RENEE “I’ll go check who’s at the door.” Nicole offered, smiling as she kissed me goodbye and exited the bedroom for the living room. “If it’s the delivery guy with flowers and notes, just send him back to wherever he came from.” I yelled after her, my eyes rolling. “As usual.” She snickered. “Of course. As usual.” I said. “I’ll do exactly that, my lady. Whatever you say.” She responded with a mock curtsy, and I rolled my eyes. Sighing, I sat on my bed, pushing the comforter across my legs and pulling my knees into my chest. I leaned back and watched as the sun rays from outside flickered across the walls and curtains, casting a warm orange hue into the small cozy room. My thoughts drifted away as I reminisced on the past few days' events. I faintly smiled and closed my eyes as I inhaled the fresh breeze that filtered through the open window. Even though my life was in shambles, and I was still unemployed, I was doing my best to stay positive. Suffice it to say that nothing e
ROBERT “Mr. Clarke. Someone’s waiting for you in the office.” As my secretary leaned over the table and whispered something into my ear, I looked up from the conference desk, trying my best not to scowl. “And why are you telling me this? I said I didn’t want any interruptions or intrusions, right? I’m in the middle of a crucial conversation here.” I motioned to the board members seated dutifully, waiting for me to continue our discussion. “Any visitor is welcome to wait. I’ll take care of them after I finish here.” But my secretary wasn’t paying attention. “The visitor appears adamant about seeing you right now.” She continued, her brow furrowed. “She is…” “She?” “Yes. The guest is a lady. A certain Miss Renee.” Renee? Holy shit! What was she doing here? My lips twitched, and my eyes widened in surprise. “Did you say, Miss Renee?” I asked, this time softly.“Yes sir, that’s right,” my secretary replied with a nod.“Oh… But it won’t be Miss Renee for long. Mrs. Clarke would be
RENEE As Robert’s lips plundered me, our tongues clashed, our bodies collided, and my heart exploded with emotion.He was kissing me. This man who was the absolute love of my life. My soulmate. My all. My everything.He was my nemesis. Someone I claimed to despise with a zeal that could incinerate anything in its path. He’d hurt me so much I’d vowed to never forgive him.I’d told myself a thousand times that we’d never be together again, but now he was kissing me. And fuck, if I didn’t like it.Hell, I wanted this. Damn it! I wanted him even more desperately now.As his hands caressed, my hair and the kiss deepened, my knees weakened, and my brain began to shut down. Everything softened within me, and I melted into him, craving his warmth. His touch. His love. This should’ve been a romantic moment—after all, we were kissing after weeks apart. It ought to have meant something. But it didn’t, not with our ongoing quarrel and the fact that I still held a strong grudge against him.“Fu
ROBERT I slid unapologetically inside Renee, pushing myself into the heated core of her pussy. Each thrust felt like heaven and better than the last. With her hands splayed across the office desk and her back to me, she looked so fucking stunning from behind. Like every man’s wet and erotic fantasy rolled into one breathtaking package. Her strawberry blonde hair fell down her back in an elegant silk curtain brushing against her bare shoulders, and her skin shined with a healthy glow as her peach-shaped ass swayed in time with my thrusts. “Oh, Robert...” As I pushed deeper into her, she moaned, and the sound of my name on her lips made me shiver. The sweet, soft-spoken word, said so sensually, made my chest ache, and my pulsing dick twitched even more. “Yes, baby girl?” “Fuck me... fuck me harder, Robert.” “Oh really?” I asked, abruptly slowing my pace. She let out a muffled whimper of disappointment as I pulled out from inside her hot, wet folds. She craned her neck such that
RENEE“I still can’t believe you slept with Robert, Renee.” Nicole snickered for the umpteenth time. Her snide remarks echoing off every wall and corner of the room. “Please, Nicole. Don’t start.”“Oh, Renee...” She purred before continuing. “You went to his office to confront him about the restaurant, but he ended up fucking you. Way to go, Mr. Robert. I love me some a dirty-minded man.” “Nicole don’t gloat about this. And don’t remind me of that mistake.” I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Mistake?”“Yes. It was a mistake. Something that happened out of the blue and...”“And then what? Come on, girl. I know you wanted it.” Nicole snickered.“How? Why would you say that?” I shot back defensively, raising my head to face her fully.“Because that look of massive sexual satisfaction is written all over you, bitch. You are positively glowing tonight. Since I got home from work, and you told me about your hot angry sex with your sugar daddy, you’ve been floating!” Nicole smirked,
ROBERTMy heart was pounding in my chest as I swerved through the congested streets. My car roared down the road at breakneck speed. I was pissed. My mind raced with rage as I replayed the events leading my outrage.Some motherfucker laid his slimy hands on Renee. On my woman! At a nightclub.This was the only information I got from my man following Renee.With the threat of paparazzi and reporters watching her every move, I’d hired a bodyguard for her. Someone to protect her without her knowing about it. Someone who would keep an eye on her from afar and ensure no one hurt or molested her in public. His only job was to protect her and keep her safe from the type of scumbags intent on stalking and harassing her. All because they wanted to take some itty bitty paparazzo photos that would fetch them money. So far Harry, the bodyguard, had barely given me a report. Renee rarely left her house, except for the visit to my office earlier today. She spent most of her time locked up in he
