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
Sweat poured down Emmeline’s flushed face, plastering strands of her hair to her damp skin."What are you doing, Mr. Blackthorn?" she managed to pant out between labored breaths, glaring daggers at him.Rather than responding verbally, Zavian simply reached over and jabbed another button on her treadmill's control panel, causing the belt to accelerate even faster.Emmeline stumbled.Her stride faltered as she fought against the unbearable new speed with everything she had.Her muscles screamed in protest, trying to keep up with the relentless pace.Zavian’s look was filled with wickedness. "I'll discuss adult matters with you when you’re taller," he stated flatly.His deep voice held an undercurrent of scorn, making Emmeline's cheeks burn with indignation.She gritted her teeth and her fingers clenched the handrails tightly.She closed her eyes against the dizzying rush of the world blurring past."You're so cruel," she grumbled, the words nearly swallowed by her ragged pants for air.
Zavian's lips curved into an inscrutable smile at her words, though the expression didn't quite reach his eyes. "A soft stomach is better than a muscled stomach for a woman," he stated flatly.Emmeline bristled at his words. Who was he to dictate what was or wasn't attractive on a woman's body?Zavian jerked his chin toward a nearby machine with a curved, padded track before she could voice her indignation."That's an ab roller. Use that for your core," he instructed.Emmeline hmphed then moved to stand before the indicated machine.She eyed it with a bewildered frown as she tried to puzzle out how it was meant to be used.Zavian let out a sigh, clearly resigning himself to providing guidance."Put your knees on the seat—be careful, it moves. Fix your arms on the support and hold the handles, " he explained in a clipped tone punctuated by his exertions.Emmeline followed his curt instructions to heart and straddled the padded roller, pulling her lower body off the seat with her hands
"The problem is that your ass becomes visible whenever you bend your legs," Zavian growled in a tone of dark censure that seemed to vibrate against her very bones. "And the man behind you is almost devouring you with his eyes."A furious blush flooded Emmeline's cheeks at his bold words.The heat of it spread rapidly through her body when Zavian wrapped his other arm around her waist as well.He effectively caged her against the solid wall of his chest, the hard planes of his body molding to the softer curves of hers in a way that made her head spin.She opened her mouth, determined to respond - to protest his forwardness or at least ask him to give her some space - but all that emerged was a strangled squeak.Emmeline’s mind raced, torn between indignation at his presumptuous behavior and a traitorous thrill at his possessive display.Who did he think he was, manhandling her like this in public? Yet... a bigger part of her reveled in the feeling of being claimed and the object of his