We all stand there, eyes fixed on Mabel. The strangest part? She’s smiling—a warm, almost genuine smile. And after the way she acted earlier, it’s unexpected. Everyone’s curious about what she’s going to say.“First of all,” Mabel begins, “I’d like to apologize for acting… well, crazy.”Crazy? More like being a bitch, but fine, let’s call it whatever helps her sleep at night.“I shouldn’t have said what I did,” she continues, looking around the room. “I know now that I let my emotions take over, and for that, I’m sorry. This was meant to be a celebration, and I ruined it with my outburst. That was wrong.”She pauses for a moment, and it almost looks like she’s being genuine. But then her tone sharpens a little. “I was just trying to protect what’s mine. And that includes Mike. It’s hard watching someone you care about get hurt, especially by family. But I see now that holding onto grudges only makes things worse. I need to let go, and I’m ready to do that.”Oh, please. Whoever's liste
Caspian's POVI don't know why I do it. But whenever I'm alone with Desiree, I tend to lose control.This is me now, kissing her under the rain. Her lips are soft and warm against mine even as the cold water pelts us from above.“We should go inside,” she whispers into my ear as we break from the kiss.I nod. “We should.”But instead of stepping back, I bend down and scoop her up into my arms, lifting her off the ground.She raises an eyebrow. “I don’t think you have any good intention, Caspian. The last time you carried me like this, I ended up in your bed.”“Where you belong,” I say with a grin, nudging the door open with my foot and carrying her over the threshold.I’m aware that we're leaving a wet trail on the floor. It doesn't matter anyway. There are more than enough staff available to clean that. They’ve probably had it easy while I was gone most of the time before Desiree and I got married. Now I’m home more often, and I’m sure they don’t mind a little extra work.Desiree wra
I’ve never felt more helpless, more completely under someone’s spell than I do right now. Every touch of Desiree’s fingers sends a shiver through me, making it impossible to think about anything but her. She’s so close that I can feel the warmth of her breath mixing with the heat in the room.“Caspian,” she says, “have you always been alone?”The question barely registers at first. How could it, when her hands are all over my chest, lightly brushing my skin and making me lose focus? She’s not just taking off my shirt; she’s setting me on fire with every touch. Her fingers move slowly, pushing my shirt off my shoulders in the most distracting way.It takes a moment for her words to sink in. “Alone?” I ask.She lets my shirt fall to the floor, not wasting time as she starts working on my belt. There’s something strange about this—the closeness, the rawness. “When I was stalking you,” she says, “I couldn’t find much about your love life. No girlfriends, no flings, no ex-wives. You were
Desiree's POVCaspian. One minute, he’s all over me, like I’m the only thing that matters. The next minute, he’s pulling back, shutting me out when I ask about his past. What is so difficult about talking about a woman who’s long gone from his life? Unless… unless she’s not yet gone. Maybe, twenty-five years later, he still loves her.It makes my stomach turn.I know our marriage isn’t built on love—at least, not the kind people dream about. But I have every right to be angry. I’m his wife. I deserve the truth.“Caspian, put me down,” I say.I just want to leave. Go to bed and forget this ever happened. Tomorrow, I’ll be fine. I always am. But Caspian doesn’t listen. He keeps walking toward the tub, holding me like I didn’t say a word.“Put me down,” I say again.“Never.”I let out a sigh. “Why are you so difficult?”He laughs, like it’s all a joke. “I’m difficult? You’re the one getting mad over something I don’t even understand.”Before I can argue, he lowers me into the hot water.
Caspian smiles. “Ah, a demon after my own heart.”He reaches down and cups my left breast.I run my fingers through his wet hair, urging him on. “Yes. That's exactly where she wants you.”I’m trying to concentrate on our flirting, but Caspian’s making it difficult. His palm is hovering above my nipple, rubbing it in circles. The feeling is out of this world. It keeps sending a spark straight downwards. “Have I told you how responsive your nipples are?” he asks.I shake my head, not trusting myself to speak.“They’re so soft when at rest, but as soon as I touch them, they get as erect as a pole. Makes me want to bite them.”He pulls me out of the water, adjusting our positions until he's seated in the tub and I'm straddling him. He bites my left nipple, sending a jolt of pleasure-pain through me. I gasp, my hands gripping his head as he licks the spot, intensifying the sensation. “Caspian, don’t,” I moan. “You’re going to end up eating soap.” I meant to say it like I mean it, but it
What the fuck? He can go to hell for all I care. I'm going to cum anyway. I begin to throw my hips forward, seeking release. Caspian realizes what I’m doing and pulls out."Where are you going?" I ask."Punishing you,” he says, looking at me with a mischievous grin.“For what?”“You were disobeying my orders," he replies.I raise an eyebrow. "I wasn't."“Yes, you were. I could feel you squeezing, that thing you do when you're about to cum.”God, I miss the feeling of him inside me. I miss the way he moves, the way his hips thrust into mine, slow and skilled. I miss the way his body feels against mine, the way our skin touches and slides against each other, creating a friction that's both smooth and rough at the same time. I miss the way he makes me feel, like I'm the only person in the world who matters, like I'm the center of his universe, and like nothing is more important than the connection we share. I miss the way he looks at me, the way his eyes seem to see right through me, an
Caspian's POVI don't know why I said it. The words just slipped out. But the truth is, I want a baby with Desiree. A cute little redhead.She freezes for a moment, clearly taken aback. "What do you mean by ‘would it be so bad if we had a baby?’" she asks, her tone sharp. It’s clear she isn’t imagining the same adorable redhead I am."Would it?" I ask.Her reaction is immediate, far from what I was hoping for. "Of course it would," she snaps, standing up from the tub. Her wet body glistens as she steps toward the shower. I watch her rinse the soap off, her movements tense, not like the usual graceful sway she has. There's a clear wall between us now, something heavy hanging between my stupid question and her frustration.I can’t help but admire her for a second, even in this moment. God, she’s beautiful when she’s mad. But this is bigger than just a little fight, and I know it.I drain the tub and follow her into the shower, standing before her as the hot water beats down on both of
Desiree has been silent for a long time, still processing the bomb I just dropped. She looks up at the fresco again, her eyes tracing the details with more interest.Then she turns back to me. “I had no idea... I mean, this painting alone... Caspian, this is... it’s stunning.”I shrug, trying to play it off, even though I can see she’s genuinely impressed. “He’s always been the artistic one in the family.”“And you’ve just... had this here, in your bedroom, hidden away from the world?”"It’s not hidden," I say. "Only special people get to see it."Her eyes grow soft, making me want to pull her closer. "Well, I’m honored," she says. "I can’t believe I’m sleeping under an Indigo Phoenix original."I chuckle softly. "Now you know."She stares at the painting again. "How long did it take him to create this?""Several weeks. He stayed here to finish it." I watch her face as she continues to admire it. "Tell me, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you look at it?"She pauses for