Selene’s POVI was beginning to not like this man after his words from earlier. “I would’ve dated you… if you weren’t beneath me.” If I was beneath him then why was he trying to get me into his bed. I’d laughed it off at the time, trying to shrug away the words. I had no right to feel insulted—he was paying me, after all. I’d entered into this deal with my eyes wide open, or so I thought. I was the one who had agreed, who hadn’t even asked for details before accepting. Maybe the truth was that I hadn’t wanted to ask, not really, because I knew that the second I did, I might realize how utterly foolish this entire arrangement was.But a deal was a deal. It was a solution to what I wanted to do and basically there was no way I could get my revenge without anything to my name. Revenge is best served cold but I wanted mine to be hot. The offer was good. More than good, honestly. I just had to give him what he wanted: my body, no strings attached. Just sex.I kept telling myself it was
SELENE’S POVI lie on the bed, the sheets cool against my skin, pressing into every vulnerable, shameful inch of me. I pull the blanket up, shielding myself, though I know it’s no real protection. My body feels tense, every muscle coiled like a spring, fighting against the embarrassing awareness flooding my mind. I’m raw—undone—and he’s the one who’s done it. I can’t escape the way he’s looking at me, as though every inch of me belongs to him, like I’m some open book he’s flipping through without care for my comfort.He stands beside the bed, silent but close enough for me to feel the weight of his gaze, a heat that seems to seep under my skin. I curl a little tighter, trying to make myself smaller, but it only makes him chuckle, a soft, deep sound that sends chills down my spine. His eyes trace along the curve of my shoulder, lingering on every spot I wish I could hide.“Don’t cover yourself, Selene.” His voice is low, laced with a challenge I’m too flustered to meet. My fingers dig
Adrian’s POVI can’t see it now. Not anymore. The purpose, the reasoning behind her obsession—it’s always been the body. It’s always that, for all of them. She worships her body like it’s a weapon. And it is. I’d just been fool enough to forget. Now, standing here, watching her, it hits me all over again. How much she still holds sway over me without even trying.Five years. And she doesn’t remember a thing. Five years of sleepless nights, of burning images that never quite fade. And yet she walks around without a clue. How? How could she have forgotten? How did she just erase all of it—every charged look, every whispered promise that never saw the light of day?I make my way over to the bar, my steps uneven with a bitterness I can’t shake off. The bottle of whiskey waits for me on the counter, untouched. I grab it and pour a generous drink. The burn feels sharp, good, a little piece of control back in my hands. But it’s nothing compared to the fury roiling inside me.Her. It’s always
Selene’s POVI woke to the sound of someone knocking at the door, the soft but persistent tapping tugging me from a deep sleep. I groaned, my eyelids heavy, and mumbled, “Come in,” though my voice was barely more than a whisper. But the knocking continued, steady and insistent.With a sigh, I pushed myself up, still feeling the weight of sleep clinging to me. I stretched, rubbing my eyes as I stumbled to the door, finally pulling It open to find a maid standing in front of me. She looked poised and polished, with a slight, polite smile on her face.“Good afternoon, Miss Selene,” she said, her voice gentle but clear. “It’s two in the afternoon.”I blinked, taking in her words, and my eyes widened. “Two?” I asked, hardly believing I’d slept so late. “I didn’t mean to… I guess I didn’t realize how tired I was.”The events of the past few days flashed through my mind, making me realize just how drained I felt. Between the strange new surroundings, the memories, and everything that happene
Selene’s POVI stared at myself in the mirror, my heart pounding like it had just run a marathon. I was ready—almost too ready, if that was possible. Everything about this felt strange and exciting and terrifying all at once.I took a deep breath and glanced down at my outfit. Black leggings, snug but comfortable. My top was a soft blue sweater, just the right amount of casual but not too relaxed. I twisted my hair up into a bun, neat and secure. No stray strands today.“Alright, Selene,” I whispered to my reflection, hands gripping the bathroom sink. “You’ve got this.”I couldn’t shake the nerves no matter how many times I told myself I was ready. Was this really what I wanted? My mind was full of questions. I’d made a deal, yes, but was this the right choice?After a final check to make sure I looked as polished as I could, I headed outside, where a guard was already waiting. He didn’t even look surprised as I approached, which made me feel a little better.“Good morning,” I said, g
Selene’s POVI watch Callum’s back as he walks out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. There’s a hollow ache in my chest that spreads through my whole body, making my knees weak. I try to breathe, but each gasp feels like it’s stuck in my throat, sharp and heavy, and it finally comes out in a broken sob. I stagger towards the bathroom, shutting the door before the tears come in full force.I sink down onto the cold tiles, pressing my forehead against my knees, and let the flood of emotions I’ve been holding back crash over me. Just yesterday, I was his everything. Or so I thought. How could it only take one day for him to decide she was worth it? All the things I begged for, the simple dinners, the quiet conversations under a sky full of stars—things I dreamed of, things he swore he couldn’t give me. Now he’s giving them to her. She’s getting the dates I prayed for, the tender moments I thought I’d earn if I just loved him enough.A sharp laugh escapes my lips, bitter and
