The cab came to a stop in front of Kristal’s parents mansion. He shoved his hand into his pocket, producing his wallet while thanking the gods for not driving the woman in his own car and plucking out a chunk of notes. He slapped the cash in the driver’s hand and told him to wait near the gigantic gate. Kristal stared at him, a slow grin spreading on her face.“If I’d known, that’s what it takes to get you into my parent’s place…”“Shut up, Kristal. I need to say goodbye to your Nana. This is not about you. This is not about our past. This is not about our deal, and especially not about us because there is no ‘us’ anymore. I hope you know that.”“Fine, but please don't mention Patrick. They didn't know that he was back. Please.”“Deal. But no mentioning of you helping me with your family’s share. Is that clear?”“Okay.”Half an hour later, Zander was back in the cab, his mood hitting an all-time low. Kristal’s grandmother wasn’t awake. Kristal’s parents—while happy to see me—were also
Zander had no business butting into her life more than she had allowed him to, more than she had willingly shared with him. Elvie didn’t share this with anyone. There was a reason why she’d never told him about her debt or her family life. Not even about how her parents treated her before, like how her dad used to hurt and abuse the hell out of her until she couldn't walk, or like how her mother verbally assaulted her.Her blood froze in her veins. No. There was no way. Still, she needed to ask, just to be sure.“Do you... do you know about my brother’s situation?”Zander got up from his chair, grabbing his pea coat and sliding into it.“I need another cup of coffee for this conversation. Walk with me, wife.”Elvie followed behind him. His broad shoulders were big enough to carry the entire world. He gestured for me to get into the elevator before him, and the minute the doors closed behind them, he turned to him.“You know about my brother, don’t you?”"Obviously, I know everything a
She did. She got Zander, the mother of all leads. “Kristal’s father, did what?” Bella sprayed her coffee all over her iPad in the conference room. Elvie was an ambitious little wife. She managed the workload of two people. And she wasn't even a reporter; she was an accountant, but she did get the lead. Whenever anyone had a contact or a lead they didn’t want to chase—whether they were too lazy, too busy, or simply unsure if it would result in a dead end—they threw it her way. “My sources had leaked Kristal’s father's compromising emails.” Elvie nodded, typing away on her laptop. “Now people are saying that the old man knew, and they were meant to be leaked. If it’s true, it’s a game-changer. Right?” “How on earth did you have a source? Is this your payback? I mean, surely, Kristal is a bitch who took your husband before, but really?” Bella raised her brow. “Are we children here? I am not that stupid; we are professional, Bella, Jesus!” “How do we find out?” Gerald scratched his
“Touch yourself, wife.” She did as she moaned. Elvie was a lioness at work and a lamb in bed, the perfect combination for a predator like Zander. He wanted to fight her when they were in the office and fuck her when they were anywhere else. But it was the in-between part that worried him. Because he wanted to monopolise every second of her life, even when they weren’t doing either. “Oh, God,” she moaned. “Zander,” he corrected. “Call me by my name. Tell me what you want me to do.” “I want you to screw me.” She whimpered into her own shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut, her orgasm brewing, making her legs shake. He wished he wasn’t such a bastard in this moment. “Stop.” But he was. “W-what?” she stuttered, still masturbating with the sprayer head. Zander was so hard now that he could barely think clearly. All his blood had rushed to his shaft, and if someone had asked him for his own name, he’d have had trouble answering. “Stop right now.” A raspy growl slithered between his lips
One day, Elvie noticed Joey’s face was no longer the same pale shade as the bathroom wall.He was going through something called adoptive cell transfer therapy. The treatments were invasive and uncomfortable after he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, but every time he came back to the mansion, he smiled bigger than the last time. He was still weak. He was still grey. But he no longer spoke like he was ready to die but too ashamed to let go of life because he knew how much she needed him, and that made her heart soar. Even after what he’d done, Joey was still her family. Her brother.They spent more and more time out of the mansion with Thea—short trips around the block, arm in arm, admiring the festival of colours as the garden burst into full-blown summer. Green leaves rustled above their heads, and barefoot children ran around the neighbourhood, pointing the park’s hoses at each other and spreading wild laughter like confetti. Flowers unfurled in their sleepy beds on the edges of
Zander threw the phone into Elvie’s hands. It was fully charged and ready to be used. It should have made her happy, but it didn’t. She enjoyed having sex with him and butting heads with him in the newsroom, but what was the point of all this? Love might not be on the cards for him, but she was getting more attached, setting herself up to get hurt more than she already was.“Open the glove compartment,” he said, still staring at the busy road ahead.And yet again, Elvie had the feeling that he knew exactly what she was thinking. She opened the glove compartment. “What am I looking for?”“Just open it.”She patted the mostly empty space, her hand coming to rest on the familiar shape of her old iPod. She yanked it out and squeaked. Her precious iPod, with the thousands of songs she’d collected over the years, was back in her hand, and it felt glorious.“Did someone find it at your old mansion?” she turned to him.“Yes. I did. The night you bailed on me.”Elvie frowned. “Why did you neve
