Zavian was slouched back in the plush leather chair at the head of the massive glass conference table.His legs were crossed elegantly in an almost effeminate way that somehow only amplified his aura of supreme power and dominance.A loaded Desert Eagle pistol sat on the glass tabletop in front of him, the chunky black metal weapon seeming almost comically out of place amid the sleek modern decor, yet ready to dole out death at any slight provocation.The air in the spacious room was thick with tension as the quivering Managing Director filled Zavian in on all the shady backdoor deals, embezzlement schemes and under-the-table payoffs a few of the directors and major shareholders had been carrying out behind his back.The losses to Blackthorn industries were easily in the tens of billions, but that didn't even put a dent in Zavian's personal net worth.The Blackthorn family fortune was more than most small countries combined."S-Sir, we have uncovered evidence of the several directors
Zavian didn’t utter a word. He remembered all too vividly the blatant lie Yuna had spun at last night's dinner about how they had fallen in love at university.The truth about how Zavian had become entangled with Yuna couldn't have been more different from her sugary delusions.She had manipulated…essentially seduced her way into his life years ago by lying that they had some profound soul bond and connection.Yuna was the only woman who had ever gotten remotely close to Zavian at the time, and she took full advantage of this by slowly pushing herself into his life and personal circle with her exotic beauty and innocent appearance.Zavian had never felt that bond Yuna swore they shared and never thought he would.He had only given in to her insistence about their relationship after a near-death experience where she happened to save his life from an assassination attempt and somehow ended up in his bed. And then he was forced to marry her.For years after that, he had lived with the de
The atmosphere in the Blake manor was thick with tension. Every family member present was gathered in the cavernous living room, huddled together in uneasy silence as fear etched deep lines into their faces.The lavish space that was usually a showcase of wealth and power with its crystal chandeliers and priceless artwork, now felt more like a cage.Dozens of men with sharp black suits and earpieces surrounded the manor like guards, taking up positions around it with their weapons clenched in their hands.Their eyes constantly scanned for threats, ready to neutralize any danger that dared to breach the front door without hesitation.The heavy oak doors carved with the Blake family crest might as well have been an impenetrable vault for all the good it would do them now.They had received credible intel from one of their most trusted sources that the master of chaos himself – the notorious Zavian Blackthorn – was coming for them. And when Zavian Blackthorn had someone in his sights, th
Old Master Blake felt the room spinning around him as Zavian Blackthorn's towering, menacing presence invaded the sanctity of the Blake family manor.The notorious, handsome man moved with grace, his aura of danger and brutality radiating outward in suffocating waves.Zavian's cold, pitiless gaze swept over the scene of utter carnage surrounding him - the bodies of the fallen Blake security troops lay in fast-growing puddles of blood, while the broken remnants of precious relics and antiques were strewn about like discarded waste.His lips quirked upwards in a disdainful smirk as though he found perverse amusement in the devastation he had unleashed.Sam, Ryan's hotheaded father, had been frozen in stunned disbelief by the turn of events.He could only gape in shock as Zavian's disciplined strike team ruthlessly cut down the Blake bodyguards with chilling efficiency. But the sight of the devil himself striding through the ruined doorway like a conquering warlord jolted Sam into franti
Old man Blake felt the weight of his years, of a lifetime of hopes and dreams crashing down on him with suffocating finality as he stared at the numbered seconds ticking away his future, his legacy and his very life's worth.A future that stretched out before him now seemed cold, bleak, and empty of everything he had devoted his existence to building.He scratched his signature across the indicated line, forever signing away his controlling interest in the Blake Enterprises. He felt a piece of his entire soul wither and die at that moment.Luca swooped forward like a carrion bird. He snatched up the signed contract and retreated to the shadows once more.Zavian rose from his usurped throne in one graceful movement.He took a moment to meticulously brush away some invisible speck of dirt from the immaculate fabric of his tailored suit before leveling the broken old man with a look of supreme indifference."A pleasure doing business with you," he intoned blandly as if commenting on a ro
The full scope of Zavian's takeover became evident as the days stretched into a week.Board meetings at Blake Enterprises became tense affairs, with Zavian's representatives slowly but surely asserting control over every aspect of the company.Old Master Blake watched helplessly as decades of carefully cultivated business relationships and strategies were dismantled or repurposed to serve Zavian's interests.The family itself was not spared from the upheaval. Melina was unable to bear the memories that haunted the Blake manor. She left for Europe, taking her and Sam's young children with her.Thomas threw himself into his work, desperately trying to salvage what he could of the family's business interests.Jessica retreated into a world of charity galas and social events, using her philanthropic efforts as a shield against the pain of her brother's loss.And through it all, Old Master Blake found himself increasingly isolated like a relic of a bygone era.He spent long hours in his st
Emmeline stood alone in the locker room early the next morning, psyching herself up for her first workout.She changed into her exercise attire of a fitted black racerback tank top that hugged her curves in all the right places, paired with a set of skimpy gray shorts that showcased her toned legs to perfection.She felt a twinge of self-consciousness as she observed her reflection in the full-length mirror. It had been a while since she'd worked out in such a public setting, and the thought of all those strangers' eyes on her was mildly unsettling.Emmeline took a deep, fortifying breath, squared her shoulders and strode out to the main gym floor with as much confidence as she could muster.The sound of equipment in motion and the occasional grunt of exertion from other gym patrons filled the air.Emmeline scanned the area somewhat awkwardly with each passing second. She felt increasingly out of place.Just as a sigh of despair was about to escape her lips, her gaze landed on a strik
Emmeline desperately wanted to make her escape and find a nice rock to crawl under."No permission needed to use the equipment," he said with a hint of amusement coloring his deep voice.He jerked his chin toward the vacant treadmill beside him. "The machine is empty, as you can see. Feel free to make use of it... if you think you can keep up."Was that a challenge glinting in those blue depths? Emmeline's competitive spirit flared to life, momentarily overriding her nervousness.She flashed him a smile and climbed on the treadmill next to his."Minnie was meant to accompany me today, but she's got her kids to attend to this weekend," Emmeline explained as she familiarized herself with the treadmill's control panel."You can't imagine how nervous I was about coming here alone for the first time. It's not that I struggle with communication or anything… I definitely prefer having company in new situations like this."Her gaze drifted to Zavian's jacket hanging on a nearby hook, and she
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 su
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.
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 t
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 spark
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