When Julia woke up the following morning, Alexander was gone again.
She showered and was wondering what to do when her phone beeped. It was Blake. At least she would have someone to talk to.
Julia spent the day relaxing and texting with Blake, getting to know her.
It was the best day she’d had since she got married. Before her wedding, she had loved going to work every day. She had been good at her job, and it had given her purpose. But now there was no place for her, either in her new marriage or Alexander’s company.
Impulsively, Julia texted Blake to see if she wanted to go out the next night.
The next evening, Julia put on a short dress and heels. She left her hair cascading down her back and put on some makeup and cologne. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been excited to go out.
Blake arrived and Julia ran out to meet her. They set out for the club, and the minute they arrived, they headed to the bar for drinks.
“To new freedom,” Julia screamed.
“To us!” Blake replied as they toasted and drank.
They went to the dance floor and began to dance. Soon they were surrounded by hot guys.
Julia leaned into one guy. He wrapped his hands around her waist, and she loved it. The physical contact and the music were flaming her.
After a few songs and cocktails, Julia needed a break.
“I need the bathroom, Blake. I’ll be back.”
Blake nodded and carried on dancing with the guy she had.
Julia went to the bathroom. After relieving herself, she started to make her way back to the dance floor.
Someone grabbed her arm, and she whirled to face a man she didn’t know.
“Alexander said to fetch you,” said the man.
“For what?”
“He’s here, and your marriage is at stake.”
“What are you on about?”
“This way.”
“Wait, let me tell my friend.”
She went to Blake. “I’ll be back; I need to do something quick.”
Blake winked at her. “Take your time.”
Julia followed the man to the back of the club, which she knew was for very wealthy clients.
They went into a private room, and Julia was floored to see Alexander there. Ava sat across from him, along with some other men and women.
Was she hallucinating, or was she in a nightmare?
“Come,” said Alexander.
Julia approached him hesitantly. He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist.
He kissed her on the neck. “I’ve been waiting for you to come back.”
“Newlyweds,” said one of the men, and they laughed.
“Wasn’t that all of us at some point?” the other man replied.
“Well, for us, it still is,” one of the ladies put in as she kissed her husband.
Julia wanted to scream. This was not how her night was supposed to be. She had wanted to dance with her friend and the guys, but that was all ruined unless Alexander let her leave.
But it didn’t look like that was going to happen. He turned to one of the men and said, “My wife, secretary, and I planned a surprise for you all. Just give us a minute to see if everything is going to plan.”
“Always working and doing well, Alexander. That’s what we like about you.”
Julia got up, and Alexander took her hand as they headed out to the other room.
“What surprise—” Julia began.
“You nearly blew it,” Alexander growled at her.
“What have I done now?”
“Lucky that you weren’t dancing with another guy.”
“Like you and Ava?”
“This is not the time for this,” Ava said harshly.
“I believe this is a conversation between my husband and me,” Julia snapped.
“Don’t you dare talk to her like that!” Alexander lashed back.
Julia sighed in resignation and started to walk away. She was not going to stand for this. She had come to have fun, and she was going back to the dance floor.
She took two steps before Alexander gripped her elbow. “We have to go back.”
She snatched her hand from his grip. “Go with your mistress.”
She turned to go, but Alexander hoisted her up on his shoulder. Julia squirmed and fought to get down, but he wouldn’t budge.
Back outside the door to the private room, he set her down. “We’re going to make this work, Julia, so I don’t give a fuck if you’re cussing me out. As long as we keep each other’s side of the bargain, there should be no issues.”
“I know you’re still immature, but surely you understand that this is important,” Ava lectured her.
Julia wanted to slap her. She knew Ava was being condescending and making herself the bigger person.
“Ava is right, Julia, so let’s go.”
They got back in the room, and there were more champagne bottles.
“This party is amazing,” one of the men said.
Julia sat on Alexander’s lap, and his arms wrapped around her.
Everyone was talking and laughing. Some couples were kissing.
