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“Ten,” Beth corrected him. They laughed.
“But I thought—”
“For the record, I’m a proud bi-sexual man. I just don’t broadcast it. I prefer dominant men in the bedroom, and I’m happily married. However, there are occasions when I enjoy the company of the female persuasion.”
The way Noah had looked at her body with more than a cursory glance, comments he’d made that she’d dismissed, and the lingering touches that warmed her, all made sense now. She wondered if there was more than friendship on his mind or if she was projecting her own confusion on him.
“So, last week, when we were…?”
Noah’s eyes blazed with fire when he looked at Alessandra. He leaned in and brushed his lips to the sensitive skin just behind her ear. She shivered in her seat.
He whispered so only she could hear, “Watching you was incredible. I haven’t been that turned on by a woman in a long time. I was quite disappointed you didn’t want to play. But there’s always next time.”
“What about Jerry? How does that work?”
“He’s supportive as long as he picks my partner and gets to watch. It’s called cuckolding.”
Alessandra’s core clenched at the thought. Did Drake want her to be with his friend? But the next moment, it was her heart that clenched. Did he cheat because she wasn’t enough to satisfy him? Maybe Alessandra was too inexperienced with kink. Maybe Drake found her too vanilla. Though they hadn’t discussed fidelity, marriage and commitment meant something to her.
“Hey, Noah,” Beth interrupted. “Do you remember the frogs you put in my room on my eighth birthday?”
“Your favorite story was The Princess and the Frog. You kept hoping to kiss a frog that’d turn into a prince. I was only trying to make your birthday wish come true.”
“My parents were so mad! Noah wasn’t allowed over for a month. When they finally let him come to play again, he had to turn out his pockets to prove he didn’t have any live amphibians hidden in them.”
Alessandra listened attentively as Noah and Beth shared numerous stories about their wild adventures during their youth. At one point, she laughed so hard, she almost spit out a mouthful of coffee.
Alessandra faced difficulties in her marriage and lacked familial support, but she found solace in these small moments. At twenty-three, Alessandra found hope and acceptance in her friends’ unconditional love.
***
Chapter Thirty-Three
Returning to the penthouse, Alessandra felt lighter. Maybe things weren’t as bleak as they seemed yesterday. Perhaps she could even forgive Drake for his transgressions. Regardless, they needed to talk about the state of their relationship. She would demand complete monogamy from this point forward.
Noah pulled Alessandra in for a comforting hug. She sagged against him, thankful for his much-needed support.
“Thank you for today, Noah. I needed to get out of my head for a while. I have a lot to think about. Riley is an unwelcome pest in our marriage.”
“Look at me, Alessandra. Despite your rocky beginning, Drake is a faithful man. He wouldn’t take her back.”
Words didn’t negate the lipstick she’d seen on Drake’s collar or explain why he hadn’t returned home the other night. But then, last night, he’d held her and comforted her when she’d needed him most.
Worrying made her head ache once more. She shook it with a bittersweet grin. Spinning her wheels would only make things worse. She needed to talk to her husband.
“No matter what happens, Jerry and I are in your corner now. We’ll never turn our backs on you.”
She turned to Noah again, wrapping her arms around him in thanks. Noah leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
A slow clap could be heard from the shadows. Several men in black suits approached, grabbing Alessandra and Noah. A meaty hand covered her mouth before she could scream. The panicked expression on Noah’s face mirrored her own.
Luca sneered as he approached. The man holding Alessandra warned her not to scream before he lowered his hand from her mouth. There was no trace of the boy she once loved in the man standing before her. His hand cracked across Alessandra’s face.
“Isn’t this sweet? I knew you were a whore. Is this another lover of yours? It’s bad enough I have to share you with that asshole, Walker.”
“How many times have we been through this? I’m not yours! Drake is my husband. I love him!”
Luca scoffed. “You love him even though he knocked up someone else?”
