When he finally pushes inside me, it’s heaven, as he begins to gently rock his hips into me, grunting with every thrust.
I’m moaning into his mouth as he pushes into me harder and faster, the sand between our bodies scraping against us as he pleasures me.
When he comes, I’m right behind him, both of us suspended in the heights of our pleasure. He kisses me for hours, as the stars twinkle above our heads, our bodies wrapped around one another.
By the time we’re both sated, lying with our legs tangled in the sand beneath, I stare upward into the inky blackness and know that I’ll never have another night like this for as long as I live.
Chapter 43
Amelia
When I wake the following morning, Lucas isn’t in the hotel suite. I sit up, naked and still covered in sand from the night before. We arrived back late and collapsed into bed, tangled in each other’s arms.
But now I’m alone.
I get up, hurriedly showering and putting on a dress before I go back into the main living space, hoping that he’s there.
It’s still empty. His case is packed beside the door, and as I stare at it, wondering where he could be, it opens. My heart lifts, thinking that he’s come back to get me. But it’s a bellhop, smiling in a friendly manner, telling me that Mr. Crawford is already on the boat and for me to make my way there.
I stutter a thank you, walking down the boardwalk, staring around at our little slice of paradise, knowing with a certainty that I will never see it again.
This was his goodbye.
I’m so sure of it that I find it hard to breathe. As I round the corner at the end of the pier, I can see him in the boat. He’s lounging in the back seat, his face covered by his shades, looking up into the sky.
Why didn’t you wait for me? Why aren’t we walking to the boat together?
He turns, as if feeling my presence, but he doesn’t wave. He doesn’t even smile, just turns back again.
If I felt the sting of rejection before, it’s a punch to the gut now. Apparently, when he gets rid of a woman from his life, he does it without so much as a shrug in her direction.
I feel sick as I walk up to the boat and climb aboard. I don’t look at Lucas as I sit beside him.
“We’ll be flying out in about an hour,” he says in a monotone that chills my blood.
“Great,” I say, determined not to show how violently my heart is breaking. As far as he’s concerned, I’ve done my job, and now he can be rid of me. That’s his privilege, that’s what he pays me for.
But it hurts. More than I ever imagined it would.
Once we’re on the plane, he’s back on his phone, scrolling through documents, replying to emails, and I sit as far from him as possible without making it too obvious.
The euphoria I felt on the way out is gone. I can’t even muster a smile as the pilot greets us, and I’m asked if I want anything to drink. I choose ice water. I don’t want to owe him any more than I already do.
Halfway through the flight, I check my bank balance and want to cry when I see he has transferred 50k for this weekend alone. I have enough for at least six months of Annabelle’s treatment now. I should feel happy, but I don’t.
“Is it alright if I have a shower before we land?” I ask. I can’t be around him right now. I need some space. He barely glances up from his phone as he nods, and I practically run to the bedroom and slam it shut behind me.
The shower isn’t half as good when it’s just me under the spray and all I can remember is the last time I was in it with his cock ramming into me as I screamed with every thrust.
My body aches for him, and I come out of the shower as fast as I can.
I dry myself quickly, checking the time, knowing that we’ll be landing soon, and leave the bathroom.
I stop as I open the door.
Lucas is standing in the bedroom, waiting for me, his hands in his pockets, eyes like two blazing orbs of fury.
Without speaking, he walks over to me, yanks the towel from around my body, and pins me to the wall, slamming my wrists over my head. His eyes roam over my body as he licks my neck, biting my skin.
