“Thanks, Lily. Say hi to Francesco from me.”
“I sure will.”
“Um… Lily, what do you intend to do about Marco?”
“I’ll tell him there’s someone else. Our relationship, if you can even call it that, wasn’t going well anyway.”
“Okay, you know best.”
“Say hi to Alexander from us.”
“I will. Ciao, Lily.”
“Ciao.” She giggled. “And once again, thank you veeerrry much.”
“You’re welcome.” I pressed the red phone icon to terminate the call.
* * *
After lunch, we went to a nearby shopping mall. I suddenly had the idea that this was the perfect place for me to help Henry choose an engagement ring. While I was looking through the massive selection of jewelry, Henry scanned the crowd for suspicious persons. I noticed he was carrying a gun under his black turtleneck. Alexander was concerned about my safety and had explicitly told him to protect me.
The saleswoman in the store thought I was his fiancée, which made us feel uncomfortable. There were all kinds of rings in the boutique—gold, platinum, embedded with various stones, etc.
I instantly stopped at a very stylish gold ring with a large ruby in the center surrounded by small diamonds. I was sure she would like it because Henry had told me his girlfriend adored the color red. On my recommendation, he decided to buy it at once.
The day was sunny but quite gusty. The strong wind playfully rumpled my hair. I suddenly felt the urge to go surfing. Exercise always helped me put my problems out of my mind. And the weather was very favorable—large waves crashed against the beach. Thanks to our butler, a surfing session had been arranged by the time I came back to the hotel.
Henry was anxious and assured me Mr. Kraftberg wouldn’t like this at all, but I didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong, and I was dying to ride the waves. I was an excellent surfer and there was no way something bad could happen to me.
Lying on the surfboard on my front and wearing a huge smile, I started to paddle. I hadn’t been on a board for a year and a half, and I was as excited as a little kid. There were another four surfers in the sea. I started to catch some waves, cutting across them with ease. After all, I was used to riding much greater waves. Still, the sensation was incredible, as always. The adrenaline started coursing through my veins. I felt happy and as free as a mermaid.
I had spent around an hour in the water when I suddenly noticed Alexander standing on the shore, hands crossed. Quickly, I started to swim toward the beach. When I got nearer to him, I saw his lips were pursed and his jaw locked. This betrayed he was, to put it mildly, absolutely furious.
Before I knew it, he bent, put his hands on my hips, picked me up, and threw me over his shoulder. Surprised, I squealed, as this was the last thing I expected him to do. Then I managed to control myself, so as not to make a scene in front of everyone, and obediently let him carry me to the car.
Alexander carefully put me down, and I was relieved to be standing firmly on my own two feet.
“Have you gone insane?” I said through gritted teeth.
He gave me a chilling look. “Not here and not now. We’ll talk when we’re back at the suite,” he said quietly and wrapped me in a bathrobe.
I angrily tied the belt and got into the Bentley.
When we got back to the suite, I said nothing, going directly into the bathroom and locking the door. I took off the robe and kicked a stool in anger, which made me feel almost faint.
“Shit, shit, shit!” I started to hop on one foot from the pain.
Alexander tried to come in, but when he realized I’d locked myself in, he started to bang on the door. “Alexia… are you okay? What happened? Open the door at once. I said at once.”
“I’m fine.” I sat on the stool, inspected my toe, and then replied irately, “No, I won’t. I won’t let you in for anything in the world.” I had to make a stand.
How can he get mad at me about everything? What did I do that was so bad?
I took a quick shower and washed my hair. Feeling too hot, I dried myself just enough not to drip water on the floor. I unlocked the door and found myself face to face with Alexander. He propped himself against the frame with his hand. The quarrel couldn’t be avoided—I knew it very well.
