Here's today's update. Just a quick heads up: we’ll dive straight into the most anticipated scene after this dinner!😊
True to his word, Zavian let her finish decorating in peace, though his eyes never left her as she completed the message on the cake.When Emmeline was done, she carefully covered the masterpiece to protect it until dessert.Together they loaded the prepared dishes on serving trays: stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and basil, elegant canapés topped with smoked salmon and carried them out to the dining area.They arranged everything on the table with efficiency, working from opposite sides of the elaborate spread as if they'd been hosting dinner parties together for years.Crystal glasses caught the light, sending prisms dancing across the pristine tablecloth. Silver cutlery gleamed beside fine china plates… everything was positioned with meticulous attention to detail."So, are we still on for Valentine's Day?" Emmeline asked, excitement bubbling in her voice as she placed the final dish which was a platter of colorful roasted vegetables arranged in a spiral pattern.T
Minnie's jaw dropped. Her wide eyes darted between Zavian and Emmeline, disbelief etched across her delicate features."Did you hear what your lover just said?" she exclaimed, turning to Emmeline. "Inevitable collateral damage? What kind of dinner conversation is this?"Emmeline squeezed Minnie's arm gently with a reassuring smile softening her features."Don't mind him," she explained. "He sometimes forgets he's not in a boardroom."Taehyung took advantage of the momentary silence to tease Emmeline.His lips curved into a mischievous grin. "Look at you defending him so naturally now. That's serious progress!""I think Emmeline is very comfortable with us," Minnie observed, satisfaction filling her voice. "Our ice queen has finally thawed."Emmeline gestured toward the elegant table setting, her confidence momentarily faltering under the weight of hosting such an intimate gathering."Please, sit down," she invited.Taehyung handed her the bottle of expensive wine he had been carrying.
Emmeline's eyes widened in shock and her cheeks instantly flamed with embarrassment.She looked desperately at Zavian for help only to be further mortified by his response. Instead of the reassurance she sought, or the quick thinking that had saved them both in difficult situations before, she met something entirely unexpected."I have certain skills," Zavian replied smoothly. "Skills I doubt you possess.""Mr. Blackthorn!" Emmeline protested weakly, unable to believe he had actually said such a thing in company.Minnie giggled with undisguised delight. "Mr. Blackthorn? What happened to 'Zavian'? You're sleeping with the man but still using his last name?"Emmeline met her friend's teasing eyes and her face burning with mortification. "He's many years older than me," she explained defensively. "What else would I call him?"Before she could continue, Zavian placed his fork in front of her mouth, offering her a bite of fish. "They're trying to get a reaction out of you," he explained cal
Minnie leaned toward her husband and wrapped her arm through his. "You know I prefer joking around and flirting with my psychiatrist rather than judges," she teased.Taehyung regarded her with mock anger. " You talk as if I don't flirt with you enough. We'll settle this at home!" His tone suggested the "punishment" might be mutually enjoyable.Emmeline distributed cake into individual plates with a sly smile playing across her lips. "Someone's getting punished tonight,” she giggled.The couple exchanged sardonic glances before Minnie responded. "I have my own methods for turning punishment into reward," she offered. "I could teach you my techniques."Zavian accepted his plate from Emmeline with a knowing look. "Don't let Emmeline's innocent appearance fool you," he cautioned. "You're addressing the Lady of Seduction herself. This woman could teach you and generations to come."Emmeline was stunned. "Are you calling me perverted?" she demanded, color rising to her cheeks.Zavian capture
Emmeline's eyes widened in surprise before closing when she tasted the champagne still in his mouth."We didn't mean that kind of love potion, Zavian," Taehyung chided. "We're respectable people here."Zavian tilted Emmeline's head back gently, allowing the champagne to flow from his mouth to hers.She swallowed the effervescent liquid, feeling it slide down her throat."If I'd known you were going to contaminate my innocent eyes, I would have declined the invitation," Brody grumbled.Zavian delicately broke the kiss then slowly and deliberately traced the shape of Emmeline's lower lip with his thumb.The tender gesture held more intimacy than the kiss itself."This is our love potion," he murmured.They gazed at each other with undisguised longing. The connection between them was almost tangible like a current of electricity that neither could deny.Zavian’s touch left a trail of warmth that spread through her entire body, making her forget they weren't alone."We're the original. Not
Valentine's Day arrived four days later.Emmeline anticipated this date with growing excitement. Each hour crawled by, testing her patience while she counted down to their meeting.Though she knew wearing red might seem cliché, she chose a crimson dress anyway. Her dark hair fell in loose waves down her back. The color made her feel bold and confident.Emmeline applied her makeup with care, taking more time than usual to ensure everything looked perfect.The woman staring back from the mirror looked different somehow. Her eyes appeared brighter, her posture straighter with confidence in her expression that hadn't existed before.This was Zavian's effect on her. He made her want to be more, to embrace all the parts of herself hidden away for too long.She slipped on her black coat and left her house at ten, grateful her parents believed she was visiting a friend.There were less inquiries concerning her whereabouts now that her brother was away. The freedom felt exhilarating after havin
