MAISIE“Aren’t you punks supposed to be at home studying or something?” I called out with my hands on my hips. “Pretty sure that kid doesn’t want to waste his time hanging out with a bunch of delinquents like you losers.”The leader’s head whipped around at the sound of my voice and his eyes narrowed dangerously. “Well well, if it isn’t a Mrs. Goody Two-Shoes coming to save the day,” he sneered. “Last warning, old lady – mind your own business if you know what’s good for you.”I refused to be cowed as I pulled out my phone and started filming, making sure to get a clear shot of their faces. “Yeah? Well how about you leave the kid alone before I take this little video straight to the cops, huh? Then you idiots can learn some manners the hard way.”That seemed to be the final straw. “Give me that phone, you piece of shit!” the leader snarled while taking a menacing step towards me.I held up a hand and stood my ground. “You’ll get nothing but a fat lip if you don’t back off and show som
MAISIEThe command held a distinctly carnal edge that had my insides clenching with want.I swallowed hard before quickly sliding across the plush leather seat with weak knees after he rounded the front of the vehicle. By the time the driver’s side door opened and he dropped into the seat beside me, I was practically vibrating out of my skin with a confusing storm of emotions.The low rumble of the engine turning over did absolutely nothing to soothe my suddenly frayed nerves. If anything, it only served to ratchet the tension up another few notches when Jason threw the car into reverse and began maneuvering us back out onto the main road.“I was thinking about turning that video over to the police,” I blurted out once we were headed back in the direction we came. “Maybe a night in jail will teach those brats some manners, you know?”Jason shot me a sidelong glance and one side of his mouth quirked upward in a look of clear condescension. “Sure, go ahead and ruin the futures of three
Jason watched them go with an expression of disgust etched on his harsh features before turning his attention to the boy who had yet to stir from where he lay crumpled in the filthy alleyway.He crossed the distance in a few long strides, dropping into a crouch beside the unconscious teen."Hey, kid," he said gruffly, giving the boy's shoulder a gentle shake. "Can you hear me? You need to wake up now."When there was no response, Jason's jaw ticked with barely concealed concern.He reached out to carefully probe at the back of the kid's skull and his fingers came away sticky with blood."Shit," he hissed. "That's a nasty knock you took there."With what looked like surprising tenderness for a man of his size and stature, Jason carefully gathered the unconscious teen into his arms, cradling him against his broad chest.He straightened to his full, intimidating height with a low grunt of effort before turning on his heel and striding back toward the car with the same purposeful intensit
MAISIEThe pads of Jason’s fingers traced delicate patterns along my waist, like he was trying to commit every inch of me to memory. "As for me? I'm fully in control. Of myself...and my actions towards you. I'll wait until you're truly mine - soul first, then that beautiful body."I swallowed hard, trying to steady the whirlwind of emotions and raging hormones inside me. Part of me was desperate to escape the magnetic pull of those mesmerizing eyes. But the other part...well, it craved the depth of that stare, the promise of ecstasy it seemed to hold."And...if you wait too long?" I asked softly barely above a whisper.A tender look crossed Jason's face. Then he reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering a little too long on my flushed skin."This closeness, framed by waiting...it's something I never want to end," he murmured. "I need to never be fully satisfied, so the story continues. Only approach me when you're ready - mind, body and spirit. Tha
MAISIE"I noticed you didn't object to all the touching that happened between you two," Jason’s voice sounded much closer than I expected, laced with an undercurrent of accusation.I spun around, startled to find him standing just a few feet away. "What do you mean?" I asked cautiously.He closed the distance between us in two strides and his larger hand engulfed mine in a firm grasp. "You know exactly what I mean," he said in a low rumble.I tried to pacify him by squeezing his hand. "Philip and I are just friends now, Jason. There's nothing for you to get upset about."He squeezed back, his voice taking on a rough, brutally honest edge. "I want to hug you as violently as my feelings for you when I'm jealous. Don't let him touch you like that again!"His blunt words stunned me into silence. Part of me wished I could match his frankness - just confess that I loved him still, that no one else could ever come close. But if I admitted that now, it would feel like surrendering without put
JASONJason strode through the massive double doors of his mansion, his strides long and purposeful even as the echoes of his heated confession to Maisie earlier that night still seemed to reverberate in his mind.His shoulders were tense, the hard lines of his body betraying the storm of emotions raging beneath that outwardly calm facade.The cavernous grand foyer with its over-the-top crystal chandelier and polished marble floors did absolutely nothing to soothe his foul mood as he made a beeline for his private study, every click of his shoes against the stone feeling like a hammer pounding against his skull.Once inside the dimly lit room, he closed the heavy oak door behind him with a soft click, slumping forward until his hands were braced on the edge of his desk.His gaze landed on the plain white envelope sitting there prominently atop the polished mahogany surface with the bold logo of the hospital lab printed on ii.Jason's stomach twisted into a knot just looking at the inn
