I sighed. “I know where you’re going with this.”
He smiled even wider, took my hand in his, and kissed my palm. “I want you and I won’t give up… I always get what I want, Alexia.”
I pouted. “Don’t talk about me like you’re closing a deal.”
“You’re the biggest deal of my life and the most important one. I’ll do everything in my power to have you just for myself.” His voice betrayed his firm determination.
Alexander was a man who didn’t give up on his goals. Could I be happy with him? Would he hurt me emotionally?
“You’re overthinking this. Do you have so little trust in me? What do I have to do to make you believe I love you and want to share my life with you?”
“Oh God… Alexander, I’m not ready. I don’t want become a bowling ball around your neck. If everything between us ends… I don’t want to think how I’d feel if I had to pack my bags and leave your house.” I was so in love with him that the thought of us splitting up tore me apart on the inside.
Alexander kissed that oh-so-sensitive area behind my ear, and it was as if he’d poured sweet honey all over my body.
“I see you don’t get the fact that we have a future together. You’re my future and I’m yours. I need you. Just you. And if you agree to move in with me, you’ll make me infinitely happy.”
“You’re blackmailing me.” I turned my head to look at him.
“I want to make you happy, Alexia. I know I can—you just have to trust me.” He placed his palm on my neck, making me shiver.
I closed my eyes.
“Do you feel the heat coursing through your veins?”
I nodded.
“My body reacts to your touch in the same way. Don’t you get it, baby? We’re made for each other.”
I took his hand and held it against my cheek.
“When I’m with you, it’s like I’m in heaven.” Sharply, he inhaled and then exhaled. “Fine. I won’t pressure you. But I’d be glad if you gave me a definitive answer before we return to Zurich.”
* * *
Henry parked the Bentley in front of the glass doors of Burj Al Arab. As I was stepping out of the car, my eyes were drawn to a couple coming out of the hotel. The young woman had luscious blond hair. The tall, strapping man next to her had his arm around her waist. She was smiling at something he’d said, and he was looking at her lovingly. I wasn’t sure why, but they reminded me of Alexander and me. Perhaps because they seemed so deeply in love.
My eyes sought out Alexander’s, and I realized he had noticed them too. His lips twisted into a brief smile. He put his arm around my shoulders and kissed me.
There is nothing better in life than loving someone and being loved.
I don’t know what made me glance to the side, but when I did, I spotted Lily and Francesco coming our way. They were holding hands and seemed very happy. I was delighted by the surprise, because I wanted to have a chat with Lily, and it seemed now I would get a good chance to do so.
They approached us with quick strides, and Lily happily threw herself at my neck. “Alexia… I’m so glad to see you. You have a great tan,” she said and held me tight. Then she turned to Alexander, greeted him, and shook his hand.
Francesco took a step toward me, hugged me, and we were about to give each other pecks on the cheeks when Alexander grabbed me by the waist and pulled me toward him in a gesture of possession. He was showing a sense of property toward me, keeping me only for himself and preventing any man from touching me. He’d managed to drill that into me already. I hadn’t met a more jealous man in my life.
Will he always be like this? Will he always treat me like I was a valuable possession of his?
On the one hand, it felt strange that he behaved like this, and on the other, it made me feel his, which I liked a hell of a lot.
As we were entering our suite, I ordered myself to stop thinking about this and enjoy the company of our friends.
“How was your journey?” I asked, eager to apprise myself.
“Very nice. We flew business class with the Emirates, and as you know, their service is always of the highest standard,” Lily quickly replied and threw a loving glance at Francesco, who smiled warmly and winked at her.
I could imagine what they had done for most of the flight.
Francesco and Alexander sat at the desk in front of the already-open laptop and immediately started talking about work. They had many things to discuss. Alexander owned a chain of hotels and resorts all over the world and was swamped with work. Every day, he had to hold conference sessions and answer callers from Singapore, Japan, the States… I was glad Francesco was here to help and wondered why Alexander hadn’t summoned him as far back as Monday. Maybe the problems had arisen later.
We went into the kitchen to make coffee, and Lily started grilling me. “I heard about the bomb. Do we know who did it yet?”
It was hard for me to talk about that, but I had to give her some sort of an answer. “The police have identified the perpetrator and are looking for him, but unfortunately, they haven’t caught him yet. He’s a wily one—he’s managed to give them the slip every time. Nobody knows who ordered the bombing though.” I sighed and threw my hair back. “Oh, Lily, I’m so worried about Alexander.”
The thought that something might happen to him sent chills down my spine. It was as if someone were trying to rip out my heart. I’d become so attached to Alexander that I couldn’t picture a life without him.
“You love him.” Lily gently stroked my arm.
“A lot,” I admitted, and my heart filled with love.
“You’re thinking about him, but who will protect you? What if they decide to do something to you?”
“Do you think they might hurt me to take revenge on him?” Deep in thought, I passed her a cup of coffee.
“Well, that’s what generally happens. You should be no less careful than him.”
Sighing, I wrapped my arms around myself. “I know, and Alexander is already worried about me. Which is why I don’t go out without a bodyguard.”
