Trina's POV “Mr. McAllister comes from a middle-class family in Dripping Springs, Texas. His father, Donald McAllister owns and maintains a ranch there. The ranch is a family heirloom, it's been in the family for generations. Zaynie is his only son."This time around, he didn't bother to correct his slip of tongue and that made me realise that Mr. McAllister and him might be closer than they appear to be if he calls him by a nickname."Zaynie's mother died immediately after giving birth to him, and his father remarried early… too early if you ask me.”I shook my head as I said, “That's so sad. So he grew up without knowing his own Mom!”Randolph let out a grim smile as he heard that, before saying, “Yeah, but what was even more sadder was the way his father and stepmom treated him. You see, my family worked for the McAllister ranch for generations and so I grew up there, working as the dairy person in charge of milking all the cows. So I have known Zaynie ever since he was born. As a
Jayden McAllister's POV I must give my twin sister her well deserved accolade– she's indeed a master when it comes to plotting and mischievous pranks, especially when she sets her heart into doing something. And she has not only set her heart, but also her mind and her soul into bringing our parents back together after whatever it was that separated them in the past. On that fateful day when Dad announced we were going on a family vacation to his hometown, I had caught Eleanor's eye across the breakfast table. She gave me that mischievous look of hers– the one that said she was up to something– and I knew right then that our lives were about to get a whole lot more interesting! And when I said my goodbyes and set out to go to school, I had lingered at the door, only to hear her say to them in her characteristic chirpy tone."I'm going off to my kingdom as well but before then, remember what my big bro just told you; practice makes perfect. Jay-jay and I have already started our ow
Jayden McAllister's POV I could feel Eleanor's excited eyes on me, trying to get an eye contact so we can celebrate our mini victory but I refused to allow the contact since Dad's highly perceptive eyes were on me and I don't want to risk him finding out about our plan.Later after breakfast, as we made our way to Dad's sleek black car, I couldn't help but notice how Mom hesitated before taking the front passenger seat. And when he drove us to the school, I noticed that Dad's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, as if he was also nervous about the whole thing but keeping cool about it like the aloof and indifferent billionaire everyone knows him to be.Unlike her usual self, Eleanor was very quiet during the ride to the school and from the rearview mirror, I could see Mom stealing glances at her with a concerned look on her face. When she could no longer handle it, she turned in her seat to look back at us. "Aren’t you excited, Ella sweetie? First day at a new school is always
Trina's POV I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart as I watched Eleanor orchestrate yet another "family" scenario. This time, she had Jayden and Zane himself setting up a picnic in the sprawling gardens of the McAllister mansion. It was quite surreal, seeing the cold and aloof, highly charismatic and intimidating billionaire– The enigmatic Mr. Zane McAllister doing something so domestic as laying out a checkered blanket while his equally aloof and charismatic son, Jayden McAllister, carefully arranged a basket of sandwiches on the spread blanket.As I watched them from afar in awe, I suddenly heard my mischievous little munchkin’s voice break into my thoughts."Mommy! Daddy says we need your famous lemonade for our picnic!"For the umpteenth time, I felt a flutter in my stomach when I heard Eleanor call Zane 'Daddy,' even though I have been hearing it for over a week now and I also know it was all pretend. Forcing a smile on my face, I replied to her. "Lemonade coming
Trina’s POV As the kids had firmly locked the door behind them in Jayden's computer and games room and Zane was in his bigger study room which was upstairs, I was all alone downstairs, except for the domestic staff who were all taking a break from their usual duties for the time being.To keep myself occupied, I started browsing about ideas about how to hold a funeral for an already buried loved one and also ideas about the memorial area I want to create in Mom's burial ground after this charade of a pretend marriage is all over. I was deeply engrossed in my research when the intercom connecting the gates to the inner parts of the mansion buzzed. And as I answered, I heard the familiar voice of one of the security guards, Nelson, say to me. “Good afternoon ma’am. There's a Justin Myers here to see you. Should we let him in?”My brows instantly furrowed even as my heart began pounding in trepidation. Justin in the McAllister mansion?! What on earth is he doing here?!Subconsciously,
Trina’s POV My heart instantly skipped a beat and as I turned to look at him, I felt Justin's hand pull away from mine before he hastily wrapped it around my waist in a possessive manner.Just like that, the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as Zane descended the stairs in a slow, majestic manner, like a predator advancing towards its preys, with his eyes never leaving Justin. I held my breath, praying to God to intervene and prevent a tense confrontation."Myers." Zane's voice was as frosty as ice when he addressed Justin. "To what do we owe this... unexpected pleasure?"Justin’s arm tightened around my waist, making Zane’s eyes to ever so fleetingly drop to it before instantly looking back at Justin.He responded, "I wasn't aware I needed a reason or your permission to visit my girlfriend and her daughter."O.M.G!! How could Justin do this to me? The word 'girlfriend' hung in the air, increasing the already tense atmosphere a hundred fold more. I felt my heart
