~Astrid~After spending a few days in New York, we finally returned to Seattle, and boy, were things awkward.Adrian had completely shut down after I spent a ridiculous amount on shopping. Strangely, the thought of him being pissed off brought me a twisted sense of satisfaction.When the car finally stopped in the garage, Adrian stepped out, adjusting his collar with that stiff, controlled air he always had. I stared at my phone for a second before climbing out too."I'm going out," I announced casually. He froze mid-step, slowly turning around to look at me.His gaze flicked down my body, lingering, and I cocked my head slightly to the side, arching a brow."And where exactly are you going?" he asked, his tone cool but with an edge that wasn’t hard to miss.I sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Informing you that I'm going out should be enough, Voss. You really don’t want to know where."The chauffeur hurriedly got out, unloading our bags, his movements quick and tense l
~Astrid~He gave me a lopsided smile and my stomach twisted. I just stared at him, before footsteps approached from behind."Astrid, you're here," Mum said and I dragged my eyes away from Derrick and turned around just in time to see my mum behind me. She pulled me into a hug while my brain scrambled for answers. He was gone, why did he come back?My mum patted my back before pulling away, glancing behind me before her light blue eyes returned to mine. It was safe to say I'd taken most of my facial features from my mum. From hair, to eyes, to lips. I couldn't really see any resemblance from my father even when I stare at his pictures but mum said I'd gotten his characters. Stubborn.Now, Maya was 51 and she looked younger and more beautiful than most women her age."I see you've both met," Mum said and I knew she was talking about Derrick, I gave a tight nod before pulling her farther into the house away from Derrick."Why did no one tell me he was here?" I asked and mum raised a perf
Adrian"What are you doing here?" she asked, and a muscle twitched in my jaw as I stared at her.Her muscles were tense, and something was off in her blue eyes. I glanced back at her mother’s apartment, at the figure I’d seen standing by the doorway just moments ago. But when I looked again, he was gone.I was sure it was a man. Her mother would have reacted if it were her."Get in the car," I said, turning around and climbing into the driver’s seat. Thinking about it now, showing up here was stupid.She had stormed out earlier, saying she was going to see her boyfriend. I knew it was probably a lie, but after a few hours and she wasn't back, I had a sick feeling in my gut, and before I knew it, I had tracked her down.What I didn’t realize until I was almost at the door was that this was her mother’s apartment.Astrid being Astrid, she didn’t move. She stood there, looking goddamn tempting and defiant in that small black dress. I rolled down the window, my gaze fixed on her."I reme
AstridI adjusted my shades as I stood by the arrival gate, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. The plane she was on had just landed, and I figured it’d be nice to pick her up. Joan had been a great host when we visited New York, so it wouldn’t hurt to be warm toward her now that she was in Seattle. I spotted her immediately. She wasn’t the kind of woman you could easily overlook. With fiery red hair and striking green eyes, she was the definition of beauty. But this time, I noticed something I hadn’t before. She had a bump. A baby bump. It caught me off guard because she hadn’t looked or acted pregnant. How the hell did I miss that all those days? Maybe because she always wore oversized t-shirts that clearly weren’t hers. I waved, and our eyes met. A smile curled onto her lips as she hurried over. She pulled me into a hug before glancing around. “Have you been waiting long?” she asked. I shook my head with a small smile. “No, just a few minutes. Since you texted me y
Astrid "Hey, she's married, okay? And how do you even know that when you've been out of the country?" Joan interrupted. His eyes fell on her, a muscle twitching in his jaw as he stepped back. "I'm sorry, I was just surprised," he muttered. I gave a curt nod and pulled Joan along. "Let's go," I said, not sparing Xavier a glance. He probably didn't realize he'd put me in a tight spot. The hairs on the back of my neck bristled, my whole body tensed, waiting for Joan to ask the obvious question. But it never came. Not as we entered her suite. Not even when she decided to come with me back to Adrian's house. Only then did I allow myself to relax. She probably didn’t suspect anything—it was just a careless remark from a man. And even if she did ask, the answer was simple. We were keeping things private. "Oh my God, this is your house?" she gasped as the driver pulled into the compound. I shrugged with a small smile. Oh, the house wasn’t really mine. It was Adrian’s, and maybe it could
♧Adrian♧I knew she wasn't back because I didn’t hear her door open. She probably didn’t even know my bedroom was just a couple of doors away from hers. And that was a good thing.I couldn’t trust a stranger in my house. What if she tried to sneak out in the middle of the night or did something else I wouldn’t like?I was decent enough not to put a camera in her room, but I still needed to know whenever she left. So, I found another way.I stepped out of the bathroom, drying my damp hair with a towel. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, the screen lighting up. I glanced at it but didn’t bother reaching for it.Walking toward my closet, I grabbed a T-shirt, pulled it over my head, and sat on the bed. Should I go to sleep or stay up until she was back?She had left two hours ago. Grabbing dinner shouldn’t take that long. Unless… she was meeting someone else.At that thought, my mood soured instantly. I snatched my phone from the nightstand.She could never stay put, could she?I unlocked
