Page 25 of Obsession

“You did such a good job, princess. Rest now.”

When I close my eyes, I drift off to a peaceful sleep.

FOURTEEN

Madi

When I wake up, I’m alone in the king-sized bed. Something I feel grateful for as the onslaught of memories from last night crashes over me.

My husband made me come repeatedly in this very bed.

Shame clings to my skin, making me feel itchy. I wanted to make him miserable, not let him eat me out until I cried his name.

I go to the shower in the master bath first, hoping to wash the remnants of his touch from my body. Then I take my time getting ready, slathering my face with moisturizer and throwing on shorts and a loose t-shirt. I’m hoping I’ve wasted enough time that my husband will be long gone when I go downstairs in search of coffee.

If he is gone, I’ll use the opportunity to walk the couple of blocks down to my studio and let out some of my aggression on the pottery wheel.

“Good morning, Mrs. Russo.” The warm and gentle voice greeting me belongs to an older woman with graying hair standing in the middle of Adrian’s kitchen. I jolt to a stop when Isee her. “I’m Beverly Sinclair, the house manager for Mr. Russo’s estate. Lovely to meet you.”

Somehow, I manage to nod. “Nice to meet you, too,” I say tentatively. I don’t know why I’m shocked to see staff in Adrian’s house, considering my own home had a slew of people working there.

“This is Bea.” Ms. Sinclair gestures to a smaller, slight woman with blonde hair dressed in black slacks and a tucked-in white shirt. “She’s the housekeeper. If you need anything, you let one of us know, yes?”

“Sure.” I manage another nod.

“Mr. Russo is in the dining room having breakfast. I’ll bring you out a plate.”

I’m in a daze as I move into the dining room. Adrian’s sitting at the head of the table, fully dressed in another one of his suits with a newspaper open.

“I didn’t realize people even read those anymore,” I say, watching as the newspaper is lowered and Adrian looks at me. His eyes rake over my body, taking in the plain, comfy outfit. I feel hot under his gaze, waiting for him to scold my appearance. My mother would be disgusted to see me in something so simple, expecting me instead to be dressed to the nines every day. But Adrian doesn’t say a word about it.

“You don’t read the news?” One eyebrow quirks with the question.

“Not with that.” I gesture to the paper as I wiggle my phone. “Everything’s online.”

Adrian sighs, as if that’s the most uncultured thing I could have said.

“Are you fifty?” I ask as I slip into the seat across from him. “Only old people read the paper these days.”

“Are you done insulting me, or do you want to go a few more rounds?”

“Hmm…I think I could go a few more rounds, old man.”

He folds the paper in front of him, setting it down on the table slowly. “You should know then that every insult earns you a punishment, and I won’t be as gentle as I was last night. I’d tread carefully if I were you.”

There’s a glint in his dark eyes, something devilish and promising. His words should turn me off, send me running, or at least make me shut my goddamn mouth. But they do the opposite, instead bolstering me to be worse, more annoying. Test his limits until I can see what he’s made of.

I twist my lips into a wide smile and put on my best demure look. “Sorry, grandpa, I couldn’t hear you over the rustling of all that paper.”

Adrian doesn’t look mad, no, his lips turn upward as he slides his chair back a few inches. I brace for him to come over here, scream in my face or slap me around, but he doesn’t.

“Come.” He says the word calmly as his fingers bend, indicating I should move to him. I stay seated.

“What?”

“Come here, Madi. Now.”

It’s a command spoken with ease, his promise coming true. Slowly, I rise from my seat, heart pounding as I make my way toward my new husband until I stop right in front of him.

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