Arya's POV.
For a split second, I couldn't quite decipher what my eyes were staring at, as a muscular man climbed down the stairs clad casually in a joggers pant, black haired, amazing blue/green eyes and perfectly structured jawline. He had the looks of a complete Greek God. I quickly sprung up to my feet immediately he walked into the living room, the second lady did same as well. "You are here for the job huh?" He asked, his eyes fixed on me. I shivered slightly as the sound of his voice washed over me, not only was he handsome but his voice sounded so suiting as well, laced with dominance and so much power. "Yes sir," the lady beside me quickly blurted out. I had my head hung low the entire time, I couldn't look him directly in the face, I felt intimidated by the dreamy creature standing few feet away from me. How will I be able to work for him if I feel this way about him. "You," he suddenly pointed at the lady beside me. Oh no, he's going to hire her, I can't believe I lost without even trying. "Leave immediately, you don't meet the criteria," his next words hit me hard across the ear, I couldn't believe it. He hasn't even asked her any questions. Well if she doesn't meet the criteria then will I? I mean he just sent her away by merely looking at her, what becomes my faith? "What's your name?" He turned to face me yet again. "Arya," I replied. He was silent for a while making me wonder what he could possibly have in mind to say to me. Do I also not meet the criteria? Slowly, I raised my head to look at him only to find him staring intently at me. Our eyes collided and a sudden wave of fear washed over me, I noticed how dark his eyes reflected, they looked dangerous all rounded, but then I couldn't deny the fact that it made him even more hot, dangerously, but yet dreamy. I couldn't help but notice the sly smirk tugged up at the corner of his lips as he seized me up with his eyes. Okay? What am I missing? "You are hired," I suddenly heard him say and my eyes flew wide open in shock. I was hired? Just like that? Does that mean I met the criteria? I have a job now? After what feels like forever of searching for a job as a chef? I finally have my dream job. Isn't life full of surprises huh? "Thank you... Thank you so much, I promise you won't regret this, when do I resume work? Immediately?" I squealed happily. "I can fix you breakfast right away," I rambled. I really can not believe I have a job as a chef now. "How well can you resist an orgasm?" He suddenly blurted out and I furrowed my brows in confusion. He didn't just say that right? I mean there is no way someone would say that to anyone. "Excuse me?" I managed to mutter. "I just asked how well you can resist an orgasm? You do know what an orgasm is right?" He repeated. Now I'm lost, what is going on? "Uhm... I'm sorry, I'm quite confused, what has my work got to do with that?" I summoned up courage to ask. "We're only together for a week, I'm visiting my family and I need you to come with me and be my woman, after that you get paid and I'll never see you again," he replied. I felt my lips slowly part in shock, what have I gotten myself into? Just when I had thought that I finally secured my dream job. Now this? Pretend to be his woman? For a week? What game is this? "Which is why I need to know your self control game, because being my woman, you'll be doing a lot of stuff, I don't want you to do that while wet underneath," he added, the smug little smirk not leaving his face. I cringed as the words slipped out of his mouth. How can someone spew such smut words with so much comfort? Have he no shame whatsoever? I don't think I can do this, he needed someone who could match his energy and I am clearly not that person. "I... Uhm... I'm sorry, but I can't take the job, I can't do it, you should look for someone else," I said turning around and headed towards the door. Kyle had better not scold me for losing this one because it's not on me. The whole concept is so not my type of thing. "A million dollars," his next words suddenly got me glued to my spot. A million what? For a week? I found myself turning back to him with arched brows, I probably didn't hear him correctly. "What was that?" I whispered like a naive little girl. "A million dollars is the pay," he repeated. The corny man now had a victorious smirk visible all over his face. I should say no to his face and run out of his house right now but somehow a stronger force beyond me held me strongly to my spot, I couldn't move an inch. A million dollar is a huge amount of money, it can literally hold me up for a very very long time, I don't