LOGINI tried to suppress the memory from last night as I sat with Axel in the back of his car.
The butler had asked me to get dressed, I was to accompany Axel somewhere and now we were in his car, on our way to God knows where. With the nervous tension from our encounter last night still clinging to me, I couldn’t find the courage to say even a single word to him. “I didn't see anything,” he spoke, breaking the awkward silence. “What?” “Last night, I didn't see anything when your robe fell,” he said, turning to look at me. I quickly tore my gaze from his and fixed my eyes on the road as I gulped, letting out a sigh of relief. Thank God! The car pulled up to a towering skyscraper that seemed to touch the sky, its glass exterior glowing under the sunlight like a jewel. The moment we stepped inside, I couldn't help but gawk at what I was looking at, the interior was even more stunning. Delicate, intricate floral designs wove seamlessly into an ultra-modern aesthetic, a perfect balance of elegance and innovation. At the far end, a glass elevator glistened like crystal, rising gracefully toward the heights above “It's beautiful,” I whispered. “It sure is,” he replied. “It's yours,” he smiled, hands in both pockets. The first time his smile has looked genuine. Wait! Did he just say the building was mine? “You're joking,” my jaw was on the floor, disbelief written all over me. He gestured for a man standing in the corner to come close, and he grabbed some documents from his hands and gave it to me. My hands were visibly shaking. Is he joking? “I bought the building in your name last night, you can check the documents to confirm,” I examined the document carefully. In bold, unmistakable print, the deed stated: Registered Owner, Elara Steele. A forty-eight-storey skyscraper, legally mine. He wasn't bluffing. “I…I don't…I don't know what to say,” I stuttered, trying to decide if I should scream in excitement or jump. “I made a promise to you that I would help you take down Dorian and his mistress, this is the first step,” “This…this is a lot and I….I'm very shocked and impressed, but…. I don't see how buying me a million dollar skyscraper could help to enforce our plan.” He walked closer to me and spoke. “This building is for your jewelry company. With your creativity, I'm going to make you the biggest jeweller in the United States and make sure you drive Dorian's mistress to bankruptcy and have her company at your mercy.” He had a serious expression on his face now and I knew he meant business. Axel took me to another building he purchased for his automobile company he was starting up. Dorian's field. His company's goal was the same as mine, dominate the field until Dorian's company shrinks, till it eventually dies. He had taken me to his after leaving the…..my…my new company. I smiled as I thought about it. Axel was making my dream come true. For so long, it looked out of my reach. Having my own jewelry company looked like a myth, a fantasy, but Axel took it out of my dreams and brought it to life. Oh my God, Elara get your sh*t together. He wasn't being nice to me because he cares or anything, I'm just a means to an end for him, a way to get to Dorian. He dropped me off at a beauty clinic , to meet up with Cyrus. Apparently, Cyrus told him we had a spa date. I sat at the private lounge, waiting for Cyrus to show up and he finally called after more than 15 minutes of me sipping red wine and staring at the wall waiting for him. I walked to the parking lot where he was supposed to be and the first thing that hit my eyes was the black Range Rover parked a few feet from where I was standing. Dorian's car. What are the fucking odds! I turned to leave before he could see me but he called my name from behind. “Elara.” I rolled my eyes and slowly turned to his direction. “What do you want?” I fired at him. “I know what you're doing,” he said, voice laced with bitterness. “I have no idea what you're talking about,” I folded both arms staring intently at him. He scoffed,“You need to drop the strong girl act, it looks stupid on you,” “F**k you, Dorian,” I spat and stormed back to the Spa. “Come back here you stupid bitch,” he followed closely behind me. “I got information you were inspecting a new company today with some guy,” I just shook my head and kept on walking, completely ignoring him, but he didn't stop. “That's what you're doing now? Trying to sleep with whoever is willing so you can get back at me, I knew you were stupid and worthless but I never knew you could go so low as to selling yourself for a few favours from rich men. Thankfully your parents are not alive to see how shameful and pathetic their daughter has become.” The next second, the thunderous sound of a slap echoed in the air as my palm landed on Dorian’s cheek. “Don't you dare speak to me like that,” I warned, eyes burning with rage as he stood staring at me, hand against his face where I had hit him. “And just so you know, I'm married now,” I said, waving my ring in front of his eyes. His eyes followed the ring closely, his face contorted in shock and disbelief. “I'm married to someone a hundred times richer and more powerful than you will ever be, thank you for initiating the divorce and freeing me from that shameful marriage,” my lips curved in a wicked smile, seeing how deep my words were cutting him. The look on his face was mixed with shock and resentment, eyes widened in disbelief, his jaws clenched tightly. I let out an exhilarating laugh, it felt so good to finally stand up to him. After years of him controlling me and making me feel less of myself. Seeing the look on his face was nothing short of satisfactory. “I'll find out who he is,” he warned. “I'll make him see you as the liability you are and I'll make sure he leaves you.” “Good luck with that,” I chuckled and walked off. “I know you're up to something,” he continued . “You better watch your back, Elara. I'll find out what you're doing and I'll make sure it blows in your face.” He yelled from behind me. What a joke.