Athena
Fury.
It was a feeling I was quite familiar with. Hell, ever since I found out who was responsible for my father’s death, It was all I had known. I wanted to end him. I wanted to take away all that was precious to him first, watch the light die in his eyes, and slowly watch him die.
Somehow though, the fury I felt at present was a different sort. It burned in my veins sure enough, like wildfire at the heels of fuel, but it was directed at the wrong person.
Luciano’s brown eyes held mine, a hold that I found hard to break, as he devoured the lips of the brunette in his arms. Samantha or whatever the fuck her name was. I could hear from her mewls, the sounds she made that he was doing it just right, and boy, I wanted to rip her hair out just so she could shut the hell up.
I wasn’t jealous.
There was no way I was jealous. What was I to be jealous about? That the man she thought was into her, was kissing her just so he could make a point? That in his eyes, I could see his taunts, I could see how much he relished showing me what I couldn’t have.
I turned around to leave and heard him growl.
Bastard. If he was going to shag the banshee in his arms, I would rather not watch. I didn’t want to see his hot mouth covering hers hungrily, taking, demanding, possessing every corner of her mouth. I didn’t want to see his hands run down her back- the same hands that had stroked my back at the ball, I wish I could fucking unsee it. I didn’t want to hear the sounds he elicited from her. Or see how she clung to him breathlessly, panting and moaning from his ministrations.
By the time I reached the door, I was a wet sopping mess. I hated Sonia. I wanted to run across the damn office, yank her by the hair and give her a whip on the backside. For a minute I let myself get entertained by the satisfying thought of beating the shit out of her.
“And for what reason? A voice in my head asked.
For standing in the way of my mission. Yes, that was it. Sapphire was standing in the way of my fucking mission. She was a threat and should be eliminated. How else would Luciano notice me, if he was busy sucking the face of some random woman? And how else was I supposed to uncover his deep dark secrets if I wasn’t the one in his arms-
Okay backup Athena, that was enough thinking for one day.
What on earth was wrong with me? Nothing was making sense! I gripped the door handle, eager to get out and get my shit together when Luciano’s voice got to me.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I stiffened, my shoulders tense as I looked back. Oh boy, he did look hot like that. He held Sarafina on one arm, sitting on his desk so that her back was pressed against him. His hands grabbed the very bountiful chest before him, fondling her breasts through the flimsy dress she wore. I couldn’t help it.
I stared.
I watched him squeeze her mounds, his hands deftly playing with them, plucking at her nipples.
Fuck. Me.
I couldn’t look away. I was so damned mesmerized, it took everything in me not to collapse to the floor. Luciano might be a madman, but there was no way Soledad’s cries and moans for more were fake. My nipples strained through the cotton shirt I wore, aching and begging. I tore my eyes from the woman’s breast to look at him and sucked in a breath.
His eyes were liquid and intense. They threatened to engulf me in flames. Flames I would happily welcome. With every touch, every swipe, every kiss he placed on her neck, Luciano’s eyes were fixed on me.
And somehow, I liked it.
Until he ripped open her dress and I knew I had to get the hell outta there. My legs moved on their own, turning around, I gripped the door handle and raced out of the office with a red face, my heart pounding wildly and my core throbbing.
I growled in anger when the damn flush on my face would not go away. The phone camera was all I had as a makeshift mirror and my face couldn’t be any redder. I couldn’t fucking remember a time I had blushed so hard and yet I looked like a fucking tomato. The elevator controls buzzed and sighing wistfully, I went to answer it.
“Maam, are you okay?” A man asked. He must be in charge of the elevator and had noticed me stepping on it. I hadn’t picked a floor to go through. I wasn’t exactly sure where to go. If I went to the ground floor, I’d probably give in to the fear in my stomach and get my ass home, as far away from Luciano as possible.
If I went to any of the other floors, I would be the least welcomed person there. Half of Luciano’s employees seemed to hate my guts anyways. Especially the fucking women. I snorted at the thought. If they wanted to be jealous, the one person that deserved all that jealousy was Sophie in his arms. She was the one getting rammed on his desk currently. Not me.
I have no fucking idea why I felt awful but I hated it.
“Ma’am?”
“Ah yes,” I muttered. I had forgotten all about the elevator guy. “I’m okay, thank you. I just needed a moment.”
“Okay, ma’am.” He said and cut off the connection.
Wonderful. I was alone again. But I couldn’t hoard the elevator to myself. Pretty soon, someone would need the damn thing and besides, I’d probably pass out if I spent more than thirty minutes or something.
Reaching for the control panel, I selected the fourth floor subconsciously. At least there was one person I was familiar with. Maybe staying with his dumbass would remind me of all the many reasons why I shouldn’t be swooning over the devil upstairs.
The fourth floor was empty when I stepped on it. There was no security in sight. Not even Max and his companions.
“Welp, I’m destined to be alone on this great day,” I muttered to myself dryly and leaned against the wall. Their main office was locked. I couldn’t even entertain myself by going through their files. Sighing for what had to be the millionth time that day, I rested my head on a nearby wall and closed my eyes.
Luciano.
Fuck, he was all I could think about. I could see him in my head, hoisting that woman on his desk, taking off his suit as he hurried to shag her. My mind drifted to the day I had seen him at his home. Dressed in a ridiculous tank top that showed his hard, virile body. Imagining all that maleness pressed up against me did naughty things to my body.
Tingles traveled to the ends of my body, to my fingers and toes. To the junction between my legs. To the end of my nipples.
“Just a reaction,” I told myself. “It was just a reaction. He’s a man and of course very attractive. This is only a physical reaction.”
The elevator pinged at that moment as if to call me a liar and Marcus stepped out, in all his glory. I had never been so happy to see someone I hated so much. I was so fucking happy, my face split into a grin immediately and I waved.
His eyes widened at first and he stormed over to me, narrowing them into slits. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you,” I replied, clasping my hands together.
“What?” He asked dumbly and I snorted.
“You don’t have to look so scandalized. I can’t come to see you?”
His eyes slowly lost the edge around them and he looked away. “What do you want?”
“To see you,” I said simply. It wasn’t a lie. I had wanted to see him. He was a living reminder of why I should never let myself get swayed by my body’s reaction to Luciano. If I had pummeled the shit out of myself, then I would.
“You’re the boss’ woman. Why on earth would you want to see me?”
“What are you talking about?” I frowned. Boss’ woman?
“You know what I’m talking about!” He yelled, stepping away from me as if I had just burned him. “Get the hell out of here. Quickly, before the boss arrives-”
He had barely finished his sentence when the elevator pinged open again to reveal a raving mad Luciano. He looked as calm as ever, with his arm folded. But his eyes, Oh he was definitely angry as hell.
Where was his sugar candy?