The Gold I Married

Chapter Eight

Alex shook his head, turning his attention back to Anna’s door. He took a step closer, intending to knock, but paused when he heard something faint from inside, a sound that sent a flicker of suspicion through him.

He reached for the handle and pushed the door open.

The sight before him stopped him cold.

Anna lay sprawled on the bed, her head tilted back against the pillows, her lips parted as soft, breathless sounds escaped her. Her silk robe had fallen open, exposing her bare skin. Her legs were spread, and in her hand, she held a device, its hum faint but unmistakable as she moved it against herself with unrestrained ecstasy.

For a moment, Alex was frozen, his mind reeling as he tried to process what he was seeing.

“Anna,” he said finally, his voice low and sharp, though it cracked slightly at the end.

Anna’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock as she realized he was there. The device dropped from her hand as she scrambled to pull her robe closed, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

“Alex,” she stammered, her voice shaking. “I... I didn’t hear you come in.”

The room was thick with tension, the air heavy with unspoken words. Alex’s expression was a mix of anger, disbelief, and something else, something he couldn’t quite place.

“What the hell is going on here?” he demanded, his voice low but firm.

Anna looked away, her hands clutching the edges of her robe tightly. For once, she seemed at a loss for words.

The silence stretched between them, charged with tension as Alex’s eyes bore into Anna’s. His voice, low and deliberate, broke the stillness. “What is it, Anna?” he asked, his tone dangerously quiet. “Is this how you fulfill your wishes now?”

Anna’s breath hitched as he took a step closer, his movements slow and deliberate. He began unbuttoning his cuffs, one by one, his gaze never leaving hers. The metallic clink of his belt followed, sending a chill down her spine.

“Alex,” she said, her voice trembling as she instinctively moved back, her hands clutching the edges of her robe. “What are you trying to do? Stop.”

But Alex didn’t stop. He reached for her wrist, his grip firm yet restrained. “Be still,” he said, his voice a command.

“No,” Anna whispered, trying to pull away, but Alex stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. His hand brushed her cheek, and as he tried to kiss her, she turned her head away, her body stiff with resistance.

“Annabella,” he murmured, his voice rough, almost unrecognizable. His hand slid to her neck, not tight, but enough to still her movement. “I said… be still.”

Anna froze, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. This was not the Alex she knew, the composed, controlled man she had grown accustomed to. This was someone raw, unguarded, and it terrified her.

Her voice wavered as she tried to reason with him. “Alex, please… you’re scaring me.”

But he leaned closer, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Do you want it? The thrill, the satisfaction? You can have it from me,” he said, his voice rough with restrained anger. “I am your husband, Anna. What exactly do you need a vibrator for?”

Anna’s eyes widened, her cheeks burning with both embarrassment and anger. “It’s not what you think, Alex! I... ”

“Shut up,” he interrupted, his words sharp.

For a moment, their eyes locked. Anna saw the pain and frustration behind his harshness, the cracks in his carefully constructed armor. She had never seen him like this before, so unguarded and vulnerable.

Tears welled up in her eyes, not from fear, but from the overwhelming intensity of the moment. “Alex,” she whispered, her voice breaking. Then, tentatively, Anna reached up and touched his face, her fingers trembling.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly.

Alex leaned into her touch, his eyes closing for a moment. When he opened them, they were filled with something softer, something warmer.

“Anna,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

This time, when he leaned in, she didn’t turn away. Their lips met, tentative at first, then he deepened the kiss, but pulled back when he noticed she was not kissing him back.