He fulfills our desires, closing the distance between us, pressing his lips firmly against mine. A soft moan escapes my lips as our kiss intensifies, and he skillfully guides me, gently pushing me against the couch without breaking our kiss. My hands instinctively wrap around him, eagerly exploring every inch of his being within my reach."I crave you," Nathan admits, breaking the kiss as we both struggle to catch our breath."I want you, too, Nathan ," I say as my fingers tenderly caressing his face.His gaze locks onto mine as he whispers, his fingers tracing a gentle path along my back."There are so many things I want to do to you,” he says."Then, what are you waiting for?" I whisper, bringing my arms around his neck, and I initiate another deep and fervent kiss. In. the moment, all the pent-up passion we harbor for each other takes control. He returns the kiss with full passion, carefully lifting me against his chest our lips still locked in a passionate dance."You drive me cra
"Do you want to?" I ask."Never. Do you?" He responds."No, this is the most beautiful moment of my life," I confess. Nathan smiles and gently kisses on my forehead. He looks content as he wraps his arm around me, and together we drift off to sleep.Natalia My heart raced as I left the beach house. I gasp at the sight before me, not expecting what I see after Nathan ’s recent text. Candlelight glowed softly, casting enchanting shadows on the sand. A trail of rose petals leads me closer to the beachside, each step quickening my heartbeat. It’s been days since I spoke about my forced marriage, and Nathan had changed so much. I cherished every moment, reminiscent of our early years together. Despite his humble beginning, he had always been sweet, just like today. My heart continues to beat in my chest as I try to quell my excitement.Nathan stands there, looking more handsome than ever in the dim light. The flickering candles and the moonlight accentuated his features, and the way his g
“Nathan ” I breathe, my voice barely audible.“I’ve missed you so much all these years. More than you can imagine.”His hand reaches across the table, capturing mine. Our fingers intertwine, sending shivers to cover my body. The intensity of the moment holds us, the outside world fading.As our gazes lock, his thumb caressing my knuckles, as the air crackles with an unspoken desire. The silence speaks volumes, conveying emotions that words cannot express.And then, with a barely audible whisper, he utters the words that make my heart soar.“Natalia ,let’s enjoy this moment. Tonight, it’s just us.”Tears well up in my eyes, blurring the soft glow of the candles. The weight of the years lifts off my shoulders as I lean closer to Nathan .“Just us,” I whisper in response.Surprisingly, the weather isn’t as chilly as I anticipated. I find myself captivated by Nathan’s presence; gazing at him feels endlessly satisfying. Suddenly, a man in uniform approaches our table with a cart. I don’t r
Nathan chuckles a hint of nostalgia in his voice.“I also remember how you got back at the housekeeper, too. You thought it would be funny to switch the sugar and saltshakers during dinner. You gave everyone a tough time.”I burst into laughter at the memory, the weight of the years melting away as if we were transported back in that time.“I had completely forgotten about that!” I say.Nathan chuckles when he hears this.“You were always full of surprises,” he remarks, his eyes dancing with amusement.“I wasn’t that mischievous,” I grin.“Oh, we both know you were,” he says before we burst into laughter while sharing a knowing look. I can’t remember the last time I went down memory lane like this. It feels so natural with Nathan . It feels as if the lost years never happened.“We can go on and on about those times, but we better eat before it gets cold,” he suggest.“Sure,” I grin before we dive into our meal. Throughout the dinner, I find it hard to take my eyes off. Eventually, our
“Good afternoon, dear,” she replies, wiping her hands on her apron.“How are you doing?” I ask.“I’m fine. Just tending to my babies,” she says, pointing to the mini flower bed in the back.“Have you seen Nathan ? I need to talk to him but can’t find him nowhere.”“Oh, Mr. Rowland is very much around somewhere. My best bet is that he is in his workshop,” she says. How did I not think of that? His workshop is his sanctuary.“Thank you,” I say, turning to head back inside.Just as I am about to open the door to the beach house, Mrs. Brown’s voice stops me once again.“You know, dear, I’m glad Mr. Rowland has found happiness with you. He deserves it.”I turned to face her, surprise evident on my face.“Mrs. Brown, I don’t think you—”“Ah, don’t be modest,” she chuckles, interrupting me.“I’ve known him for years. And I can tell you, I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time. He’s changed, for the better, ever since you’ve arrived.”I bite my lip, unsure of how to respond. It feels sur
As I gaze at the painting, a mixture of emotions engulfs me. I feel a wave of nostalgia, transporting me back to the girl I used to be and the boy who held such significance in my life. Yet, here I am, years later, in his house, the physical proximity contrasting with emotional distance between us.I take a deep breath, I struggle to contain the overwhelming flood of emotion. The painting serves as a stark reminder that our shared history can’t be completely erased, and it is time to face our past, no matter how daunting it may be. But as I stand there, the thought of seeing Nathan and potentially disrupting the peace we have found makes me hesitate.I turn away from the painting, leaving the showroom and retreating to the solitude of my room. The weight of my secret feels heavier than ever. I wonder if I hold any place in Nathan s heart.Nathan Opening my eyes, I am greeted by a comforting warmth. Without even glancing down, I know it’s Natalia beside me. taking in the softly lit ro
