Mr. Blackthorn’s observations made me tense up.Panic coursed through me as I scrambled for a plausible explanation.He hummed questioningly at my delayed response.I knew I had to lie to cover the truth. The real reasons behind my injuries were too dark and too painful to share, especially with someone I barely knew."I sprained my foot when I slipped while cleaning the house yesterday," I began, the lie tasting bitter on my tongue. "The wound you're treating now is from me clumsily falling and landing on the sharp edge of a chair. I may have rubbed it too hard while showering, so it started bleeding again."I tried to inject a self-deprecating note into my words to make the fabrication more believable, forcing a small, embarrassed laugh.His hand, resting high on my thigh, began making slow, soothing circles with his thumb, lightly caressing the soft skin there.The gentle motion was at odds with the intensity of his gaze.I found myself caught between wanting to lean into his touch
"The schedule is pretty packed already," the receptionist said apologetically.My heart sank. Just then, her expression brightened. "Since you're one of Dr. Ross's patients here, we won't let you leave without getting seen."She smiled, typing away at her keyboard."I'm going to put your name down to see the doctor after the last woman here at the moment. It might be a bit of a wait, but we'll make sure you're taken care of today."I exhaled in relief, and my shoulders relaxed slightly. "Thank you so much. I really appreciate it," I said earnestly. "You have no idea how much this means to me.""No problem at all, Miss Lawson. We're here to help," Jenna replied cheerfully, gesturing to the waiting area. "Just have a seat and make yourself comfortable. Dr. Ross will call you back as soon as she can."I nodded gratefully and chose an empty chair in the corner, trying to make myself as small and unnoticeable as possible.My leg bounced with nervous energy as I waited, feeling terribly sel
[THIS STORY WILL BE IN THIRD POV GOING FORWARD]*****"You are still a virgin, Miss Emmeline. I'm very sorry."The doctor's words hit Emmeline like a physical blow, and she felt tears welling up in her eyes.Even though she had suspected as much, having it confirmed made it all too real.She covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs."Oh, my dear," Dr. Ross said softly.Emmeline felt her pat her knee gently. "I know this must be very difficult for you. Would you like to talk about it? Sometimes it helps to share our burdens with someone."Emmeline took a shuddering breath, trying to compose herself. The doctor offered her a box of tissues when she eventually lowered her hands.She took one gratefully and dabbed at her eyes."I just... I don't understand. We've been married for six months, but he's never... we've never..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. "He always has some excuse. I thought maybe there was something wrong with me, that I w
"Zavian! That's enough of your childish foolishness! This instant!" Grandma Eva roared.Zavian ignored her outburst.A tall blonde girl whose uniform strained to contain her ample curves, scurried over with her eyes downcast and hands trembling slightly. She hurried to pick up the broken porcelain before hurrying away to get Zavian a new one and have someone clean up the mess.Zavian moved away from Valerie's cloying perfume and settled into a plush armchair strategically placed away from the others.He crossed his legs, his posture relaxed yet alert like a hunter biding his time.Only one woman's fragrance didn't repulse him, didn't set his teeth on edge. The memory of Emmeline's light, delicate floral aroma, as natural and intoxicating as a summer breeze, flitted through his mind once more.Zavian shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying in vain to will away the insistent throbbing in his groin.He couldn't afford to think about Emmeline now, not with his grandmother's calculating
Valerie, who had scrambled back on her feet after being shoved aside by Zavian to run after him, froze in her tracks.Her heart skyrocketed instantaneously, pounding wildly in her chest at the surreal scene unfolding before her eyes.Zavian had one of the burly security guards lifted clean off the ground by his thick neck.The guard's face was turning an alarming shade of purple. His legs kicked uselessly in the air as he struggled for breath.But as terrifying as that display of raw, inhuman strength was, it wasn't what made Valerie's blood turn to ice in her veins. No, it was Zavian's eyes that truly chilled her to her core.The mesmerizing blue orbs that had captivated her from the moment she first saw him were gone, replaced by something... other.They glowed with an otherworldly, supernatural light. His iris burned like twin embers in the gathering twilight.This was the same man she'd been scheming to seduce for months.A violent shudder wracked Valerie's body. Fear washed over
Zavian suddenly felt disgusted at his wife’s taste and pulled back from their heated liplock.Then he gripped her shoulders and flipped her over on her hands and knees in one rough motion.Yuna let out a startled yelp. “Zavian!” She called, trying to get him back to his senses. But the man was too far gone to care.He bunched the silk of her dress up around her waist, hooked his fingers into the waistband of her lacy panties and simply ripped them away.The delicate fabric parted like tissue paper under his brutal strength.Yuna gasped at the sudden, rough treatment with fear and arousal coursing through her veins.It had been so long since Zavian had touched her like this. With such raw hunger.Part of her wanted to protest, to demand an explanation for his bizarre behavior. But a deeper part of her responded to his dominance.Her body was already preparing itself for what was to come.Zavian shoved his own slacks and boxer briefs down with an impatient grunt, freeing his achingly ri
