KASMINE.I stormed past him. My fists clenched at my sides in an attempt to shake off the fury burning beneath my skin.Did Kester think the world revolved around him alone? He was a control freak, and it was freaking me out already.I barged into my room, the image of June's tear-streaked face plaguing my thoughts.Kester's heavy footsteps followed behind me, and before I could slam the door shut, his strong hand caught it.With an effortless push, he forced his way inside, closing the door behind him with an annoying calmness. He stood there, hands tucked into his pockets, completely unaffected by my rage.His calmness was grating on my nerves."What the hell, Kester!" I spun around to face him, my voice barely restrained. "June could have heard what you said to me out there!"His silence was infuriating."I was out there consoling her, trying to ease the pain I was putting her through! And you—" My breath hitched, frustration swelling in my chest. "You had no right to speak to me l
KESTER.I hadn't slept. Not even for a second.I almost lost it. But I didn't because it was Kasmine, after all. She's the one thing that keeps me tethered. My antidote.If it were anyone else, I swear, I'd have taken their heads off by now. The maids would be scrubbing the blood off the marble floors already.I had been lost in thoughts all the while she was sleeping on me. Her soft snores broke through the static in my mind, calming my racing heart.It's always been this way for the past five years now. Her very existence is my calm.She tames my demons, even without her knowing. Little wonder I kept taking her belongings and stacking them up in my room over the years.But that fucking slap... Her hurtful words...It broke something in me.I felt it snap the moment her palm met my face.For one breath—for one fucking second—I saw red. She had no idea how hard I fought it. How much it took to keep my hands at my sides when every instinct in me screamed to remind her who the fuck I wa
KESTER.I stood by my table and stared blankly into the laptop, watching her prepare for work as though I hadn't watched her sleep all night.With Kasmine, it was never enough. She was too beautiful a sight to ignore. Too fucking intoxicating. The kind of beauty that made my cock hard every time I laid eyes on her.She went about her usual morning routine – styling her wavy, luscious brown hair, humming softly under her breath, singing along to whatever song played from the speakers, completely unaware of how fucking hypnotic she was.Then came the part that always made my lips twitch with satisfaction.She moved to her wardrobe, rummaging through her clothes – my clothes – and picked out one of the sexy skirts and blouses I had gotten for her.She didn't know what I had done. She had no idea that her wardrobe was no longer hers but mine. That I had quietly replaced every unappealing piece of clothing she had with the ones I preferred—skirts that hugged her hips, blouses that clung to
KASMINE.The image of Kester's back had burned itself into my mind, haunting me through the night, refusing to let me rest. Even now, as I walked toward my office with a spring in my step, I couldn't stop the smile that kept tugging at my lips.Kester was determined, tearing down my defenses with a patience that was both infuriating and intoxicating. And damn it, he was winning.I swear he was getting more points than I'd like to give him.I had crumbled the moment my gaze landed on the massive tattoo spanning his back—ink etched into his skin simply because I liked tattoos.My chest had ached, my throat had tightened, and tears had spilled as I traced the beautiful patterns with my hands.But even after pushing him to tell me how he knew I liked them, he vehemently refused to. And now, just thinking about it sent a shiver through me.But as soon as I stepped into the elevator, all of my excitement screeched to a halt.Claire.The guilt hit me like a punch to the stomach. I had aband
KASMINE.I kept reading the notes over and over again, even when I willed myself to stop.Kester's possessiveness needed a degree. His will to become a man he wasn't...? It was impressive.His obsession with doing things that he originally wouldn't do was as consuming as a wildfire in winter. And it was becoming dangerous.Kester was never such a man. And I never envisaged him being such a man, even in his next life.But this?"Who are they from?" Jake asked, yanking me back to reality. His brows were pinched while his eyes scanned my face like he could see straight through me.I inhaled sharply, pressing the note between my fingers like it might disappear if I held it tightly enough."Uhm..." I swallowed, forcing my expression to stay neutral. "I... I don't know, Jake. There's no name on it."The lie slipped past my lips so smoothly that it frightened me.He didn't say another word. He just leaned into his seat, his expression saying everything his mouth couldn't say.And, gods, I ha
KESTER."You still haven't told me what you were doing in that boutique, Kester," Kasmine asked for the hundredth time as we drove home.I smirked, gripping the wheel with one hand while the other itched to reach for her. I was tempted—so damn tempted—to tell her. But no, it had to be a surprise. Probably when we've decided on a date, which I know could be a long time from now – say in two to three months – then she'd know that she didn't need to shop for a wedding dress and that I already had it taken care of.I turned to steal another glance at her, and, heavens, she looked beautiful.She didn't just look beautiful. She looked sinful... ruinous. Like something a man would walk willingly into disaster for.The day had been about her—her hair, her nails, her skin—every detail fine-tuned to perfection... Everything she'd need to look and feel beautiful for our trip tomorrow. And I was happy I did. Because I loved what I saw—she looked like she was made for indulgence. My indulgence."Y