KARINAMy chest heaved with ragged gasps as I clutched at my bruised neck, the sting of Jason's fingers still burning into my skin like a brand. The man I'd loved, the man I'd spent years loyally by his side building an unshakable alliance with, had just turned into a snarling beast right before my eyes - all because of her.Maisie.Even just thinking her name made it feel like a venomous curse on my lips. That woman had been nothing but a ghost, a faded relic of Jason's past that he claimed to have buried and moved on from ages ago. But now here she was, rising from the damn ashes like a phoenix to swoop in and try to snatch him away from me.Using the edge of Jason's desk for support, I dragged myself back up to my feet, my knees still feeling weak and unsteady beneath me. But it wasn't fear making me tremble - it was fury. A deep, bitter rage that clawed at my insides like a caged animal, making my heart hammer against my ribcage.Jason had humiliated me. Rejected me. Chosen her ov
KARINAThe massive crystal chandelier hanging over the center of the cavernous ballroom was glittering and sparkling like a sea of a million stars, casting a warm golden glow over the entire space. But as dazzling as the light show was, my eyes were fixed on a certain point of the exit, anxiously waiting for the one man and one man only - Jason.The moment he finally made his grand entrance through the towering double doors, an instant hush rippled through the crowd like a shockwave.Dozens of heads turned simultaneously to gawk at him.My heart did a little leap of excitement in my chest, even though part of me had doubted he would actually show his face here tonight after he nearly choked me to death in his study the previous day.But there he was in all his glory, towering over everyone else as he surveyed the scene imperiously, looking every damn inch the wealthy, powerful aristocrat he was born and bred to be.His tailored black suit was cut to perfection, hugging his broad shoul
MAISIEMy jaw dropped. “He reserved half the stadium for you?”Miriam let out an incredulous laugh. “Half? Are you serious?”I turned back to Don, who was watching me with wide, innocent eyes and his lips pressed together in a poor attempt to stifle a smile.“Did you really think you could fool me and I wouldn’t find out?” I raised an eyebrow.He hesitated, biting his lip before murmuring, “Maybe…”That was it. His shrinking eyes, the way he was trying so hard not to laugh—it was too much. I turned away, sucking my inner cheek to keep from smiling myself.“Forgive me just this once,” he coaxed in a voice sweet and full of charm.I sighed, shaking my head. “Okay.”Don’s face lit up instantly and plopped himself on the bench beside me, smiling brighter than the sun. “Can I go take a picture with Felix?”I nodded.That was all he needed to have him running toward his idol.Miriam leaned closer. “You broke your record this time. What was that—five minutes of being mad?”I sighed, shaking
MAISIEHis words sank into me like a weight pressing down on my chest.Jason’s eyes darkened as his frustration spilled over. “I don’t even know how to explain what I feel without sounding ridiculous.”I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came. “Every aspect of me has changed since Jason’s return to my life. I wasn’t the same woman he met all those years ago.Love has a way of ruining you and making it seem beautiful. It turns pain into poetry.But I wasn’t poetic. I wasn’t romantic. I was just… broken.I’d always heard people talk about “sadness in the heart,” but I never truly understood what they meant. To me, sadness was in tears, in screams, in the physical ache of the body.However, I understand now.Sadness could live in the heart, buried deep beneath a smile. It could hide behind laughter and linger in silences. And Jason… he was the one who made me realize that.He reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. His touch was tender, almost reverent.“No doubt
MAISIEKlay burst out laughing. However, Felix looked completely dumbfounded with his expression frozen in disbelief.Harsh. That was harsh.I glanced at Jason, irritation bubbling under my skin. He didn’t even seem to care about how Felix had taken the comment.Poor guy looked like someone had just slapped him with a reality check.I turned my gaze to the glass wall beside me, letting the conversation fade into the background.The server arrived a few minutes later and everyone began ordering breakfast. Everyone except me.My appetite had vanished completely.Felix noticed. “You’re not eating?”I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts. “I’m not really hungry.”His expression softened, and for once, he wasn’t joking or teasing. “You should eat something,” he said quietly. “It’s not good to skip meals.”Then he reached out and placed his hand gently over mine. “You know, I’d love to meet your son. If he’s one of my fans, I think we’ll get along great.”He smiled at me, bright and genuine
