I stormed towards his study, determined to talk things out with him. I couldn't let this slide. With Max acting the way he was, it would be difficult to get him to help me, which was the reason I returned home.To win him back, I needed to confront the man who changed his mind. I didn't bother to knock on the door. I opened it and stormed in, ready to give Marcus a tongue-lashing, only to pause in my steps when I noticed he wasn't alone.Luca and Sophie were with him. Luca wasn't the reason I paused in my steps. It all had to do with Sophie. She was the last person I expected to see. It wasn't Christmas yet, right?“Sophie?” I frowned, blinking to be certain I wasn't making things up. “Brother!” She got up from the couch and rushed towards me, smiling. “I've missed you!” She hugged me tightly to herself. “I've missed you so damned much.”At first, I didn't react. I was too stunned to do that. However, when she lifted her face towards me, I snapped out of it. “I missed you too.” I g
I left the study for my room, planning to have a shower, change out of my clothes and leave. Before I returned, I had changed out of those bloody clothes with the spare I had in my car, else I would have gotten more than a raised brow from everyone who saw me. I just wanted to have a bath to wash off the scent I concealed with heavy perfume. It was a surprise Marcus didn't comment on that. Unlike the others, he must have probably scented something. I had just stepped into my room when I got a knock on the door and Sophie stepped in, smirking. “Do you have a moment to spare?” “Will you leave if my response is in the negative?” I frowned, walking over to my bed.“Of course not.” Grinning, she walked to my bed and sat next to me. “You know you can't use that on me, don't you?”“Of course.” I smiled as I reached over to ruffle her hair. It was a wonder how I got close to her when we hardly spent that much time together. I knew the reason. Ryder had always kept her at arm's length, so I
“Which is?”“How much do you love him? The Aithan father spoke about.”“I… Well …” My lips lifted in a smile. “I love him so much. I doubt I can even explain it. There's this feeling I have for him, one I haven't had with anyone before.” I couldn't stop smiling. Talking about Aithan makes me feel fulfilled. “What do you like about him?”“Aithan is…he's a wonderful man.” My eyes drifted off as I thought about him. “He's kind, so kind that it's almost unbelievable. He has this way of making me feel like I'm the only person in the world.” I smiled down at her. “He makes me feel special and gives me something to fight for. He made me fight for things I love and to stand firm in my decisions.”I beamed, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. This was the first time someone had asked me about Aithan, and I wanted to pour enough into my words, to make her love him just like I do. I wanted her to see Aithan for who he is, not as the enemy Marcus painted him as. Don't get me wrong, I st
AITHAN Pink rushed into my room a few hours later, panting, as he waved his phone in my face. “He called,” he let out as he tried to catch his breath.I sat up on the bed, with my heart thudding loudly in my chest. I knew who he was talking about. Alex was the only one I had been waiting to reach out to me. To have Pink run this fast just to reach me, he must be the one. “Who?” I demanded, despite knowing the response. “Alex.” He passed the phone over to me and plopped down on my bed. “I asked him to call you back in the next 5 min —”The phone started ringing immediately, cutting his words off. I glanced down at it, at the number I knew too well belonged to him, but I didn't answer the call. I watched the phone ring until it stopped. “Why didn't you answer it?” Pink sat up, frowning as he looked from his phone to my face and back at his phone. “Weren't you expecting his calls?”“That doesn't mean I have to answer him now.” I folded my arms, stubbornly glaring at the phone as it s
With Viktor out, leaving wouldn't be that difficult. I could just take Pink with me to ensure my safety. Not like I was suspecting Alex. Marcus was the one I didn't trust. I had to be cautious, to thread carefully with them.“Perfect. See you later, darling. I love you.”Those last three words warmed my heart. It sounded so beautiful coming from him. “I love you too,” I responded, confident about my feelings. “I love you more,” he insisted before he disconnected, so I wouldn't argue with him about who loves the other more. With the call disconnected, I let out a sigh and plopped down on the bed just as Pink opened the door and looked in.“Am I safe to step in?”“Of course.” I raised his phone. “He asked me to meet him by 6, and —”“I'm coming with you.” He reached for his phone. “You are not talking me out of it this time.”“I know you will say that.” I sat up on the bed, yawning. “I'm not talking you out of anything. You are coming with me.”I had already decided on that. Taking
ALEX I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, humming to ease my nerves. The sun had gone down, but it was still bright out. The night was yet to come, which made it the perfect time for a romantic getaway. It was such a pity we wouldn't be doing that. I only called Aithan to fill him up on what I had been up to and to ask if he was interested in seeking Maximo out with me.I ignored the intense desire to protect him from Maximo, knowing he wouldn't be thrilled to know I ventured out alone without telling him.As I waited patiently for him, I kept on checking the time, praying for the minute to run faster. I arrived an hour early to wait for him, eager to see him. The minute my phone beeped to let me know it was time — I set an alarm — I saw him coming towards my car. My lips lifted at the sight of my lover, only for my joy to dampen when I realized he wasn't alone. He was coming over with the blonde man, who was kind enough to give me his number, so I could contact Aithan. Frow