RENEEThe first thing I felt when I woke up was a splitting headache and a nausea in my stomach. As I rolled over, my head felt like it’d crack open, like when I was drunk or hungover.The mattress underneath me was smooth, the blankets cool on my skin. I raised my arms at the same time stretching my legs. Blinking back sleep from my eyes, I took a quick look around. Where was I? Neither the room nor the bed I was resting in belonged to me. On the other hand, the decor was vaguely familiar, and it didn’t take long for me to figure out where I was. Robert’s suite. But how? Why? When? I began to question myself, and suddenly memories of last night rushed back into my mind like torrents pouring upstream.I went to the club with Nicole and her date. We were having such fun, and then she left me alone on the dance floor. I met a handsome, though creepy, stranger who’d given me a drink. Then Robert was there out of nowhere, and my mind went blank. “Fuck!” I cursed as I pushed myself out
RENEE“I’m worried, Nicole.” Nicole raised her brows and drew her gaze away from the TV screen. “Huh? “What about?” Pacing in front of my best friend, I ran my hand through my strawberry blonde hair, tugging at it to relieve some of my anxiety. I shook my head and stared at the floor, letting out a shaky laugh. “Who about, rather. It’s Robert. I’m worried about him.”“Oh.” Nicole’s face softened, and she leaned forward from the couch she was sitting on, resting her elbows on her knees and clasping her hands together.Her lips pursed as she watched me pace, and I could see her perplexity and concern deep in her chestnut-brown eyes.“What’s wrong? Talk to me.” With a groan, I stopped and plopped my ass on the same couch as her. Wrapping my arms around myself for comfort, I stared into space, attempting to gather my thoughts. “It’s been four days since I left his suite, and we haven’t seen each other since. I haven’t heard from him. No calls. No texts. No presents.”“Okay, so?” “Th
ROBERTI watched as the officers led Amanda out of the courtroom, her shackled hands clasped behind her back and her head hanging low. She looked broken. Defeated. And whereas she'd walked in confidently earlier, flashing a smug grin at me, now her feet dragged, and she didn't dare to look up. She couldn't, though, not after all that’d happened. Seeing her like this, knowing she finally got her karma, a bitter satisfaction curled in my chest.Finally, she got what she deserved. After the chaos, the wreck—the way she'd torn through my life, Renee's, and so many others—she would finally pay. This was her end. Her retribution. And it was brutal, yes, but it was also entirely fitting. "Yes," I breathed out, an invisible weight, one I'd carried for far too long, lifting from my chest. "Damn, I feel good," I murmured under my breath, and a smile formed on my lips.God! I couldn't wait to get home to Renee. I couldn't wait to tell her it was all over. That we’d won, and Amanda would ne
Your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing. ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky. ~•~AMANDA TWO MONTHS LATER Typically, a day begins when the clock strikes midnight, and the seconds tick.For some, it begins at seven a.m. or earlier. But today, my day began when the courthouse doors swung open and the bailiff ushered me and my lawyer into the courtroom. As we walked in, a hushed murmur rippled through the room, and for a moment, my stomach clenched—not in nervousness, but in anticipation. Which was strange given my crimes.Any prisoner convicted of murder would probably feel fear. Fear of their impending punishment, fear of the unknown consequences of their actions, fear of being executed. They'd also feel guilty, combine that with a sense of helplessness, and voila!But see, I wasn't just any prisoner. I was Amanda Clarke, and I feared no one. I feared nothing. As a convict who'd hired the best defense attorney in the country—my lawyer's record was pristine wi
RENEE "Look who's getting out of these four bleached walls today!" Nicole squealed with delight the moment she entered the room. She ran toward me, arms outstretched. "I'm so happy, Renee." She sniffled. "So fucking happy." "As am I," I said, hugging her with all my strength. "Where's Mom?" I asked. "She's at home, er, the mansion, preparing for your arrival," Nicole said. "I suspect you're going to eat a lot today, my friend," she added, and I laughed. "I can only imagine." I groaned and let go of her when Robert and the nurse assigned to check me out of the hospital arrived. She pushed a wheelchair into the room, signaling it was time for me to leave. As Robert turned to greet Nicole, the nurse, a petite young lady, attended to me. She introduced herself, asked a few questions, provided some healthcare instructions, and then it was time to fill out the discharge paperwork, which Robert quickly took charge of. As usual, he wasn’t letting me lift a finger. It’d been
