"Now, tell me about Lexie." He'd known the time would come sooner or later, but it didn't make Marcus dread it any less. His gaze remained on the ceiling, but the sigh he heaved and the melancholy in his voice exposed just how bad he was feeling. "What do you want to know?" He asked. "I'm not sure." Just like him, Luisa didn't stop looking at the ceiling, her voice just as solemn. "I suppose I'd like to hear everything there is to know." Marcus didn't reply immediately. He hadn't exactly prepared a speech to recite to Luisa, but even as he lay there, he wasn't thinking of what he'd say. He simply enjoyed the peace the silence provided, because he doubted he would be able to feel this relaxed in a long time. "I met her randomly," When he did start speaking, he started his story from the beginning. "at one of the Lycan's clubs. She was acting suspicious and I picked an interest. Basically, she whacked me in the head with a bag, but I knew instantly. There was somet
They weren't exactly talking, so the sounds between them were the clatter of knives and forks on ceramic plates. Lila understood that her fiancé did not exactly value her conversation, so she did nothing but eat. They were in a very fancy restaurant, having lunch because she'd insisted she wanted to try it out, as she was new to the city. He hadn't vocally complained about having to leave work to take her out, but his clear scowl told her he hated to be bothered. So, she behaved herself. She only looked up from her meal when a loud ringtone pierced through the silence. Reaching into his suit jacket's hidden pocket, Paul brought out his phone. He gingerly raised an eyebrow at the Caller ID on the screen, but he answered the call, anyway. "Yes?" "Good afternoon, Mr. Knight." A male voice greeted from across the line. "I specified that you were not to call me except when absolutely necessary. This had better be important." Although mild and delivered calmly, the man at the oth
The truck at the Knight family villa surprised Derek. There was nothing wrong with it per se. It appeared absolutely normal with its unmarked red cart and large black wheels. What roused his suspicion was the fact that it was parked at the mansion's private driveway. Not many outsiders knew of the hidden road, as it connected to a secluded part of the house. The tale was that the alpha's grandfather had built it in case the family ever needed to escape their home. And what was worse, the truck was being controlled by humans. Two men in blue overalls loaded plain carton boxes into the vehicle, while another sat behind the wheel. They got the boxes from a garage, which in turn was connected to a part of the mansion that was off-limits. There was no doubting it—these boxes were being moved secretly. For a good second, Derek pondered if he should approach the men, but after a second thought, he resolved that he simply had to discover what they were doing.On noticing his approach, the me
Lexie halted in her tracks. Her fingers gripping the handle of the shopping bag she held in one arm, she pondered whether to move forward or race back the way she'd come. Too late. Marcus had noticed her, his gaze locking with hers. He didn't seem to go through the same moment of uncertainty as she had, for he walked straight ahead. Lexie's heartbeat pounded in her ears as he stopped in front of her, his face blank but his eyes intent on her. "Hey." "Hey." Lexie nearly winced at how squeaky her own greeting sounded. They said nothing else for a while. Really, what was she supposed to say to him? Ever since their awkward parting days ago, where he'd left her to chase after his girlfriend, they hadn't said a word to each other. In truth, they hadn't actually seen much. The awkwardness had only worsened during that period, and now, it was almost painful for them to be in each other's presence. "How are you?" Lexie asked, if only to crack the chilly ice between them. How
The sound of the door clicking open made Belinda look away from the mirror and turn towards it. As she had been expecting company, her lips curved as she spotted Lexie entering the apartment. Her fingers were working on pinning the gold-plated earrings onto her ear, and her eyes instinctively went to the shopping bag the other woman was carrying. On confirming Lexie had brought what she'd asked for, her smile widened. "That was quick," Belinda remarked, now clamping gold bracelets around her wrist. "Did you run to the store?" "To be accurate, I took a cab, but that's a close enough second." Lexie took her joke way too seriously. "Here you go." Belinda took the bag Lexie handed to her. Reaching into it, she took out a small cuboid box and removed the lid. Inside was a pair of beautiful heeled, gold sandals. Belinda felt relief at seeing the new shoes. At the very last minute, her old gold shoes had failed her, the sole coming apart as she'd put them on. That had shot a strok
A big burly bouncer in a professional suit stopped Belinda and Derek at the entrance of the gala, stretching one large hand out. "Invitation?" His voice was gruff as he asked. Derek promptly handed him the red envelope, and he tore it open to check the card inside. Once he'd gotten his confirmation, he stepped aside to allow them passage. "Have a lovely evening." "Thank you." Derek nodded politely at him as they crossed. A hand hooked in the crook of Derek's arm, Belinda walked into the event at his side. They appeared as any regular couple, granted a very attractive. The masks they wore could hardly hide the fact that they were both very attractive persons, and that got them a few passing glances. Thankfully, they drew no more attention. Belinda took a look around at the party hall. The decorations and set up were pretty, but nothing extraordinary or overly extravagant. The 3-star hotel the gala was being held at was more proof that this was not an event for billionaires