Trina's POV I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as I gazed out through the window of Zane's private jet. To any onlooker, I appeared engrossed in watching the fluffy clouds drifting by beneath us but in reality, my mind was elsewhere. Today is the D-day, the long anticipated day of beginning our charade of a pretend marriage. In just a few hours, we will be touching down in Dripping Springs, Texas– Zane's hometown and the place where the charade will be staged and so I was a bundle of nerves.Taking another deep breath, stole a furtive glance at Zane. His jaw was set, while his steely grey eyes were fully focused on the laptop balanced in front of him on the fold-out table. He looked every inch the formidable and intimidating billionaire businessman he is, with not even a single hair out of place in his tailored suit. How on earth does he manage to be so calm and collected in such a situation when I’m here literally shaking like a leaf inside?!Subconsciously, I began drum
Trina's POV We have finally arrived at our destination and as the jet began to touch down, the reality of what we were about to do hit me with full force. My palms suddenly became sweaty, and I felt my heart beating so rapidly and dangerously. Zane must have noticed because he reached out and gently placed his hand over mine again and I found his touch oddly comforting."Relax." he murmured, low enough that only I could hear. "It will be okay. You will be okay."As he said that, I raised my eyes to meet his and the sincerity I saw in them gave me hope. I nodded, trying to draw strength from his confidence. And as the wheels touched down on the tarmac, I took a deep breath, preparing myself for what was to come.As soon as we descended the steps of the jet, we instantly felt the vast difference in temperature. Eleanor, ever the chatterbox, immediately began chattering about how different it felt from New York, while Jayden just squinted against the bright sunlight before bringing out
Trina's POV Zane's words hit me like a terrible physical blow and as they sank into my brain, I felt the whole world crumble beneath me. My legs gave out beneath me and I collapsed onto the edge of the bed while my body began trembling as the room seemed to tilt and spin around me. Zane had made so many staggering revelations all at once that my brain was finding it too hard to process it all. He said my name– my real full name– the same name my dad and evil stepmom had ensured that it doesn't exist anymore as they have completely erased it from all databases. So how on earth did he find out about it?! But that's not even what shocked me the most or what made my entire world shake in an instant. Zane… is that mysterious handsome stranger who I slept with in this same room six years ago?!I stared at him, withmy eyes as wide as saucers while the red lace lingerie I had no idea were still clutched in my shaking hands slipped to the ground. My breath came in shallow, uneven gasps as m
Trina's POV Every night since that last heated kiss we shared in Texas, try as hard as I may, I just couldn’t stop dreaming about Zane. Slowly and surely, he had dominated my thoughts both when I am awake and when I am asleep. I keep having vivid, erotic dreams of him with his hands exploring all over my body with an unrelenting hunger and his lips following shortly after. Sometimes I wake up breathless, tangled in my sheets, with my heart pounding with an ache I didn’t want to acknowledge and at other times, I wake up startled, horrified by the realization that I wanted more— not just in my dreams, but in reality. I wanted him so badly and not just for him to kiss me or touch me erotically but to make full-fledged wild, passionate and sweet love with me.And that was what scared me most of all. I know I just can't resist him any longer so I began to avoid him. And when we returned to New York, I deliberately planned my usual routine in such a way that I could continue to prevent our
Zane’s POV Rising, I met her lips in a toe-curling kiss while my arms wrapped her waist and lifted her off the desk in one fluid motion. She wrapped her legs around my waist instinctively, with her arms looping around my neck as I carried her to the plush sofa in the corner of my office. With my foot, I pressed the button to convert it into a sofa bed before I gently laid her down, pausing only to strip off my hanging shirt, leaving us skin to skin.I pressed my body against hers, groaning at the heat of her skin beneath mine. My lips found her neck, her collarbone, her breasts once more. I took my time, savoring the taste of her, the way her body arched and writhed beneath me as I explored every inch of her. Her soft cries and whispered gasps were a symphony, driving me to the edge of control.When my lips found the sensitive spot just below her ear, she let out a low, shuddering moan that sent fire coursing through me. My name came out like a breathless plea on her lips, and I capt
