The Price Of His Desire

The Wife

I stood in front of the car parked outside. Alfonso’s driver opened the door and waited for me to get in. I had called the number on the card he gave me to tell him I’d made my decision.

I spent the entire day in bed, going over the contract again and again. The more I read it, the more anxious and angry I became. I wished I had one more day to find a way out of this mess, but deep down, I knew there was no escaping it. If I tried, he’d make sure I ended up in prison beside Aria.

When I arrived at his place, the doors opened, and there he was, standing there like he’d been waiting for me all along. His lips curved into a small grin the moment he saw me.

My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my chest.

“Come in,” he said, motioning for me to follow. He led me to a chair and waited until I sat down. He asked if I needed anything, and I just shook my head.

He settled into the seat across from me as I placed the papers on the table. His eyes lingered on me for a moment, sharp and unreadable, as if he could see straight through me before he even touched the contract.

I knew the choice I’d just made would haunt me for the rest of my life, but right now, it felt like the only one I had.

He finally reached for the papers, flipping straight to the last page where my signature sat bold and clear. A slow smirk formed on his lips as he leaned forward.

“Good decision,” he said quietly.

He leaned back, still watching me with that same knowing look. The silence between us stretched until I could barely breathe.

“You don’t look happy about it,” he said finally, his tone calm but edged with amusement.

“I’m not,” I admitted, my voice soft. “But I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?”

He tilted his head slightly, studying me like I was some puzzle he already knew how to solve. “Everyone has a choice, Diana. You just made the one that makes sense.”

I looked away, unable to hold his gaze. “You mean the one that benefits you.”

He chuckled under his breath. “Maybe. But it benefits you too. Your sister walks free, and you get to live a life most women only dream of.”

“A life I didn’t ask for,” I whispered.

He stood and walked around the desk, stopping just behind my chair. I felt the weight of his presence, the heat of him standing so close it made my skin prickle.

“You’ll learn to like it,” he murmured near my ear. His voice was smooth, almost gentle, but every word carried command.

I turned slightly, forcing myself to meet his eyes. “And what if I don’t?”

“There’s a first time for everything,” he said.

He reached for my hand, his touch firm but careful, guiding me up from the chair. He pushed it aside, then stepped closer, his body closing the distance between us until my back hit the edge of the desk. His hands came up to my face, his palms warm, his gaze locked on mine dark, steady, and unreadable.

My body reacted to him before I could even think. His fingers slid down to my neck, holding me there gently, his thumb brushing across my bottom lip. His other hand tangled in my hair, his eyes never leaving mine. The air between us tightened, the silence filled with the sound of my heartbeat.

“You’ll have to start getting used to my touch,” he said, his voice low, rough around the edges. “You’re my wife now.”

He wanted control. He wanted dominance. And I could feel it in the way he held me.

His face drew closer, and tension curled deep inside me, my stomach twisting with anticipation. Then his lips crashed onto mine. I gasped from the suddenness, and that tiny sound was all he needed to deepen the kiss.

It was fierce and consuming, his mouth moving against mine with a heat that made my thoughts scatter. I tried to keep up, but his pace was relentless, his kiss demanding. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt before intense, raw, and so dangerously addictive that I forgot where I was, forgot who he was.

He broke the kiss, both of us gasping for air. His gaze stayed on me for a long moment, dark and unreadable, before his hand dropped from my neck.

“I have business to take care of,” he said smoothly, his voice steady as if nothing had just happened. “I’ll make arrangements for you to move in with me.”

I couldn’t find the words to respond. My lips still tingled from his kiss, my chest rising and falling too fast. He walked back around the desk, settling into his chair, and just like that, the warmth he carried with him was gone.

“I’ve assigned you a personal assistant,” he continued, his tone shifting back to business. “She’ll handle everything you need.”

I swallowed hard. “What about my sister?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He didn’t even pause. “Consider it done,” he said, calm and certain, as if her freedom was just another transaction to him.

If the two of them ever find their way to each other again,” he murmured, “I won’t hesitate. I’ll burn your sister’s future to ash.”

He stood, straightened his jacket, and glanced at the time on his phone. “I’ll be in touch,” he said simply before heading for the door, leaving me standing there stunned, breathless, and unsure what to feel anymore.

“Your whole life feels like a movie, girl. I want to be you so badly,” Collins said excitedly over dinner at my place.

I rolled my eyes, half amused, half irritated. He looked way too entertained by what was happening to me. Alfonso’s driver had dropped me off not long ago, and the first thing I did was call Collins over. I needed someone to talk to,someone to tell me I wasn’t losing my mind, or maybe to convince me I’d made the right decision.

But Collins wasn’t exactly helping. He was grinning like this was the most thrilling gossip he’d ever heard.

“You’re saying this because you have a crush on him,” I said flatly, poking at my food.

“Who wouldn’t?” he shot back dramatically, waving his fork in the air. “I haven’t even met him in real life, but his pictures? Girl, those are more than enough. He’s so hot, super gorgeous, sexy, and don’t even get me started on the fact that he’s filthy rich. He’s got my gay ass drooling.”

I tried not to smile, but it was impossible. That was Collins always making light of things, even when my life was falling apart.

“He wants to own me, Collins,” I said, my voice trembling with anger I was trying to swallow. “Like I’m some pet or… some kind of s*x doll. He just wants control, to play with me and my life. There’s nothing sexy or cute about that.”

Collins leaned back in his chair, chewing slowly, his expression thoughtful but still too relaxed for my liking. “It’s kinda attractive if you think about it,” he said casually.

I stared at him, unimpressed. “You can’t be serious.”

He shrugged. “I’m not saying it’s right, Diana. I’m just saying, there’s something about dangerous men that’s… you know, magnetic. But come on, be real for a second. You and Aria had all this sudden wealth, luxury, and mystery around him. Did you honestly think it would come without a price?”

His words hit, not because he meant to hurt me, but because there was truth in them. I looked down, my fingers tracing the rim of my glass.

“You could be in prison right now,” he continued, softer this time. “With Aria. Think about that. Whatever this is… at least you’re safe. He could’ve done a lot worse.”

Safe.

That word didn’t feel right. Not when Alfonso’s touch still lingered on my skin, when his voice still echoed in my head like a command I couldn’t escape.

“And you get to have your sister back tomorrow,” Collins said, reaching across the table to nudge my hand lightly. “One problem at a time, okay? You’ll be fine.”

I gave a weak laugh. “That’s the only good part in all of this,” I admitted, staring down at my plate. The food had gone cold, untouched. “I’m just a little worried about how she’ll react when she finds out what I did.”

Collins tilted his head, his tone softening. “You think she’ll be mad?”

“I know she will,” I said quietly. “Aria doesn’t do middle ground. It’s either she laughs it off like it’s no big deal or… she completely loses it. There’s no in-between with her.”

I sighed, pressing my fingers against my temple. “She’ll probably say I ruined my life for her. And maybe she’s right.”

Collins’s smile faded a little, replaced by something gentler. “You did what you had to do, Di. Anyone with a heart would’ve done the same.”

I wanted to believe that. But deep down, I wasn’t sure if what I did came from love or fear.