by Pamela Ann
Then again, that was one of the main problems, wasn’t it? The details weren’t exactly the typical “juice” one would share with their girlfriends. In fact, Claire would be horrified if I gave her the intimate rundown. She simply wouldn’t get it or why I was so emotionally attached to a playboy who had three resident girlfriends in the same household.
Typing my reply, I quickly told her not to worry and that I would be home very soon. It didn’t take a moment until Damen started calling me again.
Damn.
Double damn.
Was he still in my flat? Were Claire and Damen manning their phones until they heard a peep from me? It sure seemed like it. What now? I sure hoped to God Hugo didn’t ask to see the apartment. It would be a massive disaster if he did, and it wasn’t as if I could decline his request since he was the one who had gifted me the flat in the first place.
“If you don’t shut that phone of yours, I’ll take it away and silence it forever.” His unleashed wrath was teetering over the edge, and he wasn’t ashamed to show it. His jaws were locked together with one hand gripping his knee while the other pressed his temple. He was the epitome of a stressed out man, and I had no ounce of sympathy for him.
“I would like to see you try, Hugo Xavier.”
“Are you deliberately trying to piss me off, Isobel?” he hissed at me, losing his cool as he directed quite a furious glare at me.
The recklessness and helplessness I had felt for the past months since I had left him had grown into something more wild and uninhibited and a little terrifying.
“If you’re pissed off, that’s your problem. If you feel ignored, that’s your problem. If you’re jealous, still your problem. Because, from where I’m sitting, I don’t give a flying fuck what you bloody feel anymore.”
My triumphant rant merely lasted a second before I was yanked off the seat and then rapidly slid down until my body was plastered against his. He bore those terrifying bottomless, chocolate pools into mine, leaving me breathless and petrified from the hardened intensity they exuded.
“You…” he rasped out, his nostrils flaring, as he stared directly into my soul before his hand took hold of the back of my head, pulled my hair, and lifted my face towards him. “You are definitely a problem.” He barely finished speaking before his lips crashed into mine, kissing me like never before.
It was as hateful as it was passionate. It was as hard as it was gentle. It was as commanding as it was surrendering. The opposites completely mirrored our emotions; the unbalanced became balanced, like the yin and the yang—two separate entities, perfectly merged into one.
All the negativity I had felt before simply melted away as he brought me closer to him, cupping my face as his kiss deepened, as if he didn’t want to let me go.
“Agápi mou,” I moaned the moment I felt his hand wander towards my bottom and earnestly squeeze the left cheek. “Only you,” I choked out, getting lost in his hungry touch.
Only he could make me feel so wanton, so corrupt and abandoned. He was a drug, and he provided me a high that I couldn’t get enough of. I wanted more. I wanted everything.
Matching his passion and quite eager to please, I pressed my body against his before straddling him as I rocked my hips, grinding against him. Each time the hard outline of his cock would make contact against my clit, I would purr against his lips, driving him a little mad with lust.
Mad…
That was what I was—truly, blatantly, blindingly, wickedly mad.
Unzipping his trousers, I pulled out his hardened length, stroking it as I pressed my covered heat against it. My hunger gravitated towards one thing and one thing only. If he chose to stop me, all hell would break loose. I wasn’t to be trifled with until I had gotten what I wanted the most.
Swiftly pushing my underwear to the side, I whimpered his name as the silky tip made contact with my slit. “Don’t stop me. Please, don’t stop me.”
I didn’t get to hear his response, if there ever was one, because I had guided his cock towards my entrance then immediately secured its bulbous head inside of me.
He felt massive, so beautifully enormous inside my tiny frame, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
“Hugo.” My body trembled as I took him deeper, throwing my head back as I concentrated on slowly taking him in, inch by inch, with my mouth slightly parted, heaving as I did so.
“Isobel…” he grunted against my neck, enjoying the feel of me taking control of the pace. “My beautiful, Isobel…”
I agreed that it truly was breathtakingly beautiful when he filled me to the hilt. I was too choked up, too speechless to utter anything, because I had never felt such passion, such beauty, such power as this very moment.
If I could prolong that kind of exquisiteness, I would. But, like everything else in life, nothing truly lasted forever. That was why we had to live in the moment. People took risks by falling in love because they might never get the chance to meet the right person again.
Love. I had learned that love was rather easy to find, but it was harder to catch. Once you did, though, once you had it in the palm of your hands, you grabbed on to it. You cherished it until it was time to set it free, until it all became a memory.
I had never felt more alive until that very moment as I made love to the gorgeous man, slowly showing him my heart, my weakness, and my truth. We became lost in our passions, hanging on to the thread of right now instead of tomorrow. Because there wouldn’t be one. What we had was only that moment. No future. No promises.
Only us…
And the stolen moment…
Until goodbye separated us forever.
Chapter 16
Isobel
I will never forget you.
His words were forever etched in my mind, recounting the very moment when he had said goodbye while making love to me for the last time. We did it twice in the back of the limo. The second time was the opposite of the first. He did it in such a way that I felt his goodbye in every stroke, every kiss, every whisper of my name. It lingered, preparing us for the inevitable.
