Hailey's POV
The man looms in front of me, and I'm able to trace out his huge form in the darkness. He towers above me by at least a feet, his presence intimidating and radiating menace. The alcohol is completely gone now, leaving me sobered up, and I realize just how vulnerable I am. Trying to act smart would do nothing to help right now, as he can easily overpower me with his size, so I settle for the next best thing. Begging. "Please, just let me go. What do you want?" He chuckles, a low sound that makes my skin crawl. He steps closer, backing me against the cold brick wall. "Don't come any closer," I warn him, trying to portray the boldness I don't feel, but my voice betrays me. He blocks me from the street, so if anyone were to pass by, they wouldn't be able to see what's happening. "Now, why would I do that, baby girl? When I have you right where I want you?" His calloused palm grazes my cheek, sending a jolt of revulsion through me. His other hand begins to roam down my arm. Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision, and my body begins to tremble. "Please," I whisper, my voice shaking with fear. He ignores me, his hand cupping my breasts roughly. A sob escapes my lips, a sound of terror. My vulnerable state only seems to drive the man forward, as he rips my shirt open, exposing my bra. "Aren't you a juicy one," he mutters, his eyes raking over my breasts lustfully. It causes me to shudder in disgust. The sudden sound of a motorcycle engine approaching cuts through the night. I open my mouth to scream, but he clamps a hand over it. "Hush, baby. We don't want someone interrupting our fun, do we?" Desperate, I muster every ounce of strength in me and manage to push him away. He staggers back, but only a few inches. I raise my knee, aiming for his crotch. The man doubles over in pain, a strangled groan escaping him. I take the chance to run, my feet pounding against the pavement. However, I don't go far as he catches me. I scream for help as loud as I can, and the man covers my mouth again, but I bite his grimy hand. He winces, retracting it from my mouth. I kick him again, but he barely flinches, seemingly prepared for it this time. The bike's headlights pierce through the darkness, and I wave my hands frantically, ignoring the state of my torn shirt. The man, relentless, still grabs me again, but isn't able to do anything this time as the headlights shine directly on us. The motorcycle screeches to a halt, and the rider steps down, leaving the headlight on to illuminate the area. It offers me some feeling of safety, as I'm assured he has nothing to do with the assaulter. He is tall, clad in black leather, his face covered by a helmet. The man holding me tightens his grip around my body, his fingers digging into my skin. "Look, champ," the assaulter sneers. A little spittle spills from his mouth, landing on my cheek. 'Ew.' "I'm having a private discussion with my girlfriend. Mind your business and move along. The rider removes his helmet. I'm not able to make out much of his face, except the curve of a smile in the dim light. He takes a step closer to us. I squint my eyes, the light now shining directly into them. "Doesn't seem to me like she's enjoying the conversation." The man glances at me, "Am I right?" I nod frantically, unable to speak. "We're going to play a little game," the rider says calmly. "I'll count down from five, and I expect that you should have let her go before I get to one. If not... let's just say you won't be bothering any woman again." It is fascinating, how he can threaten a man this big without any fear. He isn't small, himself, but it's obvious the man is larger than he is. The man holding me sneers. "Your threats don't scare me." "Five. Four. Three..." "Bitch!" the assaulter screams, momentarily loosening his grip on me. I wrench myself free, running to hide behind the biker. The biker's eyes flicker over my torn shirt, his jaw tightening. His fists clench as he steps toward the assaulter. "How dare you disrespect a woman like that?" He doesn't wait for an answer, his fist connecting with the man's face, the sound of a bone breaking following. He doesn't let the man recover from the blow, landing him blow after blow. The assaulter stumbles backward, reaching into his pocket. He pulls out a long object, which flashes in the moonlight. A dagger. He lunges at the biker, a growl sounding from his mouth. The biker manages to dodge on time, sending him sprawling. The biker ceases the chance and kicks him from the back, causing him to sloppily topple to the ground. He straddles him, pinning his hands behind his back. He pulls out a pair of handcuffs. 'He's a cop?' "You're a cop?" I ask, my voice hoarse. He stands up, walking in my direction. I take a step back, with the thought that he's heading for me. But he walks past me, to his bike. He pulls off his jacket and hands it to me, his eyes lingering on my exposed chest with a frown on his face. I take it, saying a word of appreciation. Then he takes his helmet, puts it back on and clicks it in place. "No," he responds, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I carry them around for special purposes." He winks. A blush creeps up my neck. He revs the engine. "You coming?"Hailey's POV The stranger had driven me back to the hotel in comfortable silence. Coincidentally, he happened to be staying here too, and in the room opposite mine. When he first dropped me off and followed me to the elevator, I thought it was for my safety. But it turned out he was just trying to get to his own room. I still don't know his name though. I couldn't find the courage to ask, and he seemed like wasn't going to share it either - the excuse I gave myself for not asking. When I get to my room, the first thing I do is strip off my ruined shirt, then I take a long, hot bath to get rid of the stench and stress from the day. The bath eases the physical tension, but the memory of the assault is still firmly imprinted in my mind. Although the biker had called the cops, it still feels like the man would suddenly appear in my room to finish what he started. Speaking of cops, I can't believe I thought he was one. A smile tugs on my lips. I should have known from his
