VALERIAI had to run out of there before I did something I’d regret. My heart raced as I stormed out of his office in a fit of panic.Fuck! What just happened?!I placed a shaky finger over my lips.The taste of Reese’s kiss still clung to my lips, a dangerous temptation that made me want to forget everything—revenge, betrayal, the endless war between us.Anger rippled through me, not targeted at Reese but at myself for falling into his trap yet again! And more shamefully, at my desire for more. Hell, I didn't want him to stop. I wanted more!I slapped my cheeks in frustration.What the hell are you thinking, Valeria?! Have you gone nuts?!I chided myself mentally and hurried to my car.Damn him!” I muttered under my breath as I climbed into my car, gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white.I needed distance, needed to get home, and cleared my head before I made another mistake.Damn it, what suddenly came over me? How did I allow that to happen again?!I c
VALERIA Dave's small hand rested gently on my hand, calming the fury roaring within me.That simple, harmless gesture instantly relieved the strain in my chest, steadying my heartbeat and making the world feel less dangerous.I forced the vile drink out of my throat, gagging as I spat it. The acrid taste persisted, but there was something more—a bitter flavor—that made me nervous. It was then that it struck me.Poison!There was poison in the drink!My eyes widened. Who could have poisoned me?!I froze, a chilly realization seeping through me like ice. My mind raced with questions.How did this occur? Who could have accomplished this? The walls of this house no longer felt secure; they were no longer mine.Could it be Reese? My stomach twisted at the thought. Chase’s warning echoed in my mind:"Reese is dangerous, Valeria. If you get too close, he’ll destroy you.”I gazed down at my son, his wide, innocent eyes staring at me. Could Reese actually be playing me? Luring me into a trap?
VALERIAThe moment I saw Victor's face snap sideways from the force of Reese’s slap, anger ignited inside me like wildfire.I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed. Why would Reese always blow things out of proportion?!The air between us crackled with tension as I glared at him, and I had to stop myself from lunging at him right then and there. My hands clenched into tight fists at my sides as I rounded on him.“What the hell were you thinking?” I yelled, my voice trembling with fury. “Why would you slap an investor? Are you out of your mind?”Reese’s eyes burned with a mix of anger and something else—something darker as he looked at Victor.His chest heaved as he tried to steady his breathing. But instead of the apology I expected, he spat out words that only added fuel to my fire.“That man,” he began, his voice low and dangerous, “invested in the project because he knew you were back. It wasn’t about business, Valeria. He was interested in you even though he's now married wit
REESE“Do you really think I’m trying so hard to win back your love because I have an ulterior motive? Oh, God. You scare me senseless, Valeria. I love you, and I want you with every ounce of my breath.”Hell, why was she so blind to see that I really cared about her? I was willing to do anything to win her back!But she's been so clouded by her thirst for revenge that she can't even see the glimmer of truth and trust me.Deep down, I knew there was a part of her, even the tiniest part, that felt the same way.For heaven's sake! For the first time in my life, I was too weak to control my emotions. I craved her beside me so terribly that it was sometimes suffocating to breathe. If only I could rip apart my chest so she could see how relentlessly my heart beat for her and only her alone.It was building inside me like a storm, churning with every passing moment until I couldn’t take it anymore."I can’t do this anymore,” I said, the words tumbling out before I could filter them. “I can’
VALERIAI was getting ready for bed, almost dozing off, when a knock at the door jolted me from my daze.Stunned by the odd intrusion, I gathered myself, taking precautions as I gingerly approached the door with furrowed brows.Who could that be at such an odd hour of the night?Intruders? Nope. They wouldn't be that courteous to use the front door. Then who?I paused at the door, adjusting my nightgown, before I opened the door.I blinked repeatedly, hoping it wasn't a dream, because what in Blazer's name was Reese doing at my front door by 11:47 p.m.?!What more did he want now? And besides, why was he here with Derek?“Reese? What are you doing here at this hour of the night?” I demanded, my voice tinged with irritation.Something flickered in his eyes—a storm of emotions that I couldn't fathom—but they quickly disappeared as soon as they came.He didn't say anything at first. Instead, he just froze, eyeballing me as if I were some juicy steak that he hadn't eaten in decades.I gul
VALERIA“You really aren’t going to invite me inside, Valeria?” His words kept ringing in my head, taunting me to give in to the wild desires writhing inside of me.I wasn’t sure I had the strength to say no to him, to the need that pulsed between us like a live wire. I wanted to give in, to let him walk in and erase all the distance we pretended was there. But I also knew that once that line was crossed, there’d be no going back.My heart caught in my throat, my resolve crumbling under the weight of his words. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to let him in, to give in to the desire that had been burning inside me for so long.My mind was a whirl of confusion and longing; the logical part of me was struggling to maintain control.It would have been so easy to say yes and let him sweep me up in his arms and carry me to my bed, where we could lose ourselves in each other. But the fear of getting hurt again was too strong—a barrier I wasn't ready to lower just yet.But deep down, I
LVALERIAHe was relentless, his hands and mouth driving me to the edge with a skill that only he possessed. He knew my body better than anyone and knew exactly how to touch me to make me come undone. And I was coming undone faster than I could have anticipated, my body aching for release.How he was still able to remember every curve and dip of my body after all these years baffled me.“I need you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of our heavy breathing.Fuck, my cunt was screaming for attention, aching to be touched by the one man that I couldn't stop loving after all these years.He didn’t need to be told twice. His hands moved to the waistband of my pants, unbuttoning them with a deftness that spoke of years of practice. I let out a shaky breath as he peeled them down my legs, his eyes darkening as he took in the sight of me fully bare before him.“God, Valeria,” he muttered, his voice thick with need. He dropped to his knees before me and gripped my waist.I g
REESE"Dating?!” She echoed, almost incredulous.I nodded firmly, sincerity furrowing my brows. I was dead serious. I wanted her to be mine so badly that I was running impatient by the second."I don’t know, Reese.” She shook her head, her voice low and laced with uncertainty. “A week won’t change anything.”My heart sank in disappointment, but I wasn't just going to give up like that! I must make her mine!My grip on my waist tightened, and my eyes searched hers intently. “What if it does? What if it gives us a chance to figure things out? To see if this—"I gestured between us—"is worth fighting for?”Something flickered in her eyes. Hope perhaps? But it quickly disappeared as soon as it came.The hope was unbearable, and I wanted to reach out, grab hold of that hope, and cling to it as tightly as if I were clinging to dear life. But she was making things difficult if she kept pushing me away.“And what happens when the week is over?” she asked, her voice trembling. “What if it just