Word count: 2320

*

Monica was beat when she got home. Surprisingly, things had gone just well at the office and Sucre had been civil with her these past two weeks since he officially resumed his job as CEO. He still called her Mrs. Ambrosia of course but he didn't trouble her, he made his usual act of stealing glances more subtle.

Her mind still occasionally drifted to their discussion. Maybe the family Sucre spoke about when he said he wanted to be there for his family was really changing him and making him more responsible. Still, she couldn't help but wonder who his family members were. The only family she knew was his grandma and grandpa. And since the latter was late, who could Sucre have been referring to then? Was it that woman who'd been sending mails to him?

Monica thought back to Sucre's politeness as she dug here fingers into her hair and loosened the hair clip on it.

The previous Sucre would have grabbed her and bended her over the table if she dared talk back and they would still argue while he was pounding into her. But the Sucre at the office these past two weeks had been polite, understanding.
Still, she couldn't help but constantly ask herself that who was that woman who'd sent the mail to him? When did he get with her and how old was the child she'd been referring to in the mail?

She had showered and changed, before deciding to prepare something light for dinner. There was no time to rest, even though her new, egoistic boss had dismissed her from work two hours before the usual closing time.

Her doorbell rang and Monica turned off the burner before heading to her door and opening it in a rush. She was expecting her girl friend, Veronica. Veronica was a lady Monica met at the park two and half years ago and they just hit it off from there. Their children, Stephanie and Dixon were also very good friends.

Monica's heart leapt into her throat when she opened the door.

Sucre was standing there, one hand resting on the wall and his hair was tousled over like he'd troubled it. He was in dark blue jeans and white shirt. She felt her tongue go dry as she took him in, unable to help herself. Her eyes widened at the obvious intrusion of privacy.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice wasn't as confident as she would have appreciated.

Sucre gave her a heart stopping smile that made her blink twice. Why did he have to look so good looking? His hand was casually tucked into his jean pocket and his black hair was glistening. Sucre trailed his eyes over Monica with a smirk, drinking her furious expression in. Her pouty lips were giving him ideas, making him stifle a groan at the last minute.

"Hi. I came to see you." Monica noticed his voice was husky. He needed to leave.

His eyes were moving over her body with such heated gaze, as if she was a meal and he was suddenly eager to devour her. Yes she was in bum shorts and a comfy shirt but she wasn't expecting him and only tried to feel comfortable in her home.

Monica gulped. "Now you've seen me. You should go...thanks."

"Soon." He leaned in and Monica instinctively took a step back, which was definitely a wrong move, because Sucre slid in past her and even went ahead to make himself feel comfortable in her sitting room.

Monica instantly went into calculative mode as the man sat on a chair in the middle of her sitting room, grabbing ninety percent of the space in the sitting room with his presence and authoritative frame alone. She slammed the door shut and hurried after him, her senses heightening at the thought of them being alone in the same space.

Compared to Sucre's usually dominating form, every other thing in Monica's condo looked like peanut at the moment. His body build, the dark expression in his eyes which she was used to, the tautness of his muscles in that shirt... they took the space and sucked the air out. Monica checked the time with heavy eyelids, suddenly feeling somewhat exhausted due to constantly over thinking.

In nothing less than thirty minutes from now, she was supposed to head over to the school to pick Stephanie up. She went to the TV and grabbed her keys beside the remote. There was no way she would leave Sucre alone in her house.

"Get up." Monica commanded.

Sucre looked up and eyed her skeptically. If he got up from there, it would only mean he was trying to get her into her bedroom and that wasn't the plan- at least not yet.

"Why?" He quirked a brow.

"I'm going out right now and I can't leave you alone here." Monica didn't spare him a glance while speaking.

Sucre relaxed into the couch, taking a deep and calm breath.

"Where are you going?" He casually asked.

Monica squinted at him, losing her patience. "To pick Stephanie."

Sucre smiled again and Monica's breath hitched. What was it with him and his heart stopping smiles? Monica gritted her teeth. Sucre's whole vibe was making her get on edge. She wanted to kiss him- No.

She wanted to chase him out of her apartment; to damn him to hell. So desperately.

"What's so amusing?" She gritted out instead.

"Oh...that...I was thinking. There's no need to leave because someone already went to pick her." He said slowly, knowing she was like a ticking bomb. Anytime from that moment, she would explode. It didn't last for five seconds.

"What?!"

"I said someone we-"

"I heard what you said. Why would you have someone pick up my daughter, Sucre?!" She screamed in sheer horror. Ever since Sucre and his Mexican slash Italian accent came back into her life, it had only been chaos.

"A friend volunteered to pick her up...his son attends that school too." Sucre said slowly. He was beginning to realize Monica wasn't the same woman from a few years ago, the one he could dictate her life.

Monica's head suddenly blew up into flames as she heard Sucre's careless words, especially when she saw the nonchalant expression on his face. She felt as if she was going to be sick.

She used to control everything around her. But now she was losing that control.

He rocked her world with a powerful orgasm the first day they had met after being apart for years. Also, he totally transformed everything at her workplace and now Monica was working only for him. He handed Mr. Waters' position over to someone that didn't need to come in everyday with a report and transferred Mr. Sullivan to New York.

