Grabbing his jacket, she set it on his armchair. Then, cocking her hip to the other side, she put her thumb into her mouth as she looked demurely at him. And sucked it.

He grunted and walked toward her.

Sophia spread her legs wider and bent down again. She tensed slightly as Alistair stepped up behind her. She had never role-played a fantasy like this.

“Oh, Sophia, you shouldn’t have.” He unzipped his jeans and shoved it down his hips and grasped her hips firmly, jerking her back against his arousal.

A groan left him as he rubbed his hard manhood along the cleft of her buttocks.

That first touch of flesh reverberated as a shock through Sophia. She moaned and was caught off balance by the position, but his strong hold kept her steady.

His hard cock was feverish, instantly sparking flashes of desire whenever it touched her. Pure undiluted lust made her dizzy.

“Alistair,” she moaned.

Slowly she stood back up, flexing her legs, caressing and sliding against him. His face instantly dipped down, burying in the hollow of her neck, taking a deep breath.

“I love your smell,” he murmured. “White roses, orange with vanilla. Makes me want to eat you.” Again she rubbed her buttocks over his arousal and Alistair groaned, “I want you. Now.”

He didn’t give her a chance to comply, as he lifted her up high in the air, turning her in his arms as if she were light as a feather and put her down on the bed. He shoved down his jeans and ripped off his shirt, throwing it behind him. His eyes flamed green.

Alistair stroked his long fingers over her legs and gripping them, he pulled her to the edge of the bed. And thrust.

She moaned at the sudden onslaught, as he filled her. Each time they were together, it was like lightning washed over her.

Alistair held still for a brief moment, letting her adjust to his girth. Her legs wrapped around his lean hips and she locked her feet over his buttocks. He ran his hands over her thighs again. “You have strong, beautiful legs,” he whispered to her. “Hold on to me. Don’t let go,” he ordered as he withdrew, only to thrust hard in long even strokes, pushing deeper into her.

His hands glided up over her and bared her nipples, pinching them into hard buds and he ordered, “Put your hands over mine.”

Sophia put her hands over his and he changed position, covering hers with his. He stilled inside her and his lips split in a devilish smile as he said, “Pinch your nipples.”

Sensations exploded from the touch as her fingers, mingled with his. She gasped obeying his command and arching on the bed.

Alistair groaned in approval. One of his hand moved down to her hip to control her body, as he restarted to pump into her in hard thrusts. The other hovered over her clitoris, tantalizing her senses.

“Ah.” Her body clenched around his as he rode her to the edge of her desire. “Yes, please.”

Their moans mingled in his bedroom, growing louder with each long plunge of his hard length inside her.

Suddenly, her body tensed on the bed, arching beautifully before him as the tremors of release took over her and Sophia screamed his name in delight.

She tightened almost painfully around him, and Alistair grunted loudly as his orgasm took control of his body. He stiffened and burrowed deep in her body in several hard jerks as her name ripped from his throat in a grunt.

Alistair fell over her, leaning on his forearms, as his violent thrusts fired a last shot of desire through his body, he gasped, almost incoherently, “I love you.”

Sophia blinked those wondrous yellow eyes at him and sighed breathlessly, still in a far away wonderland.

“I love you,” he repeated, kissing her lightly on the lips and studied her face as he laid down beside her, untying her bra and apron and flinging them on the floor beside the bed. He gathered her in his arms, waiting for her to come back to earth, thinking of how much he had changed in so little time.

He was thirty-four years old when he met Sophia over a loan contract meeting. Three days later he had spent his thirty-fifth birthday alone, sulking in this very room, drinking himself into a stupor to dull the pain and guilt he felt for his daughter’s death, wishing he was dead, too. Now, the mere idea of not having a chance to live and share his life to the fullest with Sophia, pained him.

Tell her, Alistair Connor, tell her. You can’t avoid this issue forever.

Based on her behavior of late, he tried to analyze how she might feel about his past and his story with Heather. Outwardly, she’d shown only joy when with him, never asking about his wife. But privately, he knew she had unresolved feelings, that she was conflicted. Maybe because she still loves Gabriel.

Sophia rubbed her cheek on Alistair’s shoulder and her finger drew random designs on his wide chest.

