Forever After All(16)

She places her hand over the hand I’m palming my erection with and squeezes. She’s looking up at me through her lashes, her expression a jumbled mess of desire, desperation, and shaky confidence.

I push her hand away and re-adjust myself before taking my time zipping up my trousers and fastening my belt. I run a hand through my hair and look out the window. How do things escalate every single time I’m alone with her? When I came up here with her, this wasn’t what I intended to do at all.

“Get up,” I snap, more angry at myself than I am at her.

She rises and sits down next to me. I lean back in my seat and stare at the ceiling, sighing.

“This isn’t going the way I intended it to, at all,” I say, sounding just as defeated as I feel. “I honestly barely recognize you, Elena.”

She looks away, but the way she draws herself up like a wounded animal tells me she’s hurt by my words. I sigh and stare out the window, at a loss for words. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were that night?” I ask eventually.

She struggles to hold my gaze and looks away in guilt. I wonder what she’d say if she found out that I’d been planning to go back to Inferno every weekend until I ran into her again.

“It was the way you looked at me,” she tells me. “I recognized you straight away, but I knew that as soon as you found out who I am, you’d change. You were flirting with me and you were being playful. I saw a side of you I’ve never seen before, and I selfishly wanted more of that. I wanted more of the Alexander who actually saw me as a woman, and not the awkward teen that followed him around everywhere. I wanted to be more than the little sister of the man you hate.”

I’m not sure what I was expecting her to say, but this isn’t really it. I thought she was playing games with me, or making a fool out of me for not recognizing her. I didn’t think she did it because she was actually interested in me. She’s right though, she is Matthew’s sister.

I grab her hand and entwine our fingers, staring at our joined hands silently before clearing my throat. I look at her and brush her hair behind her ear with my free hand. She looks startled, a small blush coloring her cheeks rosy.

“Like I said, I’ll give you the money, Elena. You might not have been part of our lives for the last few years, but that doesn’t mean my mother ever forgot about you. She was devastated when she was informed that only immediate family is allowed to see your mother, and then you and Lucian stopped being friends, and she lost you, too… I could tell by the warmth she portrayed just now when she hugged you. Seeing her with you was like seeing the woman she was when I was a child.”

I sigh, struggling with words for probably the first time in my life.

“You’re from a good family, Elena. You’re well connected and Ivy League educated—with a full scholarship, no less. I know you won’t accept charity, and had I been in your situation, I wouldn’t either. I wouldn’t trust anyone with my mother’s life, and I wouldn’t be able to live with not knowing when someone’s goodwill runs out.”

She nods, but she looks confused, and I can’t blame her.

“Elena, I want you to marry me.”

She stares at me in disbelief, her eyes wide.

“You… what ?”

“Marry me, Elena.”

She blinks, her lips moving but unable to form a reply. I tighten my grip on her hand and smile at her gently.

“You’re aware that the heirs to our conglomerate must be married before taking their seat on the board?”

She nods, her cheeks reddening. She’s no doubt remembering the way our mothers used to joke about their children getting married. I always wondered who they imagined her getting married to, me or Lucian. I guess the decision is out of their hands now.

I clear my throat and look away. “My mother has been arranging dates with socialites and acquaintances. I don’t have time for this shit, and I’m not looking to get married. However, I don’t have a choice. I know my mother wants to try and change the rules for me, but my grandfather won’t let her. I worked too hard to lose everything now.”

Elena nods and bites down on her lip as she mulls my words over. “Why me?” she asks.

“You need a place to stay and money for your mother’s hospital costs. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to be a charity case and leech off whoever is willing to help you. I need a wife who won’t get in my way and won’t expect me to put any effort into making our marriage work. If I have to marry, I’d rather marry someone who owes me. Your family background is good enough, and you’re bound to inherit your mother’s shares, so you’ll be able to increase the Kennedy family’s wealth and influence. Besides, my mother has always loved you, so I know you’ll fit well into our family.”

Elena rises to her feet, and I follow. She starts to pace in my bedroom, and I walk up to her. She takes a step back for every step I take toward her, and before she realizes it, I’ve got her backed up against the wall.

“That… is that the truth?”

I nod.

“Is it the whole truth?”

I smile and cage her in, my forearms on either side of her head, our bodies almost flush.

“Clever girl,” I whisper. “No,” I tell her honestly. “The whole truth is that in addition to everything I just told you, I’m really looking forward to parading you around Matthew, to have him know I’m fucking his sister, that you’re mine .”