KESTER.I tried to push her thong aside, but the slick material kept obstructing my free access to her wetness.Hell, I ripped it off, and she gasped at the force."Sorry," I murmured, though there wasn't an ounce of regret in my voice. "It was in the way."I gripped her thighs, positioning her exactly how I wanted.I was in the mood to fuck her while she stood facing me, looking into my eyes to see the raw hunger that can never be satiated.She was so much smaller than me, her frame delicate compared to mine, but those heels she wore? They were a blessing. They made this perfect.Her brows furrowed, innocent curiosity flickering in her expression as she watched me press the thick head of my cock against her entrance. "How… how do we do this?"The innocence in her voice made my blood heat.I leaned in, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear as I whispered, "Ever heard of the standing missionary?"She hesitated, then shook her head.Something dark and possessive curled in my che
KASMINE.The voice from the mini speakers in the plane trailed off, fading into my thoughts, "All passengers on board, welcome to flight 309..." I barely registered the rest. My focus was on the man beside me—my stepbrother—who hadn't lifted his gaze from his phone since we arrived at the airport, as if he was expecting a call that was never going to come.He clenched and unclenched his fists and jaws every now and then to relieve the tension he was refusing to let me know he was feeling. It was rolling off of him in waves, and I could almost taste it.What the hell was going on?Something was wrong.I'd overheard the argument between him and Dad last night, though I hadn't caught enough to piece everything together. It wasn't anything new—Kester and Dad had always been at odds, more enemies than family. They fought so often that their clashes had become routine, something I'd learned to ignore out of self-preservation.Mum and I had to get used to it when we found out there was noth
KASMINE.The devil has a name, and he wasn't in hell.His name was Kester, and he was right here, on top of me, making me moan his name between gasps and breathless pleas.My body wasn't mine anymore.Pleasure had stolen it, claimed it, reshaped it into something unrecognizable—something made only for him.The vibrator inside me was maddening, humming, pulsing, teasing the raw, oversensitive flesh of my clit. My thighs quivered violently, torn between squeezing shut from the unbearable sensation and spreading wider to take more of it.And then there was his cock.Heavy, thick, stretching my lips wide as he thrust deep into my mouth, shoving himself into my throat, pushing me past my limits. The veins along his shaft pulsed against my tongue, the head hitting the back of my throat with his ruthless push.My jaw ached, and my throat burned, but I took him, swallowed him, and let him use my mouth however he pleased.My vision blurred as his fingers clamped down on my nose.A shock of pan
KESTER.Putting her to sleep on the flight was child's play. A necessary inconvenience.I had to.Otherwise, she would have gotten in the way of what I intended to do. And the commotion that followed—when everyone found out there was a body locked inside the convenience—would have ruined this trip before it even began.I had no regrets. The world was full of corpses, and one more wouldn't tip the scales.This wouldn't be the first time a corpse turned up on a plane. And it sure as hell wouldn't be the last.Now, I only had to hope the reporters would shut up about it. The frequency at which they broadcasted the incident was becoming an irritation, but nothing I couldn't handle.I knew she'd be mad when she found out, but she'd get over it.My eyes roamed over her, drinking in the sight of her body wrapped in the sexy outfit I had chosen for her, which was turning me on to a feverish degree. She looked fucking perfect.A perfect slut for me.Did she even realize how sinfully gorgeous s
KASMINE."What the hell?"A sharp ache pulsed at the side of my head as I winced, my body instinctively curling inward. My limbs felt unusually heavy, like I'd been drugged—or in a deep sleep I couldn't remember falling into.Blinking against the soft golden light filtering through the room, I slowly pushed myself up, my fingers gripping the silky sheets beneath me. These weren't the sheets from the plane.Where the hell was I?My gaze darted around, taking in the space. Spacious. Extravagant. Surreal. The kind of place people spent a lifetime saving up for a single week in.The high, vaulted ceiling was made of dark wood, elegant yet rustic, with pure white curtains that billowed lightly from the breeze seeping through the open balcony doors.The floor was polished oak, dark and rich, so clean it almost gleamed.The air smelled different—salty, warm, and rich with the scent of the ocean.I immediately turned my head toward the sound of water lapping against the stilts beneath the cab
