(ARIELLE’S POV.) I balled my hands up into fists without even realizing I was. Only when my phone vibrated to indicate I’d hit the maximum volume did I realize I’d been squeezing the device as well while I held it against my ear. I couldn’t breathe. The air stung like scorpions dancing on the insid
Michael seemed to grasp the situation before him and he pulled out his phone from his pocket to make a call. I didn’t wait to find out who he was speaking to. Thankfully, I’d slipped out of my heels I to something more comfortable at the beginning of the competition so I had no difficulty racing dow
(ARIELLE’S POV.)My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, spiraling faster than I could control. My body functioned on autopilot, but inside, I was unraveling.I couldn’t help but worry. Worry that I could lose everything I’d worked so hard to raise from scratch. Worried that I could go to prison for a
(ARIELLE’S POV ) My mother was at the door when we arrived. Her eyes were warm with kindness and genuine concern. “Oh my baby,” she sighed and pulled me in for a hug. “I’d never poison my customers, mom. Why would I even do that? And then everyone seems to believe it now. And I could lose everyth
“You came,” Zeke said, scanning the environment to be sure I was indeed alone. “Let’s settle this. Here and now,” I said curtly as I settled into the seat across from him. “Alright. I see you’re all about business, huh?” he nodded. I could feel the heat of his eyes dance over my body leeringly.
(ARIELLE’S POV.) The air in the room was charged with expectancy and a little bit of tension. I’d finally come face to face with the breakthrough I’d been looking for. I was seated in my office, Jared occupying the seat across from me while we waited for the video to come up on the television. Zek
The questions came flying from all over the room. Jared was glad to oblige them with an answer most of the time when they roped me into a corner. “Ms. Meyers, are you saying the lady in the video is not a displeased customer?” a reporter asked. “A lot of faces come and go from my restaurant. I c
(MICHAEL’S POV.) I nursed a cup of coffee in my office while I waited for Arielle to arrive. I slid open my drawer again to check the documents I’d put together for the purpose of our meeting and a smile crossed my lips. There was a knock on the door and my secretary walked in, Arielle following
“Sorry about that. I just wanted to go through everything we have to do first,” Julian explained, earning a little roll of the eyes from his ex-wife. I was glad that I didn’t need to be sedated for the tests they were about to conduct. Something about lying still and unconscious again with no defin
(ARIELLE'S POV) The procedure began with a couple of preliminary tests—blood tests, x-rays and the rest. I could see the outline of Jared’s figure on the other side of the glass barrier on one side of the room. He paced about anxiously and I felt a twinge of guilt for the way I’d spoken to him earl
I let out a tired sigh and figured since it was still a while before dawn, I could try and go back to sleep. I tossed and turned on the bed for what felt like an eternity before the bedside alarm clock began to ring. By the time I shut it off, I realized I’d been rolling about aimlessly in bed for t
(ARIELLE’S POV) I stirred from sleep. I felt the heat of Jared’s naked body pressed against mine and knew without any doubts that everything that had happened was in fact real and not some figment of my imagination. Somewhere in the heat of our escapades the previous night, Jared and I had stepped
I rolled my eyes and tried to rise to my feet. But he pulled me back. “Can I get one more drink? Please,” he said softly. His voice was silky and enchanting, like that of an experienced spell caster and it took all the self-control I could muster to break away from him. “I’ll go check the kitche
(ARIELLE'S POV) A couple of shots later, the air was more loose around us and we were both laughing at a silly joke he’d made. I couldn’t remember what it was but I laughed so hard my insides began to hurt. “I think my intestines just exploded inside,” I joked, and we broke into another round of l
(ARIELLE’S POV.) The room remained silent, all eyes trained on the couple whose eyes were misty in solemn gratitude. I remained lost for words, my tears already rolling down my cheeks, burning hot with gratitude and hope—hope that their procedure would give me the cure I so desperately wanted. Ma
He must have noticed my facial expression because he turned to me, his bespectacled eyes holding surprise. “Don't tell me you don't know them,” he whispered incredulously. I shrugged, they were probably medical personnel just like everyone else in this room beside me and Jared. Like he could read
(ARIELLE'S POV) The rest of the day flew by in a blur. Jared returned from the call, and we spent some time talking, catching up on everything except the looming summit. I called my Mom and Maverick when I retired to my room, and the sound of my son's cheerful voice filled me with so much warmth an