ZadeI knew if I waited, things would go wrong, which is why I proposed to Izzy sooner than I had planned. Good job I did as if I hadn't. I was meant to be proposing right now, which isn't ideal.The room is buzzing with controlled chaos. Nurses move efficiently around us, murmuring instructions and checking monitors. Izzy lies in the hospital bed, her face flushed, hair damp with sweat, and hands clutching mine like a lifeline. Her grip is strong—stronger than I ever expected—but I welcome the pain. It’s grounding me, keeping me in the moment when I feel like I might lose my mind.“Zade, breathe,” Izzy groans, her voice strained as another contraction overtakes her. “You’re supposed to remind me to breathe, not forget how to do it yourself.”I snap out of my daze, nodding quickly. “Right. Breathe, Izzy. Deep breaths.” I mimic the motion, inhaling and exhaling like I’m teaching her something she hasn’t been doing perfectly for hours.She glares at me between breaths, sweat beading on
This room screams money, and it's not like I'm poor; I'm just not stupidly rich. Jake isn't yet. Sure, his dad is, but Jake was told until he proves himself, he won't get a penny. Sure, he gets money from his dad every month to live on and such.Yet, nothing else. Even though I know that his dad essentially paid for this ring I am wearing, Jake doesn't work, which means he no doubt had to ask his dad for money for the ring.It's looking like Jake might be getting his inheritance. News of this engagement has made his father see him in a whole new way—not just the engagement, but me, apparently. Dating me has made his son straighten his life out. I'm not sure how I helped. All I am doing is dating him.I didn't even know about his money until I met his dad, so it was a shock when Jake stopped at the house.They continued the conversation. His dad smiled at me and the ring. I'm still processing this. I mean, we've been dating for months, but dating and being engaged are two entirely diff
6 Months LaterSitting, I laugh. The slight feeling of being tipsy makes me happy."He's a grumpy nut!" Bex pushes me so hard that I almost fall off the stool."Maybe, but he's my grumpy nut!" I laugh and stand, and she pouts at me, sulking. "I'm going. I want to be with Jake when the new year begins. He wasn't feeling great." Hugging her, I walk home."Ruby, Ruby, Ruby!" I groan and stop at the door turning Ivy dances to me. "I'm glad you're here! I lost my keys."Laughing at her, I unlock the door. "You didn't lose them, Ivy. You never do. They are always inside where you left them." I walk in and go to the side, picking up the keys. I rattle them at her. "See."Laughing, she nods. Walking to the kitchen, I grab a drink and go upstairs, my head shaking at the fact she forgot her keys again. I had told her just before we left, get your keys. Laughing, I push the door open and freeze."Jake!" I stand shocked and sickened. He turns slightly and looks at me."Is this her?" The woman who
Today has gone quickly. Class has ended, and I'm determined to cross another item off the list. Parking the car, I walk to the shop. Standing outside, I look at the store. Sucking in a breath, I push the door open and walk in. I begin to look around.My hand trails over the leather lingerie. Picking up a set, I carry it with me as I continue to look through the lingerie and make my way towards the sex toys.I stop at them and glance around. Now what? My hand reaches out blindly and grabs three different ones. I've no idea what they are, but I'm not about to read the boxes in the shop. Walking towards the till to pay, I stop.My eyes see the items. I grab a pair of handcuffs and a flogger and continue to the till. I place the items down. I watch as she picks each item up and scans them all before I pay, and she hands me the bag.Getting into the car, I laugh. I did it. What the hell did I buy? I laugh, knowing that maybe I should have done research before. When I get home, I place the
The week has passed by quickly; I get lost in studying. I've signed up for dancing lessons, though. Two nights a week, I will do pole dancing, and another two nights a week, I will practice lap dances.I have to admit I had fun with Bex and Ivy that night once I let go of my fears. Pulling on the boots, I stand, and Bex walks in, her eyes widening."Why are you wearing hooker heels?" I laugh at her words. "I'm serious. Are you going out?""I'm doing pole dancing lessons. It's the first one tonight. I figured I would wear heels and learn while wearing them.""I'm coming!" she runs out of the room. I laugh, walk to her room, and watch her get ready. "I always wanted to learn, so I'm coming. Why pole dancing?" She turns and looks at me as she fastens her shoes."I have a slot in a few weeks dancing in a club." Her hands stop, and she looks at me. "Yes, I'm being serious." I laugh and watch her fasten her shoe."You're going to dance in a club?""Yes, I visited this week. It looked amazin
Stopping outside the house, I hit the button and waited; I slept in. So I had to get ready for tonight and wear the outfit under my dress."Yes?" I turn to the intercom. He will be working, but I know where the spare key is."Hi, Alaric, it's Ruby. If possible, I need to grab the things that I left here.""You don't need to ask." The intercom turns off, and the gates open. Driving in, I get out and walk up the steps. I stop noticing that the pot has moved. Turning, I see it.Leaning over, I lift it and look for the key; it's not here."Ahm." I stand and turn, Alaric is stating right where my ass was bent over."Sorry, I thought you would be at work. I was going to let myself in." Maybe I should have knocked first."No worries. Can I get you a drink?" He walks in, and I follow."Erm..." He's smiling at me, shit he doesn't know."Is everything okay?" He grabs a glass, and I nod. "Drink?"I nod at him, I thought Jake would have told him this was over? Now I feel more awkward than before,
