Chapter 195: Chapter 195

MICA

The hotel was completely packed and the restaurant on the ground floor had been running at full capacity ever since the teams arrived, leaving me on my feet since six in the morning with my back aching and my feet throbbing and exactly three tables left to close before I could finally hand over to the night supervisor and go home to Leo.

Then the call came through my headset at nine fifteen.

It was a room service order for suite fourteen on the fourth floor that had been sitting in the system for twenty minutes without anyone picking it up because two of my wait staff had called in sick, leaving the rest of us completely stretched across the floor, so I took one look at the ticket and one look at my team and just grabbed the tray myself.

When I knocked on the door of suite fourteen, I heard movement inside before it swung open to reveal Adonis standing there in a hotel robe with his hair still damp from the shower, his eyes drifting from the tray up to my face with an expression that caught me completely off guard because it wasn't the anger I had prepared myself for, but something far rawer and heavier that made my chest tighten instantly.

My eyes traveled from his Adams apple to his muscled bare chest and abs, then lower, trailing along the hairlines that disappeared into the towel. I swallowed and forced myself to hold his gaze.

"Room service," I said, keeping my voice as flat and professional as I could while staring down at the glasses.

He stepped aside to let me in, so I walked over to the table by the window and set the tray down, but the moment I turned around to leave, I heard the door click shut behind him.

I stared at the closed door, then looked right at him.

"I didn't close it to trap you," he said, his voice rough. "I just want to talk."

"I am working."

"Eat with me." He suddenly said and I stared at him like he had grown horns on his head.

"What?"

"You look exhausted, like you're ready to drop, sit down and get some rest."

"I am fine and you do not need to pretend that you're actually worried about me." I replied and started to walk away but his hand suddenly shot out and grabbed my wrist.

"What are you doing? Let me go." I raged and struggled to wrench my hand from his grip but my struggle only dragged me closer to him, I pushed myself back with such suddenness that I twisted and almost fell but was saved by his hot hand branding my back.

I was brought up flush to him and I gasped as I stared into his eyes, my heart beating so hard I feared it might jump out.

"You're shivering." He whispered close to my ears, so close that I could stop the fine tremor that raced up my spine and I hated myself for it, furious that he knew what he was doing to me and looking so pleased with himself .

He lowered his head even more, his eyes suddenly filled with pain as he closed the remaining space between us until I was suffocating in the dangerous, familiar heat of him that four years hadn't managed to erase.

"Adonis." I whispered, trying to put some space between us but his hand on my back stopped me.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" he whispered, his voice cracking with a rawness that sliced right through my defenses before I could stop it.

"I came back and you were in a white dress, walking into a car with someone else. Were you that desperate to be shipped off with just any man?"

His words were like a cold bucket of ice water being poured over me.

A wave of pure, unfiltered fury surged through me so fast that my hand moved before my brain could even process it, my palm connected hard across his cheek with a sound that echoed through the silent room, sending his head turning while we both stood there paralyzed in the sudden stillness.

My chest heaving with anger, I pushed hard against his chest and stumbled when he suddenly let go of me, his eyes dark with anger.

Then he took a step toward me and

I backed away, but he closed the distance instantly, his hands framing my face angrily as his mouth came down hard on mine, so fiercely that a sound escaped my throat that was supposed to be a protest, my hands flew to his chest to push him away only to linger there on those hard lean muscles as he kissed me the way he always used to, like I was the only thing alive in the world, while my body betrayed me by responding before I could fight it.

I pushed against him, pounding on his chest, desperate to break free before my body would completely betray me but he held me tighter.

I was so desperate now, my treacherous body was melting into his, I shoved with everything I had left until he finally let go, sending me stumbling back into the cool air as tears I hadn't even felt coming spilled over my eyelashes and ran hot down my cheeks.

I slapped him again, harder this time.

"You lost the right to do that the day you left me," I clenched out, my voice trembling violently.

I turned to escape but before I could turn for the door, his hand clamped around my arm and yanked me back, his eyes flashing with dark anger and a remnant of lust, "I left you? You left me! You married someone else, Mica."

"And where were you before that?" I screamed hysterically, letting the tears pour out as four years of agony finally broke open. "I called you every single day until the line went dead! I went to your house and they told me you were never coming back! I was completely alone, Adonis, I was terrified and alone and I had no idea where you were, you were gone when I needed you the most!" I jabbed angrily at his chest with my index finger, "you had no right to stand here and play saint like you never left."

"I left for a reason and you couldn't wait? You just rushed straight into another man's arms?"

The words landed like a physical blow right to my sternum, making me sway where I stood, I was so hurt that for a moment, I just stared at him speechless.

I stared right into his eyes through the tears, refusing to flinch and whispered harshly.

"Yes, Adonis," I said, my voice cutting through the quiet room. "I couldn't wait. Because if you

had actually loved me enough, you never would have left me behind."