Then he was also trying to get close to Stephanie, whom she had been taking care of alone since she was born. Stephanie was her daughter.

"How dare you do that?!" Monica ranted, seeing pure rage as she paced about.

"Calm down. She's my daughter too." Sucre countered fiercely.

"Like hell she is."

Sucre got up and Monica stepped closer, challenging him. On a normal occasion, he was always in charge but she was too angry and worried about her daughter to care. If Mrs. Adelaide kept this up, Monica would have to report her to the school authority.

What responsible teacher would allow strangers pick a child up when he or she was under your care?

Their parents obviously trusted you so much and that is why they put the child in your care.

"Monica, what did you just say?" Sucre bit out.

"She isn't your child. Get out of our lives! Where were you in the past three years?"

"Why did you leave?!" Sucre retorted with equal fierceness.

"Why I left doesn't matter. Even after years of being apart, you're clearly showing me that we don't need to have anything between us. You and I know that!" Monica snapped, remembering the back and forth messages in his mail.

Sucre huffed. His expression was calm, no sign of distress unlike Monica who was raging. But every word Sucre spoke carried power and authority.

"We were happy together. Then you up and left all because of a little issue..."

"Little issue?" Monica gasped as pain seared deep into her heart as the thoughtless words of the ignoramus fellow standing before her.

Her anger returned with full force. She raised her hand and it met his cheek, the sound echoing with the brutality of the hit. She was beyond angry, Monica was furious. Her hair got into her face and she quickly shook her head to get it out.

Sucre's eyes went emotionless. He picked his phone and made a single call. "Do it!" He gritted out.

Monica was still staring at her stubborn ex husband with parted lips. She couldn't believe he made her so upset that she had to give him a hard hit. But a part of her was still furious.

"What did you ask them to do? Who were you speaking to just now? I so hope it has nothing to do with me and Stephanie or so help me Go-"

"What will you do, huh?" He grabbed her waist and pulled her against his hard rock body, his every being oozing out a hundred percent maleness.

"Let go!" She snapped but Sucre gently raised his hand and took a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"You got more beautiful over the time we were apart. I won't leave you to go through all this again." He said in a soft murmur. Monica felt her heart stutter. But his declaration made her angrier, if that was even possible. She pushed against Sucre's chest but he pulled her even closer.

"I don't need you."

"Well I don't need you too." He shrugged and kissed her soft lips. The act was sweet, loving. Monica was caught off guard by his gentleness and she found herself unable to resist him.

His hand went to her waist while the other held her by the nape, pulling her hair to the side. So she didn't fight it. He was doing all these on purpose, she knew it. He was trying to worm his way in so he would capture her heart again, and Monica wouldn't give him that chance.

Their lips moved against each other, pulling and caressing and Monica held Sucre's by the nape of his neck to deepen the kiss. It seemed to last forever because they both were eager to kiss again when Sucre gained the willpower to finally pull away with a groan.

He took time to observe Monica's face and countenance, still holding her close while taking in her flushed face and plump, red lips. The sight provoked another jolt of pleasure in his system.

"I knew you would be tired. So I asked Tommy to pick her along with his son. Remember Tommy when we were in school? He lived in the frat house and we were friends." Sucre softly explained. Why was he being so gentle?

Monica was lost in thought but his words brought her back to the present. She shook her head. Maybe the kiss was making her over think. Yes. It definitely had to be the effect of the kiss.

She remembered Tommy. Who would go to the same university in their set and not remember Tommy afterwards? Monica remembered his dark fuck boy hair and dimpled smile. He had captivating forest green eyes and pink lips. He was always changing cars, always partying. He was always smiling and cheerful but Tommy could never sleep with the same woman twice.

Monica wondered how Tommy managed to be a dad and how he even accepted the child. He slept around a lot and feared commitment. She didn't respond to Sucre's question but instead struggled against him.

"Let go Sucre. I don't know why you're here but I don't want to play this game. Not anymore." Monica groaned.

His touches were sending electronic signals tingling all over her body and Monica didn't like the fact that he had so much effect on her. Sucre heaved a sigh and let her go. Then an idea struck him. At the moment, force wasn't doing it so the idea was his last resort.

"Can we at least be friends?" He tried but sneered at his own attempt to make peace between them.

Friends my foot. Whatever chance he would get, he would take advantage of it. He desperately needed to be buried inside her right now but Sucre would settle for friends. Her shorts displayed her slender legs and Sucre didn't want to stop staring.

It took everything in him not to back her up against the wall before sliding inside her. His mind began to wander there and he took a gulp, looking away.

What would it feel like to have her legs wrapped around his waist as he plunged into her swee- he shook his head again. He mustn't think that way right now, if not he would take a wrong step and everything would be ruined. The thought alone made him groan.

"Okay." Monica finally agreed.

If they were friends, fighting for the custody of her child would never come to mind. Sucre couldn't believe his ears, but he was more than grateful for her response. They'd be just friends. That was one step forward.

With that they shook hands. They used to be married, but then, they'd gotten divorced. Now they were friends. Monica smiled slightly.

Best friends didn't usually have sex with each other. So they were safe.

*

Imagine the thoughts each person is having. Monica wants to be just friends but Sucre has other ideas.

Who do you think will succeed best in their plans?