"Ruby, come here." I look at him and shake my head. His hand grips mine, and he pulls me in front of him. He turns me so my back is against him. "What is this?" He taps the side, and I glance down.Shit, my list. I go to say I don't know when he speaks. "It fell out of your bag. You threw it down with that much force." He chuckles and waits."It was something to help me experience more, stop being a prude, and prove everyone wrong."He sighs and grabs a pen, placing it next to the paper. His hands grip the counter next to me. "Pick up the pen," he says, his breath washes over my neck. Reaching down, I get it."Cross off number eight.""W-what?""Cross of number eight. The list is a good idea, but number eight is a risk. Not only that, but you're not selling your body. You gain nothing from it.""I want to." It will help. It's different."No, you don't. Women dance there for money, and many are abused behind the scenes. If you want a list, fine, but make it safe. Cross it out."Nodding
We don't move or speak. I don't want to speak. I don't want to consider this too much. There's a chance if I do, or even if he does, we will stop and realise how crazy it is.His hands stroke down my sides, causing my body to quake. Stopping at my hips, he turns me before lifting me onto the kitchen side."Say no, Ruby." His eyes go from mine down my body. I push my legs wider."No...I don't want to walk away and stop this, Daddy." He groans and pushes me back until I'm laid down. His hands stroke up my legs, pushing them further apart.I expect him to grasp my hips. Instead, his hands continue their journey up my body while his head lowers and drops between my thighs. I feel his tongue stroke along my clit, his hands wrapping around my throat.My body vibrates with pleasure as his tongue moves slowly. His hands around my neck keep me against his mouth. He works slowly, gently, moving from my core back up to my clit, each time it causes my hips to raise.Slowly, his tongue begins to s
ZadeI knew if I waited, things would go wrong, which is why I proposed to Izzy sooner than I had planned. Good job I did as if I hadn't. I was meant to be proposing right now, which isn't ideal.The room is buzzing with controlled chaos. Nurses move efficiently around us, murmuring instructions and checking monitors. Izzy lies in the hospital bed, her face flushed, hair damp with sweat, and hands clutching mine like a lifeline. Her grip is strong—stronger than I ever expected—but I welcome the pain. It’s grounding me, keeping me in the moment when I feel like I might lose my mind.“Zade, breathe,” Izzy groans, her voice strained as another contraction overtakes her. “You’re supposed to remind me to breathe, not forget how to do it yourself.”I snap out of my daze, nodding quickly. “Right. Breathe, Izzy. Deep breaths.” I mimic the motion, inhaling and exhaling like I’m teaching her something she hasn’t been doing perfectly for hours.She glares at me between breaths, sweat beading on
IzzyI can’t help but smile at Zade as he drives, his hands steady on the wheel, his profile glowing in the soft morning light. Time has slipped by so quickly. It feels like only yesterday we were grappling with fears and uncertainty, and now here we are. Zade has been by my side so much more than I ever expected. He still works, but not nearly as much as he did before. Somehow, he’s found a balance, and it’s brought us closer in ways I didn’t think possible.While he’s working, I spend most of my time at home with Sammi and baby Emmerson. It’s been heartwarming to watch Sammi and Grayson navigate parenthood together, their bond strengthening with every passing day. Watching their joy gives me hope—hope that Zade and I can have something just as beautiful with our baby.Zade has been going to counseling regularly, and I see pieces of the real him emerging more and more each week. The man beneath the armor he built to survive, to lead the mafia, to bury his pain—that man is someone ext
Zade POVI lose myself in her, time slipping away as I drink her in, the salty-sweet flavor of her flooding my senses. She collapses into the bed eventually, her body limp, a satisfied sigh escaping her lips. Even now, her walls quiver, her body still coming down as I lick the last remnants of her release.When I finally pull away, I move up her body and kiss her with a desperate need, our lips crashing together in a possessive claim. I’m hard again, painfully so, but there’s no rush. Tonight, there’s no clock ticking down, no interruptions, just us.“Alright,” I say, standing to strip the last of my clothes, my eyes devouring her sprawled form. “Let’s keep going.”She whimpers, weak from the relentless pleasure, and reaches for me, her hands trembling as they find my shoulders. “Zade,” she murmurs, but I’m nowhere near done.Izzy tastes like heaven, pure and raw, a flavor I never want to forget. My lips return to her swollen clit, teasing and tormenting her again. Her body jerks as s