The words hit Emmeline like a wave.Her breath caught and her fingers tightened around her own ring."You mean..." She couldn’t quite finish the sentence. Hope had bloomed too fast, too unexpectedly, catching her off guard.Zavian pinched her cheek with affectionate teasing. "Yes," he said, curving his lips into a smile. "It’s over."Emmeline covered her mouth with her hand, joy threatening to spill over in the form of tears.The news fulfilled everything she'd hoped for. The final barrier between them was removed at last. "You're really not married anymore?"Zavian spread his arms wide with theatrical flair and his smile looked brighter than she'd ever seen it. "I'm a free, sexy, single man now." The playfulness in his voice sounded new, a sign of the weight lifted from his shoulders.His chest invited her embrace.Emmeline couldn't resist throwing herself at him with enough force to make him step back slightly."Easy, little girl," Zavian laughed, catching her. "I'm not going anywher
"Let's be together completely," Emmeline’s voice shook a little with excitement. "Make me yours, Zavian!"Zavian's eyes darkened.The heat in his gaze made Emmeline catch her breath and a delicious shiver running down her spine. Relief washed over her, knowing he wanted this as badly as she did."Why the rush, little girl?" Zavian's voice got rough. His fingers traced lazy patterns at her waist, each touch leaving warm trails through her thin dress.Emmeline squared her shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. She wasn't the timid girl from their early days anymore. "What's stopping us now?" Her voice stayed soft but didn't waver. "What's keeping me from claiming what's mine?"A real smile broke across Zavian's face, changing everything about him. The usual hard lines softened, making him look younger and almost carefree for a quick moment."I like this confidence." His smile widened, showing perfect white teeth. "Different from the shy woman I first met."The corner of his mouth
The room seemed to grow darker and heavier.It suddenly went dead quiet. Not peaceful quiet… the kind of silence that crushes your lungs and makes your skin crawl.The fire that had danced so merrily before had withered to pathetic embers, their feeble orange glow mocking the darkness closing in.Frost slithered up the walls like hungry fingers turning their sanctuary into a tomb.Emmeline trembled violently beneath Zavian, her heart hammering against her ribs. Not from the biting cold, but from the terrifying wrongness radiating from the man she loved.His touch—God, his touch had transformed completely. Those hands that once traced her skin with reverence now moved with mechanical precision like a puppeteer yanking invisible strings.His eyes kept fracturing before her, flashing between the current molten gold, blood-red, obsidian like the very abyss and a silver so bright it hurt to look at.Each transformation felt like a knife twisting in her gut, screaming the truth she couldn't
Emmeline’s chest rose and fell in uneven waves, still trembling from the aftershocks of everything he had unleashed within her.Her skin glistened with sweat and every inch of her painted in the memory of his touch.The raw and soul-rending pain had receded at last, melting into something distant, hazy… almost dreamlike.Whatever Zavian had done to her... It was like a balm to her broken edges, a breath of cool air after drowning in a sea of fire.She blinked slowly, eyes dazed and glassy as the sensations gradually settled into her bones.Her lungs dragged in air hungrily, as though she had finally surfaced after being submerged in a flame licking at every nerve and every thought.A sweet, dizzying relief coursed through her veins, loosening the tight coil of agony that had gripped her since the moment he claimed her.Her fingers curled weakly against his chest. “That’s it? Have I truly lost my virginity?” she whispered, dazed, as though she hadn’t just been wrecked beyond repair.A
Emmeline felt as though her entire being was being shattered, only to be reforged in the same breath again and again in an endless, excruciating cycle.Her body was no longer her own. It was his canvas, his battlefield, and his altar all at once.Pain seared through her hot and unrelenting, blurring the lines between agony and ecstasy until she couldn’t tell them apart. Her brain felt liquified, scrambled, as if it were melting beneath the weight of every thrust, every stretch… every unrelenting claim.Black spots flickered at the corners of her vision like cinders floating in smoke, and her breath came in shallow, desperate gasps.She could no longer see Zavian clearly save for the gleam of his eyes and the heat of his penis pounding into her in a savage branding.Every brutal snap of his hips sent her body lurching forward, sent her spine arching in protest and raw need, only to be wrenched back again before she could even catch her breath.There was no mercy in his rhythm only relen
