He’s Not Just the Pining Second Lead

My marriage to Victor Hayes was a business arrangement.
On our wedding night, as I offered to sleep in the guest room, a line of text materialized before my eyes.
No! Don't you dare sleep in the guest room! I have a severe allergy to fade-to-black scenes!
He's putting on a brave face, but hearing you say that just shattered his world!
Just look at your husband! He's been secretly in love with you for ten years!
And to think Victor wore those sexy shirt garters just to seduce his new wife all for nothing! LOL!
Shirt garters?
Well, now I have to see.

1
It was ten o'clock at night.
After playing the perfect hosts to our guests, Victor and I finally left the family estate.
The leg that had been trapped in high heels all day throbbed with a dull ache. I couldn't help but reach down and rub it.
"What's wrong? Are you uncomfortable?"
Victor, who had been immersed in work on his tablet, noticed my awkward posture.
"Yeah, it's been a while since I wore heels. My legs are killing me."
The words had barely left my lips when a warm hand settled on my shoulder, gently guiding me to sit up straight.
Victor leaned down, slipped off my heels, and lifted my legs onto his lap.
Realizing what he was about to do, I instinctively tried to pull back. "I can do it myse"
"Let me."
His grip on my calf was gentle but firm, a silent command not to move.
It was a battle I lost in a single second. I stopped struggling.
Victors massage was perfectthe pressure just right, the warmth of his hands seeping into my sore muscles. The discomfort and tightness in my legs began to melt away.
He carefully rotated my ankle. "If you're not used to heels, you don't have to wear them."
"Victor, you don't get it," I countered. "A silk sheath dress needs heels to look right."
"Your comfort is more important."
"So, you're saying I don't look good?" I tilted my head, my eyes locking with his.
His hands stilled for a moment before he averted his gaze.
"You look beautiful," he murmured.
Pleased with his answer, I swung my legs playfully. The movement was a little too enthusiastic, and my calf brushed against something small and hard.
"Ouch. Your keys are digging into my leg, Victor."
"..."
"It's not a key," he said, clearing his throat. "Now, stop fidgeting."
Not a key?
Then what was it?
Before I could ponder it further, the car glided to a stop.
The driver's voice crackled through the intercom. "We've arrived, sir."
By the time I'd gathered my things, Victor was already out of the car.
Seriously? He didn't even wait for me! So much for being a gentleman!
"Hey, wait up"
My complaint was cut short as he leaned back into the car, hooking my heels with two fingers. Then, he opened his arms to me.
"Come on," he said, his voice low.
"I'll carry you."

2
I was cradled in Victors arms, my head resting against his chest.
From this angle, I had a perfect view of the clean, strong line of his neck. The top button of his shirt was done up neatly, resting just below his Adam's apple.
Victor already had that cool, aloof look about him. Dressed in a crisp shirt and tailored suit, he was the epitome of restrained desire.
Perfect reference material.
As a dedicated artist, I couldn't resist. My mind began tracing the lines, sketching him out in my head.
"What are you daydreaming about?"
"Huh?" I snapped out of my very R-rated fantasy. "Oh, nothing."
"Alright," he said, not pressing the issue. "You must be tired. Get some rest soon."
Once we were inside, I slid out of his arms, feeling a little self-conscious.
My suitcase, covered in a chaotic collage of stickers, stood by the sofa. It looked completely out of place in his minimalist penthouse apartment.
A bit like us.
To call our marriage a business arrangement was putting it nicely. The truth was, my family was nowhere near his league. But years ago, my father had done Victor a great service. Now, he was cashing in that favor, forcing Victor to marry me and, in doing so, bail out my family's failing company.
A month ago, Victor was just the slightly intimidating older guy Id always kept at a respectful distance. Now, he wasn't just my "big brother" figure, he was my savior.
Definitely someone to be admired from afar, not messed with.
So, when he moved to grab my luggage, I lunged for it.
"I've got it! I'll just take the guest room, it's fine!"
He paused, then gently took the handle from my grasp. "You'll sleep in the master bedroom. It's already been prepared." His voice seemed to drop a little. "I'll take the guest room."
With that, he wheeled my suitcase into the master bedroom, leaving me no room to argue.
I trailed behind him, trying to think of something else to say, when the strange text floated across my vision again.
Nooo! Victor, don't sleep in the guest room! I hate fade-to-black!
They're married! Just do it already! For me!
Keep dreaming. Their script is 'polite strangers.' There won't be any spice here.
He looks so calm, but hearing her say 'guest room' just made his world collapse!
What was that?
Am I hallucinating?
I stared blankly at the floating words, so distracted that I walked headfirst into the doorframe.
The next thing I knew, Victor had pulled me over to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Are you okay?!"
A warm hand rested on my head. Victor's brow was furrowed with genuine concern; Id clearly scared him.
I shook my head, but the movement was too sharp, and a wave of dizziness made me gag.
He shot to his feet. "I'm calling a doctor."
"Don't!" I grabbed his arm to stop him. "I'm fine!"
Tripping over my own feet is embarrassing enough without an audience. What would a doctor even do? Document my clumsiness for medical science?
I held onto his hand, my gaze intense. "I'm really okay! I just I need to sleep."
The sheer humiliation of it all made me desperate for some alone time. I waved my hands toward the door, issuing a clear dismissal.
"You should go get some rest too, Victor!"
As soon as I said it, the pop-up comments flared to life again.
LMAO! My sweet, clumsy girl!
Victor, how can you resist pouncing on this adorable dummy?
You thirsty animals need to calm down. They aren't the endgame couple!
The fact that Victor put on shirt garters to seduce her is sending me. What a waste!
What do you mean, not the endgame couple? We literally just got married.
My head was spinning. The knock to my head must have been worse than I thought.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the annoying text to disappear.
A second later, they snapped open again.
Wait a second.
What did you just say?
Shirt garters?!

