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2024-10-29 19:42:56Riley’s POV
A pair of firm hands pinned me in the bathroom stall, covering my mouth to stop me from screaming. Relaxed dark grey eyes locked with mine, obviously intoxicated with alcohol just like I was—and my heartbeat raced as my eyes widened with fear.
“I saw your moves on the dance floor, and I thought why don’t I get a private moment with the star,” He whispered against my skin, and I closed my eyes, feeling the adrenaline rushing in my veins as I tried to escape his grasp.
Only to be slammed into the wall—bringing up memories of that dreadful night.
“I’m sure you won’t mind a quickie,” he whispered again before kissing behind my ear, trailing wet, sloppy kisses down on my neck, and I felt the tears rolling down my cheek.
My eyes flew open, and I sat up—breathing heavily as if I was running in a marathon—all of this because of a stupid nightmare, triggering my eyes and the tears blurred my vision.
I felt a h
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Riley’s POV I stared at my phone’s screen, feeling the blood boiling in my name as I reread the message for the tenth time around—the high-pitched ring bell pulled my attention away from the infuriating message, seeing my sister’s name on the top of the screen as I received a message from her. I tapped the message, and the screen redirected me to her chat, noticing tons of messages I hadn’t noticed because I had abandoned my phone yesterday. I scrolled down to the latest message, feeling a bang of guilt in my chest as I sensed Lara’s worried tone through her message. Lara: Hey, you didn’t pick up my calls, and didn’t reply to my messages or Athena’s. Are you okay? I typed the chatting bar, and the keyboard popped up, only for me to stare at the letters—definitely mocking me for not knowing what to say. Hey, Lara, I didn’t answer because some asshole at the club tried to rape me, not to mention I drank alcohol whi
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Riley's POV "Is the blindfold necessary?" I questioned as I stumbled on a rock in the way—it wasn't like I saw it with this thing covering my eyes. Zack was supposed to be my eyes since he was holding my hand, and his other hand was on my waist—guiding me to this stupid picnic date. Apparently, he was as blind as me. "I told you I'm sorry, stop being such a brat," he retorted, and I stopped in my place—snapping my head to where his face was supposed to be—instantly feeling his warm, minty breath on my face. "Did you just call me a brat?" I heard his light chuckle—feeling a little huff of air on my face as he chuckled. The heat traveled to my cheeks—I was embarrassing myself. "You stumble on everything," he remarked, and his words refreshed my mind, playing every scenario. I stumbled on something and fell on him. It was just once or twice. "You are throwing a tantrum over nothing, princess, and I don't want to r
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"She isn't your type," Luciana beat me up first and a low chuckle escaped my lips."Hello to you too, stranger," I said sarcastically and she rolled her eyes.We were really doing this. Talking after two years, and the first thing she said was about Riley.Same old Luciana, always judging my choices. But she was right, Riley wasn't my type, I never had a type to start with.I was the ladies' man, every day with a different woman filling my needs. That habit didn't die away as I thought, I still had fun every once in a while."You are a sex freak and she's…""She's better than my type, a virgin," I continued her sentence with a lopsided smirk and she deadpanned at me.Tough crowd."You didn't change a bit," she bellowed and started to walk away. I closed my eyes and sighed, cursing under my breath be
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Riley's POVI stared at the white ceiling with my legs dangling off the bed—my hands were on my stomach, trying to silence the butterflies every time Zack popped up in my thoughts."You look so down for him… what happened to the woman who told me she won't fall for the rich, cocky playboy?" Lucy bugged, and I groaned—grabbing the pillow and covering my face as I screamed into it.I lowered the pillow to my lap, and sat up, looking at Lucy as she went through my outfits. "I don't know what happened to me—my mind is somehow holding me back, but my heart fell way too hard for him," I answered in a frustrated voice.My fingers traced my lips unconsciously as my mind replayed the kiss in my head—how do I get it out of my mind? I could still feel his lips on mine, the taste of strawberries mixed with whiskey lingered in my mouth, and I groaned, throwing my back on the bed&mda
