by Marian Tee
Anneke choked, and Fredericka Spears sighed. “You totally did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Naturally,” her cousin admitted without a qualm. “Otherwise, we would get nothing out from her. She’s not Willem de Konigh’s baby sister for nothing, you know.”
“I’m not saying anything about him,” Anneke countered stiffly, “only because there’s nothing to say.” But that was a lie, of course. It had been a month since the kiss, and she still didn’t know what to do about it.
The morning after, Marcus had invited her for breakfast in his other suite, which she deduced he had booked after seeing her conked out on his sofa. She had joined him nervously, but he had acted perfectly normal, and not once had he mentioned anything about the kiss. It almost made her wonder if she had imagined the entire thing.
But she knew she hadn’t.
How could she when she only had to remember it for her lips to tingle?
“Alyx’s right, though,” Fredericka remarked curiously. “You look seriously hot these days.”
“O-oh?”
“Are you guys getting back together?” Alyx asked bluntly.
“No!” But Anneke could feel her cheeks reddening as she spoke. When Fredericka and Alyx exchanged glances at her protest, which was admittedly a little too defensive, she cleared her throat and insisted in a firm, even tone, “Our divorce is still being processed.”
“Riiiiiiight.” But Alyx’s expression was dubious.
“These things take time!” Yes, she definitely sounded defensive. She turned to Fredericka, saying in a rush, “You know how these things are, Freddie. Tell her I’m not lying.”
“Divorce isn’t my specialty,” Fredericka hedged.
“But surely you understand how these things do take time, right?” Oh, yes, she definitely sounded more defensive now.
“Well.” The redhead cleared her throat. “If you really insist on my opinion---”
Anneke gave her friend a vehement nod.
“I think the two of you are simply using the divorce proceedings as an excuse to turn a blind eye on certain things.”
“Things…like what?”
Things like being together all the time, Fredericka thought, having Marcus Ravelli hang out with the de Konighs, and being caught on camera entering the Italian billionaire’s hotel room in the middle of the night.
But out loud, all she said was, “Just things.” She waited and hoped for Anneke to pick it up from there, but when the Dutch heiress only shrugged, Fredericka once again exchanged looks with her cousin.
Should they push this or not?
For some time now, both of them had been privately worried about Anneke and her seemingly growing closeness to the husband she was trying to divorce. They might know next to nothing about the marriage, but what they did know was how broken their friend had been following its abrupt and disastrous end.
Fredericka waited until Anneke finished giving her order. As soon as the waiter left, she said quietly, “You know we’re never going to judge you, right?”
The urge to confess about the kiss had the words teetering on the edge of her tongue, but in the end Anneke could only shake her head. “There’s nothing to say.” Because, she realized sickly, whatever Fredericka had to say – she already knew.
And her inability to talk about the kiss was proof of it.
Marcus Ravelli, the man she had married – and the man who had broken her heart – had kissed her, and she had let it go. He had kissed her, and she hadn’t spoken a word about it to anyone.
Because she already knew what people would say, what people would think.
Some would think she was a fool. Others would want her to try again.
But she wanted none of those.
Right?
By the time the waiter returned with her order, Anneke had made up her mind. After taking a sip of her coffee, she heard herself ask Fredericka, “Could you do me a favor?”
“Are you sure you’re not tired from your flight?” Marcus asked as they walked down the red carpet leading to the theater. The premiere they were attending was by an independent film production company Ravelli Holdings and DKE were considering investing in. He knew tonight was merely a business function as far as Anneke was concerned, but in his mind it was a date. He only didn’t think it necessary to say it out loud, having learned from his mistake.
“I’m really okay, but thank you for the concern.”
The too-polite tone had his dark eyes narrowing, but he let it pass even as he swiftly ran through the various reasons that could be behind Anneke’s sudden formality. It couldn’t be something he had done in the recent past, Marcus thought. He had spoken to her on the phone prior to her flight, and they had been fine.
So could it be something that happened more recently? He suddenly recalled her mentioning about meeting with her friends, and Marcus knew right away that was it. He also recalled the fact that Alyx Marshall could be a sharp-tongued, man-eating witch if she wanted to, and of course there was also Fredericka Spears, a hotshot attorney whom no one wanted to go up against in a courtroom.
An invisible noose seemed to slowly tighten around his neck as he considered the many ways either could cause trouble between him and Anneke.
And the worst thing about it was that they would do so because they were only looking after their friend, and how could he ever fault them for that?
At the end of the red carpet, the official photographer asked them to pose together for a shot, and when he felt Anneke stiffen at the request, the noose tightened around his neck.
As they took their seats inside the theater, Marcus turned to her slightly, intending to gradually ease his concerns into conversation.
But she beat him to it.
“I just thought you should know,” he heard her say jerkily without meeting his gaze. “I’ve changed lawyers.”
Marcus stilled.
“Fredericka’s agreed to work on my divorce case, so…things should progress more quickly from here on.”
Fuck. Fuck! Fuck!
