BHYRONAmani left with grandpa a few minutes ago but I’m still seated behind my desk, staring at the CCTV footage on my computer and watching the bags I bought go up in smoke.My intention was to apologize to her. I guess that failed, woefully.I don’t give a shit about the amount of money I spent. I can make that back in seconds. What matters is the look of pure hatred I saw in Amani’s eyes. That will haunt me forever.I bury my face in my palms and take a deep breath. Amani looked angry. Enraged. How she knew I was watching her through the CCTV, I’d never know. But for a moment, it felt like she was looking straight into my eyes, like she knew I was there. I get to my feet and pace the room. My wedding is set to happen in the next thirty minutes. I’m already dressed up and waiting to be notified to come downstairs for the ceremony. My long term goal of marrying the one woman who has the power to set me ablaze with just one look is finally about to be fulfilled, but I’m restless.Dr
AMAYAEvery bride is always excited to see her groom on their wedding day. But the only emotion that flows through my veins right now is nervousness.Instead of staring at my groom with love in my eyes, I keep my gaze firmly trained on the guests as I walk down the semi-long aisle with grandpa by my side.While some of the men look back at me with genuine happiness and awe, I can’t say the same about the ladies. Most of them are young, about my age. The only people I recognize in the sea of faces are Sharon, her sister and Brielle. The rest are strangers. The ladies do not bother hiding their smirks and tiny frowns of jealousy and displeasure as I walk past. They’re all upset that New York City’s most gorgeous bachelor is going off the market… and I’m the reason for that.If only they knew the battle of confusion that currently brews in my heart. I would gladly exchange myself with any of these women in a heartbeat.“Remember, Amani,” grandpa whispers gruffly, snapping me to the pres
“Have you perhaps forgotten the terms of our deal?” I ask through gritted teeth exactly ten minutes later as Bhyron expertly spins me on the dance floor.He looks down at me, his eyes gleaming with disinterest as he asks; “what deal?”I’m a second away from bashing his head in, God help me.“This marriage is only supposed to last two years. It’s in the contract. You can’t go around saying stuff you don’t mean to grandma. It’ll be even harder for us to separate if you get her hopes up like this. The song suddenly changes and Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” slowly filters through the speakers, making the entire atmosphere appear even more romantic.My heart tightens as Bhyron presses me harder against his chest, giving me the full impact of those bright blue orbs. He leans closer and I stiffen in awareness as his hot lips brush my ears. When he speaks, his warm breath flows down my neck and I tremble in his grasp.“You should know by now, Little Caramel, that I’m a man of my word.” His voice is
AMANI I hear someone scream in the distance, a high pitched, bloodcurdling scream that has my toes curling with horror. It takes me three seconds to realize that the scream comes from me. “B-Bhyron…” I stutter, trying to draw his attention to the dead woman. “Bhyron, look…” My eyes are frozen on her beautiful, lifeless face. I cannot even bring myself to cry. “Are you okay…?” Bhyron turns around. The moment he stiffens above me, I know he’s seen her. The violent switch in his expression from worried to fearful is absolutely traumatizing to watch. “Grandma? Grandma!!” Bullets are still flying but he tries to crawl off me towards grandma Alice. Without thinking, I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight. “Let go! I need to check on grandma. Let go of me!” The pure, raw pain in his voice breaks the dam that holds my tears and they come flooding down my cheeks in torrents. I shake my head and hold on tighter, even when my arms and legs start to hurt from his viole
AMANI“…can you hold me…?”I take one look at those dark, vulnerable eyes and open my arms to him without hesitation. Bhyron’s entire expression lights up with relief as he steps forward. He wraps his arms around my waist and crushes my body against his, lifting me off my feet and backing me into the car. I wrap my legs around his waist and let him manhandle me without complaint.Once inside the car, Bhyron gently places me on the seat, then he stretches out and buries his head in my breasts. “Are you comfortable?” His soft baritone stirs something in my chest that has my throat clogging with tears.I clear my throat and blink back the stupid tears. “Um, yes. I am.”I don’t notice that the door is still open until Jay steps out and gently closes it. All that matters to me at the moment is Bhyron and the wonderful feeling of his weight pressed against me.We’re wrapped in our own little cocoon. For a moment, the world fades away and all that matters is the two of us.Without thinking
AMANI“…the doctors say he’s in a coma and might not make it…”I’m stunned to silence, Bhyron’s intending kiss momentarily forgotten. I lean back and hold his gaze as dread settles like boulders on my shoulders.My lips are already trembling. I can barely get a word out; “Wh-what did you say?”Bhyron’s eyes are dark and emotionless as he trails a fingertip over my cheek, saying nothing. I’m shaking now. I’m not sure, but I think my teeth are chattering.I’m yet to process that Grandma Alice was killed. Now, this? I can’t take it. My heart can’t take this anymore.Deep down, I’m wondering how Bhyron manages to look so composed. He lost a grandparent and has one on the verge of death in just one night, but aside from the look of devastation in his eyes, he still gives off his signature dark lord vibe — cool and unaffected — while I’m on the verge of having a fully blown panic attack.“He was rushed to the hospital the second I discovered he was shot. My mother and siblings are with him.
