Sapphire's POVI felt heat tingle in my cheeks the moment Eric and I locked gazes. I hadn't expected him to show up at this point, especially not in such a dramatic fashion. But seeing the anger in his eyes, I knew things were about to get even more complicated. And Austin was about to get what's coming to him."I said, take your filthy hands off my fiancée!" Eric growled and marched to where we were standing in the aisle.He grabbed my other arm and yanked me out of Austin's grip like he was tearing open a bag of chips. He finally freed me, not giving a damn about the crinkling sounds of protest my arm made. I winced in pain from the sudden hard pull but he didn't seem to notice. The only thing he cared about right now was putting Austin in his place and I could tell by how much he's seething right now.I examined Eric. His teeth were clamped together as though they were in a bitter argument and his eyes? Forget about calm and collected; they were practically shooting daggers at Aust
Sapphire's POVWe were almost at my house and the drive, like all the ones we'd had before, became awkwardly dead silent. The low rumbling of the Lamborghini's engine was all that could be heard now. It was a soft purr, like a cat's contented sigh and it grew into a fierce roar when it moved faster. The rich scent of Eric's cologne and a hint of leather lingered in the air, making my nose twitch.Eric was extremely comfortable in his seat and he appeared serious. His smooth and taut skin was illuminated by the dashboard lights. Occasionally, I stole glances at him and I knew for a fact that he caught me through the corner of his eye. And he did return the favor by doing the same thing except his looks weren't really glances; they were long, hard stares, quizzical and examining."Why are you staring at me like that?" I spoke, ripping the silence apart. "I wonder what's going through your head. You creep me out when you get like that.""What are you on about now?" He let out an exaspera
Eric's POVI stormed into my office, my face red with anger and sat in my chair. My secretary, April, trailed behind me and stood beside my desk, visibly nervous. I could see the fear in her eyes and I relished it. She had every damn reason to be scared right now. I knew firsthand how exceedingly painful building something from the ground up felt and I didn't tolerate mistakes from anyone who worked for me, especially mistakes that would cost me money."Miss Shea," I started, "Sometimes I wonder if you're running a marathon in a minefield. Do you have any idea what you've done this time? Or are you just aiming for a record in jeopardizing my sanity?"April's eyes widened and she fidgeted with her fingers. I continued, my patience wearing thin, "The contract with H.G. Publishers, April. The one worth millions? Ring a bell? Well, guess what? You managed to misplace it, like it's some cheap paperback novel!"She looked down and replied, her voice barely audible, "I..I'm sorry, Mr Donovan
Sapphire's POV"Where the hell is Eric at? Why hasn't he come yet? What's taking him so long?" I grumbled, pacing forward and backwards in my living room.I glanced at the clock on my wall. It was past 8pm and the previous day he had said he would come pick me up by 6pm sharp. He was 2 hours late! And he was the one who usually called others out a lot on tardiness. He always had so much to say about it. Look at him now!"Take it easy, Sapphy," Jamila chirped. "Girl, why are you in here acting like a bride about to be stood up at the altar on her wedding day?"I took a deep breath and sat down on a sofa across from her. "You don't understand. Mr Donovan is almost never late.""Still on the last name terms with your fiance? Interesting." She noted, giving me a funny stare."Oh, shut up. You know I'm still getting used to it."Jamila nodded quickly and replied, wide-eyed, "Which is precisely my point! Don't you think you're rushing things? You're getting married in a week's time. It's so
Sapphire's POVA look of confusion tinged with disappointment was plastered on my face as I stared directly at the stranger standing in front of me. He was like a dark mountain, towering over my little frame. His muscular arms were crossed over his chest, the fabric of his black suit straining against his biceps. His dark skin glistened under the porch light and his bald head reflected the soft moonlight. He wore dark shades that covered his eyes and hid any emotion, making it impossible for me to read him. The man's face was stern with lips pressed into a thin line."Good evening, Miss Smith,"he rasped in a deep voice. "I have been assigned to ensure your safety."I blinked, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected arrival of this man. "Um... why?"I managed to stammer, my curiosity piqued.He straightened his broad shoulders, revealing a glimpse of a concealed earpiece beneath his shaved head. "Mr Donovan requested I bring you to him,"he replied, the words delivered with a detached
Sapphire's POVEric inhaled and exhaled in a way that seemed like he was having a hard time breathing. I put my arms around him and helped him up. It wasn't a very easy task, this man was taller and heavier than I was. He stood on his feet and stumbled a little. Gently, I guided him to the nearest weight bench in the room, careful not to let either of us step on the broken mirrors.I sat him and joined him, my arms still hooked around him. "Eric, what's wrong?"His lips were tightly shut and he didn't look like he was keen on saying anything. My hand grazed his bleeding knuckles and he winced in pain. I quickly shifted my attention to his wounds and got up in a bid to tend to them. I grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby shelf and a white towel laying carelessly on the floor. I moistened the towel and took his hand in mine. I began to wipe away the blood from his hands, my touch as delicate as I could manage."I've got you, Eric," I reassured him softly, my fingers working to clean
Sapphire's POVEric is such a....ugh!Why did he have to put me on the spot like that?Why did he have to tell Belinda I'd be sleeping in his bedroom tonight?Why?At the dining table, I couldn't say anything because it would seem odd that I wasn't interested in spending the night with my fiance. We had to make everything as believable and real as possible, especially in front of people associated with him. And so for that reason, I didn't object, I didn't protest. Eric knew damn well what he was doing and I had a feeling he wouldn't have let me sleep in the guest room even if I had raised an objection.I was seated on a sofa in Eric's bedroom now while waiting for him to come out of the shower. He had been in there for what felt like an eternity and I was pretty sure he wasn't intending on coming out anytime soon. I wondered what he could be doing there. Did he really take that long to shower?I let out a loud breath, feeling totally drained and casually ran my fingers through the ta
Sapphire's POVEric's firm grip on my hips kept me pressed against the cold, tiled wall. And I was stunned by his reaction. I had expected him to be angry and disappointed but instead, he seemed to be enjoying the fact that I broke our agreement. I heard my heart beating fast as his words registered in my mind.He was going to punish me? What on earth did that mean? But before I could even think about asking him or fully process my thoughts, his hands swiftly moved down to the hem of my dress, pulling it up and exposing my bare butt."No," I said faintly, my body and voice trembling in the shower.Eric chuckled darkly, his warm breath sending tingles through my ear and goosebumps on skin. "You broke our agreement, tigress. Now, you'll have to face the consequences."He finally peeled my dress off my body and let it drop to the floor. He was a completely different person from the one who'd broken down earlier. He seemed more like his usual self now, commanding and confident. Still unde