Page 51 of Was I Ever Real

“Karmic ties never do. But one thing is certain, you and the other were always bound to meet like this. Whether you remember all the other times you spent connected to him is irrelevant. ”

The more she speaks, the more I want to break everything in this place.

I refuse to hear anymore of this fucking bullshit.

I stand up and knock the chair over in the process. “I don’t know why I even came here,” I scoff, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. I can’t believe I tried to take her seriously, but obviously she’s just some common hack. What did I expect? Still, I begrudgingly pull out a twenty and throw it over the cards still laid out on the table.

“For your lies,” I say coldly before walking out.

Chapter 31

It’sThursdaynightandI’m dripping in wealth just as Connor demanded. The gown is gold and encrusted with diamonds. I didn’t bother looking at the price. My only criteria was to look drop-dead gorgeous. And I’ve definitely succeeded. The halter top wraps snuggly around my neck, the cleavage so low that it ends just above my navel, the bottom half flaring dramatically, covering my legs all the way down to my heels. I bought a diamond bracelet to go along with the look and matching earrings just for the hell of it.

I’m making last minute touches to my makeup in the guest room ensuite when Connor strolls in unannounced. I shoot him a look through the mirror.

“Ever heard of privacy?”

“Considering you haven’t bothered taking down the camera in your bedroom, I'd say this little attitude of yours is all for show,” he quips.

I sigh. Loudly.

I know I don’t have a valid reason for why I haven’t hunted that thing down. Unwilling to acknowledge the small part of me that likes being watched by Connor. Saying nothing in response, I swivel around and face him.

His eyes rove down my dress, and then up again, gaze darkening while he slowly smooths his hand over his mustache. “You’re breathtaking,” he says under his breath.

“I know.”

He flashes me a quick little side grin, before catching my left hand in his. Without breaking eye contact I feel him slide something over my ring finger. Looking down, I realize it’s an engagement ring—a two stone diamond ring, one a princess cut, the other pear.

“What the hell is that?” I say in slight disbelief.

His lips curl, flashing his teeth while pressing us against the bathroom counter. “Just keeping up pretenses,wife.”

The last word trickles feverishly down my spine, my stomach dipping low when my eyes fall to his hand, finding a gold band on his ring finger.

Last time we hadn’t worn any, blaming it on our haste to elope. People had found it oddly romantic. But now—enough time has passed for us to have bought the damn things. Rationally, I know this is just part of the charade we’re playing. But the weight of the diamonds on my finger feels remarkably real and I swallow hard, finding myself sinking deeper into the quicksand of this arrangement.

Letting go of my hand, his fingers caress over my hips, while his own press even closer, trapping me between him and the counter.

He’s been doing that a lot lately.

“You seem wound tight, darling,” he says in a low tone, while beginning to hike up the heavy fabric of my dress, inch by slow inch. “Have you been keeping your hands to yourself?”

The feel of the hem rising higher and higher against my legs makes goosebumps erupt all over my skin, but I try to hide my body's reaction by giving him a hard glare. “You tell me. You’re the one watching me day and night.”

Unbothered, Connor runs his tongue over his teeth like he’s preparing for the best meal of his life and then smiles. He laughs, low and dark, smoothing over my skin like silk. My core clenches and I lick my lips in response. It’s getting harder to pretend I’m not unbelievably turned on by this man simply existing.

“My… my… sounds like I need to repent then,” he muses, dark eyes hooded and glinting with vice. “Maybe I should fall to my knees and ask my wife for forgiveness. Would that please her?”

Before I can even breathe out ayes, he lowers himself in front of me, and I can practically see his eyes dilate into black obsidian the lower he gets. His knees finally hit the floor and I’ve never seen something so beautiful.

It’s intoxicating.

His eyes are burning into me, searing so deep I can’t look away. Not even when I hitch my gown higher, and place my stiletto-clad foot in front of him. I don’t say a single word, only tilting my head towards my heel as my only command.

The smile he flashes in response is enough for me to let my free hand rest back on the counter behind me just to have something to hold. I watch as Connor delicately picks up my foot, his eyes never leaving mine and gently presses his lips to my skin.

I’m near-drunk with power.

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