**Valerie**“Is that the ‘thank you’ I get?” Layla asked back in a calm tone. “I just helped you solve an issue that seemed too big for you.”“What's wrong with you??” I snapped. “That wasn't the deal we had.”“Oh, yeah, it wasn't." She chuckled lightly. “This one is way better. I told him the amount was five million, and he gave me an extra five to not bother you again.”“What?” I blurted, shocked. “I must say, you've really landed a jackpot with this one,” she praised.I lowered the phone from my ear; my lips still parted in shock. And then I hung up, not wanting to hear anymore from her.“Is everything okay?” Matt asked me as soon as I dropped the phone. “Lucas paid Layla the money,” I blurted out. His eyes widened. “A million dollars?”“Apparently he paid her ten,” I sighed, standing up. “Rich prick,” Matt scoffed, his voice barely audible. “How rich is he anyway?”“Filthy rich!” The words echoed in my mind.We both knew the answer to that question, but neither of us said a wo
**Valerie**The pizza box dropped to the ground as he lifted me, placing his hands under my butt and hooking my legs together behind his back.Shifting my singlet to expose my breasts, his mouth took my nipple. I gasped as he began sucking and biting one nipple after the other before his lips found his mine again and began devouring them.He broke the kiss briefly. “Where's your bedroom?” He breathed. “The door by the left.” I pointed to my room door.He turned the knob and then kicked it open, our lips and tongue still locked in a passionate kiss.Once inside, he tossed me on the bed, his dark eyes burning with desire. And then yanked his clothes off quickly, his hard length coming to view. I pulled off my clothes too. And in an instant, he was kneeling before me, his head aiming for between my legs, but my hand stopped his head. “I want to taste you first,” I suggested.He smirked and then stood straight. Goodness, he was so beautiful... so thick and so long.My tongue swirled on
**Third person**When Valerie's eyes opened, she noticed Lucas was missing from the bed. She rose to her feet, but her legs immediately buckled, reminding her of the passionate night they had just shared.Biting her lip for a few minutes, her mind replayed the events of the previous night, and she hugged herself tightly.After a quick shower, she stepped out of her room and was instantly enveloped by the savory aroma of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee. Her stomach growled in anticipation as she descended the stairs.Lucas stood in the kitchen, his broad shoulders and chiseled physique straining against the apron that seemed to be struggling to contain him. His piercing blue gaze locked onto hers, sparkling with mischief and warmth. "Good morning," he greered, his deep voice tinged with a playful tone. "Slept well?"Valerie's cheeks flushed as she took in the spread before her: fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and freshly squeezed orange juice. "You didn't have
**Third person**Layla's fingers danced across her phone's screen, typing out a message to her private lab contact. She attached a photo of the package containing Valerie's saliva and Karen's hair."Rush order. Compare these DNA samples and confirm match." She hesitated, then added, "Discreetly."The response came swiftly: "Understood. You'll get the results within 24 hours.""Great! I'll swing by in an hour and drop them off.”At Harrisons Enterprises, Valerie sat at her desk, her gaze fixed on the computer screen. "You’ve been smiling all day," Tessa pointed out with observing eyes.Valerie gasped at Tessa's words, her eyes widening defensively. “Me?” "Yes, you,” Tess replied, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Something good happened last night?""How does Tessa know something happened last night with Lucas? Was it that obvious?" She thought."And smiling has nothing to do with Lucas, of course. Wait, I wasn't even smiling to begin with," she reassured herself internally.Then her
**Valerie**A sense of uneasiness filled me as I emptied my drink in hand and placed the glass on the table. “I should probably head home and rest; I still have work to submit by Monday,” I lied. My eyes were a bit heavy just after a few glasses.“Val,” she placed a hand on mine, her eyes piercing into my skin. “You won't have to.”Something about the way she said it sent shivers down my spine. And strangely, Amelia's words echoed in my head. *You'll find out soon enough. Let's just say you won't be a problem for much longer.*I just considered Amelia a blabbermouth. But now that I think about it, could there be more to her statement?I looked at Tessa's hand and then her face, and I saw a tiny smirk on her lips that seemed more off than usual.“Ohh,” I mumbled, pulling my hand away from hers. I did not want to ask her what that statement meant; I was scared to. I was scared of the next words that might come out of her mouth, so I decided it'd be best to just leave.Standing to my fee
**Third person**Karen's mansion later that night.“The deed is done.” The hired man stood before Karen, hands at his back, while his expression was stoic. Karen placed a leg over the other, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "And the body?" She asked, her voice low.“The car went over a cliff. The cops will find it soon enough,” he replied.Karen nodded, a cold smile spreading across her face. "Good. Make sure there are no loose ends.”