ZadeAs I help Izzy into my car, her radiant smile reminds me just how much I’ve been neglecting her. I’ve been so consumed with making sure Grayson is home with Sammi and the baby that I’ve failed the one person who needed me most—her. The guilt eats at me as I start the engine, and I steal glances at her, soaking in her beauty, her strength, her unwavering patience with me.She pulls something from her bag and holds it out to me—a scan image. My heart twists as I take it, running my fingers over the black-and-white lines that outline our baby.“I’m sorry I missed it,” I whisper, the weight of regret heavy in my voice.Her smile is soft, understanding. “It’s fine. You were working and making sure Grayson was home for Sammi and the baby.” Her words are kind, but they cut deep. Missing this moment wasn’t fine, and I can’t let it happen again.When we arrive, I park and immediately step out, going to her side and lifting her into my arms. She laughs lightly, her arms wrapping around my
Izzy POVHis dark eyes burn into mine, a mixture of frustration and desire. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Izzy,” he murmurs, his voice low and hoarse.I lean in, letting my breath ghost over his lips. “Good. I want to play, Zade. And this time, I make the rules.”“You want to fuck me?” His voice is low, teasing, as his dark eyes bore into mine, a smirk playing on his lips. The sight of him, restrained and vulnerable yet brimming with raw power, ignites something primal in me. I chuckle softly, leaning in to capture his lips, grinding against him as I feel him stir beneath me.“Oh, you have no idea how much I want to fuck you,” I murmur against his lips, my voice husky with desire. Pulling back, I let a wicked smile curl on my lips. “You’re all mine now,” I whisper, my words dripping with dominance. Slowly, deliberately, I sink to my knees in front of him, maintaining eye contact as my hands glide over his thighs.His breath hitches when I reach up, my fingers wrapping around his s
IzzyIt’s been two months since we came back, and while Zade and I have grown closer, some days feel like we’re barely keeping our heads above water. The distance that came with my pregnancy has dissolved, and his promise to fuck me every day? He’s kept it. But most of the time, it’s rushed, like an obligation rather than passion.I understand why—he’s juggling too much. He practically ordered Grayson to stay home for a couple of months after Sammi had the baby, leaving him to hold everything together. Sure, his brothers are around to help, but Zade hardly leans on them. It’s as if he’s still carrying the weight of raising them, of being their protector, even now.Today was supposed to be different. It was the scan, the moment I’ve been excited about for weeks. But, at the last minute, he got a call—something urgent, something he couldn’t ignore—and I found myself in the clinic with my mum instead of him. All I got from Zade was a quick message asking how it went. No follow-up, no exc
Izzy POVThe moment Zade walks in, the tension between us hangs in the air like a storm waiting to break. We talk briefly, my voice trembling as I tell him the words that have been weighing on my heart: “I’m keeping the baby.” Relief flickers across his face, but it’s not pure joy—it’s layered with fear, uncertainty, and something I can’t quite place. He doesn’t say much after that, just pulls me into his arms, holding me close. I melt into him, exhaustion taking over as I fall asleep wrapped in his warmth.When I wake, the space beside me is empty, and the bed feels colder without him. Slowly, I sit up, rubbing my eyes. My gaze falls on Zade, seated at the foot of the bed, his back turned to me. His shoulders are tense, and his head is bowed slightly, as if the weight of the world is pressing down on him.I hesitate, unsure of what to say or how to bridge the chasm that feels like it’s grown between us. Things had been going so well before all this, and now? Now it feels like we’ve b
IzzyThe moment Grayson wraps his arms around me, I feel the weight of everything pressing down on me like a storm. For the first time in hours, there’s a flicker of safety, but it’s fragile, like glass teetering on the edge of shattering. Zade’s words still echo in my mind—angry, hurt, raw—and even though I know deep down he would never hurt me, in that moment, he didn’t feel like the man I fell in love with. He felt like someone else entirely, someone I didn’t know.The sound of the door closing behind me sends a chill through my spine. Zade has left. I should stop him, run after him, beg him to stay, but I can’t. My legs feel like lead, and my heart is a hurricane of guilt and confusion.“What’s happened?” Grayson’s voice cuts through the silence, low but laced with tension. His arms tighten around me, and for a moment, I let myself break. The tears come in uncontrollable waves, and I bury my face into his chest as though I can hide from my own mistakes.“I’m pregnant, Gray,” I cho
Zade POVEvery time I close my eyes, I see her face—tear-streaked and filled with anguish. Then the memories hit, unbidden and relentless. Blood. The screams. The bodies. My parents, mangled and lifeless. Her—my ex, so pregnant, so full of life, and then... gone. The flashbacks swallow me whole, dragging me under. My breathing becomes shallow, erratic, and I grip the edge of the table to ground myself, my knuckles white.“Zade,” a voice cuts through the storm in my mind, anchoring me back to reality. I look up to see Grayson sitting across from me, his face a mixture of concern and frustration.I can’t even muster the energy to speak. I just stare at him, then down at the untouched glass of whiskey in front of me.“Did you drink it?” he asks, his tone sharp but not unkind.I shake my head. “No. But I wanted to. God, I wanted to.”Grayson exhales, leaning back in his chair. “At least you didn’t. That’s something.” He watches me closely, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re drowning, Za