"You really came!" Emmeline exclaimed in a cheerful tone, genuinely surprised her friend had followed through on her word despite her doubts.A small part of her had hoped Minnie might cancel and spare her the need to pretend everything was fine.Minnie gave her an amused look. "Of course I came, you goof.” sarcasm dripping from her voice. “I may be a total motormouth who never stops yakking, but unlike some people, I actually keep my promises."She let out a spontaneous peal of laughter at her own teasing jab.Emmeline gave her a playful nudge with her elbow, careful to maintain her balance on her good foot."Hey, that's not fair! You know how it is...life just always seems to get in the way. Things keep happening, one thing after another." She tried to keep her tone light but couldn't help wondering if Minnie could sense the weight behind her words.The adorable twins instantly captivated her attention, which provided a welcome distraction.She leaned down, ignoring the twinge in he
Emmeline made her way towards the kitchen, still marveling over the twins' insightful comments.She heard Minnie gently scolding her son. "Ruhn, we don't say things like that, sweetie. It's not a nice word, even if it's true sometimes. We talk about being kind to everyone, remember?"Emmeline hadn't expected such a heavy conversation from what was supposed to be a light-hearted visit with a friend.She took a deep, steadying breath and quickly got to work pouring four glasses of cold lemonade, the tart aroma refreshing her senses and helping to clear her head.She carefully arranged the freshly baked lemon cupcakes on four plates, taking care not to smudge the pale-yellow frosting that she'd painstakingly piped earlier.The familiar motions of playing hostess helped push away the lingering discomfort from their earlier exchange.When everything was set on a large tray, Emmeline took another deep breath and returned to the living room, plastering on her best hostess smile as she rejoin
Emmeline could feel a rush of heady power thrumming through her veins as she held his burning stare, silently communicating that this tantalizing game of cat-and-mouse between them was just beginning.The defense lawyer launched into his arguments, but Emmeline barely heard a word..."Your Honor, members of the jury, my client is an upstanding citizen who was an exemplary employee at his workplace for years. He never caused any trouble or gave anyone a single reason to doubt his character. And most crucially, he has an ironclad alibi for the time when these heinous crimes were committed.""Objection!" The prosecutor jumped up from his seat, nearly knocking over his chair in his haste.He pointed an accusatory finger at the defense. "That alleged alibi is highly dubious and suspicious at best."All eyes turned to Zavian. His penetrating gaze swept over the court before settling on the prosecutor. "On what grounds are you calling the credibility of the alibi into question?"The prosecut
It was Monday morning and Emmeline was up at the crack of dawn, eagerly getting dolled up for her day at the courthouse.She couldn't stop thinking about her lover all the time. Even when she lay beside Richard at night, her longing for Zavian wracked her nerves like a drug addict needing their next dose.She remembered his reckless desire to visit him during a court hearing, and the thrill of risk that accompanied it.Emmeline decided then and there that she would take him up on his invitation, consequences be damned.Today, she wanted to look sophisticated and polished, yet also alluring enough to drive Zavian wild - the kind of outfit that straddled the line between professional and provocative.After much deliberation, Emmeline decided on a fitted gray skirt suit that hugged her curves in all the right places. The skirt was made from a stretchy wool blend that clung to her toned thighs, the hem falling just a few tantalizing inches above her knees. She paired it with a crisp white
"Who was that guy who snuck out the back door of your house two days ago?" Minnie suddenly asked pointedly.Emmeline's eyes widened in shock. She forgot how to breathe for a moment, feeling trapped by Minnie's question.She knew Minnie must be referring to Zavian - who else would have been leaving through her back door like that?Emmeline hadn't prepared herself to face a confrontation like this, so she was unable to find a convincing excuse right away.After a charged pause, she smiled nervously. "And who else could it have been other than Richard, my husband?"She refrained from looking directly at Minnie, afraid of what she might see in her friend's eyes."I can give you more than one reason why that guy couldn't have been Richard," Minnie replied in a confident, assured tone.Emmeline's arms were resting on top of her stomach, and she couldn't control the trembling in them as Minnie started ticking off her reasons on her fingers."Firstly, your husband arrived home just a short ti