Sweet Linda... Belinda's fingers flew to her face, and she confirmed the golden mask was still in place. How had he recognized her, then? She asked herself. More importantly, how did he know her name? She was certain she'd never set eyes on him before. It had to be damn near impossible to forget someone that unsettling, wasn't it? But it seemed he knew her. Her eyes narrowing, she fixed the mysterious man in the navy blue suit with an icy stare. "You know me." It was more of a statement than a question, and it made the man's smile broaden. "That flimsy disguise could never fool me. I could recognize you anywhere, dear. And anytime." His voice dropped an octave at the last word, giving it meaning, a meaning Belinda didn't understand. "I don't know you." She stated bluntly. "I suppose that was the agreement." Flattening one hand over his chest and fisting the other at his back, the man gave her a mock bow. "Let me introduce myself again. I am Maddox Hawkmore, at you
At first, Belinda was too stunned to react. Derek's lips molded against hers, the soft flesh drawing surprising sensations from her. Nerves danced all around her skin, the tingles traveling to the tips of her breasts and the forbidden place between her legs. She felt her nipples harden, poking at the thin silk of her dress, and her eyes grew wide. Damn it all! At long last, Belinda closed her eyes, threw her arms around Derek's neck, and gave herself to the kiss. Her submission pumped confidence into his actions, a hand sliding to her waist as he pressed harder into the kiss. He kissed her firmly, but unsurely, as though he was holding a piece of himself back. The nonaggressive way he handled her was so different from what she had gotten accustomed to this past few months, that it caused her to sigh. The low exhale set flames to his blood, and he pushed his tongue between her parted lips to find her own. She was so sweet, Derek reveled in the taste of her. How had he not noticed ho
The cold concrete came in contact with Belinda's palms and despite her feeble resistance, it pushed them backward, towards her chest. She gasped when there was nowhere left for her hands to go, the wall now touching her breasts. The pressure on her chest grew insistent, suffocating her lungs and making it hard to breathe. A strangled cry escaped her when a sharp pain shot through her, torching all her nerve endings. She heard the bones break, felt her ribs pierce her flesh. This was it, then, she thought. She really was going to die. Tears welled up deep inside Belinda, fighting to flow down her cheeks. Closing her eyes, she gave herself up to her fate. Despite going back in time, despite doing it all over again, she still died at the hands of her family. Even when given a second chance, she still lived a pathetic life. Derek was having a hard time looking for Belinda. He was beginning to wonder if hiding his scent was worth it, because he could hardly smell anything with the perfum
Paul stood in the foyer of the mansion, feeling smug and confident in his own capabilities. He'd taken care of the root of his problems, snipped his troublesome sister right in the bud. Now, all that was left was to replenish his lost wealth. Ideas ran through his head. Yes, he could do that. By the end of the year, he would be out of bankruptcy, stable enough to chase more profitable business ventures. And in five years' time, he would have made enough to be counted as Chicago's youngest and richest billionaire once again. He was still daydreaming about his future riches when a henchman ran into the foyer. He, and the two guards at his sides, turned to face the man who had just entered the room. The man's anxious expression caught their attention, as they wondered what could make a grown man lose his cool that much. They didn't have to wait long to get an answer. "Sir, we've been compromised." The henchman panted, indicating that he'd run here. "The house is surrounded."Paul f
Belinda strained to see in the darkness, the only source of light being the small crack where the two walls met. Feeling the cold concrete, she searched for a way out, maybe a secret lever hidden on the inside. She found none, and not surprisingly. She suspected that the space had been designed to keep people in, not let them out. Giving up for the time being, she directed her gaze to the room. She already knew it was empty, from the time Paul had opened it. It was windowless, empty, and very small. Not for the first time, she wondered what it was for. The large smudges on both walls caught her eye. Squinting, she peered at one. The stain spanned most of the wall, several shades darker than the unpainted concrete. Belinda placed her hands on it and immediately recoiled. It had felt disgusting under her palms, its raised surface rough and dry. What had been smeared on these walls? The question was added to her long list about this place. As if to reply, a harsh and loud grating sound