♧Astrid♧"Don't touch me," I muttered, stepping away from whoever was behind me. Whether he heard me or not, he acted like he didn’t."You're doing so good, baby!" Ophelia yelled over the pounding music. I knew coming here was a mistake. It was supposed to be just one drink while I listened to an obviously drunk Ophelia pour out her heart.But that one drink turned into two, then four, and now here I was—on a crowded dance floor with some random guy pressed up against me."Come on, Phil, we need to leave. Now." I grabbed her wrist, but she just shrugged, flipping her hair over her shoulder."I don’t think so," she mouthed.And then I felt it again —hands, rough and unwelcome, touching me where they shouldn’t.I turned abruptly. And a dark-haired man grinned, his teeth flashing in the dim light before he ran his tongue over his lips like the creep he was."Wanna go home with me?" he yelled over the music.I shot him a glare. "What the fuck, man? Who even are you?"He chuckled. "We were
~Astrid~ I groaned and turned in bed, pulling the pillow over my head to block out the pounding in my skull. It didn’t help. Frustrated, I huffed and shoved the pillow aside, blinking up at the ceiling. My head felt heavy, and God, it throbbed. Tossing the blankets off, I sat up, pressing my palms against my temples. Oh boy. I wasn’t drinking that much again. I glanced around and realized I was in my room—the one I officially claimed after moving into Adrian’s house. How did I get here? The last thing I remembered was walking into the club to get Ophelia. After that, everything was a blur. That could only mean one thing. Adrian had brought me home. He’d been in my space, put me to bed, and even taken off my shoes. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Grateful? Embarrassed? Shaking the thought away, I swung my legs over the bed and got up. After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I stepped out of the room and made my way toward the sitting room, hoping to find Adrian. The
♡Astrid♡We hadn’t spoken to each other for days. Well, technically, I hadn’t spoken to Adrian and did my best to avoid him.I either stayed in my room all day or left the house more than necessary, even if I had nowhere to go. I’d either take a walk or go to my office.Anything that kept me out of his space. Which explained why I was still locked in my room by past eight in the evening, sleeping.I didn’t get a lot of sleep at night and I couldn’t go to Adrian’s room either, so I just tried fighting the demons myself.And honestly, it hadn’t been very successful.It was a call from Freya that woke me up.Her school had gone on a trip to California — for God knows what — and coincidentally, Mum’s brother stayed over there. Freya had just, well... decided she wasn’t gonna come back.I was fine with it, as long as she was safe and far away from that monster, who we still hadn’t found.“Hey,” I muttered once the call connected, my voice a little groggy as I rubbed my eyes.There was a li
♡Astrid♡I slid my fingers into his hair, and just like that, he kissed me back. His arm tightened around my waist, shaky and desperate, pulling me closer.And, well—it didn’t feel fake. Not even with a pair of eyes on us.His tongue brushed mine, and I pressed a hand to his chest to stop him before things went too far.Because if we didn’t, this wouldn’t end well. We might as well start acting out a porn scene.He must’ve caught the signal because his hand swept along my back before he pulled away. I gave a tight smile and looked off to the side.“I’m surprised you’re back this early,” I muttered, finally meeting his eyes again. They looked like a lighter shade of brown—my favorite kind.That color made him look easygoing, warm, and even funny. But when his eyes went cold, he turned into someone else completely. Detached. Unreachable.“Yeah?” he murmured, running his fingers through my hair. God, that felt so calming. His gaze flicked past me, and I knew—he’d seen her.He raised a br
♤Unknown♤Turning the knob, I walked into the study where Nox was waiting for me.The thick scent of cigarette smoke hit me, and I wrinkled my nose."How many times do I have to tell you not to fucking smoke in my house?" I snapped, shutting the door behind me. He just bared his teeth, plucked the cigarette from his lips, and crushed it into the ashtray.I walked over and sat down across from him. He crossed his legs and leaned back in his seat, moving with an ease that didn’t match his bulk.He was a massive man—dangerous because of it—and that's exactly why I kept him close."It's been a long time, Gary. So why am I here? You don’t just call for nothing," he muttered. I pressed my lips together and leaned forward, grabbing a photo from under one of the files.I pushed it across the table. His eyes stayed on mine for a second before he looked down.His brows pulled together as he stared at the image."She's still alive," I said. He looked up, his gaze meeting mine."It’s been five ye