Anneke slowly looked up. “I hope you don’t mind?”
“No. Of course not.” Marcus didn’t miss a beat even as his mind furiously worked on calculations and strategies. Fredericka Spears’ involvement trashed his entire timetable in an instant, and he knew he had to move far more quickly now. Anneke’s Russian friend was too damn good an attorney. It would only be a matter of time before the other woman won a case for Anneke---
And he couldn’t let that happen.
As soon as the film ended and credits started rolling, he turned to Anneke, asking, “Did you like the film?”
“I…umm…yes.” She bit her lip hard. Was that really all he was going to say? But then, what else did she want him to say? The divorce wasn’t supposed to be a big deal since they were friends.
But – if they were just friends, why had he kissed her in the first place?
“I’m glad you liked the movie,” Marcus was telling her as they headed out of the theater and waited for his limo to come around. “I’m already halfway convinced to back their next film.”
“O-oh?” She knew she should get her head back in the game, but she couldn’t. Her head was still spinning from all the conflicting thoughts that were going through her mind, and the way her heart was aching and beating hard at the same time only made her confusion deepen.
“It’s a war film.” The limo arrived as Marcus was speaking, and when he touched the small of her back to walk her to the car, Anneke did her best not to draw her breath while her entire body tingled.
Crap. This was just pure crap. Why was she feeling more sensitive than usual around him? Was it because of the frustration running through her blood, the part of her that couldn’t understand why she wasn’t happy about Marcus not minding their divorce was all but finalized?
“War films are normally costly…” Marcus resumed their conversation as soon as they were inside his limousine. “But they’re projecting they only nee
d ten mil to wrap up the whole thing.”
“I see.” But she didn’t. She didn’t see it at all, actually, because right now her mind was caught up in other things.
Marcus’ gaze narrowed once more at Anneke’s unreadable tone. He had been hoping to use this opportunity to invite her to accompany him to take a look at the location of the next project. It would require a three-day trip to the Bahamas, and he was hoping that would be enough to make his next move. But with Anneke being so damn closed off right now, Marcus found himself hesitating – what if he did invite her, and it turned out to be another thing he was pushing her too hard and too fast on?
“Anneke…”
Her heart squeezed. He used to call her ‘bambina’ all the time, she couldn’t help thinking, but now she was always Anneke. Now, she was just Anneke because they were just friends.
When they reached her hotel, Marcus offered to walk her up to her room, never mind if she usually said no to his offer.
But this time it was different.
She told him yes, and even thanked him for the offer, which left him all the warier. Something was definitely up, he thought broodingly. The only question was whether the unusual change in Anneke’s behavior counted as good or bad.
When they reached her suite, Anneke slid the key into the card slot just as she heard herself say, “About the next film…”
Marcus stiffened. If she turned him down---
“Perhaps we could discuss it inside?”
His head snapped towards her as her words detonated like a bomb between them. Tension rocketed in a blink of an eye as he tried to make sense of what she was really asking. Her voice had been unusually husky when she had uttered her invitation, but could he truly read anything into that?
He stared hard at her, expecting her to look away, but she didn’t.
She only gazed back at him and when he saw her tongue dart out to wet her lips---
Accidenti.
Need burst inside him, and he sucked in his breath. “I think I better go,” he said roughly.
The unexpected rejection had Anneke swallowing back a cry of disappointment. She knew she shouldn’t mind, but she did. “Don’t you want to discuss their next film now?”
“I do.” Marcus’ tone was taut. “But tonight is no good.”
And it was then she saw the way desire was burning so brightly in his eyes.
Oh.
“I can’t trust myself to be alone with you right now,” Marcus gritted out. “I hope you understand.”
“I do.” Her tone was tremulous. “But I still insist.”
His nostrils flared.
And then---
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Ah. The unspoken promise that followed the words had her cheeks flushing. She was afraid, but she was also excited, and her hand shook as she pulled her card key out, and the door slowly opened.
Oh God.
No sooner than the door closed behind them did passion explode. She was in his arms in the next moment, and their mouths fused just as her arms and legs locked around him. His tongue thrust deeply into her mouth, and she moaned. She felt him carrying her farther inside the room, but she couldn’t make herself care. She felt him lay her body on the coffee table, but she just let him. And when she felt him part her legs---
She didn’t even wait for him to ask.
She only parted her legs wide open, and a whimper escaped her as his large, strong hands ran up her bare legs under the skirt of her dress.
His fingers found the edge of her panties---
Rip.
Another whimper escaped her---
And then she could no longer breathe as Marcus started fucking her with his mouth. Her fingers clawed against the table as his tongue drove deep into her pussy, plunging in and out, in and out – her mind started to spin, and her fingers moved up, digging deep into the bunched muscles of his back.
Cupping the cheeks of her butt, Marcus pulled her hips up so he could kiss her more deeply.
She screamed.
A second later, and his mouth left her pussy. She started to mewl in protest until she felt it, his lips closing over her swollen clit. And then he started to suck hard.
