MAE"Fuck me and get this over with." I demanded, my legs shaking mildly under me. His eyes on me were like hot coal, with an intensity that made my breath catch. His silence only made the tension between us thicker, the air practically crackling with it. He took a step closer, his jaw tightening. "Don't say shit you don't mean, Mae. There is a reason I have been holding back. Despite your tough exterior, you cannot handle a man like me, and despite the fact that I am the city's most feared monster, I cannot handle any more of your hate." His voice was low, a growl that sent shivers up my spine. I lifted my chin defiantly, refusing to back down. "You’ve been looking at me like you want to devour me, Owen. You cannot tell me you just respect my feelings so much that you cannot fuck me. What is it, really? Afraid I can’t handle you?" His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist and yanking me closer. I gasped as my bare chest bumped against his, my titties literally crushing against his t
MAESaying I was embarrassed would be the understatement of the century. I really wanted to miss that dinner, but I knew if Owen really wanted me to come, he would make sure I was there even if it meant I had to be carried there, kicking and screaming.Okay, and the part I feared most was Owen walking in here and deciding to dress me up for the event. I would not even put that past him. I could not even put anything past him right now.I sighed, going through the box… I even got a makeup pack. How was he even sure I could do any makeup? Was there any rule book that stated that a painter must know how to do some makeup?I was good, but I did not do makeup as well as I painted.After around 20 minutes of doing some light makeup, I stared at myself in the mirror, barely recognizing the girl looking back. It got even better when I got into the dress.The dress Owen sent was stunning, no doubt about that. It was a deep maroon red dress that hugged my figure without feeling too tight, the
OWENI knew the look in her eyes—she was trying to figure me out. People did that a lot, I just did not know how to tell them that the answer was definitely not in my eyes.I smirked lazily, trying to kill the tension. Maybe I was interested in Mae Rivera, but she was right. I could have just fucked her and gotten this over with a long time ago if I wanted. I had a better plan though. She had taken a break now, but I knew Mae was in my club for a reason bigger than paying off her father's debt. She was looking for something or someone. I could monitor her closely and get someone to follow her around too, but I could also get in her good graces, protect her, fuck her when I wanted, get the information I needed.. just to throw her out when I felt like it.She tapped the table, and my attention returned to her beautiful face. No exaggeration, she was fucking gorgeous, this woman. Her skin was perfect and she did not even use those expensive lotions that the other women I hung out with us
MAEI begged to go back to Casa Eleganza after we were done with the dinner, and Owen hesitated, but finally promised me that he would take me back soon.Two days later, I was on my way to Casa Eleganza. Owen dropped me off in front of the building. I made to open the door after looking around frantically to confirm that no one would catch me out here in his car. I was not ready for the side talks so soon. Owen grabbed my arm before I could leave, stopping me. I spun around, "Owen, I have to go… I mean… Sir Owen…" I looked around now to see if anyone had magically caught that.He laughed, "You do not have to act like you respect me. We are the only ones here."I spun back around to him, "What do you want? I have to go in now…""A kiss."I stared at him like he had gone out of his mind. But he kept staring at me with a straight face, serious as fuck. My cunt was shedding tears at the demand—maybe even before the demand but I still shook my head regardless and scoffed, "I cannot kiss
OWEN"You asked to spare the girl's life. Same girl who wants to help her father bring you down. Here." Marco slammed his phone down on my office table for me to see and I just held his gaze for a couple of minutes before picking up the phone and regarding the screen.I unpaused the video and watched closely as Mae searched around, then took out her phone to make a call. She placed her phone against her ear,"Hello, Liam? Can you find out what's up with my dad? I think he made a deal with the Castellenos." My jaw clenched at the statement but other than that, I showed no other reaction. "He told you? I would have helped but…" She trailed off and then listened to the other person on the phone. Then with a nod he obviously could not see, she carried on, "Dad looked really scared. I want to make sure he is safe. I can't exactly do what dad is asking of me… single handedly take him down, as he is always surrounded with a lot of security, but I can do something else…"She paused and look
MAE I wasn’t expecting to see dad again so soon, but then there he was outside the building, right where one of the girls had told me he would be. Everyone had already started looking at me suspiciously.I was here to tell him to never come back here again if he valued his life, but then his face lit up as I walked in, and for a second, my anger completely vanished and I smiled back.But that moment of warmth didn’t last. I could see the strain in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. Dad wasn’t here for a father-daughter chat. “Mae,” he said, his voice low and urgent, “I need your help.” I dropped my bag on the floor and crossed my arms, looking around, satisfied when I saw that the coast was clear. “If it is the same thing like last time… helping you bring down my boss or whatever… it's a no." He stood, pacing a little, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m in a tight spot. I need some money—just a bit—to cover rent.” I frowned. “Rent? You’re staying somewhere else? Since wh
