༺RAYNE༻ What the fuck was Genevieve doing here? And why does Liam look like that? Did the two of them—? My nose scrunches up in disgust and I march to where Liam is. He's standing straight, his muscles and abs shiny with sweat and his hair, wet and ruffled. His expression remains blank through and through like he wasn't doing anything wrong. “What's this?!” My voice is shockingly louder than I expected it to be. “What was Genevieve doing here? Why was she coming out of the house by this time, Liam? And why are you—?” I pause and take in one hell of a deep breath to calm my nerves. It's crazy how I'm getting worked up over this. I wonder why it's affecting me so much. I don't understand why I'm acting like I just caught him cheating on me. I guess it's because it's Genevieve of all people. I never liked her since I caught her trying to kiss Liam at the party Lucas threw for us. She was making a move on him despite knowing that he was engaged to someone else, to me. And that the pa
༺RAYNE༻ “I'm about to show you how I think with my dick.” Liam soughs, pinning my hands above my head and pressing them into the bed. What? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Is he going to do what I think he is? He roughly tears my legs apart with one grip, pushing my mini dress upwards. My dress rips at the sides, giving him the leverage to spread my thighs farther apart. He presses his groin against my mound and dips his head close to my face. “Stop!” I shriek and struggle beneath his huge, sturdy frame. Fuck! This man is so strong! “You've been running your mouth too much lately. It's not cute anymore,” he sneers, breathing heavily against my face. “It's time I taught you a lesson. Perhaps a good fuck is the right punishment for you.” He draws in a loud breath and drops his head lower. “But it wouldn't be much of a punishment now, would it? Since you've been dying to have me fuck you for a long time now.” That was before. He's crazy if he thinks I still want that afte
༺RAYNE༻Liam and I stare at each other, both of us unsure how to respond. It had never occurred to us that we would have to go on a honeymoon after we're married. Liam didn't think it was even necessary for our charade hence he would've planned something like that for us.Lucas seems to pick up on our hesitation. “What’s the matter? Do you have some other pressing matters that need your attention? You both don't look excited.”“No, no, we are excited,” Liam coos, snaking his arm around my waist and drawing me closer to him. “Aren't we, babe?”My breasts clamp against his chest, my nipples protruding through the soft cotton of Liam's T-shirt. I fake a sweet smile and place my hand on Liam's chest.“Yes, yes, we're very excited,” I agree with a firm nod. “It’s just...we hadn’t planned on...”My voice falters when Liam gives me a look that demands I stop talking. He's worried I might say something that would throw Lucas off or make him suspect us.Lucas grunts and shakes his head. “Kids
༺RAYNE༻“Bonjour, Paris!”After an almost 13-hour flight, we touch down in Paris. Our car pulls up to the hotel Lucas booked for us. I’m gazing at the place in awe. I have to admit, it’s pretty darn impressive. I’m not exactly doing cartwheels of excitement but I can appreciate the beauty and elegance of this place.Who knew the City of Love could be so swanky?Liam reaches for my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze as soon as we step out of the car. The gesture is all for show obviously. We’re supposed to look like a perfect couple after all. This man doesn’t slack when it comes to playing his part.“Monsieur and Madame Everhart,” a doorman greets us with a respectful bow. “Welcome to Paris. It is an honour to have you stay with us.”Liam just nods while I mouth a ‘thank you’ to him. We’re ushered into the lobby, where everything is just as fancy as the exterior suggested. A very large chandelier hangs from the ceiling like a crystal spider, illuminated with very bright light.It’s th
༺RAYNE༻ It's Day 2 of our honeymoon. So far there's been nothing spectacular or eventful. All Liam and I did yesterday was sleep, eat and sleep. Well, I did more of the sleeping. I slept so much I think I've set a new record while Liam was probably setting a record for most hours spent staring at a screen. He almost never got off his phone or left his laptop. Even if we're not a real couple and we won't be doing all of those sappy romantic things like sunset dinners, couples massages or lovey-dovey walks along the Seine, it'd be really nice to enjoy our stay in Paris. I might never come back here again. My memories of this place shouldn't be only of hotel room walls and Liam's screen time. I want to experience the beauty of Paris, even if it's just for a few days. I want to make real memories here even if this honeymoon is nothing but crap. My voice is sharp when I say to Liam out of the blue, “I want to see the Eiffel Tower.” No response. He's so fixated on his laptop, tapping
༺RAYNE༻ “Damien?” Liam utters his name like a curse, his voice rumbling with a low growl. He snatches the card from my grasp and reads it again and again as if doing so would change the words or make them less true. His eyes narrow into slits, his jaw tightens, and his face darkens with each passing second. It's like he's trying to will the message away, but it's there, staring him in the face. “What the fuck is this, Rayne?” He raises the card to my face, the muscles and veins straining in his arms like they're about to rip out. “Why the fuck is that son of a bitch sending you lingerie and love notes?” I flinch at the intensity of his anger and step back. I'm just as shocked as he is. How the hell would I know why Damien sent me lingerie? I never thought he could do something like this. Sure, our date that night was fun and all. But that was all it was. Plain fun. Damien didn't give me any reason to believe or suspect that he was into me or that he had any romantic feelings for