Hailey's POV I wake up to the shrill cry of my alarm from my bedside table. "Just a few more minutes," I mumble, my eyes still sealed. I fumble around for the annoying device, but I send it crashing to the ground, forcing me to finally open my eyes. I instantly regret doing so, as the sunlight filtering into the room is blinding. I forgot to draw the blinds before I went to sleep last night. Shading my eyes with the back of my hand, I sit up in bed. I feel groggy, my head feels like there's a whole parade going on in it. The alarm still blares, only adding to my headache. I bend to pick it up, but I instantly regret it, as a wave of nausea washes over me. I bolt for the bathroom, the remaining contents of my dinner heaving into the toilet. Since the week began, I've been battling new issues in my body every day. Headaches, dizzy spells, tiredness, and most recently, nausea and vomiting. Bloated and sluggish, I stare at my reflection. Each glance at myself in the mirror
Levi's POV"I know, Dad." I pinch my nose bridge, trying to stifle a sigh that threatens to escape. I wish my father would just get off my back. He's been pressuring me for over a year to get married, or to produce an heir. It only got worse in this past month. If only he could understand that marriage isn't a business transaction, even if it's for the sake of his empire. I'm still young, still strong. I have enough time on my hands to decide if and when I want to procreate. "The least you could do is get a girlfriend, Levi," my father speaks up again. "I've been lenient enough. If you don't get a wife, or a grandchild by this time next year, you can forget about taking over the legacy.""Dad-" I cut myself short as the line goes dead. I hung up. Of course. A string of profanities escapes my lips, and I almost fling my phone across the room. Just then, the door clicks open, and my secretary, Sarah, walks in. The file in her trembling hands shakes slightly. "Don't you know how to f
Levi's POV The lady from that night, three weeks ago. The lady that gave me the best sex of my life, and then decided to disappear from the face of the earth without even telling me so much as her name. Not even a curtsey "thanks," for saving her life - although the sex was more than enough. She stands across the hotel lobby, the same hotel where all that happened. She doesn't notice me though, engrossed in a conversation with a lanky, pale-looking guy with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. 'Is this the kind of guy she likes?' the unwelcome thought flashes across my mind, as I hear her laughing at another thing he says. I don't realize how long I have been staring until Walker taps my hand. "Why did you stop?"He follows the direction of my gaze, and his eyes widen when they land on the lady. "Damn. She's stunning," he whistles lowly. I tear my gaze away from her to eye him. "What? I mean, look at her."I want to punch him for his remark, but he's not lying. Anyone with a working
Hailey's POV It's been two weeks since I met the stranger again - Well, not just any stranger, but Levi King - and I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that I'm pregnant with his child, after a reckless one-night stand. He gave me his contact card and number, but I still can't bring myself to call him. It's not that I'm desperate. I don't even need his money or anything, I just want him to know that he's about to become a father, and I also want my child to know her father. That brings me to why I’ve been staring at the message icon on my phone for the last few minutes, too nervous to type a single word. "If you won't text him, then I will," Matt says, snatching my phone out of my hand. I told him bits of the story when he wouldn’t stop pestering me after my conversation with Levi two weeks ago. I didn’t want to burden him with the details, but Matt’s persistent, and I guess it felt good to talk to someone. I can't bring myself to take my phone back. He might a
Levi's POV "You're the father of the child I'm carrying," Hailey says. A loud ringing fills my ears. I barely register her words at first. Me? A father? How's that even possible? I'm not impotent, but I could swear I was careful. The events of that night rush back to me like a flood. "Oh God," she moaned, digging her fingers into my shoulders, urging me to go faster. I increased the pace of my thrusts, gripping her body firmly until she finally came undone all over my cock. Shortly after, I felt my own release build. "I'm coming soon babydoll," I told her. I started to pull out, but she stopped me, guiding me back into her. She looked so sexy doing that. "I'm on birth control," she'd assured me. I hesitated, but the look in her eyes convinced me. I thrust into her again, deep and hard, until I spilled inside her. I'm not even in the mind to get turned on by the memory, too pissed at our carelessness. "You said you were on birth control," I point out, my v
Levi's POV The loud buzz of the club's speaker vibrates through me as I sit at the bar, drinking my third shot of vodka. After enduring five more gruesome hours in the office after Hailey left, I came to the club to drown my frustration. Hailey's tear-streaked face keeps appearing in my mind's eye, and a pang of guilt follows after. A warm hand lands on my shoulder, running down my arm and interrupting my thoughts. I'm immediately grateful for the relief. Then, I feel the warm breath on my neck, making my hair stand. A slurring, breathy voice follows. "I noticed you sitting over here for a while now. Would you like some company?" I'm not that drunk to misunderstand her intentions, but I nod anyway, pulling the stool by my side closer. I tap on it, inviting her to sit down. I know she probably wants us to leave the club together, but I'm not in the mood for that. Not today. And if I don't find a way to make things right with Hailey, I'm not sure I'll ever be in the mo
