Chapter 255
Chapter 261
Madison
The weight of Alexander’s gaze felt almost physical as he held my eyes with his. “Good,” he said, the single word carrying more meaning than it should have.
I broke eye contact first, taking another sip of whiskey to hide my sudden nervousness. The amber liquid burned pleasantly down my throat, warming me from the inside.
“So, what now?” I asked, setting my glass down on the coffee table.
Alexander leaned back in his chair, loosening his tie further. “Now we get some sleep. It’s been a long day, and tomorrow we head back to New York p>
“To deal with Vanessa,” I added.
“To deal with Vanessa,” he confirmed, his voice hardening slightly at her name.
I stood up, stretching my arms above my head. “I’m exhausted. Between the sightseeing and international conspiracies, London has really taken it out of me p>
Alexander’s lips quirked up. “Not exactly the relaxing getaway I promised p>
“I don’t know,” I shrugged, moving toward the bedroom. “The Tower of London was nice. And no one pulled a gun on me, so I’d call that a win p>
His low chuckle followed me as I disappeared into the bathroom to get ready for bed. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, trying to process everything that had happened. Vanessa Caldwell had orchestrated an elaborate plan to drug Alexander. If she had succeeded…
I shuddered, splashing cold water on my face. The implications were disturbing on multiple levels.
When I emerged from the bathroom wearing the silk pajama, Alexander was already in bed, his back propped against the headboard as he scrolled through his phone. He’d changed into a pair of black sleep shorts, leaving his chest bare. I tried not to stare at the defined muscles of his torso as I climbed into my side of the bed.
“Anything interesting?” I asked, nodding toward his phone.
Alexander glanced up, his eyes taking a slow journey from my face down to where the silk camisole hugged my curves. “Just checking market updates. Force of habit p>
“Most people check social media before bed. You check stock prices.” I settled against the pillows, pulling the luxurious duvet over my legs. “Billionaire problems, I guess p>
He set his phone on the nightstand with a small smirk. “Would you prefer if I fuck your pussy instead of checking market updates?” His hand slid beneath the covers, finding my hip and pulling me closer until I felt the hard length of his cock pressing against my ass through the thin fabric of my pajamas.
I swallowed hard, heat flooding my body despite my exhaustion. “No, continue checking your precious market updates. I’m going to sleep.” I turned away from him, trying to ignore the way my body responded to his touch.
1/3
Chapter 261
+25 BONUS
“Are you sure about that, Madison?” His fingers traced lazy patterns along my thigh, dipping dangerously close to where I was already embarrassingly wet. “Your body seems to be saying something different p>
“My body doesn’t make the decisions around here,” I muttered, even as I pressed back against him involuntarily.
“No?” His breath was hot against my ear as he pulled me closer, his arm wrapping around my waist. “Then who does? Your brain? Because I think that’s also interested in what I’m offering p>
His hand slid beneath my camisole, fingers dancing across my stomach before moving up to cup my breast. My nipple hardened instantly against his palm.
“Fuck,” I whispered, arching into his touch.
“That’s the idea,” Alexander murmured, his thumb circling my nipple in slow, deliberate movements. “I could make you come right now. Have you screaming my name in less than five minutes p>
“Pretty confident for someone who’s supposed to be checking market updates p>
“I’m good at multitasking.” His other hand slipped between my thighs, pressing against the damp silk covering my pussy. “Very good p>
My breath hitched as his fingers found my clit through the fabric. “Alexander p>
“Yes, Maddie?” He sounded amused, the bastard. He knew exactly what he was doing to me.
His fingers continued their torturous movements, building a pressure that had me squirming against him. Just as I was about to give in completely, he suddenly withdrew his hand.
“You’re right,” he said, his voice maddeningly calm. “We should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow p>
I turned to face him, incredulous. “Are you serious right now p>
Alexander’s smirk was infuriating. “What? You said you wanted to sleep p>
“You can’t just… wind me up like that and then stop p>
“I believe I just did.” He reached for his phone again, the picture of nonchalance. “Sweet dreams, Madison p>
“You’re an asshole,” I muttered, flopping onto my back.
He didn’t even look up from his phone.
I lay there, body still thrumming with unfulfilled desire, staring at the ceiling. The soft blue light from Alexander’s phone screen illuminated his profile as he scrolled through whatever financial reports had captured his attention. How could he switch gears so easily? One minute, he was turning me on; the next, he was analyzing stock prices like nothing had happened.
My mind drifted to Vanessa and her failed plan. What if she had succeeded? What if Alexander had been drugged, and she’d been the one in his penthouse that night? The thought made my stomach clench with something that felt suspiciously like jealousy.
2/3
Chapter 261
+25 BONUS
Would we still be here, in this luxurious London hotel room? Would I still be working as his assistant? Would my mother be receiving the care she needed?
“You’re thinking very loudly,” Alexander said without looking away from his phone.
“Just processing today’s revelations,” I replied, pulling the covers up higher.
“Vanessa p>
I nodded, then realized he wasn’t looking at me. “Yeah. Just wondering what would have happened if her plan had worked p>
This got his attention. Alexander set his phone down again, turning to face me. “It didn’t p>
“But if it had p>
“It didn’t,” he repeated firmly. “And speculating about what–ifs is a waste of time p>
“Says the man who built his fortune predicting market futures,” I pointed out.
That earned me a small smile. “That’s different. That’s based on data, patterns, and probabilities. Not pointless conjecture about things that never happened p>
“I guess.” I shifted, still uncomfortably aroused from his earlier teasing. “I just can’t help wondering if we’d still be… whatever we are… if things had gone differently that night p>
Alexander studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable in the dim light. “You think our arrangement is solely the result of that night’s circumstances p>
“Isn’t it?” I challenged. “If I hadn’t come to the penthouse that night, if you hadn’t discovered my side job, if you hadn’t proposed this deal p>
“If, if, if.” Alexander shook his head. “Life is full of random chances and coincidences. The question isn’t what would have happened differently; it’s what we do with the reality we have p>
“That’s very philosophical for someone who was offering to fuck me senseless five minutes ago,” I said dryly.
“I contain multitudes p>
“And an enormous ego p>
“Among other enormous things.” His eyebrows waggled suggestively.
“And we’re back to dick jokes. So much for philosophy p>
Alexander’s expression softened slightly. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad things happened the way they did p>
The admission surprised me. “Even the part where you were drugged p>
“Not my favorite memory,” he conceded. “But the outcome…” His eyes met mine, something unexpectedly vulnerable flickering in their depths. “I wouldn’t change it p>
My heart did a little flip in my chest. “Me neither,” I admitted quietly.
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.