her.For a moment, I think it's a hallucination. Am I really hearing your voice? A tired, low and unwelcoming tone, but it's her voice."Elena" I call in a whisper. I hear t
AARON’ POVIn my office."Sir" Welch greets, asking for the floor. With a gesture of my hand, I ask him to continue. I am in my alert mode, any information that gives me the slightest hope is valid. "We still do not have concrete information. All we can do is wait"I walk to the edge of the table and lean over it, spreading my hands across the wood. When Damon Donovan manages to get to Elena all they ask me is to calm down?"Everything that could be done was done, sir. She left her cell phone at EP and we traced her last call, it was to Anastasia" Welch murmurs."And what can be done from this?" I ask. They look at each other for a second and I get my answer in the silence; anything. "Where is the son of a bitch?" I ask, to no one in specific.Wait… wait… to hell with waiting! How the fuck can I sit around and wait for news?"Tracking Damon Donovan's cell phone turned up nothing" Welch mutters. He is sitting in a chair in front of my desk. "But…" he pauses for a second, as if he's get
"You are lying!" I turn to him with all the conviction in the world to defend my friend. I walk a few steps towards him in a moment of shock. This bastard has to be lying. Anastasia would never do that to me… would she? "She’s not like you” I assure you."Ana, please come in" is all he says, sporting a horrifying smile.And then I watch the world fall at my feet as the door is unlocked and opened. Anastasia enters the office as if she were another person, someone completely unknown to me. His posture is low, his gaze is calm, his clothes are not very elaborate and his expression is dead."That look of yours is killing me, darling. No need to feel so bad, I am sure your pathetic marital problems were the height of Anastasia's days.""You son of a bitch! How could you do this to me?" I ask."He didn't do anything that you didn't allow, Elena. But I didn't come here to bring you another family problem, but a solution""Fuck you, Damon. Everything you've done has destabilized me enough. I
The comfortable fabric makes me live in a utopia for a few seconds, until I hear the sound of the doorknob being turned. Flashbacks run through my mind and my first concern is the dot.I position myself sitting, crossing my legs. I turn on the bedside lamp and wait until Aaron enters."Hi” he murmurs. I do not answer, because what I want to say goes far beyond two letters. "It’s okay with you…you two” his tone is low and almost melodic. Aaron walks over to the bed and sits on the edge of the mattress, relatively far away from me."What happened?" Whisper."You fainted and had a bleed, you need to do some tests to get a certain result, but the obstetrician believes that this has to do with everything that has been happening in your life"Your low posture says a lot about your mood. Aaron is extremely tired; sold off."You mean… all the shit I’ve been through” I correct."Elena, please""No, Aaron. Don't ask me please, do not ask me to calm down, do not ask me for time, do not ask me fo