Chapter 9

ADONIS’S POV

I watched as Estelle waltzed away, her backside moving confidently like a gazelle. Her seductive scent lingered, filling my lungs. I couldn't get over the taste and feel of her skin off my mind. If I hadn't been interrupted, I might've fucked here there and then.

But that wasn't going to happen until she gets on her knees for me and beg to be fucked to insanity.

The conversation we had in the car brought me out of my nasty thoughts. A searing rage like nothing I had ever felt coursed through me when I’d seen the bruise on her wrist. All I could think of was snapping Eric’s neck like a twig. But then, I realized just how different we were as much as we were similar. I could never let my emotions get the best of me, and let people trapple all over all in the name of… Love.

The word sounded foreign to me because all my life, the only love I let consume me had my love for my mother, and where had that gotten her… Beneath the earth, buried in her grave.

My chest tightened as thoughts of her flooded my mind. My mother meant the whole world to me, and the world had taken her away from me. Her death had been deemed an accident caused by a reckless driver, but that hadnt been all of it. He managed to escape the scene but after digging deeper, I found him, and right before I blew his brains out and tossed his body into the Seine river, he revealed that he had been paid anonymously to kill my mother.

His life had been the first life I ever took, and since then, the idea of taking a life didn’t budge me. I was prepared to take another; the person who ordered my mother killed.

That's what love does to you. It either turns you into a fool or a monster.

Estelle's words had triggered the painful memories and she was going to be certainly punished for it.

I sighted her, seated at the lounge, her legs crosses as she looked everywhere except at me.

“Morning, Mr Sandoval,” my assistant; Ava approached me, grinning widely, “The meeting was successfully rescheduled, and will start in an hour.”

“Good,” my eyes remained trained on Estelle and the receptionist followed my gaze, “Prepare a wide meeting before the meeting commences.”

“What for sir?”

“For an introduction. I want to welcome a new member of our company.”

Her brows furrowed as she glanced at Estelle, then back at me with a smile I could tell was forced, “Sure. I’ll do that right away.”

When she walked away, I strutted towards Estelle, who still didn’t want to register the fact that I was standing in front of her.

“Come with me into my office.”

She turned to me, her eyes narrowed, “No.”

"Estelle. Don't make me repeat myself," I growled out my warning.

Rolling her eyes, She got up on her feet and walked ahead of me, then shut the door in my face when she got into my office. Annoyed by her rudeness, I followed till I settled into my seat while she stood by the table, glancing at the window.

“Are you just going to stand there like a robot?”

She glared, her green-eyed stare hypnotizing, “What do you want?”

“I want you to sit. Now.”

She scoffed, but I ignored it as she sat. My eyes scanned her face, admiring her features, then settled on her red lipstick that complimented her sensuous lips. Heat settled in my groin as my mind wondered what those lips of hers could do.

I leaned in my seat, “Since we're a merged company, that makes you my business partner. You’ll attend every meeting along with me, and whatever ideas you have in mind in bettering company, you're free to contribute.”

A mischievous smirk played on her lips, “You’re not worried I’m going to ruin you with my flimsy ideas?”

“I know you’re a smart woman, I'm not worried about a thing.”

Surprise flickered through her eyes as she glanced away. As if recalling a memory, she stared into space and mouthed a silent, ‘Thank you.’

"I want you in my room tonight," I blurted out impulsively.

Her eyes flew wide open, her shock evident, "What?!"

"You heard what I said. Come by 10pm."

"You've got to be kidding me."

I ignored her outburst, "Coming late will only make things harder for you."

She suddenly rose up from her seat, her palms on the table, "I'm not some slut you can command into your bed, Adonis."

My blood boiled, "You're my wife."

"Then treat me with respect," she bit back.

"You laid down your respect the day you came begging for marriage."

She froze, speechless, and I knew I had hit a nerve. But I couldnt care less.

I moved from my seat and stood in front of her. When my fingers gripped her chin, she looked away but I forced her to look back at me. My fingers traced her cheek as she shut her eyes, her body responding to my touch. I leaned in, until our lips were few inches apart, almost touching.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I traced the curves of her lips.

"I'm not afraid of you," she spat out, her defiance stirring desire within me.

"You should be."

At that moment, the door opened and I didn’t need to check to see who it was, because there was only one person would come into my office uninvited. Releasing a deep sigh, my gaze shifted to the door.

“Were you not taught how to knock?” I bit out.

“You’ve got to get used to it by now,” I watched Damon pause as his gaze fixated on Estelle who turned to look at him. The grin on his face infuriated me more than anything.

“Seems like I'm interrupting something” Damon said as he leaned on the door, his arms crossed. I let go of Estelle and moved back to my chair.

"And who's this remarkable thing?" He chimed as he assessed a flustered Estelle from head to toe.

When he took her hand and kissed it, a low warning growl escaped me.

“Estelle,” I cut in, then added, “My wife.”

His eyebrows shot up, his face edging a questioning look.

“Finally. And here I thought you were going to die alone.”

I scoffed and turned to Estelle who was looking at Damon, “Excuse us, Estelle. I’d like to speak with Damon alone.”

Without a word, she left without glanging back. The moment the door closed, Damon sat.

“Last time I checked, that was your brother’s wife. Or am I missing something here?”

Damon was a close friend, a businessman who ran his own company, and a trusted partner. As infuriating as he was, somehow I managed to deal with him through the years. Our bond exceeded that of friendship; I saw him as family, and I don’t play with family.

“They divorced.”

“And you thought it was a good idea to marry her?” he leaned back, throwing his arms over his head, “You’re crazier than I expected. Your obsession with her has definitely messed up what was left of your brain.”

“Shut up,” I rubbed my temples, regretting the fact that I tell him everything, “She came to me, asking for my help."

He listened, his whole focus on me.

"Her father died, his company suffered a great loss, and she thought a contract marriage was the best solution.”

“She sure has guts. She looks it,” his normal playful expression faltered, taking on a serious one, “But she might have ulterior motives.”

“She does. I don’t trust her,” I pulled out a drawer in my desk and pulled out a paper that had all of Estelle’s credentials. From her life details, background, and even her relations, “That’s why I need your help.”

Damon took the paper, glanced at it and nodded, “Understood. I’ll see what I can find.”

Damon wasn’t just a businessman and a billionaire, he was one of the greatest detectives in the whole of Paris. If I could trust anyone to do the digging into Estelle’s life, it was him.

Right before he left, he stopped in his tracks, “Just watch your back, brother. There's something about her; She's dangerous."

Damon had this gift of being able to tell a person's personality just by looking at them. Somehow, his words about Estelle stirred something in between pride and anticipation within me.

This was going to be interesting.