Brynne checked her reflection for the last time before rushing out of the honeymoon suite. After Luke’s heartfelt explanation, begging her to give him a chance, all was normal between them. Brynne had forgiven him and agreed to go on a date with him. A blushing, radiant woman’s reflection stared back at her. She could hardly recognize herself. “Brynne, are you done?” Luke’s impatient voice made her roll her eyes. Nothing had changed between them. He was still possessive, obsessive, and an impossible husband. She rushed out to the lobby, where Luke was waiting for her. “Where are the children? Have you informed them?” “They’ve gone fishing with Grandpa. Don’t worry about them. I’ve informed Grandpa.” He grabbed her hand and led her out of the clubhouse to a car waiting for them. However, Brynne couldn’t relax. She wanted to see the children before leaving to ensure they were fine. But Luke seemed to be in a strange mood since morning. What was wrong with him?Soon they were on the
The traffic police brought Leonardo safely back and Luke thanked them profusely. It was time to teach Celine a lesson. The only way would be to gather proof against her. It would all come in handy at the hearing. A traumatized Leo hugged his father with tears of relief in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Dad,” he sobbed, clutching Luke’s torso. “You’re safe now. I’m sorry this happened to you, son. Promise me you won’t go anywhere without your guards.” Luke’s throat choked with emotions. He hadn’t expected to find his son this soon. It was indeed a miracle.“Yes, I promise you, Dad.” “Did they hurt you, Leo?” Grandpa Benson asked after the police left.“No. There were two men. They gagged me and tied me up before dumping me in a car. It happened so fast, I couldn’t call for help. It was all well-planned, Dad. I overheard them talking to a woman over the phone. They were arguing about money with her.” Luke and Grandpa shared a look. “Did you hear her?” Leo shook his head. “No, Dad.” “Anyway
The cops recorded her statement and left. Luke smiled and sat beside her. “Are you feeling better now? The doctor has permitted you to go home.” Brynne nodded, easing off the bed to go home. Thankfully, both the doctor and the nurse kept their promise and didn’t disclose her pregnancy to Luke. He caught her hand and gently led her toward the elevator. “The children have gone home with Grandpa. There’s nothing to feel stressed. We’ll be more careful from now on. Everything is under control, Brynne. Take a deep breath and relax.” Brynne nodded, allowing him to think her health deteriorated because of stress. “I’m better now.”“Good. The cops are on the lookout for the Bentley. Joe had taken a picture of the number plate. It can’t escape for long.” He helped her to their car and drove off, followed by their bodyguards. However, unknown to both, a car followed them all the way to their building. The same pair of jealous eyes glared at them, unable to believe she had missed her target
Luke stared at his phone with surprise. Why was Celine calling him constantly after all the stunts she pulled? Did she think he would forgive her? Did she think he didn’t know about her underhanded ploys? Maybe she thought he had no idea she was behind both crimes. The wish to teach her a lesson and give her a piece of his mind was so acute that Luke strode out of the bedroom and accepted the call. “Why the f*ck are you calling me, Celine?” he barked into the phone, unaware that Brynne heard him clearly. “I want to meet you, Luke. This is important.” Luke’s blood boiled at her fake caring voice. “I have no reason to meet you. So see you at the hearing.” “No, wait, don’t disconnect the call. I have something to show you. It’s about your wife. Please, can you meet me tomorrow somewhere?” Luke hesitated. What was it about Brynne that Celine wanted to talk about? “What is it about Brynne? Tell me now.” “I can’t tell you over the phone. I have to show you something. It’s very import
When Celine left, Luke grabbed Brynne’s arm and pulled her inside. She almost stumbled from the brunt of his actions, but collided with his chest instead. He gripped her hard, his hands like steel bands around her arm, hurting her on purpose. “What the f*ck are you doing here, Brynne? Didn’t I tell you to stay home?” he gritted out in a frenzy. “I..” Brynne was too dazed to answer. She was curious about the paper in his hands. She had arrived just in time to hear Celine’s accusation.I’m glad Brynne is betraying you. Do you think she loves you? She’s also with you for money.She wanted to stand up for herself, but the furious look on Luke’s face scared her. What had she missed? What happened between Celine and Luke before her arrival? “Cat got your tongue? What did you think? I’ll never figure out your pregnancy.” His accusing gaze made her squirm. How did he find out about her pregnancy? She had hidden it from everyone.“How do you know about it? I..” Luke’s face scrunched up with
Luke watched the cops arrest the rat, Dennis Howard, the PA of their Sr. Tender Manager, Ken Gallagher. It took Luke and his team all day to collect evidence against him. But it was all over now and he could go home. The team left, and he walked over to his cabin to get his bag. However, the moment he stepped inside, his breath hitched, remembering his morning ordeal. Brynne had obviously gone home, leaving the paternity test report on his desk. He sighed and picked it up. Why didn’t she decline his accusations with proof? Why didn’t she tell him she wasn’t pregnant? Celine was right. She didn’t love him. Absent-mindedly, he picked up the report to stash it in his pocket when his glance fell on the report date. It was dated almost eight weeks ago. Luke frowned at it, blinking to refocus. Yes, the date was indeed eight weeks ago. But he had met Brynne only five weeks ago, and she was a virgin then. He rechecked the name of the clinic. New Age Medicare, Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn.
