Cesare moves as fast as lightning. His hands are around my arms, pulling me hard against him. “If he touches you, I’ll break him, and when I get done with you, you’ll wish you had never met him.”
He’s driving me out of my mind. How can he say no when a simple lunch date with another man has him hot enough to spontaneously combust?
“I already wish I had never met you.” I spit out the words. God, I hate the way I’m sinking into him. My stupid body craves his touch, is melting into his hard chest.
“Liar.” His kiss is hard, punishing, at first. I can’t fight him. I don’t want to fight him. I give him everything he demands, lost in the taste of him, the feel of him. Then he’s pushing me away. My body screams in angry frustration. I blink, and he’s gone. Damn him.
“Coward!” I screech at my open doorway before slamming the door closed. I turn to find Grover shivering in fear, in a little puddle of pee. Oh no, poor baby. Grover is terrified of men. I clean up the mess then Grover and cuddle him close until the tremors stop in both of us.
***
Cesare
I slam into my condo in a rage. Damn her, Alicia was making me fucking nuts. She was lying, she had better be fucking lying. I saw her face when Wyatt had his hand on her arm—it was clear she was uneasy. Alicia is using Wyatt to make me jealous, and it’s fucking working. Seeing Wyatt touch her made me want to break him and fuck her where she stood so she knew exactly who she belonged to. She didn’t want him, she wanted me. How the fuck could she let him lay a finger on her when she was already mine?
Then it hits me all over again, the way she called me a coward. Alicia doesn’t belong to me. She can’t. I need to let her go, for her own good. Closing my eyes, I do something I haven’t done in over twenty years. I pray for strength I don’t have.
10
March
Alicia
I cringe as I wait for my computer to load. Even though his door is closed I can feel Cesare in his office, waiting to jump on something I’ve done. I’m sure there’s email waiting for me. Dante had refused to make me come in at seven for Cesare while Hannah was on vacation. I don’t think he realized it meant I would come in to find a pile of work waiting for me. It’s only Wednesday morning but I’m already crying for Friday.
I’ve redone every report for Cesare twice—once all I had to do was change the font size. He’s evil. I hate him. I just wish my stupid body did too. But no, my stomach still buzzes with bees when he looks my way, my stupid breasts still react when he stares at them because he has stared at them, the bastard. When he caught himself doing it he ordered me out of the room, as if it was my fault. Asshole.
Thirteen, thirteen fucking emails from Cesare. I whimper as I click on the first one. A demand for at least ten properties that meet a long list of parameters, another demand for all the properties shown to a client from last year, another demand for a report to be redone because I used the wrong font. I don’t even bother opening the next email. No. I’m done.
Getting up, I open his door without knocking. He looks up and his eyes narrow. He’s angry; tough, so am I. “What the hell do you think you’re doing—”
For the first time I’m able to ignore the way my stupid body reacts to the sight of him. “No, what the hell do you think you’re doing? Are you trying to make me quit? Is that what you want? Just say it and I’ll go, because I am not making enough money to be the whipping boy in this scenario. I’m fucking tired of it. I’m tired of doing reports three fucking times. I’m tired of you treating me like shit because you resent me because you want me. I’m done.
“Fuck you. I changed my mind: I wouldn’t take you if you got down on your fucking knees and begged me. I wouldn’t take you if you offered me every damn dime in your checking account. You are a horrible fucking person and I hate you. I really fucking hate you.” Damn it. Damn it, I am not fucking crying. I can’t stand that he’s seeing it, that’s he pushed me this far. I hate him. I try to get away but I don’t get far.
“I’m sorry. It’s okay. No, it’s okay, let it out.” His arms are around me and I hate how much I sag into him, the way my whole body sinks into him. Even when I swear I hate him I’m inhaling the scent of him, memorizing the way it feels to be in his arms, pressed against him. At least I’m getting his suit wet, maybe it will ruin it, I have no idea what tears do to silk. A large hand is running soothingly up and down my back. No one has ever held me this way before, no one has ever assured me it’s okay, never, I blame the way I cry harder on that.
Slowly the tears dry up, and I find I’m on Cesare’s lap. Half-heartedly I begin to push away, but he holds me tight. I give up because I don’t really want to move. A hand comes up to my chin, while a handkerchief in his other hand wipes my tears away. “Your eyes swollen with tears and your nose red and you’re still beautiful. I should have known.” He sees my doubt. “Yes, if I say you’re beautiful then you are.” His firm words have me smiling. If the great Cesare Sabatini says it, then it’s true. He sighs. “I’m sorry, Alicia. You don’t deserve the way I have been treating you. I have never been in a situation like this befor
e. I’m not handling it well. You should not pay for my frustration.”
Shaking his head. “There is an admin who has subbed for Hannah in the past, Gretchen. She’s on the marketing floor. Contact HR and have her come up to handle my inbox and my needs for the rest of the week.”
I swear there is no thought behind what I do next. Reaching out, I press my hand to his cheek, the idea of touching him too tempting to pass up. His eyes close, and I feel a fine shiver go through him at my touch. “Cesare,” I whisper as I move. Pressing my lips to his, I plead for what I can’t put into words. For a heartbeat he doesn’t move, then his mouth opens to mine. A hand is in my hair, holding me in place, never mind that I’m not going anywhere. Cesare deepens the kiss, and oh my god. Fire hot and sweet singes along my nerve endings. Close isn’t close enough, I’m fighting to get into his skin the way my body craves.
I move my legs on either side of Cesare, desperate to feel him pressing into that soaking wet part of me. The kiss is endless, time is lost until the moment he pulls away. We’re both gasping for air. Shaking his head, he groans into the skin of my neck. “We can’t. I can’t.”
“Please, please, Cesare. One night, just one night, no tomorrow. I won’t ask for more than your body and one night.”
A humorless laugh escapes him. Looking up at me, he slides his thumb over my swollen lips. “Your innocence betrays you to think that just one night could satisfy this hunger, for either of us.”
Maybe he’s right and one night wouldn’t be enough, but damn him for making me want him all over again. I push away from him, and this time he lets me go. As I walk away I know he’s not going to change his mind. I’m all out of moves—and hope.
11
Alicia
I’m watching the clock in the corner of my computer, desperate for it to move faster. Although the week has been easier since Gretchen came up to handle Cesare, it’s still been busy. Today Dante gave me the okay to leave at three. And I’m so ready for the weekend. I lock my computer, grab my purse and almost run for the exit. A little groan escapes me when I see Wyatt in front of me. I hang back, hoping he won’t see me. No luck.