♤Adrian♤I called Axel the moment I drove out of the compound."Where is he?" I asked as soon as he picked up. There was a pause."My sources say he left the house last night and hasn’t been back. No sign of travel or anything," he said. My jaw tightened."And?""He didn’t look like he was running. Nothing suspicious," Axel added. My brain scrambled trying to piece one and two together. “There’s a good chance he either played us… or he was taken,” Axel muttered. I pressed my lips together.Derrick was smart—but not smart enough to know I had men watching him, close enough to track his every move.So maybe he was abducted. But by who? And why?"How’s the search?" I asked."We’re doing what we can. Nothing solid yet. Tracking his last movements. I’ll update you if anything turns up," he said, sounding frustrated."Even if it’s just a guess, tell me right away," I said and ended the call.I turned the wheel, changing course. I wasn’t heading to the office anymore.I drove to Maya’s.It
♡Astrid♡Hands. Fingers. They were everywhere all over my body, grabbing me roughly.I tried to fight it, but it was stronger than me. Screaming didn't help either, and it felt like I was drowning.And then it felt like the life was being snuffed out of me. I woke up with a gasp, drenched in sweat. I leaned forward and switched on the bed light.Light flooded the room, but it did nothing to help me relax. I was in my room, all alone, and God, it was a little frightening.Moments like this made me wish Freya was still here and hadn't gone on that school trip. But who was I to stop her? She needed to clear her head too, and that trip was a great distraction while I sorted things out.Sliding out of bed, I grabbed my phone and walked barefoot towards the door. I needed a glass of water—it’d calm me down.Once I was outside my room, I knew I didn't need water. I glanced at Adrian's door.Should I go there? Wouldn't it be weird? Yeah, he'd told me two days ago to come in whenever I wante
♡Astrid♡I mumbled something gibberish and snuggled further into the pillow, burying my face in it and taking a long sniff.Smells like Adrian. And it smells so fucking good.Wait... why does my bed smell like Adrian?That’s when I realized—I wasn’t in my bed at all.I opened one eye and was greeted by the sight of dark walls.I opened the other to be sure of what I was seeing. Yup, the walls were dark, radiating masculine energy, and definitely not mine.I sat up, brushing my hair out of my face before looking around the room. Adrian was nowhere to be found.He didn’t return last night? Well, it didn’t matter. I swung my legs off the bed and stood up, quickly smoothing out my wrinkled clothes.It was better to leave now before he popped out of nowhere.Scurrying toward the door, I turned the knob and opened it—only to run headfirst into someone.Judging from how sweaty the person was—I knew it was Adrian.I stumbled back, heart in my mouth, and looked up.He just stood there, straigh
♤Adrian♤Once Astrid and Joan finished whatever it was they were all about — the wedding — Astrid and I got home and went our separate ways.I walked into my bedroom, shut the door, and undressed quickly. Grabbing my laptop from the nightstand, I sat on the bed and opened it.I still had some digging to do on Derrick before meeting with him.I’d had one of my men fix a fake meeting with him to discuss “goods.”Obviously, after he disappeared from Astrid's life nine or ten years ago, he went into drug trafficking. Now, suddenly, he reappears — needing a new place to stay after being on the wanted list in California. He moves back to Brooklyn, and well… Maya lets him in.Unknown to her, she’s harboring a hard-core criminal. And not just that. He tried abusing his own daughter. There are records of him sexually abusing girls in California. Turns out he's not only a drug trafficker — he's a pedophile and a rapist.And that brings me to why I'm invested in this case.He touched Astrid.
♤Adrian♤Astrid stepped in front of me as we walked into the restaurant. I watched her dominate the space.She probably didn't know it, but whenever she walked into a room, she owned it. The air shifted—and then it was all about her. I liked it then. I still do now.Her hips swayed in the black dress she wore, drawing my attention to it. Her dress ended mid-thigh. And, well, it turns out she was the hottest woman I’d seen in a while. And it did something to my insides that she had my ring on her finger—whether real or fake.Tucking both hands into my pockets, I followed at a steady pace as she sashayed to the table where Aaron and his fiancée sat.The smile on Aaron’s face dropped the second he saw her. Then his expression hardened when he saw me.I just raised a brow."Hey. Sorry, we’re late," Astrid said, and I pulled her chair out. She glanced at me, her eyes softening."Thank you," she muttered, brushing her fingers over my arm. I nodded and sat down next to her."No, no, we ju
♡Astrid♡After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I sauntered out to go find Adrian. If I was lucky, he would still be at home, but if not, I'd have to call him.I walked up to his door and knocked. Once. Twice. There was no response.I turned away and walked toward the gym. He’d left. A little earlier than usual.Pushing the door open, I walked into the cold space. I should burn a few calories and get off some tension before seeing Joan and Aaron.And there I paused. He was there.His body glistened with sweat as he hit the punching bag like it didn’t hurt. Every punch echoed in the room. The muscles in his back flexed with every move, and those pants?He really needed to stop wearing them. It should’ve been illegal to look that good in sweatpants.“Enjoying the view?” His voice came out raspy and in quick breaths. I quickly cleared my throat and walked farther into the room.“What are you talking about?” I asked, glancing at the treadmill. I walked toward it.He stopped hitting