Novel-novel oleh aleey

I changed into my fifth outfit of the evening, staring at myself in the mirror with frustration tightening my chest. Dresses, skirts, jeans, blouses—everything either felt too much or not enough. I didn’t know why I cared so much. This wasn’t a date. This was Xavier. My husband. The man who wore his indifference like armor and barely spared me more than a few clipped words.And yet, there was this foreign warmth in my chest. A restlessness that made my palms sweat and my heartbeat race. It didn’t feel like dread. It didn’t feel like hatred. It felt… like home.I hated it.Finally, I settled on a soft cream dress, simple but delicate. My hair fell loose, brushing against my collarbone. My hands wouldn’t stop fidgeting, and I hated myself for waiting—like some lovesick fool—for the sound of his footsteps.And then he came.Xavier Russell walked into my room like he owned the air itself, his expression carved from stone. His white shirt clung to his shoulders, the sleeves rolled up, vein

[Xavier's POV]Her body writhed under my mouth, every sound she made burning me alive. She was so close—too close. I could feel it in the way her thighs trembled, in the way her fingers tugged my hair like I was her lifeline.And then I stopped.Her gasp was sharp, her pout instant. “Why…?” Her voice cracked, half-cry, half-demand.I kissed the inside of her thigh instead, rolling my sleeves down with a curse under my breath. “Because you’re drunk, Laila. And tomorrow, you’ll hate both of us if I don’t stop tonight.”Before she could argue, I scooped her up into my arms bridal-style. Her head fell against my chest, her body already heavy with exhaustion. She mumbled my name, soft, needy, and it carved straight through my chest.“Sleep,” I whispered, carrying her through the halls.The maid hurried to open her door. I gave her a single look. “Change her into something comfortable. Make sure she rests.”The girl nodded quickly, and I laid Laila gently on her bed before leaving. My fists

[Xavier]Her kiss hit me like fire.Warm. Messy. Desperate. Mine.For a second, I froze. I’d built walls, chains, rules. But the taste of her broke all of them.I kissed her back. Hard. Deep. My hand cupped her jaw, pulling her closer until her body melted into mine. She sighed against my lips, tasting like whiskey and sweetness, and suddenly nothing else in the world mattered.Laila pulled away, breathless, eyes glassy but blazing. “See? You do look at me,” she whispered.Before I could reply, she swung a leg over and settled on my lap. My pulse slammed. Her gown rode up, the heat of her pressing against me, ripping apart my control.“Laila,” I warned, my voice low. “We shouldn’t do this. You’re drunk.”She didn’t care. Her hands slid into my hair, her mouth hot against my neck as she ground her hips against me. A soft sound left her throat—needy, wrecking me.“Christ.” My grip on her waist tightened. The poison burning in my blood made restraint feel impossible.Then she shifted aga

(Xavier’s POV)The crowd parted for me without a word. They always did. Power had a way of making space for itself, and I wore mine like a second skin. But as I closed the distance, my focus wasn’t on the investors, the cameras, or the whispers trailing behind me.It was on her.Laila.Head tipped against Adrian’s shoulder, drowning in his jacket. My cousin’s jacket. Her skin flushed, her movements slack, her perfume—wild and sweet—muddied with the sharp sting of whiskey.And Adrian… standing there like she belonged to him.A muscle ticked in my jaw as I shrugged off my tuxedo jacket. The weight of it slid down my arms, but the pressure in my chest only grew heavier.I didn’t stop until I stood in front of him. He didn’t move. Didn’t even look ashamed. His eyes locked with mine like a challenge.My voice was calm, but the edge was razor-sharp. “She doesn’t need your jacket.”I slipped it from her shoulders, slow, deliberate. My fingers brushed silk and skin—her skin—warm and tremblin

Chapter FiveThe Russell estate was alive with light. Chandeliers spilled gold across marble floors, crystal glasses chimed, and the murmur of wealth hummed in every corner. It was the kind of gathering where every smile was rehearsed, every laugh calculated, and every person carried daggers in their pockets, hidden behind designer gowns and tailored suits.Xavier walked beside me, tall and sharp in a black tuxedo that looked as though it had been stitched to his frame. He wore no bow tie, only the open confidence of a man who didn’t need one. His presence was magnetic, the crowd parting for him like waves before the shore.And then there was me.Julia had worked her magic. My body was draped in a dark navy satin gown, the off-shoulder cut exposing the curve of my collarbone, the backless design brushing whispers against my skin. The fabric clung to me like water, catching the light each time I moved. My reflection in the mirrored walls barely looked like me—too polished, too flawless

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the ceiling—high, white, unfamiliar. The sheets beneath me were soft, expensive, scented faintly of cedar and linen. For a fleeting moment, I forgot where I was. And then my gaze shifted.He was there.Xavier Russell.Lying beside me, his arm resting lazily against the pillow, his face calm, unreadable. His side of the bed looked untouched, as if he had been there only to watch me, not to sleep.A shiver slid down my spine. This wasn’t my room. It was his. His world. His rules. I didn’t belong here—and yet I was bound to it by vows spoken in panic and duty.“You’re awake.” Xavier’s voice was smooth, deep, but edged with his familiar, icy detachment. He rose with effortless grace, pulling on his jacket. “There’s someone here to see you.”My throat tightened. “Who?”He didn’t answer. His dark eyes brushed mine for a fraction of a second before he stepped out.My pulse quickened, my mind racing through possibilities. My parents? My sister?

