Rhys Van Acker“Getting engaged is nothing serious?” Peach says, her voice steady.I manage a smile. To me, it’s nothing serious. I’m just honoring my grandfather’s wishes and I know damn well that I’m never gonna get married to Nichole. Once grandfather starts to recover, I’m calling it off.Plus, Nichole isn’t even my type of woman. She’s too vanilla for me. Peach on the other hand is daring and that’s one of the things about her that drives me hella crazy.“We don’t have to worry about it. It’s just an arrangement. Very temporary.” I say as I take a seat next to her on the bed.She exhaled sharply. “I’m just saying, it was less complicated when I thought you were single.”“I am. I mean, this ring doesn’t prove anything. It’s a formality.”“What about your fiancé?”“She’s not going to be a problem.” My fingers trail up her arm. “How about we worry about that later?”She blinks. Once, twice. “I…”“Come here.” I pull Peach into my arms and claim her mouth. It’s soft and sweet, and
Peach Salinger I passed out after the last orgasm and when I finally wake up, I realize it’s almost 4pm. My head’s throbbing too. How did I sleep for so long?I manage to get out of bed, stretching as I do. My legs feel a bit sore but somehow my mouth still waters from thinking about how amazing sex with Rhys is. I mean, he’s the only man I’ve ever slept with actually but still.I grab Rhys T-shirt on the bed and slip into it. He’s not in the room so I conclude he’s downstairs or something. I make my way out of the room and successfully make it to the first floor. The house is huge and I still cannot believe any of this is real.Although, one part of me feels like a terrible person for getting into a fling with someone that’s already engaged. But then again, Rhys said it was nothing serious. Just a formality so I kinda immediately just pushed the feeling of guilt down until it’s nothing more than a little bit of indigestion.“You’re up?” Rhys says as I walk into the huge living
Peach Salinger.Even after Rhys offered to drop me off, I turned it down. What if someone from the Arconia saw him?As I get down from the cab, my mind is still clouded by the haze of lust. If my future self came to me a month ago and told me I would get into a fling with my boss, I would’ve argued with it. But here I am, having had multiple soul-withering orgasms from this same man in a day.As I walk into the Arconia, my phone buzzes in my pocket. It’s a text from Marienne.[Marienne- I went grocery shopping and left the keys to the apartment with Reginald.]Arghh. I sigh. Do I really have to deal with Reginald right now?When I finally get to the third floor, I go straight to Reggie’s apartment and knock. It takes a moment before he finally answers. “You’re back?” Reggie says with a smile. His hair is slightly tousled and he’s in a plain white tee and shorts.“Keys.”“Right. I’ll go get them. You can come on in if you want to.”I nod dismissively and he disappears into his apar
Peach Salinger. Just as Reggie’s lips are about to meet mine, the door to the apartment swings open, and Marienne’s voice breaks the spell. “Hey, guys, I—”Reggie and I jump apart like guilty teenagers caught doing something we shouldn’t. My face burns with embarrassment as I turn to face Marienne, who stands frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide.“I… uh…” Marienne stammers, clearly at a loss for words.Reggie clears his throat and takes a step back, running a hand through his hair. “I was just… getting my hamster cage,” he says, his voice a little too casual.I can’t even look at him. My heart is still pounding in my chest, and I know my cheeks are flushed. I feel exposed, and I hate it. I hate that he got to me, that he almost—almost—made me forget why I’ve been trying to keep my distance.Marienne, sensing the awkwardness, quickly tries to smooth things over. “Right, of course,” she says, forcing a smile. “I’ll make dinner, by the way.”“Great,” Reggie says, his voice straine
Rhys Van Acker“Thank you, Avery. Anything else?” I say to my sister as she places some files on my desk. “That’s all. I’ll send the interns to you if there’s anything else.” she replies. She gives me a warm smile and heads for the door. “And yeah, I’ve set up a meeting with Sinclair And Co. They’ll here tomorrow.”“No problem. Just make sure the administrative department have completely done their research and analysis on market trends. It has to be ready before the Sinclairs get here.”The Sinclairs are one of our major shareholders and the meeting tomorrow is kind of a big deal. Avery nods and steps out of my office. I take a deep breath and sink into my seat. I’m hoping the day passes in a blur since Peach and I are meeting up tonight. I can barely contain the excitement that runs through my blood. The kind that makes my blood flow in the wrong direction. Having to keep professional at work is so hard because anytime I see her, I’m in a constant state of hyper awareness. M
Peach Salinger It’s almost 9am and I’m the only one remaining at the office. I’m trying to complete the analysis trend report before leaving. The deadline is tomorrow as well and I think I might have to stay here all night to finish it.Marienne has already left with Adrian, and Rhys had texted me a few hours ago he would be canceling plans tonight. For some reason, one part of me thinks it because of his fiancée, Nichole Barnes.Nichole has been on my mind all day and I can’t help but wonder why Rhys would choose me over such an elegant woman. Not that he “chose” me in a “forever-is-the-deal” context but you get what I mean.Then the other part of me thinks he’ll soon realize what a gift Nichole is and start preferring to have sex with her instead of me. We can’t be so sure they aren’t already doing it. But then again, our agreement doesn’t imply we cannot have sex with other people.Arghhh. I shrug the thought off. Why does this bother me so much? Whatever is between us is sole
