Six months.
Chapter 20
That’s how long it had been since Benjamin Willoughby burned to nothing but ash and regret. Since I walked away from that warehouse without looking back, leaving him to choke on his own failure. Since I stripped him of his power, his empire, his pride–until there was nothing left of the man who once thought he could control me.
And now? Now, I sat in the penthouse I owned, in the city I ruled, with the man I never expected to want.
The whiskey in my glass swirled lazily as I watched the skyline, golden lights stretching into the distance. The world moved on, indifferent to the blood that had been spilled, to the war I had fought and won. Benjamin was gone. Leticia was gone. The past was gone.
I should’ve felt… something. Relief, peace, maybe even emptiness. But all I felt was power.
From the kitchen, Donovan leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest, his sharp green eyes watching me. He wasn’t drinking, which meant he was thinking. And when Donovan thought too much, it usually meant trouble.
“You’re quiet tonight,” he finally said, tilting his head slightly. “That’s suspicious.”
I smirked. “I was just thinking.”
He snorted. “That’s even worse.”
I rolled my eyes, taking a slow sip of my drink. “For who?”
He pushed off the counter, strolling toward me with that lazy confidence of his. “Depends. You planning on killing someone else?”
I raised a brow. “Why? You volunteering?”
He chuckled, dropping onto the couch beside me, throwing an arm over the back of it. “Nah, I think I like staying alive. Keeps things interesting.” He glanced at my glass, then back at me. “So? What were you really thinking about?”
I exhaled, swirling my drink. “That it’s over.”
He was quiet for a moment, and when I looked at him, his expression had shifted. Amusement was gone, replaced by something deeper. “No, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice rough, dangerous. “It’s just beginning.”
A shiver ran down my spine, but I masked it with a smirk. “That so?”
His fingers traced my jaw, slow and deliberate, as he tilted my chin up. “Tell me, Valeria,” he whispered, his lips a breath away from mine. “What are you going to do now that you have no one left to destroy?”
I leaned in, my voice a soft, dangerous purr. “Oh, Donovan,” I breathed, gripping his collar, yanking him closer. “Who says I’m done playing?”
His eyes darkened, his smirk curling like a promise. “You’re insatiable.”
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I grinned. “And you love it.”
His response was a low growl before his mouth crashed against mine.
The kiss wasn’t gentle. It was fire, consuming and unrelenting. A battle neither of us wanted to win. He bit my lip, making me gasp, and the bastard took advantage, deepening the kiss, one hand tangling in my hair while the other gripped my waist.
I pulled back slightly, breathless but grinning. “You’re getting cocky, Mr. Cross.”
He smirked, dragging his thumb over my swollen lips. “And you’re letting me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t get used to it.”
“Oh, I plan to,” he murmured, lifting me effortlessly, throwing me onto his lap like I weighed nothing. His hands gripped my thighs, fingers pressing into my skin as he looked up at me. “Tell me, sweetheart,” he said, voice laced with amusement. “Are we going to pretend you don’t like this, or are we being honest tonight?”
I huffed, crossing my arms. “You’re so damn smug.”
“Yeah, but it turns you on.”
I smacked his chest, and he only laughed, the sound deep and rich.
“You are so lucky you’re hot,” I muttered.
He grinned. “I know.”
I groaned, throwing my head back. “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet,” he murmured, brushing his lips over my jaw, “you’re still sitting on my lap.”
Damn him.
I cupped his face, staring into those dark green eyes, and whispered, “Shut up, Donovan.”
“Make me,” he challenged.
So I did.
I kissed him hard, my fingers tangling in his hair as he groaned against my lips. He pulled me tighter against him, and just when I was about to deepen the kiss-
A loud thump came from the hallway.
We both froze.
Donovan’s hands were still on my waist, my legs still straddling him, our breathing uneven.
His eyes flicked toward the door, then back to me. “Tell me that was the wind.”
I sighed. “Do I look like a liar?”
He grinned. “Not to me, sweetheart.”
Another thump.
Donovan groaned, letting his head fall back. “I swear to fucking god, if Evander is about to walk in here, I’m shooting him.”
I snorted, sliding off his lap. “Relax, it’s probably just security checking in.”
Chapter 20
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walk in nete, i’m shooting nim.
I snorted, sliding off his lap. “Relax, it’s probably just security checking in.”
“Better be.” He adjusted his shirt, muttering, “Cock–blocking bastard.”
I smirked. “Poor baby. Want me to send Evander to time–out for interrupting your fun?”
Donovan glared. “I hate you.”
I kissed his cheek. “No, you don’t.”
He sighed dramatically, “Yeah, I don’t.”
The noise never came again, and a few moments later, I got a text confirming it was just security doing their rounds.
Donovan stretched, throwing an arm over my shoulders as we settled back into the couch. “So,” he drawled, “now that you’re done being queen of vengeance, what’s next for you?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go on vacation. Sip expensive wine. Buy an island.” He hummed. “An island sounds good. Can I come?”
I smirked. “I don’t know, Donovan. What exactly would you bring to my island?”
He grinned wickedly, leaning in. “Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured, “I think we both know what I’d bring.”
I rolled my eyes, laughing softly. For the first time in years, it was real. I had won. I was free. And Benjamin Willoughby? He was nothing more than ashes in the past.
END