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Riley's POVI loved how the wind went through my hair, the burning in my calves as I ran if I was in a marathon. It felt great not to have anything tying you—no attachments or anything.It was a habit for me to take early morning runs when I had a lot on my mind, but actually, I was avoiding Zack. I slowed down my pace gradually until I stopped by the beach—touching my lips as I remembered yesterday's kiss—my third kiss.I closed my eyes as I felt the ghost of his lips on mine—the butterflies swarmed in my stomach as my mind recreated the feeling of his soft lips on mine. My heart was falling all over again, and I… I don't know what to do.I don't understand my heart anymore.My phone rang, and I opened my eyes, looking at the scenery ahead of me for a few seconds before grabbing my armband. I took the phone out—Lara's name flashed on the scre
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Zack's POVI watched my lawyer intently as he checked the contract, flipping to the other page as I side glanced at Javier who was beginning to look bored—my work was never fun when it came to risking the company with uncleaned money."Any clauses, Lyle?" I broke the silence, and he lifted his gaze off the papers, peering at me through his reading glasses."No, everything is great, but I don't understand why you won't sign Arnau's contract," he said with furrowed brows as he took off his reading glasses.Javier snorted, pulling out Arnau's contract and placing it on the desk. Lyle picked the papers hesitantly—wearing his glasses again as I let Javier fill him in with the details."Lyle, you'll find on page six that there can't be a third-party partner in the club. Arnau signed a contract with Noah Hernandez, not only him— while there's Carlos De Luca who's
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Riley's POVI stared at my phone's screen, feeling the blood boiling in my name as I reread the message for the tenth time around—the high-pitched ring bell pulled my attention away from the infuriating message, seeing my sister's name on the top of the screen as I received a message from her.I tapped the message, the screen redirected me to her chat, noticing tons of messages I haven't noticed because I abandoned my phone yesterday.I scrolled down to the latest message, feeling a bang of guilt in my chest as I sensed Lara's worried tone through her message.Lara: Hey, you didn't pick up my calls, and didn't reply to my messages or Athena's. Are you okay?I typed the chatting bar, and the keyboard popped up, only for me to stare at the letters—definitely mocking me for not knowing what to say.Hey, Lara, I didn't answer because some asshol
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Riley's POVIf someone told me a week ago I would take a plane to Ibiza and then stay with a sexy playboy in a fancy hotel suite, agreeing to a stupid deal that a total stranger came up with just to prove to him that my heart isn't able to love again—I would've thought it was a joke.I'm mad at myself for agreeing because damn me and my stupid heart—I'm catching feelings… no I'm falling in love with that total stranger while I wanted to prove him the opposite.And it wasn't because he got me the extra cheesy burger I love or the homemade churros—well, food is typically the fastest way to a woman's heart, add a nice picnic spot preferably somewhere surrounded by nature, and voila you got yourself an instant crush.Zack was very aware of what he was doing, he was playing his cards right to gain my attention.Well… he did get my full attention. This might be my very first date after Chris and I know I should forget about him which I'm trying to do but it's a slow ongoing process.But th
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Zack's POVI traced my lips with my fingers with a goofiest grin on my face as I stared at the ceiling, replaying the intense make out in my brain for the hundredth time.It wasn't like I haven't kissed someone before, but Riley was… she's special, and I'm falling hard for her."Zack," her soft voice crooked out, and I was pulled out of my thoughts—returning back to the silent room."Yes, Riles," I answered her, feeling my chest tighten with concern—it was as if I could feel what she was feeling now. Fear."Nevermind." She sounded hesitant, and it wasn't the answer I was expecting. I sat up and looked at the opaque splitterCan you sleep with me?" SheI thought spending time with Zack would be a living hell, or awkward as hell but here I was having dinner with him, enjoying the sunset, and talking wi
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Riley's POVI thought spending time with Zack would be a living hell, or awkward as hell but here I was having dinner with him, enjoying the sunset, and talking with him—scratch that we were playing the twenty-question game to know each other well. It wasn't my idea, of course, but it was better than the dead-ass silence.We drifted into an entirely different conversation after he made a serious confusion."Pineapples don't belong on pizza," I argued as I stuffed my mouth with the mouthwatering extra cheesy burger—Zack gave me a dead-serious look, and I lowered the burger, eyeing him with disgust as I chewed on my food.He was serious about the pineapples on pizza."You could always give it a try," he needled, stretching a slice of his untouched pizza, and I eyed it with terror as if he was offering me a dead rat.A deep chuckle roared from his ch