She screamed again, and on her third scream, it was all over for Anneke, her wetness gushing out as she began to thrash wildly under his mouth.
“Please…” It was too much, she needed to breathe, but still his mouth didn’t leave her, didn’t stop sucking, and so the wetness kept gushing out of her pussy, and there seemed no end in sight.
When Marcus finally decided it was over, she was completely limp, unable to even muster the energy to open her eyes. But the moment she felt Marcus gather her in his arms, settling her on his lap as he took the couch---
The tears started to fall.
And these, too, seemed to have no end in sight.
Marcus tightened his arms around Anneke as her tears began to wet his chest.
“I’m scared.”
Her words were nearly inaudible, fragile, and swallowing hard, he said hoarsely, “I know, bambina---”
The endearment seemed to have struck a chord within her, and he felt Anneke’s body shake harder against him.
The weight of their shared past felt heavy on his shoulders, the lash of her tears agonizing. But he welcomed all of it because their presence meant the barriers between them were finally down.
Now, he was close enough to see her pain, to feel it, but it also meant he was close enough…to make it up to her.
“It’s going to be different now. I promise.”
Chapter Six
Anneke’s well-mapped life once again took another turn, and it was – as always – because of Marcus. They were taking things slow, seeing each other more often, doing things together that only couples should do – even as the divorce proceedings continued to push through. Anneke knew she was playing with fire, and she knew that these changes should terrify her – but it didn’t.
And she didn't want to think why, because then she’d be forced to put a label on her emotions – on what she had with the Italian billionaire – and she wasn’t ready for that. Being the once-burned, twice-shy type, Anneke had a feeling she wouldn’t ever be ready for that.
It was an ordinary day at work, and Anneke was closeted in the boardroom with her brothers when one of the receptionists knocked on the door, saying she had a visitor.
“Who is it?” She tried not to sound impatient, wondering why Rachel would interrupt such an important meeting for something likely to be inconsequential.
To her surprise, the younger woman released a giggle and then---
“He says he’s your long-lost husband, Ms. de Konigh.”
Anneke’s face turned red. Jaak burst into laughter, Nic even grinned, while Willem only raised a brow. “Quite an exaggeration,” the oldest of the de Konighs drawled, “considering the fact you’ve practically been living with him---”
“I have not been living with him,” Anneke muttered even as her face flamed hotter. What was Marcus thinking, for God’s sake? To Rachel, she said steadily, “Please escort him to my office---”
“Escort who, Ms. de Konigh?” Rachel asked innocently.
“Him.”
Getting into the spirit of the game, Jaak asked wickedly, “You have to say the words, just so Rachel is clear on what you’re asking.”
“Marcus Ravelli, for heaven’s sake!”
“And he’s your---” Jaak raised a quizzical brow.
“Oh, never mind!” Glowering at him, she muttered, “I’ll just take him myself.” Her brothers’ laughter followed Anneke as she stalked out of the room, but the moment she glimpsed Marcus waiting for her by the reception counter---
Oh, crap.
Her bad mood disappeared in an instant, replaced instead by a chaotic mix that was now familiar in a bittersweet kind of way. There was pain and pleasure, fear and excitement, hate and…something else.
She watched his dark eyes burn the momen
t he realized she was there, and her heart started to thunder as he walked towards her.
“Ciao, bambina.”
“Ciao.” She wanted to sound casual, but the way her voice squeaked totally put an end to that, and when his lips twitched, she knew he knew what she really was feeling inside.
And it was desire.
White-hot in its intensity, its flames fanned by their every sexual encounter – and, oh there was more than one every time they met – her desire for him seemed to know no bounds. She only had to see him, and she would find herself literally craving for his touch.
And even with her brothers under the same roof, in the very same floor in fact – it made no difference.
Willing her body to stop trembling, she said unevenly, “I w-wasn’t expecting you.”
“I know.” Marcus’ tone was matter-of-fact. “But I missed you.” Translation: I want to fuck you. “Badly.” Now.
Anneke gulped.
Dark eyes glittering, he asked huskily, “Is there anywhere we can talk in private?”
She cleared her throat. “Umm, yes.” Her breasts began to swell behind her bra, her nipples started to pucker, and Anneke swung away clumsily, not wanting him to realize just how easily aroused she was. “Follow me, please.”
She tried to keep her pace steady even though she was tempted to make a run for it, and especially when she felt his gaze fall on her butt – and stay there.
Marcus, you jerk.
When they made it to her corner office, he insisted on opening the door, murmuring, “Ladies first.”
As she stepped past him, she caught a whiff of his oh-so-familiar scent---
Big mistake.
Her knees knocked hard against each other, and she almost tripped over her own feet on her way in. Spinning around, she watched him close the door, willing herself to calm down. But when he turned to face her---
It was no use.
Marcus grunted when Anneke suddenly launched herself at him. His arms closed around her automatically even as his back landed against the door---
Their mouths touched.
And neither of them wanted to speak or even think after that.
