ASHLEYI kicked the door open with my legs, sauntering into the room. I shut it with my legs again and spun around to see him striding out of his closet with his phone in his hands. He was aggressively punching letters on the keypads and the sound it made was irritating as fuck. But then, I found my eyes glazing over his frame. I didn't care if I was checking him out unabashedly.The man was hot and I was damn sure he knew it too. He looked like a fucking snack. I couldn't wait to devour his crisp white shirt that clung to his leanly muscular frame, sinfully. His shirt was neatly tucked in his slacks which he paired with black shoes I was sure would cost a fortune. He had his blazer draped over his forearm that flexed a little as he typed on his phone muttering a curse word that sounded sexy as hell. I found myself tucking my lip between my teeth, gulping.He looked up from his phone and stopped typing, his lips twitching in a smirk as he took in my frame, but that smirk was quick to
ASHLEYMy hands came up to my hair and I tugged at the band that held it together, taking it off and allowing it to drop on my shoulder, cascading down my back. I adjusted my frame on his lap, shifting slightly and that earned me a grunt from him. His hands were wrapped firmly around my waist and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he took me in with his eyes that seemed to have gained a darker shade to them.Fuck, he was so gorgeous up close. My breath hitched at the sight of him. This man was a god. He was breathtaking, and hands down the most beautiful human I have ever set my eyes on. His hands trailed from my waist, settling on my ass and he cupped them, giving it a light squeeze as he buried his head into my chest, grunting softly because I knew he loved what he was feeling in his hands. I wasn't trying to brag, but those babies were heavenly. I smirked, cradling his head in my arms whilst helping him massage his scalp. He buried his head deeper into my chest, his lips brushing
JAXONMy body jerked as I turned to my side, my breath slowly seizing as I struggled to keep my eyes open, my muscles growing stiff."Rodney!!!" Mom screamed.I looked up from my phone, to see a truck heading over our way. My dad was trying to swerve to the side, in a bid to avoid running into the truck, but the brakes had failed."Mom!"No! No! The truck ran into our car, shattering the windscreen that broke into pieces, splattering everywhere, with some shards piercing my face. The car somersaulted really hard, tumbling to the floor with an ear-shattering sound.No!Agonizing screams.More screams___ I watched my mom who had blood gushing out of her head so badly as she tried to speak to me, but the words weren't forming. I watched my parents struggle to hold on to their life that was slowly slipping away from them. I couldn't save them…No!No!"Arden, baby! Baby, wake up!" "Arden!""Arden!"The voice was so distant, breaking even. I tried to focus on it, but the harder I tried
JAXONEverything went into flames, our passion and lust consuming us as the kiss deepened when she slipped her tongue into mine, her hands gliding up and down my naked back. My hands crawled underneath the large black shirt she was wearing, getting a feel of her succulent ass. I knew she was wearing a thong. It was like her go-to panties and that made my member twitch even more. Her small hands left a scalding sensation everywhere she touched on my body, marking me as though she didn't want me to forget her touch. As though she was staking her claim on me and I fucking loved it!"Oh, take the damn thing off!" She whined and I granted her wish when her lips broke apart, my hands found the buttons of the shirt she was wearing, yanking it off and shrugging it off her body in a nanosecond. There she was, sitting atop me, breathing heavily.Fuck, this woman was the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen. She had the most beautiful body and it brought me so much satisfaction that she was al
ASHLEY"Have a great day, Mrs Gray," The chauffeur's voice drew me out of my thoughts, snapping me back to reality. I looked through the tinted glass of the Bentley, exhaling softly. I hummed a response to him and picked up my Chanel bag, then made to get out of the car but he was quicker than me, holding out the door for me with his head bowed in respect. I took off my shades, tucked them in my hair, and then I stepped out of the car, sending him a warm smile in the process. "I will send you a text when I am done here," I told him, averting my gaze from the gigantic building. He replied to me but I was too distracted to keep track of what he was saying and began walking away. I was glad Maria understood the fact that I was prone to losing my mind in that house, all by myself. Arden was on a trip to Russia, something about him sorting out some shipment of some sort and meeting up with one of his allies. I couldn't care less. Heck, I didn't give a damn. He could live there all his l
ASHLEYThe silver sequined dress that stopped a few inches below my mid-thigh was exquisite. The straps formed a criss-cross around my neck, satin folds adorning the slanting upper bust. It had a skin net at the side with silver embellishments beautifying it. I know it was supposed to make me feel like a million-dollar supermodel that was about to grace the runway or even a princess of some sort, but I scoffed at the sight of myself in the mirror, irritation coursing through my veins, burning through my emotions and overwhelming me. I clamped my teeth on my glossed lips, chewing at it until I was almost tasting my blood while I tried to rein in the beads of tears that were beginning to form in my eyes. I let out a low growl, hissing through my teeth as my hands found the zipper at my back. I tugged at it, pulling it down and allowing the dress to fall at my feet. I got out of it, leaving me in my black lace panties. I crouched on the floor, picking up the dress and throwing it some
