MasukELENAThe living room of my parents' house felt smaller than I remembered. The plastic covers were still on the lampshades, and the moving boxes were stacked three high against the wall. The air smelled of damp cardboard and stale tea.My mother sat on the edge of the chair, her hands clamped tightly over her purse. My father stood near the window, his back to us, his arms crossed over his chest. Neither of them had looked at me since Dominic opened the front door.Dominic sat in the armchair opposite my mother. He looked completely out of place among the cheap furniture, his dark gray suit pristine, his posture perfectly straight. I stood a few feet behind his chair, my hands clasped in front of my jeans."I came to say goodbye, and I came to apologize. I know the trouble I caused with the contract. I know my running away made things difficult with the moving timeline."My mother did not look up. She adjusted her grip on her purse."You chose to run, Elena. You chose to put this fami
ELENAThe rich, comforting aroma of melting butter, and coffee woke me from a deep sleep.I opened my eyes slowly, squinting against the bright morning sun pouring through the massive floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the penthouse.I sat up, pulling the thick duvet up to my chest. Dominic was standing across the room by the small kitchen counter near the bedroom seating area. He looked completely different from the way he had last night. He wasn't wearing his formal charcoal suit jacket or his silk tie. His crisp white dress shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and the sleeves were rolled tightly up to his elbows, revealing the dark, intricate ink of his tattoos spreading across his thick forearms.He noticed me shifting against the pillows and picked up a heavy silver tray from the counter. He walked over to the bed with slow, steady strides and set it gently across my lap."Good morning Elena. I made breakfast," he said.I looked down at the breakfast. There was a porcelain plate f
ELENA"I am incapable of it," he said.His voice did not have any emotion. It was flat and he was certain.I did not flinch. I wasn't surprised by his words. I knew exactly who Dominic was.He was an iron wall. Expecting him to love me was like expecting the marble under my feet to turn soft. I did not want to be fooled by his short moment of softness anymore. I did not want to play his game of emotional catch."I know," I said. My voice was quiet. It did not shake.Dominic adjusted his cuffs. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched me. He was waiting for a breakdown. He was waiting for me to scream at him or beg him to change his mind."You aren't going to argue?" Dominic asked."No," I said. I took a slow breath."I am not surprised, Dominic. But you asked me why I went back to Sebastian. You wanted to know why I didn't just leave the city when you ended our relationship. You wanted to know why I didn't take your money and disappear."Dominic did not answer. He stood perfectly stil
DOMINICThe doors of the penthouse clicked shut behind us, sealing out the rest of the world, Elena didn't move from the center of the foyer.She stood exactly where she had landed when I pushed her inside, her small c bag slumped by her bare feet. Her oversized sweater was stretched out at the collar, slipping off one pale shoulder.I stood a few feet away, taking my time as I unbuttoned my coat. My neck still stung fiercely where Sebastian’s fingernails had torn into my skin during the struggle.I had spent my entire life using force. It was the only language I genuinely understood, the only tool that had ever guaranteed my survival in a world built on blood and contracts.When someone tried to take what belonged to me, I didn't negotiate; I broke them until they let go. But looking at her right now, completely drained of the fierce, stubborn fire that usually defined her, the truth settled heavily in my throat.I hadn't just reclaimed my property. I had treated her like an enemy.
DOMINICSebastian was screaming as the two men held his arms behind his back. I stood by the wall, coughing. My hand gripped my throat. My neck burned where his fingers had dug into my skin."Hold him," I said. My voice was raspy.I adjusted the collar of my coat. I looked down at my son. His chest was heaving. His face was twisted in hatred.Diane had poisoned his mind. She spent years planting lies until he looked at his own father like a monster. I had built an empire for him. I would give him any woman, any amount of money, if he would take his place beside me. I loved him. He was my blood. He was my only son.But not Elena."I'll kill you, Dominic! I swear to God I'll kill you!" Sebastian choked out. His face was pressed against the floor as Viktor kept a heavy boot on his back."Shut your mouth, Sebastian, I love you. You are my son. I would do anything for you, but you are not keeping this one… she’s mine."I turned away from him. I looked at Elena and grabbed her upper arm. I
ELENASebastian set the mugs down on the nightstand."Who was that? What happened?""Sophie, she knows. Sebastian, she heard your voice. She knows I’m here." I muttered beneath my breath, sighing aloud"She heard me?" he whispered, his voice dropping into a whisper, he looked guilty and I didn’t want that for him.He slid back onto the mattress, his long legs tangling with mine under the heavy covers. He pulled me against his chest his arms wrapping around my shoulders so tight it hurt my bruised collarbone. He buried his face in my neck, his lips pressing against my skin, his hot breath making my body shiver."Let them all think whatever they want. I don't care about the university. I don't care about your parents' disgust. I only care about you. We're not doing anything wrong, Elena. I love you. I’m not letting you go.""I’ve destroyed every single person who carries my blood… my family hates me," I sobbed, the tears starting all over again, hot and heavy, soaking straight into his
Dominic Mercer’s POVI watch Elena get into the car, hair wet and shiny as it soaks up my green shirt. The black SUV zooms off minutes later. “This has to stop, man…” I sigh and put a finger to my nose… The exact finger I had sticking up her pussy. “You can't fuck her.” ‘You can't fuck her…’ My b
Elena’s POV“Bestie…” Riley pulls out a pack of condoms and a bottle of lubricant. Every time she takes crazy things out of her supposedly small purse scares me. “That's your safe word.” She holds my arm for a moment and ensures our eyes lock as she speaks.‘Bestie.’ I rehearse, anxious. My heart
Dominic Mercer’s POV“Who… the fuck… is that daughter of a bitch?!” Kiera’s voice shows her level of restraint before she goes crazy like she’s always been. “Google?” “Now, you’ll not be sarcastic, babe.”“Tone, woman.” I grind my teeth, exercising just as much patience. My ears are already burni
Elena’s POV“Clock is ticking…” He’s so close that his strong barrel scent is the only thing I breathe in, and I’m battling the urge to drink him in. “My Lena.”I'm still fixated on his hard cock pressed to my back, on his scent… on him.And I’m not prepared when the tip of his fingers grazes my ea







