His hand lingers on my leg."Alaric.""Hmm?"I turn and look at him. "We need to talk; why am I still here?" I should have left, and he shouldn't have wanted me here."Do you not want to be here?" His body pushes against mine."People are going to think that..."His hand covers my mouth. "Turn, read clause 7a. Out loud." Turning, I flip through and find it."7A, the submissive understands that the view and opinion of those outside their dynamic make no difference and hold no power. Therefore, it shouldn't even be considered by the submissive or impact their actions."Oh, I must have missed that one. I laugh slightly."Still, you're Jake's dad. He cheated, this going to be seen as revenge." Turning back to face him, I smile."And if what we did isn't revenge, what is it?" He looks at me.It's not revenge, but. God, I don't know. "Something that I want, somehow, I feel things and feel ways I never have before when I'm with you. It makes me forget about the fact it's forbidden. It makes
Alaric has been gone a lot. Jake has been attached to the controller, which I'm grateful for. It keeps him off my back and prevents him from acting like a doting boyfriend.His phone rings, and he glances at it briefly before ignoring it; I continue to read my book and hear it again. Groaning, he pushes the phone towards me."Answer."Glancing, I see the name."It's your dad, Jake.""Right, so answer." Sighing, I hit the button and held it to my ear."Hi Alaric, Jake is busy.""Well, tell him to get off it. I have guests coming, and I'm not having him lying around like a damn slob." The phone cuts off."You need to get off that. Apparently, he has guests coming." I'm not sure which guests. He sighs and turns it off."It's fine, I had plans anyway." He walks off upstairs. What plans? I sit waiting, and half an hour later, he walks back down, looking ready to go out."What's happening?"He shrugs and grabs his jacket. "Like I know, but I have plans.""Jake, you're really going to out an
I shouldn't be here. I go to leave and Alaric walks through, he smiles at me."She's not a maid." A guy looks from Alaric to me. "You also don't hire servers and such, so who is she?" They all look towards me with interest.Alaric chuckles. "She's going to give me insight into the business from an outsider's perspective. She can tell me how she felt before and after she walked into the place."I don't even know what his business is. What the hell?"So you found her at the business and kidnapped her for feedback?" The guy laughs."Ignore him." A woman hits the guy slightly. "I'm Jasmine. It's nice to meet you." She smiles at me."This is Ruby." Alaric pulls me in and hands me a drink. I sit but don't speak."So, what are your first impressions?" Jasmine smiles at me. I don't even know what his business is.Alaric leans into my ear. Oh, now he's going to tell me. I almost laugh until I hear his words: "Boudoir Bunny." My body stills. That's why he said, kind of, when I asked if he worke
Reaching into the bag, I take out the list. "You said to cross it off. It wasn't safe, especially with a stranger." I point at the number. "Do you count as a stranger?" I bite my lip."What we have done so far is nothing. I won't do that with anyone until I get to know them and learn their limitations."He's refusing? "I'm not asking for the extreme Alaric, maybe just to be tied down and spanked." Leaning closer, I smile, "and fucked."Standing, he smiles. "Follow me." I nod and follow him to the guest room. I watch as he does something, and a bookcase moves. Stepping in, he waits for me.As I walk through, I watch as he closes it behind us. I see a door open inside an office. Turning, I look at him confused."Anything to do with those adult businesses is in this office. Jake has no idea about these rooms. Even now, I wouldn't want him to find any of the paperwork about those businesses." All I do is nod and follow him, watching as he scans his hand. A door unlocks, and he pushes it o
I follow him silently. "I have a question, Ruby." I nod at him, waiting for him to ask it. "From what I've heard, you never let Jake touch you when there was even the smallest amount of risk of someone seeing and knowing.""I'm not sure what the question is." That wasn't a question, more of a statement. We stop when we hear noise from the kitchen. His hand pushes me behind him. I watch as he unlocks a unit and takes out a gun."Why do you have a gun?"He points around us. "I've got money. It makes me a target. There's one in most rooms. Stay behind me." We step forward and hear something smash.Then Jake's voice, Alaric, seems to relax slightly until we hear a woman laughing."Quiet before you wake them." Jake laughs, and I hear her moan. Alaric moves forward, and my hand grips his arm."Don't.""That is damn disrespectful! He brought you here."I nod and smile. "I don't care, Alaric. We're not together. He can do who he wishes when he wants to." His eyes glance towards the kitchen. "
Nodding, I agree, and I know what it is: "We were at a party at the start. We had only been dating for about two weeks. We were in one of the rooms alone. I just remember the door opening and a guy walking in. I was facing the door. I tried to move, to cover myself, but Jake kept hold of me and kept going, telling the guy to get out." Maybe that was what caused the issue.The fact I couldn't just grab a sheet or something to cover myself, and Jake didn't seem to care that the guy was standing looking at me while he fucked me.Alaric sits staring at me. Now I realise that is the issue. I had no issue with going into that room with Jake and no issue with him fucking me while people were drinking around the house. After that, I did."I'm sorry. I'm still trying to understand that. Why wouldn't you just get dressed and walk out?"Shrugging, I laugh. "I wasn't thinking straight; I was highly drunk, and once the guy had left, I felt fine.""You didn't; the alcohol masked it." He's right, bu
The room is once again is silent, and I'm not sure what to say now. Alaric looks at me, and he sighs. His look says that this ends now. I don't blame him; I'm his son's ex-fiance; it's messed up."Ensure that you have everything, Ruby." He points around the room. That way, there is no reason for you to return once you leave," he says, and somehow, the words hurt. I wanted a reason to come back, even just once.He's right. I should ensure I get everything and take it with me. Yet, leaving something will give me a reason to come back, which I shouldn't do.Moving, I straddle him."Ruby, what are you doing?" He's staring at me."When I leave tomorrow, this ends, right?" I know it does, I don't want for his confirmation. "So let me have tonight, now." Leaning forward, I kiss him.His hand moves up and tangles in my hair. My hands move down and unfasten his shirt, and he releases my hair and helps me undress us both.With our clothes thrown to the floor, his body moves, rolling us over unt
A knocking wakes me, my mind trying to ignore it."Ruby! I need my fucking clothes." My body moves, and I see Alaric sitting up."Shit, I fell asleep." He moves and grabs his clothes."Alaric, he's right outside the room!" My words are whisper-shouted."Ruby! Open the fucking door." The bang makes me jump. As I rush to get dressed, Alaric looks around the room."Get behind the door." Alaric pushes me over, and I stand confused."Alaric." What is he doing?"I can't hide, you're smaller.""And where am I then?" He can't open the door and be in here."You're in my room. You were reluctant to go to bed because Jake would join you, so I gave you my room, and I slept in here."Oh, that could actually work.I watch him move the door and unlock the door. Opening it, he stands, blocking me."Dad?" Jake's voice shakes."Ruby is in my room. She wasn't willing to sleep in here in case you climbed into bed with her again," Alaric says, and I hear Jake laugh."She's overdramatic." I hear his bathro
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