ASHLEYMaria and I held on to each other, giggles emitting from our mouths as we made our way out of the store with large shopping bags in our hands. My eyes surveyed the building and they dropped into the familiar Bentley that brought me here this morning, so I pulled Maria along with me, leading us to the car while we made small talk."Good evening, Mrs Gray. Good evening, Mrs. Armstrong." The chauffeur greeted us, relieving us of the large bags that we were carrying. We mumbled greetings in return to him as he held out the door for us to settle into the car. I sank my butt into the plush leather seat of the car, throwing my head backwards. He clicked the booth shut and came into the car, driving us out of the compound."Lawrence, did you get it?" Maria asked."Yes, Mrs. Armstrong." He grabbed the paper bag on the front seat and Maria practically snatched it from him. I squealed when the strong smell of burgers and fries hit me. Maria took one for herself and handed me the bag, bare
ASHLEYMy phone chimed softly, then it sounded with a loud ring that had irritation seeping into me. I groaned, throwing the covers over my head. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to sleep, but clearly, the person calling didn't understand what boundaries and privacy meant because my phone kept ringing incessantly. I hissed through my teeth, pushing the covers off my body. I peeled my eyes open, squinting them because of the sensitivity of the lights. My hands roamed the other side of the bed, trying to look for my phone, but I couldn't find it. I looked to my right, my eyes straying to the nightstand where the fucking phone lay, vibrating with so much energy. I glared at the object, snatching it off the surface of the nightstand. I brought the phone to my face and checked the caller, unable to fight the urge to roll my eyes.Of course, it was my mom.I mean, I missed the woman and I should have known that the only person capable of blowing up my phone with calls and mes
Four years later…ASHLEY."Duncan, I do not give a fuck!" Arden's strident voice boomed across the room, threatening to bring the house to its feet. The resonance of his voice was thick and rough.I exhaled and turned off the gas cooker."Get it done!""I do not care how you are going to do it but find that fucker---you know what? Just get out!" He fired and I flinched.I wasn't near him but the effect of his brazen voice made my heart slam against my ribcage."Where's my wife, Alberta?" I heard him ask Alberta and I rolled my eyes, strutting over to the counter to pick up a napkin.His loud footsteps echoed behind the door and he pushed the door open in no time. My head shot up from the kitchen island. My eyes drifted to his tall figure standing a few feet away from the door.His eyes were pinned on me and the intensity in them made me feel so conscious of the little black dress I was wearing. My mouth ran dry as my eyes roved his shirt-clad body, unabashedly.Age has nothing on my h
JAXONI pushed the glass doors open, letting myself onto the rooftop. The chilling breeze that lingered in the air wrapped me up in its airy and soothing essence, running swiftly across every inch of my skin that was bare to its touch. It cocooned me and I couldn't help but release a soft sigh. A wave of tranquillity washed over me, luring me into its embrace, and I found my stiff muscles succumbing to the sensation.The chills that settled on my skin pierced their way through it, easing me off the weight that seemed to burden my shoulders before I stepped onto the rooftop.I tucked my hands into my pockets, striding toward the strong iron bars that made up the rails. My hands dropped on it, wrapping around it immediately while I soaked in the beguiling view of the city from where I stood.There was a distinct allure the evening possessed from up here. I literally felt like I was floating in the air, utterly captivated by the sheer beauty the night held. The moonlight cocooned the da
JAXONMy hands hung mid-air, a few inches away from the surface of the door. I swallowed the lump that gathered in my throat, wiping my hands on the trousers I hadn't changed out of in days.They did try to get me to change it.But I didn't want anything that would take me back to a place where she wasn't. So, I was stuck here looking utterly dishevelled.Heaving a sigh, I twisted the knob and stepped into the room, shutting the door behind me.I spun around and I didn't miss the look of surprise that flashed across his face. He wasn't one to display his emotions, but it was hard for him to conceal his shock. The hospital wear made him look very weird and the chuckle that tumbled out of my mouth was hard to submerge."Good morning, boss." His chapped lips quirked in a small smile that elicited a grin from me. There was no need to keep my guard up right now. It was useless anyway. After all, he was on that bed because he was trying to save me. To save her. If he hadn't shot Micah, the
