Wishing everyone a happy new month and a joyous birthday to all celebrating this month. :)
Swallowing hard, Emmeline carefully slid her feet to the cold marble floor, staring up at his striking face and waiting for his next instructions with breathless trepidation.Zavian’s eyes were dark like unfathomable pools that seemed to gaze straight through to her very soul."Strip!” he said bluntly, making no move to give her privacy.Emmeline eyes widened in shock at his brazen command. "What?" she gasped, hardly able to believe her ears.Zavian folded his arms across his chest, the fabric of his jacket pulling taut across his broad shoulders and powerful biceps. "Are you going to bathe in your clothes?" he asked, one brow arching upwards.Emmeline's mouth abruptly went bone dry, and she couldn't find any saliva to swallow past the lump that had formed in her throat. "I...I have to take off my clothes, of course," she stammered, her cheeks flushing hotly, "But why do I feel like you have no intention of leaving the bathroom anytime soon?"Zavian leaned his upper body down towards h
Emmeline let him slowly peel away her last stitch of clothing, stepping out of the scrap of lace when it pooled at her feet, leaving her completely and utterly bare before him.She stared at the wall with burning cheeks, keenly aware of her bare ass in his direct line of sight, of the most intimate parts of her body on full display."As exquisite as a Greek statue of the goddess of beauty herself," Zavian murmured in hushed appreciation. "Carved of creamy marble, begging to be worshipped and adored as the perfection you are."When he knelt down behind her, the fabric of his pants brushing against her calves, Emmeline couldn't stop the tremor of trepidation and excitement that coursed through her body."I feel so ashamed, being naked in front of you like this," she whispered, unable to meet his eyes for fear of what she might find burning in their depths. "Your staring at me, drinking in every inch of my body, only makes me more flustered and confused. Please, Zavian, stop it before I c
Zavian’s eyelids lowered slowly.“With pleasure!” he groaned.With that, his lips met hers hungrily.Their lips moved together in a dance of passion and desire, while allowing their eyes to flutter closed, surrendering to the sinful feeling that coursed through them.His hands found their way to the curve of her waist and pressed her against his painfully hard erection.The tender kiss morphed into something more heated, more passionate.The silence of the room was broken by their ragged breaths and muffled sounds of pleasure.Emmeline's hands traced patterns on his chest and Zavian pressed against her waist with equal fervor.His left hand squeezed her backside and she let out a soft groan, opening up for him further.Their lips remained locked until breathing became too difficult for Emmeline.Zavian finally broke away from the kiss and looked at her with predatory eyes that made her heart race even faster than before."Would you like me to join you in the tub?" he asked.Emmeline br
Emmeline complied eagerly, her heart pounding in her chest at the reality of their situation."What about your wife?" she asked suddenly. "What if she comes looking for you?""You just remembered I have a wife? Where was that concern a few moments ago?” Zavian’s response was laced with a hint of sarcasm.“I… I don’t know. But she could…”“She won’t,” he assured her, his fingers tracing small circles along her waist. “And if she did, I wouldn’t care.”Emmeline separated his arm from her waist, lifting his wrist to her mouth. “Do you want your precious wife to become our unwanted audience?” she whispered with a grin, lightly kissing his wrist.Zavian let out a low groan at the sensation her lips invoked. “You’re trouble, Emmeline,” he said with humor, but there was something deeper, a glint of melancholy lacing his words.“What you see isn’t always the truth. Some people… well, things behind closed doors are different.” His cryptic words hung in the air.Emmeline searched his face, tryin
Zavian strode out of the bathroom, leaving Emmeline behind as he made his way to his rarely used room next door.His strides were heavy and purposeful like a man on a mission, heading straight for his main bedroom on the top floor.The warmth that had been in his eyes mere moments ago while with Emmeline had vanished, replaced by a frosty, dangerous glint. The aura radiating from him now was the complete opposite of the harmonious energy that had dominated their intimate bathroom encounter.The heavy mahogany door to his bedroom burst open without him even needing to touch it.The person inside immediately dropped to their knees, head bowed in submission.Luca was visibly trembling, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. He knew this moment was coming - the time to receive his punishment for the mistake he had made the previous night."Master," Luca began hesitantly. "I'm here to receive punishment for my mistake." His voice was laced with trepidation.Zavian's expression wa
The morning sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the villa.The warmth of the room and the comfort of the bed had wrapped around her, soothing her into a deep, restful sleep last night. For the first time in a long while, the weight of her worries felt just a little bit lighter.Everyone had left for work, except for Emmeline. She tossed and turned in bed until noon, boredom gnawing at her restless mind. Suddenly, an idea struck her – a way to alleviate the monotony of her day.Cursing herself inwardly, yet unable to resist the temptation, Emmeline found herself drawn to Zavian’s room. It was the same room where Zavian had given her her first taste of ecstasy. Its walls were a light gray hue, save for the one that hugged his bed – that one was as dark as the man himself.Emmeline lay on Zavian's bed, staring up at the ceiling. Moments later, she rolled over onto her stomach and reached for the bedside table, curiosity getting the better of her."Let's see what's o
