DevinHave you ever stared at a screen for so long that your eyes go square? The letters and numbers jumble up, and you see weird shapes floating around? Fucking hell, I’m getting old. I’ve been re-reading the same paragraph for the past ten minutes, unable to focus thanks to the dull ache in my head from the migraine I can feel coming. I’ve been so focused on getting these graphs and numbers right for tomorrow’s board meeting that I hadn’t even noticed that Mira had finished working and is sleeping in her chair beside me.She’s so damn stunning.Leaning back against my chair, I watch her sleep. I tell myself it’s only for a minute, but who am I kidding? I could watch her for hours and never get bored. Mira’s always had this aura about her that appeases me. Like right now, I feel a sense of tranquillity wash over me as I observe her.The more time I spend with her, the more conscious I am of how deprived I’ve felt of her vi
“How long did you bet on?” She questions, her fiery gaze on my own, one perfect shaped brow raised which inadvertently stirs up something in my nether region. “A week.” Mira’s eyes bulge and her mouth drops open as she gapes at me with a mixture of disbelief and annoyance.“A week?!” She almost shrieks and takes a step closer to me, her finger pointing in my face. “I swear to God Devin King, if you are deliberately screwing with me so we stay cuffed together just so you can win this stupid bet, I will hang you on the wall of your office like the damn Mona Lisa by those precious balls of yours.”I wince inwardly at her threat. I know she’s kidding, sort of, but that still makes my gonads want to jump back up into my body. “Now, honey, I know you have a soft spot for my boys. There’s a time and place for that kind of talk, and while I love it when you get all rough and dirty, we’re with company. I’m sure our friends don’t want to hear about our freaky foreplay.” I tease her with a grin
MiraWhy do men insist on saying one thing and doing another? What is that? Do they like, get pulled aside in school and get taught tactics on how to successfully screw up and confuse the shit out of us females? I get it, Dev and me; we have a history, so certain things do come naturally to us, it's mostly out of habit, but as a man who is supposedly so in love with his girl, he’s awfully touchy and flirty and don’t even get me started with the way he stares into my eyes.Am I reading too much into his actions here? What even are we? Are we friends again? Or are we just two people who were once friends but now are only associates? This is what he does to my head. I was getting on with my life just fine before he showed up. One measly week in, and my emotions are running amuck, and I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. I’m allowing myself to get drawn into how things used to be with us, and I don’t like it.I spend the better half of the night tossing and turning, the neurotic voic
He’s gone. Devin left, and he didn’t even say goodbye. I sink on the curb in front of the house as every broken piece of my heart falls deeper into a giant hole in my gut.“Mimi.” I lift my tear-filled gaze and see Ayla standing in front of me.“Ayla, he’s gone. Dev’s…gone.” I whimper, and she nods and sits beside me, wrapping her arms around me as I weep. “He didn’t even say goodbye.” I sob into her chest.“I’m sure he has his reasons for not saying goodbye, Mimi.”“What reason?” I cry, sitting upright and wiping away the tears streaming down my face, “Our eleven-year friendship wasn’t substantial enough to surpass his reasons to not say goodbye to me…to ME Ayla!”“Mimi—”“No!” I sob, shaking my head hastily, “I clearly meant nothing to him if I didn’t even deserve a goodbye. Especially after we…”Ayla brushes my hair away from my face when my head drops, “After you what, Mira?” When I don’t respond, she lifts my head and her eyes search mine. “You slept with him.” I choke on a sob
“Put me down, and I’ll let go,” I repeat, but he ignores me and keeps walking until we are in my en-suite. What the hell is he doing? I yelp when he pokes my sides, knowing full well I’m ticklish; therefore, I’d be forced to let go of my hold of his ear. Devin lowers me back down to my feet. I glower at him, and he does the same while he rubs his earlobe, his dark brows knitted tightly. A wave of guilt rushes through me at the realisation that I may have hurt him by biting too hard.My fingers itch to reach up and check to see if his ear is bleeding, but when he pulls his fingers back and looks at them, I don’t see any blood and release a breath of relief. Devin takes a large step toward me, dark eyes on mine. He lifts his free arm over my head and grips the door before he pushes it to shut and backs me up against it, all in one motion. I crane my neck to look up at him, my heart beating furiously in my ears. I’ve not seen Devin this intense before, so I don’t know what to do with my
DevinDon’t do it, Devin. That is what I keep telling myself each time I get the impulse to rip off this fucking blindfold and let my eyes ravenously feast on her beautiful body. Just knowing she’s standing before me, not even an arm’s length away, half-naked in only her underwear, is driving me nuts. I have to get these urges under control because if I don’t, I’ll break every one of my own rules and make good on my earlier promise to her. I wanted to kiss her, and I came so close to surrendering to my feral instincts.Those gorgeous plump lips of hers were so close to mine that I could practically taste her mouth, I could feel her kiss, and I wanted nothing more than to glide my tongue between those deliciously pink lips and devour her mouth with a kiss I’ve been cumulating in my head for the past nine years.Mira’s adorable little squeak and her body crashing against mine pulls me from my thoughts. My arm instinctively goes
