C3 Forever Yours: A Billionaire Romance

Evan Sterling’s POV

(Present Time)

The lady wore her witch black hair in full fringe and, for some reason, a torturous scene from the past flashed in my head, making me tense up with the intense emotion that came with the memory.

For the life of me, I found myself unable to take my eyes off the girl and spaced out.

I swallowed hard when Jacob said, “They are really eye-catchers aren’t they?”

Then I heard myself say, “Can I get a private dance with the one in the middle facing us?” My voice sounded a bit different and I wondered if Jacob caught the intensity.

“You have to be a gentleman and ask her yourself. We asked them to stay for the party, so go and mingle, Evan,” he teased, and walked away to attend to some other guests.

The sound of my heart pounding was quite loud in my ears, even though I knew the probability of the woman I knew turning out to be a stripper or dancer was nil. But then I was never given the chance to even ponder on the probability of what she did to me and yet she had, blowing my heart sky high. I didn’t know when I got up. I was consumed by the sight of her.

“Hey,” I said, standing behind the two other girls, towering over the three with my eyes on the one facing me. I watched as her eyes widened in obvious shock under the mask. I let out a shaky breath. “I’m sorry I missed your dance, and would very much like a private one with you… if you don’t mind,” I said, looking at her intently, steeling myself from dropping my gaze to those lush lips I know so well. She shook her head without speaking and I added, “If it’s about payment, trust me, I can afford it.”

“I’m sorry, sir, she doesn’t give private dances,” the lady in front of her to my right said in a cultured tone that sounded British. I darted her a glance, flashed my most charming smile, and reverted my gaze at my tormentor.

“Thank you, but, I would love her to say that to me herself,” I said and saw her full chest heaving. ‘Come on, baby, speak to me,’ I thought in desperation. I knew it was her. It has to be. I would know those striking hazel eyes, that heart-shaped face, curves, and even her scent anywhere. My heart floundered and constricted.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered and I let out a shaky breath. I had to press my teeth together to keep from shuddering noticeably.

When she turned away, I said, “Would a million dollars do? Or Two? Name it… Name your price. I can transfer the money into your account at this very minute. All I need is a few minutes alone with you,” I said, and heard her friends gasp. I knew if not for the loud music and the loud voices, we would be drawing everyone's attention by now. But I didn’t give a damn!

I took out my wallet and started counting 100 dollar bills deftly, while my eyes stayed glued on her until she walked back, holding my gaze via her mask, and came to stand in front of me.

“Stop…” she said in that soft sultry voice that had tormented my dreams for years, and for about a minute I couldn’t speak. I could only look into her eyes as if I was under hypnosis. Then she snatched my wallet and the wads of cash from me, arranged the money back inside, and gave it back to me.

“This way… sir,” she said, leaving the large room to walk down a side hallway. I hurried after her, trying not to stare at her shapely back and the way she tended to move as if she was on a runway, in a graceful catlike prowl with her hips swaying.

I swallowed, following her inside a deserted private room with one of those pod chairs and a cream leather chaise sofa with a sidebar and an automatic music selecting device.

“What song would you like, sir?” she said, laying emphasis on the last word. If I hadn't been so nervous I would have found our situation quite amusing, but there was nothing amusing about this particular role-playing.

“You pick, you are the one to dance to it,” I jeered, and in my bid to act nonchalant, I went to pour myself some brandy, but then my hands shook and I poured some of the drink on the rug as a result.

A mellowed rhythm and blues filled the room, and I watched as she moved seductively to the beat. Echoes of her laughter filled my ears, blocking the sweet sound, all I could hear were voices—hers and mine-–hauntingly filling my head, tearing me inside out.

“I may be wrong, but seductresses are supposed to be way closer than you are right now,” I said, drinking more of the brandy. I was aware I was drunk now, losing all inhibition. But at this point, I could care less if I was acting like a fool. I was utterly convinced it was her.

I went to take a seat on the chaise sofa, watching her dance and trying very hard to ignore how my body was automatically responding to her. When she danced close to me, swaying her body delicately with her eyes holding mine. I lowered my gaze to her left kneecap and saw a thin pale scar on her skin, and remembered when I had startled her one time when she was emerging from the outdoor sauna naked and she had fallen and scraped her knee. I reached for her waist, pulling her closer to me so she could straddle me.

“Please do not touch—” she said softly in panic, with her full chest heaving, and I held still in order not to scare her and slowly brushed my thumb on the scar.