The night air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of autumn leaves as Savannah and Cassian strolled side by side. The streets were quiet, illuminated by flickering streetlights that cast long shadows on the pavement. It had been an unexpectedly peaceful evening—just the two of them, sharing ice cream, laughing at stupid things, and for a moment, it felt like the chaos of the past few days didn’t exist. Savannah turned to look at Cassian. He was gazing ahead, his jaw clenched as if lost in thought. The dim glow from the lights traced the sharp angles of his face, making him look almost… vulnerable. "Hey," she said softly, nudging his arm. "You good?" He exhaled, stopping in his tracks. She stopped too, facing him. Cassian ran a hand through his hair, looking at her as if debating something. Then, without warning, he took a step closer. "I was a dick earlier," he said. "Back at my place." Savannah blinked. "Uh… yeah. No argument there." A ghost of a smirk flickered on h

Steam curled in soft tendrils around Savannah as she stepped out of the shower, the warmth of the water still clinging to her skin. She wrapped herself in a towel, rubbing another against her damp hair as she padded toward her dresser. But something on her desk caught her eye. A plate of sandwiches and a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Her lips twitched upwards despite herself. She knew who had left it. David. A bitter pang settled in her chest. David. The brother who had once been her best friend, her protector, her partner in crime. Back when things were simple—before their eldest brother’s accident, before grief swallowed their family whole. That night had shattered more than just a car; it had broken them. David had changed. He became distant, cold. And now? Now he was just another reminder of how nothing in her life stayed the same. She shook her head, pushing the memories away. Grabbing her phone, she unlocked it, needing a distraction. But the moment the screen lit u

Cassian leaned against the headboard, watching Savannah with an unreadable expression. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, like an unspoken truth neither was ready to confront. He let out a slow breath before he finally spoke, his voice softer than she had ever heard before. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’m so sorry I left you there.” Savannah’s fingers tensed around the hem of the oversized shirt she had borrowed from him to sleep in. She kept her gaze trained on the floor, her emotions warring inside her. “I promise that won’t happen again.” She exhaled, closing her eyes for a moment before shaking her head. “Why do you care so much?” Cassian’s jaw tightened. He swallowed as if debating something, but instead of answering, he whispered, “Don’t ask me anything. Please.” A lump formed in Savannah’s throat. His reluctance made her heart clench. “Cassian, this is all a game to you, right?” His brows furrowed. “What game?” Savannah hesitated, then shook h

A soft warmth surrounded Savannah as she stirred awake, her body sinking into something firm yet comforting. Blinking slowly, her vision adjusted to the dim morning light filtering through the large windows, casting golden streaks across the room. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized where she was—wrapped securely in Cassian’s arms, his strong, steady breaths fanning against her temple. He was holding her like she belonged there, his face relaxed, almost boyish in sleep. The sharp edges of his usual cocky smirk had softened, replaced by an innocence she had never seen before. His lips, slightly parted, formed the faintest pout, making him look… vulnerable. Safe. Savannah felt an unfamiliar warmth bloom in her chest. Without thinking, she lifted a tentative hand and traced the outline of his lips with her fingertips, barely grazing them. They were soft, impossibly so. "How soft they are…" she mused, her own lips tingling at the mere thought. “Like what you see, Rivers?”

Cassian's phone buzzed on the nightstand, the sound cutting through the silence of his dimly lit room. His jaw clenched as he reached for it, his muscles still taut from the events of the night. His eyes scanned the message, and his entire body stiffened. "Saw you tonight walking with that perfect river girl. So you're actually taking this bet seriously, good to know." The words burned into his mind like a brand. His grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles turning white. A sharp exhale escaped his lips, a mix of anger and frustration. Without a second thought, he grabbed his leather jacket and stormed out of the house. The night air was cold, biting against his skin, but he barely noticed. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—anger at himself, at them, at the situation. The streets blurred together as he made his way to the bar, his strides purposeful and laced with fury. The bar was alive with noise, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. A group of people sat in the corner

The tension in the air was suffocating as Cassian’s voice cut through the hallway like a blade. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he growled, his voice low but filled with an edge that made the hairs on the back of Savannah’s neck stand up. Derek turned, his hand still gripping Savannah’s wrist tightly, his expression dark and wild. “This doesn’t concern you, Black,” he sneered. “She’s my girlfriend. Stay out of it.” Cassian’s eyes flickered to Savannah’s face, pale and tear-streaked, and then down to her wrist, red and raw from Derek’s bruising grip. Something inside him snapped. His jaw clenched, and his hands curled into fists at his sides. “She’s not your anything,” Cassian bit out, his voice cold and dangerous. Before Derek could react, Cassian closed the distance between them, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him away from Savannah. “And if you ever touch her again, you’ll regret it.” “Let go of me, you bastard!” Derek spat, struggling against Cassian’s h