“What?!” Mira exclaims, taking two steps toward Ayla, who shrugs apologetically and shoots me a beseeching look. “You’ve had a fucking key this whole time Ayla?”“I didn’t tell you because I knew you would force me into uncuffing you, and then Dad would be furious.” Ayla attempts to justify, but Mira shakes her head angrily.“Dad is the least of your worries right now, Ayla! Uncuff us right this second.” Mira demands stormily.Ayla shakes her head remorsefully. “See, this is why I didn’t say anything. You’ve both come so close to getting the handcuffs off. It's just a few more days. Dad said if you don’t play by the rules and find a way out of those cuffs without his blessing, he’ll...”Boy, if Mira were a cartoon character, her head would have imploded right now. She is livid. “He’ll do what?!”“He’ll repeal your shares, demote you and reassign your position as VP to Keira,” I observe the anger drain away from Mira’s face. She’s completely taken aback, and so am I. Keira as VP, no fu
I almost laugh out loud when I compare the nibbling to Mira’s when she’s eating her pastries every morning. Speaking of Mira, she appears at the front door and waves me over. I nod and lift my index finger, informing her that I’ll be a minute. “Devin?”“Yes, sorry, babe, I need to cut the call short. I’m about to head out and see my dad. I’ll give you a call or text you tomorrow, all right? Have fun at your party, and be careful.”“Oh, okay, I will. I love you.” Megan replies, almost disappointed.“Love you too. Talk to you soon, babe.” I hang up the phone, pinching the bridge of my nose. I called to have a conversation with my girlfriend, who I miss dearly, and all I hear her talk about is her work or this party and that contract. When did my life become so mechanical, and why have I not noticed it before now?Mira and I get our cuffs back on, and oddly enough, it feels normal again. Almost as though not having her there beside me throws off my stability, I feel imbalanced. We switch
Two months later. Thursday afternoon, a livid Mira storms into Devin’s office. “Devin King!” Devin frowns and looks up at her, confused and a little scared, while she stomps over to his desk. “What are you full naming me for? What have I done now?” “Did you tell your dad I was moving to Singapore with you before the baby is born?” Mira questions furiously. Devin blinks and opens his mouth to speak while Mira places her hands at her waist and glares at him, waiting for a response. “I may have mentioned it.” “Oh, you did, did you? I didn’t realise agreeing to marry you would come with the consequence of you making decisions on my behalf!” Mira snaps hotly. Devin raises a brow and stands from his desk. “Mira, for God sake, I’ve been trying to have this conversation with you for two weeks straight, but you keep evading it.” Devin grouses, walking around his desk and stepping closer to his angry fiancée. “My dad asked me what our plans are if we’re going back to Singapore in a couple
EpilogueTwo weeks later.Devin King and Mira Evans stood in front of their respective families, both looking as fretful and tense as each other. Each member of the family watches and waits with the curiosity of their news.“Well…” Noah Evans— Mira’s dad urges. His brown eyes were darting from his daughter to his best friend’s son standing before him.“I’m pregnant.” Mira blurts out suddenly. Devin groans low behind her when everyone in the room, save for Ayla, goes stock-still.“Why do you keep doing that?” He utters to her quietly behind his hand. Mira shrugs helplessly and turns her attention back to everyone in the room gaping at her.“Come again?” Her father questions, his dark brows fusing together. “Did I just hear you correctly? Did you just say you’re pregnant, or am I having some sort of stroke right now?”“You’re not having a stroke, Daddy; I’m pregnant,” Mira says, chewing on her bottom lip.“Who is the father?” Kate, Mira’s mother, qu
Devin disappears inside, leaving me out on the terrace. I stood there trying to picture myself living here. I just couldn’t see it. Yes, we have a company here that I could potentially work at but living in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language, you don’t know anyone. I’ll feel lost here. I mean, it’s a beautiful place, it’s clean, and the people are kind, but I know I don’t belong here. I want our baby to be born in the same country as its parents were. I want it to grow up around family. I don’t know how Devin and I will figure this out, but I truly hope we do for the sake of our baby, if nothing else.I’m lost someplace in my mind when I feel Devin come up behind me and hear him whisper in my ear. “Come with me; I have something to show you.”I follow him through the apartment toward the elevator. “Where are we going?” I ask curiously, and he smiles, lacing his fingers with mine.“You’ll see.” Devin pushes the button to the roof terrace, and I smile. He’s got that wi
