Build And Break novel Chapter 9

Angela rubbed the sleep off her eyes. "You expect me to get to the office with you this early?"

"As you can see I'm not even dressed myself."

Oh, dear. It was then that Angela realized Steven was wearing only his boxers. Her eyes stopped blinking then and she was fully awake. She could see the morning bulge in his pants. Obviously, being his haughty self, Steven was unashamedly basking in the attention.

Steven caught Angela biting on her bottom lip as her eyes went up his bare chest, then to his lips before meeting his eyes.

"I'm not going to the office now. When we were married I've always gone to work late. My wife used to keep me occupied with mesmerizing morning sex. And if you keep looking at me like that, we're going to have a replay right here." The mattress bucked down as Steven stooped on one hand and inclined towards her, too close to her, while his other hand set on her thigh, roamed up to her hip.

Angela's breath caught in her throat. Damn him, he was evoking too many sultry memories. She quickly sat up before she amused him and gave in to his challenge as was his intention. "You didn't have to wake me up this early."

"Yes I did. You have to get ready. You need to look your best. Wear a blue dress. You know much I love blue." Steven strengthen up just as quickly as he had leaned down and motioned to the breakfast tray Angela hadn't realized was sitting on the side table. "Eat up and get in the shower. You got two hours to get ready." And with that, he stood and left the room.

Angela remained where she was completely frozen. The new chapter in her life as Steven's wife again would start that day. There was definitely no going back after showing herself to his employees. She would have to endure pretending being happy and incandescently in love with Steven, her husband.

It was three hours later that Angela stood in front of the tall mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at her. She had wore a blue dress like Steven had asked. Her hair was clean and straight unlike the bun she always wore in the past few years. She couldn't stop brushing her fingers in the satin feel of her dark long hair that came to half her back. Surprisingly she had managed to mask her face in light make up just enough to hide the dark circles under her eyes. She looked far from how she had been looking a few days ago.

When Steven glimpsed sight of her, it was exactly what he had in mind. Angela looked like her old self again. She looked like his wife. "You look even more alluring that I remember you."

Angela ignored him. No, she refused to start playing the role of the happy wife while they were still at his place.

"Take it off." Steven commanded. His tone was all serious, surprising a stilled Angela. "Take that ring off that finger, Angela." Steven pronounced each word through clenched teeth. He was struggling not to explode.

Angela obey him. She knew better than to defy Steven when he was that dead serious. Just as she did, he took her left hand and slid their wedding ring.

The ring felt cold on her finger and the shimmer it gave off felt blinding to her. She closed her hand in a fist, lowered it down away from her sight. She couldn't stomach looking at it for another second. That was the same ring that was a symbol of her and Steven Morris's love but now that ring felt like a reminder of the hurt Steven had caused her.

Angela eyed the other ring she held, Tony's ring. "Can I wear it still?" Angela asked tentatively to Steven.

Steven turned away from her, began his walk to the elevator. "Do whatever you want with it. Just don't wear it on that finger."