The Divorce That Brought Us Back novel Chapter 208

Nora couldn't catch her breath beneath the heavy blankets.

She finally pushed her head out, gasping for air, her fingers gripping the edge of the duvet tightly. Her voice broke as she whispered, "Maloney..."

"Yeah?"

Nora buried her flushed face deep into the pillow.

Forget replying to text messages.

She could barely remember how to speak.

Maloney gently turned her head and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her lips.

Nora reached out, wanting to wrap her arms around him.

Instead, Maloney caught her wrists and firmly pinned them back down.

They rarely did it like this.

Maloney preferred kissing, preferred seeing her face directly.

It made it easier for him to watch her every reaction.

Over the past few months, he had been deliberately—and sometimes subtly—catering to her needs and moods.

At least, that was the case for the first two months after she initially brought up the idea of divorce.

But now, he was becoming entirely unrestrained again.

He was relaxed, his true nature bleeding through, and his possessive dominance skyrocketing.

Seeing Nora trembling slightly, clinging to the blankets, made Maloney feel like he was meting out a delicious form of punishment.

She hadn't been behaving lately.

It was as if she had grown thorns, transforming from a soft little hamster into a defensive hedgehog.

But even a hedgehog had a soft underbelly.

Flip her over, stroke her just right, and she would be perfectly compliant again.

Nora tucked her chin down, trying desperately to swallow her soft moans.

Before long, Maloney's own intensity began to cool.

Not being able to see her face, unable to read her emotions, left him anxious that she might be uncomfortable. The thrill faded into a protective instinct, and he pulled her back over, wrapping her tightly in his arms.

Nora immediately threw her arms around his neck.

She loved being held.

It felt so much better like this.

That one session of intense passion completely wiped out the lingering tension from their argument two days prior.

Though Nora did inadvertently earn a brand new nickname in the group chat.

She had been incredibly annoyed about it.

She had pouted in front of the mirror while applying her false eyelashes and refused to speak to him.

Maloney merely wanted to bring her into his social circle to meet people.

He absolutely refused to let her freeze in the dead of winter.

"You're here to accompany me to a business event, not compete in a beauty pageant."

"You just don't get it."

"What am I not getting now?"

"You just don't understand! In places like this, everyone is dressed to kill. If I show up looking frumpy, why even come? Just to let them completely overshadow me?"

"Does your entire world revolve around judging people based on who has the prettier outfit?"

"Whatever. I'm not talking to you. You're impossible."

The two of them walked arm in arm, looking the picture of perfect intimacy, while secretly elbowing each other in the ribs.

Right at that moment.

A woman walked toward them. She wore a heavy yet exquisitely tailored black and gold tweed jacket, the metallic threads weaving through the fabric like starlight, radiating an aura of sheer, unapologetic luxury.

She was in over-the-knee boots. Seeing Nora and Maloney approaching, the sharp click of her heels paused. She tilted her head slightly, her tone laced with surprise. "Nora?"