Free Limits of Destiny (Volume 1) by Sharlyn G. Branson Page B

I simply couldn’t get enough air. My entire body started tingling and my stomach twisted into knots.
    He looked amazing in his expensive black suit, white shirt, and black tie with small, fine Bordeaux squares. His beautiful blue eyes watched me intently.
    “Alexia,” he said, taking me by the waist and pulling me possessively to him. Then he gave my coworker a cold, withering look. It was obvious he didn’t like seeing me in another man’s arms.
    What the fuck does he expect? That I will just throw myself into his arms… Yeah right…
    He stretched his hand to Roberto so they could shake. “Kraftberg. I’m Miss Welson’s boyfriend.”
    I froze, realizing my mouth was gaping in surprise. Boyfriend, huh? What a boyfriend…
    “Alexander Kraftberg, if I’m not mistaken. I’m Roberto Bottoni. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    “We work together,” were the only words I could get out.
    Roberto lightly touched my shoulder. “See you tomorrow. Have a nice evening, you two.” He nodded at Alexander and walked away in long strides.
    I pulled away from Alexander. “What do you want, Alexander? Vanessa isn’t available today?”
    Clearly, he didn’t like my question—he narrowed his eyes, clenched his teeth, and the muscle on his jaw started to twitch. “Don’t tell me you believe all the crap written in newspapers and magazines. If they reported the truth, I would have been married a hundred times by now.” His icy tone sent chills down my spine. “I had problems, which I can’t discuss. I had to go away—I wasn’t in Zurich.”
    “To go away with her,” I said angrily. I was furious and very hurt at the same time.
    “No, goddammit. I only saw her for a short while—she came to my office. Vanessa is just an old friend…”
    “A friend for whom you can find time.” I interrupted. “Whereas for me, you can’t. You promised to call me, but you didn’t for three days. You could’ve simply sent me a text saying, ‘I’m busy. I’ll call you when I can,’ but no, you didn’t. You left me to wait and hope like some idiot.”
    “I’m sorry.” I could see in his eyes he was being earnest, but the pain I felt was greater.
    I closed my eyes, opened them, and said angrily, “I don’t need your apologies. I’m not going to let you toy with me again.”
    Alexander stroked my face with the back of his hand, which made me take a step back. I knew I was weak and all he had to do was hug me to make me forgive him and let him mess me around again.
    “Please… don’t… I don’t want to.” I looked up to stop the tears welling up.
    My jealousy ate me from the inside. My heart was shattered into countless pieces. My state of mind was chaotic. On one hand, I wanted us to be together again, and on the other, I was afraid of getting hurt again. I couldn’t let it happen one more time.
    I took a deep breath. “You made me feel seduced, used, and abandoned, like one of your latest toys. For you, I’m one of many; for me, you’re the only one. The only one who managed to unlock something inside me I thought I would never experience. I believed you needed me just as I needed you, but I was wrong.”
    Alexander tried to say something, but I didn’t give him the chance.
    “You’re used to women coming and going like the sunrise and the sunset. This is the life that makes you happy. And I don’t want to live with the pipe dream that you’ll ever change. And I don’t want to share my man with any other woman.”
    My throat was burning to tell him so many things, but I couldn’t. My tears were taking over. “Please, Alexander, if you care about me at all, don’t call me and don’t try to contact me ever again. I’ll try to forget you. I don’t know if I’ll succeed, but I’ll try.”
    I couldn’t tell from his look whether he had understood me. I quickly got into my car and hit the gas. I’d managed to control myself and not cry in front of him, but I couldn’t hold the tears back any longer.