༺RAYNE༻A flash of surprise flickers in Liam's dark, fierce eyes but it's quickly replaced by a piercing glare that cuts right through me. I watch as his fists clench even tighter, his knuckles turning white.I’ve crossed a line, one that I can’t uncross. His jaw is set so tight I can see a muscle throbbing in his temple. He slowly takes a step forward while I subconsciously move backward.“What did you just say?” His question comes out in a dangerously low pitch tone that's more unsettling than his loud shouts.I step back again and stumble, my breathing shallow, my eyes fixed on his. I raise my palms in a defensive gesture as I shrink.Liam repeats, slightly raising his voice, “What. Did. You. Say?”“I... I...”Why are you scared to speak now, Rayne? Go on, tell him. Tell him. What's the worst that could happen? What's he going to do? Yell and blow a gasket. There's nothing more he could do. My subconscious whispers to me, trying to reason and coax me into telling Liam what I really
༺RAYNE༻ “What did you just say?” I'm glaring at Genevieve, watching the smirk on her caked face widening. “It was you? You sent the gifts?” I don't want to believe my ears. Maybe I heard her wrong. She couldn't have sent the lingerie and the other stuff. But Genevieve is quick to rub it in my face and confirm my doubts. “Yes, I sent them,” she says in a firm tone, her voice oozing with pride. “I knew it would get under Liam's skin and I was right. You two are fighting, aren't you? Good. Very good. I had no doubt it would work.“ My lips divide into an 'O'. So Genevieve was behind it all. She's trying to create a rift between Liam and me. And it's working. First, she followed us all the way to Paris and then sent those gifts. She's a dirty rotten snake who'll stop at nothing to get what she wants. It's pathetic! I'm still thinking of a fitting reply for her. I don't know why it's taking so damn long to come up with something. Genevieve takes a step closer. “I just wanted to speed
༺RAYNE༻ Liam catches me from behind and wraps his big arms around me, his lips finding their way to my neck. My lips curve into a full smile and I lean back against him, my hand instinctively reaching up to hold his head. My heart does a triple flip, like a gymnast performing an impossible routine. It’s always been like this—this magnetic pull between us, the chemistry that could launch a thousand ships. He's really here. “Liam?” I breathe, not quite believing my eyes (or ears). I mean, how can this be? He's not back until two months from now. That's what he told me. But now, here he is, arms wrapped around me and smelling like home. He chuckles against my neck, his lips tickling the skin. “Surprise.” “Daddy!” Lucas squeals as if only just seeing him. Liam's arms tear away from me and spread out to our son as he leans down. Lucas jumps into his arms, giggling like a little maniac. Liam lifts him up and tosses him up a bit, making the kid laugh even harder. I just smile at the
༺RAYNE༻ FOUR YEARS LATER... “Lucas! Get down from the couch right now!” I shout, trying to catch my son's attention as he climbs and jumps around on the furniture in our living room. My little ball of energy is at it again. He acts like the house is his personal jungle gym, always trying to give me a heart attack with his death-defying antics. It's like he thinks he's part monkey. “No, Mummy! King of the mountain!” he booms, smiling and puffing his chest. “Lucas! You're going to break something, either the furniture or yourself! Get down, this instant!” I sprint across the living room, my feet pounding the marble floor. Lucas' loud giggles fills the room when he darts to the left, his brown hair bouncing with each jump. Just as I think I've got him cornered, he leaps on the coffee table and uses it as a springboard to launch himself on the floor. I swoop down, arms outstretched but he's too quick. He zigzags around the couch cushion, his grey eyes glinting. “Look, Mummy!” He's
༺LIAM༻ “You'll only get it over our dead bodies,” a voice booms from the shadows, making everyone snap their heads in that direction. Finally. They're here. Thanks to the distraction, I snatch the gun from the fucker who's supposed to keep me in check and point it at him. He staggers backwards, his hands up in surrender when I point it at him. “Took you long enough,” I say to none other than Daniel and Leo as they walk in. Both their heads are held high, shoulders straight and their faces contorted in rage. They take their places at my sides, flanking me. Sabrina's goons all aim at us, ready to fire but none of us are fazed. “Better late than never,” Daniel replies, his furious gaze darting between Sabrina and Oscar. “You turned out to be a bottom-feeding leech after all, Oscar, a worthless nobody, like I thought you were from the very first day I saw you. But I never would've thought that you were Sabrina's pussy-munching weasel, feeding off her cunt and her scraps just to kee
