Forbidden Love

Epilogue

Connor

Iwatched my sister return with Barrett from the dance floor. I was so happy for them. Truly. The whirlwind of events that had shaped tonight had me on the edge of my seat.

When Alfred whispered an engagement ring was next up on the auction card, it threw me completely. But Alfred does that. That’s Dad. I’d stopped calling him Dad early on when he looked at me with an odd expression I’d never forgotten.

But tonight wasn’t about me as much as my parents wanted me to butter-up Francesca for our impending nuptials. Tonight was about Lourde and Barrett. And as I watched his hand caress her forearm and her wrapped in his arms, I couldn’t be happier for her. She’d gone through so much with men, and I was partly to blame.

Together with Mom, we tried to arrange suitable men for her to date. After all, we expected her to marry a partner from a similar background and one who could be mutually beneficial to both families. That’s how it was done in the past.

My parents had my suitor lined up a long time ago, and it was nearly time for me to wed. Cue the beautiful Francesca. I cast my eyes toward her table. Long and leggy with perfect silicone tits, Francesca was stunning. We got along too, casually fucking from time to time. But tonight, when Francesca wanted to fuck, I rejected her, putting myself and the Diamond family in a precarious position.

This week, Pepper was in my bed, her black curls, olive skin, and curves had me begging for more, and I didn’t beg. I wanted to take her back to my place again and hear her scream my name in waves of orgasm after orgasm.

I wanted to forget all responsibility.

I wanted to push away my father.

I needed to sink myself inside of her.

But that wasn’t the reality, and the secret, casual encounters we’d had, had to stop. Alfred was likely weeks away from retirement, and the billion-dollar empire would fall squarely on my shoulders. And if I wasn’t careful, I could fuck it all up. Generations of wealth and reputation gone in an instant.

I couldn’t be doing this. Like the countless women before her, Pepper was just an escape. If it wasn’t her, it was alcohol. And I’d certainly been abusing that recently.

I sighed just as Lourde’s focus settled on me. I smiled back, putting her at ease. She worried too much about me. Sometimes I wish it was Alfred who worried, but that was a wish that fucked off into the wind years earlier.

“You all good?” she asked loud enough over the table so I could hear. Magnus was busy talking with Evelyn, Barrett’s sister, while Ari had taken to Olivia—a stunning, take-no-shit blonde. But next to me, Pepper sat quietly, falling in and out of conversations around me. I wondered for a moment if she saw Francesca drape her arms around me earlier.

“He’s probably just tired, right, Connor?” Barrett said.

“That’s exactly it. Think I need to sleep for a week.”

I watched Pepper excuse herself from the table. Her hips swayed with each step she took, and the fabric of her dress clung to the curves of her ass as she walked toward the ladies’ room. My dick twinged in response.

With everyone engrossed in conversation, I pushed out my chair, knowing exactly where I wanted to go.

Walking across the dance floor, I stopped outside the bathroom and leaned up against the wall. A moment later, Pepper stepped out, and I grabbed her hand, pulling her around the corner and away from prying eyes. I pressed her back against the wall and pushed my groin into her silky thighs.

“Connor, what if someone sees us?” she murmured.

“I don’t give a fuck,” I said, slamming my lips against hers in a heated kiss.

She groaned and dragged her tongue inside my mouth, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me close. After a bit, it took all my energy to pull away. Fuck. I was this close to fucking her against the wall at my family’s annual ball.

“Here, take this,” I handed her the swipe card. “The penthouse. One hour.”

She ran her gaze over me suggestively, then took the card and tucked it into her purse. I stepped back, giving her space to peel herself off the wall.

“Now go.” I slapped her on the ass.

“Connor Diamond, behave.” She walked ahead, tossing me a wink over her shoulder.

“Fuck, no.”

I waited until Pepper had returned to take my seat. The same discussions flowed around the table, and I was confident no one even noticed we were gone.

I pulled my chair underneath the table and closer to Pepper. Discreetly, I ran my hand down like I was tying my shoelace, but instead, my hand slid up the inside of her thigh.

I heard her gasp when my hand reached her upper thigh.

“This is just a prelude,” I said in a low voice as I ran my hand up and down her folds through her lace underwear. She was soaking wet for me.

Francesca approached the table, stopping just behind Lourde, and only a few feet from me.

Pepper stilled, but I didn’t care she was here. My fingers massaged her clit, pulling a gasp covered with a cough from her lips.

“Congratulations, Lourde. Barrett.” She removed her penetrating gaze from me and returned it to Lourde and Barrett.

“Francesca, thank you!” Lourde gushed, standing to embrace her.

Pepper lowered her hand underneath the table in an attempt to swat my hand away.

But when I didn’t budge, she quickly gave up.

“Connor, till next week.” Francesca smiled seductively.

“Looking forward to it,” I said, driving my hand harder against Pepper’s clit.

Francesca remained, hanging back. She likely wanted me to escort her back to her table. When she realized I wasn’t moving, the tips of her ears turned pink, and she huffed out in annoyance, turning and walking away a moment later.

“She is one foxy woman.” Magnus tilted his head, following Francesca disappearing into the crowd.

“Magnus, you can’t say that about his fiancé,” Ari said.

Pepper tensed again at Ari’s words.