Julia saw her moment. She turned a bit so she was sitting sideways. Alexander looked at her quizzically.
Julia wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned down so their lips met.
Alexander began returning her kiss, and his hands tightened around her waist as he applied pressure. She knew that he wanted her to stop.
Julia finally pulled back. From her peripheral view, she could see that Ava was staring at them intently.
“Julia,” Alexander whispered and motioned for her to lean down. “Don’t you dare start with this bullshit.”
“What bullshit?” she asked innocently.
“You know what I’m talking about, so behave.”
“Wasn’t it you and Ava who said I needed to play my part and that I was immature? Well then…”
Julia leaned down and placed a kiss on his neck. She could feel his pulse working, and she didn’t care how he was feeling.
She pulled back and went in again. This time, she made sure that the kiss was deep.
Julia could feel that he was hard, and she shifted a bit, right on his member. Alexander’s hands went to her waist and held her still.
Julia remembered Blake. She got up and whispered to Alexander, “I need to go to the bathroom.”
Before he could respond, she was out the door and heading to the dance floor to find Blake.
“Where were you?” her new friend asked.
“Long story.”
Blake handed her a shot, and Julia chugged it down, then a second, then a third. They went back to the dance floor, and finally, she could be free.
“Oh shit,” Blake yelled over the music. “You’re in trouble.”
Julia turned and saw Alexander was heading toward her. Her eyes widened. She began to walk quickly away from him through the crowd.
No way was she in the mood for Alexander and his never-ending demands interfering with the one time that she wanted to have fun.
She stumbled through the crowd, bumping into people, muttering “Sorry” over and over. Finally, she was outside.
“You’re beautiful,” a man said to her.
Julia felt groggy as his hand went beneath her elbow. She tried to pull away. “Let me go.”
“No, let’s go have some fun.”
She tried to resist. “No, stop.” The man grabbed her and pulled her tightly against him. She began to panic and struggle.
“What the fuck?” Suddenly, the guy was gone, on the floor, and she could breathe. She turned and saw Alexander, who had pushed the guy down.
“Let’s go,” he snapped.
When she didn’t move, he picked her up and placed her in the car. He told the driver to take Julia home and come back for him later, then closed the door.
Julia knew that Alexander was going back to Ava.
When she got home, she went to the bathroom, and all her energy left her body. She sank to the floor. She stayed there while the room seemed to spin around her.
What a pathetic life, with no one to hold and to comfort her, she thought.
She had no idea how long she’d been lying on the floor before the light came on. “What are you doing?” Alexander demanded.
Julia jumped at his words.
“Why are you sitting on the floor, and in the dark?” he pressed.
“I…,” she faltered as her voice cracked.
“It’s okay. I was there.” That was the first time that he had said something comforting to her. He bent down and lifted her off the ground.
He carried her as if she weighed nothing to set her on the bed. He took off her heels, and Julia loved this new side that she was seeing.
“Don’t look at me like that, Julia. I’ll never be yours.”
Julia nodded. “I know.”
Julia didn’t bother getting changed. She began crawling to bed, then she yelped when Alexander grabbed her by the ankle and yanked her back.
“No way you’re going to bed without changing out of those clothes.”
“Why not?”
“Julia, I will not sleep in your club dirt.”
“I’ll tell them to wash and change the bedding tomorrow.”
Alexander lifted her and threw her over his shoulder, then dropped her in the closet. “Change.”
Julia did. When she went back into the room, Alexander was in bed in his briefs only.
She climbed into bed and kept stealing glances at Alexander as she was texting with Blake. She knew that he was texting Ava, but she couldn’t help it.
“Will you fucking stop staring at me?” he said.
“I won’t.”
“Why?”
“I can do whatever I want, Alexander.”
“So you think because I helped you tonight, we’re now going to fall in love?”
“I—”
“Ava is more than enough for me and the only one I see. Good night.”
Julia was heartbroken. Alexander would never view her that way or want to be with her.
