TASHADamn it.I feel like hugging her pain away, but I know she still has more to say. And I let her.She wipes her cheeks. "Everything I did to match up with you never worked. My grades. My body. Nothing worked. I became so bitter and so resentful. I hated myself. And you." She sniffs. "But then, one day, Jason glanced my way. The way he looked at me made me feel…...important. Seen. Desired. Like I could finally have something of yours to myself."I watch her as she sighs out deeply, more tears forming in her eyes. "Jason and I started hanging out behind your back. It was all fun and games, until it wasn't anymore. I felt…..I felt like he loved me. Maybe not as much as I thought he loved you, but I thought he at least felt something for me. And I felt that was enough. For me."A tear drops onto her cheek. She does not bother wiping it away. "After that day you caught us, I felt….powerful. When Jason announced to the whole school that he was breaking up with you, I fucking felt victo
TASHAFinally it is Friday evening, and I could not be more prepared. I am already dressed up and standing in front of my mirror, checking out my outfit and minimal makeup.My excitement of getting to meet Nate's sister and mum is coupled with a little bit of anxiety and restlessness. Since the day Nate invited me to the family dinner this week, I have been dying so hard to attend.But now, I feel a little bit tensed. Maybe it is because I am just meeting them for the first time.Relax Tasha, it is just going to be like an easy jolly walk in the park.Done applying my perfume and some finishing touches to my facial makeup, I grab my purse and strap the golden chain sling on my shoulder. Just as I turn off my bedroom lights, my phone pings with a message from Nate.Nate: I am outside.Me: On my way.I click send.After exiting my room, I shut the door.___________I reach outside the house, meeting Nate standing in front of the terrace with a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates in
TASHAIt is nice to finally meet you.My muscles relax, instant relief coursing through me. Those seven sweet words might be the best words I have heard today.Cathy pushes the glass of wine into Nate's reluctant palm and grabs my hand. "Follow me. My mum is dying to meet you."Nate scoffs as he follows us behind. "Sounds more like you are the one who has been dying for ages to meet her."Cathy snaps back a glare at her brother before turning to me with a scowl. "Your boyfriend can be a serious pain in the ass.""I heard that." Nate retorts. I nip down the insides of my mouth to prevent myself from laughing.We finally reach the dinner table, and I am suddenly struck hard by the charming beauty of the woman coming out of the kitchen with a silver tray containing a medium sized chocolate fudge cake.Cathy looks a lot like her in every way. The resemblance is striking, but also confirms the truth that Nate does not take much after this woman. His mum. The giant family portrait picture
NATEFuck.Tension bubbles inside me like hot lava, rushing through my veins and spreading all over my entire body at the ferocious scrutinizing eyes of my father on Tasha.I can't believe he is back. Tonight of all fucking nights.I slip my fingers into Tasha's hand under the table, trying to calm myself with the distraction of the softness and warmth of her fingers entwined with mine. She tightens her grip on my hand. I can feel her unease, but her face wears a calm expression that contradicts the storm swirling in her eyes as she continues staring at my father.I sense her uneasiness relaxing a bit second by second."Good evening sir." She manages to flash a small, composed smile at my father, her smooth voice breaking the choking silence in the air.My father does not respond. Damn him. He simply walks over to his spot at the head of the table and sits like the king he is, his scornful eyes never leaving Tasha all the while.My belly churns hard at the intensity. My blood begins t
TASHAWhen we burst out into the wheezy air outside the house, I feel the oxygen rushing back into my lungs as I suck in deeply. Desperately.I can finally breathe.That tension is over. I never expected to survive all that just happened back in there, but I did.We did.And now, we are out here, with no fucking plan or thought of what to do next. Maybe we can start from somewhere. Nate is not looking alright at all. In fact, he looks pissed. Extremely pissed. His grip on my hand is tightening by the second as we begin walking towards his motorcycle, his angry gaze locked on the black flash ride I have come to love so much.But I am not going to let him drive us. Not tonight.I halt in my tracks, stopping us both altogether.He shifts his eyes to me. "Tash—""There is a kids' park just a hundred metres away from here. Let us take a walk down there.""But you—""I want to be alone with you right now. Do not worry. I can take a cab home."The urge to be with him right now burns deeper
TASHAI instantly perceive the distrust and self doubt he has about himself through his soft, stuttering voice. And my chest squeezes tightly. Painfully.What!? How can he even ask me that!? No fucking way! He is the most beautiful soul I have ever known. A tough candy with that soft mushy cream right at the center. He is the strongest person I know. He is fucking smart. Kind. A lover. A fierce fighter who couldn't be beaten down. A very, irresistible, beautiful soul.A blessing. My blessing. My pure blessing in human form.I release my hand holding his wrist and cup his face instead, using both my hands. I stare deep into his eyes, burning with the need to capture and absorb every single emotion flowing through them. Through him."Since the moment you came into my life, Nate, I have known what a true blessing really is. And I am not just saying this to make you feel better. I am saying this because it is the truth. I realized so much I could do for myself to be better and not descend