༺LIAM༻ “I'm here,” I rasp, holding my phone to my ear and staring at the papers in my hand. I've just gotten out of my car, now in front of a crumbling shithole of a building that's barely standing. It's the location I was given. It seems like a rat-infested dump with broken windows, rusty metal beams, and a door that looks like it hasn't been opened in years. There are overgrown weeds and trash around it, the perfect hideout for the sick fuck who's got my wife. I can't fucking believe that they'd bring Rayne to this shithole of a place. It makes my blood boil. The son of a bitch on the other end of the line, the same altered, robotic voice, chuckles and then replies, “Good. Now follow the lights inside. Walk straight, don't look around.” I do what I'm told. Not because I'm scared, but because they’ll harm Rayne if I don't. It's the only reason I'm not charging in and getting my wife out. It's the only reason I'm not burning this building down to the ground. And it's the sa
༺RAYNE༻Fuck! My head hurts!That stupid bodyguard hit me hard on my cheek with his freaking sledgehammer of a fist. I fell and hit my head on the ground. I can swear I heard my own brain rattle against my skull.I'd kicked him in his groin while trying to get away and that's what earned me the slap that knocked me out cold. Thankfully, my baby is safe, or so I pray, since I don't feel any sharp pains.Opening my eyes, I realize that I've been brought to an unknown room with dingy walls and a single flickering light. I'm tied to a chair with ropes too thick and rough to slip out of.How long have I been out? And Liam! I know he's definitely looking for me right now. My heart squeezes painfully at the thought that I might not make it out of here alive. That I might never see him again.I'm scared for myself and for my baby. After seeing how Sabrina disrespected Lucas and after overhearing her and Oscar, I don't think she would think twice before getting rid of me. She might not even ba
༺LIAM༻ “We've searched the entire building, boss. We couldn't find her.” Another useless report. I drive my fist into the nearest wall and clench my teeth as I feel my knuckles burn from the impact. This is nothing though, compared to the pain of not being able to find my wife. And my unborn child. “What do you mean you couldn't find her?” I glare at the imbeciles in front of me. “She's in the goddamn hospital, not a fucking maze! How hard is it to track down one woman?” The men around me look down, avoiding eye contact like a bunch of fucking idiots. Useless, every last one of them. I don't even know why I bother wasting my time with these incompetent fools. “Get out of my sight!” I bark at them. Pacing like a caged animal, with my fists clenched and my hair ruffled, my mind is going all ape-shit with worry. I'm losing my mind, in fact! Everything was fine minutes ago. Rayne went back to my grandfather's room to get her purse while I answered a call from the office. I stayed
༺RAYNE༻ Lucas Everhart. The man who took Liam as his own and raised him to be the confident and successful man he is today. That same man is actually my grandfather, my only living blood relative. It still sounds unbelievable. I'm sitting beside him, holding his hand in mine and watching his chest gently expand and contract. The hospital monitors are tracking his every heartbeat. There are so many tubes and wires attached to him. The sight is heart-wrenching. “I just found you,” my voice breaks in a fragile whisper, “please don't leave me now. You can't.” This man has been kind to me since day one and now that I know I'm his granddaughter, I feel a deep connection to him. But Lucas... He's always felt that kind of connection to me. It's like he sensed it all along. Even Liam was stunned by how Lucas treated me. I still remember the old man's reaction the very first time he laid his eyes on me. He froze, wide-eyed and dropped his cane. Then he told me I looked familiar and asked
༺RAYNE༻ “Do you remember what Dr Gareth said about your HLA compatibility with Grandfather?” Liam asks, after keeping me in suspense for almost a minute. I nod and muse, “Yes, he said I was an exact match, 10/10 HLA compatibility, which is extremely rare, especially since we're not biologically related.” That's exactly how the doctor said it. But I don't understand why Liam's suddenly interested in that. Could it be that the doctors made a mistake and the transplant wasn't successful, like we all thought and Lucas' condition is worsening? Oh God! “What has that got to do with what you're about to tell me, Liam? Did the doctors find something abnormal in the tests they ran after the transplant, something that changes everything?” That has to be the only explanation. It's Liam's turn to nod. “Yes but it's not what you think. It's a lot more complicated. I don't even know how it's fucking possible.” He sighs and clasps both of his hands around mine. “Rayne, you're not who you thin
༺RAYNE༻ “Well, Doctor? What does it say?” My anxiety is killing me. Despite Liam's refusal and the doctor's warnings, I got tested for the bone marrow transplant. The results are out, apparently and Dr Gareth has been frozen since he summoned us all. “Are you going to speak or not?” Liam's impatient, angry voice snaps, making Dr Gareth almost jump. “Come on, doc, spill it already!” The doctor lifts his eyes from the reports and stares at me. “Ma'am, the results indicate that you are a match.” A loud gasp tears out of my lips. Even though I hoped I'd be a match, it's so hard to believe it. I'm an actual match! Liam's eyes are too wide, he's having a harder time believing it. And the same goes for the rest of the family. None of them can process it either—they're all stuck in shock, staring at me like I'm the miracle they never thought would happen. And I am. “Did you just say that my wife is a match?” Liam's face crumples. Dr Gareth nods in astonishment. “Yes, that's right. And