by Marian Tee
Willow turned her back on Edith. “Stavros.” She tried dragging Stavros towards the door, but he wouldn’t budge. “Stavros, please.” The nausea inside her had become so much worse, and she felt like she was about to puke any moment. “Please, let’s just go---”
“Give it up, my dear. You should know by now that my beautiful son is a man of principles, and his principles are telling him he can’t let himself leave until you’ve heard every ugly truth---”
“Will you shut up---”
“So what do you say, son? Shall I start telling her the truth?” Edith didn’t wait for an answer. “Remember the time I told you I was sick? I told Stavros to get me an apple. I wanted to see him climb. I was hoping he’d break his neck---”
“STOP IT!” Willow’s gaze flew to Stavros, and oh God, his eyes were so dead. She started to cry. “Stop it, please---”
“Oh, and that time about Giorgio’s delayed flight? I was really nice that time, you know. I told him his son was sick and waiting for him and you know what he said?”
“Please stop it---” Crying, Willow tiptoed, covering Stavros’ ears with her hands.
“Make him wait---”
“Stop it,” Willow screamed. She pressed her hands harder to Stavros’ ears, but she only had to look at his face to know it was no use.
“I hope his fever becomes pneumonia---”
“Please.” A sob escaped her. “Please stop hurting him.”
“And then there was that time…”
Willow threw herself at Stavros. “I’m sorry I made you do this, I’m so sorry, so, so sorry,” she sobbed. She hugged him as hard as she could, knowing that whatever hurt she was feeling now, it was nothing compared to how he was feeling.
“I told him I’d be at his Moving Up day, but what I did was fuck his teacher. I made him promise to take a photo of Stavros’ sad little face…”
She couldn’t bear it. Spinning around, she rushed towards Edith, intending to slap the woman on the face but before she could do it, someone was holding her back.
“No.” It was Stavros, his voice as dead as his eyes, and it was all because of her.
Sobs racked her body even as Edith released a coldly triumphant laugh. Willow turned around, and she died a thousand deaths at the emptiness in Stavros’ gaze. Oh God. Oh God. This was all her fault.
“Please, Stavros,” she begged brokenly, her heart shattering over and over for the man she loved. “Please, let’s just go.”
Chapter Nine
Hope is the greatest risk in life. But then you loved me, against all odds, and you made me take that risk.
Love, Your Greek Billionaire
The silence inside the limousine was oppressive and unbearable, but Stavros didn’t even consider breaking it. Things were better this way. Or at least that was what he was trying to fucking convince himself of.
All this time, he had told himself he wanted Willow out of his life for good. After tonight, there wasn’t a chance she would still want to stay, no fucking chance she would even see him in the same light. After all, how could she when Willow now knew how worthless his own parents saw him?
Stavros’ gaze remained at the window, but it was really Willow’s reflection on the glass he was staring at, her every feature he was trying to immortalize in his memories like an obsessed fool.
Her dark hair, her blue-green eyes, her curvy body…
He wanted to remember everything about her.
Because…he loved.
“Don’t take me home yet.” The words were from Willow, coming out of nowhere, and as she turned to him abruptly, Stavros was caught staring.
A piece of her heart fell out as her eyes suddenly clashed with Stavros’ dark ones. A moment later, his eyes became hooded, but even so, it was too late, and another piece of her heart fell out.
Stavros. All this time, it had been the only thing she could think of, and now that she had caught him looking at her, she wanted to cry his name out. Stavros, Stavros, Stavros. The emptiness in those eyes hurt. So, so much because she knew it was her fault they were like that. She desperately wanted to get rid of it, and Willow had come to realize there was only one way to make that happen.
“S-Stavros?” His hard profile was intimidating, and she wondered painfully if he hated her. She couldn’t blame him if he did.
Just when she thought he would keep ignoring her, Stavros finally spoke, his voice inflectionless as he asked, “Where do you wish to go?”
Willow took a deep breath. “Your home.”
Stavros froze.
“Why?”
Instead of answering him, she said doggedly, “You promised, remember?”
His jaw hardened. “So be it.” It was the first time he couldn’t read her mind, but at this point, it didn’t really matter. He rapped out instructions to the chauffeur and turned to her afterwards, saying flatly, “We’ll be at my place in ten minutes.”
Willow checked her watch. Ten minutes was perfect, but it also turned out to be the longest ten minutes of her life, with Stavros patently disinclined to address the silence between them.
Relief slammed into her as they finally reached his place. As always, Stavros was the first one to step out. As she took his hand to follow him, Willow was even more relieved to find that his hand was no longer cold.
“Shall we?” Stavros relinquished his hold on her as he spoke. It hurt, but she told herself that it was only to be expected, after everything that had happened.
At her nod, Stavros led her inside. Unlike his mansion in Florida, his place in Athens was smaller, a penthouse loft that felt more like a hotel room than a home. She wouldn’t have understood why before, but now the knowledge left a bitter taste on her tongue because it had come at such great expense.
Stavros noticed how Willow kept checking her watch, igniting his temper. “If you’re in a hurry to leave all of a sudden, don’t let me keep you.” He hadn’t asked her to come here in the first place, dammit, so why the fuck was she acting like this was all his idea?