I passed under his arm and went into the kitchen to make myself a coffee. He silently followed me. And for a brief moment, I asked myself whether I actually wanted to fight with him over this. No, Alexander couldn’t treat me in this manner. I took out a mug from the cupboard and poured the hot coffee into it. While having a sip, I turned around and saw him leaning against the wall. Alexander watched me without saying a single word.
3
“Was it really necessary for you to make this scene in front of the people on the beach?” I asked.
Sighing, he ran his fingers through his hair, locked his cold blue eyes on mine, and replied, “Alexia, I have more than enough on my mind, and you’re giving me reasons to worry about you as well.”
“What did I actually do? I wasn’t going to drown—I can swim.”
“Stop it. You don’t know what you’re saying,” he chided me. “The sea was very stormy today.”
“And how does one surf without waves? You’ll have to teach me.” I tried to be clever, but he wasn’t in the mood for jokes.
He pursed his lips and threateningly pointed his index finger at me. “I better not see you set foot on a surfboard again.”
“Excuse me? You can’t order me about,” I snapped. Who the hell does he think he is?
“I can. Especially where your safety is concerned.” His voice sounded quite threatening.
“No, you can’t. Nobody is the boss of me, not even my father. I’m not a child.”
“Look, you clearly can’t understand me. I don’t want to argue,” he said and exited the kitchen.
I followed him sullenly and saw him sit at the desk in front of his laptop.
We haven’t finished this conversation. He has no right to treat me this way, I told myself, but my anger suddenly dissipated. I felt pity for him. I hadn’t intended to give him cause to worry about me, but that was precisely what I’d done. While I was wondering how to kill some time, he was swamped with work and problems.
I went over to him, sat on his lap, and hugged him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done anything to make you worry about me. Forgive me.”
Sticking my nose behind his ear, I inhaled his scent. God, he smelled divine… My body relaxed. “Baby, I missed you so much,” I murmured and stroked his hair.
Alexander untied the knot of my robe and I bared myself to him. He ran his hand across my naked skin, across the tops of my breasts, and then farther down. His touch felt like tender sensation spreading throughout my body. He gripped my nipple between his thumb and index finger and pulled it, which made me let out a moan. Looking in his eyes, I noticed a storm gathering in them. He was gritting his teeth so tightly the muscle of his jaw throbbed.
I leaned in to kiss him, but he turned his head aside and pulled away. “No, don’t… I don’t want to.”
“What?” I whispered.
His refusal made me feel pathetic, rejected. And that is precisely what he intended. He wanted to get back at me. He wanted to make me suffer.
“You heard me just fine. I don’t want you to touch me or kiss me,” he said, his words feeling like a slap to my face.
In fact, a slap wouldn’t have hurt me as much as his words. In spite of what he said, he continued to feel me up. He was doing it deliberately so I would get turned on and beg him to satisfy me. I was certain of this. It was all just a nasty game to him. He wanted to prove to me he was in control, and I simply had to obediently agree with him and not contradict him.
My weakness disgusted me. I hated myself for letting him do this to me. He continued to stare at me icily.
“Are you trying to prove something to me?” I asked, barely containing m
y moans.
“Is that right?” he replied, his eyes still locked on mine.
I reached to undo the button of his shirt, but he grabbed me and tightly gripped both my hands in one palm.
“So you can and I can’t, is that it?” I tried to escape his hold, but he wouldn’t let go.
“Don’t move around, Alexia, or it will hurt. I don’t want to cause you physical pain,” he said in a voice so cold it felt like he’d poured freezing water over me.
“Just emotional pain, right?” I interrupted him. “What games are you trying to play with me, Alexander? Let me go!” I wriggled around. “You’re scaring me.”
His look was so sinister it chilled every cell in my body. It pierced me like an arrow.
“I’m scaring you.” I barely heard his voice—it was like a whisper. “Now you know how I feel—scared to death about your well-being.” He let go of my hands and added, “Go and get ready for dinner. I’ve got more work to do.”
