Cassius's POV Delia shot me a glare that could pierce through steel as if she couldn't believe her ears. "I should leave?" she asked. I pulled up my trousers and zipped it up, my mood having turned sour already. "You heard me, leave." I said as I adjusted my trousers, trying to regain my composure. "Cassius..." her voice trailed off as she picked up her dress on the floor, put it on, and headed towards the door. She whispered something to Crystal, whose gaze was on the floor, and Crystal's eyes widened as she watched Delia walk away. "Did I not tell you not to enter my room without permission?" I asked, my voice firm as I stood up from the bed and strolled towards her. Goddammit. Her breasts were tantalizingly visible, and I could see the outline of her nipple, making my mouth water. I wondered what it would taste like; chocolate, vanilla, or something entirely unique. I'm not supposed to be thinking this way;she is my cook. My cook. "You never told me that." Crystal said
Zara's POV Dammit. My body still aches from Cassius's touch; he sure knows how to touch a woman. Fuck me, I'm not supposed to be feeling this way, but who wouldn't when a guy touches them this way. His hands burn my body with pleasure. Fuck the person that called that put an end to the pleasure. But what type of a person punishes someone this way if not that bastard! And about the document he said, I didn't even bother opening it, I had just tossed it to God knows where. I'll do what I want and not what someone tells me to do, but now, I'm facing the aftermath. I tried wriggling my hand off the handcuff the bastard had pinned me with, but it was futile, there was no use struggling. Dammit. Is this how I'm going to be till the bastard comes back? Ahh! I looked around the room and it was really empty except for this bed, a chair and a table at the far end of the room. Some papers were lying on the table; I wonder what they are. Since this is a private room, the papers must co
Delia's POV How dare Cassius send me away because of that bitch. For just a mere cook? A mere cook who he had just employed. And the bitch had been revealing her round boobs, is she trying to seduce Cassius? Is she trying to make him fall for her? Which would never happen, Cassius is never committed. Well...I can't blame her, Cassius is every woman's spec. But still...I can't allow her plan to succeed. Her plan must flop, I have to make her stay away from my Cassius. He is mine to fuck, and mine alone. "You sent for me, ma?" Drake, my assistant, said as he entered the room."Did Cassius send a message to me to come over?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. It would look absurd that I just got back home from his place and I'm already looking forward to his message, but that's how much I want Cassius for myself. "No, ma." Drake replied. "Any message at all?" I pressed. "No, ma.""Dammit!" I cursed as I picked up the vase on the table and swerved it forward, shattering it into pi
Zara's POV "What do you think you are doing?" I heard the bastard's voice, and I opened my eyes to see him smirking down at me. He shoved his phone in my face, making me know it was his phone he had picked beside me. Dammit. Here I was, having done the most stupid thing of closing my eyes. Heck, I had been anticipating a kiss. Hell me. I pushed him away from me and bolted out of the room. I was fucking embarrassed at myself. What the hell had I just done? No, I wasn't expecting a kiss, it was all part of the plan of seducing him. Yeah, that's it. I was tryna seducing him. I rushed into my room, locking the door behind me as if he were chasing me, my heart beating so fast. Get a hold of yourself, Zara. I moved to where I had hidden my secret phone, tucked beneath my bed and picked it up. Xander had called. I dialed his number and his fatherly voice came through from the other end. "How are you doing, Kid?" he asked. "Hmm...at least I'm alive and still breathing." I replied
Cassius's POV I watched as Crystal walked out of the room. Her ass, fuck, so full and firm. I bet it would be fucking soft. How I wish she wasn't a mere cook, I would have smacked that bouncing ample ass. I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to bend her over and fuck her from behind. Dammit. I shouldn’t be thinking like this, I have to get myself a whore tonight to fuck, if not; I doubt I would resist the urge to fuck Crystal. That daring bitch. The knock on the door knocked me out of my reverie. The door opened, revealing Shadow. He bowed slightly and walked towards me. "Any information? Were you able to find out who initiated the trafficking?" I asked. "No, sir. But we found a spy who seemed to be the culprit that killed the dead men." he explained "A spy?" I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, sir. He is among your bodyguards, we sighted him receiving a secret call with a burner phone, but he isn't saying anything yet." Shadow replied. "Where is he now?" I as
Cassius’s POV "Get everything you can on the Luciano," I instructed Shadow as he stepped into my room. "Huh? Why?" he asked, his dark brows pulling together slightly. I sighed, rubbing a hand down my face. "Ion know. I just feel this weird thing that they might actually be holding a grudge and had caused the shootout," I admitted, my voice low. The thought itself was unsettling. The Luciano had been our ally for years, helping us countless times, especially after the settlement. I didn’t want to believe they could betray us like this, but Tyler had always been right about these things. And this time, I had a gut feeling he was right again. "But they’re our ally," Shadow reminded me. "I mean, they helped you countless times after the settlement." I nodded, acknowledging that fact. "I know. But still, keep an eye on them. Discreetly. We can’t make any assumptions yet, but we also can’t ignore the possibility. They might actually be the ones behind it. We really can't tell." Shadow