MAISIEThe undeterred Felix turned his attention back to me. “So, Brit, how are you finding the trip so far?”There it was again—“Brit.” Why does he keep calling me that? Doesn’t he know my name?“It’s good so far.” My voice was soft, almost hesitant, as I tried to keep the conversation as neutral as possible.I turned to face the elevator door like the rest of them, hoping to escape the growing tension.But Felix wasn’t done. “Do you know volleyball?” he asked suddenly with excitement.I tilted my head slightly, trying to recall the familiar name of the game. I knew it, but at the moment, my mind felt a little scrambled.Felix’s brows creased when he noticed my hesitation, obviously considering a way to describe it. “You know, the game where they hit the ball with their hands over a net in the middle between two teams.”Ah, now I remembered. I’d seen it played on the beach before.“Yeah, I remember it now!” I exclaimed, smiling. “It’s a fun game, and I like it a lot.”Felix’s face li
MAISIEI woke up early the next morning, feeling energized and ready for the day. The weather was beautiful, with a light breeze carrying the scent of the ocean.The sun was warm but not overbearing, casting a golden glow over everything. It was the kind of morning that made you feel alive.I decided to sit by the pool, enjoying the calm and peaceful atmosphere. The water sparkled under the sunlight, clear and inviting. I donned a light blue, sleeveless summer shirt adorned with white checks, complemented by long, white linen pants. To complete the look, I had borrowed—or rather, stolen—a beach hat from Miriam. It was oversized and slightly ridiculous, but it suited the vibe of the day perfectly.I sipped from the coffee in my hands, letting the warmth of the drink and the beauty of the morning fill me with a sense of calm.My mind, however, was anything but calm. I kept running through the details of the surprise I had planned for Don. Felix could arrive at any moment, and I needed
MAISIEJason laughed softly, straightening up and helping me to my feet. “I’m saying it depends on trust. Our destiny is written, so let’s live quietly, baby.”I sighed, reluctantly nodding. “I understand.”“I arranged for your room to be upgraded to a two-bedroom suite. This way, both you and Don can enjoy your privacy," Jason informed me.I was taken aback, my mouth opening and closing in disbelief, unable to find the words.Jason gave me a smile that seemed to melt the tension between us. Then, he took my hand and walked me toward the hotel.Do I deserve this man?Later that night, I knocked on Don’s door to check on him. He opened it for me with a toothbrush in hand before disappearing back into the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth.“Did you have dinner with them?” I asked, sitting on the edge of his bed as I waited for him.“No,” Don replied from the bathroom. “But your boss sent me room service.”Klay? Why would he do that? “Anyway, you should go to bed early. Tomorrow’s g
MAISIEI could hear the raw emotion behind his words. The weight of regret, the pain of misplaced blame, the sorrow of a goodbye that never came. It clung to his voice.My chest tightened as I watched his usually composed demeanor crack under the weight of his own memories. It wasn’t just guilt he was carrying—it was grief, and it was deep.“I later regained my memories and discovered it was all my brother’s doing. When I refused to divorce you after the one-year arrangement with your father, he erased everything I’d ever done for him. Every sacrifice, every moment of kindness—it all meant nothing to him. He only saw my refusal as betrayal. I was so angry, so frustrated that I drowned myself in alcohol. And in my drunken state, I made a mistake I’ll regret for the rest of my life,” his words trailed off.My mind couldn’t process everything he’d just revealed. I was too broken and too busy takin in my father’s betrayal.Was I really nothing more than a business deal to my father? He tr
MAISIE My heart skipped a beat and my eyes sparkled with anticipation.Was I really about to learn something that no one else in the world knew about him?For a fleeting moment, I felt special—like I was the only person he trusted enough to reveal this part of himself.“What I’ve spent my life doing,” Jason began low and contemplative, “Is hating the success of others and taking pleasure in their failures. That’s who I was… until someone came into my life and turned it upside down.”He paused, staring out at the waves as if searching for the right words.“Before that someone, another person wreaked havoc in my life, tearing it apart piece by piece. They pushed me to the brink and left me with nothing but a sliver of myself. Yet… their hatred… their coercion never fully destroyed me.”I blinked, trying to make sense of his cryptic words. “Who is this other person?”Jason’s hand resting lightly on my thigh stilled.The sudden halt made my breath catch in my throat.“My brother!” His vo
MAISIEI quickly sat up, my fingers moving instinctively to type a reply.I wrote that I had only just seen his message and apologized for the delay. But before pressing send, I hesitated.My pride stepped in, whispering that I didn’t owe him an explanation.My thumb hovered over the screen for a moment longer before I pressed delete. I erased every word as though they had never existed.The hardest thing is when you write something, pouring your thoughts and emotions into it, only to let your pride force you to erase it.I lay back down, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the unsent message settle over me.What was I going to do with him? With myself? With my son?I just wanted to sleep—to escape the storm of thoughts swirling in my mind, even if only for a little while."I'm sorry, my soul," I whispered into the quiet room. "I made mistakes against you. I pressured you so much to be who they wanted you to be, thinking their approval would complete my journey."The words f