have to go hungry anymore. How can someone be ready to throw such amount of money away just to prove a lie? And more ridiculously, it is for a week. "Uhm... Can I at least think about it? Maybe sleep over it? I can give you a response tomorrow," I found myself saying. Ugh! You don't plan on taking this job, are you Arya? It's funny how I'm even thinking twice about this, usually, I would have rejected his offer in a split second and already headed out of the house, but here I am, still standing and moping at him like a three years old. "No babydoll, we are leaving tomorrow, if you are deciding, you decide now," he replied. Wait, what did he just call me? Babydoll? I breathed out heavily speculating what my next step would be. The money involved is a game changer, I can't afford to loose it. On the other hand, I was also scared of this dangerously handsome man right in front of me, he looks and sounds so much like a pervert, how could I fake being his woman for a week? "So what is it gonna be, babydoll?" His voice snapped me out of my trance, the smug smirk never left his face. I suckled in a deep breath, embracing myself for the poisonous decision I was about to make. I felt his hot gaze all over me as my lips trembled, struggling hard to let the words out. "I... Uhm... I'm in... Yes.. I will do it," I blurted out, turning around and quickly raced out of the house. I couldn't stand the taunting look on his face, I needed to be far away from him right now. I could hear him chuckling behind as I ran out. "Your body only is what I need, everything else will be provided for you!" He shouted after me.Lucas's POVI couldn't help the satisfied smile that broke out on my face as I recounted my encounter with the Arya girl.I couldn't have found myself a perfect fit, I knew she was the one the very moment I saw her.It was the more reason I had bid that amount, I knew she was going to find it difficult rejecting it.Her innocence stirred up the darkest part of me.How she cringed at my choice of words.How uncomfortable she was standing next to me.She couldn't look me in the eyes and when she did, I was lost for a moment staring at those innocent pair of eyes.Her incredibly pretty face, every tiny feature of her face stood out in style.Those heart shaped lips, plump and pinky clamoring out to me.And then the petite yet thick body of hers, her tiny curves.Damn! So many things I want to do to her.But annoyingly, this is a contract and I can't breach it unless it's consensual. I could get her to consent to it nevertheless, I could make her want me badly, make her plead for me to t
Arya's POVIt felt like an attainment seeing myself fly a private jet.I never thought that could be possible my whole life.We landed shortly afterwards.Wow, I found myself in yet another island.How rich could this family be? Lucas held my hand and we headed into one of the buildings."You might find them a bit out of place but don't let anyone get to you alright? you will only survive this easily if you appear difficult," he whispered to me as we proceeded inside.By "them" Is he by any chance referring to his family? Why did he sound like they are dangerous or something? Why is he just letting me know now? What have I gotten myself into? I suddenly noticed his hand on mine tightened as he squeezed it gently."It's okay, I will never let anything happen to you babydoll, you don't have to be scared," he whispered.I guess he noticed how tensed his statement made me.And why does he keep referring to me as "babydoll?" I'm quite certain that I was clear when I had told him my n
Arya's POV.Martin quickly pulled away from me and faced him with a smile on his face.Everything about this man is creepy as hell, I mean he has a smile on his face when he has just been caught trying to force himself on his brother's woman."Relax bro," I was only having a discussion with my future sister in law," he shrugged. "Oh yeah? Having a discussion with her caged in between your hands? That must really be some important discussion," Lucas snapped, the anger in his voice was undeniably evident.Okay, I don't like where this is going.I quickly walked over to Lucas and grabbed his hands, at this point, I wasn't concerned about how I felt as our hands came in contact, I just needed to get him out of here immediately before the situation escalated."Lucas, please let's go," I muttered staring at him with pleading eyes."Man, take your bitch and leave already," Martin suddenly blurted out.Wait, what?Did he just call me that?"What did you just call her?" Lucas gritted marching
