ДВА МЕСЯЦА НАЗАД . The beginning of the story
ВНУТРИ. ПЕНТХАУС АДРИАНА. НОЧЬ
Нью-Йорк. Небоскрёб. Тишина пентхауса. Единственный звук — монотонное шипение осеннего дождя, бьющего в панорамные окна.
Интерьер – воплощение сдержанной, мужественной роскоши и невероятного богатства. Ар-деко и хай-тек слились в идеальной геометрии. Дорогая дизайнерская мебель, небрежно брошенный кашемировый плед на диване, стены увешаны оригинальными произведениями современного искусства.
Адриан выходит из ванной. Породистый, с идеально сбалансированным телосложением. Тёмные, влажные волосы небрежно зачёсаны назад, открывая высокий лоб. На нём только банное полотенце, обернутое вокруг бёдер. Он подходит к минималистичному чёрному бару. Тишину нарушает звук падающего в стакан льда. Адриан наливает себе дорогой янтарный виски, наслаждаясь моментом одиночества. Резкий, неприятный звонок в дверь нарушает его идеальный покой. Он раздражённо морщится. В этот час – почти час ночи – к нему никто не заходит. Он ставит стакан и накидывает халат. Не скрывая раздражения, он открывает дверь – и замирает.
Эллен стоит на пороге. На ней дорогое, но промокшее насквозь шёлковое пальто. Золотистые волосы прилипли к лицу и шее, а макияж растекся чёрными ручейками. Но даже в таком состоянии она потрясающе красива. Идеальные черты лица, высокие скулы, пухлые губы и глаза – яркие, невероятно синие, словно редкий драгоценный камень. Теперь они застыли в паническом страхе.
АДРИАН: Эллен? Что за чёрт...
ЭЛЛЕН: Мне нужно с тобой поговорить.
Он мгновенно отступает, пропуская её. Усадив её на диван, он наливает ей виски. Когда он протягивает ей стакан, их пальцы соприкасаются. И в этот момент между ними вспыхивает огонь, который им обоим когда-то пришлось потушить – много лет назад. Его рука задерживается на секунду дольше, чем нужно. Резко приходя в себя, Адриан резко отдёргивает руку, делая шаг назад. Ему становится невыносимо жарко. Он находит рубашку на спинке стула и надевает её за ширмой, застёгивая слишком быстро, словно надевает не рубашку, а доспехи.
АДРИАН: Честно говоря, я очень удивлён. Прошло столько времени. Что привело тебя в Нью-Йорк? Где Тео? Ты здесь по делам?
ЭЛЛЕН: Я знаю, мы не виделись много лет. Но мне нужна твоя помощь.
АДРИАН: Чем?
Эллен встаёт. Пальто соскальзывает с плеч на пол. Она поднимает руку к воротнику блузки, мокрой от дождя и облепившей тело, подчёркивая каждый изгиб. Она начинает расстёгивать её. Адриан напрягается. Она была такой же сексуальной и пленительной, как до того, как судьба разлучила их и вышла замуж за его старшего брата Тео.
АДРИАН: (резко) Что ты делаешь?
In response, tears flood Ellen's face. Not just tears, but a silent, desperate hysteria. With a quick movement, she pulls off her blouse, and her shoulders, chest, abdomen—her entire body, previously hidden—is exposed to his gaze. Bruises. Purple, yellow, crimson, old, and brand new contusions. Abrasions, some of which are still bleeding. She was not a person, but a canvas painted with someone else's savage cruelty.
ADRIAN: (Coldly, like ice) Who did this?
ELLEN: (Whispering) Theo...
Rage flares in Adrian. Blood pounds in his temples, blurring his vision. How dare he raise a hand against her? Against the beautiful, pure Ellen, whom he once adored?
ADRIAN: I will destroy him!
He wants to rush to the door, but she grabs his arm. Her fingers dig into his skin. Her eyes hold not just fear, but sheer terror.
ELLEN: Don't touch him, I beg you! He doesn't know I came to you. I took advantage of him being on a business trip and flew here for just one day. I have nowhere else to turn! If Theo finds out I told anyone about this, he'll destroy me. My family won't accept me after a scandal. To them, I'm just a mistress's daughter, easy to sacrifice to your brother. I can't expect protection from anywhere. If he finds out I was with you... he will ruin me. And take everything. His family... your family... You know how they feel about me.
