Aiden’s POVI stood in the sweeping space of my office, taking in the view from below. The white walls closed in around me, the seeming emptiness only serving to haunt me. My office used to be the only place I felt at peace, at rest. This was because it had a calming emptiness to it, one which soothed my mind and shielded me from the garish colors of people, their wants, their needs - salty and ripe in the air. I closed my eyes and reached for the pen in my breast pocket. “Shit,” I muttered, hearing the deep echo of my voice. I was still trying to clear up the gossip floating around in the media and it was proving more than difficult. The words in the media, ‘Aiden’s bride-to-be’ felt sweet, and I rolled it around in my mind until I started to taste it. ‘Oh, come on,’ I berated myself, edging back to the mahogany desk at the back of the room. A knock pulled my concentration from the image of Scarlett’s bronzed skin in my mi
Scarlett’s POVIf there was one thing I hated most, it was being a nuisance to someone. I never liked attention; it was why I kept to the shadows, embracing the dark. Aiden Vilarez was the most annoying man on earth, but even he didn’t deserve to be on the face of tabloids. At least, not for something like this.I saw the look on his face when he saw the posts, the darkness slinking across his eyes like a serpent. He was the most arrogant, prideful, and dangerous man I knew, but never had I seen him that angry. ‘God, I never should have accepted that coat,’ I said, throwing some of my dirty clothes into the laundry hamper before sinking into the bed. A moan escaped my lips at the softness of it, the white linen floating around my legs like spider silk. I still couldn’t believe that I lived in Aiden’s house. It was his way of telling me that I was at his beck and call, which I had no problem with at first. Who would? It was a beautiful
Aiden’s POVScarlett looked rather surprised. “A dress?” “Oh, I don’t have the time for arguments. Take it, or leave it.” I knew her enough by now to know she would take the offer. It was something simple, other than the kiss I requested last time. Blood shifted in my body at the beginning of an erection as I thought about her lips on mine. A muscle flickered in her jaw and I watched her eyes set. “Fine, I’ll take it.” Before long, we were riding in my Mercedes, cutting through the traffic. The roof was open, letting the cold night air into the car. The wind blew her hair around, and I took a glimpse of her windswept cheeks. They were pink, just like the delicious color of her lips. I knew that Scarlett was no coward, and I realized that I should have let her handle the LaQua situation. From the first time we met, I knew that she was a strong-headed woman who took life by the horns. Also, she looked like the kind of person who didn't like to owe debts, c
Scarlett’s POVThroughout the drive from the luxury walk-in store to the restaurant Aiden suggested on the way out, there was only one thing on my mind. It was his words back at the store. ‘I always make reservations at places like this for my women,’ he had said, spreading his arms on the chair like a relaxed feline. ‘My women’ was a possessive phrase, and it wrapped around me like grease. I was not his woman, or one of his women. I would never be his woman. I just had to pay this debt and get him out of my life. I couldn’t wait to get back to my life, to be the nurse I always wanted. Hudson was still in the hospital, and I tried to keep the tubes running out from his body from my mind. It hurt being unable to do anything to help my brother, to save him. If only Dad hadn’t embezzled funds, I wouldn’t be in this situation. I wanted to blame him, to scream at him for putting me in an impossible situation with Aiden Vilarez, to fight hi
Scarlett’s POVI knew that this was going to be a long night from when we stepped out in front of the restaurant. Aiden passed his keys to the valet and led me inside the place. It was beautiful, with low hanging chandeliers and golden lights. The maitre d’ met us at the door and offered to take Aiden’s coat but he declined. The waiter led us to our reservation at the back of the restaurant, just overlooking a lake. The moon was full in the skies, the night warm. Ordinarily, this would have been the perfect date night if I was with my boyfriend. But I was with Aiden Vilarez. This was the perfect place for a setup dinner to show the world that we were still a couple despite the scandal. Aiden pulled the chair for me to sit, and I might have thanked him for the gesture if it wasn’t so scripted. Aiden would have never done that on a normal day. He was the kind of person who had the world at his feet, and he didn’t need to be chivalrous. But this w
Aiden’s POVI drank in Scarlett’s form - the inky pools staring back at me, the curls of stray hair on her cheek, the soft tug of her lips as she smiled. It was all so enthralling, that I had to catch myself a few times from staring so hard. I despised how one woman could have such an effect on me, turning my thoughts into nothing but meaningless chatter. She seemed different than all the other women I’d met, those little gold diggers with their birkin bags and burberry coats. Scarlett didn’t like the dress I bought her even though it looked like it was made only for her. The pink accentuated the milk of her skin, making it finer than silk. I yearned to rip that silk of her body, for her skin to spill into my hands. My cock strained against my pants. Gosh, she was making it so hard to concentrate on what she was saying. The words flowed into my ears, but my mind could not process them. I only wanted to pull her close, to feel the heat of her sk