Peach Salinger I hate the way I feel right now. Like a clingy bed mate that’s jealous of another woman. It makes me feel like I don’t know my place, like Rhys and I do more than sex.I swallow hard. He’s on a date with Nichole. So what?Rhys’s eyes meet mine, and the smile slips from his face. For a moment, we just stare at each other, the noise of the city fading into the background. It’s awkward as hell, and I wish I could disappear, but my feet refuse to move.Nichole notices me too, and her eyes widen. “Oh, it’s you!” she exclaims. “The girl from the elevator! The one I spilled coffee on earlier today!” I force a smile. “Yeah, that was me. It’s no big deal. I was the one not looking where I was going.”Reggie, who’s been silent beside me, looks between us, clearly confused. I quickly clear my throat, trying to salvage what’s left of the situation. “Mr Van Acker, this is Reggie, my... friend. Reggie, this is Mr Van Acker, my boss.”Rhys nods curtly, his expression unreadable
Rhys Van Acker I step out of the conference room, my heart still pounding from the tension that nearly derailed everything. It takes every ounce of self-control not to slam the door behind me. Instead, I allow it to close with a soft click.The meeting could’ve gone disastrously if I hadn’t managed to pivot the discussion. The Sinclairs were already growing impatient. I’m thankful I had some preliminary data on hand, just enough to hold their interest, but the presentation was a far cry from what we’d promised. I stride down the hallway, my shoes echoing sharply against the marble floor. My mind is racing, each step punctuating the anger simmering just below the surface. How the hell did this happen? When I reach my office, I bark an order at my secretary without breaking stride. "Summon Miss Salinger. Now."I push the door open and walk into my office. I drop into my chair, and I can’t help but wonder how the hell this happened. Peach is supposed to be reliable, diligent. Inst
Rhys Van Acker Attending a family meeting isn’t basically something I had planned on doing. But when my mother, Catalina Van Acker summons, there’s no turning her down. If you do, she’ll have an episode and check herself into a hospital for chest pain or some other catastrophe that will drag on for at least a week. I really don’t have time for that with the company anniversary coming up. Though, I have a feeling it has something to do with me walking out on Nicole’s family the other day. I sit in my car and glare at the road. The only way out would be if my EV malfunctioned in a significant way. I’d be ecstatic if its battery burst into flames.Unfortunately, my car doesn’t cooperate. It drives like a dream. Fucking modern engineering.I park my car in front of grandfather’s mansion and climb out. The yard is huge and the surrounding shrubs have been trimmed low to ensure everyone has an unobstructed view of the garden. The main structure is huge, with ivory walls and turrets
Peach Salinger Before I can stammer out another half-baked excuse, the front door swings open and in walks Reginald. He looks completely unfazed. I blink in surprise as he steps forward, his eyes locking onto my grandmother’s.“She was with me all night,” Reginald says smoothly.My head snaps toward him. What is he doing? My grandmother's gaze shifts slowly from me to Reginald, her eyes narrowing as she studies him. For a tense moment, no one speaks. Then, something changes in my grandmother’s face—her stern expression softens just a fraction.“Reginald?” she says with surprise and something almost like fondness.Reginald nods. “Yes, Mei Mei, it’s me.”Without another word, she beckons him over, her hand extending towards him in what looks like a welcoming gesture. I breathe a tiny sigh of relief, thinking for a brief second that the worst is over, that maybe this will be easier than I expected. But then, as soon as Reginald leans in for what he probably assumes will be a hug,
Peach Salinger I must’ve fallen asleep in Rhys arms last night because when I wake up, it’s morning. Opening my eyes, I stare at the familiar surroundings, my body sore and aching from the sex we had last night.I had forgotten what it was like with Rhys, how cathartic the roller coaster ride of pain and ecstasy could be. I feel both empty and exhilarated at the same time, wrung out, yet invigorated by the maelstrom of emotions.Sitting up gingerly, I wince at my sore back. Casting a glance around the room, I spot a door that I assume leads to the bathroom. Rhys is not in the room, so I get up and go over there, feeling the need to wash up. The bathroom contains a huge shower, as well as a sink and toilet. There’s a plastic-wrapped toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash tucked inside a little shelf on the wall. I use all three and follow up with a quick shower.Then, feeling infinitely more refreshed, I go back into the bedroom to get dressed. I grab one of Rhys’s t-shirt and his s
