I winced as I felt my body rebel against my will. I felt so heavy, like my joints had been locked in place. Maybe I was drugged, drugged and vulnerable.I looked down at myself and was glad to see my clothes were still on. I forced myself to get out of bed, my gaze darting about the room to take in my surroundings. I didn't know what a stalker's bedroom was supposed to look like, but I had expected the walls to be covered in pictures of me, pictures he'd taken without my consent while watching me.But instead, posters of famous baseball players decorated the walls. The curtains of the room were a bright pink, which stood out like a sore thumb against the otherwise neutral decor. A simple wooden desk, neatly organized with a few notebooks and pens, stood against one wall. A small bookshelf held an assortment of novels and textbooks, with a quirky lava lamp sitting on top, its blobs slowly drifting up and down. The bedspread was plain blue, contrasting with a few brightly colored thro
My head hung low in embarrassment. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, desperately wishing the ground would open and swallow me whole. I was so stupid.I refused to raise my head as Caspian returned to the living room with a cup of water and some painkillers. I couldn’t bear to meet his gaze, not when I almost cracked his skull and spilled his brain matter on the floor. I was neither drugged nor kidnapped, Caspian explained that after I got drunk during last night’s gathering. He’d taken it upon himself to drive me home after I passed out, but there was heavy traffic on the road that led to my apartment so he opted to take me to his home on noticing I had come down with a fever.Caspian moved to sit beside me but I kept my gaze on my bare feet. “Here you go.” he started, offering the cup to me. “It should help with the headaches.”I offered him a tight smile as I accepted it, too embarrassed to say anything else. Caspian sighed as I leaned back, his lips pulled into a fond smile
“The CEO called you in.”Hearing that made me anxious and excited at the same time, so much so that I had left the amusement park without a second thought. I didn't have time to feel guilty about leaving Caspian, I told him I needed to attend to something urgent, not waiting for a reply before I zoomed off. But now, as I stood in front of his office, I developed cold feet, thinking of the different scenarios that could unfold once I entered. Would he kiss me? Say he missed me? Probably not. It was foolish to hope for such from a man like him, but still. I looked down at my wrists, pulling down the sleeve of my blouse to examine the bandage he’d used to bind my wounds.My heart fluttered and tightened, an abnormal reaction that I had become accustomed to. Ever since I met him, my poor heart has been going on a frenzy. Knowing that he was on the other side of the door made me giddy for some reason.My cheeks heated up as I remembered his carefree laughter, something I counted myself luc
AURELIAI didn’t know what to expect when the CEO said we were going shopping. His declaration was so sudden, and even when I had yet to come to terms with it, I complied still. Thinking about it brought me nothing but confusion. Shopping? It was absurd, but I knew better than to voice out my thoughts. As I accompanied him to his private parking lot, my head hung low as I chewed on my bottom lip. I still felt the lingering pressure of the kiss we shared. I stared at his back. What was going on in his mind right now? As if sensing my gaze he glanced at me over his shoulder. I quickly looked away, redirecting my gaze to the sky, but I caught a hint of a smirk on his face before he faced forward. Or was I just imagining it?His driver waited for us, silently opening the car door on our arrival. The CEO entered the exotic vehicle without a word, his expression giving nothing away all through the drive. I pondered on where we were headed, anything to distract me from the stifling atmosphe
THIRD PERSON POVLuke groaned as her pussy squeezed his fingers, holding her close, his grip on her neck tightening. His gaze flicked to the mirror, watching her mouth hanging open, eyes rolling back in pleasure."Eyes on the damned mirror," he commanded, his voice husky. He gripped her chin, feeling a wave of ecstasy as she whimpered, following his orders. "Engrave this image in your head, Aurelia. Let it serve as a reminder that only I can make you feel this way."Aurelia gasped, trying to catch her breath as she watched his fingers move inside her, her arousal evident. Her legs buckled, threatening to give out, but she stood, her chest heaving with each sensation. She followed his orders, her embarrassment mingling with excitement. The idea of being seen, of being overpowered so thoroughly, made her chest swell with unfiltered need.‘This is more than just PDA,’ she thought, feeling the illicit thrill of their public display. “Look at yourself,” Luke whispered in her ear, his lips
AURELIAAs the car pulled up in front of my apartment building, I let out a soft sigh, a wave of relief washing over me. I gazed out the window, avoiding the lingering stare of the man sitting beside me.I had maintained this position throughout the ride, unable to meet his gaze after what happened at the boutique. Heat crawled up my cheeks at the mere thought of it. I still can't believe we did that in public, ultimately crossing off one of the things on my bucket list.Intense PDA. Check."We're here," the CEO called, successfully getting my attention as I finally turned to face him. He looked completely unfazed, which made me a little frustrated, but then again, I didn't expect anything more.I wanted to thank him for today, but the words wouldn't come out. "Oh," I managed to mutter but made no move to leave. I looked down at my feet, to the dozens of shopping bags, and chewed on my bottom lip.Gosh, why was this so awkward?I stiffened as I felt the CEO draw near, raising my gaze t
