KISAREL.
Every inch of my body felt like I had been run over by a truck.
I peeled my eyes open, and the morning sun almost rendered me blind.
Jesus.
Last night's event came flooding back into my memory, and I did my very best to push it aside.
I wasn't going to let it get in the way. Like we agreed, we'll act like it never happened.
But there was a certain kind of butterfly stubbornly flapping its wings in my stomach for no reason. It was probably the kind that comes with being bedded by a man like Oceans Stark. Or the kind that comes with being fucked by a man one could categorize as the god of sin.
God. I might never be able to look at my boss the same way ever again. Not after witnessing this other side of him.
The thought alone made my center quake.
I was kinda good at pretending. So... It wouldn't be a big deal after all. As long as I don't receive a sack letter the moment we return home.
It felt like the perfect revenge. Moonie slept with my man; I slept with hers. Good riddance. Even though that wasn't the actual intent when I asked Mr. Stark for sex. But it still felt perfect.
I was still feeling sleepy. But we came here for a purpose, and I had to get useful already.
My gaze drifted to the clock on the wall, and immediately, every ounce of drowsiness that was left in my eyes vanished.
It was twelve minutes past twelve.
I made to sit up abruptly but winced at the sharp pain that shot through me from between my legs.
"Oh, God," I murmured. "What do I do?"
I was certainly going to loose my job. I knew Mr. Stark wasn't one to mix pleasure and work. And here I was, sleeping, when we were supposed to have a meeting as early as nine o'clock.
He must have done his best to wake me up, but I obviously didn't wake up. Was sleeping like a log of wood.
I had lost my parents' wealth to my uncle, Moonie's father. I wasn't about to lose the only thing paying my bills now because of one single act of carelessness.
Once upon a time, I used to be the princess of Harry Kendell's empire. Untouchable and respected. Until I lost my parents in a strange car crash when I was ten, and Moonie suddenly took over my own life. I became the lesser one.
So, there is only so much I can do without this job.
I pulled off the blanket covering my naked body, and there, I saw a note beneath it.
"Relax. Don't stress it. Already left for the meeting."
That was all. I couldn't read into the tone of the note. Was he angry?
Jesus.
I dragged myself out of bed, limping to the sitting room where I kept my phone. And there, I found neatly covered plates on the center table.
There was another note tucked under one of the plates.
"Breakfast. You can heat it up if it's too cold when you wake up."
What the hell is going on? There was no way Mr. Stark was being this nice to me. There was definitely something wrong.
Could this be his own way of feeling guilty just before relieving me of my duty?
I moved around the suite with a racing heart, waiting eagerly for my boss to return and tell me what this was all about.
After a long, hot shower, I ate the meal, put on my glasses, and finally picked up my phone.
Seventy-three missed calls and nineteen texts.
Two texts were from Moonie.
I quickly opened them, curious to see what she'd say. Had she lied to her parents about me yet again?
Was I in trouble for doing absolutely nothing?
I read the first text:
"What the fuck are you doing on a trip with my man?"
Of course, Mr. Stark had told her we were on a trip. They'd spoken. He'd also probably told her about my promotion. That's why I never believed the bullshit he told me about not loving Moonie. I was certain he was lying.
I'd seen both of them together. I'd heard a lot about how loved-up they both were. He probably didn't want to admit his love life to his subordinate.
Her second text opened:
"Say a word to him about what happened and watch me ruin your life."
Typical Moonie.
I ignored her and opened the other texts, and they were all from Jace.
My heart fell immediately, and the guilt I swore never to feel was finding it's way to the surface.
I didn't like Jace at first when my uncle, Fred, arranged our union. But after a while of being with him and getting to know him, he stole my heart effortlessly. And since then, I became addicted to him.
One might even say I got to love him more than he loved me. But sometimes, he tends to prove that notion wrong... Just like now.
He made me feel... Wanted. And, shouldn't every woman be happy when their men made them feel this way?
All his texts were apologies upon apologies. His words got to my heart.