3
My eyes darted down to Victor's long legs.
Beneath the impeccably tailored fabric of his suit trousers, I could just make out the faint, raised line of a strap.
He seemed completely oblivious to my staring, leaning down to gently pat my head. "Alright, I won't force you. If you start to feel worse, just call me from next door, okay?"
As he bent over, the trousers pulled taut against his thigh, defining the powerful muscle beneath. The strap, once a subtle hint, was now in sharp relief.
He really was wearing them.
So those pop-up comments they were real?
By the time I processed this, Victor had already turned to leave.
"Wait!"
My hand shot out to stop him. I meant to grab the hem of his suit jacket. Instead, my brain short-circuited, and my fingers closed around that hidden strap, right through the fine wool of his trousers.
Victors body went rigid. He turned back slowly, his eyes wide with disbelief.
His stare sent another jolt through my brain, and I snatched my hand back.
A sharp snap echoed in the silent room.
Before I could hide my traitorous hand, he caught it, pulling me forward with a gentle tug.
Suddenly, I was in his arms, his large hand pressing against the small of my back, holding me close.
"June what are you doing?"
Victor's voice, usually so smooth and resonant, was now laced with a raw, husky edge. It sent a shiver right down to my toes.
"I I just"
Before I could stammer out an excuse, his lips were on mine.
It was a feather-light touch, a question.
And before I knew it, my own arms were wrapping around his neck, answering it.
June, June, June.
Your nerve is truly something else.
He paused for a heartbeat, then deepened the kiss, lifting me onto the bed so I was sitting on his lap.
It wasn't until I shifted that I was poked by something hard. I pushed him back slightly, breathless.
"Your keys they're digging into me."
Victor let me go, his voice unrecognizably hoarse.
"I told you. They're not keys."
So it really was the garter clip.
"Victor," I swallowed hard. "I want to see."
"Can I?"

4
The room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
A storm of emotions flickered across Victors face. After what felt like an eternity, he finally managed to speak, his voice strained. "June"
"I just want to look! I swear I won't take advantage of you!" I rushed to reassure him, afraid hed say no. "I just I want to see how they're different from the ones online."
His brow furrowed. "You've seen them on a lot of other people?"
"No, never in person! That's why I can't get the drawings right."
"Drawings?"
"You frequently draw men's accessories?" Victor seemed to struggle with the word. "Like this?"
Right.
He only knew I was an artist. He probably had no idea what kind of art I made.
"Mhm, I'm working on a new illustration series featuring shirt garters," I explained. "I was hoping you could be my model. Would that be okay?"
Looking at reference photos online just wasn't cutting it. I remembered that Victor had played basketball since he was a kid; the muscles in his thighs had to be incredible. That superior physique, combined with his cool, stoic vibe, and the elegant, provocative touch of the garters
Just thinking about it made me drool.
"So you wanted to see the shirt garters?"
"Yeah, that's right!"
For some reason, Victor looked visibly relieved. He rubbed his temples, muttering something almost too quiet to hear. "I thought"
Huh? Thought what?
LMAO OMG, did Victor think she wanted to see his dick?!
Victor: I do not understand, but yes, she can look. Yes.
Seeing the comments and recalling his conflicted expression, a wave of mortification washed over me.
I scrambled to explain. "Victor, I didn't mean that! I really wasn't trying to"
"June, we're married."
Victor cut me off gently, his gaze fixed on mine.
I nodded. "I know."
He pressed his lips together, saying nothing more. Instead, he took my hand and guided it to the metal buckle at his waist.
When he spoke again, his voice was as tempting as a siren's call.
"What I mean is, you can do anything you want to me."
"Go on. Unbuckle it."

5
They were sleek, black shirt garters.
One end was fastened high on Victors thigh. Maybe because hed been wearing them all day, or perhaps because his skin was so pale, but the edges of his skin beneath the strap were tinged with a faint pink.
The other end clipped to the hem of his shirt, pulling the fabric taut and perfectly accentuating his lean, narrow waist. It was strategically positioned, concealing things that were probably best left unseen.
But I still saw.
It was unavoidable.
And the view was substantial.
June had a bit of nerve, but not that much. After about thirty seconds, I scrambled away, my face burning as I grabbed the bathrobe lying nearby.
I must have completely lost my mind.
Before I even realized what I was doing, Id ignored Victor's outstretched hand and clumsily wrapped the robe around his waist. I tried to back away, flustered, but an arm shot out and circled my back, pulling me into his embrace.
"Done looking?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm good."
God, when did I develop a stutter?
"Is that really enough?" Victor asked, as if genuinely curious. "Don't you need to sketch it?"
I shook my head frantically. "Nope, I've got it memorized."
A soft chuckle rumbled from above me. "Good girl, June."
I looked up at the sound and fell right into the deep, dark pools of his eyes. The on-screen comments went ballistic.
WHOA, where did this plot twist come from?! How did things escalate so fast?!
I don't remember this scene in the original story! Did they change it? Is the author finally going rogue?!
DO IT! For the sake of your readers! I'm team Victor all the way!
YES, PLEASE! FULL STEAM AHEAD!
Can the people upstairs shut up? I can't stand non-canon ships!
It's not gonna happen. The main love interest is about to show up!
It was like a prophecy.
Just as my mind was clouded with lust and I was rising on my tiptoes to steal another kiss from Victor, the shrill ring of my phone shattered the intoxicating atmosphere.

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