LOGINShowing up to work on time? Check. Keeping my composure and acting like last night didn’t happen? Also check—barely.I walked into the mansion, my mind buzzing with a mix of exhaustion and—if I was being honest with myself—anticipation. Would I see him? Would he look at me? Would he acknowledge what happened, or would he pretend like he didn’t turn my entire world upside down in a pool last night?I barely heard Megan as she gave me the rundown for the day, rattling off what the kids would wear, eat, and do like a well-organized drill sergeant. I nodded at the right times, pretending to be engaged, but my mind? My mind was scanning the house for him.And like clockwork, the devil himself appeared.Ace stepped out, fully dressed in a suit. A very well-tailored, very expensive, very illegal-in-all-fifty-states suit.My breath hitched, but I swallowed it down, plastering on my most neutral— I am totally fine and not at all remembering the way your fingers ruined me—face.But damn. The
Skylar’s face turned red. "Can we not make a big deal out of this?"Katie smirked. "Oh, sweetie, this is a huge deal. And you are literally glowing right now, so don’t even try to play it cool. Was he good? Was it good?"Skylar bit her lip, clearly battling between pride and embarrassment. "...Yeah."Katie and I gasped at the same time. "OHHH."Skylar rolled her eyes. "Shut up. It was really good, okay? He—ugh. He definitely knows what he’s doing. I misjudged him. Now I totally understand why that girl was crying during sex—she wasn’t sad, she was just spiritually overwhelmed."I nearly choked on my coffee. "Spiritually overwhelmed? Sky, did he rearrange your chakras or something? Should we call a priest?"Katie snorted. "I don't know because I'm torn. Was he hitting it or performing an exorcism? Did she see the light?"Skylar’s face turned beet red as she smacked Katie's arm. "Shut up! It’s not like he summoned the Holy Spirit or anything!" She paused, then bit her lip. "But...i did
**Aria**Waking up felt like losing a bar fight I didn’t remember picking.The first thing I noticed? My throat. Raw, burning, like I’d swallowed a handful of nails and chased it down with acid. Every swallow was a fresh stab of pain, a nasty little reminder of the water I’d inhaled like a human sponge.The second thing? My body. Aching, sore, as if I’d spent the night wrestling a sea monster and, judging by how I felt, lost. Every muscle throbbed, my lungs felt too tight, and my head pounded like a bass drop at a party I definitely hadn’t been invited to.And the third? Ace.Not in my room, but in my head?That smug bastard was practically haunting me, his hands still phantom-tight around my throat, shoving me under, making sure I remembered exactly who held the power last night.I gritted my teeth—winced when that hurt too. Fantastic. Even being pissed off was physically painful.What was his plan today? Pretend like nothing happened? Flash me that lazy smirk and expect me to just
**Ace**I stormed out of the pool, drenched, hard, and fucking furious.My soaked clothes clinged to my skin like a goddamn second layer of shame. My breaths were heavy, uneven, and the farther I got from that damn pool, the louder my heartbeat pounded in my ears.What the hell did I just do?I swallowed hard, but the guilt sat thick in my throat, refusing to go down.Water dripped from my clothes, soaking into the expensive floors of Carter’s mansion, but I didn’t give a damn. My blood was still boiling, my breath ragged as I fought to ignore the throbbing ache between my legs. But it was useless—her scent, her gasps, the way her body trembled against mine—it was all branded into me like a goddamn curse.My wet shoes squeak against the polished floor, but I barely notice. I slammed into the nearest guest room and locked the door behind me. The moment it clicks, my control snaps.With a sharp growl, I drive my fist into the wall. Pain shoots up my arm, but it’s not enough—not even
Opening my eyes, I look up through the calm water to see him leaning over the edge. My hair floats around the surface like a cloud.Pieces of hair start to float around my face, obstructing my vision. My cheeks are full of air, and I let it out slowly, feeling the bubbles on my face.My lungs start to burn again, and my chest tightens. My body thrashed as he continued slamming into me with his long fingers while holding me in place. Even with my body shaking, breathless, overwhelmed, I still couldn’t stop myself.I lifted my hips, grinding against his fingers, chasing the pleasure like a woman possessed. Desperate. Needy. Addicted to the way he broke me.Ace let out a dark, taunting chuckle, watching me fall apart in his grasp."Even drowning, even choking on your own breath, you still fucking crave me. How sick is that?" I barely heard him. I didn’t care.I moved faster, rolling my hips against his touch, fucking myself on his fingers as my release coiled tight inside me.His grip
I could feel him—half on the raft, half on me—his weight pinning me.His grip was like iron as he kept my shoulders and head submerged while the rest of me lay sprawled across the slick, unsteady surface of the float.My fingers flared, nails digging into his arm, scratching, desperate to pry him off—but he didn’t let go.The raft wobbled beneath us, water sloshing, my heart hammering against my ribs as my lungs screamed for air.Seconds stretched into something agonizing.Was he going to let me drown?Then—yanked.I was pulled back up, gasping, coughing, water streaming down my face as I sputtered for air.My breath came in sharp, uneven gulps, my heart racing so hard it felt like it might burst from my chest.Ace smirked. Wicked. Cruel. Untamed.His wet hair clung to his forehead, droplets running down his sharp jawline, over his lips—lips that curled in mocking amusement."Look at you," he murmured, voice thick with dark satisfaction. "Dripping. Gasping." His fingers trailed along
The air felt thick, like it was suffocating me, yet I couldn’t seem to look away. I'm still star struck about what is happening. This has got to be the hottest shit I've ever witnessed. I couldn’t understand how my legs were still holding me up. I'm surprised at how I'm still standing without fa
The silence was deafening. My chest heaved with every breath, and I could feel the sting of tears welling in my eyes, blurring the edges of his face as he loomed over me. His grip on my wrists was firm, almost bruising, as he held them pinned against the cold wall. "Feeling better?" Ace's voice
I can't give up. Not now, not ever. I won't let him win. This is the wicked trick he plans on using to get me to quit? I'll show him how stubborn I am.I made my way to the girls' room which looked like it was straight out of a fairytale.And there they were snuggled up in their little beds, comple
The icy grip of the river surrounded me as I plunged into its depths, the cold shocking every nerve in my body. The impact left my ears ringing and my chest tightening, water surging into my mouth and nose before I could close them.For a terrifying moment, I didn't know which way was up. The mur







