Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 156392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 782(@200wpm)___ 626(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 782(@200wpm)___ 626(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
I nod, merely so he’ll release me.
“Use your voice.”
“Yeah, fine.” My lips stroke his with the words and a rush of heat pools between my thighs.
The car moves and Eli does release me, then lounges back in his seat like a monarch. I give him the stink eye as I retrieve my mirror and start to salvage my hair.
“It took me half an hour to do this,” I grumble.
“And only seconds to ruin,” he shoots back with that dreadful sadism. This man is a hard nut to crack. I honestly have no clue what makes him tick aside from OCD tendencies.
He's as opaque as a muddy pond ravaged by a downpour.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror and gasp. “Eli!”
“Yes?”
“You left finger marks on my neck.”
“Good.” He stares at his handiwork. “That way everyone will know who the fuck you belong to.”
Frustration bubbles in my veins and I express it by kicking his feet and spending the entirety of the ride powdering the hell out of my neck and somewhat managing to fix my hair.
When we reach the venue, I’m hit with the beautiful smell of sage that the organizers have picked for the event. A charity for protecting endangered trees and the planet.
The grand hall seems to stretch on for miles, large enough to hold multiple events at once. However, on this particular evening, it’s filled to the brim with influential and self-important individuals, all dressed in elegant tuxedos and sparkling cocktail dresses. Among them, a handful of celebrities sign autographs on cards and even body parts.
In the background, a quartet plays a sophisticated arrangement of pop songs in classical compositions, filling the air with enchanting melodies. Waiters glide through the crowd in their smart uniforms, expertly balancing trays of drinks while guests indulge in the opulent buffet spread out before them.
The atmosphere is one of luxury and extravagance, a true feast for all senses that seems to bore my husband to death.
I walk in with my arm draped through his and a blinding smile on my face. I say hi to all my acquaintances and even people I don’t recognize when they greet me.
Eli’s face remains stone-cold like the grinch he is. Honestly, he should be thankful I’m offering my social skills to balance his lack of diplomacy.
As we’re stopped by some of his acquaintances, he disentangles his arm from mine and drops it to my waist, his palm covering my hip and sensually stroking the dress.
Although a whole piece of clothing separates his skin from mine, it’s no different than if he were wedging his tongue inside me.
I blink away the erotic image of him doing just that the last time he touched me and focus on the conversation. He’s speaking to a business partner, a tall black man with salt-and-pepper hair who’s probably in his late forties. He looks both elegant and easygoing, his broad smile instantly inviting.
“Meet my wife, Matthew,” Eli says. “Ava King.”
“How do you do?” Mathew grabs my hand, but before he can bow down and kiss it like a gentleman, Eli swiftly pulls it away.
“I told you to meet her, not to touch her,” he says with calm collectiveness.
Before I can reprimand him, Matthew bursts out laughing and then raises his glass. “I better go find my wife before this one here starts a riot. It was nice to meet you, Mrs. King, and I wish you the best of luck. You’ll need it.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” I smile and wave.
As he walks away, Eli faces me as he grabs a glass of water from a passing waiter. “Stop smiling so much.”
“Stop being a dick. I’m trying to be nice since you’re obviously not.”
“I’m not, huh?”
“Hello? Have you seen your face in the mirror lately? It could be effectively used to scare children so they’ll behave.”
His lips tip up in an amused smile, but before I can bask in that, Leo walks in silently and whispers something in his boss’s ear.
When he retreats, Eli looks at me. “I need to check on some business associates. Will you be fine on your own for a while?”
“Sure.”
“Behave, Mrs. King.” He leans in and brushes his lips to my cheek.
As he walks away, I can feel them getting as red as my outfit.
Talk about teasing.
I mingle with some acquaintances and manage to refuse every alcohol offer. It’s easier to settle with water and some mocktails now.
As I’m standing with a group of musicians, insanely jealous of their accomplishments and thinking of a way to escape the line of questioning about competitions, a familiar face strides toward me.
I excuse myself and walk to Vance. “Oh, hey, what a lovely surprise to see you here, V.”
“I should be saying that. You look absolutely ravishing, Ava.”
“Don’t let my husband hear you say that.” I laugh.
“Then he should appreciate what he has, don’t you think?” The suggestive tone in his words doesn’t escape me.