I looked at her a few minutes before responding. The question was random enough, but for her to think I wouldn’t inform her about something that important insulted me. I tried to think of why she would even ask the question. Then I remembered her face when she saw Alek on the screen. She looked horrified. It wasn’t the look of a woman scared to lose the man she loved. It was the look of a woman scared for her life. She had even strangely stopped breathing for a few seconds. I hadn’t thought about it then because I was in shock myself, but she looked as though her world was falling apart. It was the reason I suggested she take the elevator. If she had been any other woman, I wouldn’t have cared, but from the moment I met her, I knew we shared something. I just didn’t realize how deep the connection had been. Her honesty about her husband when she was getting on the elevator had only scratched the surface.
“You were on the elevator before he reached the second floor. Trust me. You don’t have anything to worry about,” I reassured her.
She was quiet.
I took that moment to lift her onto the kitchen island. She squealed but didn’t resist. I knew it wasn’t the best timing, but my cock was growing harder by the second. The way she bit her lip when she was nervous had me rock hard. This woman was contemplating something, and the truth was I no longer cared. The damage had already been done. The liquor was fueling the man I struggled to keep hidden, and she was making it impossible for me to think clearly. I leaned into her, taking in her scent. I could still smell myself on her. The reminder caused me to take a firm grip on her hair. I slightly yanked her head toward me, staring into her blazing green eyes.
“The issue now is I still want you, Mia. I know who you are and who you’re married to, but it doesn’t make me any less attracted to you,” I said, pulling her against me. “Does that make me a bad person? Is it wrong of me to still want to spread you open right here on this kitchen island? Regardless of the fact that your husband might still be downstairs.”
She moaned when I said this. Her eyes became heavy, and she bit that damn bottom lip. I couldn’t control myself anymore. I positioned myself between her legs, lifting her dress around her waist. I waited for her to protest, but it never came. I looked at her one last time before running my fingers down her slit. She was wet for me. The evidence didn’t lie. It suddenly dawned on me that her panties were still in my office. I erased the thought from my head and stroked her slowly. She willingly opened her legs wider, placing her hands on my shoulders.
“This is wrong, Wes,” she whispered.
Her comment made me pause but didn’t deter me. I continued to stretch her open with my fingers. Her eyes never left mine as she sensually rotated her hips against my hand. I cursed when she leaned her head back in ecstasy. I took it as an invitation to devour her neck, taking my time nipping and sucking, slowly making my way to her ear.
“Does this still feel wrong, my shy girl?” I whispered back.
She responded by lying back on the island. Her dark hair fanned around her as she teasingly placed her bare foot on my chest. I gently removed it, placing it on the edge of the kitchen island. It gave me a glorious view of her glistening pussy. I casually unbuttoned my shirt while admiring the beauty of every part of her. Even with her hair tousled and wild, she looked like a movie star. It was no wonder Alek had swooped her up for himself. What sane man wouldn’t? I was sure some men would kill to have her on their arm. Hell, I was already thinking about how I could steal her away from him. The sex was good for the time being, but I could already tell I wanted her for more than just one night. Surprisingly, I couldn’t think of a time limit with Mia—when it came down to the sex or spending quality time with her. It was something I had always known instantly with other women.
I let my shirt fall to the floor, then began to work on my pants. Her eyes grew wide when she noticed the various tattoos that had been hidden underneath my clothes. They were mainly from when I was younger, but I still indulged myself in a new one now and then. My father claimed they were classless. I strongly disagreed. I felt they helped people express themselves. They could also help cope with the loss of a loved one. The last one I had done was my mother’s name over my heart. It was a way of keeping her close to me. Mia’s gaze scanned over them, but she didn’t say a word. I realized she wasn’t one to pry. I had several women scrutinize my mother’s name over the years, assuming it was the name of another woman. It was a pet peeve of mine. Jealously didn’t look good on anyone. Especially a grown woman. If they bothered her, she didn’t express it. She was married to another man. She didn’t have the right to be jealous.
The second my pants hit the floor; I leaned over her. I gripped my cock in my hand and gently stroked it. The hungry look in her eyes made it twitch. I rubbed myself along her slit before positioning myself directly at her entrance. She released a low moan when I started to push inside. I began rotating my hips in a circular motion once I was buried inside her. After giving her some time to adjust to me again, slowly stretching her out, I continued to move lazily inside her until I felt her push against me, demanding I move faster.
I pulled out of her in one fluid movement, sinking back into her with no mercy. She let out a low scream, but when she aggressively gripped both my arms, I could tell she wanted more. I thrust into her over and over, always making sure to hit her right on her G-spot. I felt her begin to shake against me. Her legs twitched uncontrollably. I took each, positioning them over my shoulders. Even with her body shaking from her oncoming orgasm, she still attempted to meet me each thrust.
When I felt myself start to lose control, I gently placed my hand around her throat. I pushed her back down against the counter, thrusting into her one last time, the act forcing me to empty myself inside her.
We just stayed there for a while. I rested against her breast as we both struggled to catch our breath. I was enjoying the silence when she decided to speak.
