She let out a startled gasp, her hands pushing weakly against my chest.I caught her wrists, holding them gently but firmly."Why do you always push me away?" I murmured, my voice dipping into something almost playful. Almost.She struggled in my hold, squirming against me."Don't you like me?" I te
Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly.Good.But then she recovered too quickly, scowling and muttering, "That was self-defense."She shot me a smug look, clearly pleased with herself.I huffed out a chuckle, shaking my head as I leaned back against the bed.She turned away, making her way to
I grabbed a towel, wiping the sweat from my neck."Now, if you'll excuse me, I have actual work to do."I didn’t wait for a response.Didn’t acknowledge the laughter that followed me as I walked out.I needed to get out of here.Iris's POV"Who do you think you are, huh?!"Jeremy’s voice was a snarl
I hugged my knees tighter, burying my face against them, wishing—just for a moment—that someone, anyone, would come looking for me.Suddenly, I saw two men walking toward the bus shelter, and anxiety clawed at my chest, tightening with every step they took.The first man spoke, his voice cutting thr
A sharp burst of pain shot through me, but I barely noticed.Tears blurred my vision, hot and endless.My mind went blank with terror."Someone, please."I squeezed my eyes shut.I prayed. I prayed to anyone.And then—BANG.A gunshot.The man above me lurched forward, a strangled scream ripping fro
"Well, it is," I admitted, because for Aiden, it probably was.Felix, ever the curious one, tilted his head. "Where's the shortcake?"Ace, lounging with his glass of scotch, barely spared him a glance. "Whoring around."His voice was flippant—but I caught the slight edge in it. The way he rolled hi
Faint, almost fading—but unmistakable. Finger marks.I stared. My hands clenched at my sides.I forced my voice to stay even, but it still came out rough. "Iris… your cheeks."She averted her gaze, shifting uncomfortably."Can we go away from here... please, sir?"Her voice—so small, so quiet—felt l
Ace’s fingers curled around her cheeks, forcing her to look up at him. Her breath came in ragged gasps, the weight of his dominance, his rage, his twisted anger pressing down on her.Her cries were pitiful. Wrecked."Ace, calm down. You can talk to her tomorrow," Alex tried, his voice measured, con
Why did I only notice it now?Ace chuckled—low, knowing."Do your work like a good whore," he murmured, his tone silky but laced with steel. "And show me your devotion, brat."He leaned back, and the pressure of his hands, which had been a constricting comfort around my body, vanished. Like a snake
I blinked, my breath hitching, frustration curling inside my chest."Please…" The whisper left me before I could stop it, before I could hold onto my pride. My head dipped down, shame curling my shoulders inward as I bit down on my lower lip. "Just one kiss. Even a peck."Ace clicked his tongue, th
“Don’t expect me to treat you like a good girl till I believe you’re sorry, Iris,” he murmured, his tone dark and taunting.Before I could process it, his thumb shoved past my lips, forcing them apart. My eyes flew wide, a muffled “Hmph” escaping as my hands shot up, fingers digging into his knees
“Sit on your knees.”…What?I froze.My smile slipped, and a soft “Huh?” escaped me before I could stop it.The warmth I’d felt a second ago twisted into something heavier, sharper, and I blinked at him, caught off guard.“You heard me, my sweet whore,” he said, leaning back with a smirk that stretc
I clenched my fists, inhaling sharply before narrowing my eyes at him.This man.This man would kill me.My fingers tugged at my top, pulling it back down as I tried to piece together what just happened.Why did he stop?I gulped, my throat dry, my body still traitorously warm. Ace smirked, draping
I sputtered, fisting my hands.“Boss,” Joy’s voice cut through my humiliation.“Wouldn’t Hudson sir be angry about what you just did to his sister? Should we, uh, step outside?”Ace didn’t even spare her a glance.“No. Stay here and do your work. I’ll do mine,” he said smoothly, like he hadn’t just
And he had the audacity to ignore me?He didn’t even say thank you!I glared at his back.“Boss,” I said, layering my voice with a little too much sweetness. “It’s past your lunch time. You should eat.”Nothing.Not even a glance.Ace continued flipping through his damn papers like I was invisible.
But it was probably not the sparkly, glittering fairy kind. More like the I-make-people-disappear kind.Joy. That’s her name.Wooow.A woman named Joy working at a place where she literally brings pain. “Oh yeah!! I remember now,” Joy exclaimed, her face lighting up like I was her long-lost best f
Damn it, Iris. Play it cool!His gaze didn’t waver. “May I know what you are doing here?”I cleared my throat. “Uh… just… passing by?”He arched a brow.I let out a nervous laugh and gestured to the air. “You know, just… admiring the architecture?”Then, he tilted his head toward the slightly open d