Page 23 of Savage Obsession

I don’t even look up from my laptop. "She’s fine."

"Fine?" His brows lift slightly. "That’s all you have to say?"

I click my tongue against my teeth, irritation prickling beneath my skin. "She’s adjusting."

"And are you?" His voice carries an undertone of something more—expectation, maybe even suspicion.

I exhale sharply, shutting my laptop and leaning back. "What exactly do you want me to say? We’re married and are not at each other’s throats. That should be enough."

He studies me for a moment before placing his glass down on the table. "Why are you not sharing a room?"

My fingers curl into fists, tension radiating through me. "I married her as you requested. You do not get to dictate our sex life, too."

A small smirk tugs at his lips, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. "As long as you put a baby in her stomach, I do not care how often you mount her."

My entire body goes rigid, heat flaring in my blood. It’s not the words that anger me—it’s the way he says them. Who mandates another man to get his wife pregnant?

"That isn’t your concern," I grit out.

"Everything in this family is my concern, Aithan," he counters smoothly. "Including ensuring that the future of theEllinikiremains secure."

The air in the room is thick with unspoken tension, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead, I push back from the chair, preparing to leave.

"One more thing," he calls after me, stopping me in my tracks. I will officially introduce Yelena to the Elliniki by throwing a grand dinner party by month's end.

I turn back slowly, irritation simmering just beneath my skin. "That won’t be necessary."

He waves a dismissive hand. "It’s already decided. And I expect you and your bride to present a happy, united front."

A surge of resistance rises within me. "I don’t see the point—"

"The point, Aithan, is unity. Strength." He cuts me off. "The family must appear solid, especially now."

"Fine," I concede, the word clipped and hard-edged.

"Good. It’s settled then." Sabastian stands, signaling the end of the discussion. "Make sure you both appear happy—and look the part."

I nod once, curtly, before turning on my heel and exiting the study. The door shuts behind me with a click that echoes like a gunshot in my head.

I clench my teeth so hard my jaw aches. Forcing a tight nod, I walk out, knowing damn well that arguing with him is pointless.

After leaving my father’s house, I drive straight to the office, shutting out his thoughts and the dinner party as I immerse myself in work. The glow of the monitors and the scent of freshly printed financial reports help me focus.

Spreading the incoming money into our businesses takes hours. I meticulously move funds into the restaurant accounts, keeping the transactions clean, but the bulk of it filters into our real estate business. Money laundering at this scale requires precision, and I don’t cut corners. I run my hand through my hair as I review the numbers again.

Satisfied that I’ve covered the tracks of millions of dollars, I lean back in my chair, pulling out a cigar and lighting it with slow deliberation. The rich scent fills the air, mixing with the faint hint of scotch as I pour myself a glass.

And then, like clockwork, my mind betrays me.

Yelena.

Living with her these past week has been hell. Every time I walk past her, I can smell the faint floral scent of her perfume, and it drives me insane. At night, I can hear her moving in the roomnext to mine, the knowledge that she’s so close only fueling the hunger I’ve been desperately trying to suppress.

Twice now, I’ve caught her in the library, curled up with a book. Both times, she had looked up, those piercing blue eyes holding mine for a fraction too long before returning to her pages. As if I don’t exist. As if I don’t haunt her the way she’s haunting me.

And the worst part? That infuriating self-control makes me want her even more.

I made the mistake of having her once, and now my body refuses to forget how damn good she felt.

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