Adrian POV I couldn’t stand the look on her face. That shocked, innocent expression of hers only made me angrier, more irritated. How could she be so naïve? How could she be so damned stubborn? I had warned her. I had explicitly told her not to wear that damn thing, but she had gone ahead and done it anyway, probably thinking it would be some kind of power play.“You really thought you could defy me, didn’t you?” I muttered, my voice low and threatening. The words tasted bitter on my tongue, and I couldn’t hide the frustration that simmered beneath the surface. “I told you not to wear it, Selene. And yet, here we are.”Her wide eyes met mine, and I could see the tremor in her body, the uncertainty creeping up her spine. She hadn’t expected this. I could tell from the way she shrank back, but she still hadn’t given in. She was a fighter, that much I would give her. But she was also naïve, and sometimes, that was worse.I took a step forward, my gaze narrowing, my jaw tightening as
Selene’s POVThe entire room seemed to press in on me, suffocating me with a flood of sensations that I couldn’t control. Adrian’s touch burned through me, igniting an unwanted heat that I didn’t recognize as my own. His hands were confident, assertive, moving as if they already knew how my body would respond. I hated myself for the way I reacted, for the way I melted under his gaze. Every fiber of my being wanted to resist, to push him away, but I found myself unable to do anything but surrender to the warmth pooling low in my stomach.And then, before I could stop it, a release shuddered through me. My legs trembled, my breathing ragged as I struggled to regain control. Adrian’s smug smile was the first thing I saw, his face too close, too knowing, as though he’d been expecting this outcome all along. A slow, satisfied smirk spread across his lips, and I felt a surge of disgust – for him, but more so for myself.The auction room faded into a blur around us as my shame intensified. I
(Selene’s POV)Then Adrian leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear as he murmured, “I want you, Selene,” a strange heat curled in my stomach. It was like he’d lit a match inside me, igniting something raw and consuming. My breath hitched, and for a second, all I could do was stare at him. The storm in his eyes reflected something dark and hungry, mirroring my own.Callum’s words from the party clawed their way back into my mind, the memory taunting me. When we pulled up to the house, the tension between us was unbearable. Adrian reached for the door, but before he could even step inside, I grabbed his wrist, holding him back. He turned, his gaze searing into mine as though he was waiting for me to make the next move. And I did. I surged forward, capturing his lips in a kiss so heated it felt like I’d burned myself. Adrian groaned low in his throat, his hands immediately finding my waist and pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, his tongue sliding against mine in a dance that mad
AdrianThe whiskey swirled lazily in the glass, the amber liquid catching the faint light of the room. I stared in the direction Callum had pulled Selene into just minutes ago, my grip tightening around the glass. Five minutes. That’s how long it had been since I last saw her walk through those doors, her back straight but her tension almost tangible. What were they saying? Or rather, what was *he* saying? My jaw clenched at the thought. Was Callum finally telling her the truth? Or was he spinning another one of his vile tales, manipulating her the way he always did? I hated the uncertainty, the not knowing. But then the door opened, and Selene stepped out. Her eyes scanned the room, sharp and calculating. She was looking for me—I could tell by the way her gaze passed over everyone else, disinterested and cold, until it landed on me. She walked straight toward me, her heels clicking against the marble floor with purpose. “Adrian,” she said the moment she reached me, her voice lo
Selene’s POV“She’s not what you think she is,” Callum said loudly, his words cutting through the low hum of conversation like a knife. His voice was sharp, laced with anger, and impossible to ignore. The room fell silent, the whispers dying down as every eye turned toward us. My chest tightened under the weight of their stares. Each curious gaze felt like a probing question, and I could practically feel their judgment. Callum stepped closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over me, his expression dark and unreadable. “She’s not what he says she is,” he repeated, his tone colder, harsher. His next words hit me like a slap to the face. “I should know. I was mated to her once.” The air seemed to crackle with tension as his revelation rippled through the crowd. Gasps erupted, followed by a tidal wave of murmurs and shocked exclamations. People craned their necks, desperate to catch a glimpse of the woman he claimed had once been his mate. Me. My cheeks burned with humiliati