“Remember when you got this? I was terrified you were going to hit your head. I wanted to hold you in my arms and keep you safe for all time,” I said, and chuckled, sounding quite bitter, and my laughter hollow. She went very still. “So, are you going to take the damn mask off, baby? Or should we still continue this charade? Estera?” I said, slowly brushing my lips against hers. My body shook from restraint. She bolted out of my arms and ran out of the door.

It took me a second before I could collect myself and follow her. That slight touch of my lips against hers was quite disarming.

If I was looking for confirmation, I have it now. I ran outside the door and saw her disappearing down the passageway to the right, not the left, which led to the club room. I followed her, shaking my head to focus.

“Estera!” I called loudly, barreling after her to the end, then saw a fire escape door at the end of another hallway to my right and ran towards it. By the time I busted out through the door, she was already running down the long flight of stairs. “Estera, wait! Baby, I only want to talk!” I yelled down the endless flight of stairs, and my voice echoed in the confined space. She ignored me and kept her pace of descent.

‘So be it!’ I thought, running after her all the way down the building and busting out to a quiet alley at the back of the building. I was breathing hard and my heart felt like it was going to pop out of my chest, but she was no longer in sight. I raised my hands to my head and stood like that for about a minute just staring down the deserted road.

“Christ, s - she left…” I said under my breath in utter shock. My heart tightened so hard that I let out a pain-filled groan. And out of desperation, and the anguish ripping me apart, I screamed her name again, sounding quite lost. I couldn’t believe I saw her again, held her in my arms–albeit briefly– and she left. “Oh, God, my chest,” I said, lowering to the asphalt floor, breathing hard. The pain was excruciating.

“Evan—” I heard her voice again, and I shot up, turning around, then saw her come out of a shrouded corner a few feet away. She took hesitant steps towards me, then stopped. “Are you okay? What's wrong with your chest, baby?” she asked with great concern and my shoulders heaved as a result of my laboured breathing.

“Estie—you are still here…” I said in a low, deep voice ridden with feelings.

“Yes…” she said in almost a whisper.

“Small world, huh?” I said, letting out a pitiful chuckle.

“Evan…” she said and looked as if she wanted to say more, then stopped.

“Were you really going to run off without as much as a word to me, baby?”

“I don’t know. You scared me!” she replied in an emotional tone.

“Please… please tell me you went ahead and went to med school.”

“I'm in my intern year!”

“Then why the hell, Estera, are you in that getup, acting like a fucking stripper? What is that about? Do you need money?”

“No, I don't need money. I’m doing this for a friend.”

“How much?”

“No, Evan. No. Just leave it be—” she said, still standing so far from me. I felt like I was in some bizarre dream and the need to touch her to assure myself it was real and she was actually there overtook me.

“Come to me, Estera,” I said in an intense, commanding tone.

“I shouldn’t… Evan—”

“Don’t make me beg,” I said pleadingly and my voice caught.

“Don’t do this to me, Evan!” she cried.

“Don’t make me beg, baby—” I repeated in a low, impassioned tone, and she started to walk towards me, then broke into a run.

I imitated the act, taking long strides to meet her halfway. And upon getting to her, I wrapped her up in a tight hug, framing her masked face with shaky hands. “Please, take the mask off,” I whispered, breathing hard, and she slowly did.

Her full, rich hair framed her beautiful face as I remembered; the witch black hair - a perfect fit for her exotic tan skin colour. Those beautiful light hazel eyes with a tinge of pure dark gold stared back at me with so much pain and anguish but no regrets.

The thought of what she did assail me and I wanted to push her away from me in absolute revulsion, but I couldn’t. All I could think of was loving her. It was indeed quite pathetic, how much I needed her that I was willing to wipe my brain clean of her terrible transgression.

“Stay with me, please,” I said and watched her lips tremble, then she slowly nodded with her eyes glistening with tears. Unable to resist, I lowered my face to cover her lips with mine. We both moaned loudly even at the very touch of our lips. I gave her feathery kisses as if this was a dream, then it grew urgent as I devoured her hungrily, holding her head firmly to keep her steady, running my fingers through her hair in desperate need. My skin felt hot, and my cock grew taut, straining for her.

“Estera,” I whispered with longing, over and over, having the freedom to call out her name again was quite a climax of its own. I lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around me to bury her face in the corner of my neck. And with us both in that position, I walked to the road to flag down a cab that would take us both to my hotel.

