Falling For My Husband (British Billionaires) (16 page)

I didn’t have to walk far; the man stood in the middle of the foyer—not on the side, but right there in the middle—with people milling and walking past him, dressed in a tux. I was immediately in a depraved sexual riot. The second I spotted him, my whole body and mind shifted. I was entering into Callum Kensington’s domain, hypnotized and entranced by the power he exuded. The man simply commanded it.

He looked formidable. Commanding. Stoic. An elegant rogue with an edge of danger to it. “Stella, you look…” Callum trailed off, disconcerted, before he bent his head and aimed for my ear. “Please tell me you have some sort of undergarment in this dress?” he hissed into it.

He was a man who knew the woman’s body and underwear well, huh. I was far from pleased. In fact, that bothered me a great deal. “I didn’t want any lines. And as for the bra, you can see how that’s not going to work, either.”

“It’s obscene,” Callum hissed, furious even. “I can practically imagine what you look like naked.”

That was the point, but never mind. His reaction was enough to douse me to face reality. “If you want me to leave, just say so. I have work to do anyway,” I managed to blurt out. I wanted to gouge his eyes out. It took a few hours to be prepped to the point of looking like this… and now he tells me that I looked obscene? Did he not go parading around town with women dressed in far less than what I was wearing now? Fucking prick! I simmered.

Out of the blue, Callum quickly tensed. His jaws locked as he looked past me. “My father and Zara are coming towards us.”


What!
” I hissed, not sure if I was about to laugh or cry. However, even before I had the chance to decide, I heard a man’s throat being cleared behind me.

“Nice to see you here, son,” Charles Kensington greeted Callum just as I was moving to Callum’s side, facing the intruders.

He was younger looking somehow and not what I had imagined him to be. Callum’s looks definitely were inherited from his maternal side.

Charles then found me; blue eyes assessing me head to foot. “Stella von Berg and a Kensington together. What a lovely pairing. Glad you finally took my heed and found yourself a wealthy heiress worthy to marry.”

What was I to say to that kind of tacky comment? Mind you, I was rendered speechless,
but
that was before I was introduced to Zara. I was decent looking, but next to this woman, I paled in comparison. No wonder Callum couldn’t get over her.

“Pleasure to meet you, Stella.” Zara composed a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She faced Callum and when their gazes connected,
I
even felt the spark. “Good to see you again, Callum.” Love was so apparent in her dark eyes that I somewhat felt like I was the one intruding in their little eyes-devouring-you-on-the-spot reunion.

Their moment was broken by Charles excusing himself to greet one of his old cronies—who were somewhere across the room—leaving the three of us in a compromising position.

Zara was so focused on Callum that she might’ve forgotten that I was here, too. Callum had yet to utter a damn word, but the man was like a stone, staring holes at the woman he loved.

I stood apoplectic, eyes flickering back and forth before I finally urged myself to move out of the way. “I need to go to the loo.” I excused myself, barely looking at them, and sought for a quiet place to balm my broken heart.

Relief rushed through me when I ventured into another room that was empty except for a few chairs hoisted to the side. From the looks of it, the cleaning party had yet to arrive. How appropriate that I stepped into a room that was someone’s wedding reception.

I was so consumed with forcing myself not to cry that I hadn’t heard the door open. Imagine my fright when I heard someone’s voice asking me if I was okay. “Are you all right?”

My eyes were still glued towards the once-happy celebratory party before me. “Uh huh.”
In a couple of minutes or so, I will be
.

The mystery person revealed himself by squatting before me, concern etched across his face. “You don’t look it, Stella.”

With a small, quivering smile, I spoke to Derek, “You saw that, huh?”

He nodded solemnly. “Yeah. Why are you with him?” His question was more of a wonder than anything. “You’re dating playboys, one after the other. What the bloody hell for? To get yourself trampled over?” He peered closer, lifting my chin. “You deserve a man that will love you, not play around with you.” He cleared his throat, looking sorry. “I admit, in the beginning I became frustrated with you. I was too focused on wanting you to give it up to me that I forgot how we were together, how you were with me.” He paused. “I didn’t realize this until I started dating again and realized how much I missed you.”

Dear goodness, I couldn’t deal with this now. Not right now. “Derek—”

“I’d give everything to have another chance with you again.”

This was sad. “I’m in love with him,” I admitted bravely. “There’s no hope for me.”

“Guessed as much. He doesn’t see it, though. I doubt he sees any woman, if at all.” Derek gathered me up and held me tight. “We all love and learn. Someday, you’ll love again.” He kissed my cheek, eyes seeking mine. “I pray to the gods that man will be me.”

Someday you’ll love again…
those words held comfort. Words I could hang on to. Something to look forward to.

“Let’s get you warmed up before Mr. Playboy comes and fetches you away from me,” Derek offered, leading us towards the bar.

That was, if Callum still remembered I existed…

Chapter 21

Callum

 

“We need to discuss our future,” Zara persisted, pressing herself closer towards me. Her perfume reached my senses and I somehow felt like I was being transported back in time to when I was madly and hopelessly in love with this woman.

I would’ve moved Heaven and earth to make her happy. Zara had been my life. Everything I did then was for our future. I was a roughened teenager, but the moment I met her, I was willing to make changes. The moment I knew I was in love with her, I didn’t even hesitate to commit myself fully to her. However, somehow all through that love and affection—not to mention utmost dedication—Zara easily walked away from it all.
From me
. Here she was now, demanding we “discuss” our future. What was she on?

“If you haven’t noticed, I’ve moved on from you.” I sought her eyes, putting all my energy in holding her gaze. “You’ve been replaced. There’s no future with me. Best you get that truth into your head.”