Selene’s POV**The man didn’t know what hit him. One moment, he was gripping my arm, his face twisted in anger and insult, and the next, he was on the floor, sprawled out like a rag doll. It all happened so fast that I barely registered Adrian’s movement, the quiet but powerful force that had him reaching forward and flinging the man away from me like he was nothing.For a split second, the room went silent. It was as if time had paused, and every eye in the grand hall was on us. People froze mid-conversation, their faces painted with a mixture of confusion and surprise. Then, as if a dam had broken, whispers and murmurs rose from all directions.“Is that… Adrian?”“Adrian’s here? I thought he was gone.”“What’s he doing here, of all places?”The buzz around us grew louder, and I could feel the weight of everyone’s stares. My heart raced as I looked up at Adrian, who was standing over the man, his expression completely unreadable yet so fierce it made my breath catch. He stepped close
Selene’s POV**The car moved smoothly through the busy city streets, but inside, my heart was racing, heavy with worry. I had no idea what Adrian was planning, only that he had instructed, “Dress nice and act well.” Those words weren’t much help, especially coming from him, where “act well” could mean anything. Not knowing his intentions made my nerves prickle, keeping me on edge.I looked down at my dress, anxiously smoothing the dark blue fabric over my knees. The gown was elegant, hugging my curves modestly, and I hoped it was fancy enough for whatever Adrian had in mind without drawing too much attention. The necklace he’d given me sparkled against my collarbone, a surprising gift that made me feel… appreciated? But I knew better than to feel comfortable around Adrian, especially when he kept his Intentions so vague.The car slowed, pulling up to a grand building with tall glass walls that reflected the evening lights. I swallowed hard as Ismael, Adrian’s driver, stepped out and o
Selene’s POVI was in my office, sorting through the endless stack of reports on my desk. The ticking of the clock on the wall was the only sound in the room, echoing against the polished surfaces and heavy wooden furniture. I’d gotten used to the quiet here—it was the kind of silence that allowed me to focus, to plan, to work without distraction.My assistant, Marcus, knocked on the door and entered without waiting for a response. He knew the drill by now, had worked with me long enough to skip formalities. I looked up, nodding for him to take a seat.“Everything’s in order for the conference next week,” Marcus started, flipping through his own file of notes. “We’ve confirmed all the attendees, secured the location, and the press kit is ready to go.”I listened, taking in every detail as he ran through the list. Business was routine—a predictable set of tasks that I could manage in my sleep. Yet, there was one matter I had in mind that wasn’t so routine.After a few more minutes, Mar
Selene’s POV**The first half of the day was completely useless. The moment Adrian left the house, I felt both relieved and restless. I sat down to eat breakfast, but it was hardly enjoyable. The silence in the house was thick, and the empty spaces reminded me that I had a mission here, though I wasn’t even sure what that mission really was. After breakfast, I headed back to my room, trying to collect my thoughts.Something about Adrian didn’t make sense. He seemed to have a clear purpose—a drive for revenge—but he never spoke about it directly. It was like he was hiding the full story. But even more than his silence, it was his voice that troubled me. When he spoke, there was a familiarity to it, like I had heard that voice before, though I couldn’t place where. I was one to remember faces, voices, even small details of every interaction. If there was a reason his voice sounded familiar, I should have known it. And yet, nothing came to mind. This nagging feeling wouldn’t go away, as
Selene’s POVThe next morning, I woke up while it was still dark, my mind still fille with the events of the night before. The anger had shifted into something colder, a determination that felt like iron inside me. I had nothing left to lose, and I refused to let Adrian—or anyone—treat me like I was a fool. That was what Callum had done, humiliating me and leaving me broken. Too many nights had been spent blaming myself for letting him control me. Adrian wasn’t going to get the same chance.After a long, hot shower, I dried off slowly, letting the warmth sink into me, as if the steam itself was giving me strength. I took my time picking out my clothes, feeling as if I were putting on a kind of armor. Once I was dressed, I headed downstairs, my heart beating a little harder when I saw Adrian already at the dining table, his attention on his phone. I paused in the doorway, gathering my courage, and then, determined to stand my ground, I walked over to the kitchen counter.As quietly as
Selene’s POVThe entire room seemed to press in on me, suffocating me with a flood of sensations that I couldn’t control. Adrian’s touch burned through me, igniting an unwanted heat that I didn’t recognize as my own. His hands were confident, assertive, moving as if they already knew how my body would respond. I hated myself for the way I reacted, for the way I melted under his gaze. Every fiber of my being wanted to resist, to push him away, but I found myself unable to do anything but surrender to the warmth pooling low in my stomach.And then, before I could stop it, a release shuddered through me. My legs trembled, my breathing ragged as I struggled to regain control. Adrian’s smug smile was the first thing I saw, his face too close, too knowing, as though he’d been expecting this outcome all along. A slow, satisfied smirk spread across his lips, and I felt a surge of disgust – for him, but more so for myself.The auction room faded into a blur around us as my shame intensified. I