Sexting My Ex’s Dad (Forbidden Silver Foxes)

23. Stella

23

STELLA

I blink my eyes open, confusion clouding my mind as I struggle to remember where I am. The softness of the sheets against my skin is foreign, and the scent of the air carries a hint of expensive cologne. Slowly, last night’s events come flooding back, and my stomach tightens with unease.

I’d finally done it. I’d slept with my ex’s dad.

What would people say if they knew?

And the worst part is that despite how dirty it was, I’d enjoyed every single second of it. What does that say about me? Not good things.

None of that matters because nobody is ever going to find out.

“Morning,” Elio’s voice from the doorway makes me jump in surprise. How long has he been standing there? He leans against the frame, his eyes regarding me with amusement. “Sleep well?”

Better than I have in a long time wrapped up in his arms. But, I’m not going to admit that.

My cheeks flush with heat as I pull the sheets up to cover myself, not that it mattered. It isn’t like he hadn’t seen my naked body. “Fine,” I answer, my voice barely a whisper.

He walks towards the bed and places a tray of breakfast on the bedside table. It smells good and makes my stomach growl. It doesn’t look like anything fancy; sausage, eggs, and a muffin. Even though it hasn’t been long since I’ve eaten last, it feels like longer because of the strenuous activity of last night. “I thought you might need some sustenance after last night.”

The memory of the night before makes my heart race, but the feeling is quickly replaced by a wave of mortification. “I should go,” I mumble, trying to slide out of the bed without revealing too much of my body.

There’s hardly a point in sticking around to eat breakfast. We both know exactly what this is between us — why give off false pretenses?

If I were any other girl, I might think he was falling in love with me all because he’d brought me breakfast and hadn’t kicked me out yet… It’s a good thing I know better.

“Before you go,” Elio says, reaching for something on the other side of the bed. He hands me an envelope.

I open the envelope and gasp as I see a check for $20,000 lying inside. A confusing mixture of gratitude and shame washes over me, making me feel like I’m drowning. Suddenly, the weight of what I’ve done sinks in, and I realize just how dirty I feel…like a prostitute.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that there’s nothing separating what I’d done and what a prostitute does.

“Is this...?” My voice trembles with emotion, and I struggle to form the words.

“Payment for your services,” he confirms, his tone carefully neutral. “As we agreed. I know you said you only needed sixteen thousand, but you were so good last night, I felt you deserved a tip.”

Oh my God. Why did he have to say it like that? Why does it matter? This is what we both agreed to…so, why does it make me feel so…?

Maybe because it’s clear that he sees me as nothing more than a warm body.

With trembling hands, I fold the check and tuck it into my purse. As much as I hate myself for accepting it, I know that I need the money… I’d done this for a reason. Just because I’d gotten confused somewhere along the way doesn’t mean Elio hadn’t upheld his side of the deal.

“Thank you,” I whisper, finally meeting his gaze. But beneath the gratitude, there’s a storm of conflicting emotions churning inside me, threatening to consume me whole.

With a shaky breath, I walk out of the bedroom, navigating the halls of his mansion. Each step feels like an eternity, the grandeur of his home only serving to remind me of how out of place I am.

Finally, I reach the front door, pausing for a moment to steady myself. The world outside seems so far away, so foreign after the events of the past twenty-four hours. But I can’t stay here.

With one last deep breath, I push open the door and step into the sunlight, leaving Elio Lombardi and his world behind.

I push open the glass doors of the bank, the cool air conditioning brushing against my skin. My heart races in my chest as I walk up to the teller station, clutching my purse for dear life.

“Hi,” I say, forcing a smile onto my face. “I’d like to cash this, please.” I hand over the check, watching as the teller inspects it carefully.

“Of course,” she replies, her eyes flicking up to meet mine. “Just give me a moment.”

As she processes the transaction, I can’t help but fidget, anxiety gnawing at the edges of my mind. What if there’s something wrong with the check? No, can’t be because he’s a billionaire. A million other what-ifs swirl through my thoughts, leaving me feeling dizzy and disoriented.

“Miss March?” the teller calls out. She approaches me with a phone in hand, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, but we need to verify this transaction with Mr. Lombardi due to the duplicate checks in a short period of time. He wants to speak with you.”

He wants to speak with me? Why?

My stomach drops, bile rising in my throat at the thought of talking to Elio again. But I have no choice if I want to cash this check .

I swallow the lump in my throat and reach for the phone, my hand trembling slightly. “Hello?” My voice comes out as a whisper, betraying the apprehension I feel.

“Stella.” Elio’s smooth voice fills my ear, immediately causing an involuntary shiver to run down my spine. “How are you feeling?”

“Cut to the chase, Elio. What do you want?” I force my tone to be more assertive, unwilling to let him think he still has power over me. My fingers tighten around the phone, reflecting the inner turmoil I’m desperately trying to hide.

“Fine,” he says, seemingly unfazed by my abruptness. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay after last night. You didn’t say much this morning before you practically ran out. Was my joke not funny to you?”

Yeah…crazy I didn’t find your joke about tipping the whore funny.

“Last night doesn’t matter anymore,” I reply, my words laced with finality. “I did what you asked, and now I want nothing more to do with you.”

Elio falls silent for a moment. “Stella, I understand that you’re upset??—“

“Upset?” I cut him off, the anger bubbling up inside me. “No, Elio, I’m not just upset. I’m disgusted with myself for allowing you to manipulate me like this. I expect you to hold up your end of the deal and let me cash this check without any further complications.”

He’s quiet for such a long time that I’m almost scared that he hung up. “Very well,” he relents finally, his voice laced with a hint of regret. Does he regret sleeping with me? “I’ll ensure the transaction goes through smoothly.”

“Good,” I say tersely, my heart pounding in my chest as I prepare to end the call for good. “That’s all I wanted.”

“Stella—” he starts, but I cut him off by handing the phone back to the teller, not wanting to hear anything else he has to say.

I won’t let Elio Lombardi control my life any longer – no matter how much money he has or how charming he can be. I’ve made my decision, and now it’s time to move forward…to be done with both of the Lombardi’s.

The teller finishes her call with Elio and hands the phone back to me. “He’s confirmed the transaction,” she informs me gently.

“Thank you,” I mumble, avoiding her gaze.

With practiced fingers, she starts processing the transaction, punching in numbers and swiping through screens.

“Would you prefer cash or a transfer to your account?” she asks, her voice professional but not unkind.

“Ca-cash, please,” I stammer.

“Uh-huh.” Her eyes flicker back to the screen, and I can sense her subtle curiosity about the situation. It takes everything within me not to squirm under her gaze, not that it’s any of her business anyways.

As she walks away to retrieve the cash, my mind races with thoughts of what this money means. Twenty thousand dollars – it’s enough to get my brother’s account back current. But the price I paid for it... is it worth the stain on my soul?

The teller returns, carrying an envelope filled with the money. She hands it over with a small smile. “Here you go.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

I turn away from her, making my way out of the bank.

With each step, I think of Elio because that’s the only place he’ll exist now – my mind.