I poured coffee in cups for the others and placed them on a golden tray. The sweet smell spread through the room. I opened the fridge and took out juice and fizzy water from it. I handed them to Lily. Then I placed more glasses on the tray, and we headed to the lounge. Our favorite men were intensely discussing the delivery of some marble.
“We won’t disturb you—we’ll just leave your drinks and go away,” I said and put down the tray, then leaned in to kiss Alexander. He looked at me tenderly, and the corners of his lips twisted into a slight smile.
We left our lovers to work in peace and went into the bedroom. I couldn’t wait for Lily to tell me about their relationship. That would relax me and stop me from thinking about my problems.
“Tell me, have you spoken to Marco?” I prompted her and sipped from my cup.
We took off our sandals and settled onto the bed.
“Yes, I told him I want a serious relationship and things between us won’t work,” she replied while lying back on the soft pillows beside me.
“And how did he react?”
“Surprisingly well. I suspect he had another girl on the go.” She looked at me thoughtfully and tucked the locks of hair hanging in front of her face behind her ear.
“Do you really think so?”
“I dunno. He took it too well. No drama. That means he had someone else.” She shrugged.
“Or his macho confidence prevented him from showing his emotions.”
“I have no idea, but life passes by and there’s no point in me wasting my time on someone I know I have no future with.”
“And do you talk about the future with Francesco?” I asked her and waited impatiently for her reply.
Lily dreamed of having a big family with at least three kids. She was an only child because her mother had undergone a gynecological operation and couldn’t have any more children. This had always bothered her, and she envied everyone with siblings
. Most likely, this was the reason she was so attached to me. I was like a sister to her.
“Yes, everything between us is happening somewhat… very quickly,” she replied dreamily. “We’ve both said we love each other and we want to live together.”
“Lily, I’m so happy for you.” I took hold of her hand.
“What about you two?”
“Ah,” I sighed, unsure what to say. “Alexander also told me he loves me and I mean the world to him. He’s making an effort to ensure things between us are running smoothly, that nothing stands in our way… but I feel insecure,” I looked to the side, lost in thought. I couldn’t mention the sex club and Alexander’s former life to her. It wasn’t fair to him to gossip about him.
“Alexia, look at me. You’re hiding something… After all, he can’t take his eyes off you. He’s fallen head over heels for you, and it’s apparent from miles away.” She lay on her front and propped herself up on her elbows.
“I know he loves me, but you’re aware of his reputation. That he’s always been surrounded by tons of different women. What if he falls in love with another? Can I really hope the multimillionaire Alexander Kraftberg will be satisfied only with Alexia Welson? After all, he can have any woman he wants. He’s handsome and filthy rich. Any woman would throw herself at him and agree to anything to be with him. This is the truth, the bitter truth.” I felt my eyes welling up.
“Nobody is insured against these things, Alexia, but you can also have any man you want. Don’t undersell yourself. I don’t know a man who’s met you and not taken a shining to you—”
“I’m not like that; you know me.” I interrupted. “When I split up with my exes, it wasn’t over someone else, but because it hadn’t worked out. You know I couldn’t fall in love. This was always my problem. And what happened then… I fell in love with the most eligible bachelor.” I wiped a tear that had trickled down my cheek and went on. “I’m afraid I’d get stuck in the mud if he decided to cheat on me, and I’d grin and bear it… because I love him. But it will destroy me.”
Lily put down her coffee cup on the night table and hugged me tightly. “Oh, Alexia, don’t worry. Don’t think of the worst. Let’s drink some champagne and relax. We’ll put on some music and decide what we want to do while our men are working.”
Her suggestion delighted me. I didn’t want to talk about my fears any longer and knew alcohol would soothe my nerves a little.
“I’ll go and get it.” I stood and walked through the lounge.
Alexander looked up at me, and our eyes met. I couldn’t hide from him that I’d been crying. I went into the kitchen and, while I was opening the fridge, noticed Alexander had followed me. He came over, put his arms around me, and kissed me on the cheek. Then he turned me to face him. Taking hold of my chin, he lifted it. I stared into his beautiful sky-blue eyes.
He looked quite concerned when he asked, “You’ve been crying again. Why?”
“I haven’t.” I tried to deceive him. I didn’t want to tell him about my conversation with Lily.
“Don’t give me that.” He pursed his lips. “I’ll ask you again—what did you cry about?” His voice showed he wouldn’t tolerate an evasive answer.
“I told her I feel insecure about our relationship, and the tears started streaming uninvited. I didn’t tell her about the club,” I rushed to add. “And I never will. You can trust me about that.”
Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead against mine, then kissed my nose. “Oh, sweetie, you overthink everything. Alexia… Alexia… You don’t know how precious you are.” His hands dug into my hair. “I love you, but your hard head refuses to accept this.”
I closed my eyes and pressed my body against his, resting my head on his chest.
“Francesco and I have work to do. Go to the pool with Lily. Have fun. I’ll tell Henry to come along with you.” He kissed the corner of my mouth. “I don’t want to see these lovely eyes crying again. Is that clear?”
“Yes.”