AITHANI had so many things to talk to him about on the ride to his casino. I wanted to ask why he didn't call me when I expected him to, and what he needed to talk to me about, but he didn't seem that comfortable with Pink. I could tell from the time he saw him. He looked like he was contemplating ways of kicking Pink out without angering me. He wasn't even trying to conceal his feelings.I had to turn my focus on the trees we were racing past to avoid ogling Alex. The black shirt he was putting on should have been damned illegal. It hugged his body in the right places, showing off his ripped chest, a part of his body that was solely mine. Tearing my gaze away from his body was a reasonable choice. With Pink and his sensitive nose in the car, it wouldn't be difficult for him to smell my arousal. I had to keep my damned thoughts out of the gutter! The minute we walked into his casino, Alex turned to me with a pleading expression. “Can I speak with you alone? If you don't trust me en
Alex broke away from the kiss. Panting, he placed his forehead on mine and smiled. “I missed you, darling.”“I do too.”Panting, I stared into his eyes, getting drawn into the hazel eyes I fell in love with. It felt like he was drawing me, trying to suck me into a world that was solely his. I didn't fight the pool. I lost the fight when I told him about my feelings. It didn't feel necessary anymore.“I love you, Ly. Never doubt that.”I didn't need to. No one could fake that expression. I could tell he meant those words. He placed his hand under my jaw and lifted my gaze to his. Smiling, he placed another kiss on my lips. “What do you want us to do?” His gaze was suggestive. I knew what he wanted, but acted like I didn't. Batting my eyes, I peered up at him through my lashes. “What do you want us to do?”“You don't know?” He tugged me closer. “Let's see…”His eyes sparkled, the orb filled with mischief. “What do you want me to do to you, darling?”“What can you do?”I was teasing h
I never imagined that such a day would come, and faster at that. I wouldn't have believed that I would tie the knot with the person of my choice someday. I had always resolved I would get married to a girl Viktor picked, but Alex showed up and changed my mind. “You look handsome,” Pink said, standing behind me. “You are the most beautiful groom in the entire world.”“Oh, spare me that.” I rolled my eyes. I had gotten enough compliments from Viktor and Sophia, who thought I needed to hear how good I looked, for my ego. I smoothed my suit even though it wasn't necessary, staring into the mirror as a small smile crept up. They were right. I had never looked as good as I did today. It being my wedding made it the best. The black suit fitted me more than I thought it would even though it was custom-made.I paired my black jacket with a crisp white shirt and a black tie, a gift I got from Viktor. He didn't want me to match with the tie that came with my suit. He wanted something of his on
But I wanted more. I wanted him. I tugged him up, kissing him fiercely, then rolled us so I could straddle him.“My turn.” I licked down his chest, tasting salt and heat, then lingering on his nipples until he groaned my name.“Ly, you’re driving me crazy.”I went lower, sucking him slowly and deeply, savouring every shudder he gave me.I moved lower some more and gagged, and Alex’s hand pushed my head back down when I tried to escape, his fingers tangling gently in my hair.“Easy, Ly,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble, his eyes locking onto mine, soft but insistent. I groaned around him, the stretch of my lips around his thick cock sending a shiver through me. I held his gaze, determined to please him, to make him see how beautiful this was.The moonlight spilt over us, catching the gold in his hair, and I felt my chest tighten with how damn beautiful he looked, all raw and open for me.“Fuck, Aithan, you’re so good at this.” He kept brushing my cheek, guiding me as I took him dee
AITHANIt has been a month since the encounter with that bastard rapist, and things had gotten back on track. Ryder like I had suspected wasn't as bad as they made him out to be. Marcus was the one who pulled the string, controlling him with his position as the head of the family. With Ryder gone, the rest of the family united. We got rid of the mafia families that tried to challenge us. After a long day of work, Alex suggested we take a walk in the spring close to his cabin.The spring glittered under the full moon. The surface was a mirror of silver light that stretched across the clearing.I sat beside Alex, my bare feet brushing the cool grass, my eyes fixed on the sky.His golden hair caught the moonlight, shimmering like a halo, and I couldn’t help but steal a glance at him. His eyes were soft yet intense as he stared upward too.He could feel it as much as I could do, the beauty of this moment.The air was crisp, laced with the scent of pine and damp earth, and the night felt