“Damn baby, it’s nice to be missed by you,” Devin murmurs against my lips, and I suck on his bottom lip.“You saying you haven’t missed me?” I question, looking up at him through my lashes.Devin cups my face in his big hands and gazes into my eyes, his lips brushing mine when he speaks. “Like you wouldn’t believe.” A wicked smile. “I hope you’re not too attached to that dress.”I match his smile, sliding my hands under his T-shirt and raking my fingertips over his abs, revelling in the feel of every bump and ridge and the way his muscles spasm under my touch. “I have two more, just like it,” I affirm, dragging my index finger up the length of his erection over his light blue jeans. “Now, are you going to keep talking or are you going to take me home?” Devin makes a slow hissing sound and rocks against my finger, his cock demanding further attention.“Keep touching me like that, and I’ll fuck you in my car.” He groans, pressing a kiss to my rosy lips. I squeeze my thighs together when
Mira“Devin?”I wander through his penthouse apartment, awe-struck. It’s stunning. Open plan living room, with gorgeous crystal chandeliers, floor to ceiling windows with an incredible view. I trail my fingers along the dark grey marble island in the kitchen as I walk through. I go up the spiral staircase to the bedroom situated on the first floor. No sign of him anywhere. With a sigh, I walk over to the window and look out at the breathtaking view of Singapore stretched out before me.“Hi.” I jump and gasp when I hear a deep voice burr in my ear. “Welcome home.” I smile and sink against him when he wraps his arms around me. By home, he means his embrace, where he claims I always belong, not the apartment itself.“Mm, it’s so good to be home.” I lament, tipping my head back when his lips descend on my neck, licking, kissing and nipping at my flesh. My clothes start to come off, one item at a time hitting the floor until I’m nake
“I beg your pardon?”“My other boyfriend. Battery Operated Boyfriend. BoB.” I explain with a giggle when his face relaxes, and he curses.“You just killed my post-orgasmic bliss with your shenanigans, Evans. If you were here, I’d take you over my knee and give you a good spanking for teasing me like that.” Devin grumbles light-heartedly and gets up out of his bed. A light goes on, and he sets me down someplace. “Wait there. I need to clean myself up.” I grin, watching him move around. His firm and muscular bum comes into view, and I sigh lustily.“I really want to bite that bum of yours, King.” Devin’s laugh echoes in the bathroom. He leans over to look at me.“I’ll bite you back, Evans,” Devin utters, and picks his phone up.“Wait, wait! Let me see that hot body; I’m going to need it for visual purposes later.” I demand, and he flips his camera to face the mirror in the bathroom and flexes his muscles for me. Oh, hello, beefcake.“Oh, by the way, how would you feel about me coming ou
Mira“Peach, what’s up with you?”I sigh, staring at myself in the full-length mirror. It’s been a week since Devin left to go back to Singapore, and I’ve been miserable every second since. I force a smile on my face and pretend I’m fine, but the truth is, I’m not. I miss him. I miss his presence in my life. I miss his touch, his kiss, his smell. We haven’t talked about what our separation meant, but he still calls me to check how I’m doing. I’ve been overly emotional lately since everything that happened with Scott. I burst into tears all hours of the day. I’m mostly healed physically; emotionally, not so much, but I’m getting there. I’ve had a couple of sessions with my mother, which has helped.“I’m fine, Wy; I just don’t feel like going out. So you guys go ahead without me.” I state, turning to face him. Wyatt walks over to me and pulls me into his arms. I sink into his warmth and close my eyes. “You miss him, don’t you?” I nod wordlessly.“He’s not going to be back for months. Me
I pace the corridors at the hospital impatiently. Waiting for them to examine Mira. Everyone’s here, both our families, Wyatt, Lexi and Logan, all waiting to get the all-clear that she’s okay and not suffering some sort of internal bleeding or head trauma. I couldn’t be there because our families don’t know about us. Ayla’s the only one with her.“I want answers!” Uncle Noah barks furiously down the phone. “That lunatic almost killed my daughter again because you failed to inform us of his early release. He was serving a sentence for attempted murder. How could you let him out notifying none of us so we can protect her!” He shouts, pacing back and forth. “We’ll see about that. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer. Don’t you worry.” He grips and hangs up the phone. “Incompetent piece of…”“Honey, please calm down.” Aunt Kate tries to soothe him by rubbing his back. He utters something back about needing air and walks off.“Sweetheart, get your hand seen, too. It’s really swollen.” My mothe
DevinI glance down at my phone for the millionth time waiting for Mira to text me back, but she doesn’t. I got no answer from her call either. I’ve got this dreadful feeling in my gut, and I can’t shake it. She always responds to my texts, so why isn’t she replying.Me:‘Baby, everything okay?’ I sigh and bite my lip anxiously. Levi walks into the kitchen, and being the spiritual person he is, picks up on my unease and frowns. “What’s up with you?”I scowl at my phone and shake my head. “Something’s wrong. Mira’s not answering my texts or calls.”Levi opens the fridge and takes out a bottle of water. “She’s probably busy, or you’ve pissed her off again.” He utters, taking a long sip and licking his lips.I pin him with a firm look, and he rolls his eyes. “I’ve not done anything; we’re perfectly fine, thank you very much. When have you known Mira not to answer texts? Even when she’s angry, she sends something scathing back.”“If