Page 37 of Santiago's Conquest (Four Dark Horsemen 1)

Father won’t survive such a blow, and his weak heart might give up. How will I ever forgive myself for it?

I need to call Howard.

He will know what to do about this and probably take me away. His arms are the only ones that can give me solace in this nightmare.

Maybe they can give me the reprieve from Andreas’s words about the baby, his baby inside me too.

I will pray every single day of my life it won’t come true.

I’d rather die than have his child.

Briseis

Emerging from the shower, I wrap the towel around me and go to the sink, wiping the fog from the mirror, studying my reflection, but finding nothing out of the ordinary.

The woman gazing back at me is the same one I saw just this morning, yet everything inside me feels different, from the buzzing my body constantly experiences to the throbbing between my thighs reminding me of what I’ve done.

Although the hickeys splayed all over my neck, shoulders, and collarbone manage to do the job just fine.

Running my fingers over them, I rub them gently and close my eyes, the images of my encounter with Santiago flashing in my mind.

His rough yet gentle hands gripping my hips.

His mouth feasting on my flesh.

His voice wrapping me in a cocoon I never wanted to break free from.

Gasping, I lean on the counter and grab it firmly, hating the betraying lust traveling through my blood, fueling it with the desire to do it all over again and find Santiago to fulfill this need of mine that’s driving me insane despite how wrong it is.

The likes of Santiago Cortez don’t marry or love illegitimate daughters of whores. So indulging in his interest or whatever it is keeping him by my side for now would be a mistake on my part.

He’ll dump me the minute he becomes bored, while my heart might not survive another wound, crumbling under the pain.

For the sake of my sanity and future, I should stay away from him, being grateful for this one passionate tryst.

After I ran away from him, I caught a cab and hopped inside, only realizing after that I forgot my shoes. I arrived home in record time, and I slipped into the mansion so fast no one had a chance to see my rumpled state.

Thankfully, Lenora had to cancel our meeting all together, something with the new fashion show approaching soon, so she had to be at the warehouse.

Since Santiago’s scent still lingered all over me, I sat in the bathtub for hours trying to wash away any trace of him and the discomfort my muscles experienced.

God, no one told me sex could be this hot. This intense and needy, with the whole world disappearing while the man drives inside you over and over again, bringing you to the brink.

Maybe then I would have experimented more back in Greece.

I drop the towel and put on the shorts and T-shirt hanging on the hanger, running my fingers through my wet hair. Giving myself one last glance in the mirror, I step out and frown at how warm it is.

No matter how much I asked for it, Clare always refused to install AC in my room.

Sighing, I go the window and slide it open, welcoming the wind slipping inside, billowing the white curtain in different directions, and tickling my skin.

Owls hoot in the night along with several birds chirping as the dark clouds gather above. Lightning flashes before loud thunder echoes through the sky, making the birds fly from the trees and rustle the leaves.

By the strong humidity in the air, I anticipate the rain will start pouring any moment now, and I wonder if I have time to run to the alcove deep in the garden to sketch.

Rain has always been my favorite weather, and in the rain, my creativity flourishes, allowing me to open myself up to all the feelings boiling up inside me.

Turning around, I’m about to grab my sketchbook and pencils, when I hear a loud scream reverberating through the walls and chilling my blood.

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