Thrown aside like a useless rag. Is this how it will always be? Whenever I did something he didn’t approve of, he would push me away. As if I were just a possession to him that he used only when he wanted and needed to. I felt the blood boiling in my veins.
“You can’t behave toward me like this, Alexander. I will not allow it. I love you very much and I want us to be together, but I don’t want you to treat me this way. If you continue to do so, I’ll know you have no feelings for me, and we’ll have nothing left to do but split up.”
No, for God’s sake, I don’t want us to split up. What are you saying, Alexia? You don’t want to lose him, do you? After all, you love him more than life itself. My inner voice wouldn’t leave me in peace.
“Is that what you want?” he asked, surprised. His eyes were wide open, full of bitterness and pain.
“No, I don’t. I want to be with you, but not if you treat me this way.” I barely managed to get the words out in a whisper before my voice faded.
My treacherous tears, which had no mercy, reappeared in my eyes. So I ran into the bedroom, trying to prevent Alexander from seeing them. I sat on the floor next to the panoramic window and hugged my knees to my chest. Watching the ocean and the city lights, bitter tears streamed down my cheeks.
I heard Alexander coming over to me and quickly wiped the tears away with the sleeve of my robe.
What happened to our happiness? We were so happy. I felt his love, and now he’s pushing me away. Does he not have any feelings for me? I was very confused.
He sat behind me, his legs apart, and enclosed me in his arms and legs. He pulled me into an embrace tight alongside his body. I lay back against him and closed my eyes. His hot breath brushed my neck and the warmth of his body relaxed me. I snuggled up to him.
“That asshole might want to hurt you, but how can I protect you if you oppose me and don’t look after yourself?” he said quietly, his lips touching my skin.
“Please, Alexander, don’t be so cold toward me. You don’t realize how much it hurts.”
“Shush… Don’t cry. I’m sorry… I went too far.” He gently kissed my hair. “Don’t ever talk to me about splitting up again. NEVER, do you hear me? I can’t imagine you being with someone else… That would kill me. Promise me you won’t dump me. I know I can be very difficult, that I’ve never been in a serious relationship, and I often act like a prick. You, however, will help me and we’ll move forward together. Promise me, Alexia.” His voice was sad.
“I promise,” I whispered.
He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. I turned to him and looked into his pain-filled eyes. I held him tight in my embrace. We stayed like that for a long time, with Alexander tenderly stroking my back and shoulder the entire time.
“I want you to be happy with me, baby.”
“I am happy, except when…”
“Except when I go off the rails.” He finished for me. “You can’t imagine how much you mean to me. Your safety is my top priority.”
I gazed at his face, which showed so much sorrow. God, how I loved him. He was my love, the love of my life, and I yearned to keep him just for myself.
“All this tension, all this stress, they’re going to drive me crazy,” I whispered.
“I know, baby. I feel the same, which is why I truly hope the police find the perpetrator soon.”
“Will you tell me how your day went?” I asked.
“First, I went to the office and then to my hotel. I wanted to see the damage. After that, I went to the police to find out the progress of the manhunt.”
“Will you show me your office and hotel? I really want to see them.” I looked at his sad blue eyes. The depth his anguish made me feel like I was drowning.
He shrugged. “Are you sure you do? There’s still blood left on the floor from the casualties. It’s not a pleasant sight.”
I thought on his words. Horrible images, like stills from a movie, appeared in my mind, but I wanted to be with him. To give him my support in this difficult time for both of us.
“Yes, I’m sure.” I was very confident in my words. I wanted to be next to him.
“Okay, I’ll take you there tomorrow, then.”
I decided to change the subject and remembered the lantern I’d bought him. “I’ve got a present for you.”
“A present?” His lips widened in a slight smile. “What present?”
Cheering up like a child, I stood and went to the wardrobe to bring it out. The oriental lantern was packaged in a pretty cardboard bag decorated with Arabian patterns. I knelt down and handed it over to him.
