Chapter 65
Audrey’s POV
Blake’s words were heavy with implications. I opened my mouth to respond, but the words died in my throat as memories of our earlier encounter flooded
back.
“No, I…” The rest of my sentence dissolved into silence as Blake smoothly exited the car. Before I could process what was happening, he’d circled around to my side, opening the door with practiced elegance.
The night air hit my face, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the car’s interior. But before I could step out, strong arms slipped beneath my knees and behind my back, lifting me with effortless grace.
A startled gasp escaped my lips as I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck for balance. The familiar scent of him wrapped around me like a forgotten memory.
A hint of satisfaction flickered across his features as we approached my building.
“Didn’t you say that you’d be better off without me?” His voice carried a particular blend of arrogance and amusement. “You’ve lost weight again. Too much.”
Hearing his words, I found myself sinking deeper into his embrace, my head finding that perfect spot between his shoulder and neck that felt like it had been carved just for me.
I should explain. Should struggle. Should maintain the boundaries I’d so carefully constructed when I’d moved out. After all, this was the man who’d already planned his engagement party to another woman. The man who’d made it clear, time and time again, that our marriage meant nothing.
But five years of loving him, three years of marriage, two periods of devoted care – during his blindness and later his coma – had left their mark on my heart. I couldn’t just erase that kind of muscle memory with logic alone. Each remembered moment of care felt like another crack in my carefully constructed walls.
Focus, I reminded myself sternly. I needed to play this carefully if I wanted Snow back.
Knowing Blake’s nature, if I pushed too hard about Snow’s whereabouts like I had about the divorce, I’d end up with the same result – nothing. I could wait him out on the divorce until his engagement to Laurel forced his hand, but Snow was different.
He’d never liked her, always sneering when he saw me holding her, suggesting I get rid of her. One wrong move, one hint of defiance, and he might just do exactly that.
The fluorescent lights in my apartment complex flickered weakly as he carried me through the doorway. Despite Astrid’s earlier attempts at tidying up, her chaotic nature was evident everywhere – books stacked at odd angles, throw pillows arranged with more enthusiasm than skill, everything just slightly off- kilter. Her efforts had somehow made the modest space feel even more cramped.
“Millions in monthly allowance,” Blake’s lip curled as he took in the surroundings, his disdain palpable. “and this is where you choose to live?”
Still cradled in his arms, I felt heat rise to my cheeks. “It feels like… home,” I offered weakly.
The truth caught in my throat – that every penny of his “allowance” had gone to experimental cancer treatments and desperate attempts to save our baby. The money had disappeared faster than autumn leaves in a storm.
A dark chuckle escaped him. “Home? All I smell is poverty.”
The couch creaked slightly as he set me down, but before I could create any distance between us, his weight pressed me deeper into the cushions. His fingers found my hoodie’s collar, and suddenly breathing became a forgotten skill.
He suddenly yanked at my hoodie’s collar, exposing more skin. His mouth descended on my neck with bruising intensity, deliberately adding new marks alongside the existing ones. The pain made me wince, but I didn’t pull away.
When he finally lifted his head, his eyes studied the marks carefully, comparing the ones he’d just made with those from the spa. The tension that had been radiating from him since our encounter with Ethan finally seemed to dissipate.
A smile tugged at my lips despite everything. Who would have thought? Blake Parker – New York’s most feared CEO – could be so childishly possessive.
1/3
Chapter 65
His eyes caught my amusement, darkening dangerously. Before I could process his reaction, his hand gripped my jaw, tilting my face up as his mouth claimed mine with devastating thoroughness.
The temperature in the room seemed to spike as the kiss deepened. Everything else faded away – the cramped apartment, my illness, the impending divorce – leaving only the scorching heat between us.
“I thought Mrs. Parker would have forgotten all about me by now,” he breathed against my ear, his voice rough with desire. “Living such an… entertaining life out here.
His hands slid lower, drawing a gasp from my lips. “But you’re still just as responsive as ever.”
“Blake,” I managed between quickening breaths, “I need to ask you something.”
“What is it?” His voice held a hint of amusement. “Faster? Slower?”
Heat flooded my face, painting my cheeks a deep crimson. Even through the haze of desire, I hadn’t forgotten my mission. “Snow’s missing,” I managed between quickened breaths. “I need your help finding her.”
Blake’s eyebrow arched, a dangerous glint flickering in his dark eyes. “So all this… enthusiasm,” his voice dropped to a silken purr, “is for a cat?”
I met his gaze through half–lidded eyes, letting my lips curve into the kind of smile I knew would get under his skin. “Yes.” My legs tightened around his waist deliberately, drawing him closer as I whispered, “I’m at your mercy.”
After three years of marriage, I knew exactly what buttons to push, what responses would feed his need for dominance. The sharp intake of his breath confirmed I’d hit my mark.
A predatory smile spread across his features as he examined my flushed face. “Well then,” he murmured, his voice rough with promise, ‘I suppose I could help,”
The next moment, his mouth claimed mine with bruising intensity, stealing any response I might have made. The small living room seemed to shrink around us as the temperature spiked, the air growing thick with tension and unspoken desires…
Morning light filtered through thin curtains, painting patterns across my ceiling as consciousness slowly returned. Every muscle in my body protested as I forced my eyes open, only to find Blake already dressed in an impeccable silver–gray suit, lounging in my modest armchair with casual elegance.
‘You’re awake.” It wasn’t a question,
“You… stayed?‘ The words slipped out before I could stop them.
His lips curved into that familiar smirk. ‘Disappointed?”
“No, just… used to waking up alone.”
I pushed myself into a sitting position, wincing slightly. “Would you like breakfast?”
“Michael already brought something.” He rolled his eyes slightly. “If I waited for you to cook, I’d starve to death.”
Twenty minutes later, freshly showered and changed, I sat across from him at my small table, devouring the gourmet breakfast his assistant had arranged, while Blake stared at me. “You never ate like this before.”
I swallowed a mouthful of scrambled eggs. “That was all an act. Don’t need to pretend anymore.”
His expression shifted subtly, then he spoke again Finish up. You’re coming with me.”
Confused, I asked, “Where?”
“Dont you remember what you begged for last night?”
“Snow! I let the right amount of hope color my voice, careful not to reveal that I already suspected where she was. “Did you find her?”
2/3
Chapter 65
He leaned back in his chair, regarding me with calculated intensity.
‘First, I have some questions for you.”
Chapter Comments
