I listen to the ringing, waiting for Max to answer. I can't make anything worse. Everything is already blowing up."Hello, Ruby." His voice comes through, and I'm shocked by his welcome. How would he know it was me? "What can I do for you?" He sounds so smug.My mind fights to find something to ask, but there are no words coming to me. I hear him laugh, and I begin to feel annoyed."Why are you helping Beatrix?" I will start with that, and then I can maybe help Alaric."She is helping me, Ruby.""Helping you what?" Why would Beatrix help him?"You know that video made me look weak. Even now, people still fucking talk about it. There was no way I would let you walk after that." I laugh at his words."Why Beatrix Max?" I don't get why her."Why not? She found me after seeing the video. She needed something I had, and I needed her to make a call for me." He explains, and I hear someone in the background. He laughs lightly. "I need to go. You're not getting answers about the plan, Ruby. Y
When I wake, I'm alone in bed. Glancing around, I grab my phone and see the time. It's nearly nine. Opening the message from Alaric, I smile.Be good today, baby girl; I'll be home this evening and see you then. A xHitting reply, I type out a message.I will try, but I may get bored here all alone and go play in your hidden room. xI imagine his face when he reads the message and I laugh; getting ready, I walk down and see Ivy and Bex."You're still here?" I thought they would have left."Of course, we're still here; we will leave later. Right now, we need to know about you and Alaric." Bex says, and I look at her, confused. "Oh, come on. You moved your stuff in Ruby." Bex explains, and I laugh."I didn't move my things in," I reply. She knows I didn't because it was literally one bag of items."Technically, you did. I thought this was just fun." Ivy says, and I nod at her."I thought it was just fun, but things changed." My words are quiet, and I shrug."You love him." Bex teases, a
I'm fed up with serious talk. I'm done with the stress. I have had enough of the crap that keeps building. Standing, I decide to taunt Alaric.He must sense it as he shakes his head. "Baby girl, I will not touch you until you eat." His words clearly state a fact. I glance from him to my plate.I feel like crap, so eating won't help. Then what? Will I even feel well enough for him to fuck me after? Sighing, I sit down, eat and fight off the sickness that builds with each bite.After finishing, I put down the folk. "Now you can't say no, Daddy," I smirk at him."You're wrong there, baby girl; I can." His words tease, and my eyes widen in disbelief. "I won't but give yourself at least some time before fucking me. Let me sort the dishes." Leaning over the table, he kisses my cheek.Well, he agreed to fuck me. Standing, I begin to help with the dishes, which means he touches me quickly. At least, that is what I think anyway. Weirdly, I've missed him, or at least I feel like I have.He's be
A loud siren wakes me, and before I can process anything, Alaric has already pulled me from the bed. My mind fights to wake up fully, and he pulls me towards the door that leaves the bedroom."Alaric, I'm naked!" What the fuck. He releases me and grabs a robe before wrapping it around my body, just to go back to dragging me out of the room. "What is that noise?" I feel him pulling me down, and Jake rushes past. Why did I need dragging out of the room?"It's the fire alarm. You need to get outside." My eyes roll. It's likely a glitch as I think that we reach the bottom of the stairs and I smell burning. So something is on fire?He pulls me out and sits me on a bench. I want to help, but I have a feeling if I try to step foot inside again, he will shout at me. The sound of sirens has me turn, and I see the gate opening, and the fire trucks pulling in.Is this really happening? I hear the garage shutter open and see smoke. Standing, I walk towards it and see Jake trying to put out the fi
The sound of Alaric wakes me. I see him sitting on the bottom of the bed when I open my eyes. "Good morning, baby girl," he says, holding out a cup. I sit up and take the coffee from him."What is the plan now, Sir?" We need to find out who it was, although something tells me it was Max or Beatrix."The plan is, you drink that and pee on this." He places down a test, and my eyes roll. "Don't, baby girl; you say it's stress, fine, but let's be sure.""I can't see this one saying pregnant when the last said I wasn't." It's a waste of money."Just take it for me, please, baby girl." He asks, and I nod."Fine, but I meant with the fire and everything." That is what I wanted to know the plan for."It was my fault. I hadn't put the alarm on; when I came home, I left the garage door unlocked, which is how whoever it was got in so easily." He shrugs slightly like it's nothing.I moved onto his lap. "So what is happening, Sir?" He still hadn't told me."All the cars were moved out this morning
I'm looking at the building, and Alaric is watching me. After I managed to drink the smoothie, I planned to relax. Apparently, Alaric had other ideas, and instead, I found myself in the doctors.Now, though, I have tablets to take—ones that will hopefully prevent me from getting sick. They might not stop the nausea, but I won't be sick. That is what the doctor said anyway.After the doctor, he took me to get a dress for the evening as if to test my mental state and prove a point. His expression was constantly amused at the awkwardness that radiated from within me while I tried to put away my issues about his money.Then, on the way out, he said well done, like I passed a damn test."You know you won't know for sure if the tablets are working if we don't go in, baby girl. I'm sure Lucas and Bex will be waiting." His hand reaches for mine, and I nod.Getting out, we walk in, and the hostess guides us to the table where Bex and Lucas are. The place is lavish. It's as if he thought of the
Bex smiles across at me, and I can see she is happy.I didn't ask her about his daughter, though. Is she okay with that? I've no idea if she is happy to be in a relationship where she is possibly going to have to spend time with a child.Have they spoken about it? Bex is wild. She swears and threatens to kill people a lot."You're staring. Just ask." Alaric looks at me, and I realise I was staring at Lucas."Sorry, I just wondered if you two had spoken about your daughter and considered it? Are you happy letting Bex be around your daughter?"Laughing, he nods. "Who wouldn't want her to be? I can just imagine her at the school gates threatening to kill someone for my daughter." He chuckles, and we all laugh."I wouldn't threaten a child, maybe the parent for not raising them right, but not the child. I'm not that bad." Bex groans, and we continue to laugh."We have spoken, and she won't meet my daughter for a few months, not until I'm sure this isn't just something quick that will be
I awake to find myself alone. Alaric is already at work, and his absence is palpable. His decision to skip work yesterday still lingers in my mind, a subtle indication that something might be amiss.Sure, someone set fire to the cars, but he had always been in and out when it came to work. Yesterday, he barely even peered at his phone to check on work.I quickly shower and prepare for the day, making my way downstairs.Grabbing the bottle from my bag, I take a tablet and consider breakfast options. Thankfully, the medication seems to have quelled the worst of my morning sickness. I didn’t experience any discomfort during our dinner last night, which is a welcome relief.As I start cooking, I hear footsteps approaching. I turn to find Jake entering the room. He smiles at me before sitting down.“Care for some breakfast?” I offer, knowing he’s unable to fend for himself.He chuckles and takes a seat. “Sure, thanks, Ruby. You look different today.”His comment catches me off guard, and I
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