Alexander unwrapped it, and when he saw the lantern, his eyes gleamed. “It’s lovely, Alexia. Thank you.” He bent down and kissed me. “The green is the same color as your eyes.” He was still staring at it when he added, “I know where I’ll put it.”
“Where?” I burned with curiosity.
“On the terrace, where we had dinner the first time you came to my house.” He placed his warm palm on my face and tenderly caressed my cheek with his thumb.
Alexander could be so romantic when he wanted to.
“I have a present for you too, baby. I want you to close your eyes and keep them shut until I tell you. Do we understand each other?” He waited for my response.
Smiling, I closed my eyes. When he came back, I heard some rustling.
“You can open now,” he said quietly.
As I opened my eyes, he passed me a rectangular box covered in red velvet.
“Open it.” He was kneeling beside me.
I did and saw exquisite platinum hoop earrings in the shape of a four-leaf clover. “Alexander… They’re so beautiful. I’ve always wanted a pair like these.” I didn’t want to hide my delight. They were divine—the entire hoops were covered in tiny diamonds. “Let’s hope they bring us luck.” I continued. “After all, people say four-leaf clovers bring good fortune.” The smile came back to my face.
“I was also thinking of that superstition when I bought them,” he admitted.
Excited, I threw my arms around his neck with such force I almost knocked him over. “Thank you, baby, for thinking of me. Will you help me put them on?”
He took one of the earrings out of the box and very carefully inserted it in my left ear. Then he put on the other one. I ran over to the mirror on the wall to check myself out. The light in the room reflected off the small stones.
I appreciated his gesture. It showed he’d thought of me in the hours we were apart and wanted to cheer me up.
Alexander stood behind me and pulled me to his muscular body. He bared one of my shoulders, caressed it with his lips, and then raised his head and put his cheek next to mine.
“I often ask myself what I did to deserve you. I know my character and that I can be difficult, yet you’re still here, supporting me and giving me your love.” His blue eyes warmly gazed at my reflection in the mirror, filled with tenderness.
I turned to him and put my palm on his heart. “You’re fully devoted, extremely caring an
d loving.”
“Oh, Alexia, I get the feeling you’re looking at me through rose-tinted glasses.” He shook his head in disbelief.
“Because I love you, Alexander, and when people are in love, they do see things through rose-tinted glasses. Something inside tells me behind your hard shell hides a large heart full of love.”
He put his palms on my face and kissed me passionately. My breasts became heavy with pleasure. Excitement crawled under my goose-bumped skin.
“God, how soft your lips are. You’re so sweet. What have you done to me, Alexia? I’m losing myself in you,” he whispered, his lips touching mine. “I want you forever. I want you to be mine. Just mine.”
* * *
It was time I got ready for dinner. I put on an elegant tight black dress, which came down to just above my knees. My eyes fell on a pair of the black Christian Louboutin shoes Alexander had bought me. They were incredibly beautiful with their stylish red soles. The moment you put your foot into the shoe, you could feel how comfy it was, despite the high heel.
I went into the lounge and found Alexander sitting in front of his laptop, deep in thought about the email he was reading. He looked really sad and crestfallen. An idea of how to cheer him up suddenly popped into my head. I went back to the bedroom and took out the iPad from my suitcase. After selecting one of my favorite songs, I put it on. The pleasant deep voice of Nat King Cole singing “Smile” filled the room.
Quickly, I went over to Alexander and took his hand. “Will you do me the honor of dancing with me, Mr. Kraftberg?”
He looked up at me, understood my intentions, and, with a dazzling smile, replied, “For you, always, Miss Welson.”
We floated around the room to the rhythm of the music, pressing tightly against each other. Alexander skillfully led me, twirled me, and bent me gracefully backward while his eyes gleamed in different hues of blue from the reflections of the soft light filling the room.
It felt so nice being in his arms. Happiness filled the depths of my soul, as if the danger that stalked us outside simply didn’t exist.