Cassius's POV Crystal’s mouth opened slightly, her eyes widening as she processed my words. "You can’t be serious." I smirked, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her, enjoying the way her breath hitched as I closed the space between us. "Do I look like I’m joking?" My voice was low, controlled, but my eyes never left hers. I wanted to see every flicker of emotion pass through them—anger, frustration… maybe even a hint of something else. Her hands clenched at her sides, fingers curling into tight fists. For a second, I thought she’d argue, lash out, tell me to go to hell. But then she straightened her shoulders, her chin lifting slightly in defiance. "Fine." I raised a brow, intrigued. "Fine?" "Yes." Her voice was firm, but I caught the slight tremor underneath. "I’ll do whatever work you want me to do." Oh, she had no idea what she had just agreed to. "Good." I closed the last bit of space between us, stopping just inches away. Her scent hit me—sweet, intoxicating, making my
Zara's POV A warm, feather-light touch swept across my face, dragging me from the depths of sleep. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was Cassius—his hand still hovering near my cheek. For a moment, neither of us spoke. His eyes locked onto mine, dark and unreadable, as if he hadn’t expected me to wake up just yet. The air between us felt charged, thick with something I didn’t quite understand. Then, his expression shifted—his usual arrogance snapping back into place like a mask. "You fell asleep," he murmured, his voice rough from sleep. I blinked, sitting up quickly as I registered where I was. My back ached from sleeping on the floor, my legs stiff from being folded for so long. "I wasn’t sleeping," I said, rubbing my eyes. His lips twitched. "Really? Because unless you were meditating with your mouth slightly open, I’d say you were passed out." I scowled, but before I could fire back, I realized how close we still were. His scent—masculine, rich with
Zara's POV I tried to open my eyes slowly, but my eyelids felt unbearably heavy. A dull ache throbbed in my head, but I forced them open anyway. My gaze landed on a dimly lit room. A chill ran down my spine as I tried to move—only to realize I couldn’t;I was tied down. Who the hell did this? And why? Everything came rushing back—I had been kidnapped. But by who? And why? I struggled against the restraints, twisting and pulling, but it was useless. The ropes bit into my wrists and ankles, sending sharp jolts of pain through my limbs. I clenched my teeth as I muttered a curse. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I took in my surroundings. The room was bare, except for a single table and a chair in the far corner. A wave of panic surged through me, but I forced myself to stay calm. Freaking out wouldn’t get me out of here. Clenching my jaw, I took a slow, steady breath, ignoring the sharp sting in my wrists where the ropes dug into my skin. I needed to focus. I shifted my gaze,
Zara's POV THE INCIDENT "What?" I exclaimed, bolting upright in bed. The sleep I had felt before turned to alertness. "Yes, Zara. Quit." Xan said. "But why? Cos I remember you stopped me when I wanted to quit then, so why the sudden change of mind?" I demanded. Xander sighed and i could almost picture him rubbing his temples, the way he always did when I frustrated him. "Can't you see it has become dangerous for you? First, there's that whackjob who keeps digging into you, and now we find out someone is impersonating Cassius." I scoffed, rolling my eyes as I leaned back against the headboard. "That bitch? She's a piece of cake. I can handle her. It’s not the first time I’ve dealt with people like her, Xan. You know I’ve faced worse. And about the imposter—aren’t you supposed to find out who he is?" I said, stretching my legs out while keeping an eye on the door. Xander groaned. "Do I look like a detective?" "No, I am saying..." "Don’t you get it, Zara?" Xander cut me off
Cassius's POV "Drive faster!" Shadow pressed his foot against the accelerator, the car roaring to life as we sped down the darkened streets. My mind was a storm, thoughts colliding and shattering like glass as my fingers dugged into the armrest. Crystal was missing. My guards were dead. Someone had come into my house, broken into my domain, and walked away unscathed. The fucking audacity. The disrespect. Heck. That's unacceptable. I clenched my jaw so hard it hurts. "Who the hell has the balls to do this?" My voice was deathly calm. The type of calm that comes before a bloodbath. "I'm still looking into it," he said, gripping the wheel, his expression grim. "But I have a feeling Luciano might be involved. The smuggler we dealt with earlier—Jerry—was one of his men, and we had also destroyed most of his trafficking." Luciano. A bitter smirk curled my lips. That cowardly, pathetic bastard wouldn’t dare attack me outright, not unless he was feeling suicidal. But if he wa
