Dangerous Illusion [18+]

16: Revelation

It delighted me to see my girlfriend reveling in joy and hope sparked by our shared creation. The restaurant had served as a purpose in bringing us together, tying us together in ways that would otherwise be unthinkable. I had enticed her with a business proposition to help her realize her dream and bring her close to me once again. The financial loss I'd suffered was a secondary consideration. Luna's happiness mattered the most to me.

As did the sounds of her helpless whimpers when my cock slid into her perfect cunt. The back office of the restaurant served as a place for her to work during the day and for me to screw her senseless during the after-hours. But today wasn't one of those days. We were making out like two horny teenagers, and I was vibrating with the need to be inside her.

"I have an appointment at three." She whispered against my lips. I observed my proud creation. The sight of her swollen lips made her look stunning. Anyone who saw her would know there was a man in her life who took good care of her.

"Come to the penthouse with me tonight," I ordered. It didn't feel like home when Luna wasn't around. Previously my home had been my sanctuary, my haven away from the world. But with Luna, it felt like paradise. It didn't frighten me how quickly I was becoming addicted to her. It was inevitable.

"Okay." She agreed tucking in her hair in a ponytail I had messed. I smiled and straightened myself. Running a hand over her cheeks I pressed my lips to it, "Ciao Bellissima."

Leaving Luna after lunch was difficult for me. It seemed to me that no matter how many hours I spent in and around her I still craved her presence. I was a goner for her, but I wouldn't have it another way.

The sight of a blonde, spiky-haired man caught my attention. He was heading towards the restaurant but halted in his tracks after seeing me. He extended his hand towards me.

"Mr. Rafaelli, nice to see you again." He flashed me a smile showcasing his unnaturally white veneers.

"Thompson." I responded tersely. The man was a skilled interior designer who had proven his mettle while designing my office.

"Did you have a nice weekend?" I asked. His puzzled face broke out into an awkward smile at my question, but he answered, nonetheless.

"I think so, yeah."

Dispensing with the pleasantries, I addressed the issue at hand. "Luna is a dedicated woman, but that doesn't give you the right to intrude on her weekend. I didn't appreciate your call to her at ten on a Saturday night." Especially when she was with me. It had irked me that he had interrupted our time together. That didn't stop me from having her all night but still, I needed to establish boundaries around Luna. If she wasn't going to do it, then I would. Mario, Allen, and any other man would have to wait their turn.

His baffled expression only aggravated me further.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rafaelli, but I haven't spoken to Mis Russo since Thursday," he stammered, clearly taken aback.

Thursday. Alarm bells rang in my head. I distinctly remember Luna mentioned receiving a call from the interior designer when she was at the penthouse. I doubted he would lie to my face, knowing the repercussion.

I narrowed my gaze at him, "Regardless, I'm apologize if Miss Russo has ever felt uncomfortable due to my actions. I assure you I will be more cautious next time."

Fuck! I didn't want to doubt Luna. She had no reason to lie to me.

"It appears I am mistaken then. You will not mention this conversation to her," I instructed. He frantically nodded in agreement.

I needed to get to the bottom of it. Whatever it was, I would find out.

***

The ring was a battleground, the air thick with the scent of sweat and determination. I circled my trainer, the pads on his hands like iron shields. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, locked onto mine. We were in the training ring, but my mind was elsewhere as evident in the bruising below my ribs.

Luna. Secrets. She was hiding something from me, and it gnawed at my insides.

But here, in the ring, there was no room for distractions. My trainer's voice cut through the fog in my mind. "Focus, Ares," he barked. "Your head's not in the game." The former MMA champion was over six feet tall but still a couple of inches shorter than me. The buzzcut of his hair gave him a hard edge. The dark skin of his flesh glistened with sweat.

But Tobias was right. My head was occupied somewhere else.

I clenched my fists, blocking out Luna's face and the questions that swirled like a storm. The mat beneath my feet was my anchor. I lunged, striking at the pads with precision. Left hook, right cross, knee strike. Each movement was calculated, muscle memory taking over. But my heart? That was a different story. The thought of betrayal brought a bitter taste to my mouth.

"Again," my trainer ordered. "Harder."

I obliged, sweat dripping down my temples. The rhythm of the fight drowned out the chaos in my head. Luna's betrayal—or whatever it was—would have to wait. I couldn't afford weakness. Not here, not now.

My trainer stepped back, assessing. "You're hesitating," he said. "Your punches lack conviction. What's eating at you?" He wouldn't be a champion of his field were he not so observant.

I wiped my brow, avoiding his gaze. "Nothing," I muttered. "Just tired."

He snorted. "Tired? Do you think your opponents will care about your fatigue? You're better than this, Ares. Clear your mind. Or has pussy made you weak?" I shot him a glare that didn't seem to budge him. So, my men had talked around. I wasn't surprised everyone was becoming aware of Luna's presence in my life.

I wanted answers, but the ring was no place for vulnerability. Not when my trainer's stern eyes bore into mine. I squared my shoulders, blocking out everything but the task at hand. The pads came at me, a flurry of strikes. I countered, my body moving on instinct.

"Again," he commanded. "And this time, mean it."

I gritted my teeth, pushing Luna aside. The pads met my fists with a satisfying thud. Maybe my head wasn't in the game, but my body knew what to do. I'd unravel Luna's secrets later. For now, the ring was my sanctuary—a place where doubts could be silenced, if only for a few rounds.

And so, I fought. Not just against my trainer, but against the turmoil within. No distraction. Only the clash of fists, the burn of muscles, and the relentless pursuit of victory.

I was beaten and bruised after an intense training session, but it was needed after missing one too many days holed up with Luna. Sparing with my trainer and my men served me with an outlet to express the boiling rage and maddening passion within me in the years following my return to New York. Now it was just a distraction.

I tracked Luna through my phone and saw her location at her apartment in Brooklyn. We had earlier planned to spend the night at the penthouse, but I had informed Jason to take her to her apartment instead. As I dropped my phone back on the car seat, I directed Jason to take me to the penthouse. As much as I wanted to spend time with her, I knew it would eat me alive to be close to her without knowing what she was hiding.

The thought of her having an affair clawed at me from within and ripped my heart. She had confessed to never dating or engaging in sexual relations after our breakup. It had pleased me then, even though I had become resolved to the fact a long time ago that she had moved on and would meet someone worthy of her. Someone who would love her, marry her, and give her a child.

Fuck!

The thought of her loving someone else now made my fist ache to slam into his face.

I closed my eyes to calm the sick feeling in my gut. I had told Luna that over the five years, I had kept an eye on her but that was not true. I had madly stalked her for three years and then retreated in defeat settling for occasional photographs and her whereabouts. Just enough news to ensure she was safe and comfortable.

Now it seems I had made a mistake. I wouldn't stalk her now. I would directly confront her.

. . .

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