AMANIThe air is no longer thick with sexual heat. It’s burning with jealousy. I didn’t think it was serious at first, but the annoyance in Bhyron’s eyes is so potent, I can feel it deep in my soul.“Bhyron, Jay is a wonderful, handsome man, but he’s also your chief-of-security. I would never…”I must’ve said something wrong because his arms around my waist tightens and something flashes in his eyes, something dangerous.“So you think he’s wonderful. And handsome.”Oh, shit.I’m definitely enjoying this. I didn’t expect it, but the mere thought that I can make Bhyron jealous fills me with a heady sense of power. “He is.” I state shortly.I can feel the anger literally roll off of him in waves. He shuts his eyes and shockingly buries his face in my neck, holding me close.“You drive me crazy, little caramel.” He mutters. “You drive me so fucking crazy.”It takes all my self control to stop myself from kicking my feet in the air with glee.“Um… sorry?”He leans back, his eyes shining w
AMANII wake up from a fitful sleep three hours later, feeling groggy and tired as hell. One glance at the messy bed reveals that I’d tossed and turned all night. I kept having nightmares, none that I remember right away.Goosebumps rise on my skin as I survey the room, noting Bhyron’s absence. All the lights are off but he plugged in the nightlights for me before leaving. He still remembers that I’m scared of the dark.The thought fills my heart with warmth seconds before I shake some common sense into my rapidly thumping heart.We don’t want to fall in love with Bhyron Macaulay any further than we already have, now do we?All the horrible memories from the previous day come flooding back the moment I open my eyes. The attack. Grandma’s death. Grandpa’s condition.My heart twists painfully when I remember how I cried and begged Bhyron to take me along with him to the hospital. He bluntly refused, stating very clearly;“Please stay where I’m sure you’d be safe, Amani. I’m already worr
AMANIMy eyes are firmly shut as I thrash around on the bed in search of my anchor, in search of my source of strength. But he’s not here. He’s gone. I know he is. When he was here, the piercing pain in my heart had reduced to a dull throb. The dirty, contaminated feeling that tainted my soul stayed far away, too scared of his darkness to come close. The heavy feeling in my limbs had disappeared, too. When he was here, he protected me. He shielded me from Antonio’s grubby hands. But now that he’s gone, I’m being bombarded with everything at once. The excruciating discomfort is back. My demons have returned to attack me and he’s not here to fight them off.I can hear voices in the distance and even though I’m clutched in the throes of a horrible nightmare, I still call out for him. I need him. I listen carefully, hoping I hear his voice, hoping he comes back for me.When the pain becomes unbearable, I curl into myself and hot tears slip past my tightly shut eyelids. My soul takes a
BHYRONI hear Amani’s screams from down the hall and it tears through my soul like a fiery blade. I run blindly and don’t stop until I’m storming into the master bedroom. The sight that greets me shatters my nonexistent heart to pieces.Amani is writhing and shaking in bed. The once perfectly laid sheets pool around her legs and arms, evidence of her distraught.Without uttering a word and driven by an urgency that makes my blood boil, I take off my shoes and climb into the bed with her, pulling her trembling body flush against my chest. Her eyes are firmly shut but the second I touch her, tears still manage to leak through.The sight of her wet cheeks unravels an animalistic intensity inside of me, but I have to tame it and take care of my baby. Amani is my only priority. She’s more important than even my darkness. “Bhyron…” she whimpers, clinging onto me like a baby monkey. “It hurts. It hurts so much. I can’t take it anymore. Please, make it stop.”I hug her fiercely and kiss her
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DELICATE TOPICS LIKE SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SELF HARM. PLEASE REFRAIN IF YOU’RE TRIGGERED BY SUCH TOPICS.***AMANII’m hallucinating. I’m sure of it. I’ve been hallucinating for the past hour.One moment I was lying on the grimy floors of the phone booth, thinking I’d never get to see Zuri again and the next, an Angel appeared right in front of me.I looked up at him dazed and confused, blinded by the sheer beauty of his bright, golden air and pure white shirt. Even now, I can still remember the unique colour of his eyes — silver and narrowed, while his head shook with pity as he looked down on me.“Are you Angel?” I ask, my voice weak and barely audible.“Yes, I am. What would you like me to do for you?”A real Angel?! What a treat. Or maybe I was hallucinating.“Take me home, please.” I begged, wrapping my arms tightly around my middle. “I’m so cold. I think I’m freezing.”“Your wish is my command, princess.”Without uttering another word, the Angel swept
BHYRONIt’s been an hour. One full hour and my woman is still nowhere to be found. The mere thought of her cold and probably lying hurt somewhere sends pinpricks of pain through my heart. I haven’t been able to sit still. The penthouse is currently teeming with police officers and private investigators, but none of them have been able to say anything reasonable concerning Amani’s whereabouts. I’m giving them five more minutes to come up with something other than “we’re still searching.” If not, I’ll go out there and search for her myself. The fingers in my pockets are tightly clenched and it takes every ounce of self control I possess to stop myself from ripping the hair off my scalp. I feel like a bloody ticking bomb. One tiny mistake from anyone here and I’ll explode.“Sir, for the past thirty minutes, our men have tried their best to trace the call your wife made to Miss Zuri, but information reaching us is that the rain damaged some of the land lines and the signal is in shamble