MAE"The boss wants to see you." It was the first thing I heard when I walked back into Casa Eleganza.Scar was staring at me with a disappointed expression and I just clocked right away that they had found out about what dad was doing. My heart caught in my throat as I moved towards Owen's office. The guards stared at me quizzically as I walked towards them, and said nothing when I knocked on the door and went in.Owen sat behind his desk with a cigar in hand, wearing just a blank singlet that displayed his sexy tattoos and toned body.He took off the glasses he had been wearing and set his laptop aside. Fuck, he looked so serious, I was not going to escape his wrath at all, from the look of things."Hi." I muttered, my voice shaky. He said nothing, getting up from his seat and walking towards me. I started walking back at once until my back was against the wall. He got in front of me and blew the smoke from the death stick in his hand over my face. I started a coughing fit right a
OWENAfter I saved her father's life, Mae had the audacity to start avoiding me, even missing some of her performances so I would not catch her at the club.Did she even realize that I could get her in my room with one single call?I let her play her games, let her avoid me to her heart's content until I was ready for her."She'll be performing tonight at the club?" I questioned, I waited until the club was packed, the lights dimmed, and the crowd rowdy enough to make sure she did not notice me before I needed her to.She stepped onto the stage, her body wrapped in something tight and shimmering, the kind of outfit designed to grab attention. The crowd went wild as the music started, but my eyes were only on her.Her hips moved with precision, her head held high, like she hadn’t spent days hiding from me. Like she hadn’t made a deal that she was trying so hard to forget. I leaned back in my seat, swirling the whiskey in my glass as I watched her. The way she danced was mesmerizing,
OWENI was not supposed to be in Casa Eleganza tonight, but then Marco called and told me he was looking for her.Mae Rivera.Apparently, Carter had caught her making a sneaky phone call and before he could get evidence, she ended the call and threatened to lie against him if he tried to expose her. She ran off, too. Not that I fully trusted this Carter or a guy, but this awfully sounded like something that woman can do; especially after all she had been through lately.I could have left Marco to find her and teach her a lesson… or even any of my snipers could do that, but I had a surprise for her, so I could not do that.As I drove, I tried to shake off the nasty feelings I had that kept screaming in my ear about the fact that she had gone through so much. She should have thought of that before crossing me. I do worse to others, I thought. Why was it a bloody big deal with her? I did not have an answer to that, of course.Finally, after what seemed like years, I parked my car in fron
MAEThe text came an hour later.OWEN: Come to the club. Now.No explanation. No details. Just an order.I stared at the message, my pulse already picking up. He didn’t use words like that with me—not unless something was wrong.I grabbed my jacket and slipped out of my apartment, moving fast. The city blurred past as I caught a cab, my mind racing the entire way.Did Joan make a move?Did Eric?Was I already too late?By the time I reached the club, the bouncer barely spared me a glance before stepping aside. I pushed through the main floor, ignoring the pounding music and the lingering stares as I headed straight for the back offices.Owen was waiting.He stood behind his desk, his back to the door, one hand braced against the edge. He didn’t turn when I entered, didn’t acknowledge me right away.But the tension in the room was suffocating.I closed the door behind me. “What happened?”Owen’s head lifted slightly, but he still didn’t look at me. “Eric met with Javier Castelleno.”A
OWENI had watched Mae leave my car that night, her frustration hanging in the air like cigarette smoke. She hadn’t looked back.I should’ve let it go. Should’ve turned the key in the ignition and driven off, let her work through her anger alone.But I didn’t.Instead, I sat there, gripping the steering wheel, jaw locked so tight it ached.She wanted me to give in. To cross that invisible line we’d been toeing for weeks. And fuck, I almost had.Mae had no idea what kind of self-control it took to pull away. To tell her to go home when all I wanted was to drag her into my lap and kiss her until she forgot about Joan, about Eric, about the game she was playing with fire.But I wasn’t a man who made decisions based on want.I made them based on survival.And right now, Mae’s survival depended on her staying out of this mess.Which meant keeping my hands off her.At least for now.Tonight, I pulled out of the alley, steering the car toward the warehouse. Scar and Marco were already waitin