Rhys Van Acker I pace the length of my living room, running a hand through my hair for what feels like the hundredth time. The sound of the rain beating against the windows is relentless and it makes my blood boil even more.It’s driving me crazy. It’s like every nerve in my body is on edge. I glance at my phone, hoping for another text from her. Nothing. Just silence. The rain pounds harder, and I feel this tight knot forming in my chest. She should be here. Under me. Fucking her till her pussy spasms on my cock. But instead, she’s probably curled up in her apartment. The blood in my veins roars. My skin stretches taut, and I feel like a beast starved for her.Suddenly, the doorbell rings, cutting through my thoughts. My heart jumps in my chest, and for a second, I freeze. Who the hell would be here in this weather?I stride over to the door and yank it open, and then I see her.Peach.She’s standing there, completely soaked from head to toe. Rainwater is dripping from her hair a
Peach Salingers I walk back toward the camp, trying to calm myself down, but my heart is still pounding. Rhys has this way of making me want him and now my head’s a mess. As I approach, I see Reggie glance up from packing, his face curious, like he’s waiting for an explanation.“What took you so long?” he asks, standing up straight.“Just work stuff,” I lie, brushing him off as casually as I can. “Mr Van Acker was giving me some last-minute details.”Reggie’s eyes narrow, but he doesn’t press. I know he doesn’t believe me. I can feel it from that familiar long hard look he always gives me. But I don’t have the energy to explain, nor do I want to. Especially not about Rhys.“It’s our last day here,” Reggie says after a moment. “We should start packing up.”I nod and we start packing our stuff, loading the gear into the car. Marianne barely acknowledges me. She’s been cold ever since we got here, and I don’t even know why. Not that I care right now, I’m tired of trying to find o
Rhys Van Acker I drive with full speed, my hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary. The campsite is the only place I can think of. My phone vibrates with text after text from my mother, but I don’t bother looking. I know what she wants. What they all want. The car screeches to a halt when I pull up at the campsite, and I step out, scanning the area. A group of campers come into view, huddled around a fire, laughing and talking. And then I see her. Peach. My heart jumps into my throat when I spot her, that signature long black hair falling over her shoulders, and her long legs are on full display in that ridiculously short skirt. She’s in a huge, oversized shirt and definitely not wearing a bra. Her pointy nipples are so evident in that big shirt. Definitely not hers. I already know who it belongs to, and just as I think it, he appears. Reggie. I hate him. Always have. Even though Peach once told me they were just friends, something’s still off about him.
Rhys Van Acker It’s just 11 in the morning and my day is already so shitty. And it keeps getting shittier that it’s almost unavoidable at this point. First, I’ve been cooped up in my bedroom for four days, reviewing campaign ads pitch for the upcoming company anniversary. The only time I stepped out was when I went looking for Peach. Which brings me to the fact that my sexy little devil has gone ghost on me for two days now. She’s not returning my texts and her cell is unreachable as well. I even went to the Arconia in search of her but her apartment was locked. It’s driving me nuts not knowing what she’s up to or who she’s with. And now, few seconds before finally losing my mind, Avery texts me to inform me that grandpa and my mother are coming over to my house. But get this, with Nichole’s family. Yeah, sounds pretty serious. We’ve not really taken things any further than the forced engagement at the hospital. I’ve not met Nichole’s parents yet. I’ve done a great job postp
Peach Salinger I rush over to Reggie’s tent. My heart is pounding in my chest and the cool night air is biting at my skin. My head’s spinning with thoughts of what could’ve happened to Marienne. I can’t believe she just stormed off like that into the woods in the middle of the night.“Reggie,” I whisper loudly, crouching down and shaking his shoulder. “Reggie, wake up.”He groans, half-turning before blinking up at me groggily. “Peach? What’s going on?”“Marienne’s gone. She…she walked out of the tent, and I can’t find her anywhere.”That wakes him up. He sits up quickly, reaching for his flashlight beside the sleeping bag. “Shit. Alright, we need to look for her.” He stands.“I... I don’t know if I can go into the woods, Reg,” I admit. “Not after that stupid story you told.”He gives me a mock smiles. “You can stay here if you want. I’ll find her.”The thought of being alone in the tent with my nerves is worse than facing whatever’s out there. “No, I’ll come with you.”He takes
Peach SalingerI swallow hard. It’s only for three few days.We light the bonfire, the flames crackling and snapping in the quiet night. The warmth feels good against the chill. Reggie’s sitting across from me, poking at the fire with a stick, while Marienne is off to the side, staring into the flames. “Alright, ladies,” Reggie says dramatically. “I’ve got a story for you. Ever heard about the ghost that haunts these woods?”I roll my eyes. “Come on, Reginald. We’re not twelve.”“Oh, this isn’t a story for kids,” he says, leaning in closer, his face half-lit by the fire. “There’s a legend around here about a girl who went missing in these very woods. They say she wandered off from her campsite one night and never came back. Her friends searched for her, but all they found was her backpack...covered in blood.”I can feel my heart start to race, but I don’t say anything. I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s freaking me out.Reggie continues, his voice dropping lower. “Peop