Chapter 55

Chapter Fifty-Five

Viktor

" F uck," I say, setting my cell down on my desk.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asks.

"Max."

"I don't understand Ava on this one. Why is she having him work for her? Can't she see he wants more than friendship? I don't have a good feeling about him."

"Glad I'm not the only one," I agree.

"No," he says, even though I'm not asking. I stand from my desk. "Where are you going?"

"To show Max that Ava is mine."

"Don't do anything stupid."

"What the fuck did you say?" I take a step toward him.

"Your intimidation won't work on me. Maybe on him, but not on me. I'm not scared of you. I know how hard you can punch, and it's not that hard." I take another step toward him. "What? Are you going to hit me?" He stands his ground. In any other circumstance, I'd laugh. You can't deny he's a Manarch. He shakes his head. "Give me your keys. I'll drive."

"You don't even know where I'm going."

"House of Beauty," he says, laughing.

I hate that Oliver is always right. It's fucking annoying.

Max has become a pain in my ass. I don't understand why he won't get the hint and fucking disappear. There's no point in him sticking around. I would make Max disappear, but I doubt Ava would forgive me if I did. I wish she saw Max's true intentions, and how much he wants her.

"Do you know what you're going to do?" Oliver asks as we get in the car.

"Show Ava who has the final word and Max that Ava is off-limits."

"Do you really think it's a good idea to go blazing into her office? It's not going to end well." I look at him.

"You constantly defending her is getting old."

"I'm not defending her. I'm stating facts," Oliver retorts

"I won't let him get close to her. I see how he looks at her. He wants to fuck her."

"I'm going to share something with you."

"I'm not in the mood for your lectures. All your fucking facts are annoying."

"It's not a lecture, just a couple of facts. Facts you need to drill into your thick head. Ava loves you. She would never do anything to betray you. She's loyal, and you better than anyone knows that. You need to trust her."

I think about his words.

"I do trust her. It's him I don't trust."

"I have to agree with you on that one but blazing hot into her office isn't going to show her that you trust her," he says, adding, "I won't tell you what to do. But don't push her. You know this isn't the way. Ava won't stand for it."

"Fine. What should I do?" I find myself asking in frustration.

"Show her you trust her. Don't go to House of Beauty."

"I'm not doing that. I won't let Max think he can do whatever he wants."

"You asked."

"Actually, I didn't," I say as we get closer to House of Beauty.

"Want me to come upstairs with you? I wouldn't mind seeing her PA."

"I didn't know you had a thing for her," I say, looking at him. Oliver has always been private about his personal affairs.

"Maybe. Don't really know her."

I don't know what it is about Ava that makes me act this way. Everything Oliver is telling me is logical. Ava would never do anything to betray me. She's shown me over and over again that she loves me beyond measure. Yet I can't shake the feeling that Max is a threat to our relationship. But there I can't do anything to him without losing her.

Finally, we pull up to House of Beauty. Getting out of the SUV, Oliver and I enter the building without a word. We take the elevator to the top floor. Oliver leaves me to my thoughts. We're a few floors away from hers, and I still don't have a plan. I probably shouldn't have come, but it's too late to turn back now.

"Don't be you," Oliver breaks the silence. I look at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Show her you aren't an asshole." The elevator doors open. I look at him, confused. "Good luck," he chuckles and keeps walking.

The floor is busy, and people are all over the place. I enter Ava's office, but as I get closer, I notice she isn't inside, which I find odd considering she's supposed to be here. It fuels my anger. Did they go somewhere else? This is the shit I'm talking about. How am I supposed to be calm? It's obvious she's somewhere alone with Max. I stand in front of her PA's desk.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Manarch. Ava isn't in her office."

"I can see that, where is she?" I bark, making her push her chair back a little away from me.

"She should be here any minute. She went to get some materials."

"Why are you here?" I turn at Max's voice.

"None of your fucking business," I say.

"It is. I'm her friend, and you don't deserve her."

"What the fuck did you just say?" I move toward him. He laughs.

"Are you trying to intimidate me? It won't work on me. I see you for who you really are, even if she doesn't. She'll see soon the monster that you really are well enough."

I grab him by the neck. "You don't know me," I bark.

"Viktor." I hear Ava shout from behind me. I don't move an inch, still holding Max by the neck. "Let him go." I do and push him backward, making him fall. "What is wrong with you?" she asks as she tries to help Max up.

"He's a monster, Ava. How do you not see it? You shouldn't be with a man like him. He's dangerous, and he can hurt you or Niko." I take a step forward. She stands between us, holding her hands out to block us.