Stavros’ sudden words made her flinch. “S-sorry.” Her arm fell back to her side limply. She knew she was pissing him off, but even so, she couldn’t help it, her gaze straying to the huge art-piece-slash-clock hanging on his wall, needing to check one last time---
Stavros cursed.
“I’m sorry---” But her eyes still went back to the clock.
The long hand moved to twelve, and so did the short hand.
Stavros shook his head. “Let’s just fucking end---”
Willow whispered his name. “Stavros.” She swallowed. “It’s midnight.” She managed a smile. “It’s Day 6.”
Ah. They were fucking back to that. Even after everything, they were still back to that. “So what do you want?” he asked dully.
It took every bit of her courage to walk towards him, to ignore the way he stiffened at her nearness as she said tremulously, “I just have one wish for today.” She lifted her gaze to him, and this time she let him see it, what she had started to feel the very first day they met and what she knew she couldn’t tell him just yet.
She loved him.
And this time, after what Edith had done, no matter the consequences, she needed to show it to him.
“Could you make me yours, Stavros?”
The words stunned him, echoing in his mind and forcing his world to a standstill. For a moment, all he could do was stare down at her, incapable of speech, incapable of even thinking anything else but why?
He said harshly, “If you’re doing this out of pity---”
“No!” Stavros’ chest tightened at the vehement way she shook her head. Her eyes clung to him, and he sucked his breath in when he saw the emotions in them. When she started to speak, he already knew what she was going to say---
“I w-want you to t-take me because I---”
“Don’t say it.”
She choked back a teary laugh. “Can’t you see?” she whispered. “By telling me that, I already did.”
Stavros whitened.
They looked at each other, and this time the truth was inescapable.
She…loved, too.
Even after everything she had seen and heard, even knowing the despicable and shameful truth about him, she still loved. “Why?” he asked hoarsely. Why can you still love me?
She answered by raising herself to her toes, and a shudder racked his powerful frame as he felt her hands cupping his face. Her breasts pressed against his chest as she drew his head down, and a moment later, she answered him a second time by covering her lips with his. She answered him the third time as her tears flavored the kiss. “Please.” Her fourth answer, a whispered plea against his stiff, unmoving lips, and that was when he knew.
She would keep answering him, for as long as he wanted to hear her answer.
Because...she loved.
Succumbing to the inevitable with a ravaged groan, Stavros sank his fingers into her hair as he finally allowed himself to return her kiss.
Willow started to cry when she felt Stavros’ lips start to move. Relief and joy burst inside her, mingling with simmering passion that was both hot and tender. Even as sobs shook her body, she couldn’t stop herself from kissing him back. Their tongues touched, and she started to burn all over.
“Stavros.” She wanted to say his name over and over. A cry of protest escaped her when he lifted his mouth off hers, but the sound soon turned into a moan as she felt him suck hungrily at her neck.
A second later, and Willow found herself swept off her feet, Stavros carrying her like she weighed nothing to him at all. Her heart started to race as they came closer to his room, and by the time he laid her gently on his huge bed, she could barely hear anything but her heartbeat. It was as loud as a jackhammer, but there were no holes being drilled in her heart. This time, with the way Stavros’ gaze glittered with unrestrained need as he stared down at her – this time, her heart was being rebuilt.
Fear and excitement made her breathless and wide-eyed, her throat drying as she watched Stavros pull away and strip his clothes off.
Blood rushed to his head as Stavros felt Willow’s gaze on him, and it was a struggle to keep his movements steady as he shrugged off his jacket. He did work faster on the buttons of his shirt and in seconds, he was out of it. His pants and briefs soon followed, and when he was completely naked, he started for the bed---
“Wait!”
Stavros stilled.
“I just want to…”
Her voice trailed off, but it was enough. Stavros understood, and though he shook his head faintly, his lips were also slowly curving into a smirk. The little witch wanted to look her fill of him, and since having her eyes on his body was a turn-on, he wasn’t going to argue.
Gazing at Stavros’ hard naked body had Willow gulping. It had been so tremendously long, she thought weakly. Her eyes were glued to that part of him, and it seemed to have grown impossibly larger and longer since the last time.
“If this is going to take a while, be fair and take your clothes off.” His words and the way lust had thickened Stavros’ voice made Willow gulp again, but even though her nerves were stretched taut, she was already moving, every cell of her seemingly trained to do his command.
Fire licked her all over as Willow saw the way desire glittered in his gaze when she started to reach for the straps of her dress. One by one, she inched them down her shoulders. She heard Stavros suck in his breath when she started wriggling out of the dress, and she couldn’t stop herself from whimpering as her fingers accidentally brushed against her sensitive and bare breasts.
“Fuck, Willow.” The words came out as a harsh groan from Stavros as he saw the way her own fingers had caused her nipples to pucker into life. Just looking at the rosy tips made his cock throb almost violently as it rose up in prominence.
Getting off the bed to step out of her dress, Willow then leaned forward to push her silk panties down. The position caused her breasts to dangle temptingly in the air, a terribly provocative sight that pushed him further to the edge.
