With the Lights On

“Stop this, Elissa, you have a husband. Stop! You cannot be thinking about touching another man’s chest or anything else!” I muttered to myself as I headed for the main house.

I’d been able to successfully get away without begging Sebastian to let me run my hands all over the glorious ridges of his belly. Heat pooled between my thighs, though. I wanted to get to my bedroom and my cabinet of toys.

As I was approaching the mansion, I saw one of Don’s private jets landing on the small airstrip. They normally came to pick him up when he needed to go somewhere fast. That meant he was leaving again.

I walked inside only to bump into him at the door. He wore a white suit, and two of the maids carried suitcases for him.

“You have to be kidding me,” I said in a stunned, cold voice.

He stopped, looking guilty. The maids dropped the cases and ran away. I shook with anger.

“Honey…”

“You’re leaving. You just freaking got here! And were you even going to tell me?”

“Honey, I was looking for you. I have to go to Florida right now but—”

Every time he called me “honey” I wanted to scream!

“What the hell? I’ve been waiting for you for two weeks, and you just leave the next day? How dare you do this to me?”

My voice shattered like broken glass. I paced, not looking at him. I was afraid I’d lose my control.

“Wifey—”

“Don’t you fucking ‘wifey’ me! Don’t you dare! You don’t care about me at all, do you? I just told you this morning I felt abandoned by you, and you promised you would never make me feel like that again. What are you doing right now?”

No amount of money could be worth putting up with this. I hated myself from four years ago when I married him. If I could go back in time, I never would have done it.

“Please understand, Elissa,” he began, but I cut him off.

“Why should I understand you, when you don’t understand me? Huh? Actually, tell me one thing. How long are you going to be in Florida?”

“Three weeks,” he mumbled.

My heart twisted, and my stomach churned. “You’re not going.”

My serious face told him I was completely done with his bullshit.

“Don’t be like that.”

“Don’t be like what? What the hell is this, Don? Do I have to lock you up so you’ll stay here with me? I ~hate~ you right now!”

I put a palm on my forehead and took deep breaths. The world was kind of spinning. I was so angry, my blood pressure was rocketing.

“You don’t mean that, baby, you don’t.” He hugged me while I just stood there.

I didn’t hug him back. After a few seconds, he stepped back. I put my hands on my hips and tried to calm down.

“You know how my business gets. I’m not doing this on purpose.”

“Then why can’t I ever come with you? You never wanted me to work, so it’s not like I have something else to do.”

“I wish you could, but this isn’t a vacation for me. It’s business.”

“Why Don? Why?”

He kissed me deeply as he held me close.

“Forgive me, my love, please, just this one time. Don’t hate me, Elissa, don’t say you hate me. That hurts. Please. I promise I’ll make it up to you,” he said as our foreheads touched.

“That was exactly what you said in the morning. You promised to be here, and you’re breaking it right now. Are you married to me or your job?”

He didn’t answer me. I wanted to throw myself down right there in the grand foyer and pound my fists on the marble floors. I wanted to run out the front door and never come back.

Instead, I pulled myself together and faced him. “You’re one of the richest men in the country. You’ve made more money than anyone can spend in a lifetime, no matter how reckless they are with it. Why can’t you slow down for me?”

He sighed and tried to pull me close again, but I took a step away.

“It’s not just about the money. To remain at the top, I have to keep working like I’m still at the bottom.”

“But at what cost? I’m not happy! Can’t you see that?”

“I can see that, Elissa. It will change soon, just give me more time.”

That was exactly what he’d said last year. And the previous year. And the one before that.

I nodded to let him go.

He sighed in relief. He must’ve been thinking I was okay with all of this.

“I love you, Elissa. Never forget that. With all my heart. You are the person I love the most in the entire world. I would do anything for you.”

Foolishly, I tried one last time.

“Why not do the one thing I want, then? Settle down with me. I don’t mean marriage, because we’re already married. I mean be ready and here. Start a family with me. It’s been four years already.”

“I want a little one with you. A dozen babies with your eyes and your smile.” He tried to tempt me with a grin. When I didn’t return it, he frowned. “What can I do for you to forgive me? A cruise vacation to the Caribbean? That can be arranged. A new car?”

The only way he knew how to apologize was with gifts.

What could I say?

When we met, I’d known he worked a lot. I’d known he wasn’t good in bed. I thought all of that would change, or that a closet of pretty dresses and a new car every six months would make up for it.

But nothing could make up for a husband who didn’t want me.

I just nodded as he gave me the last kiss. From the front door, I watched him walk over to the jet. I watched as he got in, the door closed, and the jet flew away.

Why do I even bother with him? Why do I try when he has clearly chosen?

It’s job over me.

Over my emotions.

Over my needs.

So I won’t try anymore.

If he doesn’t care about being with me, I won’t care about being with him.

As I turned to go back inside the house, a tall, lean figure blocked my way.

It was Sebastian.