A guttural growl rumbled through Zavian’s chest as her slick walls clamped around him, struggling to accommodate his size.The stretch was unbearable for Emmeline. Her body trembled beneath his weight and her breath came in shallow gasps as she adjusted to the brutal invasion.“You’re so tight.” Zavian’s gaze lingered, devouring every expression that flickered across her face.“I’m fine so far,” Emmeline struggled to articulate her thoughts, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as she struggled to contain the tears that threatened to spill. Yet, the way her nails dug into his skin revealed the truth behind her facade.Zavian clenched his teeth so tightly that the sound reverberated through the room, evidence of his struggle for control. He thrust deeper, inch by inch, splitting her open but paused when a sharp cry tore from her throat and her back arching in protest.“It hurts… fuck, it hurts so bad,” Emmeline choked out in a voice cracked and broken, trembling with the rawness of it.Her b
Zavian’s grip tightened on Emmeline’s shoulder as he captured her lips in a fierce, possessive kiss.His tongue slipped into her mouth, demanding, tasting, claiming her as his own.Emmeline was too numb with pleasure to resist—not that she wanted to.Their mouths moved in a synchronized dance.Emmeline breath caught in the moment as his taste lingered on her lips, mingling with the remnants of her own essence that he had just devoured.She traced her fingertips over his chest, teasing the taut peaks of his nipples.Zavian let out a deep, guttural groan that sent her already oversensitized body quivering. His saliva trickled down her throat, laced with her arousal and setting her senses ablaze. Zavian finally released her, just as she was on the brink of breathlessness and fainting.“What do you think of your food?” he murmured.Emmeline licked the taste of her from his lips. She hesitated before scoffing lightly. “Either you’re exaggerating, or I’ve lost my sense of taste because I do
A tremor ran through Emmeline at his words and his tongue swirling around her aching bud. She gripped the sheets tighter, desperate to ground herself against the pleasure consuming her."Zavian," she whispered breathlessly. "You always know how to push me to the edge."Another strangled moan ripped from her throat when his tongue flicked over her clit.Zavian groaned in response, the vibrations sending another surge of pleasure through her."You're driving me mad," he rasped before sucking her into his mouth, drawing her deep, consuming her essence like a man starved.“Oh, Zavian!” A sharp cry escaped Emmeline. She writhed beneath him, every nerve in her body igniting like wildfire as her thighs quivering around his head."If only you could see what I see," Zavian mused. "How your folds swell for me, how they burn with need. Your lips don’t need rouge, love… their blush is natural, painted just for me."His gaze remained locked on hers, dark and filled with something primal. "You're be
His words wrapped around Emmeline’s heart. Warmth spread through her chest until tears pricked at her eyes only to vanish just as quickly.“How do you do this?” she whispered, breathless. “With just a few words, you make my heart race… set fire to everything inside me.”Zavian’s tongue flicked over her navel as his fingers skimmed the sensitive skin of her thighs.He knew the scars she carried, the wounds inflicted by her past. He had no intention of adding to them. Where others left bruises, he left devotion, each touch a silent vow.“You’ve pieced together the broken fragments of my past… healed scars I thought would never fade.” Her body, once marred by bruises, now basked in his lavish care—a tenderness that left her feeling utterly cherished.Zavian glanced up at her through half-lidded eyes, pressing a kiss to the lace trim of her underwear.“I know what you’ve been through,” he murmured. “You need a man who will care for your heart before your body. I will be that man, Emmeline.
"You're drenched, minx," Zavian growled in her ear. "Can you feel how much you want me?""Yes," Emmeline’s voice trembled as her hips jerked beneath the relentless rhythm of his hand.Her body no longer belonged to her—it answered only to him.Zavian crushed his mouth to hers in a kiss so wild it stole the breath from her lungs. Their tongues tangled, desperate and greedy, tasting every ounce of the ache that pulsed between them. He devoured her like a man starved, and she gave herself over completely.Emmeline’s world spun with every flick of his fingers, every teasing swirl that kept her teetering on the edge. Her nails clawed at his shoulders in a silent plea for more… for him to go harder and deeper.Her eyes fluttered open when Zavian shifted slightly and the sight before her nearly unraveled her.His tattooed arm flexed with each powerful motion, veins bulging, ink glistening with sweat. His face was pure, unshakable focus… lips parted and jaw tight, as if her pleasure was his on
Their eyes locked—hers glassy and pleading, his molten and hungry.“Release me from this torment,” Emmeline whispered. “Let me be yours... completely.”Zavian leaned closer until their foreheads touched. "Say it again," he demanded hoarsely.Emmeline drew in a shaky breath. “Please… take me. Touch me like only you can.” Her voice cracked under the weight of her desire.That was all it took.The finger inside her moved with purpose now, stroking her deeper, teasing the sensitive bundle of nerves that had her writhing beneath him.Emmeline’s legs parted wider on instinct, chasing every rush of pleasure he offered until it became too overwhelming for her to handle.She tried to escape the overwhelming sensation, but his body caged her in."Good girl," Zavian growled, watching her with burning intensity.Every movement of his fingers, every press, every curl… he knew her. Knew how to destroy her and remake her with a touch.Emmeline’s head fell back with a cry caught in her throat as her f