Chapter 35: Addicted to Her

Angelo had had too much to drink.

Livia had no interest in reasoning with a drunkard. She let him hold her, waiting for his buzz to wear off, knowing things would settle down then.

Livia could sense Angelo's possessiveness—a mix of indifference and dominance. Yet, he never professed his love for her. She sometimes wondered, half seriously, if he would ever burst into her wedding and halt the ceremony, should she marry someone else.

It took a while for his emotions to stabilize, but his arms remained firmly wrapped around her.

"Do you want some water?" Livia gently patted his back, whispering the offer.

Angelo tightened his grip, fearing she might slip away.

Silently, Livia waited for him to let go of his own accord.

The vibration of Angelo's phone stirred him, but he didn't answer.

The phone fell silent before ringing again.

Livia had a hunch about the caller—given that Angelo had arrived with Valentia, they might be an item.

On the third ring, Angelo finally released her and pulled out his phone, viewing the caller ID before answering.

"Angelo, where are you?" Valentia's voice was urgent and clear in the quiet room.

"What's up?" Livia thought about leaving but was pulled back as Angelo caught her hand, pinned her against the wall, and kissed her lips.

Livia's eyes widened. 'How can he do this? Isn't he afraid Valentia might hear?'

"I went to your room looking for you, and you weren't there. You drank so much today. I'm worried about you. Where are you? I'll come to you," Valentia pressed on.

"No need." With those words, Angelo hung up and turned off his phone.

He tossed his phone carelessly onto the couch, then cupped Livia's face, tenderly kissing her lips.

Livia put a hand on his chest and pushed him away.

"What's the point of all this back and forth?"

Livia's heart raced at his blunt words.

Her breath quickened, a mix of panic and reason, "What's the deal with you and Valentia?"

"You were my first," Angelo insisted, his forehead against hers, their breaths intertwining. "I only want you."

His confession lifted her spirits, easily breaching her mental defenses.

Even if these were just sweet nothings uttered in his desire to take her to bed, they resonated with her.

"I don't like Valentia," Livia took the chance to push further.

Angelo kissed the tip of her nose. "If you don't like her, we won't see each other."

"I don't want you seeing her."

"She's signed with the company," Angelo's hands slid to her waist, his breathing heavy. "She's just a colleague."

His touch ignited a fire on her skin, sending a wave of heat through her veins.

Livia maintained her composure despite his provocations. "She wants you."

"I'm yours," Angelo swallowed, his kisses grazing the corner of her lips, gently licking, tender, and passionate.

His touch left Livia restless, torn between giving in to his seduction and her internal struggle.

If she continued to relent, wouldn't that nullify all her prior resistance, resetting everything back to square one?

Angelo was unstoppable, and Livia had never been a match for him. She was caught in a tug-of-war between resistance and pleasure, but ultimately, she succumbed to him.

After all, her heart was still with him.

At night, the sea breeze caressed the curtains, making them dance lightly like the supple waist of a woman. Mingled heavy and restrained breaths turned the air crimson with unspoken desire, and despite the hotel bed's sturdiness, it couldn't hide the cautious, muted sounds of its frame swaying.

The faint glow of dawn had just started to illuminate the horizon when the tall palm trees outside the window revealed their silhouettes, and Livia finally fell into a deep sleep.

Angelo held her in his arms, greedily savoring the moment.

Only he knew the extent of his addiction to her. The kind of addiction that gnawed at him during their time apart, and as soon as they came together, restraint was impossible. It was as if he was trying to quench an insatiable thirst.

The weeks of separation seemed to dissipate in the span of this one passionate night.

With a sense of comfort and satisfaction, Angelo wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, the cell phone on the nightstand vibrated twice, pulling him from the edge of sleep. It was Livia's phone. He grabbed it and glanced at the screen. A text from someone named Lucas asked if she wanted to join him for breakfast.

Memories of the well-mannered, refined gentleman who seemed to get along swimmingly with Livia the night before crossed Angelo's mind. They had looked happy - exceptionally well-suited for each other.

'If I hadn't been there, would sparks have flown between them? Will she have no room for me when she returns?' The thought darkened his mood.

He knew the passcode to her phone, something he had never used before, but now, compelled, he entered it and replied to the message: "She's still asleep."

After sending the text, Angelo stared at the name, hesitating over the "Delete Contact" option, but ultimately, he backed out.

He carefully replaced the phone, then turned and fiercely kissed Livia's swollen lips, where there was a small cut from the night before.

Perhaps it was a bit too rough, as Livia made a faint noise of discomfort, her eyebrows furrowing slightly, but she did not open her eyes.

If he hadn't been so concerned about her exhaustion, he would have sworn to take her passionately again.

Livia slept in until noon. As she opened her eyes and found Angelo still by her side, seeing his sleeping face, only then did she recall the wild and reckless abandon of their last night together.

Feeling her cheeks warm, she realized she hadn't yet managed to escape the emotional snare he had set for her.

Gently, her hand reached out to trace the contours of his face. People say love at first sight is simply lust in disguise, and she had desired him from the moment she laid eyes on him.

Human senses feed the brain with vital information in the blink of an eye, which is why attractive people capture our attention first.

Livia was no exception. She was invariably attracted to handsome men. So, seizing a chance while in a favorable position? She didn't hesitate.

Her fingertips grazed his lips. They were a masterpiece of sharp, delicate lines, thin and utterly inviting. And she had fallen for just such a man.

She didn't know what the consequences of sinking deeper might be, but she couldn't let go. He was like a thorn in her heart, impossible to remove or ignore, permanently lodged in place, constantly reminding her of his presence.

Suddenly, her fingers were enveloped in a warm, firm grasp. A tingling sensation shot through her tips, and, trying to withdraw them, he only clasped them tighter.

Livia's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red as she softly uttered, "Let go."

The words came out as a sultry whisper, feeble yet laced with seductiveness.

Angelo opened his eyes and drew a deliberate suck on her fingertip, sending Livia reeling as if she had been electrocuted, her body tingling, her heart racing, too shy now to even look at him.