BHYRONI arrive at the Hope Fortress for the second time to meet police cars parked on the grounds. My mood is too foul to speak to the cops right now and thankfully, they’re just leaving. I take the private elevator to my penthouse and try to appear as calm as possible while a bloody war is literally brewing in my veins. The second I step inside the brightly lit interior, I grab the first guard that I see, which, as luck would have it, happens to be Duncan.My vision is red and bloody with venomous rage as I slam him back first against the nearest wall, wrap both my hands around his throat and squeeze until his face is as red as a clown’s nose and he can barely speak. “Where is she?” I growl through clenched teeth. “I left my wife in your care for two hours, just two fucking hours, and she’s gone?! You have five minutes to provide her hale and hearty, otherwise, I’ll have you and your useless men slaughtered. That’s a fucking promise!” The atmosphere is thick and choking with tens
AMANII’m not sure how long I’ve trekked in the freezing cold, but I’m exhausted, hungry and frustrated.I haven’t stopped crying and hiccuping since Antonio kicked me out of their car and I’m still struggling to come to terms with the fact that I was almost raped.Minutes pass by and my headache returns. Combined with body pain and blurry vision, all I want to do is give up, lie on the wet street and wait for help. But if I do that, I’d either freeze to death or get attacked again.So I keep pushing. I’m half naked and on the verge of exhaustion. I feel like I’d pass out and die in the next few minutes, but I keep pushing. I try to count the seconds and minutes in my hazy mind. By the time I come across a pay phone ten minutes later, I’m pretty sure my soul has left my body. I duck into the glass booth, glad to have a temporary reprieve from the rain. I can’t stay very long though. The area seems dangerous and there’s barely another human being out here.My mood gradually takes a n
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SEXUALLY VIOLENT SCENES. PLEASE DO NOT CONTNUE IF YOU’RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH SUCH SCENES…***AMANIMy head is ringing. My heart is thumping. My entire body is stiff and I can taste pain at the back of my throat, but none of those horrible feelings can be compared to the icy fingers of terror that grip my heart as Antonio slowly starts to caress my sex.My body goes completely stiff, hoping he’d be thrown off by my lack of response, but the exact opposite happens. Antonio keeps rubbing my sex, pressing his thumb against my clit and murmuring dirty words in my ear that make my skin crawl.“Relax, Mrs. Macaulay. Don’t pretend like you don’t like this. I’m sure your husband touches you this way every night after he’s done fucking the whores in his club. And I’m sure you enjoy it.”His words rip through my heart like a well-aimed arrow and my tears fall harder. I never imagined that Bhyron was still sleeping with other women. We never spoke about seeing other
AMANI For a split second, I vehemently choose to believe that that vile statement is the Gunam Brothers’ hilarious attempt at a joke. But the wicked gleam in Antonio Gunam’s eyes and the glint of desire as their gaze rove over my chest and jean-covered thighs alert my hazy mind that there’s nothing remotely hilarious about my situation. “W-wait… you want me to work as a sex slave?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. “Are you hard of hearing?” Antonio snaps, his eyes sparking with annoyance. Terror swims in my veins and I look around, desperately searching for a means of escape. “You’re trapped with us, Mrs. Macaulay. There’s absolutely no way you’d be able to escape if we don’t set you free ourselves.” Anton says quietly. I fold my trembling fingers in my lap and blink. They can read minds, too? Anger swirls in my brain when I think of Aunt Ophelia. She’s the reason I’m in this situation. Why did her greedy ass borrow another nine hundred thousand dollars without te
AMANIHunched over on my hands and knees on the smoothly carpeted floor of a luxurious car while two men who are most likely twice my size burn me to crisps with their eyes is not how I planned to spend the remainder of this horrible day.Slowly, I rise to my feet and sink into one of the seats opposite them, trying to cover up the icy fear that’s currently eating up my intestines like acid with a frown.I’m scared to death, I can’t think straight, but I sure as hell won’t let these big bad wolves eat me while I’m on the floor.The men are…twins? They have identical pitch black hair and fierce, wicked green eyes. Oh, and it doesn’t end there. They have on the exact same outfit — black leather jackets over a black shirt, black jeans and black boots. The silver glint of the expensive Rolex on both their wrists somehow adds to the ice-cold tension in the room. They’re even sitting alike, with their left legs crossed over the right one. Oh, and they’re gorgeous as hell. Although they b