“And you know me. I’m in love with your ass.”
She smiled slightly before she rolled her eyes. But it was all playful. “Yeah…I’ve noticed.”
“The guys haven’t been giving you a hard time?”
“Not at all. Your presence seems to keep everyone on their best behavior…”
“Baby, did you just give me a compliment?” I hated her for what she did to me, but when our natural connection deepened, it made me forget how much she’d hurt me. It made me focus on what we had…since she could never hurt me again.
“Did you just call me baby?”
“Yeah. And I’m gonna keep calling you that.” It was much more possessive than her first name, because anyone could call her Sofia. No one could call her baby…except me. “I think people are giving you a fair chance because of your new last name. They respect me—so they’ll respect you. But the reason they listen to you is because of your skills. If you were wrong, they would come to me privately and say it. They don’t.”
Her eyes shifted down, breaking contact with me.
I liked this side of her, this insecure and vulnerable version. Her walls were usually so high that it was impossible to see. But she seemed to trust me enough to unveil her true qualities.
“Good to know…” She lifted her gaze again once the moment had passed.
“That’s what you really want.”
“Excuse me?”
“You don’t want the hotel for the money. You want to be respected. You want to make this the greatest hotel it can possibly be…because that’s what matters to you.” It’d never been about financial security or power. Her ambitions had been much humbler than I’d ever realized.
She held my gaze, and after a long pause, she nodded. “When you walk into a room, it just goes quiet… I want that.”
“That’s because they’re afraid I might kill them.”
“No, it’s more than that.”
“I assure you, the room goes dead silent when you step into it too…because you’re so damn beautiful.” She was my wife, so I could speak my mind whenever I felt like it. I could tell her she was gorgeous every damn day. If she didn’t like it, too bad.
“Well…I want to be more than just a beautiful face.”
“You are.”
She smiled slightly before she turned to gather her things.
I watched her lean forward over the table, her ass luscious in that tight dress. Her thick hair was pushed over one shoulder, and she collected her laptop as well as the extras of the notes she’d distributed to her colleagues.
I grabbed her by the arm and gently tugged her toward me.
Instead of twisting out of my grasp and giving me a burst of attitude, she let it be. She paused and waited for me to speak.
“I have to head back to the office.” My hand slid to her elbow before wrapping around her waist. I positioned her close to me, making her forget about the supplies she needed to gather. My arm tightened on her lower back before it slid down to her ass and gave her a hard squeeze. “But when I get home, your ass will sit on my face. I’m gonna eat that pussy for dinner—and dessert.”
She dropped her gaze, her cheeks filling with color as the image filled her mind.
My fingertips moved under her chin, forcing her to look at me. “Alright?”
She held my gaze, her face tinted in a mixture of arousal and embarrassment. “Alright.”
9
Sofia
I sat with my mother on her patio, the two of us drinking decaf coffee after dinner. It was strange to live with her and my new husband because two different worlds had collided. When it was just her and I, it felt like old times. But when Hades walked into the room, I was reminded my reality was much different.
Hades stepped onto the balcony. “Something came up, and I have to run out. I’ll be home later tonight.” It was a nice courtesy that he came to tell me personally. He could have just left without telling me. Or he could have sent an impersonal text.
“Everything alright?” I got out of my chair and walked up to him.
“Yeah. Just bullshit.” He was in a gray suit and tie, dressed to make a statement.
“Wake me up when you get home.” I blurted out the request stupidly, not even thinking about what I said before it came out. It was desperate, clingy, and something lovers said to each other.
Hades took a moment to stare at me, like he was just as surprised by my request.
That night had changed my feelings to a strong degree. It made me appreciate him, made me want him to live a long and happy life. But I was also embarrassed by how transparent I was being, treating him like a wife would actually treat her husband. “Just be safe.” I moved into his chest and kissed him goodbye.