Her Billionaire Knights

Raven

I woke up to a sensual pressure between my thighs, the feeling sending pleasure through my body, making me release a long moan. My eyes opened to see movement beneath the cotton grey sheets, my breath becoming heavy as the pressure on the space between my thighs intensified.

I threw my head back and let out another moan, reveling in the sensation that swelled through my naked body.

“Good morning, pookie,” Marco said as he poked his head from beneath the blanket covering his own naked body.

I winced at the nickname. I had tried to get him to stop calling me pookie since we started dating, which was four years ago, to no avail.

“Good morning, Marco.” I smiled, pushing away any negative thoughts. Today was a special day, and I wasn't going to let anything ruin it for me. Not even my fiancé.

He raised himself upward and leaned into me, giving me a kiss. “Happy birthday, my love.”

Now that. That was what I liked to be called. His love. My heart fluttered, my toes curling when he deepened the kiss, the taste of my juices on his lips filling mine.

I grinned when we parted, certain I had a lovestruck look in my eyes. I didn’t care. This man loved me and was going to be my husband soon. I couldn't ask for anything more.

“I love you,” I said, a smile stretched on my face.

He hesitated, a slight shadow I couldn’t quite place passing in his eyes, but it quickly vanished when he smiled. Maybe I was seeing things. “I love you too, pookie.”

There was that nickname again. I swallowed the words I wanted to tell him and instead returned his smile, watching as he slid back underneath the blanket, putting his mouth right on my middle and bringing me to oblivion.

****

New York City airport was, as usual, buzzing with people from every walks of life when we arrived in my family’s car. Marco was scrolling through his phone while I gathered my things, making sure every important item I needed for the meeting was with me.

My driver got down from the car and opened the door on my side.

I moved to kiss Marco, who seemed to be distracted by whatever it was on his phone. “Okay, bye. See you later,” I said as I planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Don’t forget to be at your office at exactly 9 PM today. I have a surprise for you.” He finally looked up from his phone.

My heart warmed, my stomach giddy at what he had planned for me. “Of course. I won’t miss it for the world.”

He placed a quick kiss on my lips. “Good. Now go. Canada’s calling.”

Having a private jet had its perks. One being that you could fly to the next country and return that same day. As the CEO of Brandon’s Corp, the biggest Media and Entertainment conglomerate in the country, it was a normal thing. With the company’s investors scattered all over the world, some information was better said in person.

The meeting was quick. The conversation we had didn't go as planned, and the elderly man, Mr. Gibbins, who thought that women shouldn't be anywhere else except in a kitchen, ended up being cursed out by me.

I had zero patience for misogyny.

Suffice to say, the twenty percent investment I had been hopeful to get for a new project was flushed down the drain. But I didn't let it ruin my mood.

Marco had a surprise for me.

In two hours, I was back in New York, thankful to leave the bone chilling ice-cold weather in Canada behind. In no time, after a series of telling my driver to drive faster while checking the time on my watch, praying that I’d arrive at the office building before 9:00 (Marco didn't like it when I was late), we finally arrived.

I hurried out of the car. The crescent moon was high up in the sky, the twinkling stars like studs. I took a deep breath before I stepped into the building.

I turned my head to the side to greet Mr. Shawn, the elderly security guard who usually manned the front doors until midnight. He wasn't at his post. I frowned. Maybe he went to the bathroom.

Hurriedly, I stepped into the elevator, letting it take me straight to my office floor, glad there were no employees roaming around, trying to win a favor or two from me.

As soon as I opened the door to my office, the light came on, and the sounds of balloons bursting filled the air.

“Surprise!!!”

My mouth fell open in shock, tears welling up in my eyes as I stared at the three people who meant the most to me.

Marco, my fiancé. Ian, my half-brother, and Selena, my best friend.

Selena was holding a cake with burning candles, a wide grin on her face. “Happy birthday, Raven,” she said, her teeth sparkling under the lights.

“Happy birthday,” Ian repeated after her, a small smile on his face.

Marco moved towards me, his arms wide as he gave me a hug, “Happy birthday, my love.” His embrace felt a little less tight, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

He probably was just tired planning the surprise.

The widest smile was on my face, my eyes beaming with gratitude, “Thank you so much, guys. This is amazing.”

These were my people. Marco, my rock. Ian, my sometimes grumpy half brother and Selena, the sister I never had. What more could I ask for?