It was a delicate, unforgettable way of parting from a lover, and as much as it tugged at my heart, whenever I recalled that moment in time, it never failed to make me grateful that I had been given something extraordinary. It was possible to love someone so grandly, so magnanimously without wanting anything in return, and I had come to acknowledge that I would forever love him from afar.
There were sad moments, of course. They came mostly at night, when my thoughts drifted towards him, and I had the darkness to comfort my loneliness. Only then would I clutch my chest and quietly let the tears flow until sleep beckoned me.
Apart from that, my life had resumed, studying and enjoying the company of my friends. Damen was still kept at arm’s length, though he remained persistently in pursuit of me. I didn’t mind him much since I had recently acquired a job post in one of London’s prestigious hotels.
The establishment was known for its five-star accommodation and restaurants. Though I only worked part-time and during weekends and holidays as a concierge, I had loved every second of it. The glamorous guests who visited had been quite the distraction from my heartbreak.
As upbeat as I was with my studies and work, I couldn’t help dreaming that someday I would see him walk through those massive glass doors. I wouldn’t care if he had a woman on his arm because I would be too over-the-moon to simply see him in the flesh. Like all dreams, however, it remained only that.
The days had turned to weeks, and before I knew it, three months had passed since the limo ride. Ninety days and still I could recall everything that had gone on with him with clarity, as if it had happened only yesterday. Every waking moment, I pined over him, and as much as I loathed admitting it, I was exhausted from feeling the heavy weight of it all.
So, I began to date.
At first, it was uncomfortable, but I was persistent and kept going. I started it gradually with a coffee date with one of the hotel’s
wait staff named Noah. He was too kind and too adorable to decline when he asked me out one afternoon. He wasn’t outright good-looking like Damen or magnificently gorgeous like the French man I was obsessed with, but he had a charm and an amazing energy that never failed to make me feel good inside. Besides, it was rather refreshing to speak to someone without feeling pressured or guilty like when I spoke to Damen at times.
I wasn’t particularly looking for anything serious, just merely someone to pass time with, someone who would simply appreciate friendship first without breathing down my neck about exclusivity.
Technically, I needed someone to make me forget my aching heart. I knew it wouldn’t magically disappear. I understood that I would endure quite some time until I would wake up one day without having to think of him and what he probably had been up to. I wasn’t disillusioned about the process, not at all. It was time, though, high time I put myself out there and start living once more.
The coffee date turned into two hours of casual flirting. Like myself, he was still in school and was interested in cinematography. His enthusiasm and positive vibe made me realize there was more to life than what I was going through. There were so many undiscovered things that I had yet to see, get to know, and experience. His zest for life injected some much needed fervor in mine, simply influencing me to look at my life with gratitude instead of letting negative thoughts corrupt my overall demeanor.
Noah became a source of this good energy, and I never minded his company whenever he sought mine. Our friendship blossomed, which Damen was very much against.
I felt awful seeing how much it affected him, but Damen meant truth and commitment, and for me to get there, I needed to be in the right state of mind. Trying to explain that to him was a hardship, ending our conversation with him mostly frustrated and almost threatening that he would truly try to get on with his life. However, his threats remained as such, never bearing fruit at all.
My friends thought me selfish, all except Claire, since she partially knew the reason behind my reluctance in giving Damen a chance.
I needed some time—God knew how long that would be—to properly heal, but I knew I would get there, one step at a time.
Given how twisted my fate had become as of late, I shouldn’t have been surprised, let alone shocked, when a familiar face walked through those massive glass doors.
It wasn’t Hugo Xavier but his friend, the impressionable Julien Geroux. It was I who greeted him at the marbled counter. At first, I was relieved that he hadn’t paid attention to me, despondently giving me the answers to my questions in regards to his reservations as he went through his emails.
I was torn, but in the end, I had decided to pretend as if I hadn’t met him before. Hugo was the past, best I remind myself that.
Everything was going smoothly until he looked up after signing the receipt.
His brows furrowed, as if he was trying to recall my face.
“Is there anything the matter, sir?” I murmured as I prepared his key card before activating it.
“We’ve met before…” Pressing his lips together, he let out a whistle, still appearing deep in thought. “It’s your eyes, I remember thinking how remarkably unique they are, and yet I can’t recall when and where.”
There was no need to make the man suffer from confusion. Apart from fear, I optimistically encouraged myself that this could very well be the beginning of closing the book on my past that belonged in Monaco.
“We met twice, I believe.” I made a small smile before concentrating on filling in the information on the screen. “I was with Hugo Xavier on both counts.”
“Voilà!” he exclaimed with a massive grin. “My friend always has the knack for finding beauty.”
Blushing deeply, I murmured my thanks before sliding over his key card. “An attendant will be here shortly to escort you to your room, Mr. Geroux. If there’s anything else we can assist you with, please do let us know. I do hope you have a splendid stay with us.”