Draven sat in the back of his SUV, the aura around him likable to a stormy night in the middle of an ocean. He was waiting, and he hated it. The longer his subordinates took to report back to him, the more restless he grew. His body vibrated with barely contained power, his gaze darker than the moonless sky. A moment later, his phone vibrated in his pocket and his expression never changing, he pulled it out. He swiped the screen, picking the call, and put the phone to his ear. "We've located Miss Knight, my lord." A deep voice droned into his ear an instant later. Draven listened to the address that came next, one he wasn't familiar with, then tilting his head towards his driver, repeated it. "How long is it from here?" The man behind the wheel hastily imputed the location into the car's GPS, and was provided with an answer soon after. "30 minutes, my lord. It's just on the outskirts of the city." Armed with information, Draven resumed the conversation with the one on the ph
Belinda's blacked-out mind gave way to consciousness, and the first thing she became aware of was the merciless throbbing In her forehead. Her entire body ached, as though her nerves were fighting a battle against her—and winning. Instinctively, she tried to find a position that was not so uncomfortable, but she felt like a log—too heavy and stiff to move. She realized then that despite her eyes being open, all she could see was pitch black. Her guess was that she was blindfolded, judging by the slight pressure around the diameter of her head, but she couldn't be sure. When she attempted to lower her hands to check, however, she met resistance. Without sight or mobility, Belinda had only intuition to use to assess her situation. She deduced that she was being pinned to a wall, both her hands held high above her head with handcuffs. Her bottom sat on a cold concrete floor, the dew on the surface seeping into her shorts and soaking it. She was alone, as far as she could tell, and in a
Draven never locked his doors, because every living being in the building knew to never disturb him without being summoned first. The only exclusion was his Beta, who he'd grown quite fond of over the decades. That privilege did not yet extend to his Beta's son and successor. The boy knew that, yet he walked through the front doors of the penthouse uninvited. And what was worse, he'd brought company. Dropping all he was doing, Draven leaned back into his chair, waiting for the trio to arrive. They found him soon enough, halting in front of his office's door. A soft knock sounded a second later, but the show of courtesy did little to lighten his mood. "May we come in, my lord?" Marcus' clear voice rang from behind the door. "You seem to have already come to a conclusion on that." The annoyance wasn't lost in Draven's reply. It should have been to scare them off, to give them the hint that he was not in the mood to entertain any guests. Yet, the wood swung open, ushering thr
Derek returned home well into the night, way past the customary 5 pm. He was newly discovering that a CEO working hard to revive his company was no easy job, and it often left him drained after a long day. Tonight, he heaved a sigh as he removed his suit blazer and pulled off his tie. As he stepped deeper into his apartment, however, he realized that his housemate's scent was way too faint, meaning she wasn't home. That made Derek frown, especially as to how late the hour was. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, absentmindedly strolling into his kitchen as he prepared to call her. That was when his eyes caught a piece of paper pinned onto his counter by a pan. He instinctively picked it up and went through it. “... wish for my own privacy...would appreciate if you respect my wishes.”Anger coursed through Derek at the words in the note. Like hell Belinda had moved out because she wanted “privacy”! She was simply locking him out again. Damn it, she hadn't even had the guts to
After closing the door behind her, Belinda gazed ahead at the room she would now be staying in till further notice. It wasn't the most luxurious quarters, but that was the thing about second-rate hotels—they were just below perfect and affordable.Dragging her luggage along, she advanced deeper into the room. She randomly deposited her bags on the floor and moved onto the bed. The soft mattress jerked as she plopped her bottom onto it, her mind too far gone to notice the bounce. Absentmindedly, she picked up the remote and switched on a channel. Although she gazed at the screen, she was not watching the TV program playing. She was thinking about too many things at once. Slipping out of Derek's apartment had been easy. As the other went to work early in the morning and came back late in the evening, she'd been able to pack her bags and leave without him realizing. She wasn't exactly running away. She'd left a piece of paper on the counter with her new address, which also specified the
"I've got a solution for all our problems." The proud declaration did not have the effect thought it would. Paul simply stared dead on at her, his flat expression displaying anything but curiosity. Georgina was no better. She did not appear irritated like her son, but her look was anything but impressed. "And what is that, dear?" Her tone was patient and indulging, like she was talking to a child she did not expect to say anything meaningful, but let him speak nonetheless. It annoyed Cecily senseless, but she forced herself to get past her anger. Pushing her chin even hire, she said, with just enough confident arrogance. "We trace the problem back to the source, and that's Belinda." "Moon goddess help me." The groan came from Paul. He rolled his eyes upward, praying to the deity above to grant him patience, because he was on the verge of committing murder. "Can you—for once in your life—not make everything about yourself and your crazed beliefs?" He snapped once he jud