Page 26 of Breaking the Annulment

“Yes…damn it, and I hate you for making me say it.”

A dark hunger ignited within him at her words. In a single, powerful movement, he lifted her up against the wall, her thighs gripping his waist, as he dropped his pants to the ground with a low snarl of impatience. He plunged into her with a force that left Aurelia breathless, filling her in ways she never thought possible.

He kept her pinned against the wall with his upper body, her nails digging deep into his flesh as he pounded into her relentlessly, each thrust pushing her closer to the edge. Waves of pleasure crashed over her like a storm, threatening to consume every inch of her until all that existed was the overwhelming heat between them. Their bodies moved together with primal urgency, marking each other with bruising kisses and savage bites as they surrendered themselves completely to the intoxicating rhythm of their shared desire.

“Say it again,” he panted in her ear, his voice thick with lust and determination. “Tell me you’re mine.”

“Yes,” Aurelia moaned, her sanity slipping away with each powerful thrust.

“That’s right. You’re mine,” he breathed, his voice a hoarse whisper in the heated room. “Beg for more.”

“Please. More.”

With her words, something inside Michalis snapped. He growled low in his throat before placing his hand at her throat, his hips pistoning even harder as he drove them both over the edge together.

Aurelia cried out his name as the world around her shattered into a million shards of blinding white light. He joined her in the abyss, emptying himself within her, marking her as his in the most primitive, all-consuming way possible.

As they both came down from their respective highs, Michalis slid to the floor, taking her with him. He untied her wrists as they lay tangled in an entwined mess of limbs, their breaths ragged and uneven.

Panting heavily, Michalis leaned his forehead against hers, his heart pounding in symphony with hers. “I’ll never let anyone take you away from me,” he vowed, his voice low and menacing.

The room was eerily quiet except for the rhythmic patter of rain against the window. Aurelia lay tangled with Michalis on the floor, her breathing still uneven, her body trembling with the aftershocks of what had just transpired. The storm outside was nothing compared to the chaos raging inside her.

Michalis shifted, his arms tightening around her as if he feared she might vanish. His lips brushed against her temple; an almost tender gesture that starkly contrasted the dominance he’d just displayed. “Come to my room,” he murmured, his voice low, rough. It wasn’t a question—it was an order.

Aurelia stiffened in his hold. “No,” she whispered, her voice wavering but resolute.

His jaw tightened. “You’re my wife. You belong in my bed.”

“I don’t belong anywhere,” she snapped, wriggling free of his embrace and standing, hastily pulling the torn dress around herself as best she could. Her hands trembled as she tucked the edges in, his gaze on her making her feel naked despite the thin barrier. “And this doesn’t change anything.”

“It changes everything,” Michalis countered, his voice hardening. He stood in one smooth motion, his towering presence filling the room. “You can lie to yourself all you want, but you can’t deny what just happened.”

Her chin lifted, defiance flickering in her eyes. “I’ll sleep in my own bed.”

The tension crackled between them like a live wire, but Michalis didn’t argue further. He jammed his legs back into hispants, pulled them over his hips but left them open, then stalked toward the door, his movements controlled, deliberate. “Have it your way,” he said, his voice dangerously quiet. “But we both know you wanted this as much as I did, and you’re going to want it again. You know where I’ll be.”

The door shut with a muted click, leaving Aurelia alone in the room. The air seemed heavier in his absence, the echoes of his words lingering like a dark promise.

She sank onto the edge of the bed, her legs shaky, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. What had she done? She pressed a hand to her lips, still swollen from his kisses, her body still aching with the memory of his touch.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. She wasn’t supposed to want him, to crave him, to give herself to him so completely. But the way he looked at her, the way he touched her—it unraveled her defenses, piece by fragile piece. And that terrified her.

Curling into the bed, she stared at the rain-slicked window, the storm outside mirroring the storm within. Sleep didn’t come easily that night, her thoughts tangled with questions she wasn’t ready to answer.

12

Monday morning

The steady rhythmof knocks began early, each one announcing yet another delivery. Aurelia stayed in her room, feigning indifference as the activity outside her door continued. She knew what the packages were—her impulsive spending spree had finally arrived. And yet, she stayed put, unwilling to leave the safety of her room. She’d spent a lot of money, and she had no idea if Michalis knew about it yet.

By midmorning, Gita appeared, her arms laden with tissue paper and receipts, her expression somewhere between amused and impressed. “Good morning, Mrs. Giannopoulos,” she said, her tone light. “It seems you’ve been quite busy.”

Aurelia raised an eyebrow, setting her tea down. “Busy? What do you mean?”

Gita’s lips twitched. “Oh, you know—packages arriving from the finest designers in the world? Shoes, dresses, handbags…” She set the papers down and gave Aurelia a sly look. “Should I go on?”

Aurelia leaned back, forcing a casual shrug. “I suppose Imighthave bought a few things.”

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