AURELIAI didn't know what to think. I didn't know how to feel.Was I angry? Yes. Frustrated? Yes. Terrified? Yes.The morning light streamed through the tall windows of the CEO's office, casting long shadows across the polished floor. I stood before his imposing desk, my hands clenched at my sides.Luke sat calmly in his leather chair, his expression as calm as a still lake. "Have you signed the contract?" His voice was cool and collected, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging inside me.I narrowed my eyes on him. This man… he must know that I had already figured out he was the so-called master, but I did not sense any remorse or apprehension from him. It was infuriating. How long did he plan to toy with me, and then he goes ahead to reveal the truth like it was nothing? Like he didn't violate and cross all boundaries. "I haven't," I replied evenly, meeting his gaze with determination. "And I haven't had a chance to go through it either."How could I even consider the contract, on
I huffed, wincing slightly as my cheeks flattened against the desk. “Let me go!” I yelled, panic settling in. I immediately regretted my choice of words. Nothing good ever came from provoking him, I should have known. It was the same thing that happened when we first met. The CEO ignored me, shifting to lean against the desk while keeping me in place. “Since you haven't read the contract. I'll do you the honor of enlightening you." I heard him say. Dread squeezed my heart. “What?” Oh lord, what was he up to now? “I'll start with the main clauses.” He declared, and I braced myself, cold sweat trickling down my temple. “Aurelia agrees to submit to Luke’s authority, allowing him to make decisions regarding their activities, and engaging in role-playing scenarios that emphasize his dominance and her submission.” I yelped as his free hand landed on my rear with a firm smack. A shocked gasp escaped my lips, the sting of it sending a jolt of pain through me. He flipped my skirt, and hea
LUKE’S POV The warehouse was in flames, the acrid scent of burning wood and gunpowder choking the air. Smoke curled around us, thick and blinding, but it didn’t matter. My eyes were locked on one thing—her. Aurelia was on the ground, her body trembling, Will sprawled a few feet away from her, coughing through the debris. Her bruised wrists and the terror in her wide eyes made something inside me snap. My fingers tightened around my gun as I stepped forward. The world had narrowed to a single, unrelenting focus: kill them all. The man coughed, spitting blood onto the floor, his face twisted in fury and disbelief. “Well, well. The bastard prince decided to show up.” He wiped his nose, grinning despite the blood leaking from his mouth. I didn’t hesitate and fired another shot. He barely had time to register what happened before he collapsed, the bullet lodged in his shoulder. His scream echoed through the chaos, but I wasn’t done. I stalked forward, shoving my gun against his
AURELIA POVMy breath came in shallow gasps, each one laced with the sting of panic. The moment the door slammed shut behind them, I lay still, too afraid to move, my body curled in on itself as if making myself smaller would somehow make me invisible.I instinctively reached for my stomach, my fear multiplying by tenfold. Little did my captors know that they threatened two lives and not one. Six hours.That’s all the time I had before they killed me and my baby. A sob built in my throat, but I swallowed it down. Crying wouldn’t save me. They said they had sent a ransom note or Luke, but would he come? To risk his life for me? He had already told me to know my place, and whatever we had ended when I confessed to him. I tried to sit up, trying to my breath steamy as my fingers twitched, testing the ropes around my wrists. I winced and the rough fibers bit into my skin, leaving behind red blisters. But I ignored it. I didn’t want to sit around, waiting like a damsel in distress. Thi
LUKE POVThe words blurred as my vision swam, the ache in my chest deepening into something unbearable. I read it over and over again, processing the words that felt impossible.She loved me?She loved me and not Ezekiel.All this time….and I was too blind to see it, or maybe she was just that good at hiding it. The weight of Seraphina’s words weighed heavy on my shoulders, and there was one part that confused me. My father. He was the one who had taken her in after her father’s death. That was what I had always been told. That was what I had believed.But these words… this confession…It told a different story. She loved me and hated herself for it. All because she thought I was the son of the man who killed her father.A sick, twisting feeling curled in my stomach. Realization sunk in like paint spreading on a white cloth, tainting whatever perception I had been fed before. It was all a lie. My hands trembled, not with grief, but with fury. Rage bubbled in my chest, threatening
