TWO DAYS LATER
The moment we got to his car, I yanked my hand out of his grip like it burned.
He turned to face me, sliding his hands into his pockets, his expression cold, like it was carved from damn stone.
“What the hell was that back there?” I snapped.
“You didn’t just hit my boyfriend, you also f*cking told him I was your girlfriend? Are you out of your mind?!”
My voice shook with rage. At this point, I didn’t care anymore, whether he had something on me or could spill my secret at any second.
He hit Jace!
That alone was enough to make me lose it.
Yeah, maybe Jace could be a jerk sometimes, but no one gets to lay a finger on him. Not even Owain.
He cocked his head, completely unbothered.
“Are you mad because I saved you? Or because I punched that little prick? Be honest.”
I scoffed and clutched my bag tighter, my fists itching to meet his face.
“Don’t you dare cross me, Owain,” I warned him. “I don’t joke when it comes to my boyfriend.”
And then? He clapped.
Like I’d just performed a damn Broadway monologue he loved.
Was this guy for real? Was he kidding me right now?
“Now, that’s the Karima I met at the club,” he said with a glint in his eye. “Fierce and fearless. But honey… you’re just with the wrong guy. I just did you a favor right now, saving you from Jace. That cheating asshole. I saved your a**.”
I rolled my eyes so hard they nearly got stuck.
“Saved me?” I hissed. “You mean the part where you assaulted him? Or the part where you lied about us dating? And for your information, he’s not cheating.”
He stepped closer, his tone darker now.
“You sure about that?” he murmured. “Because you might regret being so confident.”
He moved in again, very close. His lips hovered near mine, his breath ghosting over my face.
Then he whispered,
“What if I show you something? Will you completely obey me after that?”
Something in his voice made my stomach twist, not just because he sounded serious, but because, deep down, I was scared he wasn’t bluffing.
Still, I straightened up, my lips curling into a fearless smirk.
“You already have something over me,” I said calmly. “What more could you possibly want? My heart? Forget it. I love Jace and I will never fall for you, Owain. But sure, let’s see what you’ve got.”
His smile deepened with a wicked and slow grin.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said. “And don’t worry, Karima Heart. I don’t bluff. I like your confidence, it’s what makes breaking you so tempting.”
He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“By the time I’m done, you’ll kneel before me willingly.”
Then he pulled out his phone.
“7 PM. I’ll send the address. You choose, Karry. I won’t force you. But if you don’t show…”
He didn’t finish his statement. But... It was more scarier than if he had to finish it.
He just walked away, leaving me standing there in confusion, and more scared than I wanted to admit.
***
KARIMA HEART
I stared down at my phone, my fingers frozen. The address Owain sent still glowed on the screen like it was mocking me.
And here I was, standing right in front of DAWN, yet my feet wouldn’t budge.
Tonight should’ve been yet another night to make some cash, about slipping into stilettos, walking through the crowd, and clocking out with bills in my purse. But instead… I was stuck, debating whether to walk right into Owain’s little trap.
Going to that address? It’d mean I actually gave his twisted words a chance. It’d mean I believed even a shred of what he said. But let’s be real, a part of me didn’t just want to prove him wrong. I wanted to know.
Deep down, I needed to see it with my own eyes. Because Jace? Jace couldn’t cheat on me.
We’d been together for over a year. We laughed, shared secrets, and definitely fought too, and eventually made up with kisses... I knew him and I trusted him. It couldn't be true, right?
My thumb hovered over the screen, then I tapped my call log and hit Zack’s name.
He picked it up instantly.
“Hello, honey pie! Been waitin’ on you. You not at the club yet?” His voice was full of bounce, with music thumping loud behind him.
I bit my lip.
“Yeah... I, um... I’ve got something I need to handle tonight. Can you just... give me this one night? I’ll make it up to you, Zack. Promise.”
He swore. I heard it loud and clear. But it didn't matter. He does it every time he was pissed.
