Page 56 of Gamble with Me
I wanted to rip the scarf off and look into his eyes so he could see into my soul. He must have felt it. There was more between us than this insanity of him stalking me and me pushing him away.
But Chester's threats were at the front of my mind. I sobered from the bliss and realized I had jeopardized my life with my daughter for a selfish fantasy of being happy with a masked man. How could I be so stupid? We were a moment away from a tragedy.
"You should go," I choked out, inhaling his scent mixed with his typical Versace cologne. My soul felt like it could crack at any second, but I surely heard Zefarin's heart breaking.
But he didn't say a word. In less than thirty seconds, he lifted himself, removed the scarf from my face, and disappeared.
I pressed the silky textile against my chest, my tears moisturizing the expensive material. I stayed with my husband, but my heart left with its owner. It was useless to deny it in any way.
-27-
Valeria
Chester left me to sleep till noon. I stretched my arms above my head, recalling the memories of the last night. My throat and jaw ached, and my pussy was sore, but it didn't wipe out another fantastic experience with my stalker. But my moment of contentment was ruined by the lies I'd told him. I didn't know how to get rid of the torturing feeling of guilt eating my conscience.
Getting out of bed, I opened the pink curtains and window, allowing the fresh air to blow into the room. A light breeze ruffled my messy hair, and my eyes dropped to the flower on the nightstand.
Slowly, I approached the bedside table, stretching my arm toward the stunning black dahlia. My fingers touched the gorgeous petals, feeling their softness. Carefully, I lifted it to my nose, inhaling its scent. I never felt so happy about getting a simple flower. Its color, texture, and shape symbolized our blossoming relationship. If only I could tell him the truth.
Pulling a simple T-shirt over my head, I brushed my teeth and combed my hair. I put it up in a ponytail and checked my face for wrinkles. I always had flawless skin, yet I felt the need to look better than I did on an average day. But then I realized I was at home alone or with my husband, who wasn't the man I cared to impress.
With a wink at my reflection, I left the bathroom. As a protective token, I took the dahlia into the kitchen and placed it into a vase.
"Where did you get it?"
Chester's voice felt like a punch in the gut. The butterflies in my stomach, caused by the beautiful gift, were instantly killed by his attacking rumbling.
"I found it in Zara's room," I replied casually, arranging it on the table so I didn't have to look at him.
"It wasn't there when she woke up crying in the middle of the night," Chester pointed out, and I felt his presence behind me.
"Well, you could've taken the credit for gifting it to me." I shrugged, feeling my heart thudding somewhere in my throat. My mind worked overtime to develop a topic that would make Chester forget about the flower.
"Aren't you worried that our daughter cried at night?" he asked, coming into my line of view, and I turned to face him. "You care more about this weed than our child."
A simple look I threw his way instantly turned into a glare. I sensed anger bubbling in my stomach. Zara was the most important person in my life. I spent countless nights holding her in my arms because she had nightmares. She slept with me frequently when he wasn't at home. He fulfilled his duties as a loving father once and acted like he saved the universe.
Asshole.
"I know about her nightmares, Chester," I said, looking into his disgusting face. I felt nothing toward my husband but repulsion. I wanted him gone from my and Zara's life. With every minute passing, I was more determined to find a way to escape him.
"Great. Then I believe you'll agree that we must do something about it." He walked to the kitchen counter and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. "I bought us tickets to the fun fair. It could help us all to feel like a family again."
For a moment, I thought I might throw up. My stomach twisted with nausea, and bile rose in my throat.
"Excuse me?" I hissed, my insides trembling with blinding rage. "If Zara didn't interrupt you, you would've raped me on this very counter you're leaning against." My voice was rising evenly with my temper, and the memory of him pressed against me only fueled myfury. "How the hell do you want us to feel like a family when you're constantly abusing me?"
"Stop dramatizing things, Valeria," he said calmly, making my blood boil. "I would never hurt you."
"Really?" I yelled. "When I begged you to stop, why didn't you stop?"
"You should stop right now," he warned, pushing himself off the counter. He was icy calm, but his hazel eyes swirled with suppressed anger. I was on the verge of another physical confrontation.
"Or what?" I asked, gulping the set of profanities I craved to shout into his face. "Will you hit me again?"
Chester took a step closer, and I forced myself to stay rooted to the ground. My head was held high, and my eyes bored into his. I was scared of him, but my fear didn't stop me from defying him. I couldn't give up. It wasn't in my nature. I’d suffered too much from him to let him win.
"What happened to us, Valeria?" he inquired, stopping before me. His arms fell beside his body, and his eyes roamed my face with sadness reflecting in them. "We were happy, and suddenly everything changed."
