London

I was crushed.

I hadn’t seen Crewe wear that expression too often. He downplayed his sadness over losing Ariel, but I could see the devastation in his eyes. His mood wasn’t just dark like it was when he was angry about something.

He was lifeless.

I didn’t like it at all.

After a few days, he lightened up a bit. When he came to the bedroom after work, he was the worst. After spending an hour with me, he usually came back around, probably because he wasn’t thinking about the mess she left behind.

I knew all too well what it was like to lose someone. I was young when my parents died, but I was never the same after they were gone. I don’t have a foundation, with the exception of Joseph. Ariel wasn’t a mother to him, but she was inside his circle deep enough that she was definitely family.

I didn’t want him to lose that. He already lost so much as it was.

But I didn’t know how to fix it. I’d already tried talking to her once, and she was so disgusted by me that she could hardly look at me. How would I persuade someone that didn’t trust me?

Crewe was in a particularly bad mood that morning. He was silent, and his shoulders were tighter than usual. He showered in less than five minutes then brushed his teeth with an irritated expression. He didn’t bother to shave, which told me he was either too stressed to remember or he just didn’t give a damn.

“Everything alright?”

Crewe looked at my reflection in the mirror as he finished securing his tie around the collar of his shirt. He didn’t dance around the topic like he used to. If something was on his mind, he didn’t beat around the brush. “Ariel is coming by to pick up her things.”

“Ooh…” Now it all made sense.

He folded down his collar then pulled on his jacket.

I didn’t feed him empty lines to make him feel better. He didn’t bullshit with me, and I didn’t bullshit with him. “Anything I can do?”

He held up his forefinger before he turned to the stand-up dresser against the wall. It reminded me of something out of a fairy tale because I’d never seen a dresser like it anywhere else. Men usually just had closets. But Crewe had so many clothes and accessories that he needed every nook and cranny. He opened the door and pulled out a black ensemble, a lacy bustier and a matching thong. “Yes. Be ready for me when I walk through that door.” He tossed the racy outfit on the bed then gave me a quick kiss before he walked out.

My mind wasn’t on the lingerie or his expectations of what I would do when he finished work. I was thinking about Ariel, the root of his sadness. I could fuck him as many times as he wanted, but that wouldn’t put him back together.

He needed both of us to be happy.

“What are you doing?” Dimitri asked when I stepped out of the front doors.

“I’m a free woman. I can do whatever I want.” I saw Ariel’s car pulled up to the steps in the gravel roundabout. A black Audi with tinted windows, it perfectly matched her infuriating personality. “I’m just waiting for Ariel.”

Dimitri narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

I couldn’t expect any of Crewe’s men ever to trust me again. “I want to convince her not to leave, that’s all.”

Dimitri continued to stand with his hands in front of his waist, but he didn’t take his eyes off me. “I’m watching you.”

I rolled my eyes and stood near her car, knowing she would leave soon. Crewe never walked his guests to the door, so I didn’t expect him to do it today. Knowing him, he would stay in his office and down a glass of scotch. He wouldn’t want to interact with anyone, not even me. So my chances of getting caught were slim unless Dimitri wanted to piss me off.

Ariel walked through the front doors minutes later, a small duffel bag over her shoulder. Her sunglasses were already on, and she wore a black dress with matching heels. For no longer having a job, she looked awfully professional.

When she noticed me, she halted in her steps. Her glasses hid her expression from view, but I pictured how threatening her eyes must have looked. She started moving again, taking the stairs until we were level with one another. “Get away from my car.”

I ignored the insult. “Ariel, I need you to stay.”

“Now you have him all to yourself, wrapped around your finger. No, you don’t need me for a damn thing.” She opened the passenger door and placed her stuff on the leather seat. She shut the door then turned back to me, her expression still grim.

“Ariel, he’s devastated. He acts like he’s fine with it, but trust me, he’s not.”

“I’m not happy about the arrangement either, but that’s how it has to be.”

“But it doesn’t have to be that way. Look, I’ll do anything to make this work. Please stay for Crewe. Don’t punish him because of me.”

“This has nothing to do with punishment,” she said coldly. “I’m an opportunist. I no longer see an opportunity here.”