Zander grumbled between deep breaths, “I need myrevenge. II need it. Some bastard masterminds the death of my parents! Matheo fucked myex-wife,e and my friend betrayed me! Those bastards used me! Damn it!”Elvie halted, “Yes. I heard. Many, many times. So what if they did?” She cut him off, balling her hands into fists. "They did something wrong, which doesn’t give you the right to do something even worse.” She pushed his chest.Jesus Christ—what was I doing? She thought to herself.“Matheo was the one who sent Patrick to Asia. He was the one who insisted we keep it from Kristal and keep them apart. Insisted we keep it from my parents, knowing it'd disappoint them. But somehow their death is my fault?” he yelled in her face, as if she were the one accusing him. “Fuck. That.”“Stop the blame game, Zander. Every relationship you touch wilts. Every connection you make perishes. I don’t want to burn. I want to flourish. I deserve to bloom.”“Elvie—”"No, Zander. I know you hated the perso
That day, Elvie made sure she avoided Zander in the newsroom. He was business as usual, taking Matheo and a few other men to lunch and then disappearing in and out of the fifteenth floor for meetings all day. When she got back home, she was in no mood to fix something fresh. Her brother, however, had been eating a lot healthier since the experimental programme had begun. They sent him special meals to complement his treatment. Elvie untied her rain jacket and threw it on the couch after she started hot water on the stovetop. She kicked her shoes into the hallway, played with Thea for about an hour, and gave the nanny her break.“Joey?” She called.She checked the living room, balcony, garden, pool, and then his bedroom. He wasn’t there. Groaning in frustration, she texted him: Joey, where TF R U? When will you learn to give a girl a heads-up when you’re gone? I’m worried.And selfishly, she inwardly bit out. Having him around was convenient. She looked after him and reported to Zander
“I need you to turn my maybe into a definitely." Zander crawled into Elvie’s bed at the end of that gruelling Monday in the office. “Yeah, right. What are you doing here? Thea will—” “Come on, can a man get some time alone with his wife?” Elvie rolled her eyes, but she didn’t kick him out, even though a small, vindictive part of her wanted to. Life was too short to deprive yourself of spending time with those you love—something I’d learned the hard way. She thought to herself. His body seemed to mould into her massive mattress. Somehow, he fit. If there was one thing she’d realised this year, it was that sometimes they belong in the last place they thought they’d ever be. “Wife, let’s turn maybe into definitely.” “How can I do that?” she put her thriller in her lap and let his arm loop around her waist, dragging her into the crook of his shoulder. His lips fluttered along her neck. “Stay at SBC, stay with me no matter how this sh*t turns out. I can’t make it without you.” “Make
They went home to his mansion. To his cock’s disappointment, he slept in the master bedroom alone because Thea was sick and Elvie slept in her room. But it was still better than sleeping in a million-star hotel or at the Stanton Towers, which he couldn’t even look at after he’d learned what he had about his father not being his real father. He wasn’t the one who’d cheated on him. Yet Zander was the one who’d taken most of Matheo’s wrath. In the morning, Elvie gave her brother a shake from what looked like sewer water, green puke, and misery and slid a bowl of cereal his way. It wasn’t even a brand. It was poured right out of a six-pound industrial box with a Costco logo. “Where is the chef?” “Vacation…half of the staff too.” Elvie smiled. “Cavities and diabetes. Breakfast of champions,” Zander muttered into the bowl as he took a spoonful. “My apologies. Our room service doesn’t work on Mondays. Butler is sick. No chef, yeah so, stick with me!” Elvie took a seat next to her dad a
Zander set the papers down, sitting on the edge of her desk and lacing his fingers nonchalantly. So Matheo had planned it all along. The old cow killed his parents. His meeting Elvie, his falling in love with her, giving up on the Davis family—every single thing And he’d walked right into his trap. Well, almost. He would pay! Dearly. Zander thought to himself. He didn’t make the mistake of asking Elvie if she’d known about it. Of course she hadn’t. Instead, he focused on how to deal with this shit. “We’ve both been set up,” he said. “And he—the bastard—killed my parents!” His voice shuddered with enough hatred to melt the antarctic. And though he had his doubts before, he disregarded his instinct and thought that Matheo wasn't capable of doing such nineious things. “He—will pay! I will make sure he—” "Zander." She put a hand on his shoulder, and he resisted the urge to pull her into him and bury his face in her hair. “I'm sorry." Elvie had this touch that made sh*t go away. Bad shi