TASHAGoosebumps spring up along my skin. My body instantly feels like it is being lit on fire. His macho half naked, sexy body nestled between my thighs, dripping with the rugged temptation and muscular gorgeousness he has trained it to be, is really not helping me at all.A warm, aching sensation tingles deep in between my gapped thighs. Squeezing. As I stare into those blue orbs, I realize…. I. Am. Fucked. Once. More. The hunger deep in my belly is almost gone, replaced with a growing burning urge for him.Why is resisting him so damn hard!? Every single time. But I try my best this time. In a flash of a second, I reach and dip my hand into the cutlery basket and grab a fork, dig the metal into one of the food boxes and shove the meatball into his mouth.He groans, mouthful. "This is not fair.""Well bad boy, you are not being fair to me either." I push his food box to him."You, or you mean your pussy?""Nate!""Yes?" He drawls, voice muffled, mischievousness dancing across his be
NATEI want her.I know I am naked underneath these soft sweatpants, but nothing is soft about my cock right now. This piece of clothing is just a teasing layer of material lying between my skin and her body.And I just want to taste her tonight. To make her feel so damn good. Because she deserves good. Better even.After having our dinner, we ascend the stairs and enter her magnificent room. Once the door is locked, I push her gently against it, resting my hands on the door frame and caging her body between my arms.Itching to inhale how intoxicatingly good she is, I brush my nose along her neck, edging up towards her jawline. "I told you I can't promise to be a good boy until I have my dinner."She gasps. I draw back slightly, my cock twitching hard when I catch her looking up at me with those dovey brown eyes and nipping down on her bottom lip.I definitely will not complain if she wraps those plump, delicious looking lips around my cock, but I want tonight to be just about her.I c
Dearest Reader, My heart is full. Writing Diane and Leo’s story has been a beautiful unforgettable adventure, and I hope it brought you as much joy, tension, laughter, and definitely a few buckets of tears as it did to me. Diane and Leo are two characters I will never forget. Their journey from enemies to friends and finally to hardcore soulmates was crafted with the same ups and downs that make real life so beautifully complex. My baby girl Diane, most especially, gripped me by the throat throughout her journey in this book, and I cried several times whenever I found myself digging and exploring deeper and deeper into her mind and who she truly is. Leo King, well, he played with my heart as well. He made me believe he was some rich fucking brat who couldn't care less about anything, only to crash me with the truth of who he really is—a true lover king with so much indepth layers that had me lusting and thirsting for more. Thank you for staying with Diane and Leo through every twi
THREE YEARS LATER DIANE I wake up submerged in paralyzing pleasure that sends shivers sizzling down my spine. Warm lips, a hot tongue, and the unmistakable expert touch of the man I love. My body reacts instantly, stretching beneath him as I surrender to the bliss he is inflicting into every cell in my body. This is Leo’s favorite way of waking me up—and, if I am honest, mine too. I love our morning fun so damn much. “Leo…” I breathe out, my fingers threading through his dark strands, clutching tightly as he teases me, pushing me toward the edge of pleasure with every flick of his tongue, every stroke of his fingers. He knows every spot, every way to pull me apart and put me right back together again. I feel myself melting into the softness of the bed, barely able to keep my eyes open. Leo is there, between my legs, working his magic, his mouth and fingers moving with a determination that is both sweet and very sinful. I tangle my fingers in his hair, holding him to me like he
‘All I do is win.’— All I Do Is Win by DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg & T PainFOUR WEEKS LATER DIANEThe entire departmental auditorium is buzzing with energy, filled with students, distinguished professors, and families all seated in anticipation.It is the annual game competition event, and the tension in the air as everyone waits for the announcement of the winners is so thick that a knife can easily slice through it without stress.I am standing beside Crys amongst other competitors, our hands clasped tightly together as we look up at the stage. My heart pounds as I take in the scene before switching my attention to the rest of the audience, searching for the same familiar faces there that are present to cheer me today.My parents. Tasha and Nate. Marissa. Dante. Asher.And the king of all, my Leo King.He is seated beside Marissa, looking so dashing and magnificent in a dark blue tailored suit with a seductive smile added to his smexy appearance. Despite how far ap