“First of all, you thought wrong. Secondly, did I ever give you the impression that I don’t keep my word?”“You can’t say that. I love you,” she says, and I scoff. I know Mildred too well. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that she doesn’t love me.“Mildred, please just stop this. We were fine when you stopped reaching out, so let’s not change that,” I calmly explain. I’m already tired of this conversation.She huffs on the other end, her anger Evident “Well, I’m not going to let you get away with this. I won’t be humiliated.”I sigh, feeling exasperated.“There’s no need for drama, Mildred. Let’s just move on from this.”She abruptly ends the call, leaving me standing on the balcony, a mix of relief and frustration washing over me. I turn to head back inside, only to find Natalia standing there, her expression unreadable. It’s as if she appeared out of nowhere, and it dawns on me that she may have overheard some or all my conversation with Mildred. I’m filled with mixed feeling
I let out a sigh, feeling a mix of sympathy and irritation.“Mildred, we can’t keep going in circles like this. It’s time to move forward. I don’t do love. We both know this.”She wipes her tears and attempts a watery smile.“You’re right, Nathan . Does it mean you don’t love her, too?”“Does it mean when you’re tired of her, you will leave her too?” She asks excitedly. I gape at her, wondering what has gotten into her.“Are you serious right now?” I respond, shocked by her question.“What? That bitch, Natalia , ruined us,” Mildred says, her tone bitter.“Watch your tongue. Besides, there was no us to begin with.” I glare at her.“Good thing is when you’re tired of her, you will come back to me,” she says with a smile. I glance at her and, raising an eyebrow. She clearly has no clue what she’s talking about. I’ve tried to clear my mind of Natalia , but all my attempts have failed. Speaking of which, I need to act quickly before my emotions gets out of control. Besides, I have no inten
“You’re here!” I say, heading toward it but stop when it’s Katy who appears.“You!” she hisses. “I knew something was off. He didn’t kill you!”Before I can answer, she’s on me like a rabid cat. She claws at me, slapping every part of me she can make contact with.Startled, I raise my hands protectively over my face, afraid to hit her back and severely hurt her. As it is, Nathan already hates me for any part I might have played in the death of his father.The woman may be older and weaker, but her strikes are impactful. She shoves against me, slapping her palms against my shoulders and chest, driving me toward the rear of the deck. It all happens so fast that I don’t realize I’m so close to the glass rail until it hits my lower back.“You have to calm down!” I plead.“Why did he have to want you? You look nothing like me! But Leo always liked them younger. Tell me, did you like how he fucked you?”“What? You think I slept with your husb—” Another whack, this time right across the chin
But he saved my life. He risked himself to keep me alive. And fuck it all, I love him! I can’t just sit back and let him die.A chair is pushed and the sound of footsteps come my way. Before they reach the doors, I bolt out the entrance and am already across the street when I hear, “Natalia !”But I don’t stop. Don’t look back. My mission now is to save Nathan Natalia Irun like the Devil is at my heels, not bothering to glance back over my shoulder, because even that simple action could cost me precious seconds.For blocks, I maintain that speed, my lungs burning and the stitch on my side threatening to bring me down.When I’m far enough that I feel anyone following would have lost sight of me, I tuck myself into an alley and wait. After several minutes, I tug my cell phone out and dial Nathan , but it goes straight to voicemail.“Pick up, dammit!” I dial again, but like before, it goes to his mail.“Nathan . You have to leave your house. A man named Steven Kroos is coming. He’s bri
“The hell it is. Do you have any idea the worry you put me through? No calls or texts the last couple of—” His eyes bulge from his skull as he takes in the blood on my shirt. “You’re hurt.” “No, Dad. It’s not my blood. I’m not hurt.” He digs his fingertips into the corners of his eyes as if he’s trying to keep from crying. “I thought I would lose my mind when I found out exactly who you were with. His name isn’t Nathan Manguire . It’s Nathan Carlos .” I rear back in shock that he knows. “What?” “My gut was right, Em. He’s a fucking criminal. The worst kind.” “How do you know that?” From the study, the handsome man who visited the gallery to meet with Dad steps out. Steven Kroos . His icy-blue stare roves over me, and he smiles. “I’m glad to see you’re home safe. Especially after being in the Robertson den.” “Mr. Kroos is the one who tracked down information on Carlos . Nathan is their new godfather.” His eyes narrow on me. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?” Looking betwee
He tilts his head, his eyes raking over my face, searching. “What makes you think that?” “It was in the way he looked at me,” I say. “It’s the same wayyoulook at me. I know you said he loved your stepmother, but I swear it’s true.” “I saidsheloved him. I never said he loved her back.” He glances out the windshield, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “Is that why you killed him? You didn’t appreciate his attentions?” “He came to the house when my father wasn’t there. I’m not even sure how he got in. But he followed me from room to room and begged me to give him a chance. I asked him to leave, told him that he was scaring me. He decided to grab me and try to kiss me. “I got out of his hold and ran to the desk drawer my father keeps his Glock in and threatened him. He still refused to leave. The moment he took a step toward me, I shot. It was meant to scare him, nothing more. I could never kill anyone. The bullet grazed his arm, but he was alive.” “You didn’t follow him out?
