Novels by Tres Hargreaves

CASSIE’s POV The master’s bedroom was enormous, beautiful, and completely trashed. Clothes on the floor. Papers scattered across every surface. Sheets half off the bed. Empty glasses on the nightstands. It looked like a storm had gone through it. Sebastian glanced at me. “Messy, I know. That’s why we hired you. Can you handle it?” I nodded right away. “Of course. My son makes bigger messes than this.” Something shifted in his expression. “What?” “What?” “You have a son?” “Yeah. He’s two years old.” “Oh.” He looked around the empty hallway like someone might be listening. “Are you married?” “No. I already broke up with his father.” “Oh.” That second “oh” sounded lighter. Almost like he was relieved. I frowned. “Is that a problem?” “No. Not at all.” He pointed toward a closet at the opposite side of the hallway. “Cleaning supplies are in there. If you need me, text. I’ll be in Duke’s office.” Then he left so fast it felt like he was running from something.

CASSIE’s POV I stared up at the tall gate looming in front of me. Huge black iron with thick vines crawling up the stone walls on either side. Right in the center sat a heavy crest with a single letter F. I paid the taxi driver and climbed out. The car backed away behind me until the sound of its engine faded. I was alone with the gate. Then a low buzz sounded. The iron gates creaked open on their own. Two men stood just inside. Same black suits. Same dark sunglasses. Both held long guns across their chests like soldiers ready for orders. I swallowed and cleared my throat. “Uh… is this the Freniere residence? I was told to come here by…” The name slipped out of my head the second I saw the weapons. “I think his name was Sebastian.” Neither man moved. Not even a shift of weight. “Hello?” I tried again, lifting my hand a little. “Hi.” I jumped and spun around. Sebastian stood a few feet behind me, hands in his pockets, looking amused. “Did I scare you?” “Where

CASSIE’s POV“Caleb’s been burning up again. He’s at the hospital right now. Can’t you just check up on him even for a sec?”“Cass, you know I can’t leave right now. It’s midnight already. My wife will get suspicious.”“Suspicious of what? You going to your son?” I shoved the last loaf into the display case harder than I needed to and stood up with the empty tray. The phone stayed clamped between my ear and shoulder. “Adrian, this is Caleb we’re talking about. You can’t provide for him, so this is the least you can do.”“The least I can do? And what about you? Why can’t you go and see him?”“I’m stuck at work, Adrian. At work.”“It’s midnight.”“Exactly. Because you can’t pay for any of his medical bills or medicine, I have to work two jobs and three shifts.” I dropped onto the stool behind the counter and pressed my fingers hard against my temples. The headache was already blooming, tight and familiar. “Adrian. Please.”He sighed on the other end. Soft. Tired. The same sigh he always

“We’ll get caught,” she whispered, breathless.Duke didn’t stop. He got wilder, as if the risk itself excited him. Her eyes almost rolled back. He was good. Too good. She couldn’t stop herself. Her nails dug into his back as he shoved deeper.“Ugh,” she groaned, hand shaking against the sink. “Fuck…”Duke’s eyes never left her face. He grabbed her ankle and pushed it higher, opening her wider.The marble edge of the sink bit into her hips with every thrust. Cold stone against flushed skin. The mirror above them fogged in uneven patches from their breath. Cassie’s reflection looked ruined already. Cheeks flushed dark, lipstick smeared, the thin straps of the black dress Duke had chosen for her hanging off one shoulder. The matching lace of the lingerie he had fastened on her earlier was shoved aside, useless now.He drove into her hard enough that the sound of skin meeting skin filled the small bathroom. Wet. Sharp. She felt every thick inch of him stretch her, fill her, drag against