Chapter 62
55 Vouchers
Mimi held up the charm bag in excitement, turning it over and over in her hands to examine every detail. The craftsmanship was exquisite, the kind of thing you could tell cost serious money just by looking at it.
“This bag is really pretty ooo,” she said, running her fingers over the smooth leather. It really must be expensive Elara. I can’t believe this is us now, look at you, you now go on vacation and bring me souvenirs. “Thank you, my love.” I really love it.
“Anytime,” Elara replied, smiling at how happy Mimi looked.
I’ll rock it to that event Juls invited us for. With this kind of bag, who knows how many sexy men will walk
up to me.
Can you stop, Elara laughed. You and men, that’s why they keep showing you pepper. It’s all the men you
like.
What can I say, Mimi replied. I love God’s earthly creation. They’re all so fine. She was still talking when she remembered instantly, she pulled out her phone to check the time, and her eyes went wide. “Shit, it’s a few minutes to 1 AM. How did time run so fast?”
She started gathering her things immediately, shoving her phone into her purse and standing up from where she’d been sitting on Elara’s bed. Elara followed her out of the room and down the stairs, both of them still laughing quietly about their earlier conversation.
When they reached the living room, Marcus and Dante were still there, sitting on the couch with half- empty glasses in front of them. They looked up when the women appeared.
“Where are you going?” Marcus asked, noticing Mimi had her bag slung over her shoulder.
“Home,” Mimi said simply.
Dante checked his watch and frowned. “It’s very late. Where’s your place?”
“About thirty minutes from here.”
“That’s too far to be driving alone this late,” Dante said, already standing up. “If you want, I can drop you.”
Mimi opened her mouth to respond, but Dante continued before she could get a word out.
“Or better yet, you could just stay the night. I have my own mini apartment here in Marcus’s house.”
They all laughed at the way he said it, like he was offering her some luxury suite instead of just a guest
room.
“There’s a bedroom and a small sitting room upstairs,” Dante explained. “It’s actually pretty comfortable. I crash there sometimes when I’m too tired to drive home after we’ve been working late.”
Mimi smiled, trying to look like she was considering it carefully when really her mind had been made up the second he suggested it. She leaned over to Elara, who was standing close beside her, and whispered just loud enough for her friend to hear.
“I didn’t want to go home anyways.”
Chapter 62
Elara slapped her hand lightly and hissed back, “See your life outside.”
58 vouchers
Dante was already moving toward the stairs. “Let me take you up. Show you where everything is.”
He helped her with her hand bag and the box that held the charm bag Elara had given her, carrying them like they weighed nothing. Mimi followed him up the stairs, her hips swaying naturally with each step. She threw one last look over her shoulder at Elara with a grin that said everything, her eyes dancing with mischief and excitement.
The moment they disappeared around the corner, Elara collapsed onto the couch with a long exhale. What a freaking day. Between the hospital appointment, finding out about the twins, shopping, dinner with Julius, and now this entire situation with Mimi clearly trying to shoot her shot with Dante, or Dante shooting his shot with Mimi. Seems they both fancy each other. She was exhausted.
The penthouse felt quieter now with just the two of them. The soft glow from the floor lamps created an intimate atmosphere that hadn’t been there moments before when Dante and Mimi filled the space with their energy and laughter. Elara could hear the faint sound of footsteps upstairs, probably Dante showing Mimi around his space, explaining where things were.
Marcus shifted on the couch, moving closer to where she sat. The movement was subtle but on purpose, he closed the little distance between them until they were sitting side by side. Close enough that she could smell his cologne, that familiar scent that always made her stomach do strange things she refused to acknowledge.
“How was your day today?” he asked, his voice softer than it had been in days, maybe sexier even.
“Uhmm,” Elara feels it is a bit of an odd question given that they weren’t on speaking terms; still, she contemplates it. “In a way… “Not bad. A little stressful, but good overall. She finally said.
