Seraphina.
The cake tasted like ash in my mouth. I forced another smile as guests clapped around me but all I could focus on was the dull throb between my thighs.
The sticky memory of his cum on my skin before we washed it off lingered in my mind.
Every time I shifted my weight I felt the faint ache. It served as a constant reminder I couldn't escape, a secret brand hidden beneath the elegant fabric of my dress.
Mom had hired a small ballet troupe to perform in the grand hall. Their pointe shoes whispered across the marble floor as they spun gracefully under the sparkling chandeliers.
My left knee twinged painfully just from watching them. The familiar pull in my ankle made my stomach twist with a mixture of longing and resentment.
"Phina, sweetheart," Mom said as she looped her arm through mine. "Go join them for one piece. It is your night."
I shook my head. My throat felt tight. "Not tonight."
"Oh come on. For me? You were so beautiful on stage."
A sharp pain shot through my ankle at the mere mention of dancing. "I am good Mom. Really."
"Alright sweetheart." She pecked my cheek. "I will be here when you need me." With that she walked off toward other guests.
The room suddenly felt too bright. The lights blurred at the edges and black spots danced in my vision. For a second I was back on that stage two years ago. The final leap.
The sickening snap in my ankle. The scream I had swallowed as I crashed to the floor.
The doctor’s cold words still echoed in my head. "You might never dance again."
The memory clawed at my chest, making the air feel impossibly thick.
My chest squeezed. My breaths came out short and sharp. Panic pressed in from all sides.
Then a warm hand settled on my lower back. "Easy," a deep voice murmured beside me. He stepped closer. His body shielded me from the crowd. His thumb moved in slow steady circles against my spine. "Breathe with me. In. Out."
The panic loosened its grip almost immediately. I hated how quickly my body obeyed him. When my breathing finally evened out I stepped away from his touch and looked up at him.
"How the hell did you end up in my bathroom?" I asked.
Draven scratched his temple. He looked completely unfazed. "You are just realizing that? That is rich coming from someone who walked in and stayed."
I shot him a sharp glare that shut him up.
He met my eyes with calm intensity. "The shower in my suite cracked. I took the nearest one. Then you walked in."
"That simple?"
"Yeah." The corner of his mouth twitched.
"You didn't exactly give me a chance to explain."
"Explain that you invited an escort to our new home while my mom was downstairs?"
"We both crossed that line," he said quietly. "It is done now." A smirk tugged at his lips as he leaned in closer. His voice dropped low. "Though you seemed very determined to prove something tonight little one."
Heat flooded my face. "Don't call me that." I turned and pushed through the crowd. I needed air that did not smell like him.
I nearly collided with Mom again. "There you are darling!" She squeezed my hand and glowed with happiness. "So what do you think of Draven?"
I shrugged and kept my face blank. "He is okay."
"Okay?" She laughed softly. "He is going to take care of us baby. Really take care of us. I am so happy."
"Yeah." I sipped my drink. Inside everything screamed. He took care of me twenty minutes ago. On his bed. With his cock buried deep inside me.
"I am tired Mom. Long night. I just want to rest my legs."
She kissed my cheek. "Of course baby. Go rest. I will finish up here."
The next morning I came downstairs dressed for work and went to the dining room to grab my car keys. They were not there.
"Mom took your car to the city for some fittings," the housekeeper said apologetically. "She said Mr. Voss can give you a ride. He is leaving in five minutes."
I scrunched up my face and stormed outside.
This was a great way to start the morning. The universe had a sick sense of humor.
In the garage I found him leaning against his black Bentley. He scrolled through his phone in a sharp suit. His gray hair was neatly styled and his expression looked cold and powerful.
We got into the car without a word. The engine purred smoothly and we pulled out of the estate in heavy silence.
East Hampton traffic gave way to the Long Island Expressway. I stared out the window with my knees pressed tightly together. I felt hyper aware of his hand resting on the gear shift.
The silence grew deafening. My skin prickled with awareness of him. I couldn't take it anymore.
"You are really going to act as if nothing happened?" I asked. My voice stayed low.
Draven kept his eyes on the road. "You walked away last night."
"Because it was insane. You are marrying my mother."
He hit the brakes harder than necessary. I lurched forward slightly. He turned to me sharply. "Listen to me little one. I didn't know whose room that was. And if anyone owes an apology here it is you for not saying a damn word. I would appreciate it if you stopped acting as if I forced you."
I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. He was right but I refused to admit it. I adjusted uneasily in my seat as he continued driving. This felt like the longest ride of my life.
We were ten minutes from my office in Manhattan when his phone rang through the car speakers. It eased the tension slightly. I had never been so relieved to hear a ringtone.
He answered. "Yeah?"
A woman’s clipped voice filled the car. "Draven so you really are getting married again?"
"Elara I don't have time for this. It is too early." He said it flatly and hung up.
He tapped the screen again and called someone else.
"What do you want?" The new voice sounded sharp and full of resentment.
Draven’s hand tightened on the wheel. "My wedding is in a few weeks. You should be there."
A bitter laugh crackled through the speakers. "Why? So I can watch you play house again? No thanks. I will pass."
Draven exhaled through his nose. "This matters for the family."
"Family? That is rich coming from you. You didn't give a damn about family before. Now suddenly you want me smiling in photos?"
"I am not asking for a photo shoot. I am just telling you to show up."
"Yeah well I am telling you to go to hell. Maybe I will come just to see what kind of mess you are making this time."
The line went dead.
Draven tossed the phone into the center console. His jaw stayed locked and his knuckles turned white on the wheel. Tension rolled off him in waves. Cold fury mixed with something heavier and deeper.
I shifted in my seat. My heart beat faster. Whoever that was Draven both wanted them there and dreaded it.
He pulled over in front of En Pointe Designs.
Before I could escape he leaned over. His breath brushed my shoulder as he whispered.
"Tonight. I want to meet you in my home office by ten o’clock. Don't make me come looking for you Seraphina."
I froze. My pussy ached with renewed need at his words. When I looked at his face his piercing gray eyes searched mine as if the answer was written there.
I ignored him and stepped out on shaky legs. I shut the door with a loud bang. He drove off.
As the Bentley merged back into traffic one question burned hotter than the rest. Who the hell had been on that call and why did the mention of the wedding make Draven look ready to break something?
