Heartprints in the Void
⊰ 25.5 ⊱ Her Name on My Lips

**Cade** [

The drive home is a blur, my mind consumed with thoughts of Elysian. The way she looked tonight, the way her dress hugged her curves, the way her lips wrapped around that spoon... It's all I can think about. I pull up to the gate of my community, waiting impatiently for it to open. The guard nods at me as I drive through, the familiar sight of my less-than-humble abode hardly easing the tension coiled tight in my muscles. *I need a drink.*

I'm barely inside when my phone chimes, notifying me of a visitor at the gate. I frown, glancing at the screen.

It's Julia, the hostess from the restaurant.

*What could she possibly want at this hour?*

I hesitate for a moment before buzzing her in, my curiosity getting the better of me. I pour myself a drink while I wait, the amber liquid sloshing against the sides of the glass as I bring it to my lips. The alcohol burns as it goes down, but it does little to quell the frustration simmering just beneath my skin.

Dinner was a fucking disaster. The food was great, but the company... I don't know what I was thinking, taking Elysian to a place like that. I should've known better. I should've anticipated the way she'd react to the attention from the staff. After all, I've gone through at least half of them.

But I didn't think better of it.

Or maybe I did, and I just didn't care. Maybe a part of me wanted to see her squirm, subconsciously trying to convince myself that she doesn't have a *special* claim on me anymore.

Even if deep down, I know that's not true. I know she still owns a piece of my heart, still has a hold on me that I can't shake.

The sound of the doorbell jars me from my thoughts. I set my glass down, making my way to the front door.

"Julia," I greet, my voice semi-hoarse. "What are you doing here?"

She smiles up at me, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. "I thought you could use some company," she purrs, stepping past me into the foyer. "You didn't seem too happy leaving with your little date tonight, and I couldn't stop thinking about you."

I close the door behind her, watching as she saunters further into the house, her hips swaying with each step. She's attractive, there's no denying that. But she's not the one I want.

Still, when she turns to face me, her fingers toying with the buttons of her blouse, I don't stop her. I don't tell her to leave. Instead, I let her push me back against the wall, her lips replaceing mine in a hungry kiss.

It's all wrong, too rough, too desperate. But I don't care. I need this. I need a distraction, a release. I need to forget about Elysian, even if it's just for a little while.

Julia's hands make quick work of my belt, her fingers dipping inside my slacks to wrap around my hardening length. I groan into her mouth, my hips bucking into her touch.

She drops to her knees, freeing me from the confines of my pants. Her tongue darts out to lick her lips, her eyes locked on mine as she takes me into her mouth. *Fuck...*

It feels good, the wet heat mouth, the pressure of her tongue. But even as my eyes drift closed, my hand fisting in her hair, it's not Julia I'm thinking about.

It's Elysian.

The way she looked at me across the table tonight, her eyes dark with desire and something else, something deeper. The way her breath hitched when I touched her, my fingers grazing her skin. The way she moaned around that fucking spoon, the sound going straight to my cock.

I imagine it's her mouth on me now, her lips stretched around my thickness, her tongue swirling over the sensitive head. I picture her looking up at me through her lashes, her cheeks hollowed as she takes me deeper, her throat fluttering around me.

"Fuck," I grunt, my grip tightening in Julia's hair as I thrust into her mouth. She gags around me, but I don't let up, chasing my release with single-minded focus.

It doesn't take long, my balls drawing up tight as I spill down her throat with a low groan. She swallows around me, milking every last drop before pulling back, a satisfied smirk on her face.

But the satisfaction is short-lived, the reality of the situation crashing down on me as she rises to her feet, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"That was fun," she says, her voice husky. "We should do it again later, when you're...*up* for it. Maybe we can do it in your bedroom this time."

I tuck myself back into my pants, my jaw clenching as I shake my head. "I don't think so."

Her brow furrows, confusion and a hint of hurt flashing in her eyes. "What? Why not?"

"Because I'm not interested," I tell her bluntly, my patience wearing thin. "I got what I wanted from you. Now it's time for you to leave."

She scoffs, her arms crossing over her chest. "Are you serious right now? You're just going to use me and then kick me out?"

*I always have. Why'd you expect differently?*

I shrug, unapologetic. "I didn't make you any promises, Julia. You knew what this was. You've always known."

She stares at me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine. Whatever she sees there makes her deflate, her shoulders sagging as she turns away.

"Fine," she bites out, grabbing her purse from where I hardly noticed she dropped it, by the door. "Have a nice life, asshole."

The door slams behind her, the sound echoing through the house. I scrub a hand over my face, suddenly exhausted. *What the fuck am I doing?*

I make my way back to the bar, pouring myself another drink. I knock it back in one swallow, relishing the burn as it slides down my throat.

I'm angry, frustrated, and more than a little disgusted with myself. I shouldn't have let things go this far with Julia. I know I shouldn't have used her like that. But more than that, I shouldn't be thinking about Elysian. I shouldn't be letting her get under my skin like this.

It's been three years since my father ripped her away from me, three years since he twisted my mind and my memories until I couldn't remember why I loved her in the first place.

*But seeing her again, being close to her...*

It keeps bringing bits of it rushing back. The love, the passion, the bone-deep certainty that she was the one I was meant to spend my life with.

And now, knowing what my father did, the lengths he went to to keep us apart... It makes me sick everytime I think about it. It makes me *furious*.

The shrill ring of my phone breaks through my thoughts, startling me. I grab it from the bar counter, glancing at the screen.

*James.*

My assistant, one of my closest friends.

"What's up?" I answer, my voice gruff.

"We need to talk, Cade," he says without preamble. "Just got an email about a scheduled board meeting. It's coming up in a couple months. I think it's time for you to make your move." My eyebrows furrow, my fingers tightening around my phone. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you taking your father's place as CEO of Sinclair Enterprises," he says, as if it should be obvious. "You've been waiting for this opportunity for years, Cade. It's time to step up."

I'm silent for a long moment, considering his words. He's right, of course. I have been waiting for this, biding my time until the moment was right.

For a long time, I didn't want the responsibility. I didn't want the weight of my family's legacy on my shoulders. I was content to let my father run things, to play the dutiful son and heir apparent whilst keeping myself busy in the cyber security and network engineering world, earning my way to the top.

But things have changed. I've changed. And now, the thought of taking over, of finally wrestling control from my father's iron grip... It's more appealing than ever.

Especially after what he did to me, to Elysian. The way he manipulated me, twisted my mind and my memories... I can't let that stand. I won't.

"Alright," I say finally. "Get the ball rolling. Come January, I'm taking over as head of the company."

I can practically hear James' smile through the phone. "Excellent. I'll make sure you have the controlling vote when the time comes."

We exchange a few more words before hanging up, the gears already turning in my head as I start to plan my next move.

My father has controlled me for far too long, pulling my strings like I'm nothing more than a puppet. But not anymore.

I'm done being his pawn. I've let him dictate the course of my life for far too long, letting him shape me into the man he wanted me to be. That ends now.

Starting with Elysian.

I don't know what the future holds for us, if there even is an us. But I do know that I'm not willing to let her go again, not without a fight.

She's the one thing that's always been able to get through to me, to see past the mask I wear for the rest of the world. And whether she realizes it or not, she still has a hold on me. Because deep down, beneath the anger and the hurt and the confusion, I know she's the one. She always has been.

I won't make the same mistake I did three years ago. I won't let my father or anyone else come between us again.

This time, I'm playing for keeps.