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DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 111
DAMIANI tighten my hold around Liliana’s thigh and pull her closer until her bottom is perched near the very edge of the chair. The light gasp of surprise and the subtle shift in her posture tells me that she wants this. Her thighs fall open on their own accord, just enough to tease me and offer an invitation she knows I can’t refuse. She lifts a forkful of crepe cake to her lips, playing oblivious to the gradual ascent of my fingers seeking the warmth of her folds. She keeps her expression unreadable and innocent. That’s a facade. She’s anything but.Viva, Genovese’s concubine asks a question. Something about…what was it again?I spare a glance at Liliana again, noting the way her chest rises just a little too fast and the slight tremble of her fingers against the silverware.She’s putting on a show by pretending she’s unaffected by the way my fingers slide up her inner thigh with a tease.Then inching higher a little more, that’s when I catch her swollen pearl, slick with her wet
Last Updated : 2025-04-01DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 112
LILIANAThe next morning, Damian says he has something he’d like to show me. That’s new. Something more exciting to look forward to than staying holed up in here with the man who infuriates me every second.…well maybe it’s just the way he keeps holding out on me, and the sexual frustration buzzing, threatening to pull me under. A soft knock on the bathroom door crashes into my thoughts. “Would you like my help?”Oh, for pete’s sake! He’s doing this on purpose, teasing me to see if I’ll take the bait and when I do, he pulls away with a smirk. Fucking bastard.“Stay away from me, Kris,” I reply, trying not to bruise my skin with the washcloth.He has the nerve to chuckle. “Yeah, right. Sure you want that?” “Why don’t you come in here and find out exactly what I want?”Truly, I watch the doorknob twist slowly, my back straightens and anticipation makes me slick despite the water in the tub. Then he retreats. He fucking backs away with a laugh.“We have a lot to do today, baby,” he pau
Last Updated : 2025-04-02DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 113
DAMIANOn the drive back to the beach house later that evening, I notice Liliana has grown quieter and withdrawn into her thoughts. A few times, she throws me subtle glances which I catch but don’t comment on. When the white building comes into view, she reaches for my hand. “Thank you for a lovely time today.”I love the feel of her hand, small and soft against mine. “That was nothing.”“That was…something. You showed a part of me I never knew existed.” She laughs, threading her fingers through her hair–something I’ve been holding back from. “You built this paradise for those little kids to feel sheltered and loved.”I try not to stiffen. “It’s nothing really. They are just kids.”“No, you don’t get it.” She turns in her seat to give me a look of awe. “Yes, they’re just kids you say. But I’ve met philanthropists who give and disappear, orphanage owners who give and maintain distance with the kids.”The way she says those words in adoration—I don’t want to hear them. “Don’t just jump
Last Updated : 2025-04-03DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 114
LILIANAImmediately after breakfast the next day, Damian and I decide to do some exploring around the island, visiting local markets and tasting tropical fruits I had no idea about. As we round a corner, there’s an aged man standing with arms akimbo and a look of despair.Damian steers us in his direction. “Is there a problem, Walter?”The man turns at the sight of us approaching. “My stall is broken again and the way it is, I might not be able to open the business today if I don’t get it fixed soon.”“May I take a look?” Damian disentangles our linked fingers. “No, you don’t have to. I don’t want to stop your plan for today.”Damian waves him off. “Get me the tools you have, I’l climb up there and see how I can get it fixed.”The man does as asked and then Damian climbs up the ladder, leaving us below. I pull my eyes away from the firmess of his shoulder muscles and firm butt as he ascends. That’s when I start to feel the loss of contact. At this point, I’m tired of telling myself to
Last Updated : 2025-04-07DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 115
LILIANA The next morning, we go horseback riding. Initially, all I wanted to do was put a lot of space between Damian and me so I stop getting those thoughts, but when he knocked and asked that we go horseback riding, I couldn’t turn down the offer from that man. Don’t blame me. Blame it on the way he looks at me. At the stables, two men—one young and one older—lead out a vibrant stallion with a wine coat so shiny, and one dark colored mare I immediately fall in love with. Let’s hope she falls in love with me as well. He whistles. “Xavi!” The stallion snorts when it spots Damian, and starts trotting toward him. I move out of the way so they can do their bromance or whatever it’s called between two male species. The mare is led to where I am. She stops a few feet away, looking as hesitant as I feel, despite the stable man’s efforts. I guess that means it’s left for us to bond together or they get another one from the stables. “Just approach her gently,” Damian says from behind
Last Updated : 2025-04-08DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 116
LILIANAWe ride back all the way, racing each other as we go. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the guts to because I was too obsessed with winning my mother’s affection. The men take back the horses. It turns emotional when I have to let go of Rain.Damian folds me into him by my waist, bending low so he can greedily inhale my scent like some depraved drug user. “We should do this one last time.”Between butter and my body, I can’t tell which one melts faster under the heat of intense fire. I think it also fried my brain along with it. “Do what?”“This. Horseback riding. You seem to enjoy it a lot, even more than I did. You’ve also gotten considerably better at mounting.”I pull back to look into his eyes. “Is that a compliment I hear?”A deep chuckle rumbles in his chest. “I didn’t stutter.”“Well,” Pride blossoms inside of me at his appraisal. Almost like when he calls me a good girl. “What can I say? I’m blessed like that.”“Of course,” he agrees with a murmur,