MAEThe door slammed shut behind me, and I stood in the alley for a moment, breathing in the cold night air. My hands clenched at my sides, nails pressing into my palms. I should’ve felt relieved. I’d walked away. I had my space.So why did I feel like I was suffocating?I forced myself to move, stepping out onto the sidewalk. The city hummed around me—cars passing, voices carrying through the night. Normal life, oblivious to the storm raging inside me.I needed a drink.And I needed a plan.Eric’s name sat heavy in my mind. If Joan truly believed he was a traitor, then this wasn’t just a warning. It was a test. One I couldn’t afford to fail.But Owen had given me his answer.You don’t touch him.That was easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one standing in front of Joan, balancing on a knife’s edge, trying to prove she belonged. I’d spent weeks playing my part, earning trust. Now, one wrong move could rip everything apart.And Owen expected me to stand back and do nothing?I exhaled sh
MAE"You really do not look okay. Are you sure you can still work?" Eli asked me, smacking his lips after applying lipgloss."I have to." I simply replied, going across the room to pick up more stuff. I was really tired—both mentally and emotionally, but I knew I would just be calling more punishment to myself if I simply laid down here."How? Scar is really nice. I mean, everyone here is. I do not feel like anyone here is being forced to do anything. I like the fact that everything is so transparent, even." He went on, and I almost scoffed out loud.He sounded like an excited little kid. He had not the slightest idea of what was actually going on, and though it was dangerous for him, it was a little cute. Better to be oblivious than be traumatized like I was.I got ready quicker, then hurried off to the stage. I did not shut my eyes throughout my performance, because every single time I did, I saw her. I had my eyes wide open as I danced, willing the images to go away.The moment I s
MAEI barely made it up the stairs to my apartment before I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.My body still felt wired, every nerve on edge. Owen’s voice echoed in my head.I shouldn’t have wanted to go back and see if he’d really lose control.I shoved the thought away, locked my door, and leaned against it. I needed to focus. I had bigger problems than the way Owen made my skin feel too tight. That could be handled later.Joan wanted Eric dead.Tomorrow, I’d have to walk into a job knowing I was either going to betray the man who trusted me or end up dead myself. And no matter which way I spun it, I couldn’t see a way out.I dropped onto my bed and pulled out my phone.No messages. No calls.I didn’t know why I thought he’d check in. He’d told me to go home. Told me to sleep. Like it was that easy.I tossed my phone aside and squeezed my eyes shut.Maybe, if I tried hard enough, I could pretend his hands hadn’t felt so damn good on me.Maybe I could pretend I had
MAE"Your father is in the backseat of my car. Tonight, you will either tell me what's going on with you, or he takes a bullet to his head. I'll keep killing everyone you love until you decide if this secret you are keeping from me is really worth losing so much." Owen whispered, just as his big hand released my ass, going up to my hip instead.I pushed his hands off me completely, shock taking over my features. "Wait. What did you just say?""The exact same thing you heard. Get dressed and come with me."I did not have to be told twice. I rushed into the closet and just threw on a shirt like nightgown that stopped just above my knees then some lace panties.I had just stepped out of the closet to meet Owen leaning by the door when he thundered,"Get back inside and wear something else. I did not ask you to come with me so you can strip for your father." I opened my mouth and closed it like a fish, then looked around in search of anything I could just throw on."But it's covered…" I
MAEI didn’t let myself think until I was back in the car.Amelia drove in silence, her grip tight on the wheel, knuckles white. She hadn’t said a word since we left Joan’s estate. Maybe she was waiting to see how I’d react. Maybe she was testing me just as much as Joan was.I didn’t give her anything.Eric.The name burned in my head.He was one of Owen’s men—trusted, loyal, someone who had been by his side for years. If Joan had put him on that list, it meant one of two things. Either Eric was playing both sides, or Joan only thought he was.Either way, this was a problem.A big one.And Owen needed to know.I reached into my jacket pocket, fingers brushing against the earpiece Owen had given me. A reminder of his voice, the way he had told me to be careful. I wanted to use it, to hear him tell me he had a plan, that he already knew, that he would fix this before I had to.But I couldn’t.Not here. Not now.Amelia’s sharp eyes flickered to me. “You alright?”I nodded once. “Yeah.”S
MAEThe moment I stepped out of the car, the air felt different.Colder. Heavier.Amelia stood by the entrance, her arms crossed, face blank. No warmth, no hesitation—just business. She barely looked at me before turning on her heel. “Follow me.”I did.My pulse was steady, but my hands weren’t. I curled my fingers into fists to stop them from shaking. Owen’s words played over in my head. If anything feels off—get out.I didn’t plan on getting out. Not yet.We walked through a back entrance, the air thick with cigarette smoke. Joan’s men were everywhere. Some played cards. Others leaned against the walls, watching me like I was already a ghost.I kept my head high, my steps even. Fear would get me killed here.We reached the main hall. Joan was sitting at the center table, a glass of whiskey in one hand, a knife in the other. He was carving something into the wood, deep, slow strokes. He didn’t look up.“You’re late,” he said.Amelia stiffened beside me. “Traffic.”Joan finally glance