Scarlett’s POVThe first few courses went by faster than I expected. I could tell that I was on the verge of being drunk, my words flowing more smoothly from my throat. The conversation with Aiden no longer felt forced, and he even cracked a smile or two. He was still the same domineering man who commanded the room with simple gestures, who had the world at his feet. Scarlett was beginning to see things from his perspective and she blamed the wine. It was why she hated drinking. It usually ended up with bad decisions, something wild with the undertone of darkness, and a hangover that would last for hours. But she didn’t worry. With Aiden, she felt protected. Safe, even. “Any places in mind where these health centers should be?” she asked, genuinely interested. He smiled for the sixth time that night. Yeah, I’m counting because this is a rare event. The gruff man I knew was now replaced by someone a bit less godly and a lot more humane
Scarlett’s POV My body was turning against me, dammit! I could feel my bones turning to liquid, my inhibitions falling down like shackles. I felt lighter than I had in months, and with the wind in my face, I felt on top of the world. The alcohol gave me a burst of confidence, and everything might have been perfect if I hadn’t just kissed Aiden of my own accord. My heart was racing faster than I could breathe, and my chest tightened. I thought of a few curses in my head, but nothing could describe this other than a major fuck up! Aiden was smiling, that lecherous one that made his handsome face look devilish. “I always knew you had that in you,” he said, and I turned away from him. Shame, guilt, and anger - the unholy trinity - tore through me, cresting like tidal waves. My cheeks were hot, almost flaming. I couldn’t bear to look at him now, the wicked grin spreading easily across the features. I wanted
Scarlett's POVAiden approached with the hot coffee in his hand and I wondered if he wasn't going to drop it before finally getting to me.“Well, I'd say I'm interested in both but it depends on you.” He placed the coffee on the slap and pulled me closer to himself. He pulled off my shirt and put his head between my breasts.He had not placed his lips on them but I gasped. My body was ready for his touch and I craved it like an addiction.He raised me and placed me on the kitchen slab and pushed the cup of coffee off. The cup fell and the coffee spilled all over the floor. I just sat down waiting anxiously for him to suck on my boobs.He stood in front of me and pushed his hands through my thigh before pulling me forward to himself. I could feel my body hair standing. His process was slow and it made me anticipate what he was going to do.Aiden licked all around my boobs, I gasped for air and put my hands on his shoulde
Aiden’s POVI did not know what to do to make Scarlett feel better. I was exhausted by the attitude she was putting up. I stretched my hands over to her face and removed her earphones from her ear.She grumbled and frowned at me before she yelled, “What?” She looked so paranoid and I couldn’t understand what all the attitude she was giving me was all about.“What is it again? You’ve been so quiet and I don’t like how you are blocking your ears. I don’t feel like you are here with me and I’m not pleased.” I said to her sternly.“I do not want to talk to you and I don’t have anything to say to you. I just want to go home.” Scarlett did not care to look at me. She just spoke and kept her gaze out the window.“Anyway, I want us to eat out tonight. I know a very nice restaurant that we can go to.” I felt that could make Scar feel better or cheer her up. I mean, who wouldn’t like to eat something nice? “I want to go home. I’m not
Scarlett's Pov I looked at Aiden as he gazed back at me. I could not understand why he would think I would decide to have sex with him. I wondered why he would even choose that. I mean, it's not like I meant anything to him.I began to reminisce on the sex we had in the pool. I snapped out of it and reminded myself of how trashy he treated me. “You mean nothing to him. This is just a contract so get it together,” I said to myself. “I would rather have an implantation. I have no reason to experience sexual excitement. It's just a contract and it should be handled as such.” I said aloud without looking at Aiden.“I can not have my sperm removed from me. I do not want to have to masturbate.” Aiden interrupted me. I looked at him and asked, “So what's that supposed to mean?” “You will just have to have sex with me because I can not masturbate. I won't.” He said firmly and I knew there was nothing I could say to make him change hi