Emmeline took a step closer, reducing the distance between them and burying her index in his chest, hissing. "I raise my voice as I like and in the face of whoever I want. How did you manage to mess with my feelings, Mr. Blackthorn?"Zavian grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand off his chest in annoyance. "You're being dramatic."He squeezed her wrist with his fist until her face shrank in pain. "I didn’t expect you to misinterpret my treatment of you as stemming from feelings, especially since I told you clearly and more than once that love isn’t my specialty."Emmeline lowered her head, unwilling to let him see the tears that had gathered in her eyes. "How can I not misunderstand you when you give me everything I need, and even take me into your house to protect me from my violent husband?"Zavian released her wrist with a tight sigh. "I thought you needed a distraction."Emmeline’s thoughts centered around her own brokenness. When she checked her actions, she realized she was wrong
Emmeline hated the disappointed, almost wistful tone her voice had taken right at the end - like she'd somehow built up all these unrealistic expectations around Zavian.What had she been thinking? This was just a messy situation she'd allowed herself to get tangled up in, nothing more.Flopping facedown on the bed, she grabbed her phone off the nightstand and was surprised to see three missed calls from Richard.She must have left it on silent earlier, because it hadn't made a sound. Figures that controlling prick would already be blowing up her phone, trying to reassert his dominance.Emmeline swallowed hard, steeling herself when his name flashed across the screen again before answering in a cold tone. "What do you want?""What nonsense is Mr. Blackthorn spouting? What's this about you not leaving his house until I apologize in front of everyone? Has that guy lost his damn mind or what?" Richard's shouts exploded so loudly from the speaker that she instinctively pulled the phone awa
Emmeline very nearly swayed on her feet from the force of it, her thighs clenching instinctively against a sudden, searing rush of arousal.She had to dig her nails into her palms to keep from visibly reacting, from reaching out and grabbing Zavian and hauling his body flush against hers in a shameless public display.Yuna raised her eyebrows. "You're volunteering to teach Emmeline yourself?" Her tone was laced with reproach, glancing between her husband and Emmeline. "But shouldn't Minnie know her better? As her friend, it would make more sense for Minnie to show her the ropes."Minnie didn't even blink at Yuna's thinly veiled objection. "Don't worry about it. I'll help my husband teach Richard instead. If Mr. Blackthorn can actually skate, he'd better be the one to teach Emmeline."Minnie gave Zavian a pointed look, clearly missing the undercurrent between him and Emmeline. "Thank you for offering to take that on," she said.The subtle curve of Minnie's painted lips suggested she sus
Richard tensed in surprise at her sudden, uncharacteristic display of wifely affection, shooting her a bemused look over the top of her head. "Well now, what's gotten into you?" he asked with an indulgent chuckle, looping his arms loosely around her in return. "Not that I'm complaining about this unusually obedient behavior, mind you..."Emmeline felt her earlier bravado already faltering beneath the weight of Zavian's dark, knowing stare. "I...I just thought we should present a united front," she mumbled, ducking her head against Richard's chest in a futile attempt to escape that burning gaze. "For the sake of appearances, you know? We are on vacation with the neighbors, after all.""Ah, I see." Richard's tone was one of easy acceptance, seemingly oblivious to the heated undercurrents still going on behind his back. "Well, you've certainly made your point then. No need to keep up the charade any longer on my account."But Emmeline couldn't bring herself to release her grip, not yet. N
The snowball caught its target square in the shoulder with a muffled thump, exploding in a puff of powdery white.Zavian didn't even flinch, though his eyes did narrow infinitesimally at her bold move.Yuna, on the other hand, let out a scandalized gasp. "Emmeline! How could you do such a thing?" she cried, hands flying to cover her mouth as if to physically hold back her shock. "You've assaulted my husband!""Oh god, what have I done?" Emmeline's own fake dismay quickly replaced her earlier bravado. "I...I didn't mean to hurt Mr. Blackthorn, I swear!""Have you lost your damn mind, woman?" Richard growled, rounding on her with ill-concealed anger simmering in his eyes.They hurried over to the two men. Emmeline's steps faltered, shame and lingering defiance swirled within her.Yuna rushed to her husband's side, fretting over him with an exaggerated concern. "She didn't mean any harm, darling," she soothed, shooting Emmeline a reproachful look over her shoulder. "She was just trying to
