"I didn't choose this for myself: the constant heartache, the feeling out of place in my own home, the lack of freedom. I didn't choose it, just like you didn't, Elijah. I can live with a husband who doesn't love me, but I will not forgo respect. I'...
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"Come," Elijah whispers in my ear. He pulls me towards a less crowded part of the club, then checks for an open door, and pushes me into an empty room.
His body crowds me, his lips mere inches away from mine, my breath and his meeting in the air, rugged and expectant.
He doesn't move. He simply stares, at my eyes, then lips. Tired of waiting for him to make his mind up, I near my face to his until there's little to no space between us.
"Once we do this, there's no going back, Lilliana. You know that right?" His voice is low.
"It's just for tonight. Tomorrow we can go back to hating each other, to being the unhappy spouses we've been for the last eighteen months. I just. . . Just for tonight, I need you to not be my unhappy husband. I need you to want me. To pretend to want me, if that's easier." The distance between us finally closes.
His lips cover mine, sending sparks through my body. Moving back to catch our breath, Elijah's eyes remain fixated on me, and they look at me differently from the usual look of disdain they reserve for me.
My heart jolts in my chest. Is this what it feels like to have Elijah look at you? Really look at you? If it is, then I'm not sure I can go back to what we currently have.
His hand moves to my waist pulling my body closer to him, as he connects our lips again. His hands explore my body, until they reach the hem of my dress, making me gasp into the kiss.
Quickly finding my underwear, he starts to palm my covered folds. "Fuck, Lili." His middle finger runs across my slit, until he finds the bundle of nerves and strokes it, ousting a moan from me.
My hands get lost in his hair, as his mouth moves to my neck, kissing and marking every bit of exposed skin. I meet his fingers with my sex, eager for more. Getting the hint, he moves his fingers faster against my panties, and rubs my clit fervently, and as I start to chase my high, I open my eyes and notice him staring at me.
"Come for me, Lilliana," my eyes shut close, and with his fingers still stroking my clit, over my underwear, I come. "Good girl," I can hear Elijah say, as he places his face in the crook of neck, leaving kisses wherever his lips touch.
It takes me some time to come down from my high and manage to open my eyes. Elijah's arms are still holding me up, when my eyes meet his and suddenly the reality of what we just did hits.
All the effects of the alcohol I've been drinking disappear quickly, and it dawns on me that Elijah just made me come, called me beautiful and looked at me differently.
What did I just do?!
He scans my expression and, quickly, his changes, too. As he steps away from me, a hard look coats his eyes, again.
"We should get out of here, go out and join the others. . ." He clears his throat and lends me his hand. I grab it and fix my dress, a pang of hurt hitting me once I meet his cold eyes.
"Yeah, you're right." Once we step out, he pulls me towards the dance floor, but I stop him, "I'm going to go to the toilet. I'll join you in a second." He nods mindlessly, so I walk to the door in the far corner of the hallway.
Inside, I stand in front of a mirror and look at my reflection and in no time, tears pool in my eyes. The dismissive look he gave me hunts me every time I close my eyes.
Someone opens the door, so I quickly dry my tears. I walk into a stall and take some time to recollect. When I get back out, I notice a girl on her phone, and when we make eye contact she offers me a smile.
I smile back, but as I approach the sink, I look back at her and try to remember where I've seen her from.
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We get home around 2:00 am, and Alena's drunken self laughs at Santi's silence, as she points out his many tattoos. "What is this?" She says as she points at something. "A set of wings, Alena." Once again, the small elevator space fills up with her drunken giggles.
The elevator doors open, and we reach our floor. Santi picks up Alena in his arms, and moves her to the extra bedroom, as I follow closely behind. I wipe off her makeup and place a blanket over her.
In the kitchen, Elijah stands tall. My memories are flooded with what we did in that empty room.
"Lilliana, I need to speak to you," he says as I approach him, "About earlier." I stop my movement, so he comes to me instead.
"It was a mistake, Lilliana. We have duties and roles and we can't let a moment of weakness distract us from that."
His words are sharp, so much that it feels like my heart has been sliced open by them.
"Okay," I reply, trying to rid my voice of any emotion.
When I turn around to go back upstairs, he stops me again, "There's more. Your mom called earlier, and she said, she said it is time." He doesn't finish his statement, so I give him a pointed look. "She wants us to give her a grandchild."