“You're joking,” I whispered under a shaky breath as I lifted my head for a brief second, catching only a glimpse of the satisfied smile on his face before tears completely blurred my vision.I had faith in Axel that he would help me get back what Dorian stole from me, but never in a million years would I have thought it would be this soon.My inheritance from my parents, every dime they left me, all transferred back to me in my name. Axel made the impossible possible again.“I don't even know what to say…this…this feels like a dream,” my voice came out in a broken whisper. “Thank you so much,” I said, gently wiping the tears from my face.He nodded his head and gave me a soft smile.Getting revenge for what Dorian and Alexis did to me had been my greatest drive, but now, with my baby on the way, and my inheritance back in my possession, every other thing felt pointless. The only thing I could think of was providing a healthy home for my baby.Not revenge, not payback, but focusing
*****Elara's Pov*****After the most refreshing sleep last night, I spent the whole day prepping for my dinner with Axel.My phone dinged, pulling my attention to the name flashing over the screen, it was Cyrus. Because of the launch and work, we haven't had the time to catch up. He sent a few texts during and after my company launch but we've not been able to have a proper conversation.I stared at myself in the mirror one more time. I was almost done with my makeup, and with just a few finishing touches, I’d be good to go.I picked up the phone and opened Cyrus' message, “Elara we need to meet, there's something very important you need to know, I can't tell you over the phone, call me as soon as you can.” An uneasy feeling suddenly settled in my stomach, my insides twisting and turning from the sense of urgency and danger looming all over his text, could it be about Dorian? Maybe he knows about Dorian's attempt to k*ll me yesterday? Beads of sweat slowly started forming on my f
*****Axel's POV*****“I don't need a hit man, I'll do it myself.” Dorian crossed the line coming for Elara, he has no idea, but he just signed his death deal.“What do you think would happen if it gets out that Axel Thorne, Elara's husband murdered his blood brother, what do you think would happen to her reputation she's been working so hard to build,” Knox said, arms folded across his chest.“No one's going to find out…I won't tell if you don't,” I responded, looking up at him as I cocked my gun. “So there's really no changing your mind?”“That dimwitted swine came for my wife, he deserves to f**king die,” it's high time I did it anyway, he could have taken an innocent life again today, his antics have gone way too far.“You called her your wife.”“What?”He let out a quiet exhale and shook his head, “Elara…you called Elara your wife, sometimes it's just like you forget it's not a real marriage.” The next second, a loud thud erupted in the room as Knox's back hit the wall with s
“What are you doing here?” My voice came out in a broken whisper, my throat tightening as fear crawled up my veins.“Shut the fuck up!” He cursed through gritted teeth. My heart was pounding so hard against my chest it almost physically hurt.The fact that Dorian was standing in front of me right now, with a gun aimed at my face meant my life was literally in his hands.Deep down, I knew he had no reason to keep me alive, he wouldn't hesitate to kill me and that made my situation even worse.“Dorian please we can talk this out I promise...” “I said shut the f**k up!” He yelled again, obviously irritated by my effort at trying to plead with him.“You looked so high and mighty at your company launch, acting like you were too important, and everyone else was below you, like I was below you. Now it's almost like it's a different person in front of me right now. Pleading and begging with so much fear in your eyes.”“No matter how you're feeling, we can talk things out, I promise you.” I
*****Axel's Pov*****A feeling of discomfort built up in my stomach as I closed the door to her room, the feeling getting stronger, the further I got.Like a part of me didn't want to leave…but I had work to do.“You might have a little situation down there,” Knox said from inside my room.My eyes swiftly flew down and I caught a glimpse of the bulge straining against my zip.“Shut up!” I sneered at him and quickly pushed past him, going straight into the room.“What are you doing in here anyways?” I asked, with an obvious displeasure in my voice. Knox always strolled in and out of my room whenever he wanted to, so asking him what he was doing in here wasn't a serious question, I was just embarrassed by what he'd seen…something he wouldn't have if he hadn't been snooping around in my room. “I have good news!” he exclaimed and did a little dance.And why is he so excited about it?“Go on,” I spoke in a strong and neutral tone, sitting down behind my desk at the inner corner of the
“Please,” I whispered.“You can do better than that,” he said, trapping my nipples in between his index and mid-finger twisting it in a sultry and seductive torture.I gasped, trying so hard to suppress the moan threatening to slip out of my lips.“Plea…please Daddy.”He chuckled, “interesting choice of words.”I was about to speak but I choked on my words the moment I felt his strong fingers slightly graze over my underwear.I took a deep inhale. It was just a light touch, but it was enough to make me jerk back like electric.He leaned down, lips softly brushing my ears as he planted a soft kiss on them, “Baby, I need you to relax,” he whispered.My body immediately responded to his words as I freed up my contracted muscles, relaxing completely on the bed.“Good girl.”He pulled away slowly so his face could be directly above mine, my eyes locked on his.His eyes were dark and broody, barely visible under the dim light, but I could still see the desire in them.His finger connected t







