I scoff, half-tempted by her invitation. Being this close to her and having this type of conversation causes my heart to patter against my ribs. My hand goes to cup the back of her head, and as I look deeply into the infinite blue of her eyes, all I can see is my downfall and the pain that lies ahead of me. She is your enemy, I remind myself. She’s gonna destroy you. Yet, before I can cool down, Petra closes the small gap between us, pressing her delicious lips on mine. Fuck… Her kiss dispels any rational thought out of me, and all I can do is shut my eyes and think about how in her arms, I’m home. Maybe for tonight I can forget what she has done, maybe for tonight I can let myself go. She deepens our kiss, her arms tightening around my neck and her tongue slips inside my mouth, sensually fondling mine, leaving my body to prickle with heat. She moans at the connection, making my boner harder than granite. I was not ready for the passion in her kiss, the heady sensations of her touch, and the way her love can make me forget everything but us. Her tongue twirls around mine with pleasure and need, mounting the desire between us. A grunt rolls off my throat as I finish our kiss. Her lips are swollen and wet, but my mouth goes down to her neck and without thinking twice, I tug on her flesh, sucking and blowing on it. I have missed it, I have missed every bit of it. The way she tilts her head back, giving me free access to her bare skin fills me with rapture and I deepen the suction until her flesh gets a beautiful purple mark.
“Ahh,” I hear her whimpering, before she presses her fingers directly on the hickey. “You missed me that much?”
Amid our loud beats, her question is barely audible, but her sweet little voice resonates though me and my heart nearly suffocates as I picture everything else I want to do to her.
My thumb goes to her full, kissable lips where I pull her lower one, making her gasp with pleasure at the touch.
“Yes,” I breathe as I watch her lips parting for me. Then I squeeze them between my fingers, before slamming her mouth on mine in a hungry despair to devour her. I can have her for tonight, just tonight… and tomorrow I will go back to my private residence.
After breaking our kiss, she wets her lips, stands up from my lap, and takes me by the hand. I raise from my seat, and she starts leading me back inside the house and then upstairs. And I know exactly where she is taking me…
As we climb the stairs, I watch her hips swinging and tempting me hard. I lick my lower lip picturing undressing her and roaming my hands all over her smooth skin. Jeez, I wanted to play hard, but I failed miserably. Tomorrow she’ll go back to the condo and we won’t see each other for a while, so tonight it will be like we’re saying goodbye.
Then, we walk through the hallway, until we reach the door of our bedroom. Without thinking twice, she twists the handle and cracks the door open. She turns and looks at me before reaching for my ear and whispering, “Just tonight.”
Chapter 11
Bedford Hills, February 15, 2021
Petra Van Gatt
I shouldn’t be surprised to wake up in an empty bed. After all, I know Alex loves to get up early. Yet, after seven days living in separate places and sleeping apart, I thought this time he’d make an exception. But rather than spend the morning with me, spooning or cuddling in bed, he thought it would be better to leave me alone––most likely to serve as a reminder of what my future is gonna look like. I shouldn’t care about it. He betrayed my trust so many times that he doesn’t deserve any of my sympathy. And yet… I’m not sure if it’s because of the pregnancy, the hormones, or the fact we made love until the early hours of the morning, but I can't find the will to keep my distance from him. My heart wants us to be together, turn the page, and start all over. Oh for fuck’s sake! Stop being stupid!
I heave a long sigh, before stretching my arms and legs and focus on reality—he participated in the abduction of my mom, hid it from me, lied, and now she’s dead because of him. That’s what I have to remind myself of. Then my mind goes to the audio recorder that I left inside my blazer yesterday before putting on my dress and I wonder if I should take it with me for breakfast or not. I feel conflicted; on one hand, Eric asked me to provide taped conversations, but on the other, he didn’t really give me any specifics. He didn’t say how many conversations I should provide or how many hours of audio, and he didn’t mention if I should be recording all the time or not. He doesn’t have to know I spent the evening and the morning with my husband entirely off record…
All of a sudden, the ringtone of my iPhone echoes across the bedroom, startling me. I take it from the nightstand and check who’s calling so early in the morning.
What? Eric Bradford? Damn it! A gush of air rolls off my lips as I glance around the room to make sure that I’m totally alone. Then I answer the call and bring the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hi Petra.” He sounds in a rush and knowing him as I do, I’ve got the sensation he’ll get straight to the point, without wasting any second. “Look, I managed to hear the first conversation you had with him. The sound quality is pretty good.”
Holy shit! He already did? Damn, he’s really obsessed with this case. And I can’t help but wonder if he’s really doing it because of Mom or because of the hatred he has for Alex.
“However there’s nothing we can use in court.”
Oh, because my husband said he was innocent? We technically have a confession but of course it’s not the right one.
“Why didn’t you bring the voice-recorder with you during your dinner with him?”
My eyes widen in surprise at his question, and I wonder how he knows I had dinner with him in the first place. But instead of interrogating him, I quietly say, “I was wearing a dress, and it’d have shown.”
“You need to talk to him or to your in-laws about the nanoparticles,” he instructs. “If we find who injected them into your mom, it can give us enough evidence that they would be held responsible for her homicide.”
I can’t stop looking at the door, mortified at the idea of Maria or Alex walking in and seeing me talking to Eric. In order to lower my voice even more, I put my palm in front of my mouth and proceed. “How am I supposed to talk to him about it if he doesn’t trust me?” I ask him in a whisper. “It’s on the tape he wants to stay away from me.”
“I’m sure he’ll let down his guard,” Eric answers, his tone overly confidant. “The heart can be our worst enemy.”
His insinuation doesn’t ease me. Unfortunately, I know he’s right. Yesterday Alex was already letting his guard down and acting more comfortable around me than he has since this all started. Yet, I don’t want to toy with him, I don’t want to betray him, despite knowing he deserves it. “I’m not sure if I will see him again.” I close my eyes tight, knowing it wasn’t my mind talking, but my heart in order to protect him. And I’m pretty sure Eric knows it.
“Of course, you will. I’m sure he’ll go with you to all the prenatal appointments. As the pregnancy progresses, he’ll be totally smitten.”
“I’m sorry?” I can’t contain the shock in my voice. “What does that mean?” I ask immediately, hoping it’s not what I’m thinking.