Throughout the trip, I didn’t let her out of my arms, and she hung on to me like a lifeline, brushing her lips against my neck and repeatedly wrapping her arms around me. It was pure torture.

I only let her walk inside the hotel to the elevator before I pulled her into my arms again. When I opened my suite, I almost tore off all she wore just to have her naked and on my bed in total display.

I recalled the first time I saw her naked. The image of her imprinted in my head stole my peace. I couldn’t sleep, and for days after I kept having wet dreams about her. And seeing her with one of my friends almost made me lose my mind. And yet I chose to wait, knowing she was a virgin and underage. I’d wanted to keep her till our wedding night before I made her all mine. It was a rude awakening to discover I was the biggest fool of all.

And now, the thought of waiting a second more, even a breath of a moment, felt like it would surely make me expire. When we were completely naked, I planted kisses all over her body, sucking her nipples and drawing cries from her lush lips. I was crazy and wild and wanted to taste all of her, to vanquish the last image of her that was embedded in my very soul - to cleanse and purge me of the anguish of the nightmare in my head.

“I want you, and I am going to take you now. I can’t promise to be gentle—” I whispered roughly against her throat in warning. I sounded like a sex-crazed maniac, but Christ! I was on the verge of insanity from wanting her.

“Evan we… you…”

“Open your legs wide for me, Estera,” I said with a hard edge in my voice that I couldn’t help. I was mad at her and wanted her at the same time. There was no control.

“Evan, listen—” she was saying even as she obeyed me, breathing hard in what I sensed was bewildered anticipation. I figured she must be affected too by my fiery primal need to possess her.

I settled in between her legs, cradling her shapely bum to press a kiss to her core, and discovered she was very wet for me. She let out a loud groan calling out my name as I lapped my tongue against her wet core, dipping the tip into her and gently sucking her steadily till she came a little in my mouth. Her body quivered hard and her breathing was loud mingling with mine.

“Evan, please—” she called and I leaned over her to hold her by the nape so I could raise her head to capture her lips in a feverish kiss while my other hand framed her hips as I thrust impatiently into her. She jerked up in obvious pain and I was too consumed to stop.

When I realized what just happened with the telltale red stain on the bed, my entire frame quivered uncontrollably. I let out a loud groan - a mix of pleasurable relief and anguish.

It occurred to me that Estera was still a virgin and this was her first time and I had roughly taken her.

But I was completely overwhelmed with all the emotions she exhumed in me to have the strength to contain my actions. I held her by the wrist with one hand, making her raise her hands over her head. I pressed them hard on the soft mattress, and used the other hand to frame her hips and plundered her. Her eyelids fluttered and she moaned my name through parted lips, wrapping and tightening her legs around me, and arching her back so I could fill her to the hilt.

I lowered my head to take her lips, nibbling on the lower one, and whispered, “Open your eyes, Estera.” When she managed to. I was lost in the intense depth for about a minute before I added,” I’m sorry I didn’t know.” She let out a shaky breath in response and I jerked hard into her. She shut her eyes briefly, biting the corner of her lips to swallow a moan.

“Are you still hurting?” I asked.

“No—” she moaned loudly.

“Tell me how I make you feel, Estera.”

“Evan, please—”

“Please, what, baby?”

“Don’t stop,” she whispered shakily as her eyes rolled back and she panted hard.

Knowing now that she was all mine, that she had never been with anyone else but me. Not even Edward Sterling, as he had claimed, made me feel powerful. Like I have my life back and I was the one with the reins.

“Evan…” she shook under me, struggling to free her hands from my grasp. I released her hands and she raked her fingers through my hair, framing my jaw so she could kiss me as I dug deeper into her. She felt so damn good and I felt as if my head was about to explode at the sheer pleasure coursing through my core.

“You are so beautiful. Just as I remember,” I whispered against her lips, giving her playful bites, and slowly slipping my tongue into her mouth as she watched me with dimmed desire-filled eyes. I swirl my tongue with hers, tasting the drugging feel of her. She moved her waist under me, making me gasp into her mouth, and shook hard. A delightful thrill ran down my spine as she did it again, silently watching me pant as a result. I almost lost control, and my movement became fast.

Slipping my hand in between her legs, I used my thumb to stroke her clitoris intimately while still pumping into her. She shook and cried and I didn’t stop until she embraced release.

“Evan!” she screamed. I silenced her with a kiss and continued to buck against her steadily till I joined her at the very peak with a long triumphant cry.