ELORAThe knock came sharp and persistent.At first, I thought it was part of a dream, causing something vague and irritating that rattled inside my skull. But then it came again, louder, more insistent.I groaned and blinked my eyes open.Light streamed in through the window, far too bright for comfort. My mouth tasted stale, and my limbs were stiff from sleeping in my clothes. My dress was wrinkled and had ridden halfway up my thighs. I cursed softly under my breath.I had passed out. Just like that. Last night’s chaos with Rowen, then going to see my parents, coming back emotionally exhausted… and then shutting down without even washing off my makeup. My lashes clumped. My head throbbed faintly.The knock came again. This time, three firm taps.I pushed myself off the couch. Yep, I had passed out on the couch, not even my bed. I staggered toward the door, rubbing sleep from my eyes.“Hold on,” I croaked.I cracked open the door, squinting. Standing outside was the morning security
ROWEN We had moved from the hospital room, where Mr. Miller was kept, with his wife watching over him. We had to stop at one of the private rooms for VIPs to take the call from my stupid nephew. Elora was sitting across from me in the room, with her phone still in her hand, brows drawn together in a tight knot of frustration. The glow from the screen highlighted the delicate curve of her cheek, but her focus was elsewhere. The faint buzz of the call had gone dead. And so was his voice.Her thumb hovered above the screen like she expected Ethan to call back any second. But the line stayed dead. Her fingers tensed like she was gripping a lifeline that kept slipping. It was the same expression she wore when she first lamented her ordeal to me. Although the way her brows knitted together, gave this expression a tint of anger burrowing underneath."I hung up," she muttered, her voice flat but with the bitter edge of disbelief. Her lips barely moved as she spoke, like the words were dif
ETHANI sat down in my study, listening to the hum of the air conditioning unit overhead. It was the only sound in the room, but it did nothing to ease the heat crawling beneath my skin. My elbows pressed into the polished oak desk as I stared at the wall across from me, not really seeing anything. The events from yesterday’s lunch replayed in my head like a highlight reel gone wrong. Elora hadn’t cried. She hadn’t screamed. She hadn’t begged me not to call off the engagement.She had just looked at me with that maddening, unreadable face. One I used to think I could read better than anyone else. Slightly vexed? Maybe. But mostly... indifferent. And then she walked out like it didn’t matter. Like I didn’t matter.I rubbed my temples, exhaling sharply. What the hell is going on with her?She used to hang onto my every word. She used to flinch whenever I raised my voice. Now? She walks out of a restaurant with her chin up, hips swaying like she just got promoted to queen of the goddam
ELORARowen’s shoes crunched over the gravel as he stepped out of the car and joined me. The wind tugged lightly at the hem of my sundress as we walked toward the porch. My heart thudded harder with every step. Not from nerves about my father’s health, that part was constant, but from Rowen being here. With me. At the ranch. The lines were blurring faster than I could catch them.I paused a few feet from the door and turned to him. His brows rose slightly as if he already sensed what I was about to say.“Please… just for today, don’t let them know who you really are,” I said. “Not the billionaire CEO thing. Not the Grayson family ties. None of it. Just… let them meet you as Rowen. My friend.”A grin stretched slowly across his face. Mischievous. Teasing.“I can never be your friend, but whatever you say, Princess.”Ouch. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Don’t call me that in front of them either.”He gave a mock salute. “Got it. Anonymous chauffeur-slash-friend. No crowns, no cas
ROWENI stepped into the study, shutting the door behind me as I rolled the cuffs of my sleeves back down and buttoned them. The sun was already high up and had filtered through the large window, casting gold lines over the dark mahogany furniture. I’d already showered, dressed, and gone through my first espresso shot before Elora even stirred. My second cup steamed beside a tray of dried figs and a bowl of walnuts I hadn't touched.The study smelled of leather-bound books, strong coffee, and the faint trace of her perfume that stuck to my nose no matter where I went since morning. I liked it better than any cologne. It was faint, floral, warm, like her skin after a shower, like her voice when she was half-asleep. I took a deep breath before settling behind the desk, where the weight of my empire sat in piles of paperwork.Vendor contracts, logistics breakdowns, reports from the shipping division, and quarterly numbers from our overseas assets sat arranged like soldiers waiting insp
ELORAI was beyond exhausted and was on the edge of passing out. I rolled over after I felt him move away. I laid on my back, careful not to twist my wrists that were still cuffed behind me. I still had the blindfolds on, my pussy was throbbing in painful pleasure forced on me. I felt extremely tired and slightly sore, yet my body and pussy juices screamed in excitement.“Now, I want you to relax and rest awhile. This shouldn’t hurt.” He came back.“Please. I’m sorry Sir.” I pleaded immediately. Fearing for what he meant by this shouldn’t hurt.“Shssshssh.” He shushed me. “I have forgiven you, but this raging bull needs a little pacifier.” He added, guiding my cuffed hands to feel his now hardened cock.Damn it! I squealed when I felt him suddenly pull my left ankle up toward the corner post of the head board above her head and tied it. Then he did the same with her right ankle. This forced my ass up off the bed spreading my legs wide and exposing my ass and pussy to him for easy acc