Last Updated : 2025-04-10DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 117
DAMIANUnder the clear skies, Liliana and I work with the locals to get the bonfire ready. It takes approximately three hours to set the drink stands, lights and decorations, and get the word out, amongst other things.Then we got an hour to get ready and go back to the beach. I step out of my room, adjusting the cuffs of my white shirt as I start down the hall—then stop dead when she steps out of her room.Everything else disappears. Nothing else matters when I’m trapped by this fierce Albanian beauty.Her dress is a deep wine red, soft and slinky like liquid blood. Sleeveless and crossed at the back, the neckline dips just enough to show the delicate curve of her collarbone and the teasing swell of her breasts.That slit on the side? The enemy could’ve shown up and put a bullet through my head and I would’ve let them. What could be more dangerous than those smooth thighs flashing with every step towards me?I place a hand on the railing to keep myself from sinking to my knees in wor
Last Updated : 2025-04-10DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 118
LILIANAThe hunger in his eyes as Damian says he’d rather watch me dance almost pulls me under in the heat of lust and desire. My body burns in the places he looks without even touching me, and by god do I want him with so much intensity.Since my plans of trying to seduce him keep failing, then I might as well enjoy the rest of the night getting drunk and wasted.And that drink…what the hell did they put in it?It’s messing with my senses so much, heightening my sensitivity in all the places I only want Damian’s mouth on. I’m not complaining either. Perhaps it’s for the greater good.A pretty, dark-haired woman my age grabs my hands as we dance together and take turns twirling each other. She makes this sensual move which I immediately start to mirror and soon, I feel like I’ve become a pro at it.Hands slowly creep onto my waist as I roll and drop, before bringing it back up, brushing my ass against firm legs.“You do know what you’re doing, don’t you?” A husky voice speaks next to m
Last Updated : 2025-04-11
Latest chapter
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 137
LAJLA/STELLEZAThe muffled sound of gunshot still rings aloud in my brain, hours after I’d bathed and settled on my bed. Sleep refused to take over and now I’m left to stare at the ceiling and wonder what next.A gentle knock has me sitting up. Red comes in with two mugs of something steamy. Perfect for the cold weather. I grab one, then immediately go to work distracting myself and trying not to look in her direction. If I don’t, then maybe she won’t recall the calamity that happened at the club.Again, this is Red we’re talking about. Nothing goes past her nose without deep scrutiny. Better than I am who would rather pretend not to see it. I don’t care about a lot of things.“Let’s talk about what happened earlier tonight.”“Hmm hmm, this tastes better than all the others you have made, don’t you think?” That’s my pathetic attempt at diverting the topic, of course this will make her prod for words.She gives me a serious look that strips away every trace of amusement from my face.
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 136
LAJLA/STELLEZA“Table four in the aisle next to Bri.”“Got it.” I pick the tray, trying to keep the drinks from spilling as well as maintaining my balance on the killer heels on my feet. The place is teeming with hyped, drunk men enjoying the show that the dancers give them.Although there’s a no-touching policy enforced here, some of these men have no idea what it means to keep their hands to themselves at all times.I smile at the customers around the table and they return it as I serve their drinks. They’re still nice and friendly until the booze kicks in. On my way back, I find myself looking at Red as she glides around the pole in that lingerie set I got her. She’s magnificent when she dances and that’s probably why she’s at the centre where most men are spraying her so much cash with reckless abandon.They all love her.She’s Fin’s golden ticket and I’m proud of her. I walk into a hard wall the moment I turn. The apology falls out of my lips before I can stop it. The stranger
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 135
LAJLA/STELLEZA“Who is that?” Red asks, with a squint at the woman.Ignoring the dread which has now pooled down at the bottom of my spine, I straighten my posture and tug on her hands. “No one. Come on.”Red complies thankfully. But she still has that thinking look on her face. One where her lips curled into her mouth in thought.“You can’t ignore me forever, Lajla. Me and you have to talk and we have to do it now.” The woman’s stern voice commands again, rattling me in my steps. “Or she gets it.”On another thought, I change my mind about ignoring her. “Um, Red? I’ll need you to be on the lookout for the uber. I’ll be with you in five minutes tops.” I’m already on the move before she can voice her protest.The woman’s lips are curled into a sneer when she sees me approaching. “I knew you’d be a fool to not answer your mother’s call.”“My mother’s dead.” I reiterate, cold and calmly. “I don’t have all night, Arbana. What do you want?”“It’s been what, eight months? Six? You left with
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 134