Stavros cursed as he strove for control. When Willow’s head snapped up upon hearing it, he growled, “I want to fuck you so badly.” He watched her eyes go wide at his words, watched her wet her lips, and every little thing she did made him balls fit to bursting, his cock aching—
She straightened, every inch of her beautiful body bare to him, but more than that, he saw it in her blue-green eyes—
Fuck!
No, Willow, no.
And it was as if she could hear his thoughts, the way her smile wobbled and her eyes became so much brighter.
She…loved.
“Make me…yours?”
Her voice caught, and he groaned, his control snapping, and he knew then there was no resisting her.
Even if he knew it was wrong, even if a part of him believed that nothing good would come out from the two of them becoming one, he was done resisting.
Because, like her, he loved.
In one long-legged powerful stride, he was right next to her, his mouth slamming down on hers even as he swept her back up in his arms. Her arms curled around his neck as she kissed him back with equal passion, her body pressing trustingly against him.
They sank into the bed together, Stavros careful not to settle his full weight on Willow’s slender body. But his stubborn little witch wouldn’t have it, Willow pulling him down. “I want you close.” A throaty plea and husky demand all at the same time, and there was no resisting it either.
When their bodies came into contact, her breasts against his chest, his cock jutting against her belly, she whimpered and he groaned. Resting on his forearms, Stavros found himself staring down at her, a part of him needing to see her face just to be sure this was real.
“Stavros.” A whisper soft voice, accompanied by a tender touch as she laid one hand against his cheek. “What is it?” When he didn’t speak, her smile faded, as if his silence had become an answer.
The shadow of emptiness in Stavros’ eyes made Willow want to cry. He was looking at her like she had to know this was a mistake, looking at her like he still didn’t believe she could want him when his own parents didn’t
He looked at her without seeing her, and her heart broke. He looked at her, and she wanted to love him even more. “Stavros.” This time, her voice was fiercer when she said his name again. She cupped his face with both hands. “Make me yours.” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “Make love to me. Have sex with me. Fuck me.” She saw his eyes widen, but she didn’t stop. “Shag me.” And slowly, slowly, the emptiness started to fade and she knew she had said the right words. The dirty words.
Tears choking her voice, she continued, “Do me, screw me…” She searched her brain for more synonyms. “Drill me, shove your, ah, cock into my pussy---”
His lips twitched. “Stop.”
Her smile was sweet, but her voice shook as she asked, “It’s enough?”
He answered her with a deep kiss, his tongue pushing inside her mouth the same time his hands palmed her breasts.
Oh.
Definitely enough.
It was her last conscious thought before she surrendered herself to Stavros’ dominance. There was nothing as beautiful as being under his command, nothing that made her feel so much like a woman when he exerted his authority over her.
When he lifted his lips and commanded her to hold her breasts up to him, she did so without hesitation, her hands shaking as she plumped her breasts for his possession.
And possess them he did, his mouth sucking hungrily on one nipple and making her entire body quiver. He spent an eternity worshipping her breasts, making her sob and whimper as she fought not to lose her head. When he moved down, he commanded her to hold her legs wide open, and Willow did.
“Stavros.” She sobbed his name out as she sought to form an inverted Y with her body. It had her completely exposed and vulnerable, and the realization should have made Willow apprehensive, but instead it caused more wetness to drench
her pussy.
“Don’t let go.” Stavros’ voice was hard, his gaze merciless and beautiful as he demanded her full compliance. “Do you understand?”
“Yes.” She could barely speak now, her body so acutely sensitive and as she watched Stavros move down, placing him at eye-level with her hot, aching core, Willow whimpered again. He was only looking at her and she was already getting wetter and wetter. What more if---
“Aaaaaaaaah.” She instinctively tightened her hold on her legs as she felt Stavros licking her folds with exquisite slowness. It was pure wondrous torture, and she started to whimper his name over and over as he tortured her endlessly. “Stavros, Stavros, Stavros.” As he moved up, his tongue swirling around her clit, his name turned into a plea, her eyes closing as she begged him, “Please.” She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to end the torture or prolong it. She didn’t really care. She was already insane with need. “Please, please, please.”
Her cries and pleas seduced him, making Stavros harder and hotter, more than he had ever been in his life. His hands shook as he parted her folds open, and when he blew gently against her sensitive skin, his cock shot up in powerful arousal at the way her pussy quivered so delicately.
“Willow.” He had to say her name, had to prove to himself he wasn’t dreaming. Bending down, he started fucking her with his tongue and was instantly rewarded, Willow sobbing his name like it was the only thing she could remember.
“Stavros, Stavros, Stavros.”
Hearing her say his name made him fuck her harder with his tongue, and he busied his hands with playing with her clit, wanting her to come so hard he would be the only thing that would exist in her mind.
Slowly, Stavros felt it, her body tightening, the muscles in her pussy working, and he knew then she was close. “Come for me, Willow,” he growled.
It was as if she only had to hear his command to come, and at his words, she screamed his name as her orgasm took over. Her body jerked as she came, and he lapped it all up, devouring her, branding her. And while her body was still shaking, he rose up, knowing now was the best time to make Willow his.