~The next day~Emmeline went to work for her usual afternoon shift at her upscale restaurant downtown. But every corner only served as an inescapable reminder of her sinful trysts with Zavian last night.Her body thrummed with memories of his touch at the most inopportune moments, making it nearly impossible to focus on her tasks."Earth to Emmeline!" Noel’s voice broke through her daze as he set down a tray of dirty plates with a clatter. "Where's your head at today? You're moving like you're wading through molasses."Emmeline was startled, her cheeks flushing. "Sorry, just...didn't get much sleep last night," she mumbled, quickly gathering up her composure.The rest of her shift passed excruciatingly slowly, the minutes dragging by with agonizing sluggishness as she struggled to keep her mind from drifting to Zavian.When Emmeline finally arrived home that evening, she found Richard sitting hunched on the couch in the living room, surrounded by numerous empty beer bottles and crushe
Suddenly, a violent pounding on the front door made them both start."Emmeline! What's going on in there? Open this door right now!" Minnie's panicked voice rang from outside the door.A surge of hope flooded Emmeline's battered body."Richard, open this door immediately or I'm calling the police!" Minnie yelled once more.Richard paused in his brutal assault, glaring up at the door with displeasure etched on his features."What the hell is this inconvenience? Can't a man discipline his own wife without being interrupted by busybodies?" he snarled under his breath, setting his sights back on the cowering form of Emmeline and pressed his index finger to his lips in a threatening gesture."Not a sound out of you. I don't want to hear your voice. I'll send the interloper away and then come back to finish with you," he warned in a low, menacing tone.However, the pounding on the door grew so forceful followed by the frantic ringing of the bell over and over."I'll give you three seconds t
Zavian reached out and gently gripped her arm between his fingers, his touch incredibly light against her battered skin. "Can you walk, or do you need me to carry you?" he asked gruffly.Emmeline gave a small nod. She slowly rose to her feet with his assistance, their eyes meeting for a heated moment.She felt like she could stare into the depths of his intense gaze for an eternity without ever growing bored."Thank you, Mr. Blackthorn," came her soft murmur.Zavian's eyes roved almost hysterically over Emmeline's battered features and he gnashed his teeth so hard that his powerful jaws nearly cracked.The blinding fury coursing through his veins right now could only be sated after he made the worthless jerk who hurt her pay severely. Every protective instinct in his body was howling at him to avenge this innocent woman's pain and suffering.But damn it all to hell, he couldn't do a thing about it. As much as it killed him, he wasn't allowed to directly interfere in Emmeline's human li
Emmeline found herself being escorted back to the Blackthorn estate before she knew it.Yuna turned to face her with a sympathetic look as they entered the grand hallway. "I'm sure you haven't had anything to eat yet. The dinner table is still set if you're hungry. We could all go sit in the living room together. You're welcome to join us too, Minnie."Emmeline shook her head slowly, her battered face a mask of physical and mental exhaustion. "No, thank you Yuna. I don't have any appetite to eat a thing right now. I just...need to rest."Yuna gave her an understanding nod. "Alright then, I'll show you to the guest room you can stay in."She led the way up the sweeping staircase to the second floor, with Emmeline shuffling slowly behind her, still leaning heavily on Minnie for support."Maybe you should have reported that bastard's assault to the police, so he wouldn't dare try to pull that shit again in the future," Minnie spoke up again, sounding irritated.Emmeline's eyes went wide w
Zavian turned back to face her, his gaze burning with intensity that spelled… Danger."What's going on in your head, Mr. Blackthorn?" Emmeline exclaimed in a harsh whisper, anxious not to let her voice seep through the walls and alert anyone else to his presence here. "It's highly indecent to lock the door in someone else's house!"A look of annoyance etched across his chiseled features. "Isn't it my house?" he countered smoothly.Emmeline sighed resignedly. He truly was a master at verbal fencing, always able to turn her arguments against her with just a few precisely wielded words.Zavian approached the bed and sat down next to her, looking deep into her eyes with a penetrating gaze.Emmeline felt flustered by his overwhelming proximity."How do you feel?" he asked."My body is utterly shattered. Fortunately, my face is still visible and recognizable. It won't scare me whenever I catch a glimpse of it in the mirror." Emmeline answered with a biting sarcasm, maintaining unwavering eye
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 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