“You don’t love her,” Zara immediately retorted back.

My nose flared at her audacity. “How dare you. You don’t know anything!”

“You know how I know? Because you didn’t even glance at her, not once, the second you saw me. She excused herself to use the restroom and yet it seemed you didn’t even hear her.” She pressed her heaving breasts against my chest. Her lips and hot breath tickled my ear. “You only have eyes for me. No one will come close, Callum. It’s the same for me. I want you.” She pressed harder, making me silently curse. “I haven’t had a man for a year and I’m anticipating for you to relinquish this need in between my thighs. It has only craved you, no one else.”

This was bad. Sex with Zara had always been dynamite. Her talking about not having any other man after me made my throat dry. She was temptation to the fullest. She knew my body, knew what turned me on… and her dirty talk confirmed just how much she wanted to be back in my life.

“Charles filed divorce yesterday. He brought me out here to reconcile with you.” She kissed my lobe. “You can have me tonight… or whenever you want.”

A voice informing the guests that the ballroom was now available made me pull
back away from her influence. Zara still held power over me. I was discomfited. Horrified. Yet, somehow, aroused. It was troubling and I hated it—
her
—for torturing me some more.

Besides, there was Stella.

God, Stella!
I had seriously forgotten about her. My eyes scanned the area, looking for her.

“She probably left already,” Zara quipped into my ear.

If Stella had, I couldn’t blame her. She’d probably witnessed how Zara was full on seducing me or how I had let her do it, not even stopping her attempt. As I stated before, I didn’t deserve Stella, and yet, I couldn’t let her go. I was a horrible man. Selfish. Needy.

In need for her as well as the sense of comfort and security she brought.

“I have to go.” I unclasped Zara’s hold from me as I scanned the throbbing sea of people. Where did she go? Did she leave?

Frustrated, I went towards the entrance and asked the hotel staff in charge if they had seen Stella leave. I knew they would know
who I was talking about because I had seen how they blatantly gawked at her behind as she sauntered towards me.

An exasperated grunt showed how desperate I was to find her. It was rude of me to actually have forgotten about her when Zara appeared. It was a shock to see her again, with my father in tow… but still… Stella didn’t need to witness how affected I was when it came to the woman who had brought me to my knees once. I tried to picture what it would’ve been for her to see me with Zara and, whatever came in to mind, I didn’t like much.

In all honesty, I didn’t know what I wanted. When it came to Zara and Stella, I was confused. I knew that
now
, after what happened with Zara earlier, but for some reason, Stella brought out other things in me.

I might have appeared calm to some as I drifted off from one place to the other, eyes flittering about for one particular person. What greeted my eyes just ignited a great example.

The bar was the last place I decided to check because I hadn’t imagined Stella would seek out a drink, but my, my, was I wrong.

Stella, the minx, was seated in a rounded-cushioned, red leather barstool, legs crossed, with a man’s hand resting on her exposed thigh, thumb caressing the line that met her pressed thighs, intimately. She was sipping her strawberry champagne, oblivious to the fact that I was only a few feet away, as she listened to the man whispering into her ear. His left hand was on her hip as a gesture for everyone to know that he was hers to claim.

In a heartbeat, I joined their cozy, little, intimate circle. Clearing my throat, I made sure my voice delivered the words succinctly. “Excuse me, but I think you’re pissing on my woman.”

“Callum. Oh, um, this is Derek.” Stella giggled, blushing. “An ex of mine.”

She seriously giggled. Was she already drunk or was she enjoying this tête-à-tête they were having? This literally played havoc with my raging temper, teetering on the edge.

“Derek. Good to meet you.” The besotted chap played the gentleman, but I was far from being playful.

If it were my way, I’d love to fight him off—man to man—and see if he could beat me.
He could at least try
, I mused. With all this frustration gathered in my body, I could do some light workout with Derek as my target.

Instead of acting like a true animal, I penetrated his eyes. The man didn’t cower, though. “Right. The infamous wanker who left Stella because he felt unmanned by not being able to exude his potency and vigor.”
That
certainly got to him. Good. “I assure you, I didn’t have the same problem as you did.”

Stella made a loud gasp, but I ignored it.

Instead, I took hold of her waist and got her to her feet, almost dragging her out of the bar. Once we reached a quiet, secluded corner, I hoisted her there, caging her in between my hands. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you had sex with the man! But you were a virgin when I had you, so I must be seeing things.” I shot the words like bullets, not masking the kind of fury of hell I was in.

What came out of her lips next put me in a tricky position.

“I did have sex with him.” She simply said it like it was of no consequence. “You had my virginity. He took the other,” Stella finished.

Everything around me evaporated.

The loud buzz of people in the hotel completely disappeared. The erratic thrum of my pulse rung in my ears as I studied the beguiling nymph with acute concentration. My sole focus was Stella and what she had just bombarded my thoughts with.


You’ve had anal before?
” When she responded with a careless nod, I became livid.

What the bloody fuck!
I wasn’t sure if I was furious because she let another man touch her there or because he got there before me. Either way, I didn’t like anyone touching her
anywhere
intimately. I liked knowing that I was her first… but this Derek guy was her other first, too. So it
was
more like a pissing contest, but I didn’t care. Seeing her with her ex, cozy and intimate, made me rabid with jealousy. Top that with the blasted news she had just gifted me, I was an animal ready to let loose.

“What does he want with you?” I demanded, inching closer to madness. Stella shrugged, looking away. I gritted my teeth. Impatient. Frustrated. Not to mention, troubled by Zara and now facing this catastrophic imbalance I had with Stella. “Answer me.”

Stella made me want to keep her, for reasons that were selfish and wrong, and yet, it somehow made sense to me.

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