LUKE POV“What an unpleasant surprise.”I pushed past Ezekiel and entered his dorm room, my jaw clenching as my grip on the file unconsciously tightened.Ezekiel had just stepped out of the bathroom, casually drying his hair with a towel, while I stood there glaring at him. A few moments of tense silence passed between us before I strode over to his couch and dropped the file.“That’s the transfer of ownership document for the port,” I said, my voice gruff. I had lost the challenge, and now I was here to fulfill my end of the deal.Ezekiel hummed in interest, leaning against the wall with a taunting smile. “I guess you’re a man of your word, then.”I ignored his remark and turned to leave, but my steps faltered when his voice rang out again.“No hard feelings, right?”My patience cracked. I looked over my shoulder, my gaze burning with malice.“Fuck you, Sterling.”***I slumped into my car seat, tipping my head back and staring up at the ceiling. I hadn’t been home for the past week,
Luke waited in the room for Seraphina to wake up, the doctor who had examined her said she passed out from exhaustion, but her situation was stable for now. It made him wonder how many times she had pushed herself so hard. He hadn’t even found out until later, so it only meant that she had been hiding it for a long while now. Enduring the pain in silence and forcing smiles. Maybe that would explain her impulsive mood swings. Luke glanced at her, watching her chest rise and fall slowly. Her hair bun was still in place, and even in slumber, she looked beautiful. He subconsciously leaned in, taking in every detail and curve of her face, from the freckles on her nose to the little scar on her left brow. His gaze flickered to her lips and lingered there. They were painted hot red with lipstick, adding a dangerous allure to her soft features. Luke flinched as her eyes fluttered. Startled, he straightened up, clearing his throat to regain his composure, but his cheeks were flushed with
Seraphina was discharged from the hospital two weeks later, and during the time she was hospitalized, Luke visited her often, but Seraphina never allowed him in. It hurt him deeply, especially when Ezekiel was allowed to see her. The bet between them was still active and Luke feared he might have made a grave mistake. He still watched her from afar to protect her, because now that he knew about her illness he couldn’t afford to slack off. Soon the annual banquet was held as a way for the heirs of influential families to make their debut, and this year, it was held by Montauge’s, Veronica’s family. The night was in full bloom, and both Luke and Seraphina had received an invitation. Luke saw this as the perfect opportunity to finally talk to her, and he looked forward to taking her, but his plans were thwarted the moment Ezekiel came to pick her up instead. Of course, he also got an invitation. Ezekiel stepped out of his sleek BMW, dressed in a tailored white suit and crimson
Veronica planned to make Seraphina jealous, so she accompanied him to an exclusive club in the heart of the city, one that could only be accessible to elite members. Veronica was his date for the evening, and as they reached the location, he began to regret his decision. “How is this going to help again?” He grumbled as they stepped out of his car. Veronica held his arm, dressed in a hot red dress that left little to the imagination, while he wore a black dress shirt and pants to match. Veronica rolled her eyes at his hesitance. “Just follow my lead dumbass.” The club was as sophisticated yet wild at the same time, and Luke was surprised to see Seraphina and Ezekiel making out in the VIP section. Luke’s jaw clenched at the sight, but Veronica tapped his jaw to get his attention. “Don’t look at her.” She scolded him, dragging him to the dance floor. “If not it won’t work.” Luke took a deep breath, stealing one last glance at them before moving on. As they stepped onto t
Third Person POVWeeks later…Luke moaned as he felt her palm against him. He grabbed her hand to stop her, pulling back from the kiss with a dazed expression. “We can’t do that here.” He muttered, his wary gaze darting around the library. Seraphina blinked at him, her brows slightly furrowed in frustration. “Just shut up and kiss me.” And with that she crashed her lips against his, angling her head as she deepened the kiss.Luke gave him, feeling himself get hotter with each passing minute. His hands tightened on her waist, wanting to wander. But he couldn’t because she hadn’t permitted him yet. Seraphina spread her legs, letting him grind against her at least, her back pressed against the wall as Luke's tongue danced with hers. The air between them was hot, and Luke groaned, feeling his erection straining against his pants. Seraphina pulled back from the kiss with a smirk, her fingers combing through his hair.“Beg me.” She demanded, and he gulped his spit, wavering for a bit. L
Luke’s POV “A date?” I was in the gym of the mansion when Seraphina skipped in and started going on about her date with Ezekiel. The topic was none of my business, but she wanted me to tell her more about Ezekiel.“Ask him yourself.” I tightened the bandages on my wrists and swung at the punching bag, my brows furrowed in irritation. That bitter feeling was stirring in my chest again. Ever since they met, Seraphina’s attention was fixated on Ezekiel, and Ezekiel, he was milking the situation with his God damned charm. I raised my hands to deliver another punch, then Seraphina blocked my view. It was a good thing I managed to stop my fist before it made contact with her face.“Careful,” I warned her, already growing tired of the conversation.“Tell me.” She insisted. “I want to know what kind of guy he is.”A dry chuckle escaped my lips. “He’s a man whore.” I say simply. “And you are nothing but another fling to him, so you better stay away.” Seraphina tilted her head to the side.