Hailey's POV I lean over the counter to order another martini for Matt, since he's too drunk to do it himself. 'Martini for Matt.' Kinda rhymes. When I met him for late lunch with my swollen eyes, he made me narrate everything that happened to him. Then he comforted me for a while and proposed that we go out drinking. I can't be drinking because of my condition, so he offered to drink two times the amount that he usually would. We have to go to work tomorrow, but he didn't mind. He said he was doing it for me, but I'm sure he's just looking for an excuse to get wasted on a weekday. When he said he was going to take us to a club, my first thought was the one where I met the assaulter because it's one of the most popular clubs around. But luckily, he took me to another one. I don't think I'd be able to go anywhere near that place again. Moreso because I totally embarrassed myself in front of the bartender. "Hey," I call out to the bartender, but he barely acknowled
Hailey's POV The room swims into focus moments after I open my eyes. With a groan, I roll out of bed but immediately regret it as the now-familiar ache pounds in my head.Not long after, a wave of nausea hits me, sending me rushing to the bathroom. I barely make it in time before emptying the remnants of last night's dinner into the toilet. 'I really need to start accepting that my meals won’t last long these days.'Even when it seems like there's nothing left, I stay on the floor for two extra minutes —just in case. Eventually, I flush, freshen up, and head back to my room to get dressed.I slip into a short brown skirt and a black turtleneck, layering the matching jacket over it. A black purse and loafers complete the look. One habit I've developed over the years is ensuring my outfits always match in color and shade. My love for coordinating colors once made me consider a career in interior decorating, but I had to put my family's business first.Once I’ve gathered everything I ne
Levi's POVI pull into the garage and step out to open the door for Hailey. She fell asleep almost as soon as we started driving back. I’d expected the conversation to continue, maybe even get to know each other a little more. Instead, things ended abruptly, and I let myself get too comfortable - making things awkward in the process. I sigh and shake her shoulder lightly. "Hey, we’re here. Wake up." She mumbles something incoherent, shifting to her side - then promptly smacks me in the face. I huff, rubbing my jaw. "Hailey, we're home." 'Home.' Sounds kinda nice. I've never seriously considered settling down - outside the pressure from my father - but I guess the thought of starting a family and having a home with someone I love, is strangely appealing. She stirs slightly, her lashes fluttering open before her eyes squeeze shut again. "Go away, Jake," she mumbles, swatting at my hand. I freeze. 'Jake.' If I remember correctly, her mum mentioned the name the other da
Hailey's POV I stay silent, staring out at the passing cars until a new waiter brings our food. As soon as the waiter leaves, Levi exhales. "Hailey, I planned this so we could get to know each other. If we can't even talk, what's the point?" He pushes back his chair, getting ready to stand. "We should just go back. I'll pay for the food." Before he can move, I stop him. "Quit being so dramatic, Levi," I roll my eyes. "Just sit, and I will try to be more civil." He hesitates, watching me carefully, then sighs and lowers himself to his seat. "I'm sorry for the way I acted," he mutters. "It's fine." A beat passes. "I'm also sorry for blaming you," I admit. "I was just upset with how you handled things. I wish you'd found a better way to control the situation instead of trying to intimidate the poor waiter. He was only doing his job." "I'll do better next time." I shake my head. "Oh, no. Let's hope there's no next time." An unreadable look crosses his face. "Why? You do
Hailey's POV Levi holds the car door open for me as we arrive at a modest-looking restaurant. I step out, still irritated about the compliment he'd given me earlier. I don’t thank him, maintaining the same silence we had on the drive over. The valet takes his keys, and as we approach, the doorman pulls the entrance open for us. For somewhere Levi has described as "not too fancy," the place certainly gives off that extremely fancy vibe. With tables set for two, a live band playing soft music in the corner, and guests who look like they each have at least one yacht to their name. The men wear tailored suits, while the women glide through the room in elegant dresses, their hair styled to perfection like they’ve just stepped off a magazine cover. Gold balloons fill the empty spaces on the floor and walls, making it clear there's something else happening here... like a celebration of some sort. My stomach tightens.And once again, I find myself facing the consequences of trusting
Hailey's POV "Uhm..." Levi hesitates. "How do I say this?" He exhales. "I want both of us to go out for dinner," he pauses, then his gaze sweeps over me. "Together." I sit up so fast that I nearly choke on my water, coughing violently. "What?!" Why the fuck would he startle me like that? I expected a heads-up or something. He'd come back from his outing a few minutes ago, while I lay on the couch, scrolling through my phone. Then he said he had something to tell me, but I wasn't expecting... this! Levi scratches the back of his neck. "I want us to go out for dinner." "Like a date?" I ask, my voice still raspy. His expression turns awkward. "Not really... But if you want it to be, you can think of it that." I raise an eyebrow. "Why would I want that?" "I just thought that's what you wanted to call it," he shrugs. "No. Why do you actually want us to go out?" Levi sighs. "I want us to get to know each other. My family would probably ask a lot of questions.