UNKNOWN POVIt’s been one hell of a week running around, bussing all these tables and getting these drunk men to keep their wandering fingers to themselves. How can they even when the only things Phineas lets us wear is some shiny, barely-there silver slip that clings like a second skin. The hem barely brushes the tops of my thighs, and the neckline dips low enough to tease but not reveal it all.Just enough to keep the tips flowing. Thin spaghetti straps dig into my shoulders, sometimes falling off and keeps me wondering when my shift comes to an end. The stupid uniform keeps flashing skin from the right side of me where there’s a high slit.“This is bait, Fin,” I complained one day. “The shoes are killing me. Can we switch to maybe sneakers or something?”“It’s what keeps this place running, honey.” He patted my hand and batted artificial eyelashes at me. “You’re doing just great in them. A few minutes more and I’ll let you off.”So, I suck it up and take it like a good girl. Not
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 133
LILIANAI can’t bring myself to look at Theodore as he sits opposite me with legs apart, elbows on knees and head bowed. Is that supposed to be the posture of remorse? What the hell did I walk into?He sighs and raises his head. “Lily, what happened? How did you escape that monster?”I say nothing. Just sit there and stare, wondering if I’m in my right senses if I decide to trust him once more. However, I’d be a fool. Time should have taught me better.“You knew my husband sold me off to the Russian mafia, didn’t you? You were aware of it all. You listened to me get kidnapped by the men Kyle used to mingle with and you did nothing.”His features scrunch up in anger. He shakes his head. “Sold you off? Kyle sold you off?”Irritation flares hot. “Don’t try to make me look foolish, Theo. If it worked in the past, doesn’t mean it can happen again. Tell me the things I need to know. Did you know Kyle was involved in dirty dealings with these men?”He opens his mouth to say something, then s
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 132
LILIANA“Don’t feel bad, Liliana. Certain things happen and we have no control over them.” Those are my sister’s words that I try to console myself with. It didn’t matter what situation we were in, she knew the right things to say.But as I sit in this car and gaze at the house I have abandoned for months, I feel like I have lost everything all over again. What words would she have for me if she were still around?Eric gives me a look from the mirror. “I’m sorry if you had to be caught up in the middle of the heat like this. But if there’s anyone to blame, it should be Kyle.”“I don’t think I need that information anymore. Kyle is dead and I’m back home.” Even if it doesn’t feel like one. “You don’t need to apologize. We are all tethered to something one way or the other and owe dues.”He shrugs. “I guess you can put it like that.”Squaring my shoulders, I open the car door and step out. Before I can take more steps, Eric halts me. “I’m not in the best position to say this but you sho
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 131
LILIANAI’m looking into the face of the man who was my bodyguard appointed by Theo to watch me after my husband died and can’t seem to fathom what he’s doing in the home of my captor.Does Damian know he’s in here? The answer comes to me almost immediately; yes, he does. Yet, the truth in that doesn’t stop me from asking my own questions. “W-what are you doing here?” I stammer out.He’s Eric alright, but at the same time, he’s not. His face lacks the warmth I trusted. That character has fallen out of place and here is the man he has always been.Wait, who is he? “I need to ask you come questions and I’ll need you to be completely honest with me.” He sounds detached.Says the lapdog masquerading as a double agent to feed information to his master. Can’t a woman trust anyone these days?“You both know each other?” Rachel looks between me and the burly man still patiently waiting for my attention. When nobody gives her a response, she excuses us and shuts the door.“Liliana—”“Don’t t
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 130
LILIANAThe journal feels heavy as it sits in my palms. Not because it is thick or leather-bound or anything grand. It’s just heavy…filled with my sister’s wordings–Well, I don’t know that for sure until I open it and that’s what I’m scared of. I stare at it intently and it’s almost like I can hear it whispering at me to open it and face what I’ve been running away since I returned to this cursed house.Rachel watches me from the corner of her eye, not saying a word until I sigh. “You should come with me. I don’t think you want to be in here as much as I do.” Her eyes are filled with untold tales. “Let’s go to your room. You don’t want to be seen like tis in the hallway.”I nod, then rise to follow her stiffly, following her down the corridor like a ghost. My limbs are moving, but my mind’s reeling. Even my heart isn’t beating right. Once we’re inside my quarters, I drop the journal on the bed and start grabbing my things. “Liliana.” Rachel approaches me gently. “What did he tell
DARKNESS IGNITES DESIRES 129
DAMIAN Her eyes widen in caution as I approach her. Like she’s scared of me, or maybe scared I’d hurt her even when I’m certain she knows I can’t. She doesn’t really know the power she holds over me, does she? I should say I am disappointed but how can I when I can’t even tell her how I really feel about her? That’s just hypocrisy. Behind her is Stelleza’s wardrobe full of her things which I stowed away in her memory. “I couldn’t throw her things out, neither could I burn them.” I remember the exact angle where I kept the journal hidden. Since this is her blood sister we’re talking about, then perhaps she has a right to know what it entails and the truth about how she died. Reaching further into the back, my fingertips graze a hard leather. Bringing it out, I flip the leather-bound journal and hand it to her. She gazes down at the book, not taking it yet. “What is this?” “She wrote this,” I murmur, recalling the dark words that birthed my rage. “She wrote every word on every