Luke slumped into a chair nearby, feeling totally devastated. Adam and Miranda shared looks of pity. “What have I done? How could I believe Celine? I should have known.” He covered his face in despair. Miranda brought him some water to get a grip on himself while Adam sat opposite his ex-employer. Although he hated his boss for everything he had done to destroy his life and career, he didn’t show it. “Have some water, please. You can call Brynne and apologize, Mr. Sylvester.” Luke looked up at the helpful couple he had unknowingly wronged for no fault of theirs. Adam wasn’t into Brynne and never could be. He loved Miranda a lot the way he loved Brynne. He understood now what it meant to love someone. There couldn’t be anyone else but the one you loved. It should be the same for Brynne, too. “Thank you.” He accepted the water. The cool liquid went down his system and he felt a little better. “Brynne has switched her phone off. I went to her house. She hasn’t been there at all. Ted g
Luke rushed inside, panicking at the sight of his wife. “Damn! I knew it.” He crouched to Brynne’s level and patted her cheeks. “Brynne, wake up. I’m here to take you home.” There was no response. Luke gave the staff a stressed look. “Help me revive her. I need water.”He rushed to the table nearby to get a bottle of water. Luke sprinkled a little on Brynne’s face and she stirred, opening her dazed eyes and focusing on him blankly. He lost his patience. Getting up, he picked her up in his arms and turned to the clueless staff. “Can you get her luggage? I’m taking her home.” The staff nodded and collected Brynne’s belongings. Luke could feel her lost gaze on him, but he couldn’t meet her eyes. Guilt washed over him at seeing the condition she was in. What would have happened if he hadn’t arrived on time? He shuddered at the thought.“Luke, put me down. I’m not going anywhere with you.” Her words brought him back to reality, and he looked down at her. The staff stopped collecting h
DaniellaBefore my body could react to his announcement, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from my mom. Startled, I almost jumped! Couldn’t Mom find another time to call? I was about to satisfy my urges and get kissed by the hot creature eyeing me like a piece of candy!“Your mom,” he reminded me, eyeing my phone as if I didn’t know that already. “Aren’t you taking her call?”I panicked. “No, she’ll know I’m with a guy! Her sixth sense is too strong! I can’t risk it.” The phone stopped buzzing, and I heaved a sigh of relief. But the magical moment was broken, and we just quietly cleared our lunch. Yet I couldn’t relax. I knew Mom’s nature. If she called once, she would do so repeatedly until she spoke to me.“So, what do you want to do now? Play twenty questions or rest?” We flopped onto the bed when my phone buzzed again.“Mom won’t let this go. I need to take this call. So shh, not a sound! You aren’t here. Get it?” I glared at him to force him to agree. What if he gave himself
Daniella I tried to block my ears to his silly banter with Mrs. Griffin. If we were to act as a married couple, these shouldn’t affect me, right? Yet it did. Coz this was uncharted territory, and all we shared was a kiss and a horse ride. “Okay, let’s start, everyone!” said Mrs. Griffin, walking away. Drake leaned in towards me, his eyes dancing with excitement. I wondered what he was so excited about! Me cooking or him watching me cook! “Make it finger-lickin' good! I’ll be watching you!” He turned to go, but I grabbed his hand. “Where do you think you’re going? Stay and help.” I released his hand and shoved the whole chicken towards him. “Massage the oil all over.” He gave me a lost look. “Are you sure?” I nodded and set about preparing the vegetables and ranch dressing. We were making grilled chicken in Wild West Sauce to start with. Although it was a very basic recipe, I was making the sauce for the first time. Mrs. Griffin yelled out her instructions while we struggled to
Daniella Toby’s saddle was perfect for double riding, but I couldn’t relax. It wasn’t because of the trauma I had just been through. It was because of the hottest male creature on earth perched behind me. With his body plastered to my back, I could feel every muscle ripple against me. I had seen him. And it worsened the situation. Even now, I could visualize him naked. He was a solid bulk of muscle with pure power emanating from every fibre of his body. I could feel his face inches from mine, and the temperature soared around us. Drake’s hot breath fanned my heated nape while his arms brushed against my sides as they handled the reins. He reached forward, his arms further encasing me inside his muscular body. I realized it was stupidity to mount in front of him. I should have known. “Are you okay, Daniella?” With his lips millimeters from my right ear, I could feel their movement as he spoke. “Yes,” I said, my voice a breathless whisper. My mind screamed in desperation, urging him
Daniella I tried to focus on my food instead of reacting to his admission. It was a difficult task indeed. “Must you flirt with every female you meet? You’re so pathetic, Drake Ashford!” “No, only you. All my efforts are now focused on you.” His face lost its goofiness as he spoke. If I didn’t know his true nature, I would have believed his shit and fallen for him already. “Why? Don’t tell me you’re short on offers. I’m sure there are others, easier to charm and easy to conquer.” Unconsciously, I held my breath, waiting for his reply.“I don’t want the others. I want you. Don’t worry, I love a clash before a conquest.” He grinned at my jaw-dropped look. I hadn’t expected that. “Overconfidence? You can’t conquer me. I’ll disappear from your life after the trip.” It wasn’t a future threat. I intended to do it. Staying around Drake challenged my emotional and mental well-being. I didn’t want to fall for the devil. This constant battle to resist him was taking a toll on me. If one kis