Levi's POV The only sound that fills the small, nondescript, cream-colored office is the relentless ticking of the clock on the desk. It's so loud and grating that I'm starting to think that it was put here specifically to test patients' patience. The room itself is sterile, designed to feel welcoming but failing miserably. Everything is white, except for the desk, chairs, and bookshelf. Technically, the bookshelf is also white, but I don’t count it - at least the books add some color. "So you claim you don't have any feelings for her?" My therapist asks, breaking the silence. 'Why does she keep asking me that?'She's been fixated on my relationship with Hailey ever since I slipped up and unintentionally blurted out how insufferable she is. What she doesn’t seem to grasp is - why would I use that word if I actually had feelings for her? She watches me over the rim of her tiny wire-framed glasses, waiting. I lean into the arm of the chair, meeting her stare. She sighs, removin
Levi's POV I return to the living room to find Hailey by the door, slipping on a pair of vans. She is dressed in simple brown cargo shorts and a white tank top that hugs her body perfectly, highlighting the volume of her supple breasts. I force my gaze away when she straightens up. 'Focus, Levi.' "You ready?" I ask. "Yeah," she responds, then pauses. "Are you okay?" I raise a brow. "I mean, you seemed tense when you got the phone call earlier..." Realization dawns on me. The call had been from my Dad. The call had been from my dad, letting me know that my cousin's wedding was moved up to this weekend. Since he knows I’m married, he skipped the usual, “I expect you to bring a girlfriend,” speech. Small blessings, I guess. Still, it stung that even after doing what he always wanted, it didn’t seem to matter. The call yesterday should have been enough, but it wasn’t. I expected at least a word of acknowledgment - some sign that I’d done the right thing. But no. Nothi
Hailey's POV A dull pounding echoes in my skull, dragging me out of unconsciousness. My vision swims before settling on unfamiliar surroundings, sending a jolt of unease through me. I sit up in bed, and that's when the events of yesterday come back to me. The call with both Levi and my parents, the pregnancy announcement, and the fight with Levi. Shit. His words hit me so hard that after I ran back to the room, I sat up in bed thinking about it for hours. I don't even remember falling asleep. What he'd said left a pang of guilt in my chest - not even because of how he said those things, but because they were true. Even if they aren't aware of it, I've disappointed my parents in so many ways by doing this. After thinking it over, I'm not sure lying to them is worth it. Why did I think I had to lie to them to keep their love? The momentary relief I felt yesterday now feels like a chain tightening around my chest. I made a huge mistake The faint smell of coffee seeps i
Levi's POV Of everything that happened today, at least the call with her parents went well. They were surprisingly cool - except for her father, who looked at me like he was mentally planning my execution. I get it, though. He’s protective. Must be nice, having parents who openly love you. I've walked around the neighborhood a few times now, and I've almost forgotten why I left my house in the first place. Oh, right. I wanted a drink. But I forgot my keys, and going back inside, only to see the look on Hailey’s face after my random exit, didn't exactly sound appealing. I sigh, rounding a corner and heading back in the direction of my house. I can't avoid going back any longer. Besides, it's late. Hopefully, she's asleep. I really needed this walk, and I'm thankful I forgot my keys. Because honestly? This walking-on-glass routine around her is already exhausting. I always have to be mindful of what I say or think all the time around her, and I don't know how long I can keep do