Adrian looks at her. He cannot believe what he is hearing. Theo had always been harsh, but this...
ADRIAN: Take off the rest of your clothes, - he says quietly, but in a commanding tone.
Ellen freezes. An insult flickers in her eyes, but Adrian gives her no chance to speak.
ADRIAN: I need to see for myself how far Theo has gone.
Ellen hesitates for only a second. Then, silently, head bowed, she removes her skirt. Underneath are even more bruises. Purple marks on her ribs, on her thighs, on her waist. Some fresh, others old. Not a single untouched spot.
Adrian clenches his jaw. He feels a surge of fury. He slowly closes his eyes to regain control.
ADRIAN: If you don't want me to intervene and ruin his life, what do you want?
She exhales, looking him straight in the eyes with hope.
ELLEN: A divorce. Without consequences. Without being thrown out onto the street. But I can't be the one to initiate it—the family will destroy me.
ADRIAN: I'm not a divorce lawyer. How can I help you?
ELLEN: According to the prenup, the only way for me to leave him and keep my name and assets is if he cheats on me. Truly cheats. Without drugs or aphrodisiacs. He has to consciously go through with it himself.
ADRIAN: You want me to set up my own brother? Why should I help you?
She raises her blue eyes to him. That old, forbidden fire reappears in them.
ELLEN: Because you are not like them. You don't hit. You don't break. You are... different. And if I leave—I will be free. Isn't that what you wanted for me?
Adrian tenses. His body remembers everything that was once between them before their families separated them and she became his older brother's wife.
ELLEN: If things had turned out differently... perhaps I would belong to you.
She runs her fingers across his unshaven cheek, then slides lower, to his tensed chest, feeling the fabric of his shirt. The desire he had suppressed for years flares up with such intensity that he almost groans. He had loved her so much once. But now she belonged to another. He intercepts her hand—with a sharp movement. Anger and a wild, unbearable desire mix inside him.
ADRIAN: Stop. Even if Theo is a bastard, you are his wife.
ELLEN: (Her voice is a whisper, full of pleading) I am his wife for now.
Ellen takes a step forward toward him. She smells of rain, expensive perfume, and desperation.
ELLEN: Help me... I'll do anything you say. Right now. Just get me out of this hell.
Her breath is hot, ragged. He feels her warmth penetrating the thin fabric of his shirt. His own muscles tighten; he feels the blood rushing to his groin, ignoring all his commands for calm. He sees in her eyes not only fear, but also a sincere desire for intimacy. Her wet fingers glide over his chest, unbuttoning his shirt button by button. Slowly. Agonizingly.
ADRIAN: Ellen, stop.
She ignores him. Her fingers move lower, to his stomach, sliding across his sculpted muscles. She presses her entire body against him, feeling his arousal, his hardness beneath the fabric of his trousers. He tries to pull away, but her arms wrap tightly around his waist. Her lips, wet and parted, approach his. Teasing. Promising.
Three years. Three years he had suppressed this within himself. Three years he had woken up at night from her image, from the phantom touch of her skin, from the way she laughed, the way she arched in his arms. And here she is, wet, broken, offering herself.
He wants her. Wants to devour those lips, take her completely, brutally and irrevocably, for all these years of waiting. Her scent, her warmth drive him insane. He feels his masculinity painfully engorging, demanding release. To kiss. To surrender. And let everything go to hell. But he cannot. Not at this price. Not when she is merely his brother's broken toy, seeking salvation. He is not an animal to accept such a gift. It is humiliating. For her. And for himself. He will not let Theo turn her into a spineless thing that can then just be 'picked up.' Sharply, but not roughly, he pushes her away. In his eyes is burning anger, directed not at her, but at himself, at Theo, at this whole situation. At his own traitorous body.
АДРИАН: Я не покупаю женщин. И ты мне ничего не должен.
Прикрывая её тело халатом, он отступает назад, пытаясь собрать остатки самообладания. Ему нужно не сломаться, не принять то, что ему предлагают так отчаянно и так унизительно.
АДРИАН: Я помогу тебе избавиться от этого ублюдка. Обещаю, я найду женщину, с которой мой брат захочет переспать.