“If my husband finds out about this, he’s going to kill me,” she whispered.
It took a few seconds for me to comprehend what she said, but when I did, I wasn’t quick to protest. The truth was, I had no doubt the man’s pride could make him do despicable things. Mia just didn’t understand that her having an affair wasn’t the only thing that would upset her husband.
What would really upset him was what she might know about what happened ten years ago. Now that was something that might cause him to kill.
Chapter Six
Mia
TYPICALLY, WHEN PEOPLE RECEIVED bad news, they instantly began to panic. They’d break down and indulge in their own private pity party, suddenly seeing the worst in everything. That one bad turn having the power to cloud their judgment on life altogether. I was different. I was taught whenever life knocked you down, you picked yourself back up. You didn’t sit and dwell on a situation you couldn’t change. The result when you fed into your distress led you to only one thing–failure. I promised myself, after hosting one of my own pity parties, that I would never do it again. The only thing it did was prevent you from working through the setback, distancing you from the one thing that could help you—your strength. We always failed to see how strong we truly were, —hiding behind a shield because we were scared we wouldn’t succeed.
When I looked into the eyes of the man I had just had sex with and whispered that one sentence, I knew it was time for me to go. I was turning into my former self. The woman who couldn’t see her true strength. The woman who almost drowned in self-pity.
I gently pushed against Wesley’s chest, urging him to get up. He hadn’t responded to my comment, so I pretended I hadn’t said it. It was a tactic I used with my husband quite often. Wesley observed me as I tried to put my clothes back in place. It was like déjà vu.
“You going somewhere, beautiful?”
The quicker I left his apartment, the sooner I could clean up my mistake. I couldn’t afford to lose Alek, no matter how rocky our relationship had become. I needed him. It was something many people wouldn’
t understand.
“Is there any way you can see if Alek is still in the club?” I asked while slowly sliding off the kitchen island. “I really need to leave, and I don’t want to run into my husband on my way out.”
He studied me carefully before pulling his phone out of his pants that still laid crumpled on the floor. He pressed a few buttons and placed it on the counter, walking over to me, his eyes still hazy. I was plotting my quick departure when he pulled me against him. He glided his fingers through my hair and kissed me. It was deep and passionate—not something I expected. I kissed him back automatically. I didn’t hesitate. It just felt natural. The whole situation was surreal. The fact he was still naked made me quiver. My attempt at straying away from the obvious sexual tension had failed. I was sure if I wanted another round, he would be up for it. However, my reckless one-night stand was over. I had to get back to reality—my husband.
When Wesley eventually pulled away, I stumbled. The kiss left me breathless and confused.
“I ordered a car for you, Mia,” he said.
He pulled on his pants and casually walked over to the bar. He was shirtless, his well-defined tattooed chest on display. He poured two shots of the Crown I had accidentally left out and motioned me over. I prayed the liquor would help calm me down. The sex was a good distraction, but when it ended, my head still swarmed with the what if’s. The thought of someone seeing me tonight and reporting it to my husband made me nauseous. The possibility of it happening never left my head. Avery’s voicemail repeatedly played in my head. Every time I tried to tune it out, it started over—two sentences in particular.
“He’s had eyes in the club for a while.”
“He’s just as bad as—”
Wesley cleared his throat. “I’ve got someone looking into your husband’s whereabouts. They’ll get back to me shortly.” He handed me a shot glass. “This should help for the time being.”
I took my time studying him after downing the shot. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on him he was gorgeous, but taking in the view of the whole package blew my mind. He displayed an aura of ruggedness and class. His gray eyes, combined with those high cheekbones, did things to my body I couldn’t explain. The way he stared at me like he was searching for something made me wonder if I was missing something. I decided to ask the question that kept bothering me.
“Are you aware you intensely stare at people for extended periods of time?”
He didn’t answer my question immediately. Instead, he poured us both another shot. I was hesitant, then accepted it and felt myself starting to calm down. I wasn’t known to get wasted, so I promised myself it would be my last one. He tossed his shot back, bracing his hands on the bar.
“I think you’ve got me all wrong, Mia. I just find myself constantly staring at you.”
He delivered the words effortlessly. His directness made me wish I would’ve never asked the question.
I shifted my glass around on the bar. I hadn’t taken my shot yet. The first one had burned going down, and I was still recovering from it. I was a girl who typically sipped her drinks, but I realized that while hanging with Wesley, I was in a completely different league.
“Why do you feel the need to stare at me so closely?”
He shrugged, his arms flexing as he gripped the edge of the bar. “It might sound like a lame pick-up line, but you fascinate me.”
I decided it was time for me to take my shot. I tossed it back and slammed the glass onto the bar, the intense burn of the alcohol once again catching me by surprise. He was staring at me like a sex-crazed man, his hair messy from my hands running through it. However, I could see right through him. Wesley was trying to read me, and I didn’t know why. I knew he desired me from the activities we both participated in tonight, but right underneath all that sexual desire was a curiosity that scared me. Something wasn’t quite right. I needed to leave.