ALEXMy heart left my body when I heard Sophia's words. I leapt from my chair and reached for her, ripping the phone off her hand. My blood grew cold as I read the text. “Did they say what they want?” Ryder asked behind me, reaching my side in a few strides. “Yes, they —”I passed the phone back to Sophia before she could complete her words and headed out, almost ripping the door off its hinges from the force I tore through it with. I heard echoing footsteps behind me as I headed for my car, but before I could open the door, Ryder placed his hand on the doorknob, stopping me. “Get your hands off!” I growled. “This isn't the fucking time to play!”“Do I look like I'm playing?” He glared, matching my tone. “You can't drive in your state. Let me do that. I promise I will take you there in time.”“Fuck off! This doesn't concern you.” I ripped his hand off, but he was persistent, holding me before I could open the door. “It concerns me, Alex. Now that I have decided to forgo the past
AITHANI know I was such a fool when I left the house without telling Alex the truth of where I was heading. I lied to him that I was going over to my bar when I wasn't. Today made it 2 days and close to 48 hours since I received the letter, and I was on my way to meet whoever sent it. On the back of the letter, they had written how to meet them. One of the specific requirements was for me to come alone else they would send the video to Alex. To keep my lover from discovering my past from them, I had to do something stupid.I know I can fight should it get to that, but there was no way of knowing what I would be up against. What if they had a gun? What if they had other people with them? I couldn't risk it. I had to play it safe, no matter how much it pained me to do so.I didn't take my car with me, as that would make it difficult for me to keep Alex in the dark. He has a tracker in my car and would know wherever I am. To be on the safer side, I had to leave my car at home and take
ALEX“Can I have a chat with you?” Ryder said when he walked into my study. He knocked before he stepped in, though. What I didn't like was how he looked like it was his right to speak to me, even if I didn't want that. “What do you want to talk about?” I closed the laptop to face him. He lifted a brow. “Won't you offer me a seat?”I gritted my teeth, keeping my anger in check. So he wouldn't gloat that he had won. I gestured to the seat across from mine. “Have a seat.”“Now that's more like.” Grinning, he sat on the chair and crossed his legs, watching me. He didn't say a word for a long time. He just watched me. “What is it you wish to discuss? Don't tell me you came in here to stare at me?” I broke the silence between us, irritated. “What if I did?” I narrowed my eyes. “I don't have all the time in the world for your shenanigans, Ryder. Why are you here?”“Where is Aithan? Your lover?”“Why? What's with you asking about him?” If I was suspicious about him from the time he step
AITHAN Ryder was lucky I was in the sitting room with Alex when he arrived, else his blood would have decorated the floor. Alex would have had his head for just looking at me, but I stopped him. My lover just doesn't seem to know his stepbrother was baiting him. Ryder, despite knowing what would have gone down if I didn't stop Alex, smiled, winked at me, turned on his steps and walked towards the stairs with his small bag. We watched him leave, humming under his breath and with a slight swag to his steps. It wasn't until he was out of earshot that I heard Sophia exhale. “Thank fuck," she whispered, looking at me with a sad smile. He didn't even look at her. What a brother he was. I bet he only wanted Sophia to return with him to the city, so she wouldn't be near Alex. “I hate him,” Alex muttered under his breath. “He's not —” I swallowed down the word I wanted to say. Letting it out would infuriate my lover, who looked like he was losing it. Ryder wasn't bad, though. I didn't
ALEX I would be a damned liar if I said I didn't feel there was something Aithan was keeping from me. I knew he didn't tell me everything, but there was no way to confirm that. He hid that letter, and I couldn't find it in the room when I searched for it. I couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right, but Aithan kept on insisting that he was okay and that the letter was just from someone who might have seen him killing those men. I asked if it was the same man he thought he saw at the restaurant. He hesitated before he denied it. I didn't believe that, but who was I to argue with him?I couldn't just afford to be given cold shoulders, as that was something Aithan was excellent at. Any minor argument, he will keep a long face, and make me grovel on my feet just to get back with him. Not like I was complaining or anything. “Good morning,” he whispered, rubbing his eyes. I had been long awake, staring at the ceiling, while he slept. I didn't just want to disturb him
“Open the letter and check. You might get an inkling of who sent it,” Alex said, his voice breaking the silence.I hesitated for a moment, my heart racing with anxiety. What if it was something bad? What if it were someone from my past, come to haunt me? I didn't want to open it. I wanted to throw the letter as far away from me as I could, but Alex's encouraging gaze gave me the courage to open the envelope. I slid my finger under the flap and pulled out the letter inside.As I unfolded the paper, my eyes scanned the page, my heart sinking with every word. It was a letter, all right. But it wasn't from a friend or a bill collector. It was from someone who knew my darkest secrets, someone who threatened to expose me to the world.My hands shook as I read it, my mind reeling with fear. How did they know? Who told them? And what did they want from me?Blinking, I reread the letter. "Aithan,I know what happened that night. I know what those men did to you. And I know what you did to the