Chapter Three

Two weeks and four days have passed since Lucian last saw Sofia. He called and texted and called again. Nothing. Not one word from her. He was now at his wits end and coiled so tight he was ready to unravel. Orders were barked and he snapped at just about everyone. The staff basically tiptoed around him. He stood in a corner, cell phone in hand, and a look of anger marked his handsome face.

He just finished sending another text message when he heard a bunch of familiar voices making their way towards a large table. He put his phone away, moved a bit closer and took a seat at a nearby table.

With his back to the group, he was able to hear bits and pieces of conversation and gathered that Sofia was meeting her friends in a few minutes. Lucian needed to calm his nerves and get his anger under control. A bunch of thoughts ran through his mind and none of them were good.

"She's here!" one girl shrieked.

Lucian stood up, walked over to the bar and poured himself a double shot of Whiskey and chugged it down.

"There she is," called Sofia's co-worker in an excited shriek causing almost the entire bar to look in her direction.

Lucian stood up a little straighter with both eyes focused on the entrance. 'No. No freaking way.' His eyes dilated, his nostrils flared, and his hands formed angry fists at his side as he watched his woman canoodling with some slim, skinny jean, tight shirt, wearing half a dude. His jaw nearly fell to the ground.

No matter how angry he was at Sofia, somehow she always managed to take his breath away. Tonight was no different. Her long, dark hair framed her face in a cascade of curls stopping at her perfectly round, full breasts. His eyes were drawn to her like a moth to a flame and as he looked around, he noticed Sofia seemed to have that effect on everyone.

He moved near his office and turned off the light and watched in silence, waiting and listening.

"Sofia," called shriek girl. "Over here."

"That must be the new designer from Milan," shouted another excited voice.

Sofia walked over to the table with a bright smile on her face.

'Christ. Those dimples though,' groaned Lucian in a pained voice moving a tad closer to hear the introductions.

"Well, here he is," boasted Sofia as both her hands were placed in front of the new guy. "This is Aldo our new designer straight from Italy."

After all the introductions were made, Sofia excused herself to the ladies room. She washed her hands, freshened up her makeup and exited the bathroom.

"Sofia," called a familiar deep voice sending every hair on her body on end. "A word."

Sofia tensed but couldn't find her legs. She was frozen at that moment not ready to face the man whose been haunting her dreams for two weeks.

"Now!" he commanded.

Her heart seemed to choose that particular moment to beat to the music playing in the background as she pleaded her legs to move. With every ounce of strength she could muster, she turned, and sang 'Put one foot in front of the other.' Her eyes locked with Lucian's and for the first time in a while, she realized how devastatingly handsome he was. Something about his look at that particular moment reminded her of something feral, almost primal, as desire shot straight to her core.

"Now Sofia or do I have to toss you over my shoulder and carry you into my office?"

"You wouldn't," choked Sofia as both her cheeks turned bright pink. Suddenly she was floating. "What the..."

"I warned you," barked Lucian in an angry voice as he slammed his office door and bolted it.

"Put me down you big brute," cried Sofia realizing how angry Lucian was.

"As you wish," he replied and let her body slide down his causing a long, guttural groan to escape his lips. Before Sofia was able to get her feet on the ground, Lucian turned her around, fisted her hair with his left hand and whispered, "Once again you've managed to do the one thing I asked you not to do."

Sofia's heart hammered, her legs felt weak, and her traitorous body craved everything Lucian. "I have to get back to my friends Lucian. It's been fun but..."

He heard enough and pushed her face down over his desk pinning her in place. "Do you remember what I told you I would do if I saw you with another man?" he ordered.

Sofia wasn't able to move and tried with all her might to get a hand free. Something, anything would have been welcomed. Her mind swirled, her body ached from all the traveling, and Sofia found it difficult to breathe, let alone think. "I, I think so," she replied in a soft voice.

"Good." He shifted slightly and slowly lifted up the thin fabric of her black, off the shoulder, crochet dress and slowly pulled down her panties and groaned.

Sofia let out the breath she was holding and cringed. Surely this man was torturing her as she felt his roughened hands gently circle the roundness of her bottom. Anxiety started to get the best of her with each gentle circle. Her mind wasn't sure what she wanted at that moment. Finally, her brain caught up with her voice. "Stop this. Stop this right now Lucian."

"You're mine, Sofia," he shouted as his hand came down on her right cheek causing her to jump and let out a cry.

She attempted to move but his left hand was still fisted in her hair. He slowly circled her reddened cheek and spread her legs a little wider.

"Please Lucian. I'm not a child. You can't do this." Her voice cracked and the fear in her voice shook Lucian to the core.

The sight of her cringing as he overpowered her sent a very clear message of what he's always expected. Someone physically harmed her. He clenched his jaw and felt like the biggest dirt bag in the world. He needed to stop this before he caused her to fear him. He took a deep breath and managed to pull himself together.

In a deep, commanding voice, he stated, "This isn't finished. Go back to your friends. You have one hour. After that, you are to go to the back parking lot and get in my car and wait for me."

"I swear you act like you're my father rather than a man interested in dating me," Sofia mocked as she fixed herself the best she could.

"Dating? Sofia, we are way past the dating stage," Lucian replied in a sincere tone. He was just about to drop more on Sofia but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Boss, there's a problem at the bar. You better come out here."

Before Lucian budged, he pulled Sofia into his arms and kissed her. "You're mine. Make sure you're at my car in an hour." He didn't even bother to wait for her response; he walked out of his office and headed towards the bar.

"Unbelievable. That man is so frustrating," growled Sofia as she rubbed her stinging bottom, slammed Lucian's office door, and made her way over to join her friends.

**

Sofia tried to enjoy herself but it just wasn't working. With enough conviction, she decided she had enough of Lucian for one night and ignored his demands. She told her friends' she wasn't feeling well which was why she took a little longer in the ladies room and decided to call it a night. With her eyes on Lucian, she waited for the perfect moment to make her exit unnoticed. Feeling pretty proud of herself once she made it outside, she realized she didn't have a ride home and had to walk. Her entire body ached, from the tip of her head, to the very bottom of her feet. Her body craved nothing but sleep.

She made it to the fifteenth block and knew her home was a half a block away and picked up the pace. The walk was long, chilly, and uncomfortable in heels but soon she'd be sound asleep in her comfy bed.

The scent of burning firewood lingered in the distance as a frosty chill filled the air. She rubbed her hands together for friction and groaned at the pain in her feet.

Finally, her freezing cold body made it. "Home sweet home. I sure did miss you." Without hesitation, she kicked off her shoes and rubbed her aching feet and had to admit, this was not one of her better plans.

Feeling the need to see what she was doing, Sofia ran her fingers across the cold wall until she found the light switch and flipped it upwards and raised the heat on the thermostat. "There. That's better. I think a nice long soak in the tub is just what my body needs."

She added her favorite scents and slipped into the hot soapy water, closed her eyes and allowed herself a few moments peace. After soaking for a little over thirty minutes, she unplugged the tub, stood up, and slipped into her short white cotton robe and padded her way to her bedroom. Her pruned fingers dug through her purse and pulled out her cell phone and actually turned it on for the first time in days.

The sound of beeps seemed to bounce off all four corners of her room as message after message came through. Just as she scrolled to the first message her phone began to ring.

'Sofia,' called her best friend Judy in an almost hysterical voice. 'Oh my god. Lucian came to the table looking for you. He's married . There's a freaking wedding ring on his finger.