A ripple moved over her brow. “That's all?”
Reaching across, I plucked the toy from the table. It was heavy, most of that coming from the sharp metal base meant to keep it pointing upright. “Did I need another reason?”
She half-turned away from me. “Saying it bluntly makes you sound heartless.”
I found myself staring helplessly at the curve of her ear. It was bare, empty, and I hated that. “Pet, I'm not heartless. My heart has plenty of room in it for you, and it has nothing to do with wanting to keep my bank accounts flush.”
Looking at the floor, then me, she sighed. “You're right. I was just hoping you had another reason for creating stuff. When I was...” Trailing off, she shook her head. “Never mind.”
“No, tell me.”
Her black pupils sucked up all the green in her eyes. “When I was planning to leave and go out to LA, I was—it'll sound so stupid.” At her waist, she twisted her fingers together. “I had these big dreams of getting accepted into a college for designing clothes. That was what I wanted to do. Remember the dress you saw me in five years ago?”
My heart dehydrated, shrinking. “You made that?”
She didn't answer with her words, but I knew.
Tension turned my muscles into useless rocks. They crumbled, cracked, threatening to crush everything inside of me that I dared to call human. I'd already accepted that I'd have to spend an eternity making up for my sins... for what I'd done to this woman.
Was there no end to the destruction my revenge had created?
Breathing heavily, I said, “Tell me you didn't stop creating clothing.” Say it wasn't because of me.
There were no tears on her cheeks, but her smile was just as tragic. “I'm a secretary now at a fashion magazine, it's pretty close to what I wanted to do. And it keeps my accounts flush, like you said.” Alexis laughed, like she wanted to ease the mood, but the noise was as dangerous as broken glass. “I probably wouldn't have made it as a designer. Anyway, forget it. That was a lifetime ago.”
I ruined everything for her.
Everything.
“I think Laralie is texting me.” Taking her phone from her purse, she glanced at me and froze. “Silver?” She was staring at the toy in my grip; it was shaking from how hard I squeezed. “Are you okay?”
Carefully, I set the heavy object back on the display. Alexis couldn't have known what was going on in my skull, yet her eyes burned warily on me. I'd be stupid to think I could hide how her story had affected me.
Hiding isn't the answer.
“I'll fix it,” I whispered.
“What? What did you say?”
Lifting my eyes, I saw how she watched me. Alexis... my Pet... she held such concern for me, the man who'd broken her future into chunks and then swallowed them up.
I'd spend every fucking second of my life making it up to her.
“Silver, what is it?” she asked. “If it's about what I said, forget it. I was being dramatic, I—”
“No. I won't forget it.” Faster than lightning I crossed around the table, capturing her shoulders. It was easy to pull her against me, her purple dress sliding over my shirt. “The last thing I'll ever do is forget.”
“Wha—ah!”
Scooping her up, I ran from the room. She clung to me, nails cutting in deliciously. Ignoring her baffled shouts, I carried her quickly up to my office. The door was locked—I always locked it after hours. In seconds, I yanked my keys out, working the lock free.
The door bounced off the wall, and then, she bounced off the couch in my corner where I dropped her. “What are you doing?” she blurted.
Kneeling beside her, I pushed her purse and phone from her hands. They tumbled to the floor, forgotten. Alexis sat up, her mouth open in surprise. That made it easy to steal a long kiss.
And another.
And then another.
In that room lit only by the city lights through the window, we clung to each other and said no words. I didn't need them, and she certainly didn't. I knew this woman inside and out, but still, she revealed a new scar to me every time we were together.
Was it twisted that I wanted to take that pain from her with pleasure?
Her body slid over the leather couch, thighs spreading for me before I touched her anywhere but her lips. Taking the hint, I hooked her dress up, revealing another set of the beautiful lingerie I'd bought her.
Honestly, she'd have looked just as magnificent with nothing on.
“Is this okay?” she asked, breaking away. “Having sex in your office?”
“It's my office. Of course it's fucking okay.” Ripping her panties down, I felt the texture of the thigh-highs she'd squeezed into. “Unless you want me to stop?”
Her eyes were wild, frenzied. “Don't you dare.”