"Please, baby. I swear to God. She made me so it."
"Let's talk, my love. We can't throw away what we have because of Moonie."
"It was only this one time. Please."
"I'll die if I ever lose you. We can make this work."
I heaved a long sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. I was conflicted, but a greater part of me really wanted to hear from him. I wanted to forgive him. But... Oh, God...
The ringing of my phone shattered my thoughts, and when I looked, it was Jace.
I swiped to answer before I could even stop myself.
"Oh, thank God. You picked. Babe... Look... I swear, I'm sorry..." He started, saying everything and anything, all in a rush.
For over six minutes, I just sat with my phone pressed to my ear, listening to all he was saying, even though a lot of those things he said were lies.
Either way, he was breaking every barrier I thought I had built last night. And suddenly, guilt started eating me up as images of my sin with my boss kept resurfacing uninvited.
"Jace..." I called tiredly, folding my legs on the couch.
"No, baby. You don't have to say anything now. I want to see you. I want to hold you while we talk about us... I promise to be a changed man from now on. I..."
His voice drifted when the front door pushed open, and my gaze rested on the man whose effect I thought I could fight.
Mr. Stark.
By merely looking at him, my center quaked, and my heart began to beat a little too fast.
His cold eyes pinned me in place, and suddenly, images of all he did to me last night replayed in my head.
My throat suddenly went dry as I forced myself to swallow a lump.
No... I had to put a stop to this madness, my body was showing.
He closed the door behind him and started walking slowly, straight toward me. My body reacted immediately.
"I... I'll call you..." I managed to say into the phone and hung up before Jace could have the opportunity to say anything else.
Mr. Stark came to a stop so close that the scent of his perfume filled my nostrils.
"Who was it?" He asked ever so calmly, gesturing toward my phone.
I held his gaze like one who had been hypnotized, unable to look away even though I wanted to.
"Jace," I replied, and a dark shadow crossed his features.
He slowly crouched in front of me, his eyes never leaving mine.
He reached out, his fingers gently caressing the side of my face.
A shudder rippled through me at the contact.
"Kiss..." My name rumbled out of his throat, "It seems I didn't fuck you well enough last night."
My brows narrowed at his words.
"Maybe we should try again. It'll help you forget all about him, don't you think?"
"Mr. Stark..."
"Oceans," He bit out in a warning tone.
"Oceans... I'm still sore from last night," I said in a really small voice, still holding his dark gaze like I was under a spell. I could feel my eyes watering at the sides.
"And I can't promise not to be rough." He ran his thumb across my bottom lip and a shudder rippled through me. "Scared?"
He drew closer, and the closer he came, the more my center quaked shamelessly.
"I told you never to wear these glasses again. They don't suit you," He took them off and flung them behind him.
His body heat enveloped me so much that I felt dizzy.
"Oceans?" I managed through the drumming of my heart, "I thought... I thought last night was a mistake?"
He scoffed before capturing my lips in his and kissing me like he'd been hungry for it all day.
This was wrong.
It felt too wrong.
I tried to push him off, but his hand moved to the side of my neck, pressing me deeper into him like he wanted our bodies and souls to become one.
His hand traveled below the shirt I was wearing, tracing its way all the way to my back, when he suddenly stopped kissing me and slowly pulled away.
His fingers caressed the scar just above my shoulder blade for a second too long.
"I didn't ask last night," He held my gaze, "Where did you get this scar?"
My heart skipped a beat.
It was a stupid story that I'd never told anyone, except my family.
How do I go about telling people that I took a bullet for a stranger who never cared to look for me or even to know if I was still alive or not?
So, no. I wasn't telling my boss that.
"I... I don't know. I must have gotten it when I was a child or..." I shrugged.
Thankfully, a call interrupted the almost heated session.
Mr. Stark answered the phone and stood up, walking to the bedroom. I couldn't hear the rest of the call. But all I heard was;
"Keep looking. She has to exist somewhere."
Who was that?
Was it his mystery woman he was looking for?
