"I want to go home."The words were soft, barely above a whisper. But they cut through me like a blade.Home.I clenched my jaw. A muscle twitched near my temple.I reached out, threading my fingers into her hair, stroking gently, the way one would soothe something fragile.It felt unnatural.I wasn
Despite everything I had given her—the dresses she refused to wear, the comfortable bed she avoided in favor of the couch or even the floor—she remained steadfast in her simplicity. She didn’t need luxury. Didn’t crave indulgence.And that, more than anything, unnerved me.Women were predictable cr
Could feel the gentle rise of her chest, the delicate way her body responded to my touch even in sleep.I wanted to push further.I wanted to own her.The temptation was a living thing, clawing at me, whispering in my ear, urging me to take what was already mine.But instead, I dragged my fingers hi
I sighed, running a hand down my face. "I told you the whole damn story. I'm not using her."My gaze flickered toward the window, toward the early morning light bleeding through the curtains."I'm protecting her."Liar.The thought whispered in my head, but I pushed it away.When I bought her from t
Still changing.Still becoming mine.There was a small mole beside her belly button. Another below her right eye. One on her left cheek. Another beside her nose.I often wondered where else they were.Where else she hid pieces of herself.And if I would be the one to find them all.Her simplicity w
It wasn’t rational. It wasn’t planned.But it was happening.As he entered, the distant hum of conversation filled the air. The guys were gathered in the living room, voices low but animated."Hey! Guess what?"Leo’s voice cut through the chatter, brimming with excitement.Ace barely spared him a g
Ace POV:She was dropping a half mug of water on herself, then stopped and opened her eyes immediately.It was a weird behavior.I exhaled through my nose, tilting my head as I watched her. Then—I whistled. A sharp, low sound. She flinched violently, her body jerking in the water, and her wide eye
Her ears were bright red. A dead giveaway.I exhaled softly, my lips brushing against the sensitive skin beneath her ear."I... already saw your ducks," I whispered softly in her ear, my voice laced with a teasing yet gentle tone, hoping to ease her nerves.She bit her lips hard, her eyes widening i
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