"Viktor, go to my office," she demands.

"I'm not going anywhere." She looks at me.

"Please." I walk to her door slowly. "Max, you need to leave," she tells him.

"But Ava, you shouldn't deal with a man like Viktor," he says.

"I don't need to explain myself to you. Please go," she tells him as I enter her office. I wait by the door for her. "And you, get inside," she tells me when she's close. She looks furious. "What the heck, Viktor? Have you lost your fucking mind?" She enters, and I close her door.

"What?"

"This is my place of work. You're embarrassing me. What is wrong with you?" I close the blinds to her office. "What are you doing?" I turn and head her way without speaking. "Sex is not going to fix this," she hisses. I pull her into my arms and kiss her. She pushes me away, breaking the kiss. "Viktor…" she starts.

I walk her backward, kissing her again. This time she doesn't stop me. I stop when we reach her desk and sit her on it. She's going to say something, but I don't give her the chance. I hike up her pencil skirt, and she moans as my hands roam between her legs. I kiss her neck, and she tilts her head back to give me better access. She says sex can't fix this, but it's exactly what she needs, to be reminded of who is in control. I move my hand closer to where I know she wants it. It is no surprise to find that she's dripping wet. She wants this just as much as I do. I caress her legs as I pull her panties down and let them drop. I slide a finger inside while swallowing her moans, and she leans when as I slide a second finger inside.

"Viktor," she whispers.

"You are mine." I put pressure on her clit. My fingers hit her g-spot. She moans. "Say it," I demand.

"You know I am." I pull her closer to the edge of the desk.

"Turn around," I command, taking my fingers out of her. She hops off and does as I've ordered. "Hold on to your desk." I push the rest of her skirt up and unzip myself, and without warning, I thrust inside. She swallows her cry of pleasure as I slowly slide in and out. "I don't want him around anymore."

"What?" She looks back.

"Turn around." I increase my speed. She's holding onto the desk like her life depends on it. "I prohibit you from seeing him," I say, slowing down as she's about to reach an orgasm.

"Viktor," she whimpers. I can hear the frustration in her voice.

"I'll let you come when you agree." I start up again. She meets every thrust, but I slow down again once she's nearly there.

"Viktor," she cries out.

"You know what to do."

"Fuck you."

She tries to push me back in frustration since she realizes I'm denying her of her orgasm. We've been here before. It's my ultimate tool to get her obedience. I hold her in place and thrust hard, making her jolt forward.

"I'm trying to. If you want to come, you know what to do."

"I'm yours. I won't see him again." I thrust harder and harder.

"Come with me, baby girl." She does, and I follow.

We're panting, and I'm leaning on her back just a little. I kiss the back of her neck, and it smells like a mixture of lavender and her sex. Ava makes me lose control. I pull out and take a step back. She pulls down her skirt, grabs her panties and enters her private bathroom without looking at me. I follow her to the bathroom to clean myself.

"You're unbelievable," she says as I walk in.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She hands me a small wet towel.

"I can't believe you. You came to my office and embarrassed me in front of Max and my staff. This isn't okay." She looks at me through the mirror. "I want you to leave. I don't want you to come over tonight. I need space." I turn her to face me.

"You're mine." She closes her eyes and exhales deeply. Finally, she opens her eyes.

"Your jealousy will lead to our end. I suggest you do something about it." She sets her towel on the counter and pulls her skirt down.

"Ava—"

"You're using sex as a weapon to make me submit to your will. Learn how to communicate and get a handle on your jealousy. You're supposed to trust me. I'm. In. Love. With. You ," she fumes. "No one else matters. You need to get that through your fucking head," she adds as she leaves the bathroom.

"I do know."

She shakes her head. I can see the disappointment on her face.

"If you did, you wouldn't have pulled this shit on me. I have a lot of work to do. You need to leave."

When she walks away, I set my towel down and pull up my zipper. By the time I reenter her office, she's gone. I exit the office. It's quiet. Oliver is heading my way from the left. We walk to the elevator in silence, and Oliver presses the call button. I look around to see if I can spot Ava, but she isn't anywhere.

As the doors open, Oliver speaks, "She went to the conference room. Her staff are having a meeting."

I look at him but don't say anything.

There's truth to what Ava said. I do use sex as a weapon, but it's not what she thinks. It's my only way to know we're okay. She forgets it's not easy for me not to be in control of everything. I do trust her. She's the only person alive that I trust aside from Oliver. But seeing Max near her is not something I can let happen. He wants her, and she's mine.