LEOI swing the door open and step into Frosty's room.My eyes land on her and Tasha sitting together on the bed. They look so happy, with Frosty's face glowing so bright that the sight tugs at something deep within me, causing warmth and relief to settle right in the center of my chest.“Oh, hey, Leo,” Tasha says, spotting me with the small bag containing Frosty’s medications in my hand. Before I can even respond back, she turns swiftly to Frosty and taps Frosty's lap gently.“I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone," she teases, giving her lap a gentle squeeze before she stands up. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning.”“Wait I'll escort you to—”“Don't worry.” Tasha stops her from getting up from the bed. “Just lie back. Also remember to take your meds, alright?”Frosty nods, giving her a soft smile. “Thanks, Tash. For everything.”“You're welcome darling. Goodnight.”They both hug each other before Tasha moves past me, patting my shoulder on her way out.“Take care of her, Leo.”“I will.” T
DIANEI am alive.It has been a few days since the nightmare with Cole. The police officially informed my family that he is fucking dead.He is gone. And so is my nightmare too.Being back in the familiar warmth of my bedroom is pure heaven. I have never liked hospitals, but my stay there was worth it and wasn't boring for me. Crys and Dante always came to see me, Asher dropped by too with lots of dark chocolates. My parents were already with me the next day after I was brought to the hospital.And Tasha, well, she barged in a few hours after my parents first arrived and literally slept in the hospital with me and Leo throughout my entire stay there.The duration was short though, because I didn't sustain deep injuries and was just kept there for a few checkups and to stabilize my health.Now, I am back home, and thank God that I am propped up in my bed, with a cozy blanket draped over my body. Tasha’s boyfriend, Nate, couldn’t come, but he sent his love, as well as a giant, absurdly
LEOIt is fucking scary how the people we love can be ripped away from us so fast in the blink of an eye.A chilling wind whips through the abandoned warehouse district as I pull up to the location that bastard sent to me. Yesterday's passing has stretched my nerves to their breaking point, and every second I spend away from Frosty feels like an eternity of torture since I got that horrifying call.I step out of the car and close the door, my gaze set firmly on the cold bricked structure in the distance.Gripping the money bag tightly,—one million dollars in cash—I feel the leather biting into my skin. My heart pounds, fear clenching in my chest and making it difficult for me to breathe properly.But I can't let my fear and anxiety show. Not with Frosty’s life on the line. Not with that deranged bastard waiting to kill her if I slip up.Detective Kane stands a few blocks away, spying on the area with his team. I don't need to turn to check if he is in position because I know he alread
DIANEMy eyes flutter open, my vision still a little blurry as I survey my surroundings.The dimness of this dusty place looms around me, doing nothing to help stabilize my sight. My wrists ache, and I realize that I am tied to the back of a chair, with the cold metal digging into my skin.I struggle against the binding ropes, feeling bruises forming from each twist and pull as I yank forcefully.However, it is pointless.The ropes are too tight, and every time I shift, the chair groans, echoing ominously through the vacant space. Fuck.I can barely wrap my mind around the horror of what is happening to me. Today was supposed to be filled with good news. The new hopeful beginning I now have with my mum. The moment I have dreamed and waited my whole life for.The closure, the forgiveness…No evil omen should have happened today. But now, being here like this, I feel like my life is about to be taken away from me.This situation nauseates me, and my stomach churns at the thought with a
DIANE A WEEK LATER “Mum, I am only here because Dad convinced me so much to give you a chance. And because I want to. I'd hate if it all goes for nothing.”My voice is steady, although the emotions swirling within me now feels like a storm I am barely trying to prevent from crashing all over me.Sitting here with Kate Brandon feels almost like I am watching this moment from the outside of a charred plane of glass. She is settled across from me in the quiet corner booth of the diner I chose, the one where Dante, Crys, and I came to when she first moved into her new apartment.I chose this place because its familiarity feels like a shield of protection, not some alien restaurant that only brings me nausea and tension.My mother looks at me with softened eyes, nodding slowly. Her hands are clasped tightly around her mug of coffee as if it is her lifeline.A small frown is creased across her forehead as she speaks. “Thank you, Diane. I know I don’t deserve this. Not after everything. I.
DIANEI am lying on Leo’s bed, feeling the warmth of his skin pressed against mine as he stretches out beside me. We are freshly showered and now wrapped in each other's arms.His steady breaths match the rhythm of my own, and I am here with him, wearing one of his oversized shirts that does little to hide my ass. The cotton feels soft against my skin, and I'd be lying if I deny that I am not falling in love with him all over again because of how fucking good his familiar scent keeps intoxicating me.Gosh.We both have been quiet for a while, just enjoying the warmth of each other's skins and letting the morning light filter in through the blinds, casting its soft streaks across the room and over us.Leo is my safe haven. He makes baring out my mind and feelings to him so easy and without any fear of judgements.I know I have told him so many things about me, secrets that I don't share with just anyone. And that is because he earned my trust. He didn't take advantage of me when he cle