The group gathered at the cable car station.Minnie turned to face everyone with a mischievous grin. "Alright, here's the deal - the cable cars only hold four people max. I think it would be fun to split up by gender for the ride up. Ladies in one car, fellas in another!"Yuna's brows knit together in a frown of annoyance. "Why on earth would we do that?" she scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Wouldn't it make much more sense for each couple to share a car, just the two of us?"Feeling uncharacteristically defiant, Emmeline jumped in to argue against Yuna's prim suggestion. "What's the point of taking a group trip if we're just going to stick with our own partners the whole time?" She shot Yuna a pointed look. "Minnie's idea is way better - it'll give us all a chance to mingle and get to know each other better!"The words were barely out of her mouth before Emmeline felt the weight of Zavian's penetrating stare.A flush of embarrassment crept up her neck as their eyes met, her cheeks
The winding mountain road was blanketed in snow, forcing them to take it slowly. It took another full hour before they finally arrived at the luxurious ski resort.As soon as the vehicle rolled to a stop, everyone eagerly piled out into the picturesque winter wonderland surrounding them.Taehyung went to the trunk first, unloading the luggage - he and Minnie shared one large suitcase, just like Emmeline and Richard did.Zavian strode over next, dragging his sleek silver suitcase behind him while Yuna trailed after, clutching her own bag.The group naturally arranged themselves with Taehyung and Minnie at Zavian's right, Yuna and Richard to his left, and Emmeline lingering slightly behind.Zavian's domineering presence and deep, velvety voice immediately commanded her full attention. "Let's plan to regroup in the main hall in fifteen minutes," he stated, sweeping his gaze over the ladies. "I trust that will give everyone ample time to get settled into their suites?" His deep eyes sparkl
After a leisurely breakfast of fluffy Belgian waffles and crisp bacon with Zavian, followed by a long, steamy shower where they'd indulged in one last lingering tryst, Emmeline finally returned home.Her mind was utterly consumed with the memories of their intimate Christmas Eve together - every scorching caress, every sinful whisper, every moment seared into her memory with perfect clarity.Luckily, Richard didn't seem to suspect a thing when she arrived. Minnie had covered for her brilliantly.Emmeline had barely managed to exchange some words with Richard before practically sprinting up the stairs, murmuring some excuse about needing to freshen up after her night out.She locked herself in the bathroom and braced her trembling hands on the vanity, staring at her flushed, desire-glazed reflection for a long moment as the memories washed over her again in dizzying waves.The way Zavian had pinned her against the wall, one hand fisted in her hair as the other roamed hungrily over her b
Emmeline woke up to something wet and warm trailing across her cheek.Blinking her eyes open slowly, she found Zavian peppering her face with soft kisses, his hard morning wood pressing insistently against her stomach.Memories from their passionate lovemaking the night before came flooding back. How he had absolutely ravaged her until she felt the air knocked out of her lungs and stars danced behind her tightly squeezed eyelids. How she had almost passed out from the mind-blowing pleasure, leaving her aching core throbbing with need, wishing it was there he was pounding his thick, monstrous cock into instead. How she had silently begged him to finally pop her cherry and open her up completely.But then the bizarre, inexplicable incident replaced those yearning thoughts, making her breath hitch in her throat.Emmeline’s mind was at war with itself. She truly didn't know how much longer she could pretend she hadn't made such a mind-blowing discovery about Zavian last night.As much as
The sinful duo were both wiped after their intense lovemaking session.Emmeline was still snuggled up against Zavian's broad, muscular chest, but no matter how utterly drained she felt, she just couldn't drift off to sleep. Her mind kept replaying the intense scene from earlier on an endless loop.She could have sworn she heard deep, animalistic growls and roars rumbling from Zavian's throat as he ravaged her body like a ravenous beast. Emmeline had also seen strange, shimmering lights seeming to emanate from him in waves. As bizarre as it sounded, she knew she hadn't just been hallucinating from the mind-blowing pleasure and pain. No amount of ecstasy could conjure up such vivid visions.Her thoughts then turned to when Zavian had asked if she would be okay dating a supernatural being, and the hurt look on his face when she hadn't given him a definite answer. Could he truly be...not human? Some kind of monster? She had always heard the saying that the devil has the most angelic featur
Zavian was locked in an agonizing internal war, his primal instincts raging to claim his mate while his disciplined mind fought viciously to maintain control over his baser urges.The mate pull was a scorching, relentless force, clawing at his insides and inflaming every fiber of his being with an overwhelming, feral need to take Emmeline and complete their bond.'Mate wants us. Needs us to fill her, breed her,' Aetherion growled hungrily in Zavian's mind, dripping with lust. 'She can take our size, our strength. She's our mate for a reason - built to handle and crave our brutal claiming.'A guttural groan rumbled from Zavian's chest as lurid images of pinning Emmeline down and driving into her ruthlessly, claiming her in the most primitive way flashed rapidly through his mind.Her sweet cries of ecstasy and pleas for more echoed in his ears as if she were right there, writhing wantonly beneath him.'Yeah, it's the perfect time - the ideal day to finally make her ours,' Draeven snarled