Cassius's POV "Get ready. We are gonna be raiding them tonight." I said as we got out of my apartment. As I pulled the door shut behind me, my gaze fell on Crystal’s door, and I wonder what she is doing right now. Was she sleeping or doing something else? "But isn't it too early? I mean...we aren't prepared at all." Shadow said, walking closely behind me. "But I believe we can prepare at any time and since they won't know we are raiding their spot. We can as well be less prepared." I said. "I understand what you are saying but to gather all the guards tonight. I mean..." He trailed off when I stopped abruptly. I turned to face him. "Do as I say. You know I hate denying things. I fucking do things immediately and fast." He immediately lowered his head. "Okay, sir." We got to the elevator, and went a little away from the elevator. Shadow went ahead of me, pressing the switch hidden along the wall. A mechanical click sounded, and the wall slid open, revealing a concealed sta
Zara's POV I really can't believe what's happening; someone is impersonating Cassius. So, it hadn't been him killing all those people. Jeez, a part of me felt relieved that he wasn't as bad as I had thought, but he still killed other people; the same way I killed some people. Maybe not out of malice, but out of necessity. To survive. It's not like I am pure, by the way. Wait...what if it was Cassius and that he had sent someone on his behalf to do that. I remembered yesterday when he had said 'Get rid of him' on the call. What if Cassius had been orchestrating this all along, pulling strings from the shadows while someone else did the dirty work? I paced the small space of my apartment, my mind racing. Could Cassius really be behind this, orchestrating the kills while keeping his hands clean? Or was there truly an imposter out there, framing him for the bloodshed?Cassius wasn’t exactly a saint, and I knew that cos I have seen it myself as he marked that poor soul. But something
Cassius's POV I rubbed my temples as I sat back on the bed. Delia picked up her clutch, dropped it on the table, and walked toward me. "Cassius..." she called, her voice soft. "Delia, what are you doing here?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice in control. "I came to see you, Cassius." she said. "How many times have I told you not to come except I asked you to?" Her eyes softened, and she took a step closer, her hands reaching out to touch my face. I let her fingers trace my jawline, feeling nothing but emptiness. "But you never called, Cassius. And I missed you," she whispered, her eyes pleading. "And you could have waited for me downstairs." Her hands froze, and her eyes narrowed with frustration. "Cassius, are you being like this because of that... thing? No, Cassius. She has an agenda. She's up to something, don't you see it?" My eyes darkened as I studied her. "What do you think she’s up to?" "It's obvious. She's trying to seduce you and run away with yo
Fuck him! I sat up abruptly as i pulled up my leggings, my body still thrumming with need, my fists clenched in the sheets. Cassius just lay there, arms behind his head, looking up at me with that insufferable smirk like he hadn’t just set me on fire and then walked away. Arrogant bastard. "You think this is funny?" I seethed, my breath still uneven. His smirk widened. "I think it's entertaining." I gritted my teeth. He was enjoying this—enjoying seeing me unravel while he sat there completely unbothered, like he had all the control. No. Not happening. I moved before I could second-guess myself, swinging a leg over him so I was straddling his waist. His smirk faltered for a split second—just long enough for satisfaction to spark in my chest. Good. He hadn’t expected that. I leaned down, placing my hands on his chest, feeling the way his muscles tensed beneath my fingers. His breath hitched, barely noticeable, but I caught it. "You like playing games, Cassius?" I murmured, my
I opened my eyes slowly to see Cassius sleeping next to me. Dammit. He looked unfairly hot and handsome with his rumpled hair. When had he come back that I hadn't noticed, and when had I fallen asleep? I looked closely at his sculptured face, my right hand under my face. My fingers twitched as I fought the absurd urge to trace the sharp angles of his jawline. Get a grip, Zara. This was Cassius—ruthless, arrogant, and absolutely off-limits. Still, I couldn't deny that there was something unsettling about seeing him like this—so still, so…human. The usual sharpness in his features was softened in sleep, his lips slightly parted, his brows relaxed. Even his breathing was calm and steady, a stark contrast to the chaos he usually carried around him like a second skin. My chest tightened. He had come back. At some point during the night or early this morning, he had returned and slipped into bed beside me, unnoticed. Which meant one of two things: either I had been too exhausted to se
Zara's POV I opened my eyes slowly, blinking against the dim light filtering through the room. My head throbbed like a damn war drum, and my body felt like it had been run over by a truck. Damn. Where the hell was I? I tried to sit up, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my ribs. My surroundings slowly came into focus—a familiar, dark-toned room with sleek furniture and the faint scent of cologne and expensive whiskey clinging to the air. Then my gaze landed on the broad, tiger-tatooed bare back of a man standing at the edge of the bed. My stomach clenched. Cassius. He was rolling up his sleeves, his muscles shifting under his skin as he reached for a shirt. His presence alone made my skin prickle, but what made my pulse quicken was the realization of where I was. I was in his bed. Then, everything came rushing back, he had sent me on an errands and some guys had attacked me. Wait...could it be that— "You’re awake," Cassius's voice cut through my thoughts as he turne