Arya's POV. Lucas continued to pace to and fro the room, his breath so ragged, I could hear them from the edge of the bed where I sat. He's been on that since we returned to the room. "Get a good sleep, babydoll, we have a long trip ahead of us tomorrow," he casually spared me a glance before returning to his pacing. I truly wanted to get a good sleep, I was tired already from today's trip, and such drama that went down few minutes ago. I tried not to look at him further and just go to sleep like he had demanded. I really, really tried. But how could I ignore him when he was pacing furiously around the room, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it might snap? The tension in his shoulders, the way his fists were balled at his sides, and the quiet rage radiating from him... it was impossible to ignore. Lucas was a storm, and I was trapped in his eye. "Sit down," I finally spoke, my voice more uncertain than I wanted it to be. Oh goodness, what am I doing? He stopped pacing and
Arya’s POVI stretched lazily, savoring the feel of the soft sheets beneath me. The warmth of sleep still clung to my body as I let out a small sigh, sinking deeper into the pillows. The bed felt emptier than before.Wait.I blinked groggily, my fingers searching the other side of the bed. Nothing. Lucas wasn’t there.Good.I didn’t know why I felt relieved. Maybe it was because being around him made me too aware of myself. He had this way of looking at me, speaking to me, twisting my words until they meant something entirely different.I pushed the thoughts aside and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The large room was quiet, the morning light seeping in through the half drawn curtains.A shower. That’s what I needed to prepare myself for the long trip ahead of me today.Yawning, I swung my legs over the bed, standing up and stretching once again. The extra robe I had thrown on last night slipped slightly off my shoulder, exposing more of my skin to the cool air. I shivered, ru
Arya's POV.I had just finished brushing my hair when I heard the door click open. I turned, expecting a maid or maybe even the driver, but instead, my heart nearly leaped out of my chest when I saw him.Lucas strolled into the room with a tray of food in his hands, his movements effortlessly smooth, his gaze unreadable as usual. Even in the simplest actions, he carried himself with an undeniable air of dominance, like a man who always got what he wanted.“I brought breakfast,” he said casually, setting the tray on the small table beside the bed.I blinked in surprise. Lucas? Bringing food to me?He didn’t strike me as the type of man to do something like this for a woman.. at least, not without some kind of ulterior motive. And yet, here he was, looking as though this was the most natural thing in the world.“I… you didn’t have to,” I muttered, avoiding his gaze as I adjusted the sleeve of my dress.“I did,” he countered, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. “I don’t want Ma
Arya's POV.The hum of the jet engines had been nothing but background noise to the tumor simmering in my mind. I stared blankly out the window, watching the dark clouds swirl outside as the aircraft sliced through the sky. The whole trip had been a whirlwind.. Lucas’s dangerous family, his cockiness, Martin’s obsession, and that ridiculous fight that had me holding my breath the entire time. But now, something far more pressing weighed on me.The contract. My payment.The realization settled in like a heavy stone in my stomach.Lucas had hired me for a week, but we didn’t even stay a complete 24 hours at his family’s estate. Would he use that as an excuse not to pay me? Would he claim that since the trip was cut short, my contract was null and void?My heart hammered in my chest at the thought. I needed that money. Desperately.I stole a glance at Lucas, who was seated across from me, his fingers lazily drumming against the armrest. His sharp blue-green eyes were fixed on the file i
Arya's POV.A loud knock sounded through the room, dragging me out of the deep sleep I had been lost in. I groaned, turning to my side, burying my face into the pillow as I tried to ignore it. But the knocking continued... Whoever was behind the knocking had no intentions of stopping. But, I myself had no intentions of standing up from the bed either. I needed to sleep some more. I was having such good time of my life. "Miss Arya," a soft voice called from the other side. "Sir Lucas wants you to join him for breakfast."Lucas.The sound of his name sent a sudden rush of awareness through my body, and I instantly sat up, blinking against the deep wave of sleep that was still washing over me.Breakfast?I glanced at the clock on the wall and realized just how late it was. I had been so exhausted from yesterday’s trip back that I must have slept through the entire morning. The fatigue still clung to my muscles."Tell him I'll be there in a moment!" I called back, rubbing the sleep from
