“It must be Leo,” Avi says.
The door opens, and sure enough, it’s Leo. His eyes find mine. “Let’s go, Angel.”
Wen interjects. “No. She’s not going with you. We’re having girls’ night today.”
He nods and leaves.
We all look at each other. Avi smiles. “That was very nice of him.”
I nod, lost in my thoughts. He was behaving very differently at the dining table an hour ago. This morning, I found myself again in his arms, but I said nothing and continued ignoring him, even though last night he had forced me to speak—or, to be precise, argue—with him. I kept my plan of treating him like air intact.
At breakfast, I kept talking with Wen, deliberately ignoring him. Then he left for the office. I spent my morning talking with the gardener of my plants. After lunch, Wen and I came to spend time with Zo and Avi. When Matleon returned from the office, he helped Zo with his physiotherapy. Avi told me he did this every day, coming home early from work to spend three hours with Zo before having dinner with him.
Tonight, I caught him watching me many times. His eyes seemed to follow me constantly. That wasn’t new, but the look in his eyes was different, there was something bothering him. And now, I don’t understand why this stupid heart of mine is feeling so heavy.
The door opens again, and Zo enters in his wheelchair, smiling at Avi. Wen and I exchange a glance, watching them share smiles.
She looks toward us. “Guys, give me a minute.”
We nod, and she jumps down from the bed to follow Zo outside the room.
Just then, Wen’s phone rings. She picks it up. “Hello, Mom?”
Aunt Pheny says something to her, to which she replies, “I’m busy with girls’ night. Can’t I do that tomorrow?”
“Oh, okay. I’ll send it.”
She cuts the call and looks toward me. “There’s an important book of Mom’s in her room. I need to send photos of the pages to her. I’ll come back after that.”
I nod. She gets down from the bed and leaves.
Now I’m alone. But soon after, the door opens again. I think it’s Avi coming back, but when I look up, dark, smiling eyes meet mine.
Realization hits me like a truck. He made both of them leave. He enters and shuts the door behind him.
“How did you make Wen leave?” I ask, a mix of awe and anger in my voice. I understand how easily he can get Avi out using Zo.
He comes closer to the bed. “I called Mom and told her that her daughter is not letting my wife spend time with me. If she keeps my wife away like this, how will I make my married life happy?”
He stops beside the bed. “I have something to show you. Come with me.” He extends his hand.
I shake my head and look away from him. “I don’t want to see anything.”
He says nothing, just stands there, hand still extended. I glance at him without moving my face.
The next second, he moves forward like a lion attacking its prey. A cry rips from my throat as he grabs my ankle and pulls me toward him. Before I can even process the shock of being dragged along the length of the bed, he lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder. My head spins, blood rushing to my brain, my vision blurring as heaviness clouds my eyes.
I push against his back, trying to move upward. “Put me down, Matleon!” I yell, my voice trembling slightly from both fear and fury.
He squeezes my ass. “Shush. Zo and Avi are fucking. Good girls don’t disturb others’ sex.”
A shiver runs through me, goosebumps rising across my arms and back. I thrash even harder. “You’re not only touching me, but you’re also manhandling me!”
At this point, it almost feels absurd to mention the deal about him not touching me, it’s completely gone out the window.
“I’m going to divorce you!” I yell as we leave Zo’s mansion.
He gives my ass another squeeze, the sensation sending heat all through me.Fuck this thirsty body.