He watched as the fire in the hearth danced over her body, illuminating and shadowing it in beautiful hues of orange.

Unsure if he was doing the right thing, he mustered his courage and, paving the path to the story of his past, said softly, “You were the best thing that could have happened in my life.” He tightened the arm wrapped around her waist. “There is something in you that keeps my evil locked deep inside.”

“Here you go again.” She lifted her head to look into his eyes. She knew she would find them troubled. There were so many things he kept buried inside him. “I don’t have this power, Alistair. It is all in here.” She poked at his chest. “I have never seen this darkness of yours. It eludes me. Don’t demonize yourself.”

He sighed and pushed up, carrying her with him, sitting reclined on the cushioned headboard. He shifted until she was nestled between his bent legs, sideways on his chest. “You could say I had an alter ego.” He paused and a bitter laugh left his lips. “I hope you’re not afraid of horror stories. It’s time you met the monster, Sophia.”

“God, Alistair.” She turned to look at him, both hands palmed on his broad chiseled chest. “You’re not a monster.”

“Such trust you have in me,” he scoffed. “You are too young and innocent, Sophia. Let me introduce you to Mr. Hyde.”

Sophia opened her mouth, but Alistair put a finger on her lips.

“Hush,” he said. “Hear me out.”

A creepy feeling chilled her, making her shiver. She snuggled closer to Alistair’s body. He was always warm.

She looked at him. He was lost in his recollections. His face was turned up, his eyes closed.

“I first met Heather at the bank Christmas party in December, 1999.”

Chapter 7

London, Kensington. Galewick Town House.


Sunday, September 28th, 2008.


1.01 p.m.

“Sit, Alistair. You’re making me dizzy with all that pacing,” Leonard poured a glass of whisky for Alistair and one for himself. “Sit down, goddammit.”

Alistair sat on the sofa as he felt the welcome burn of the whisky down his throat.

“I’ve never seen you like this.” Leonard sat on the sofa in front of Alistair. “What’s happening?”

“Leo, I need your help,” he leaned forward, put the glass on the center table and rubbed both hands on his face. “Your professional help.”

Leonard frowned, “I’m here to help. Tell me.”

“I want a divorce.”

Leonard’s wish was to applaud and hug his brother-in-law, but he remained impassible on the sofa. “Have you talked about this with Heather?”

“Aye. Nae.” Christ. What am I going to say? He raked his fingers through his hair. He wanted to pull it from its roots as angst filled him.

“Well?”

Alistair shook his head, unnerved. “Leo, the thing is... Christ, this is so difficult.” He rose and started to pace the room again, fortifying himself with more whisky, which he drank in large gulps.

“Alistair, this is usually an awkward issue. I won’t judge your reasons. They are yours and I understand. You can talk to me. Not one will know. Not even Alice.”

“Something very serious happened in May, Leo,” he said while he helped himself to more whisky. “Well, I- It happened a few times before I... discovered what she was doing. I tried to reason with her. Make her see that I would not abide her... Err, unprofessional behavior.” A soft lie.

“Do Malcolm and Berkley know?” Leonard was now preoccupied. He thought that Alistair had discovered that Heather had been cheating on him. But from what he was saying, the problem seemed worse.

I hope they never do. I don’t want to turn into the most famous English cuckold CEO. “No. I want her away from me, from the bank and from Nathalie. I’ll pay whatever she wants.” He put his glass on the mantle and started pacing again. “I’ll give her the apartment, the Porsche-”

“You don’t need to do that, Alistair. I know you signed a prenup.”

“It’s a small price to pay to see her gone, Leo. I don’t want her near Nathalie. Not even for a single visit.”

“No judge will give you that,” Leonard shook his head. “These cases are very rare. It has to be proven that the mother is dangerous to the child.”

You have to tell him the truth, Alistair Connor!”Proof?” He snorted. “I will give up a file loaded with proof. Give me some days. Photos, witness, or their testimonies, anything you want, provided Nathalie’s identity is safeguarded. But, Leo, I want it done without her knowing about it.”

“This is not so easy to achieve, Alistair. People usually say they’ll testify, but when you ask... they are not available anymore.”

Alistair smirked. “Trust me, Leo. I can prove it.”