ANMELDENArlari's POVThe water from the shower did nothing to calm me, even after crying under it for an hour.After taking a warm bath, I laid on my bed, but I did not sleep.I tried, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw Danny, tied to a pole, bleeding. HelplessMy heart shattered into a thousand pieces, like something heavy was sitting on it. I turned on the bed again and again, pulling the blanket over me, then throwing it away. Nothing helped.Severiano was gone, gone to fix everything.I curled on my side and hugged the pillow tightly.“Please…” I whispered into the darkness. “Just bring him back…”. My voice broke, tears slipped quietly down my face.Then my phone buzzed.For a second, I didn’t want to look, maybe my heart already knew it wasn’t good news.The phone buzzed again.Slowly, with shaking hands, I reached for it.I unlocked it to see a message from an unknown number.My breath caught when I opened the message.>>You have seven days to steal the drive from Severiano and bri
Arlari's POVMy breath stopped.It was Danny, tied to a pole, blindfolded.His head hung forward, his arms pulled tight behind him, there was blood on his lip, and his shirt was torn. His body looked still, too still.For a second my mind refused to understand what I was looking at.“No…” I whispered, the word slipped out before I could stop it.My body went cold.“No. No, no…”I pushed myself up quickly, ignoring the soreness between my thighs. My heart started racing so fast it hurt.“That’s not real,” I said, my voice shaking. “That’s not real…”But it was, and I knew it was.Severiano didn’t move, he was still looking at the screen. Completely still.“Severiano,” I whispered, panic rising in my chest. “Say something.”He didn’t answer, his jaw tightened slightly.That was the only reaction from him, but I understood that his silence meant danger. Serious danger.My breathing became uneven.“We have to do something,” I said quickly. “We can’t just—”His phone buzzed again, and the
Arlari's POVI couldn’t sit still in the car, my heart was already racing before we even left the mansion. Severiano looked calm as always, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on my bare thigh under my short black dress he had chosen for me. It was tight, low-cut, no panties allowed.He drove a few poles away from the mansion, and pulled over.“Why are we stopping?" I asked, confused.He didn't respond, he just turned to me.“Open your legs,” he said quietly.I hesitated briefly and parted my legs, then he pulled out the kegel balls from his inner pocket."Why do you walk around with that?”"I don't,” he said, holding it up for me to see." Then why do you have that?”He scoffed." I told you, you need to clear your mind.”I swallowed hard, heat spread between my legs.My breath caught when I felt the cool metal of the kegel balls against my entrance. He pressed them in slowly, one after the other, the weight settled deep inside me right away. Heavy, and full. I clenched before I
Arlari's POVHe leaned forward and pulled me into a deep kiss, claiming my tongue and breath.I kissed him back, desperately.He pulled out of the kiss but kept his forehead on mine, nose brushing, lips an inch apart.“I’m keeping you forever with me," he breathed, voice hoarse. “You don't get to opt out on me."“Never," I whispered.He claimed my lips again, but just then, his phone buzzed with a call." This better be important,” he murmured.I chuckled as I watched him step out to take the call.He didn't return again for the night, and I soon fell asleep waiting for him to return.***When I woke up the next day, I stayed under the blanket for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling and thinking about last night. The way Severiano had looked at me when I asked if he would ever leave me, the long silence before he answered with a kiss, and the promise he made mid-kisses.Finally, I forced myself out of bed.After washing my face and getting dressed, I stepped out of my room and walk
Arlari's POV“I thought so,” I said, rolling my eyes.He paused.“You thought so?" He repeated.“I'm just a contract."“You keep lying to yourself about that.”“You keep avoiding commitment."His fingers brushed my cheek bone.“I'm not avoiding commitment, Arlari. I just don't want to make promises that'll be out of my control to keep."My heart sank.“Out of your control?" I asked, panic etched on my face.His smile broadened.“You worry too much. Go to bed, and don't forget that you're here because I want you to be."Without waiting for me to say anything further, he tugged me in, kissed my forehead and left.***When I opened my eyes the next day, the first thing I felt was the heaviness in my chest.For a moment I did not understand why I felt so tired, then the memory of last night returned. The crying, the way I had completely broken down in Severiano’s arms. Heat rushed to my face immediately.I sat up in bed and rubbed my forehead.“That was embarrassing,” I muttered quietly
Arlari's POVI didn’t know when the first sob escaped my throat.One moment I was trying to stay calm in his arms, the next moment my chest broke open and I began to cry.I wasn't just shedding tears, I was literally crying, the kind that makes your chest hurt and your breathing uneven.Severiano stiffened slightly, I felt it immediately.He pulled back just enough to look at my face.“Arlari.”I couldn’t answer, as I kept crying.His brows pulled together in confusion, then he pulled me closer again. His arms wrapped tightly around me.“Hey,” he said quietly, his voice was softer than I had ever heard it. “Talk to me, what happened?”I shook my head, nothing came out of my mouth except broken breaths.His hand moved slowly through my hair.“Talk to me.”I pressed my face into his chest again.If I looked at him, I might say something I shouldn’t. And I couldn’t do that.I couldn’t tell him about the voice on the phone, about the woman, or about the doubt that had been eating my
Arlari’s POVAs soon as I walked out of the room the next morning, a strong scent hit my nostrils. A sharp, dark aroma.Bold roasted beans, bitter chocolate notes, and a faint burnt edge that hinted at strength and danger. Even before tasting it, you could smell the power in the blend.Slowly, I fo
Arlari’s POVI sit frozen in the chair long after Mr. Esteban stops talking. My fingers are tangled in my lap, and I can feel the pulse of my own heartbeat in my temples.“You said… ninety days?” I ask quietly, though the words feel foreign coming out of my mouth.Mr. Esteban leans back in his chai
Arlari’s POVAs soon as I hit the floor, the stench of blood filled my nostrils. Strong.My eyes darted to the tortured man drenched in his own blood, his head hung down in exhaustion. He groaned, weakly. I immediately felt nauseous. It started off as a small rumble in my stomach, but soon became s
Arlari's POVI do not even get one foot over the threshold before the house explodes with noise. There was shouting coming from the inside.I push the door open fully and there is Danny, fisting the collar of one of Severiano’s guards like he is about to launch the man over the nearest railing.“Oh