Arya's POV.The silence in the dark room was unbelievable. Darkness lingered even though some light filtered in through a crack in the wall... it barely did anything to chase away the shadows inside me. I’d been here too long. Too long with nothing but my breath and my thoughts to keep me company.My eyes were sore from crying, and my wrists stung against the ropes, now slick with dried blood and sweat. I tried not to cry anymore...tears felt like a waste. But every time I remembered Lucas… every time I thought about him, about how he must be going out of his mind, my chest caved in again.Then I heard footsteps.That same gait. Slow, heavy, deliberate. My body went still. My heart paused for a second as the metal door groaned open.Martin.Ofcourse it's him. He didn’t look angry this time. His shoulders were slumped, his eyes… softer. Tired. Worn. Broken.He dragged a chair with a loud scrape across the dusty floor and sat in front of me. No mocking laughter. No bitter smirks. Just
Arya's POVI had no idea how long I had been submerged in the darkness again, but it felt heavier this time... like a curtain of grief had dropped around me. My breath came in shallow hitches as I sat motionless, too exhausted to even cry anymore. The ropes bit deeper into my wrists, now raw and sore, and every movement stung like a warning. I had lost all sense of time. There was no ticking clock, no chirping bird, no shifting sunlight. Only silence. Only the heavy sound of my own breathing and the pulsing fear inside my chest.I had almost drifted into that numb space again... where time and pain no longer mattered.... when I heard the door creak open.My body tensed involuntarily. Footsteps echoed across the warehouse, slow and deliberate, the sound bouncing off the hollow walls. My desperate heart leapt in my chest with hope... but that hope withered quickly when I saw his shoe appear again.Martin.The man who used to be just a background character in my life... now stood before
Lucas's POV. The car had barely halted to a stop as soon as I drove into the mansion before I quickly rushed down and practically ran into the house.... To my woman... My soon to be wife.The scent of fresh flowers lingered faintly... Arya's touch. She’d been so particular about the type of lilies she wanted placed in the hallway. White, with a tinge of blush.“Arya?” I called out casually, expecting her to pop out from the kitchen or maybe come down the stairs with that insanely beautiful smile that had become my new favorite sight. “I’m back, babydoll.”No response.Strange.I loosened the top buttons of my shirt, unbuckled my watch, and dropped my keys on the credenza. The silence in the house was unsettling. Not even the faint shuffle of her feet. Usually, she’d either be humming while preparing something, or laying in wait for me on the couch.“Arya?” I called again, this time louder, walking toward the kitchen. The lights were off, no sign of her. The living room? Empty. Her ph
Arya's POV.A loud hysterical laughter suddenly blurted through his mouth, echoing all over the room.I tried to strain my eyes to at least, get a little glance at his face since a considerable amount of light had filtered into the room, but being in the darkness for the past few hours seemed to have punctured my eye lens making it seem as though I was staring into space despite how I hard I tried.But then, why does the voice sound so familiar? I mean, the darkness hasn't affected my ears too right?I quickly squeezed my eyes shut, taking in a deep breath, and remained still for a few seconds before snapping my eyes back open.That seemed to work as I started to make out a few things in the room, I got to realize that it wasn't a room but rather a warehouse, it was extremely large and empty, except for the few trashes littered around.Suddenly, the huge figure slowly squatted before me, bringing his face closer to mine, and peered into my face.A sharp gasp fled my mouth as I finally