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Riley's POVI thought spending time with Zack would be a living hell, or awkward as hell but here I was having dinner with him, enjoying the sunset, and talking with him—scratch that we were playing the twenty question game to know each other well. It wasn't my idea, of course, but it was better than the dead-ass silence.We drifted into an entirely different conversation after he made a serious confusion."Pineapples don't belong on pizza," I argued as I stuffed my mouth with the mouthwatering extra cheesy burger—Zack gave me a dead serious look, and I lowered the burger, eyeing him with disgust as I chewed on my food.He was serious about the pineapples on pizza."You could always give it a try," he needled, stretching a slice of his untouched pizza, and I eyed it with terror as if he was offering me a dead rat.A deep chuckle roared from his ch
CEO on the island |37|
"So, how did you meet my brother? Friends with benefits, or are you a gold digger?" He blurted, and I blinked at him, shaking my head as if I didn't hear what he said."Excuse me?" I was about to take my hand out of his grasp, but he tightened his grasp around my hand, pulling me towards him.I swear I could smell the intoxicating smell of his expensive cologne. My stomach tightened once his gaze sharpened at me. "You must've mistaken me for someone else," I don't know how I told him that without a shaky tone.I tried to pull my hand away, but it was a bad idea—he only tightened his hand, his fingers were digging into my skin."Zack doesn't do relationships, and you don't look like one of his junkie bozos, so maybe a gold digger," he opened his mouth again, flickering his greenish eyes between mine."Did Tony pay you to lure him, princess?" He asked in a
CEO on the island |36|
Riley's POV"Is the blindfold necessary?" I questioned as I stumbled on a rock in the way—it wasn't like I saw it with this thing covering my eyes. Zack was supposed to be my eyes since he was holding my hand, and his other hand was on my waist—guiding me to this stupid picnic date.Apparently, he was as blind as me."I told you I'm sorry, stop being such a brat," he retorted, and I stopped in my place—snapping my head to where his face was supposed to be—instantly feeling his warm minty breath on my face."Did you just call me a brat?" I heard his light chuckle—feeling a little huff of air on my face as he chuckled.The heat traveled to my cheeks—I was embarrassing myself. "You literally stumble on everything," he remarked, and his words refreshed my mind, playing every scenario I stumbled on something and fell on him.It
CEO on the island |35|
Riley's POV"Is the blindfold necessary?" I questioned as I stumbled on a rock in the way—it wasn't like I saw it with this thing covering my eyes. Zack was supposed to be my eyes since he was holding my hand, and his other hand was on my waist—guiding me to this stupid picnic date.Apparently, he was as blind as me."I told you I'm sorry, stop being such a brat," he retorted, and I stopped in my place—snapping my head to where his face was supposed to be—instantly feeling his warm minty breath on my face."Did you just call me a brat?" I heard his light chuckle—feeling a little huff of air on my face as he chuckled.The heat traveled to my cheeks—I was embarrassing myself. "You literally stumble on everything," he remarked, and his words refreshed my mind, playing every scenario I stumbled on something and fell on him.It
CEO on the island |34|
Zack's POV"So, where are we going exactly?" Riley's voice broke over the soft music playing. I glanced at her, holding my breath as I absorbed in her beauty.The way the air flowed through her hair, touching her skin softly—her hazel eyes were focused on the trees as we passed them in a blur.That dress hugged her body at the right places, and yellow was definitely her color—it made her look happy. Not for a long time because every once she sneaks a quick glance at her phone, then her face changes to a worried, distressed one."It won't be a surprise if I told you, cupcake." She looked at me with a frown."Monkey feathers. My name isn't this hard, I can even help you spell it out," she quipped, and I gave her an impressed side glance before focusing on the road—a sinister smirk tugged on my lips as the dirty comment popped up in my mind.
CEO on the island |33|
Riley's POV"So, any excuses for being late?" I snapped my gaze at him, crossing my arms against my chest.Instead, he eyed me from head to toes before finally meeting my gaze with his breathtaking smile. "You look incredible, yellow is definitely your color," he faltered, sticking his hand out for me."Are you silencing me with a compliment?" I snorted, and that stupid boyish grin grew on his face.Remember how you fell on this date. The voice in the back of my head tried to remind me that I got myself into this.I just placed my hand into his warm grasp—and that electric feeling traveled down my spine, waking up the butterflies. Yeah… that's the feeling I despise the most.Yet he made me somehow like it."Let's just end this thing," I said with sass in my tone—thanking god that my voice didn't crack.