Selena moved the cake closer as we separated, suggesting I blow out the candles, which I did without any haste. She cut a piece of it and handed it to us on a small paper plate. I didn't hesitate to gulp it down.

We were now sitting in the middle of my office, the door to the balcony wide open, the slight wind blowing inside. The sound of our laughter and voices filled the air as we drank.

“…And I told him to go eat ass,” I said, concluding the story of the failed meeting I had in Canada.

They all laughed. Marco’s hands were on my shoulders as I talked.

“Some people sometimes need to be put in their place,” Ian muttered, his finger circling the mouth of the wine glass, something I couldn’t quite place passing in his eyes.

I nodded, my mouth suddenly feeling dry. I got to my feet, “I need water, hold on.” I said as I approached the small fridge just by the bookshelf.

They all watched me; the feeling of their eyes on my back sent an uneasiness crawling through me. But I shook it off.

Just as I was about to drink from the bottle of water, a tremor ran throughout my body. My hand shook, and the bottle dropped to the ground, sending a sound through the room.

I let out a pained groan, my feet staggering back, my hand clutching my chest. My vision was going double. “Uhhh, guys, I think there’s something wrong with me,” I said in a pained voice.

I didn’t hear any sound, so I turned to them slowly, as the tremor in my body could allow me to. A spike of pain vibrated through me, and this time, I let out a small scream.

The three of them were standing now. Why were they not doing anything to help me?

“G-guys?” My body was bending forward, my knees shaking as I tried to keep my body upright, my voice giving away the panic I was starting to feel. “Didn't you hear me? There’s something wrong.”

To my shock, they still didn't move.

“How does it feel to be weak and not be able to do anything about it, sister?”

My eyes went round at Ian, who had a sneer on his face. Something I’d never seen on him before.

I stumbled backward, my eyes glancing in confusion between the three of them. “W-what are you talking about, Ian?”

Selena had a pleased smirk on her face, her eyes glinting with malice. Marco's face was void of any emotion, like he was forcing himself to not feel anything.

My breathing was ragged. What on earth was going on?

Ian scowled and took a step forward, his hands in his pockets. “Ever since I was born, I’ve always been the second best when it came to you. No matter what I did, father never saw me. He still never sees me. He sees you as his perfect little princess who can do no wrong. And me? I’m just the son he had with his mistress. Nothing more.”

My heart sank to the ground at the words coming from his mouth. How could he think that?

“And now,” he sme widened, evil and pleased, “he will finally see me.”

I wanted to say something. I could have said something, but another spike of pain ran through me making me release another strangled groan, my vision going blurry.

Fear trickled down my spine.

“W-what did you do?!” I cried out, a tear dropping down my cheek. Those were the only words I could muster as I took another step back, trying to get away from them.

“I spiked the cake, Raven. You’ve always had a thing for cakes,” Selena said with a wicked grin.

My heart shattered into pieces as my gaze went to where the cake was, and I realized I was the only person who had eaten out of it. Theirs were untouched. I had been so caught up in the taste that I didn't realize that.

Panic washed through me, my heart shattering again as I glanced at Marco, my breath coming out in shudders as I slowly started losing strength, streams of tears pouring down my face. “Marco. Please help me.” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

But he… he looked away.

Something died inside me. They had planned this. They had planned to poison me.

The taste of betrayal was like a twang on my tongue. I shook my head in disbelief while I moved further away from them. The more I moved back, the more they moved closer, and soon, I was on the balcony, my back against the rails.

The wind was no longer subtle. It was wild, the early sign of a storm brewing. Thunder clapped in the air, lightning decorated the clouds like a scene from a horror film.

And horrific was exactly what I was feeling as I tried to keep my body upright.

I mustered the strength I had within me and glared at them, tears streaming down my face, “I loved you. I loved all of you, and this is what I get in return!” I shook my head. “This?!”

Ian grinned, the realest emotion I’d seen on his face since today. “Shit happens, Raven.” He glanced at Marco and Selena, who were both at his side, “Anyone want to do the favors, or should I do it myself?”

My eyes widened when I realized what he was talking about. “No, no, please don’t!” I shrieked.

Selena stepped forward, “I’ll do it.” She smirked, “At least then I can have Marco all to myself!” My eyes went wide but before I could move or do anything, her hands jutted out, pushing me straight off the railings.

And I fell from five floors down, my screams echoing through the stormy night.