Daniella“Oh, thank you so much. We’re on a day trip from our honeymoon cruise. The cruise ship will leave Port Canaveral at 10 pm. So we should check out from here after dinner.” Drake winked at me before I could correct the cowgirl.What the fuck is he up to? Why was he pretending we were a honeymoon couple? Was he crazy? I glared at him, watching him chat with the receptionist. He completed the check-in formalities, totally ignoring my reaction.“Is there anything else you may need? We have a fifty percent discount on everything for honeymoon couples today. You’re our first couple! The rest are all families here for the rodeo.”My jaw dropped with surprise. “Oh! Why?”“It’s our owner, Mr. and Mrs. Griffin’s golden anniversary today!” she gasped, handing us our key card. “Your glamping tent is that way, sir, ma’am. Have an enjoyable stay.”“Thanks. That would be all for now. We’ll freshen up and bother you again.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me along. “Let’s go, baby! I can’t wait
Daniella Drake drove the rental car down the Florida Ramp towards Orlando Hwy, and a strange thrill coursed up my body. Knowing his reputation, I didn’t understand why I felt so excited to spend the day with Drake. Why was he killing me with his charm? Did he want to get into my pants? Definitely, yes. Yet my heart thumped wildly in my chest. My reaction to his attention surprised me. Why was I behaving like a hormonal teenager around her first crush? I was a twenty-five-year-old woman, having slept around with plenty of players like him. But there was something about Drake Ashford that pulled me towards him like a magnet. Somehow, I craved his attention. “Have you been to a dude ranch before?” His raspy bedroom voice brought me out of my thoughts. “No. My twin brothers prefer those. I’m more into the star-rated swanky hotels.” I hated the rustic, dirty camps and cabins in the countryside, with insects bothering me. The twins preferred glamping in those. “Oh, you’re lucky to have
DaniellaThe deafening sound of helicopter blades made me stir the next morning. Who was arriving on the cruise ship? “Wake up, sleepyhead. We’ll reach Port Canaveral in two hours. Let’s grab breakfast and head to Deck 4 to avoid the mad rush at the last minute,” said Julia, looking freshly showered and ready.I groaned and stretched, waking up finally. Why did we always have to rush around? Wasn’t this a vacation? “I want to laze around today! I’ve seen Port Canaveral and its attractions so many times.” She rolled her eyes and went over to the tiny window to check. “I haven’t, and you’re coming with me. Surely you aren’t planning to spend time with Drake Ashford, are you?”I turned to give her a sharp look. “No. Why should I?” Julia shrugged and sat down with her makeup kit. “Never mind. Hurry!” I didn’t share her enthusiasm, but I got ready, nevertheless. What would I do alone on a humongous cruise ship? After two hours, we lined up at Deck 4 to watch the cruise ship enter the p
DaniellaIt was evening, and Julia forced me to meet up with the gang for dinner. I had no wish to join them, but she was adamant. “What’s wrong with you? Are you sulking or what?” I gaped at her. Was I? “No. Why should I? Can’t a girl laze around for once?” My behavior surprised me. I didn’t f*cking care so much about a guy before. Then why was I overreacting to the player, Drake Ashford? “Then have dinner with us. I’m not opting for room service.” Julia pulled me along towards the grand dining hall of the cruise ship. As we entered the hall, I gasped at the crowd. The place was teeming with passengers, and I could see our colleagues all over it. “It’s so claustrophobic here, Julia. I don’t think we’ll get a place to sit.” I scanned the place to see our gang occupying a table right in the middle. “Oh, they’ve found a table. C’mon, it’ll be fun.” She pulled me along when my gaze fell upon Drake, sauntering in with the same woman. Blood boiled in my veins at the sight of him. So h
DaniellaI couldn’t stop the gasp of surprise as I stared at Drake. How did he know I had kissed Adrian on the cheek? Was he stalking me? “How do you know? It was a thank you peck on the cheek, not a kiss.”His handsome features lit up as he flashed me a crooked grin. “I was watching you. Whatever it was, you can do better for a ring.” His eyes dropped to my lips, and I licked them nervously. Why was I reacting so much to him? Wasn’t I immune to such pickup lines? ‘He’s flirting with you, Dani,’ I advised myself to stop the pounding of my heart. Yet shyness gripped my body, and I tried not to let the deep timbre of his voice throw me off. “You can’t buy me with expensive gifts, Drake. It’s the feeling behind it, the gesture that touches my heart. Did you go down on one knee? So?” I shrugged and eased out of his hold. I was terribly disappointed with my life. I had expected better from Drake. He almost made it look like a joke, slipping a fake ring onto my finger. Even Ted did bette