“Crewe is a brilliant man. You can’t downplay that.”

“How would you know? All you ever do is suck his cock and manipulate him.”

I narrowed my eyes, feeling my skin prickle at the insult. “I love him. And you know that, Ariel.”

I couldn’t see her eyes, but I imagined she just rolled them.

“Meet me halfway here, Ariel. What can I do to get you to stay?”

“Disappear. I already told you that.”

“Well, that’s the one thing I can’t do. Anything else?”

“Nope.”

“Ariel,” I said through gritted teeth. “I wouldn’t be putting this much effort in if I didn’t love Crewe so much. I could just turn my head the other way so you’ll leave. It’s not like I like you or you like me. I’m only doing this for him. So that right there should be enough to make you consider everything.”

She took off her glasses and hooked them on the front of her blouse. With a cold and calculating expression, she stared me down like an enemy about to attack. “I’ll make a deal with you, London. You want to prove yourself to me? Here’s your chance.”

I held my breath, hoping she wouldn’t ask for anything ridiculous.

“You can stay with him until this relationship runs its course. But Crewe needs to marry someone else, someone royal, and you’re going to make sure that happens. You need to give me your word that you’ll never marry him, that you’ll encourage him to find someone else, and if he asks you to marry him, you’ll say no.”

My heart stopped beating, not from adrenaline, but from depression.

“Give me your word, and we have a deal.”

I could spend a year with him, maybe longer. But now our relationship had a deadline. I could love him every night for now, but one day, I’d have to give him up. I’d have to step aside and watch him spend the rest of his life with someone else. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to grow old with him until the option was taken away from me.

“London?” she pressed.

Could I really do that? I asked Crewe to trust me. By doing this, I was lying to him. But I didn’t want him to lose Ariel. Maybe Crewe and I would never get married anyway. Maybe our relationship would grow old and stale. Anything could happen. This was the only compromise I could think of that allowed Crewe to have both of us. “Okay…”

“Yes?” Ariel asked.

“Yeah. I give you my word.”

She couldn’t keep the surprise from flooding her features. “Maybe you do really love him.”

“Of course, I do.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the front door.

“When are you going to talk to him?”

“It’d be too obvious if I did it now. I’ll wait a few days.” She turned away and walked to the driver’s door like our conversation was finished.

“Okay.”

“If you ever tell Crewe we had this conversation, I’ll deny it.”

“Have a good night, Ariel.” I walked away before she got into the car and shut the door. I heard the door shut and the engine start as I walked up to the front doors.

Dimitri watched me like a hawk. “What was that about?”

“Just wanted to say goodbye.”

I spent the afternoon reflecting on my conversation with Ariel.

More formally known as the devil.

I made a deal I never wanted to make, but I knew it was best for Crewe. He couldn’t marry someone like me anyway. I wanted to have my own life, my own ambitions. Being his wife would involve a lot of etiquette and social decorum. I would be a full-time wife, not a physician or anything else. People would stick their noses in my business around the clock.

So maybe it was better this way.

Joseph hated him, and I couldn’t have my brother hate my spouse. And I couldn’t have my spouse hate my brother either.

And I brought nothing to the table except for piles of student loans.

When Crewe came to the bedroom after five, I was dressed in the bustier with my hair big and my makeup heavy. I pushed my conversation with Ariel from my mind and tried to concentrate on the fact that I had Crewe right now—and for the foreseeable future. I wanted to soak up every moment, not think about the day when we would part ways.

He walked inside and immediately looked me up and down, the shadow on his face nearly a full beard. His brown eyes were fixed with colors of amber and gold, and the intensity was enough to make the sun melt. He slowly removed his jacket and tossed it on the ground before he slipped his shoes off.

I stood near the foot of the bed, my hand propped on my hip and my feet aching in the five-inch heels I wore. I would be lying if I said I didn’t love it when Crewe looked at me that way. I loved every second of it, seeing the fiery desire in his eyes that was going to explode like hot molten lava.

He unbuttoned his shirt as he walked up to me, taking his time with each button until he yanked his tie loose. His hand moved to my hip, and his fingers traced over my smooth skin, causing my body to prickle naturally in response.

