Chapter 235

~Franklin~

The house was completely quiet by the time I got back. I poured myself a glass of water and loosened my tie. The brutal tension from the office was still in my head, but the moment I heard the private elevator sound, my shoulders instantly dropped.

The doors opened, and Octavia walked in. She still looked very beautiful regardless of the day, but her eyes carried the exhaustion of a woman who had just fought a war. Her jaw was set in a rigid line, and she deliberately avoided looking at me as she tossed her handbag onto the console table.

"Octavia," I said softly, stepping into her path before she could retreat further into the apartment.

From behind my back, I brought forward a massive, vibrant bouquet of fresh flowers. I had sent my personal assistant to secure them before the shops closed.

"What is this, Franklin?" she asked, stopping in her tracks. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, lifting her chin to look at me with a perfectly formed expression of anger. "Are these compliance flowers? Or are they just a little token from the CEO who firmly told me to back down in front of his ex-lover today?"

I couldn’t help the small, that tugged at the corner of my lips. I set the bouquet down on the table beside us and took a slow step closer, my eyes locking onto hers.

"You can drop the act, sweetheart," I murmured, my voice dropping into a low, affectionate register. "The cameras are off. Bella isn’t here, and neither is Williams. I know you aren’t actually angry at me."

Octavia held her rigid posture for three more seconds, trying her best to maintain the scowl, but the exhaustion finally won. A beautiful, breathless laugh escaped her lips, and her crossed arms unraveled as she let out a long sigh. "Was I really that convincing?"

"Terrifyingly convincing," I chuckled, reaching out to wrap my hands securely around her waist, pulling her flush against my chest.

"Good," she whispered, her hands sliding up the lapels of my suit jacket, her dark eyes softening completely as she looked up at me. "Because keeping my mouth shut while she rubbed her fake tragedy in my face was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do."

I looked down at her beautiful face, feeling a profound, overwhelming wave of gratitude and love. I didn’t want to think about anything else except her.

"Let’s just forget about Bella. Just for tonight." I whispered, my thumb gently tracing the smooth line of her jaw.

"Please," she breathed against my lips.

I didn’t waste another second. I leaned down and captured her mouth in an intense, burning kiss that instantly shattered the remaining chill in the room. It wasn’t a gentle reassurance; it was a deep, possessive claim born from the sheer adrenaline of the day. Octavia gasped against my lips, her fingers tangling frantically into my hair as she pulled me closer, her body molding perfectly to mine.

The world outside could burn for all I cared. Tonight, she was mine, I was hers, and no ghost from the past was strong enough to tear us apart.

I broke the kiss only to sweep her into my arms, carrying her bridal-style down the hall to our bedroom. She laughed breathlessly against my neck, the sound turning into a soft moan as I nipped at her earlobe. "Franklin..."

"Tonight, I’m taking care of every single need you have," I murmured, setting her on the edge of the bed. I undressed her slowly, savoring each inch of revealed skin, the lace underneath, kissing every new expanse as it appeared. "You held back all day for us. Now let me worship you."

Once she was bare, I stepped back just long enough to shed my own clothes, then guided her to stand with me. I turned her gently so her back pressed against my chest, both of us facing the full-length mirror across the room. "Look at yourself," I whispered, one hand cupping her breast while the other trailed down her stomach. "Look how stunning you are. How strong."

Octavia’s eyes met mine in the reflection, dark with desire. "I need you," she breathed.

"You’ll have me. But first..." I dropped to my knees behind her, turning her slightly and lifting one of her legs over my shoulder for balance. My mouth found her immediately, hot, open kisses along her folds before my tongue delved in. She tasted like heaven, already wet and wanting. I licked and sucked with devotion, two fingers sliding deep inside her, curling against that perfect spot while my thumb circled her clit.

"Franklin—oh fuck," she moaned, one hand bracing on the mirror, the other reaching back to grip my hair. "That feels incredible. Right there... don’t stop talking to me."

"Never," I growled against her, the vibrations making her shiver. "You’re so sweet, so ready for me. I love how you open up like this. Come on my tongue, sweetheart. Let me feel you fall apart."

Her hips rocked against my face as I devoured her, fingers pumping steadily. Her moans grew louder, unrestrained. "I’m close, God, yes!" She shattered with a scream that echoed through the apartment, her body trembling as she squirted in warm, pulsing waves against my mouth. I drank every drop, gentling my movements until she came down, then stood and spun her to face me.

I kissed her deeply, letting her taste herself on my lips. "Good girl. But I’m not done taking care of you."

Lifting her effortlessly, I carried her to the bed and laid her down on her back. I crawled over her, settling between her thighs. My cock nudged at her entrance, but I held back, teasing her with shallow strokes while I sucked on her nipples, one then the other, until they were tight peaks.

"Franklin, please," she whimpered, wrapping her legs around me. "I need you inside."

"Tell me how much," I said, voice low and rough, entering her inch by inch until I was buried to the hilt. The tight, wet heat of her nearly undid me.

"So much. You fill me perfectly. Move...love me hard."

I set a deep, steady rhythm, hips rolling. One hand pinned her wrists gently above her head while the other gripped her hip, angling so every thrust hit that sensitive spot inside her. "Like this? Feel how deep I am? This is what you deserve after today, pure pleasure."

"Yes! Harder, Franklin. I can take it." Her voice rose with every powerful stroke, the wet slap of our bodies filling the room. I released her wrists to rub her clit in firm circles, never breaking pace.

Her second orgasm built fast. "I’m...Franklin, I’m coming again!" She screamed my name, loud and raw, her walls clenching rhythmically around me as she squirted hard, soaking my cock and the sheets. The sight of her lost in ecstasy, flushed skin, arched back, mouth open in bliss, drove me wild, but I held off, slowing just enough to kiss her through the aftershocks.

"Beautiful," I praised, flipping her onto her stomach. I pulled her hips up slightly, entering her from behind in one smooth thrust. This angle let me go even deeper, one hand reaching around to keep teasing her clit while the other stroked her back lovingly. "You’re mine to cherish. Come for me once more, Octavia. I want to feel you milk me."

She pushed back against me, meeting every thrust. Our conversation stayed intimate even as the heat intensified. "You always know exactly what I need," she gasped. "Deeper, yes, like that!"

I pounded into her with controlled power, fingers working her clit relentlessly. Her cries peaked again, turning into a shattering scream: "Franklin! Oh my God...yes!" Her body convulsed violently, squirting in powerful gushes that dripped down her thighs. The intense contractions pulled me over the edge with her. I groaned her name, burying myself deep as I came hard, filling her with pulse after pulse.

We collapsed together, me pulling her into my arms so her head rested on my chest. I stroked her hair, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, soft, reverent touches now.

"How do you feel?" I asked quietly, still catching my breath.

"Taken care of. Loved. Completely wrecked in the best way," she murmured, tracing patterns on my skin. "Thank you for knowing exactly what I needed tonight."

We lay tangled in the sheets, I am so blessed to have a woman like her.