***
The funny thing about timing was it sometimes worked in your favor and sometimes didn’t. Luckily, after Wesley answered the question that had been floating around in my head, his phone rang. I needed time to think and figure out what he meant. I knew it was more than a lame pick-up line, which was why it bothered me so much. The phone call gave me the distance I needed, finally having caught a slight break after the clusterfuck of a night I had been having.
He answered the call immediately and walked into the living room. I watched as he casually walked to the large window. He stared outside as he focused on what the other person was saying. He nodded calmly throughout the conversation…until something changed. He froze. The shift in his demeanor worried me. Was this the person who was getting back to him about Alek? Maybe another drink was necessary. He spoke only three words before hanging up the phone.
“Fix it now.”
He was surprisingly calm when he came back to the bar. From the conversation, I had expected a man full of rage, instead greeted with his normal demeanor. He brushed it off like it was nothing.
“Your car is ready.”
I looked at him blankly, waiting for the blast of bad news. I wasn’t one for candy-coating things. Sometimes you just needed to rip off the Band-Aid. It was easier that way. The anticipation was killing me.
“And my husband?” I needed to know what Wesley found out.
“He hasn’t been seen on the security monitors, but to avoid any unnecessary issues, the car is waiting for you in the garage.”
I nodded in understanding. If the driver picked me up in the front, someone watching from the street would see me.
“Thank you, Wesley.”
I gathered my things and walked into the foyer. He was behind me within seconds.
“Running from me that quickly, I see,” he said with a soft smile. “You don’t know how to get to the garage, beautiful.”
He was right. I didn’t. The elevator had delivered me right into his foyer. While I struggled for my next words, he grabbed his shirt before pressing the button for the elevator. The metal doors opened instantly.
“Ladies first.”
We rode the elevator in an awkward silence. I kept my attention focused on the doors, but I felt him staring.
“Are we back to you being shy, Mia?”
I remained focused on the doors. However, he didn’t get the hint.
“If so, I think you’re well aware we’re past any levels of shyness.”
I felt him move closer to me.
“I can still taste you on my lips.”
I was turning to face him when the doors opened.
The black SUV was waiting directly in front of the elevator. It was a blacked-out Mercedes. If I weren’t accustomed to frequent trips with my husband, I would’ve been wary, but it was part of my normal. I expected Wesley to escort me to the door, but he never stepped out of the elevator.
Instead, he simply nodded to the driver. Before the doors closed, he looked directly at me. The words he spoke left me confused. “I’ll see you soon, Mia.”
When I was situated in the SUV, I started to wonder what he meant. I didn’t understand why he would think we would be in touch. This was a one-time thing. I was a married woman. Alek might not have treated me the way he should have, but he didn’t want anyone else to have me. He made it crystal clear I was his property. Everyone knew how he felt about me. That was why people believed an image that was fabricated.
My husband switched from hot to cold in seconds. He was a completely different person in public, one who loved his wife and respected other people. He would lose his mind if he found out I had stepped out on him. The image of him shooting me directly in the heart started to play in my head. I could see it vividly. The words leaving his lips as he pulled the trigger.
“You made me do this, Mia.”
I was brought back from my daydream when the driver cleared his throat. I noticed we had already pulled out of the garage, the familiar streets of downtown coming into view. I caught a glimpse of him through the rear-view mirror.
&nbs
p; “So where to, miss?”
I tensed when I heard his voice. I had heard it before, but I couldn’t remember where. The weird thing about it was it immediately made me uncomfortable, even scared. It was a feeling I couldn’t explain.
“I need to know where we’re going, miss. Mr. Black didn’t give me an address.”
I shook off the feeling but made sure to text Avery I was on my way.
“Texas Avenue, please. I don’t know the address, but I’ll let you know when we get closer.”
We rode in complete silence as he drove me to Avery’s apartment. I stared out the window as I prepared myself for her lecture. The text she had recently sent was mild compared to what I expected when I got there. But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake the bizarre feeling I knew the man who was driving me…and it wasn’t on good terms.
Chapter Seven
Wesley
IN LIFE, YOU LEARNED to pick your battles. I learned this at an early age with my father. He was a good man in the eyes of many people, but to me, he was a person I strived never to become. I guessed it had a lot to do with the way he treated my mother. The humiliation she felt every time he dangled another woman in her face. It was a recurring thing for them. She would complain when she found out, then they would come to an agreement. She would forgive him if he promised never to do it again—but he always did. I think, in the back of her mind, she had come to terms with it. She knew it was never going to stop.
As I grew older and smarter, I realized my father’s cheating wasn’t the worst part. It was what he did for a living—besides his legal title of being an entrepreneur. I quickly learned my mother didn’t stay with my father because she loved him. She stayed because she thought she could save her sons from him.
She knew what Stinson was capable of. How he could corrupt everyone who crossed his path–his children in particular. She truly believed if she stayed in a loveless marriage, she could save us from following in his footsteps. She chose to stay and fight for her children to have a better life. In the end, she ended up sacrificing herself for nothing.
The Illicit Affairs Page 5