“Yes, ma'am.”Just then, Victor entered the room, and Karen immediately turned to him with a smile. “You're just on time; everything turned out just fine,” she blurted out with a smile, forgetting that they weren't alone. The realization hit her, and she regained her composure at once, clearing her throat as she looked away from Victor. “So how's Amanda? Is she getting better?” she asked with a straight face.Victor's expression flickered, a brief hesitation before responding. "She's... fine. Recovering well."Then he bowed slightly and made to lea
**Third person** At the Stone's Enterprises, Lucas shoved his hands into his pocket, his gaze fixed on somewhere outside the window. “So it is authentic?” He asked Calvin. Calvin nodded. “Yes, as far as the experts could tell.” Lucas clenched his jaw slightly and then drew in a sharp breath. “Then that means she lied?” “I wouldn't exactly say that though,” he paused. “You remember that our findings were a bit strange.” “Mmhm,” Lucas hummed thoughtfully, his head bobbing slightly. “And what have you been about to get on that anonymous person?” "Uh..." Calvin hesitated. There wasn't much he could have gathered in a few days. Lucas pulled out a hand from his pocket, ran it through his hair, and then turned to look at Calvin. “Valerie said that he has texted her just twice,” he stated. “The first was something trivial, and then this.” Calvin furrowed his brow slightly. “Something trivial?” he asked. But Lucas continued anyway, ignoring Calvin's question. “And the initials he
**Third person**Valerie had just stepped into Harrisons Enterprises.She was wearing a black stiletto, her lips painted a bright shade of red that matched her fitted dress. Lucas was walking by her side, while the cops were behind them.Adam ran up to them as soon as he saw Valerie. “Val… Valerie… I was so worried,” he confessed, his eyes sparkling and his entire teeth on display. Then he turned, his expression becoming serious. “Mr. Stone?” Adam bowed slightly. “I hope there's no problem, especially since you brought..." His eyes darted to the three policemen briefly. “...company.”Lucas’s expression remained grim. “They'll be leaving with the person who tried to murder my fiance.”“Mur… Murder?” Adam stuttered, his eyes widening in shock. “Someone tried to kill Valerie?” And at that moment, Adam immediately reached for Valerie’s hand. “Are you okay?”Lucas furrowed his brow at the scene, his hand flying to break their contact. Then he pulled Valerie close before shooting a glare a
**Third person** Valerie dragged her heavy eyes open. She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. The smell of drugs and antiseptic and hospital filled her nose. Beside her, Lucas sat with his eyes closed. Almost immediately she jumped up on the bed. “Let me go,” she shouted, startling Lucas. He climbed the bed and pulled her into his arms. “It's okay, you're safe now,” he whispered softly, planting kiss after kiss on her hair and forehead. Valerie relaxed into his embrace, her racing heart finally calm. A tear slipped from his eyes and he wiped it. He'd thought he'd lost her. “I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe. I should have anticipated it, I should—” “It's not your fault,” she cut him off gently. “It's not.” Tears trailed down her own cheeks and she sniffed. “What happened to Matthew?” A muscle ticked in Lucas's jaw, he felt Matt had an easy fate after everything he did. "Dead." Valerie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, her body shaking with relieve
**Third person**“Let's move, slowly,” Matt murmured in Valerie's ears, his hot breath fanning against her skin. His eyes were still locked onto Lucas—who was practically shooting daggers at Matt with his eyes."Matthew, please," Valerie whispered back, her voice trembling. "You don't have to do this. You can still let me go."Matt's jaw tightened, his chest heaving with desperation and anger. "Do you really think I'm stupid?" he hissed. "You want me to let you go? I should just allow you to run into his arms?" He questioned in a mocking tone.“Drop your weapon and surrender,” the police announced again but neither Valerie nor Matt paid any attention. “Best believe that if I do that, then I'll shoot you from behind before you get to him,” Matt added. The chilling sensation in his voice sent a shiver down Valerie's spine.“Man to man,” Lucas began, his voice almost a growl. “What would it take for you to let her go? Anything at all… name it. Even if you don't want to spend a single da
**Third person**It took Matthew half the time it would normally take to get to the bunker. He parked his car at a safe distance before running over to the location. And with each step he took, his mind raced, his heart pounded with anxiety. He couldn't afford to lose her now that he was so close. They'd literally be leaving the country today. Valerie please be there, please be there, Matt murmured, his legs moving faster.A half-relieved sigh left his lips when he reached the entrance and saw that the door was still locked—She was still here. His trembling fingers sifted through his bunch of keys, his breath gaspy and he wiped the sweat on his forehead with the back of his palm.Matt unlocked the door and then pushed it open forcefully. His eyes blazing with anger and anxiety found Valerie immediately. She was curled up at a corner, her cheeks stained with tears and her hands and feet shaking."What have you done??!" he growled, his voice venomous.She frowned in confusion, even th
**Third person**Matt seemed to ponder for a moment before he exhaled deeply. Then he moved over to the table and picked up a small knife. He began cutting the ropes. His jaw clenched at the red mark the ropes left on her skin, a pang of guilt coursing through him. He'd done this to her, he thought. “Do you need me to get you anything from the store?”Finally untied, Valerie examined her free hands and legs, a sense of relief and determination washing over her. “No, thanks.”