KESTER.My chest kept constricting no matter how hard I tried to clear it out. I'd been at the convenience for a moment now, but I still didn't feel well enough to step out, even to face Kasmine. Not after how I had yelled at her.I braced my hands against the sink, fingers curling against the cool porcelain as I stared at my reflection. My eyes were hooded from exhaustion and frustration. And a touch of guilt.I had let the pressure, the fucking weight of everything, spill over onto her.My reflection blurred as I closed my eyes."It's going to be fine."I whispered the lie under my breath.Repeated it.Like some desperate fucking prayer.But the words felt so empty and unreasurring. And no matter how many times I said them, they did nothing to stop the sinking feeling that I was losing control.That I was already trapped.I pushed the door open and stepped into the cabin but froze immediately.She wasn't there.The seat beside mine was empty, her blanket neatly folded. The reclining
KASMINE.The voice from the mini speakers in the plane trailed off, fading into my thoughts, "All passengers on board, welcome to flight 309..." I barely registered the rest. My focus was on the man beside me—my stepbrother—who hadn't lifted his gaze from his phone since we arrived at the airport, as if he was expecting a call that was never going to come.He clenched and unclenched his fists and jaws every now and then to relieve the tension he was refusing to let me know he was feeling. It was rolling off of him in waves, and I could almost taste it.What the hell was going on?Something was wrong.I'd overheard the argument between him and Dad last night, though I hadn't caught enough to piece everything together. It wasn't anything new—Kester and Dad had always been at odds, more enemies than family. They fought so often that their clashes had become routine, something I'd learned to ignore out of self-preservation.Mum and I had to get used to it when we found out there was noth
KESTER.I tried to push her thong aside, but the slick material kept obstructing my free access to her wetness.Hell, I ripped it off, and she gasped at the force."Sorry," I murmured, though there wasn't an ounce of regret in my voice. "It was in the way."I gripped her thighs, positioning her exactly how I wanted.I was in the mood to fuck her while she stood facing me, looking into my eyes to see the raw hunger that can never be satiated.She was so much smaller than me, her frame delicate compared to mine, but those heels she wore? They were a blessing. They made this perfect.Her brows furrowed, innocent curiosity flickering in her expression as she watched me press the thick head of my cock against her entrance. "How… how do we do this?"The innocence in her voice made my blood heat.I leaned in, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear as I whispered, "Ever heard of the standing missionary?"She hesitated, then shook her head.Something dark and possessive curled in my che
KESTER."You still haven't told me what you were doing in that boutique, Kester," Kasmine asked for the hundredth time as we drove home.I smirked, gripping the wheel with one hand while the other itched to reach for her. I was tempted—so damn tempted—to tell her. But no, it had to be a surprise. Probably when we've decided on a date, which I know could be a long time from now – say in two to three months – then she'd know that she didn't need to shop for a wedding dress and that I already had it taken care of.I turned to steal another glance at her, and, heavens, she looked beautiful.She didn't just look beautiful. She looked sinful... ruinous. Like something a man would walk willingly into disaster for.The day had been about her—her hair, her nails, her skin—every detail fine-tuned to perfection... Everything she'd need to look and feel beautiful for our trip tomorrow. And I was happy I did. Because I loved what I saw—she looked like she was made for indulgence. My indulgence."Y
KASMINE.I kept reading the notes over and over again, even when I willed myself to stop.Kester's possessiveness needed a degree. His will to become a man he wasn't...? It was impressive.His obsession with doing things that he originally wouldn't do was as consuming as a wildfire in winter. And it was becoming dangerous.Kester was never such a man. And I never envisaged him being such a man, even in his next life.But this?"Who are they from?" Jake asked, yanking me back to reality. His brows were pinched while his eyes scanned my face like he could see straight through me.I inhaled sharply, pressing the note between my fingers like it might disappear if I held it tightly enough."Uhm..." I swallowed, forcing my expression to stay neutral. "I... I don't know, Jake. There's no name on it."The lie slipped past my lips so smoothly that it frightened me.He didn't say another word. He just leaned into his seat, his expression saying everything his mouth couldn't say.And, gods, I ha
KASMINE.The image of Kester's back had burned itself into my mind, haunting me through the night, refusing to let me rest. Even now, as I walked toward my office with a spring in my step, I couldn't stop the smile that kept tugging at my lips.Kester was determined, tearing down my defenses with a patience that was both infuriating and intoxicating. And damn it, he was winning.I swear he was getting more points than I'd like to give him.I had crumbled the moment my gaze landed on the massive tattoo spanning his back—ink etched into his skin simply because I liked tattoos.My chest had ached, my throat had tightened, and tears had spilled as I traced the beautiful patterns with my hands.But even after pushing him to tell me how he knew I liked them, he vehemently refused to. And now, just thinking about it sent a shiver through me.But as soon as I stepped into the elevator, all of my excitement screeched to a halt.Claire.The guilt hit me like a punch to the stomach. I had aband