~Aaron~The next few days at work were hectic. I’d been out of New York for two weeks, and while my manager had done a decent job keeping the company running, there were still matters that demanded my attention. Stacks of paperwork, endless calls, and back-to-back meetings left me no room to breathe.That was one of the reasons I hadn’t reached out to Joan—no texts, no calls, nothing since that night. Not after she’d turned me into a wreck. I’d only just realized the kind of power she had over me, and knowing Joan, she probably didn’t even realize it herself.The intercom buzzed, dragging me out of my thoughts. I glanced up from the file in front of me, already irritated by the interruption.“Sorry to disturb you, sir,” Brooklyn, the intern, said through the speaker. “But there’s a lady here asking to see you.”I frowned. “Does she have an appointment?”“No, sir. But she says she’s someone you’d want to see.”Before I could respond, I heard her voice faintly in the background. “Can I
~Joan~“Jo, here's a cup of coffee and burger. Figured you'd need one,” Matthew said, setting the sealed coffee cup and the burger on the counter with a casual smile.I returned his smile. That was thoughtful of him. After the long, chaotic day I’d had, coffee felt like a lifeline.“Thank you,” I murmured, grabbing both items as I turned to the customer waiting in front of me.The line stretched on, a constant reminder that I’d be staying later than usual tonight. MCCORMICK FRIES wasn’t just a neighborhood joint; it was the spot, and people flocked here from all over. My boss, the good old McCormick himself, had already gone home, leaving the evening shift in the hands of Matthew, Nancy, and me.Matthew opened his mouth, probably to say something else, but a customer cut in.“Can I get a pack of fries and peanuts?” the lady asked, her tone curt. I nodded, offering a brief polite smile before getting to work on her order.As Matthew walked away, I focused on preparing the package, but
~Joan~We arrived at Aaron's house eventually, and he pulled into the driveway. After my outburst in the car, I’d kept silent, and Aaron hadn’t tried starting a conversation either, though I could feel him glancing at me every few seconds.I’d been to Aaron’s house once before and had sworn I’d never step foot in it again. Rhoda and I had crashed his birthday party, and it hadn’t exactly gone well. Yet here I was, eating my own words and stepping out of his car.The weather wasn’t exactly welcoming, and I rubbed my arms as I got out. My phone rang, the sound cutting through the silence. Digging through my bag, I pulled it out. It was Rhoda. I hesitated, my gaze flicking to Aaron, who was only a few steps away with his intense eyes locked on me. His stare was unnerving.I swiped the call just before it disconnected. “Hey, peach,” I said, turning my back on Aaron.“Jo? I’m about to head to your apartment. Are you home yet?” Rhoda asked. I swallowed hard, glancing over my shoulder at
~Aaron~Dragging her panties down her legs, I dove in, hunger driving me like I’d been deprived of her for far too long. My teeth grazed her skin, my tongue explored her, and I couldn’t get enough. It felt like I’d been parched for days and had finally found the purest, sweetest water. She tasted like heaven—intoxicating, addictive.Her body writhed on the bed, hips bucking wildly, forcing me to place a firm hand on her stomach to hold her still. Her heels pressed into my back, the sharp points biting into my skin, and I knew I’d have marks there tomorrow. A reminder I wouldn’t mind.“You taste like you were made for me,” I murmured against her, my tongue flicking against her swollen clit, teasing her. She moaned, and it sent a shiver down my spine, my cock straining harder against my pants.“Who do you belong to?” I asked, my voice low, rough, as I lifted my head to look at her. I pushed a finger inside her, feeling her warmth and tightness envelop me instantly. Her mouth fell open,
~Joan~I sniffed and burrowed further into the bed. The place smelled like heaven—enticing and intoxicating, like something I could get drunk on. I rolled onto my stomach and peeled my eyes open. My vision was blurry as I stared at the ceiling.Where am I? My apartment doesn’t smell this good, nor does it look this dark. Hell, I sleep with my curtains open so I can catch the first ray of sunshine every morning.I sat up and rubbed my eyes, trying to force some clarity into my brain. Have I been kidnapped? No, the room was far too pretty to be a kidnapper’s lair. Actually, it looked luxurious, like something out of a catalog.A groan escaped me as I slid down the fluffy king-sized bed. I needed coffee to wake up properly and figure out what was going on. My feet moved on autopilot, taking me out of the room. Eventually, I ended up in the sitting room.The fog in my brain started to lift, and I realized where I was: Aaron’s penthouse. Memories stirred sluggishly at the edges of my mind,