Scarlett's PovI followed quietly behind Aiden and several thoughts ran through my mind as I began to doubt if I wanted to proceed. “I do not have a choice anyway. I’m sure he doesn’t care about me. This is what's best for me at the moment.” I said inwardly.We entered the hospital and Aiden approached a nurse. He was farther from me so I couldn’t hear what he said to her. She looked through his shoulders at me and smiled. I approached them with an uncertain look on my face.“You’re welcome. You can come with me to the waiting room while I get the doctor for you.” She said with a warm smile and a great gesture. I wondered why she seemed so happy.Aiden and I followed her into a room that had a nice ambiance. I was not interested in whatever was around. I just wanted to see the doctor and get down to business. “You should take off your earphones.” Aiden tapped my thigh and said to me. I shrugged and arched my brow at him. I
I looked at myself in the mirror one last time to make sure that I at least looked presentable. The makeup was subtle, thank God, I didn’t want to look like some tramp. Sultry, and soft was exactly what I was going for. The dress was a deep burgundy, cinching at the waist and flaring out from there. He knocked again, and I knew I had to hurry up. Aiden didn’t like being kept waiting. I doubted he’d hate it if it were Odessa. I banished the thought from my mind and focused on the task at hand. We were going to the hospital to get this whole thing started. All I had to do was get pregnant.I packed my small purse containing a pad of sticky notes so that if there was anything I needed to put down when speaking to the doctor, I could do it. I also put in a pen, my earphones to listen to music on the way so that I didn’t have to hear him speak and get into my head, a pair of photochromic glasses and my lip gloss. He must have been about to knock, because his
Scarlett’s POVI was unable to sleep last night. Not because I was still livid at what happened in the study, but because of the hurt flashing in Aiden’s eyes when I talked about how I was just a spare. It seemed genuine in the moment, and when I shut the door in his face, I slid down the door and cried. I didn’t know why I was truly crying, but the tears kept coming. It felt like someone stabbed me in the gut repeatedly, then wrung me out and left me to dry. I felt raw, lost, exposed. His frame cast a shadow in front of my door for almost an hour, as if he was still trying to come to terms with what I said to him. I knew that the words were a slap on his face, but I wanted him to feel the anger raging for space in my heart. He deserved it. At least that was what I tried to tell myself. It was what I had been trying to tell myself all day. I knew it was selfish to have ever uttered those words, but I wished for him to feel how it felt to have y
Aiden’s POVI sighed, running fingers through my hair to relieve me of the stress. “Is she in?” Maria nodded. “Yes sir, she’s in her bedroom. I just finished changing the sheets and making sure the room was cleaned.” “Did you notice anything unfamiliar? Or familiar? I don’t even know what I’m saying at the moment.” She shook her head, her eyes going to the bunch of flowers in my hand. “No, no. Miss seemed like her normal self. Is something the matter, sir? Anything you need me to help you with?” “No, no. I just wanted to be sure if this was a good time. Dinner is set, right?” “Yes sir. I made sure the chef kept the covered food in the refrigerator, so it’s easy to heat up. Should I help you with that before I leave for the night?” I shook my head. “I can handle a microwave at least. Thank you very much.” “No problem, sir. I’m just doing my job.” She ambled away quickly, leaving me in the gloom of the living room. Rolling the bouquet in my hands, I went to the kitchen first to
Aiden’s POVDusk settled in the skies like a lover’s kiss, sending golden and purple streaks through a formerly blue sky. I watched the skies change color, the purple deepening like a bruise until it began to turn dark. This was one of my daily rituals - watch the skies, and think of my place in the universe. But only this time, I didn’t think of myself. I thought of a familiar flame-haired woman and her luscious pink lips, peridot eyes and skin like milk. I thought of her long fingers searching for pleasure in my hair, the breath from her mouth hot against my cheek. I’d been thinking of her a lot lately, so much that it threatened to take away my sanity. It was strange how she barreled into my life like a whirlwind, taking control of almost every part of me. It seemed rather beautiful, tempting even. She was a force to be reckoned with, a person with so much control of herself that she started breaking down at my heart, chipping away pieces little by little. I cleared my mind and
Aiden’s POVNow, I was different, a man who only had eyes for one woman. It was strange of me to admit that considering my past, but I wanted only Scarlett now. Not even Odessa could change that. “Leave me alone,” I whispered, trying to keep my cool. “You know, I’m doing you a favor, Aiden. Trying to right your wrong. You should know that means you owe me one.” Fuck. I hated owing favors, especially Odessa. She was a manipulator, a piranha that sank its teeth into your skin and never let go until she pulled flesh from bone. But I guess I didn’t have a choice now. “And let me guess, you want something I won’t be able to give you?” She sidled close to my side, her eyes glittering like jewels. Her body was pressed against mine, a softness I could feel through the fabric of my suit. But it was nothing like Scarlett’s. There was a softness to Scarlett, an intensity, a feeling that Odessa didn’t have. It’s what made her