His smile widened mischievously. “I have an event this evening, and I unfortunately don’t have a date to go with. Would you be so kind as to help me out?”
Oh, my wicked fate, as if I had the gall to decline a charming man who could supply me a little information about what Hugo had been up to.
Chapter 17
Isobel
The event was a birthday party for Callum Kensington, whom he was also friends with. I hadn’t dare asked if Hugo was going to be there since they all seemed to run in the same circles, anyway. I sent a prayer above, hoping he was somewhere else, because if he saw me with Julien, I wasn’t sure what kind of reaction I would get from him.
Well, he did encourage that I go out there and date again. So, would it make a difference if I chose to enjoy Julien’s bright and cheery company? The man was a colossal flirt, but that was part of his charm. Besides, I couldn’t help feeling wickedly naughty at the thought of provoking Hugo.
Julien and I agreed to meet out in the hotel’s foyer at seven that evening. Since my shift ended at six and with only having an hour to get ready, I had to ask Claire to bring me all the much needed essentials to get glammed up for the glitzy occasion.
From what I had learned during my time in Monaco, Hugo didn’t mingle amongst folks who weren’t on par with him. He sought company with people who were on or above his status. Most wealthy people did. I supposed it was their way of shielding and protecting themselves from the less fortunate half who tended to only have money signs in their sights. It was prejudiced, but at the same time, I couldn’t fault wealthy people for that.
Money was an addiction, an aphrodisiac to egocentric, narcissist people like my father, who based everything on his own selfish reasons.
Speaking of which, the devil himself had tried to contact me, but I hadn’t been forthcoming with my attention. After hearing his voicemails, ordering me to call Hugo to ask for more “financial assistance” for my mother’s sake, I knew he was up to nothing good. I had sacrificed enough to save him, and for him to have the audacity to command me to do something to acquire him more gambling funds was out of the question. If it were truly for my mother, I might have considered it. However, this was Constantin Callas, a man who left trails of debts, one after the other, with no remorse for all the hurt and damage he caused. He was malevolent, purely evil through and through, without blinking twice at the prospect of selling his own daughter for his advantage.
I had done my part. Enough was enough. I wouldn’t be a pawn for his addiction. Besides, Hugo had been generous enough to let him walk away. Consequently, if he had gotten himself in trouble once again, he had to find another way to solve his problem. Better yet, he could simply go to jail. That way, Yannis, Mama, and I could all breathe easier. Knowing my father, he would sell anything and everything before letting himself go to jail. He would exhaust every option available, to the very last breath, the last drop, before he admitted defeat.
I hoped this time the price wasn’t too high, because his frantic calls had been consistent. To make matters worse, with each call came the threats, more menacing than the previous one. There was no denying that I was worried—of course I was—but I was simply done being his puppet, doing his bidding and paying the price for his recklessness. He was a man; therefore, he should act like one.
The hatred I had for my father and what he had done to me and family ran deep. However, this moment wasn’t the time to ponder such unfortunate thoughts. Claire had just arrived, and we had to go to one of the private bathrooms—with the manager’s permission—to get ready.
Pulling a few dresses out of the carryall, I could feel Claire’s gaze intently on me.
“If you have something to say, this is the best time to voice it out.” I encouraged her, because if I didn’t, she was going to combust with worry and intrigue.
She made a small laugh, loving the fact that I knew her so well that she didn’t have to feel awkward about prying into my business. “Does Noah know you’re going on a date wi
th another bloke?”
I paused, thinking a moment before shaking my head. “Noah’s great, but he and I are casual friends…” I let the words sink in for a bit. “Yeah, casual friendship sounds about right.” Though Noah was great, there was nothing romantic or physical between us.
“And this new guy? How did you meet him? I hope he’s not the clingy type. You don’t need another Damen. I adore the man, but bloody hell, he’s in a bad shape, babe. You might want to reconsider when you see how gutted he’s been as of late.”
I loved Damen, but I was in love with Hugo. Of course, since he had outright rejected my declaration of love, I was in the grieving process and trying my damnedest to move on. If I let Damen in now, I would ping pong with my feelings between two men. Damen deserved better than that.
“I have tried to explain as best as I could … but nothing works with him, Claire. It’s rather frustrating, because I don’t want him to keep hurting this way, but there’s nothing I can do, nothing that will suit us both.”
She sighed and scrunched her nose. “Maybe someday he’ll get it, but this new man … He’s not some random randy bloke that you met on the street, right?”
Randy bloke? Maybe. Random? Hardly.
“I met him a few times…” I trailed off, blushing as I bit my lip. “He’s actually Hugo’s best friend.” Did that make me seem like a tart? At this point, did it matter? Barely.
She immediately frowned. “Please don’t tell me you hunted the poor man because you’re the scorned ex-lover of said super mighty hot best friend?”
Rolling my eyes, I ignored her innuendo that I probably wasn’t in the best shape, mentally and emotionally. “He’s a guest here and the issued invite for tonight was a spur of the moment thing. Nothing was planned. It wasn’t like that…”