ROBERTShe was awake.God, she was awake.I couldn't believe it, but as my legs carried me across the room and toward her, yes, Renee was awake. She was alive. She was conscious. And she was looking at me with teary brown eyes, muttering my name repeatedly. As I reached her bedside in a flash, and despite the doctor's warnings to take things easy, I pulled her into my arms and hugged her hard. Tight. Bone crushingly. The tears dropped faster than ever, and I cried. I sobbed. I turned into a blubbering mess, not caring about the doctor or nurses in the room. I just let the fucking grief out because it was about damn time. "Oh, God... Oh, Renee..." I mumbled, my voice breaking as I buried my face in her hair. "I... I thought you wouldn't make it. I thought I had lost you forever." My body shook violently as I spoke, but it didn’t stop my arms from tightening around her. I wanted to permanently hold her close. To never, ever let go of her."You didn't lose me." She whispered, her v
RENEE My dreams were a blur. I saw everything and nothing. I remembered everything and nothing. There was sunshine, and there was rain. There was light, and there was darkness. It was all so beautiful, but so terrifying. It was like time stopped, and I could do nothing about it. Everything felt surreal and I couldn't make sense of it. But then, suddenly… a feeling overtook me—a familiar feeling. The feeling of being alive. Of being whole. Of being complete. There was no more pain, blurry dreams, distorted visions, or anything else. There was only peace. And that peace woke me up. That peace made me move. That peace snapped me from my trance. Eyes fluttering open, the first thing I saw was a white ceiling. Then white walls and curtains. I blinked several times to orient myself to where I was, but the room appeared unfamiliar. It looked like… a hospital room. But why would I be there? I blinked slowly, trying to adjust my eyes to the sunlight streaming through
‘You’re my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you… please don’t take my sunshine away.’The sky really was grey, almost black in its intensity. It looked like a storm could burst out at any moment and unleash its wrath on anything within sight. But he didn't care. Robert. He just stood in the field of daisies, arms crossed, staring up at the gray sky as if it were the most wondrous thing in the world. And he was singing. Singing with that bassy, beautiful voice of his. The one Renee had fallen for. That made her heart skip a beat and sent butterflies fluttering through her stomach. ‘When the sky is dark, and the clouds are thick, I will keep you warm through the rain. And I will always be with you through the wind and snow. I love you. I love you. I love you.’He kept singing, his voice carrying through the air and reverberating throughout the field, causing even the smallest flowers to sway gently to his me
ROBERT“…bad news, Robert. You need to get here. Renee… She was drugged. Or poisoned. I…I'm not sure, but she fainted. She’s in a critical condition, and her life is hanging on by a thread…”Nicole's words swarmed and raced in my mind like angry gnats as I rushed past the hospital's reception, the busy ER nurses and medics, and through the bustling hospital corridors to the VIP room reserved exclusively for the Clarke household.I could hear my heart thumping steadily, but the agony was nothing compared to the million terrifying thoughts flying through my mind. Every thought brought me back to that single word. Drugged. Or was it…Poisoned?Renee had been poisoned. Fuck no!This couldn’t be real. What I’d heard on the phone earlier wasn’t true, neither was this situation. It was a prank. Maybe someone, Nicole or Renee herself, was pulling a cruel joke on me.Yes. That’s it. And by the heavens, my woman was okay. She was at the mansion, and the party was still in full swing. She wasn’t
O, how the mighty fall! With ruin upon ruin, heap’d, and vengeance answer’d upon vengeance. ~ John Milton, Paradise Lost.~•~AMANDA“I didn't pay you thousands to stop at every fucking checkpoint, Mister.” I seethed, gritting my teeth in anger, as the driver pulled to a stop at another police roadblock, this one much busier than the other two we passed.“I have to fucking stop, missus.” He looked over his shoulder at me, scowling. “Either this or my cab is confiscated, and I'm fined. I damn well can't afford that, even with the scraps you're paying. So do me a favor, stop being a whiny bitch, and shut up.”My mouth flew open in surprise, and for a few seconds, all I could see were spots, my cheeks flaming with rage. What the fuck?Did this good-for-nothing asshole just call me a whiny bitch? And did he call the 2,000 extra dollars scraps? Scraps? The fuck!I almost laughed at the irony of my situation. Almost.Take deep breaths, Amanda. Deep… deep… deep fucking breaths, I told myself
RENEEI’d heard “congratulations” a million times tonight, and my ears were still buzzing from it all.Most were from people I barely knew—Robert's acquaintances and business associates—and I was grateful that they at least seemed genuine about it.Their words were kind and, for the most part, calmed my ruffled nerves, but they weren't enough to dispel the lingering fear that’d settled over me like a cloak all evening. There was a nagging voice in my head. A small whisper kept telling me that something bad would happen tonight. That danger was lurking around, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Sometimes, I worried that my pregnancy hormones were to blame and whether it was affecting my mental health. But no, it couldn't be. The growing child inside me did not cause my feelings of paranoia and continual dread.Instead, it had everything to do with what this party stood for. I mean, I'd had this feeling ever since Dylan came into the suite to talk, and then Robert had this elabora