He felt the lace in his fingertips and wrapped up the strap of my thong in his index finger.

My breathing was heavy in my ears while his was so calm I could barely hear it.

He gripped both of my tits in the push-up and squeezed them hard with his strong hands. His eyes watched his movements, watching the swell of my breasts change as he massaged me.

My hand went to his cock in his slacks and felt the nine inches of definition.

He craned his neck and pressed his mouth to mine, giving me a slow and sensual kiss that made my knees weak. Heat flushed my body even though we barely touched. The explosive reaction this man caused was supernatural.

My fingers undid his belt and pants until I could push down everything, including his boxers. When his cock was out, I wrapped my fingers around him and stroked him as I continued to kiss him, our tongues moving together harshly. The slow sensuality died away, and only carnal need remained behind. I kissed him harder as my hand jerked his long length, moving from tip to base.

His breathing hitched when a restrained moan escaped his lips. His hand dug into my hair just the way I liked, and he kissed me with the kind of passion no man ever had before. Crewe made me feel beautiful, sexy, and incredible all at the same time.

He guided me backward until the backs of my legs hit the foot of the bed. “On all fours,” he said through our kiss. “Ass in the air.”

I turned around and obeyed, my back arched to make my waist look smaller and my ass bigger.

Crewe pulled my thong down to my knees then positioned himself at my entrance. With perfect ease, he slipped inside me, stretching my channel for the millionth time. I was soaking wet, and I coated his entire length, my moisture lubing his balls.

A quiet moan escaped his lips. “That pussy…goddamn.” He gripped the back of my neck as he moved into me slowly, giving me long and even strokes. His head hit my back wall every time he thrust, and I felt an orgasm already beginning.

He pushed my head into the mattress then propped one leg on the bed, deepening the angle. He gave me more of his length every time, my fluid making audible noises each time he pushed inside me.

My mouth was open against the comforter. “Crewe…”

“Lovely.” He pressed his hand to my lower back and fucked me harder, giving me his big cock over and over. His fingers dug into my skin, and as his grip tightened, I could feel his cock thickening with overwhelming arousal.

I loved it when he came inside me. I didn’t care if he went before me. It always felt so incredible to have his seed buried deep inside.

He suddenly pulled out of me, his cock shiny from my arousal. “Turn over.”

I didn’t want him to stop, but if I argued, it would take longer for him to be inside me. I flipped onto my back and looked up at him, my bustier still squeezing me like a corset. My waist appeared slimmer than it really was, and my tits were pressed higher and tighter than ever before.

He kicked his pants and boxers away before he crawled on top of me, his knees moving behind my legs as he positioned me into the mattress. With a clenched jaw, he pushed himself inside me again, hitting me hard.

I moaned when I felt him stretch me again, bringing me back to how I was just a moment before. My nails dug into his skin, and I widened my legs so he could take all of me.

He fucked me harder than he did before, ramming me into the bed and making my entire body shake. With eyes locked to mine, he watched every single expression form on my face. When I bit my bottom lip, his eyes narrowed in intensity.

My hands moved up his chest, feeling this powerful man conquer me on his bed. I loved feeling his heart pound, feeling the sweat form on his beautiful skin. I loved watching him exert himself to please me.

I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.

I didn’t want another man to be my husband. I wanted it to be Crewe. I wanted him to be the father of my children.

But that could never happen. It was just a dream.

My fingers slid into his damp hair. “I love you…”

When he thrust inside me, he didn’t pull out again. He left himself inside my channel, and he closed his eyes as he stopped himself from exploding then and there. He released a loud sigh before he rocked into me again.

My hand moved to his face, and I kissed him as he made love to me. “I love you.” I didn’t say it again because I wanted to hear him say it back. Now I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity that I had to tell him how I really felt, that he was the only man in the world I adored. When he was deep inside me like this, taking me like it was the first time he’d ever had me, I was out of my mind and in the moment.

He hooked my leg over his shoulder and deepened the angle, my other leg opening to the side so he had greater access to fuck me as hard as he wanted. He thrust hard inside me. “I.” He did it again, his eyes locked on mine. “Love.” He gave me a kiss before he thrust again. “You.”