Page 51 of Significant
A year ago, I was with Stephan, not recognizing myself. I was taking the insults. The screaming. The criticism. It had to stop. The more I cried, the happier he seemed to be. Raising himself above my misery. I was never enough. The day of my birthday, I was lying in my bed, feeling miserable. Ugly. Used. Ashamed. I wanted to get out, but I could never break up with him—I feared I wouldn’t find anyone else, I kept hoping he’d change.
I remember his words, “You’ll never find someone better than me. Someone who will put up with your personality. To love you for who you are.”
A bouquet of roses—yellowroses—a lying post on social media showing how happy we were, that was my birthday gifts. Along with him flirting with a few women. Out of his league. Even though, he kept denying, I wondered what if he was cheating on me? A part of me felt glad. That would give me the green light to break up with him. To have a reason. The other part of me felt I was being paranoid. My mind was too fucked up to think—or even to care at this point.
He brought me an overpriced bag. The one the socialites have. Fancy. Extravagant. Rich. Not my style. But his gesture—that had become rarer—showed that he cares. That’s why I was staying. I wanted to believe my misery was all in my head, that I was a paranoiac. That it was all my fault. Sometimes, he showed great acts of kindness, and I was hoping they will be more frequent. I kept remembering how Stephan was when we first met. Gentle. Caring. Loving. I kept thinking he will switch back to how he was before and love me like he did. But I was holding on to a memory—a memory that wasn’t even true. I’ve never been happy. I just got the illusion of happiness. I was holding on to a hope that never existed.
“You’re so insecure.”That’s what he answered when I asked if he loved me. “Of course I do. It’s just some part of yourself that I don’t,”he added.
Pants off. On all fours. Pride swallowing. I remembered staring emotionless at the wall when Stephan entered me.
For my birthday a year ago, I got fucked. Hard. Passionless. Without eye contact. Without a caring touch. Just fucked with one purpose. To satisfy Stephan’s own pleasure. To give without receiving. Used and miserable.
I cried without a word. I accepted his humiliation without complaint.
Until a point, I wondered what have I become?
I needed to get out.
I needed someone to help me.
And today, I’m finally free.
“What’s this place, Aaron?”
I keep staring at the dazzling penthouse. Everything is spacious. Palatial. The space is occupied only by the strict minimum of furniture. Cold and modern. The colossal windows unveiling a breathtaking view of the city. I wonder if this could be his place? I know his main house is in Monaco.
“Come.” He smirks and grabs my hand to lead me toward his balcony.
Balcony is an understatement. I could fit my whole living room in it. He has a giant outdoor infinity pool where the water flows over the largest edge, like it has no boundary. The pool is illuminated with pink and blue lights, opposing the dusky night. I shake my head in disbelief. All this luxury. He is out of my league. He is the dream, the man who is on top of the world, and I’m the harsh reality, one of those thousands of lights from the buildings facing us.
“You didn’t have to rent a place to impress me, Aaron.” I wrap my arms around my chest, still astonished by the scenery.
He begins to unbutton his shirt slowly, while his eyes sparkle with appetency. “It’s my place.”
I open my eyes widely. I never knew Aaron had an apartment—or a fucking penthouse—in New York. He seems amused by my confusion. “My main house is in Monaco, but I often have to travel to America. Therefore, I bought this apartment last year.” His tongue darts out of his mouth seductively. “We are almost neighbors,ma belle.”
A thrill of hope runs through me; I’m making assumptions I probably shouldn’t. Aaron doesn’t do anything without a reason, and I sense showing me his apartment couldn’t be random. It is his privacy. Privacy he shared with me.
“It’s very… you.” Arrogant. Gorgeous.Perfect.
He throws his shirt on the table next to him, his bared muscular torso facing me. “It’s a great night for a swim.”
He unbuckles his belt before sliding his pants and underwear to the ground, his piercing gaze locked on me. Within a second, his Adonis body stands naked in front of me. His Greek god traits instantly make my body yearn for him. His predator’s eyes pierce my soul. Wolf’s charisma creates a fire exploding within me, consuming my little remaining self-control.
“Naked only, of course.” A ghost of a smile stretches on his lips as his gaze travels the length of my fully dressed body.
He plunges in elegantly and swims underwater until reaching the end of the infinity pool. He passes his hands through his obsidian hair, pulling it away from his forehead. He throws his arms around the border of the pool, cocking his eyebrow, challenging me to take a leap.
He is the epitome of alpha and omega. Leader, dominant and controlling like an alpha. But he doesn’t need anyone, he’s making his own rules, his own things like an omega. He is my beginning, or my end. My savior, or my hell. Opposite and contradictory, but whole.
I bite my lower lip, feeling the rush of contradictory feelings colliding. My past, digging through the rest of my insecurities, leaving me standing here. My future, wanting to seize the opportunity to be at fifty floors up, to swim with my fallen god.
I take a deep breath and unzip my dress under his demanding stare, contemplating every inch of me. I can never hide with Aaron. I expose my whole self in a way I never did before. My belly is burning, and I lick my lip before feeling a fierce pain inside my heart at how gorgeous he looks. My hands start to shake, I feel my body agonizing in front of the hard truth I’ve tried to deny. Seeing him between darkness and light has made me realize…
I’m falling hard and fast without control for Aaron.
No warning.