“I'll be back soon.” He gave her a warning look. “Don't try anything stupid.”She nodded vigorously. “I wouldn't dare.”Satisfied, Matthew turned around and headed out. Valerie had her timid and innocent mask on, until the moment Matthew was out of view.She squeezed her eyes shut and then began counting from one to fifty in her head, giving Matthew enough time to leave the premises. Even with her eyes closed, she could hear the locks click behind him.When she was done, she sprang to her feet, her eyes desperat
**Third person**Eighteen hours had passed since Valerie's disappearance.Lucas stood in the center of his living room, surrounded by computers and anxious faces. His team of experts, handpicked from the best in the business, worked tirelessly to track down any lead on his woman.But so far, neither his team nor the police have been able to come up with anything tangible. There was also no signal from the tracker in Valerie's necklace. Either her kidnapper knew that the necklace was bugged and got rid of it, or they were under water, in a bunker, or somewhere that'll block the signal.One thing for sure; he'd find Valerie and he'd find her soon. Even if it meant turning the planet upside down. She'd be found.News about her and disappearance was all over the media and there was a huge cash prize for whoever brought relevant information on her whereabouts. Lucas ran a palm across his exhausted face. Deep lines creased his forehead, and his jaw was set in a rigid clench. "Broaden the
**Third person** It was almost as if Valerie disappeared just when Elliot blinked. After dismissing the woman who'd come to talk to him, he looked up but he didn't find his boss. Damnit! He'd clenched his jaw and quickened his pace, his hand instinctively resting on the gun holstered at his hip as he rushed outside. Eyes scanned everywhere around but there was no trace of her. "Miss Thorne?" he called out, his mind racing. “Ashley?” He called louder. “Valerie?” There was no response. Immediately, he dialed her number… once, twice, thrice… until it was unreachable. He'd rushed over to some passersby to ask if they'd seen her… There was nothing. Shit! Just then, his phone started ringing. Elliot pulled the device out and stared at the screen, his throat suddenly feeling dry as he registered the caller ID—Mr. Stone. He took a deep breath and then pressed the answer button. ***************************** Valerie's eyes fluttered open, her gaze was blurry and unfocused. She tri
**Third person**Valerie's blood ran cold as she stared at the picture attached to the message. It was a picture of a small boy, no more than two years old. The fact that he was a spitting image of Lucas Stone had goosebumps erupting all over her skin—same blue eyes, jet-black hair, nose, lips, jawline…Val's heart rate increased. Her son was truly alive?“We’re heading to the hospital; Mr. Stone said we're meeting him there?” Elliot asked, his hands already on the ignition.Valerie nodded absent mindedly and he started the car.She felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins as she stuck her head outside the window. Breeze hit her face but it did nothing to calm her. She knew that she had to lose Elliot, and fast. As the car moved through the city, she spotted a convenience store up ahead and made a split-second decision. "I need to stop and get some water," she said suddenly.Elliot frowned and glanced at the bottle of water sitting in the middle of the car compartment.
**Third person**Valerie's smile broadened into a full-blown grin. "Oh, don't think it's unfair if justice isn't served for your lover's sister."Karen frowned, her eyes narrowing. "My lover? What do you mean?" What did this have to do with Victor, she hasn't even heard from him, Karen wondered.Valerie locked her eyes onto Karen's. "Victor, your bodyguard... the one you've been fucking.” She paused to study Karen's face—she didn't look so confident anymore. “But you killed his sister."Karen's face drained of blood, her eyes wide and her lips parting with shock. Valerie continued, "The young lady who took care of Nathaniel Scott."Dread coursed through Karen, her mind shifting back to the night Nathaniel was killed. He'd been with a woman, and when Adam killed Mr. Scott, the woman witnessed it. Karen had to silence her.A small smile found its way to Valerie's lips as she studied the horrified look on Karen's face. "So now, does it finally ring a bell?"Karen's eyes stung with tears
**Third person**Valerie woke up to a wet sensation on her clit. A shiver coursed through her spine, her nipples hardening.The sensation continued, and she was forced to open her eyes. She wiped her heavy eyes with the back of her palm and then looked down between her legs, where the source of the heat she was feeling came from. Lucas, with his head between her thighs, looked up, his tongue still whipping her sensitive clit. “Morning, babe,” he murmured. Valerie blinked a couple of times to clear her eyes. She arched her back and she cried out in pleasure when he slipped a finger inside her. “W-what are you doing?” She managed to ask between moans.He smiled and looked up at her again, with those dark, desire-filled eyes. Her cheeks flushed as she noticed her pussy juice rubbed all over his mouth and its surroundings. “I've always dreamed of waking you up like this,” she murmured, his voice rough.Lucas slipped another finger in her and began pumping, his tongue returning to her c