“You cut yourself,” I say. “It wouldn’t have been believable otherwise.” “Why did you do it, Nathan ? Why did you spare my life?” He pulls over several blocks from my house. We sit there in silence for what seems like forever, the only sound the pitter-patter of scattered rain against the windshield. “Why did you save me?” I repeat the question that’s been burning in my mind. “Your mother wants me dead, but you saved me.” Without turning to me, he replies, “Iwanted you dead.” His response is another blow to my already battered heart. But he deserves the truth. “I didn’t kill your father, Nathan . It wasn’t me.” Now he does turn to me and I almost wish he hadn’t. The shadows I’ve wondered about from the start have emerged and they’re darker and more terrifying than I could have imagined. They’re blackened with Nathan ’s fury, hate, grief, and confusion. They tear at my chest, splaying it open. Raw pain fills me at the sight of those beautiful golden eyes looking so tortured, spa
My gaze flicks from her to the elevator and to the rooftop access door, wondering if I could somehow reach either of them. And if I did, are they unlocked? As if from out of thin air, Nathan produces a piece of rope. When he tries to take one of my wrists, I make to get up again, but I’m slammed into the damned chair again. It doesn’t matter how much I fight, he easily pulls my hands behind me and ties them. “You wanted her, there she is,” he says to her, and I notice with at least a bit of satisfaction that he’s panting. I guess I wasn’t that easy to subdue. Nathan ’s stepmother comes toward me, her hips swaying. She sips her wine as she studies me. “You killed my husband.” I don’t bother to respond to her comment. She doesn’t care what I have to say. If she did, she would have asked me if I did it. And if so, why. All she cares about is revenge. The who, what, and why of it doesn’t matter to her. Turning to Nathan , I realize he’s not once asked me either. They’re the same. Part
“Mmm. Is it that or that you have Natalia Kane in your bed?”I stiffen, feeling my heart leap into my throat. She knows my name?“Who I have in my bed is none of your concern,” Nathan says.“It is when that whore killed your father! That’s right,” she adds, “I know it was her.”My heart isn’t just in my throat anymore. It seems to have stopped. Suddenly, my blood pressure drops and every pore in my body releases sweat.“John ” I hear Nathan murmur just as I pull away.There’s walking, the sound of heels clacking against the wood floors. “John was loyal to Gustavo and Leo . Of course he would be loyal to me as well.”“Then he’s useless to me,” he says.“You’ve known it was her for days and have done nothing about it!” she shouts.“It is at my discretion to decide what and when I will do something, Katy .”“The godfather only has power so long as the men respect him. How do you think they will react when they find out that instead of killing her, you’ve been fucking her?”My mind racin
Or maybe I’ll just fuck you until we both die.” Her eyes fly open, and for a moment, there are no walls between us. The pain, betrayal, and lust are bared fully. “Then fuck me,” she finally says. “And maybe we’ll die together.” My mouth is on hers then. I slide my fingers from her cunt and we both work savagely at getting rid of my clothes. All the while, we kiss with a passion that only the dying know. The instant I’m naked, I’m inside her, thrusting, burying my dick all the way to the balls, pulling back out, and slamming home again. Natalia is wrapped around me, arms and legs holding me tightly against her as she lifts her hips up, meeting each of my thrusts. We fuck like we’re drowning and these are our last gasping breaths. Deep and desperate. She fits me like a fucking glove, her pussy tight around my dick, her body molding to mine perfectly. The way she tastes, smells, feels… It all fits me like no one else ever has, and for the briefest of moments, I almost wish I’d neve
I flip it open and freeze, focused intensely on the drawing of a pair of eyes.Myeyes. Only, they’re not the way I’m accustomed to seeing them. They have the same shape, same dark spots on the irises. There’s a deep crease between them. But in the drawing, they’re slightly upturned and crinkled at the edges, and there’s a slight gleam to them, as if I’m smiling.Because I was.Several times, she called my name, grinning so widely when I looked at her that I couldn’t help but smile. She captured those moments.Does light penetrate shadows, or do the shadows drown out the light?I asked that question not long ago. The answer is both. She’s managed to light up my eyes while I’ve filled hers with darkness.Blowing out a breath full of exhaustion, I set the sketch aside. Tired, I shut my lids and must drift off instantly, because a bolt of lightning that rumbles even through the sound barriers I’ve erected around the loft wakes me. Instantly, I glance at the door.Though she has access to w