Chapter 35 DESPERATE GOLD-DIGGER.

Chapter 35 DESPERATE GOLD-DIGGER.
VERONICA POV

Xavier’s eyebrows lifted slowly, his smirk deepening into something darker, hungrier. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table, eyes locked on mine.

“So you think I’m handsome and triple-X trouble?” he drawled, voice low and teasing. “I’m flattered, kitten. I’d be even happier if you put that observation to good use. In fact…” His tone dropped. “I’m completely at your disposal. You know that, right?”

My cheeks burned instantly. “You know that's not what I meant,” I blurted, trying to sound irritated instead of flustered. My heart was hammering so hard I was sure he could hear it. “I just meant you need to stop being so cocky. You keep throwing yourself at me. I don’t want work and pleasure getting mixed up.”

The second the words left my mouth, I regretted them.

He leaned back in his chair, grin widening with pure male satisfaction. “Work and pleasure? That works perfectly for me, Kitten. We can pleasure each other after work hours. So… your place or mine?”

“Oh my God,” I rasped, mortified by how shameless he was. “You know that’s not what I meant!”

“I know exactly what you meant,” he replied, still grinning. “And I’m not going to stop, kitten. I’ll do exactly what I want with you.” The playful tone faded, replaced by something darker, more serious. His gaze held mine, intense and unwavering. “I let you slip away five years ago. This time, I’m not making the same mistake. This time, I’m keeping you right where you belong—next to me. And soon… in my penthouse.”

My jaw clenched. His confidence was infuriating, but it also sent an unwelcome flutter through my stomach. Every word felt like a challenge I refused to lose.

Instead of arguing, I pressed my lips together and focused on the food in front of me. Arguing with him was like wrestling a storm—pointless and exhausting. The more I pushed back, the more he enjoyed it. So I ate in silence, pretending the sea bass was far more interesting than the man watching me like I was his next meal.

He didn’t let the silence last long.

He pushed his chair back and stood in one fluid motion. Before I could react, he reached across the table and caught my wrist, his grip firm and warm.

“Come here, amor,” he said, voice low and commanding.

I tried to pull away. “What are you—”

He didn’t let me finish. With effortless strength, he pulled me up and out of the booth, drawing me straight into his chest. One arm slid around my waist, anchoring me against him, while his other hand kept hold of mine. The slow, sultry jazz wrapped around us like smoke.

“Xavier, no—” I protested, but my voice came out far too breathy.

“Shh. Just one dance, kitten. You owe me that much for our anniversary.” His lips brushed my temple, sending a shiver racing down my spine.

The restaurant was nearly empty, the lighting dim and intimate. No one seemed to be watching—or maybe they’d been paid not to by him. He began to sway, guiding me in slow, deliberate circles. My free hand instinctively landed on his chest, feeling the steady, powerful thrum of his heartbeat beneath my palm.

I tried to keep a sliver of space between our bodies, but he tightened his hold, pulling my hips flush against his. Every step pressed us closer. I could feel the hard, thick length of him rubbing slowly against the curve of my ass. The friction was deliberate, teasing—each subtle roll of his hips making my breath catch.

Heat flooded my body. My nipples tightened painfully against the fabric of my dress. That familiar ache between my thighs sharpened, slickness gathering despite how desperately I fought it. I bit my lip hard, trying to trap the moan threatening to escape.

“Feel that?” he murmured against my ear, voice rough with arousal. His hot breath sent goosebumps scattering across my skin. “That’s what you do to me. Every time you fight me… every time you pretend you don’t want this.”

I swallowed hard, fingers curling tighter into his shirt. “This isn’t fair,” I whispered, but my body was already melting into him.

He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his chest into mine. “Life isn’t fair, kitten. But this—” He rolled his hips again, letting me feel every thick inch of his cock pressed against my ass, “—this is honest.”

My pulse hammered wildly. The music slowed even further, the saxophone crooning low and lazy. His hand on my waist slipped lower, fingers splaying possessively over the small of my back, holding me exactly where he wanted. Every sway made his hardness grind against me in the most maddening rhythm, teasing promises that made my clits throb with empty need.

I was embarrassingly wet now, thighs slippery, breathing shallow and quick. My mind screamed at me to push him away, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him, chasing that delicious friction.

Xavier’s lips grazed the shell of my ear. “You’re soaking through that little dress, aren’t you? I can feel how hot you are. Stop lying to yourself, love. You want me just as badly as I want you.”

I turned my head slightly, my cheek brushing his jaw. My voice came out shaky. “You’re an asshole.”

He smiled against my skin. “And you’re dripping for this asshole. Dance with me a little longer… and maybe I’ll let you pretend you still hate me.”

The song shifted into another slow spin. I used the moment to push against his chest, breaking free.

“Fuck this,” I muttered, stepping back. “You can’t keep doing this to me.”

I returned to my seat, determined to finish my meal. I would have stormed out, but wasting food felt wrong—especially when the chef’s cooking was this good. Xavier sat down opposite me, that smirk still tugging at his lips.

To my surprise, he started talking about work as if he hadn’t just been grinding against me like he wanted to fuck me right there on the dance floor. He told me about his expanding mall chains, his real estate investments, and a new luxury skyscraper project he was launching near the mountains. He spoke with genuine passion, like a man who had built an empire from nothing but ambition and fire.

Despite myself, I listened. And sometimes, I couldn’t help offering a suggestion—ideas for marketing angles, interior concepts, or eco-friendly materials.

Each time I did, he looked at me with that proud, approving smile that made something warm and uncomfortable bloom in my chest.

“You are very intelligent,” he said softly after one of my ideas. “That’s one of the things I love most about you.”

I didn’t respond. My fork suddenly became the most fascinating thing in the room.

When I finally glanced at my phone, my eyes widened. We had been here for nearly four hours. The drive down had already taken over an hour.

We left the restaurant shortly after. Xavier drove me home in comfortable silence. When he pulled up outside my place, I unbuckled my seatbelt.

“Well… goodnight,” I said, reaching for the door.

He got out of the car and rounded it, standing in front of me with that lazy, dangerous smile.

“No goodbye kiss?” he asked.

I blinked. “What?”

“A goodbye kiss, kitten.”

“You’re not getting one.”

He smirked and stepped closer, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Then maybe I should come in for coffee?”

“Absolutely not.”

Before I could move, his hand caught my wrist—gentle but firm. He pulled me toward him with just enough force to make my breath hitch.

My heart slammed against my ribs. His warm lips brushed mine first, teasing and electric. Then he pressed them fully against my mouth.

The kiss was slow, deep, and devastating. A shiver ran down my spine. Before I could stop myself, a soft moan slipped into his mouth. His chest rumbled in response, the sound vibrating through me.

When he finally pulled back, my face was flushed, my knees weak. I stuttered, “G-goodnight, Xavier.”

He chuckled, eyes full of wicked satisfaction. “Sweet dreams, kitten.”

I practically ran inside, lips still tingling, knees unsteady, and my thoughts a complete mess.

The next morning, I arrived at my shop in Vanguard Mall earlier than usual. The workers were already hard at work, the sharp sounds of drilling and hammering filling the air. I was reviewing the design layout when a familiar voice sent my stomach sinking.

“Well, well. Look who we still have here,” Jason drawled, leaning casually against the wall with a smug smirk.

I froze the moment I saw him.

He folded his arms across his chest. “I warned you to back out of this deal, Veronica. But here you are, still building your little shop like some desperate gold-digger.”

I frowned, my pulse quickening. “What are you even talking about?”