Seeing me pick up the champagne, he said, “Don’t overdo the alcohol. I don’t want you to drown.”
“Please, Alexander. I have no intention of getting drunk.”
“Just to get tipsy.” He grinned, making me laugh too.
“Yes, something like that.”
He grabbed me in his arms again and, his lips touching my cheek, whispered, “So, does this mean the effect I have on you isn’t intoxicating enough?”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Quite the opposite. It is, but you have work waiting for you, and I need to wind down.”
He held me even tighter and ran his hand down to my butt. “In that case, let me ensure you’re relaxed enough not to need alcohol.”
“Alexander, you know we’re not alone,” I said quietly, but he didn’t stop—he pulled my thong aside and his finger sank inside me. I gasped in surprise. This man had no inhibitions. “Oh, don’t, please. I’ll die of shame if they see us.”
Lifting me like a feather, he put me down to sit on the kitchen floor. He started to kiss me passionately, our tongues entangled. Slowly, he inserted another finger inside me, making me moan.
God… The risk of being seen was having a very arousing effect on me.
“We’ll do it quickly,” he said and started to move his fingers in and out of me while his palm skillfully massaged my swollen clitoris.
“Oh heavens…” I let my head hang back.
“Shush, be quiet. Don’t shout,” he whispered and pressed his lips against my neck.
Don’t shout… How the hell am I supposed to stop myself from shouting?
“Oh, no… I can’t control it. It feels so… nice,” I whispered, panting.
“Shush… quiet,” he ordered and silenced me with a passionate kiss.
I felt hot. I dug my hands into his hair to move his head into a position that allowed him to sink his tongue deeper into my mouth. I was extremely turned on, and the fact that our friends might see us was making me even wetter. My nerve endings couldn’t get any more sensitive.
Alexander was moving his fingers in and out of me at an increasing rate, and my vaginal muscles tightened around them, hard like a vise. The waves of ecstasy started to rage deep inside me, taking me higher and higher. It didn’t take long until I exploded. The orgasm made my whole body shudder, and Alexander tightly covered my lips with his to keep me from crying out. I moaned into his mouth.
Once my breathing had returned to normal, he took his fingers out of me, licking his index finger first and then the middle one.
I passed him a tissue.
“I don’t need it. I want to lick all the juices off you,” he whispered in my ear.
“I want you too.”
He understood what I meant and said softly, “Later. I have work to do now.” He gazed at me with his magical, burning blue eyes, which made every organ in my body melt. His voice was warm and extremely sexy when he asked, “Do you feel better now?”
“Much better.” I smiled lightly. I really did feel much more relaxed. As if I’d needed exactly what he’d just given me. He always took care of me and gave his all to make me feel happy with him.
Yet you do not trust him, a faint voice reminded me.
“I’m glad. That means you no longer need the champagne.”
“Lily wanted it,” I rushed to say and reached for the bottle, but he was quicker than me. He eyed me appraisingly and put it to the side.
“Fine.” He sighed as if he found it difficult to agree with me.
Did he think Lily was a bad influence on me and would encourage me to get drunk? Why the hell did he dislike her? I sensed his animosity. He couldn’t hide it from me. Was this my fault? Why did I have to tell him she fancied my father?
Alexander lifted my chin so I would look at him. “You dwell on things too much, precious.” He gave me a quick kiss, then opened the champagne and poured us a glass each.
“Just one each. Miss Ferrai won’t be happy,” I commented.
He tilted his head to the side and said drily, “I don’t care about Miss Ferrai. I’m only interested in you.”
Before we went out of the kitchen, I fixed my hair and straightened my dress.
“Is it really obvious that I have…?” I asked.
He gave me his incredibly sexy smile and winked. “Just a little.” I frowned, and he added quietly, “You’re beautiful. You’re always beautiful.”
When we went back into the lounge, we found my girlfriend sitting on Francesco’s lap. They were talking and laughing.
Well, clearly those two cannot keep their hands off each other either.
14
Lily and I decided to go the hotel’s private beach. Henry came along with us.
The sky was clear and bright blue. It looked set to be a hot day. There were people at the pool, but thank God, it wasn’t packed. Relaxing music emanated from the outside bar.
Lily looked quite provocative in her sexy black designer swimsuit. My baby-blue swimsuit was a present from my generous boyfriend, who loved to shower me with gifts.
We lay back on chaise lounges and enjoyed the sunny weather.
“You won’t believe who called me two days ago,” I started while spraying my body with sun protection cream.
“Who?” she asked curiously and lifted herself slightly to look at me.
“Ralph Egli.”
“Oh no… So what did he want?” She didn’t hide her surprise. Lily knew well my three former boyfriends, since we’d often gone out together, and was familiar with all drama related to them.
“He said he loves me and wants to marry me.”
“Great.” Her eyes always sparkled when she heard something about a wedding. She turned on her stomach and stared at me from above her sunglasses. “Still, it’s not particularly romantic… to propose over the phone.” She shook her head in disapproval.
Unlike me, Lily was so eager to get married I was certain if Francesco were to take his time, she would have no qualms about proposing to him.
Limits of Destiny (Volume 2) Page 12