~Joan~He just continued eating his food like I hadn't said anything important. Thinking about it now, I was convinced Aaron had OCD.Rhoda had once mentioned Aaron had problems sleeping, and I wondered how he coped. Was he really okay? Did he just push through the exhaustion, or was there something deeper he didn’t want to talk about?My heart tugged on its strings, and I dropped my fork, placing my hands on the island.“Aaron?” I called, and he glanced up at me. I shifted in the stool, feeling quite uncomfortable because of what I asked.I know we weren't the best of friends, hell, Aaron and I could never be best friends. We were just fuck buddies, but still I wanted to know.“Yeah, I do have a minor OCD. But it's nothing,” he said casually, and I swallowed, unsure how to respond. Wow.That explained his constant need for control, his insistence that everything and everyone stay in order. Including Rhoda and I“Aaron…” I started softly as I inched a little bit closer.“Don't feel so
~Aaron~I watched as she tensed immediately, her body stiff under the shirt. Her phone slipped from her hand and hit the island surface with a dull thud as she turned around to face me.Her face had gone pale, her expression blank, and whatever spark had been in her eyes earlier had vanished. Unease crept into my chest as I narrowed my eyes, watching her take slow, deliberate steps toward me.“Joan, what’s going on?” I asked, my voice low as she sat on the stool, her fingers intertwining tightly. From where I stood, I could see them trembling.I moved closer, my mind racing, unsure of what I was witnessing. There was no faster way to kill a man's erection than this. I stopped at a careful distance—not too close, but close enough to study the storm of emotions flickering across her face.“Joan?” I said softly, trying to pull her back to the moment. She wasn’t here, though—not really. It was like Joan had vanished, leaving behind this hollow shell of her.“Joan!” My voice sharpened, and
~Joan~A few days had passed since I spent an extra day at Aaron's house, waiting for the storm to pass. Once it was over, I returned home, trying to move on with life as if nothing had happened—pretending I hadn’t received a text that had almost wrecked me completely.Aaron hadn’t said much about the text either. He never brought it up, only occasionally asking if I’d received another one from whoever sent it. The answer was always no.I hadn’t received anything else since, and I couldn’t help but wonder why someone would send a message like that, then vanish without a trace.Now, sitting cross-legged on my couch with my laptop in front of me, I tried to focus on my writing. My book was coming along, and I felt like I’d reached a decent pace.The sound of the door opening brought me back to reality. Indie walked in, balancing a bag of groceries in her arms, her skeptical gaze locking onto me.“Hi,” I said with a small smile, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear.She gave a
♡Joan♡ Note: If you like reading with music, try Meryl Streep’s "The Winner Takes It All." It’s even better with headphones. Enjoy! 😊🤭 We left for Spain—not to visit Luna, but for a change of scenery. After a month of therapy, we were in a much better place. Healing wasn’t instant, but we were making progress. I stepped into the living room, taking in my surroundings while Aaron pulled our bags in behind me. It looked both familiar and strange at the same time, like a place I knew but hadn't seen in years. A small smile tugged at my lips. To think this was where it all began—months ago, maybe even a year. I walked over to the window where we’d first made love, my fingers brushing the glass. My scratches were still there. That surprised me. I half-expected Aaron to have changed the window, given his obsession with order. The fact that he hadn’t? Well, that made my heart do a little flip. "Got any memories there?" His deep voice came from behind me. I glanced at him over my
Hiii🤭 Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Well, there's just a chapter left in the bonus chapters. So I'd really like to know what y'all would want to see in there 🙂. P.S: Seeing Joan and Aaron get married and have their baby would happen in the second book. Do drop your thoughts and I'd work on giving everyone the happy ending they want😊
♤Aaron♤The doctor discharged us a couple of days later and suggested we go to therapy—to help us cope with losing the baby.He had no idea how much Joan needed it. She’d seen someone die right in front of her, been caught in a shooting spree, lost our child, and seen me covered in blood. Even though she wasn’t saying much, I knew it had left scars on her.I promised myself I’d go with her to every session.That’s why I was opening the car door for her, helping her in before getting into the driver’s seat and pulling out of our compound. It was our first meeting with the therapist. She stayed quiet, staring out of the window like she wasn’t really seeing anything. It had been happening a lot.A tight feeling grew in my chest, and my grip on the steering wheel hardened."Hey. You good?" I asked.She turned to me, her eyes dull, missing the usual spark.She pressed her lips together and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered, looking away.My jaw tensed.The rest of the ride passed in
♡Joan♡ I had no idea how much time had passed, but when I opened my eyes, someone was sitting next to me. Shoulders hunched, head bowed, my hand in his—and he was bloody. Damn bloody, all over. I swallowed hard, my throat dry and parched. “Aaron,” I whispered, and his eyes snapped up to meet mine almost immediately. They were bloodshot. I didn’t need anyone to tell me why. My own eyes itched and burned as I pressed my lips together to hide the tremble. “We lost the baby, didn’t we?” I asked quietly, as a tear slipped from the corner of my eye. I stared up at the ceiling. “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault. If I’d maybe listened to you and—” “It’s not your fault,” he cut in. His voice sounded cold, detached—very unlike Aaron. In the four years I’ve known him, he’s never sounded this... broken. I don’t know. I glanced at him. His jaw was clenched tight. My eyes traveled down his body where he sat. His shirt was soaked in blood. How badly had they hurt him? Why wasn’t he being