JAXON"Jaxon,""Jaxon,""Jax—""I can hear you!" I snapped.I stopped pacing and spared Aunt Caroline a glance. Her eyes were soft with assurance but it didn't do anything to quell my restlessness. It only left me more perturbed than I was."Jaxon, have your seat for goodness sake," she implored me. My stone-cold gaze seemed to have given me away that I wasn't about to listen to her, so she took a step forward, grabbing my arm.My eyes stung with unshed tears, thickening the lump that settled in my throat. It was hard trying to keep my tears at bay, and at some point, I gave up on trying. I allowed it to stream down my face effortlessly."She's–" I breathed shakily. "She's in there because of me!" The quiver in my voice overpowered its octave."My wife is fighting for her life and it's all because of me!" I yelled at her, snatching my hands away from her grip."Do you think yelling and pacing down the halls of the hospital would change the situation?" Maria's harsh tone had me whiskin
JAXONThe car came to a halt at a safe distance, in the middle of nowhere. I furrowed my brows, looking through the windshield in confusion. I was propelled to believe that I had the wrong address but the GPS couldn't be wrong. "It's the right place…" Duncan's voice trailed off beside me and my frown deepened."Son of a bitch," I mumbled under my breath."He just had to choose a less obvious hideout. Fucking coward." I sneered and got out of the car, slamming the door shut. I looked over to where Duncan was standing."Get the guys on guard. I don't trust that bastard," I instructed. He nodded in response. "Yes, boss."The only sound akin to noise was the chirping of the birds in the distance, alongside the crunching sounds my boots made with the dry leaves as I weaved my way deeper into the woods. My vision and my hearing seemed more enhanced as I navigated my way forward. I wasn't even giving myself any chance to be caught off guard.Micah could be a fucking fool, but the bastard is
JAXON"Arden--Arden...""I think someone's following me.""Please, pick your call!"Her voice echoed in my head, incessantly. It was pointless trying to shut it out because it only emerged stronger than before. It haunted me. It destroyed me. It shattered me. It consumed me.The fear and distress that oozed off those words crushed my soul. It didn't help the guilt that overwhelmed me. If I hadn't been such an asshole. Such a stubborn prick, I would have been able to save her from him. From Micah. That bastard. He's going to wish he had never laid his hands on her when I find him. The fucking coward couldn't come directly for me. He just had to get to me through the woman I love.The thought of what she must be going through in his hands aggravated my punches. It got more aggressive and I wouldn't stop ramming it against the punching bag that was swinging backwards, due to the weight of my hard punches.It never got the chance to stay back in balance before I sent it flying backwards
ASHLEYThis was the most numb I have felt in days and strangely…I liked it. It wasn't so bad. Compared to the rollercoaster of emotions I have been tossed into these past few days.There was so much quietness, compared to the loudness in my head. It felt like I was hanging in a delicate balance. Stuck in oblivion, even, where my conscious mind and unconscious mind were struggling with a breach.As peaceful as it felt, it made me feel so empty and I was struggling to snap back to my consciousness, but it was like I was being held back by an invisible force. It soon occurred to me that I was the one holding myself back.And that was because somewhere between the numbness that enveloped me, there was a part of me like a fireball, struggling to resurface, and somehow, I was convinced that I knew what awaited me if I woke up and that was the reason I was holding back.But then, the numbness and the darkness slowly began clearing off. I struggled to hold onto it but it slowly slipped out of
JAXON"So, you mean to–" I chuckled, raking my fingers through my hair in frustration. I chuckled again. And again. And again. I was infuriated, but at the same time, I found the whole situation amusing. My workers knew the kind of person they worked with, yet they found new ways to aggravate me. It was as if they derived some sort of sick pleasure from watching me dish out punishments to them.He shifted on his feet, looking down at his feet. His composure was beginning to falter. His trembling gave him away.The air in the boardroom grew hotter by the second. It was thick with deafening silence, the temperature fluctuating now and then. With the tension that accompanied the loud silence, I was so sure I would hear a pin drop. They sat in their seats like statues, unable to utter a word. No one wanted to be the scapegoat, but with the way my anger was escalating, one of them was bound to go back home without his body intact."You mean to tell me that our sales have gotten this bad
ASHLEYThe wave of tiredness that washed over me got stronger with each passing second, heightening my distress. Staring out through the window of the conference room was something I loved to do.But right now, all it did was spike my anxiety further than it was. It ought to serve as a distraction, but it had me drifting in and out of my thoughts. The scenery, the atmosphere, none of it seemed appealing.In a way, it was getting on my nerves.Reverting my forlorn gaze to my employees, I arched my brow at them rudely. They were all staring at me like I had grown two heads and it was very irritating. At some point, I began thinking I had dirt on my face, judging by their bewildered expression.My frown deepened when my eyes flitted to Aurelia, who was standing by the projector, sporting a blank face."What?" I barked harshly and I wasn't even sorry for it. I didn't like how they were staring at me like I was an Alien that dropped from the sky."We are sorry, Mrs. Gray." They apologised,