Page 42 of Forever After All

My eyes fall to the clusters of round sofas, each of them a separate booth facing a glass barrier, resulting in an unparalleled view of both the skyline and the bar. I spot Aiden in the corner and he nods at me, stepping aside as I walk up to him. Alexander is leaning back on the sofa, his eyes on the skyline in front of us.

He looks up when I sit down next to him, his gaze sending a thrill down my spine. He hasn’t been himself lately. Ever since he got back from his business trip, he’s been cold and distant.

I’ve tried over and over again to explain to him that nothing is going on between Lucian and me, but he won’t listen to reason. I can’t even blame him. I messed up. I never should have entertained Lucian’s ideas. I should’ve known how Alexander would respond to that.

He raises his fingers to my mouth, his thumb tracing over my lips. “Red lips? Perfect.”

My heart races when he smiles at me, his eyes dark, anger still flashing through them. His gaze roams over my body, taking in the tight black dress I’m wearing.

He looks into my eyes and then pats his legs. “Come here.”

I blink, my cheeks heating rapidly. He wants me to sit in his lap? I glance around the packed bar, my heart racing. I might not know everyone, but I recognize many faces.

“I won’t repeat myself.”

I swallow hard and rise to my feet. He smiles in satisfaction and grabs my hand, pulling on it so I fall into his arms. His hands wrap around my waist and he positions me squarely in his lap, my back toward the crowd.

“Alexander…”

He looks at me with raised brows, his hands roaming over my body. “I told you to call me Alec.”

I stare at him, unable to figure him out. He told me at the very start that he and I aren’t close enough for me to use that name, and I know that’s true. I can count the people that call him Alec on one hand. It’s just his parents, Lucian, his grandfather… and Jennifer. Not me. Never me.

“Embarrassed?” He asks as his hand glides over my skin, until he’s cupping the back of my neck, his thumb on my throat. “You’re mine, yet you seem to have trouble remembering it. You leave me no choice, baby. I’ll have to make sure everyone knows it.”

I can feel him hardening underneath me and my heart starts to race. I shift in his lap and he grins. “Like what you feel?” he asks, his hands moving to my waist. He holds me right below my breasts, his thumbs caressing my nipples. They harden for him like the traitorous little bitches they are, and he smirks.

“Tell me what you’re wearing underneath this dress.”

My eyes widen and my cheeks heat even further. “I… um… just underwear.”

Alexander chuckles. “Color?”

I swallow hard. “It’s black.”

“Is it lace?”

I nod.

“Did my brother pick that out for you too?”

I look into his eyes, my heart twisting painfully. “No, of course not. It’s not what you think. It was bad judgement on my part, I admit, but there’s nothing going on between Luce and I.”

Alexander grits his teeth, tightening my grip on me. “Luce? Hmm… I don’t like how familiar you are with another man. It’sLucianfrom now on.”

I shake my head and look at him through narrowed eyes. “Like hell it is. He’s my childhood friend, and you’re being unreasonable.”

He chuckles, but there’s no humor in his eyes. “Hmm… disobeying me, are you? I was away for one week, and you’re all over Lucian. You’re forgetting who owns you, Elena. You’re mine, and you’ll do as I say.”

I look down, hurt by his constant reminders. I hate that he keeps reminding me I’m just another possession of his. That he and I aren’t in a relationship—that we never will be. He leans into me, his nose brushing against my neck. Alexander kisses me softly, where he knows I’m sensitive, and a thrill runs down my spine. His tongue grazes over my neck, and then he bites me softly before sucking down on my skin, marking me as his.

A soft gasp escapes my lips and he pulls away, a smile on his face. His hand slips down my chest, over my hips and underneath my dress, his finger trailing over my thighs. I inhale sharply, willing my body not to respond to him for once, but as always when it comes to Alexander, it disobeys me.

He pushes my underwear aside and smirks. “Wet. Of course you are. You’re a little slut for me, aren’t you? Always eager for my touch. I bet I can make you come right here, in my lap, with hundreds of people surrounding us.”

I gulp and shake my head. “Alec, they’ll notice. You can’t!”

He grins and brushes his thumb over my clit, making me jump. “Stay still, baby. Don’t move, and no one will know. Your back is toward the crowd and we’re caged in,” he says, his head tipping toward the privacy barriers between the sofas. “Now, let’s see if you can come quietly or not.”

---