The word “music” comes from the Muses, goddesses of the arts in Greek mythology.I never said it before, because I thought it was tacky, but you’re my goddess (especially your ass).—ZanderJohn Lennon started his music career as a choir boy.I never said it before, because it terrified me to admit it, but you’re my church (although I plan to be inside you way more than just on Sundays).—ZanderYour heart mimics the beat of the music you’re listening to.I didn’t know I even had one before you came along, and now I do, and it hurts like a motherfucker (thanks for that).—ZanderRemember in university? I stole your iPod before you stole my wallet. It was tucked inside my jacket before I even removed your panties. I wanted to know what you were listening to. (And I was sorely disappointed there were no Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake songs in sight, because it made not falling for you so much fucking harder.)—ZanderI tried to tell myself I broke up my contract with Kristal and her f
Her heart was that of a lonely hunter.Yes and everything hurts.Elvie had always thought she was doomed by not being able to fall in love, but once she did fall, she wished she hadn’t. Now it hurt when she breathed, when she walked the hallways at work, and each time in between, when she caught sight of the person with a sharp suit and even sharper tongue moving past her, firing orders at Bella or bantering with the rest of the newsroom staff.A few weeks had passed. Four weeks after he’d shown up at her doorstep with flowers and chocolate, Zander had invited everyone into the conference room and announced that he’d given up his position and would only be staying for another month.After he made that announcement, he’d shot her a look, searching her face. Whatever he found there made him ask her to stay after the meeting was over so they could talk about it.She’d wanted to badly, but she knew nothing had changed. Though he often talked to Thea and visited her when he wasn't busy, he
Kristal had been a no-show during those terrible days, but he still remembered the flowers and pastry the family had sent every morning, her mother checking in on him, and her grandmother calling him three times a day to make sure he ate, showered, and breathed. Bella turned around, reaching for the door handle. Zander kept his face blasé. “Good luck explaining it to everyone, sir. Because let me tell you something—the moment Elvie walked into the room and into your life again, she changed you. It wasn’t profound. It was even more gradual, but it was there. In the way you started smiling, the way you softened towards your employees—just a little—and started doing the right thing by yourself and Kristal. But standing here?” She shook her head. “I think that man just bailed on us, and it saddens me because I was looking forward to working with and befriending the new Zander.” Fuck! Bella closed the door behind her, and he looked to the glass wall, catching Elvie unpacking her lunch a
Elvie was about to round the corner and turn onto the street when a limo pulled up at the curb and the passenger door flung open. Her eyes widened, and she stopped in an instant. Her brother was no Liam Neeson, and if she was going to get kidnapped, she very much doubted she could be saved. She turned around to look at the person getting out of the vehicle. It was Kristal, dressed to impress in what looked like a cocktail gown. She seemed to be alone.“Can I help you?” Elvie cocked her head. She wanted to be strong, but she was tired, hungry, and annoyed. And pissed at herself—so pissed that she’d let herself get carried away with a man like Zander Stanton. She usually made smart choices. She was a salad girl, and he was a deep-fried chocolate lava cake.“Me? No, though I’m sure you’ll do it at some point once you get fired, divorced, and have to become a waitress to support your slutty ways.” She walked towards her on her high heels. The limo driver looked the other way, like he coul
On the way to work, Gerald told her in her earbuds that they’re spending the treasure that love cannot afford, and Elvie nodded, not only to the rhythm but to the sentiment. Her shoes were blood red, and she’d spent the ride dying their laces black with a Sharpie.She walked into the office, not knowing what to expect. The professional side was going to be evidently extra depressing. But last night, Zander and she showcased their hearts like they were on a window display when they touched—crawling into each other’s mouths and seeping into each other’s souls. Then she’d left, without a message or a phone call. It was not her most mature moment, but she was sure he needed time to think too.Elvie walked the hallway, ignoring the judgy looks and raised eyebrows people tried to pin her with. One of the secretaries passed her and winced. She didn’t say anything, but one look at her face told Elvie she was in for an unpleasant surprise. What the hell was wrong with these people? Why on eart
Her legs were up before she knew it, carrying her to the exit. No explanation. No apologies. Elvie felt his grave steps thumping in her hollow chest as he followed her out. It was raining outside—the kind of dirty, humid rain to break the pulses of summer heat. It reminded her of the day they’d met at the university, of the carnal desperation that ate at her back then, and of the fact that she was still alone.Elvie felt his hand on my shoulder as he swivelled her around sharply. He jerked her into his arms.I didn’t want him to let go.I didn’t want him to keep me there, either. She thought.“I wish I’d never met you.” My fists pounded his chest, and he took it. Maybe because he knew he deserved it. His mouth pressed against my cheek felt like a rusty, hot blade. The world felt like it was ending, even though I knew it couldn’t be.The vane of his breath sliced through my ear. “I wish that, too.”That night, the sex was different.Slow, intense, and angry. Every thrust was a punishme