She didn’t elaborate on the stress. Didn’t mention the ultrasound or the twins or the moment of panic when she thought someone was following them. Those were conversations for another time.
Marcus’s eyes traveled over her face, taking in the makeup that made her features look even more striking than usual. “Who did this makeup for you? It’s really beautiful.”
“Really?” Elara’s face lit up at the compliment, a genuine smile breaking through. “It’s Mimi. She’s really good at it, isn’t she.”
“She is,” Marcus agreed. Then his gaze dropped lower, taking in the black dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. “I love your dress too. You spent my money well, judging by the debit alert I got.”
Elara laughed, the sound came out light and carefree. “If I don’t spend it, who will?”
“Fair point.”
Marcus leaned in closer now, his hand coming to rest on her thigh. The touch was warm, as she felt the heat sending a shock sensation through her that she tried to ignore. His fingers splayed across the fabric of her dress, he started moving them in slow and soft circles.
His eyes finally locked onto hers, holding her gaze with an intensity that made her breath stop. She felt all the anger she had earlier that morning slowly melting away under the warmth of his attention.
“I’m really sorry, El.“
48 Mon, May
Chapter 68
I’m sorry M
Elara felt her heart drop with how emotional Marcus sounded. He looked like he was about to cry, his eyes glistening with something she’d never seen there before. She couldn’t find any words, her throat closing up as she watched him stand up from the chair and kneel in front of her.
Elara was shocked. Was he drunk? Marcus Thorne? Kneeling down for me? She felt a little joy and pride swell inside her chest. Had she finally cracked his wall? After all this time, after all the pushing and pulling and fighting, was this the moment he finally let her in?
He continued with the apology, holding her hands in his like they were something precious he was afraid of breaking. “I didn’t mean to annoy you. I didn’t mean to compete with you for your mum. I’m actually sorry.” He paused, his thumbs rubbing circles on the back of her hands. “And most importantly for leaving you unfinished in Santorini. If you want, I can make it up to you,” he said, smiling now.
Elara felt that shock sensation between her legs, heat pooling low in her belly, He was flirting again, and damn it, it was working.
She finally found her voice, though it came out softer than she intended, “It’s fine, Marcus. And I’m sorry too for staying out late in a city I’m not familiar with and walking around with a stranger. I get that if anything bad had happened to me, you’d have been at the receiving end of it. I’m really sorry.”
Marcus kissed her hands gently, she felt the warmth of his lips on her knuckles, he then stood up and sat back on the couch. His hand returned to her thigh, rubbing it slowly in circles that sent shivers up her spine.
Then he started, his brow furrowing slightly with concern. “Wait, you didn’t eat dinner last night and breakfast this morning. Have you even eaten today?”
“Yeah, I got breakfast on my way to Mimi’s, and we went out for dinner, remember?” she said, gesturing at her outfit and makeup with a small smile.
Marcus looked at her for a long moment, his eyes scanning her face like he was trying to read something there. “Hmm, yes. You could’ve fooled me.” His hand moved up and began to draw languid circles on her arm, and her heart dropped. She hated how cute he was and how she felt about him, not knowing if he felt the same way. She hated him so much she kissed him.
She pulled him down and pressed her lips against his, angry and fast. He kissed her back harder. There was nothing soft about it. His hands gripped her hips, dragging her into him, like he couldn’t get close enough. She moaned against his mouth, fingers curling in his hair as he backed her into the couch.
He touched everything. He touched her waist, her thighs, and the curve of her ass. Every inch he could reach, like he was a drowning man reaching for a log of wood.
She tugged his shirt off and bit his bottom lip just to be petty. He growled and hoisted her up, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist.
Marcus didn’t stop moving. He kept walking, carrying, her across the living room like she weighed nothing. his lips never leaving hers. He climbed the stairs with her still wrapped around him, one hand supporting her back, the other gripping her thigh possessively. The kiss broke for just a second as he navigated the hallway, both of them breathing hard, their foreheads pressed together.