A few days passed in a blink.Minnie texted Emmeline asking for accompany to the facial care center the following day.Emmeline didn't hesitate to accept the invitation because her skin was in a terrible state, giving her an irreplaceable opportunity for some pampering.The doorbell rang after lunch the next day. Emmeline swiftly opened it, knowing who her guest was.Minnie was wearing a short gray knit dress under her brown wool coat, while Emmeline had on fitted jeans and an olive green peacoat."Right on schedule, Minnie," she said cheerfully.Minnie always hugged her whenever they met. But this time, she just stared at Emmeline's face intently as though the latter suddenly grew two horns.Emmeline wiped her cheeks self-consciously. "Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?"Minnie snapped out of her daze and shook her head quickly. "Oh no, I was just thinking about the kitchen faucet and whether I turned it off."Emmeline didn’t think much of her friend’s behavi
Emmeline felt her blood turn to ice, the pulsating waves of the washing machine beneath her suddenly lost their allure as the reality of Richard's return hit her.Her eyes darted to Zavian, who maintained an unnerving calm."Shit, Richard's home. What should we do?" she whispered with panic.Zavian's expression shifted. His usual devilish charm was now laced with a dark intent that Emmeline had come to recognize as his plotting look."Fasten your seatbelts, we'll complete the euphoria trip spoiled by his return!" he declared with a mischievous grin.Emmeline's chest swelled with air. "Have you lost your mind, sir? My husband has come home! What if he comes looking for me?" she muttered in disbelief. However, Zavian ignored her protest.He resumed expertly teasing her breasts.Emmeline fined his touch both soothing and infuriating under the circumstances."I doubt he will come to the laundry room. Until then, I’ll drown you in ecstasy. The excitement is beyond thrilling. The feeling of
Zavian had already slipped away when Emmeline woke up a while later.A tray of food sat on the table, covered with foil to keep it warm.She approached cautiously, lifted the foil and inhaled deeply. The rich aroma of tomato sauce and garlic filled her senses."The smell alone is enough to make my mouth water," she murmured appreciatively.Her gaze landed on a folded note propped against the plate.Emmeline snatched it up with a fluttering heart."I didn't want to wake you while you slept so peacefully. There’s some pasta for you - just heat it up if it's gone cold. -Z"A girlish giggle escaped Emmeline at the thoughtful gesture.She pressed the note to her nose, trying to catch his lingering scent on the paper as warmth blossomed in her chest. That this powerful, imposing man would take such simple care of her needs..."That man captivates me more each day," she sighed, tracing the note with a fingertip.Despite her lack of appetite lately, Emmeline found herself devouring every bite
Zavian winked at her before he dipped his head to capture her lips in a scorching kiss that robbed the breath from her lungs.She melted into the passionate embrace, her body tingling with desire as his tongue teased against her lips, demanding entry.Emmeline parted her lips with a soft moan, allowing his skilled tongue to delve inside and engage hers in a sensual dance.His large hands slid down her back to pull her flush against his hard body as the kiss deepened, growing more heated and intense.Emmeline gazed up at him with half-lidded eyes and was breathless when they finally broke apart.“Delicious as always,” Zavian commented wickedly, placing two bags in her palm. "I heard women crave snacks during their period, so I brought you bags of chips, feminine stuff and chocolate," he responded.Emmeline looked at the first bag in astonishment, seeing numerous brightly colored bags of potato chips inside in a wide array of flavors. Then she blushed furiously at the numerous branded pa
~The next morning~Emmeline woke up feeling a bit under the weather, with some uncomfortable cramps signaling her monthly visitor was on its way. Ah, the joys of womanhood!As if that wasn't enough, her entire body ached as though a truck had plowed into her - no doubt the result of all the passionate smooching Zavian had lavished on her the previous night aboard his yacht.A ghost of a satisfied smile curved her lips at the delicious memories. Their heated embraces, his skilled mouth blazing a path of sin across her bare skin, the way he'd worshipped every inch of her body with fervent devotion...Emmeline shivered, warmth pooling low in her belly despite the cramps. Last night had been nothing short of heavenly debauchery.She'd barely slept a wink, too consumed by visions of her devilishly handsome lover and the sinful acts they'd indulged in together.Richard, the oblivious fool, hadn't even batted an eye when she arrived home well past midnight yet again. He simply grunted his usu
Zavian wasted no time driving straight to his private estate located on the outskirts of the sleepy town of Riverwalk after making sure Emmeline arrived home safely."Double the security detail," he instructed one of his trusted men through the mind link tersely. "Keep a low profile for now. "You got it, boss. The lady's security is locked down tight," came the quick mental reply.Zavian had handpicked five of his most elite and loyal shadow guards to keep a watchful eye on Emmeline while Luca was busy with other important matters. No way was he taking any chances with her safety.As Zavian's sleek ride pulled up to the circular driveway, he spotted the men in crisp black suits and earpieces standing at stiff attention like statues lining the whole thing.They all snapped to attention the second Zavian climbed out of the driver's seat, giving a respectful deep bow of their heads."Welcome back, sir!" They chorused like one voice, showing their utmost respect for the man whose power an