Arya's POV.The cold air clawed at my skin as I sat bound to the a chair, my body aching in ways I had never known before. My arms were twisted behind me, my wrists bound so tightly with thick, scratchy rope that every movement sent a sharp, searing pain through my limbs. My legs were tied to the chair’s legs, and the rope around my ankles had rubbed the skin raw, sending a dull, relentless ache through my bones.I had long since stopped trying to break free. The more I struggled, the tighter the restraints dug into my skin, and all it did was drain the last reserves of energy I had left. My body slumped forward slightly, weak and exhausted, my breaths shallow and uneven.How long had I been here?I wasn’t sure anymore. Time had melted into an agonizing blur. My mind was slipping between consciousness and unconsciousness, the hunger in my belly twisting into unbearable knots. My lips were dry, cracked from dehydration, and my throat burned from the countless times I had screamed for h
Arya’s POV.I quickly rushed into the bathroom, fixing a quick bath and rushed out, not even stopping for a second to see how I was dressed. I had more pressing issues at hand.The morning air was cool as I stepped out of the mansion, but for some reason, I felt uneasy.I hugged my coat tighter around myself, glancing toward the row of security guards stationed outside the gates. Their presence should have reassured me.But something felt… wrong.Brushing off the unsettling feeling, I slid into the backseat of the black SUV, sighing as Marcus, one of Lucas’s trusted drivers, started the engine."Kelly’s place?" he asked, adjusting the rearview mirror to meet my gaze.That has been like my default location ever since I came into this house, I had nowhere else to go anyway. I nodded, forcing a small smile. "Yes, please."The car rolled forward smoothly, but my stomach was in knots.I had barely eaten this morning, my nerves tangled in thoughts of the test."We need to take a test Arya
Arya's POV.I couldn’t stop staring at my ring.The way the diamond sparkled under the bedroom light was hypnotizing, like a tiny universe trapped inside the gemstone. My heart was still fluttering, the moment replaying in my mind over and over again... Lucas, sitting across from me at the dining table, smirking like he always did, teasing me endlessly before finally slipping this ring onto my finger. It felt unreal.I, Arya Richard, was engaged to Lucas Griffin.I traced my fingers over the ring, still in disbelief. Me? Engaged to the most powerful man I’d ever met? The thought made me giddy, and before I knew it, I was kicking my feet like a lovesick teenager.I need to call Kelly.How could I have held on to such spicy tea for too long?Grabbing my phone, I immediately dialed her number, barely able to contain my excitement as the call connected.The moment he answered. "my girl." His voice came on the phone."Kelly!!!!" I screamed before I could hold myself back. "Whatever is ma
Arya's POV.Lucas's lips kissed down my jaw to my neck and playfully bit me. I gasped and shivered in his arms, loving the sensation. He quickly grabbed my top and pulled it over my head, His head moved lower so his mouth could catch a nipple. I gasped as I felt his hot wet mouth fully on me, and I clutched him closer.My hands found the buttons on his shirt and tried to open it, but I was fumbling and it was so terribly frustrating that I was growling. He then half grunted and laughed and just tore off his shirt. Buttons snapped and went flying, but he didn't seem to care. My hands ran greedily up his chest, loving the feel of his muscles move underneath, then I gripped his shoulders so I could pull him down to me.He slowly picked me up, laying me on the dining table as he kissed me and fondled my boobs with one hand. His other hand rose higher and higher on my thigh, pushing my skirt up until it bunched at my hips. Fingertips slowly tugged down my panties until they were off and on
Arya’s POV.Lucas sat across from me in the dining table, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing his strong forearms. His tie was slightly loosened, and his ever present smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. His piercing eyes remained fixed on me, dark with something dangerous yet thrilling. I’d grown used to his intense gaze, but tonight, it held something different, something I couldn’t quite place.I was dealing with my own fair share of problems right now, I was caught in between deep thoughts and a trying to be physically present for dinner. Kelly and I have scheduled a date for a hospital test, after that then I could decide my faith.What if I truly was pregnant? How would I break the news to Lucas? What if he doesn't want to have kids now? What if he doesn't want something serious right now?How could I be so careless? What have I gotten myself into?"You've barely touched your food, sweetheart," Lucas murmured, his deep, velvety voice washing over me like silk. He t