Chapter ten.
1160 Words
Cauis felt the sweat gathering in his palms.
He didn’t want to go home yet.
It was already past ten, but he remained seated in his car, parked a few blocks away from the house. His hands rested on the steering wheel as he stared blankly at the quiet road ahead.
He was trying to figure out what he would say when he got there.
He exhaled slowly, drawing in a cold breath.
Elara had sounded furious on the phone.
But shouldn’t he be angry too?
She had sent someone to spy on him , after he clearly told her it was a business meeting.
Shouldn’t he be the one upset?
The thought circled in his mind, but it didn’t settle.
He removed his hands from the wheel and leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes. Maybe he could wait a little longer. Maybe she’d fall asleep, and he could avoid the confrontation altogether.
That seemed easier.
Just as he was about to relax into that idea, his phone rang.
The sharp sound broke through the silence of the car.
He sighed, eyes still closed, and picked up the call without checking the caller ID.
“Hello,” he muttered in a groggy voice. He had resorted to drinking an entire bottle of alcohol after the meeting, and it was finally catching up to him.
There was a brief pause on the other end.
“Are you drunk?” Elara’s voice cut through the line immediately.
His eyes flew open.
Panic flickered across his face.
He straightened in his seat and cleared his throat. “I just drank a bottle.”
There was silence for a second.
“Where are you?” she asked, her tone colder now.
“I’m a few blocks down,” he replied quickly, suddenly fully alert. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
She let out a quiet sigh on the other end. one that sounded more disappointed than angry.
Then the line went dead.
Elara stood near the staircase, leaning slightly against the railing. A thin lace robe draped over her body, soft and almost transparent under the chandelier lights. Beneath it, delicate lingerie hugged her figure.
it was impossible to ignore.
It was the first thing he noticed.
His eyes darkened before he quickly looked away.
“You’re late,” she said calmly.
Her voice didn’t match the outfit. It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t welcoming. It was sharp.
“I had a meeting,” he replied, shrugging off his coat.
“With Calista?” she asked immediately.
He stiffened.
Elara, please, I don't have time for this tonight," he said, trying to brush it off.
She walked closer, now face to face, staring into his eyes.
"How about we talk about the photos I sent you during dinner? Did you like them?" she asked with a smirk.
"We already talked about it there. We can't continue the argument in the house. I already explained it was just a meeting."
"Why don't you want me to meet her?"
"You think I didn’t see how you looked at her during the gala. She's a name and a face I'll never forget."
"I don't like her, and you know it, but you still had the right to get close to her," she continued, anger laced in her voice.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “You didn’t think to tell me?”
“I didn’t think I needed to report my schedule.”
His eyes flashed. “Why did you have to sennd someone to follow me?”
Her jaw tightened. “I had someone keep an eye on you because you’ve been acting strange.”
“Strange?” he repeated, stepping closer. “Or because you’re paranoid?”
“I'm not paranoid ” she snapped. “You went to see her,knowing i don'tlike her,and in secret, Cauis!”
“It wasn’t secret,” he argued. “It was business.”
“Business?” Her laugh was sharp now.
“It didn't look like that"she shouted. “You’re cheating.”
The word hung between them.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “I’m not cheating.”
“Then why do you look guilty?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Because part of him did feel guilty, not for what she thought, but for how his pulse had reacted when he saw Calista again.
“It was a deal,” he said finally. “Her company is good.. She needed leverage. I needed a partner. That’s it.”
Elara searched his face, as if trying to read the truth straight from his eyes.
“You expect me to believe there’s nothing else there?”
“There isn’t.”
They were standing too close now.
Close enough to feel each other’s breathing.
Close enough for him to catch the faint scent of her perfume.
The lace robe brushed lightly against his arm as she crossed her arms defensively. His eyes betrayed him again, flickering downward for just a second.
She noticed.
“Oh, now you’re looking?” she muttered.
His hand moved before he could stop himself, gripping her wrist gently but firmly.
“Don’t twist this,” he said, his voice low.
Her breath hitched , just slightly.
“Then stop giving me reasons to.”
The tension between them shifted.
It wasn’t just anger anymore.
It was heat.
Frustration. Jealousy. Pride. Possession.
He leaned in, his voice low and dangerous. “You think I’d risk this for her?”
“This?” she challenged, crossing her arms.
His eyes flicked to her lips for a fraction of a second, and that glance alone made her pulse hammer.
He stepped closer, closing the small distance between them. His hand brushed her jaw, tilting her face up so she couldn’t look anywhere but him.
“You’re mine,” he whispered, each word heavy with certainty.
She tried to scoff, but her breath hitched as his thumb traced her lips, soft and teasing, testing her.
“Not yet,” she breathed, though even she knew the protest was useless.
His other hand slid to her waist, pulling her impossibly close. The heat of him pressed into her, and she felt herself melt against his chest despite her stubborn pride.
He captured her lips again, this time slow, deliberate, claiming her fully. Every brush of his lips was fire, every press of his body a reminder: she belonged to him.
Her hands went to his shoulders, then slid down to his chest, gripping him tightly as if letting go would mean losing control. His lips parted from hers for barely a second, just to whisper against her mouth, “You can’t hide from me… not now, not ever.”
Her fingers trembled in the heat of it, caught between wanting to push him away and needing to pull him closer. And when his hand slid from her waist to the small of her back, pressing her impossibly against him.
- Writer