♡Joan♡ He got me to the car, opened the door, and helped me in. His shirt was stained, and since it was a lighter grey color, the blood was obvious. Ironic, that we were both bleeding, both capable to take lives. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his palm resting against my cheek as he locked eyes with me. “You’ll be fine. The baby will be fine too,” he said softly, and a tear slipped from my eye. Another followed, until I was crying again. I didn’t want to lose our baby. What kind of mother does that make me, if I can’t even protect my child? “What if—” “Shush,” Aaron interrupted, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. “I’m going back in there to finish this, okay? If I’m not out in five minutes, press this button.” He pointed to a button just beneath the steering wheel. “The car will automatically drive you wherever you need to go once you input your location in the GPS,” he added, but I shook my head. He looked away, quickly typed an address into the GPS, then tu
♤Aaron♤ A gunshot cracked through the air. Missed. I spun around, heart pounding—where the hell did that come from? My eyes snapped back to Joan. She closed her eyes, and I lost it. I pressed the trigger, hitting the leg of the bastard holding her. His groan echoed as he collapsed to one knee. His crew flinched, but my men stepped forward, guns raised and ready. One wrong move, and they’d all be dead. Hell, they’re dead already for even laying a hand on her. And if anything happened to her or our baby… God help them. I shoved my gun into the back of my jeans and crossed the distance in seconds, catching her in my arms before the man could drop her like garbage. She felt a little heavy, too still. My chest tightened. I hated this feeling. The last time I felt this helpless was when she slipped into that coma. And now? If she slipped away from me… if I lost her or the baby… I wouldn’t survive it. Killing these bastards wouldn’t be enough. I’d want them to drown in their own bl
♡Joan♡ He starved me—true to his words. I didn’t know how long I’d been here, tied and aching. It must be the early hours of the morning by now. Aaron had to know I was missing. He’d be searching, but how would he ever find me? I didn’t even know where I was. My wrists burned from the rope chafing my skin, my head throbbed, and my eyes felt too heavy to keep open. God, I wanted to sleep. I longed to be safe in Aaron’s arms, but closing my eyes here felt like asking for death. The room was quiet, for now. But if I dared to fall asleep, who knew what could happen? I shifted slightly and glanced at the man hanging upside down across from me. There was barely any life left in him. How long had he been like this, tortured and tied up? I didn’t care—but part of me was curious. After all, this was the first time I’d met my father. “How long have you been here?” I asked, my voice quiet. He didn’t answer. For a moment, I thought he was already dead. My stomach twisted at the thought of
♤Aaron♤ "What's the plan?" Denzel asked, rubbing his chin. I paced the small room, scanning the men inside. Not just any men—these were hulking, sharp-minded, and intimidating figures. Their expressions alone could send shivers down anyone’s spine, enough to make a grown man hesitate and women step back in fear. And that's why they were my best and top. "Any update, Jason?" I turned to the man seated at the far end. He was calm, his fingers gliding across his laptop’s keyboard as he scanned through data. He barely lifted his eyes before responding. "I hacked into every CCTV camera in town, but it’ll take a while to sift through the footage and pinpoint her exact location," he said. I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. Time was the one thing I didn’t have. The longer this dragged on, the worse it could get for her. "Start with the cameras near her last known location," Denzel suggested, his voice steady but urgent. Jason pursed his lips, humming under his brea
♡Joan♡My head throbbed, my skull ached, and it felt like it would burst open if I moved.My eyelids were heavy, but I forced them open. Darkness greeted me first, making me doubt whether I had really opened my eyes.Had I gone blind overnight? Where was Aaron? Why was the whole house in darkness?I tried to call for him, but something was blocking my mouth. A gag. My eyes widened as memories slowly crept back, piece by piece.I was in danger. My baby was in danger. We had been taken.I wriggled my wrists, feeling sharp pain where the restraints cut into my skin. My hands were tied behind my back. That explained the ache.I jerked against the chair, trying to break free. My heart pounded wildly, each beat louder than the last. The more I struggled, the deeper the restraints bit into my skin.That would leave bruises."Don't. It'll only hurt you more," a man's voice broke through the darkness, and I froze. My breath hitched. Someone was here.In books and movies, captors usually walked