ELLA'S POV The drive home was silent, at least for me. My mind was tangled in a web that I couldn't untangle. Xavier and Ivy filled the car with chatter, their voices bouncing back and forth in casual conversation, but I barely heard them. I nodded here and there, faking my interest, though my mind was elsewhere— on Claudia.Xavier. Claudia. What had been going on between them?I clutched the seat and looked out of the window, watching the passing city lights, wondering if I had read too much into it. But again, Xavier's face when she approached us had told me all I needed to know: there was history there, and it wasn't one I was included in.It appeared that they met in the past. But where? Restless, I chewed my lower lip, fiddling in the back seat chairs of the car. The momentary glimpse of the skyscrapers made me remember that I was Xavier's wife— or rather, his sham wife. The marriage was to be one of convenience, one where all I had to do was make believe before the throngs and
ELLA'S POV I woke up the next morning with a sigh, the light of the new day filtering through the curtains. The air was cool, and the faint smell of coffee drifted in, rumbling my stomach. I rubbed my eyes and slid out of bed, feeling the slight tension in my muscles as I padded towards the bathroom. The shower water was warm, comforting as it cascaded over my skin. But my mind was definitely not so calm.Xavier was still here from last night. He'd been different. Still cold, still him-but yet more there. More real. And I just couldn't get out of my head that there was something more to this man than met the eye.I felt a weird flutter in my chest as I dried off-unease. I wasn't used to this form of life; everything was just a little bit off-kilter. I wrapped a towel around myself and moved back into the room. I froze as I heard the faint clatter of dishes from downstairs.What was that?I pulled on some clothes and went downstairs, freezing immediately when I saw Xavier at the count
XAVIER'S POV I was in the middle of reviewing some contracts when the door to my office flew open. My head jerked up, and there she was — Ella, storming in like she owned the place. Her face was flushed with anger, but damn if she didn't look like the sexiest thing I'd seen all day. I sat back in my chair, locking eyes with her. I couldn't help but let my gaze slide down her body, the dress clinging to her curves. Angry, she was; I could tell that by the look on her face, but it was of little consequence as all I could think about was how much I wanted to bend her over my desk and remind her exactly who was in control here."Xavier," she spat my name like a curse. Good, I like her all fired up, like this. I stood up deliberately and took my time about it. "What do you think that you're doing?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest; she looked every bit ready for a fight. But I wasn't in the mood for talking."You came all the way here to start yelling at me?" I drawled, ste
ELLA'S POV It was absolutely nothing like I had pictured in my mind. My breath hitched as Xavier's hand guided me inside, his presence strong and overwhelming behind me. The space screamed power, control, and. intimacy-very much not the kind with which I was familiar. More to the point, it was a place where Xavier's dominance and authority reigned.My heart was racing, and not completely out of fear. There was more to it, a thrill in a way, as if stepping into this room was stepping into a part of him no one else had access to."You're going to love this," he said, voice low, commanding, yet sending a wave of uncertainty through me.I stammered, looking at the dark wood surrounding me, at the leather straps, the polished metal. That was something else altogether. That wasn't ordinary attraction; that was something strong, and I wasn't so sure I was ready for this.His hand moved to my chin, turning my face to him. His eyes were blazing with that possessive intensity, which had thrill
ELLA'S POV I lay in bed, feeling the sheets beneath me, observing the first beams of morning sunlight filter through the curtains. I had just pulled on my dress, but I really didn't feel like moving quite yet. My mind was still lost in the haze of last night. His touch remained on my skin, the possessive grip, the ease with which he took control-so naturally.A small smile teased at my lips until it quickly fell away with the emergence of a voice-a female voice-from the hallway. I frowned at the sound that invaded my thoughts. I strained to listen more intently, and what I heard was the sharp, cutting sound of her voice cutting through the air.It sounded too familiar.Then it clicked. Claudia.I sprang upright, the memory of her stinging words at the party flashing through my mind. I slipped off the bed, then moved silently toward the door, just out of sight but close enough to hear their conversation clearly."Xavier, I don't understand. Why are you wasting your time with her?" Cla
Alex's POVI watched the cityscape from the large window in my office, the world spread before me, silently mocking me. All this wealth, this power—it wasn't earned by the man who claimed it. It was simply handed down, like a spoiled child's toy. Xavier McKinney, with all his arrogance, never once understood what it meant to actually fight for something.He didn't deserve any of it. An empire, control, the fear he wielded with such carelessness-it was never his by right. It should have been mine.But no, I had to stand by his side through all these years, watching him rule, taking orders like a puppet while my hate grew deeper and festered. My fists instinctively clutched in my pockets at the thought of his smug face, so full of entitlement with every interaction, every goddamn meeting. He'd thought himself above the law, and for so long, I let that be.Patience was an art I had mastered. I had waited years for this moment. Years of playing the perfect, devoted assistant, behind the s
XAVIER'S POV My hands were clutched tightly around the wheel, while the quietness in the car spoke louder than any words either of us could utter. Ella sat beside me, her body stiff, but I still knew how hot we'd gotten just a little time ago. The memory of her body, the way she responded to me, echoed inside my head like the steady beat of a drum. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since-the feel of her, her soft moans in my ears, the way her body bent to my will. I wanted that part of her again, the raw, unguarded side-the part she showed only me when we were alone, where I could strip away her walls. As I looked over at her, I could tell she stared out the window, probably lost to her own thoughts, but all I could think about was how much I wanted her. It was carnal, deep in my bones, and something I couldn't shake. We pulled up to Ivy's school. The sudden shift from desire to fatherly duty was almost amusing, but as I parked the car and stepped out, I wasn't bot
ELLA'S POV As I stepped into the living room, tension hit me like a physical wall. Xavier stood near the door, his back to me, facing his uncle. I could feel the energy between them-strained, thick, and unnerving. I didn't know what was going on, but it certainly didn't take a genius to figure out that Xavier wasn't exactly pleased to have his uncle appear so suddenly. Ivy tugged on my hand, her face innocently devoid of the currents running underneath. Her eyes gleamed bright as she looked from me to Xavier, heedless of the chill on his face, and the fact that his body screamed control. Uncle Luke had this casual arrogance about him-threw a leg over the wall and leaned on it like he owned the place. The smile on his face was of those that sent chills down my spine, a warning that whatever conversation was going on, it wasn't a friendly catch-up. I didn't want to interrupt, but Ivy had other plans. "Mommy, Daddy! Guess what happened in school today!" she piped up, cutting the si