Page 32 of Consequence of One Reckless Night

“Explain to me how.”

Her marriage to Leandro had been an agreement—between Sylvia and Carlos. An arranged marriage with no feelings involved. Love may have blossomed in the marriage—or not. But she would have had to stay in the relationship, with or without love, because marriage was a sacred bond, and she was told, explicitly, that there would be no divorce.

But it wouldn’t be the same with Alexandre. He aroused such strong emotions in her, the intensity of which scared her. She was sexually attracted to him, which she feared would cloud her judgement. As it had just minutes before. Instead of talking about the future of their child, hadn’t she given into the sexual longing and made love with him again?

Besides sexual attraction, she feared other emotions had begun to take root in her. Like anger—she was furious with him for not using protection. And equally furious with herself, for going home with a man believing he would take care of her, and look where it had got her!

When she’d asked him about his broken nose, hadn’t her heart squeezed with empathy for the boy who had been labelled a vile appellation? Hadn’t her eyes filled to the brim with sympathy for the boy whose father had punished him for being seen?

But what filled her with alarm was the way he was changing her, even without her knowledge. She wasn’t her usual shy, timid self with Alexandre—she was bold and confident enough in his presence to voice her thoughts.

Hadn’t she protested when he ordered her to get on his motorbike? Hadn’t she just refused his offer of marriage? Where was the meek, obsequious woman who loathed bringing attention to herself? Where did this new woman come from—the one with more backbone? She wasn’t weak-willed anymore, and it was all because of Alexandre.

Though his arrogance infuriated her, his honesty touched a raw chord inside her. He could have kept to himself the fact that they’d had unprotected sex, and she would have remained blissfully unaware of the truth. That he chose to tell her the truth, damn the consequences, told her that despite his shortcomings, Alexandre was an honest man.

He was the only man who really saw her—and treated her like an equal. They bickered with the same intensity they made love, and if she didn’t exercise caution, she feared she would even fall in love with him.Would that be terrible?a tiny voice whispered inside her, but she stubbed the thought.

She couldn’t let emotions control her. Not again. Once was enough. Her desire to taste freedom and passion had resulted in that one hedonistic night five weeks ago. She had thrown caution to the wind, and look what had happened.You ended up in bed with the hottest man you’ve ever seen, a wicked voice gleefully taunted her. Raquel blushed. She couldn’t think about Alexandre’s blatant sexuality that he wore comfortably like a cloak.

And she couldn’t let him talk her into another marriage of convenience—another relationship where she would be unimportant. She couldn’t fade into nothingness. If she gave into Alexandre’s demand, she feared she would resign herself to another arrangement where she would gain nothing—but lose herself instead.

“That was something your grandfather and my mother arranged.”

“And you willingly agreed.” The taunt in his voice made her look sharply at him. He returned her stare with a flinty one. His expression was forbidding, his lips thinned into an unflattering line above a jaw which was clenched tight. A nerve ticked madly in his temple revealing that behind the severe expression, he was very furious.

“What made the deal sweet?” he asked, one eyebrow quirked mockingly. “Was it Leandro’s good looks? Or was it his wealth?”

“How dare you!” she sputtered, outraged at his audacious remark.

“Or,” he continued, as though she hadn’t spoken. “Was it the idea of becoming one of the famous Monteiros?”

“I couldn’t care less about your last name!” she hit back furiously.

“That isn’t what I heard,” he said, patronizing. “Your mother has never hidden her desire to do better—socially. Money isn’t everything, you know. In our society, the family name carries clout.” His eyes narrowed. “Sylvia wants to be related to the Monteiros through marriage. You were just the poor sacrificial lamb.”

Raquel didn’t know what bothered her the most—that he knew the truth behind her arrangement with Leandro, or that evenheknew about her mother’s unrelenting ambition to forge a niche for herself among the elite of their society.

She lowered her head, ashamed that she had fallen prey to her mother’s insane ambition and had almost sacrificed her life for Sylvia’s selfishness.

One hand cupped her chin, and tilted her head so she had no option but to look up at him. “I don’t care why you agreed to marry Leandro,” he said gruffly, his eyes steely with determination. “That wedding is off.”

“I wouldn’t have married him,” she replied vehemently. “I was going to call the wedding off. I couldn’t marry your brother, not when I... I’m pregnant with your child.”

Her eyes fell away as heat burst in his eyes, chasing away the severe look on his face.

“I wouldn’t have let you marry him anyway.” Her head flew up—shocked at his possessive tone. “You’re carrying my child and I wouldn’t let another man claim him—not even Leandro!” One palm splayed possessively over her belly, and Raquel shivered as something inside her melted.

It was happening again!

He was weaving a spell over her, and she was succumbing to its erotic pull. Her breasts heaved as the tips pebbled and her belly tightened.

With his free hand, he jerked the sheet off her body, exposing her nakedness to his hungry gaze. Cupping one breast, he flicked the turgid tip with his thumb, sending a shudder through her that had her moaning. Her head fell back, and he leaned forward, taking one breast in his mouth, suckling her noisily. One weak hand clamped on his shoulder as he continued to tease her—a sweet torture that had her shifting restlessly on the bed, her swollen nub in the folds of her femininity begging to be caressed like her breasts.

“This body is mine.” His guttural words made her mewl and she barely noticed when he lifted her onto his lap, all the time sucking her breasts mercilessly. “No one else will taste you. No one will enjoy this lush body but me.”

Raquel shuddered as every word sent a hot dart of lust shooting directly into her core, her muscles weeping for the hard penetration of his shaft.

“I’ve put this child in you, and I will claim it.” Pushing her thighs apart, he placed her right above his shaft—hard and poised to penetrate her. “I will give you everything you need. Fame. Money. Sexual pleasure, the kinds that will make you weep and scream.”

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