Zane’s POV I didn’t think at all, I only felt and acted on those feelings. Trina’s lips were so warm and soft beneath mine, and the moment they parted for me, an uncontrollable fire ignited. I kissed her hungrily and passionately as if my entire life depends on it, as if kissing her is my source of oxygen and livelihood. I devoured her, with my tongue tangling with hers in a dance of unrestrained need. Her taste was intoxicating, like sweet temptation, and I just couldn’t get enough. My hands tightened on her waist, pulling her flush against me until every curve of her body molded perfectly against the hard planes of mine.She melted completely into the kiss, with her fingers clutching at my shirt as though she needed something to hold onto, as if she's light-headed and dizzy from our steamy kisses. The sound undid me. In response, I deepened the kiss, with my lips moving over hers with a fierceness that spoke volumes of my desperation. Her hands fumbled at the buttons of my shirt, a
Zane's POV For the second night in a row, I just couldn't bring myself to fall asleep and just as I did the previous night, I kept tossing and turning on the bed in the guest room but to no avail. The knowledge of the presence of the subject of all my desires, who is gradually becoming the bane of my existence in the room just a few doors away, was a constant, maddening reminder of our heated kisses and what I was missing right now. It took every ounce of self-control to remain where I was, to not give in to the overwhelming urge to go to her.That was how I spent the night without sleeping even a wink and as dawn broke, my phone's shrill ring pierced through the silence. Grateful for the distraction, I answered immediately, with my voice rough from lack of sleep.It was my CFO and he immediately went straight to the point."Mr. McAllister Sir, there's an urgent situation at the headquarters that requires your immediate attention.”I sat up, instantly alert. "I'll be there as soon
Zane’s POVSince I was preoccupied with disturbing and tumultuous thoughts and feelings, sleep had eluded me for most of that eventful night, because try as hard as I may,I just couldn't stop thinking about Trina. And not just about the passionate kiss we shared and the way my body was aching for more. No, I was also thinking about the possibilities that she might be the mysterious woman I had a one night stand with.Despite my reputation of being a human iceberg and a man of control, I know without any iota of doubt that there's no way I can be able to sleep in the same room with Trina without touching her. No, it has already been established that she makes me lose any kind of control. Therefore, I had made my way to one of the spare guest rooms in our wing after making sure no one was around. However, after taking yet another cold shower and laying down, I just couldn't fall asleep. The bed felt both too large and suffocatingly small as I kept on tossing and turning all through the
Zane’s POV After we returned to the ranch house from the pharmacy, I made sure Mandy took the right dosage of the drug that Noah had prescribed for her but as I attempted to leave the guest room Nicola had accommodated her in, she kept coming up with excuses to make me stay longer. I humored her for a little while but after some time, I couldn't handle it any longer. She and Nicola had interrupted us when things were just beginning to get heated up and even though I pride myself in self control, I I don't think I can withhold the pent up feelings inside of me any longer. I need a release and I need it now!However, after I finally extracted myself from Mandy and I stepped into our dimly lit room, what I saw made me stop dead on my tracks. My eyes were immediately drawn to Trina's still form on the bed. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, with her face turned away from me. To any onlooker, she appears to be peacefully asleep but as I looked closer, I instantly realized that s
Trina’s POV Just as things were about to escalate further, just as those lips that have driven me crazy with their erotic ministrations on my skin were about to close around a part of me which longed for them– my tingling, erect nipple, a sound penetrated through the haze of desire surrounding us. At first, it sounded faint and faraway, barely registering in my brain which is foggy due to immense desire. However, the sound came again, louder and more insistent this time around, and that was when it finally registered in my hazy brain.Knocking. Someone was knocking at the door.Zane and I both froze on our spots as both our eyes, which I was even aware were closed, fluttered open. For a moment, we just stood there, staring at each other, with chests panting and heaving as if we had just finished a marathon race. The look in Zane's eyes… it simply took my breath away. Ever since I met him, I have never seen his eyes look as expressive as they were now. His usually guarded and inexpre
Trina’s POV The moment our mouths collided, it was as though a firestorm erupted between us. His lips were warm, firm, and utterly intoxicating. I kissed him with everything I had, pouring all the tension, frustration, and desire I had been holding back for a long time, perhaps ever since I first met him, into that kiss.For a heartbeat, he froze, with his hands hovering in the air as if he’s undecided, perhaps still worried about me having a ‘boyfriend’. But then, like a dam breaking loose, his emotions won against his rational thought and broke loose, and his hands suddenly gripped my waist with a force that made me gasp as he took charge. He pulled me flush against him, and I felt every inch of his hard body molding against my soft one as his lips moved against mine with fierce hunger.Zane kissed me like a man that has starved for far too long. His lips moved against mine with an urgency that sent shivers racing down my spine while his hands tightened their grip around my waist a