“Alright, but no days off this weekend. Deal?”
I rolled my eyes, groaning.
"You not in? Forget it then. Bye."
I quickly cut in just before he hung up. “Okay, okay... don’t threaten me. I said it's a deal. Alright?”
“Good girl. And for the record...” I could hear the smirk in his voice. “It’s Zacky, not Zack. Get it right, sugar.”
I rolled my eyes again, but smiled.
“Right. Zacky.”
I ended the call.
Sometimes I honestly wondered how Zacky even passed as a boss. Cross-dresser, check. Zero charisma, check. But who cares? One year and I’d be done with the club, and with Owain’s mind games and threats, with all of it.
I swiftly flagged down a cab and slid in.
“Swiss Hotel,” I said quickly before the driver hit the gas.
***
SWISS HOTEL
The moment I stepped out of the cab, my eyes locked on him, Owain, already waiting at the entrance like some smug prince.
Damn it. He knew I’d come.
And that arrogant smirk on his face? Like he’d just won a bet with the devil proved it.
He waved at me, but I pretended I didn't see it. I stormed toward him, my heels clacking like gunshots against the pavement.
He flicked away the puff he’d been smoking and stepped into my path.
“Right on time,” he said smoothly. “Knew you’d show up.”
I bit back the urge to roll my eyes. He wanted a reaction, badly. But I won't give him.
I just forced a half-smile. “I’m here. So, let’s just get this over with, shall we?”
He held up a small pack. “Got you some wipes. You might need them later.”
The cockiness in his voice made my skin crawl.
I gave a short nod, ignoring the jab, and followed him in.
Each step echoed under my stilettos. My legs trembled slightly, but I kept my chin up, walking as if fear wasn't gnawing at me.
We slipped past the mini-bar. He casually approached a bar attendant, and he slid something into the guy’s hand like it was second nature. Like he’d done this a million times before.
I quickly averted my eyes just as his gaze flicked in my direction.
I glanced around, pretending to admire the walls, the décor, anything but him.
“Shall we?” he said, snapping me out of my thoughts.
We continued down the hallway until we stopped at a sleek, black door. He pulled out a pass card and, beep, the lock clicked open.
I stepped in, my eyes scanning the room. Dim lights plus posh couches. A long glass panel stretches across the far wall. It looked... normal.
Then, without warning, he grabbed me from behind.
“Hey, what the hell?” I snapped.
His arm locked around my waist, his other hand covering my mouth. I thrashed, but he pinned my wrists behind me, and turned my face toward the glass.
“Relax, Karry,” he whispered, his breath warm against my skin. “The fun’s just beginning. That room on the other side? We can see them... but they can’t see us.”
My chest tightened.
“In a few seconds, everything will make sense. Just watch closely.”
I closed my eyes shut, resisting, but his grip tightened.
“Don’t just watch. Let it sink in. Every damn second.”
And then I slowly open them.
God... I just looked.
At first, the room on the other side was empty.
Then Nathan walked in. Yeah, my Jace.
Another figure slipped in behind him, and just like that, she was pulling off his shirt.
Then they crashed onto the bed together.
That was when I saw them properly.
Nathaniel? And... Ellie. My best friend.
I froze.
My breath hitched. My lungs refused to fill.
Tears welled up and spilled faster than I could stop them.
“You see it?” Owain murmured.
But I wasn’t hearing him anymore.
I yanked myself from his grip, my hand flying before I even thought it through. It kissed his face hard.
The sound echoed through the room as my palm paused on his face.
“You a**hole!” I shouted, tears now streaming faster.
My voice shook the walls.
My heart shattered all over the damn floor.
And at that moment, I knew exactly what I'd do next...
KARIMA HEART"You have a girlfriend... and she’s at home right now, remember?" I managed, my voice tighter than I intended.I shoved the plastic bag Victoria had given me between us like it was a shield. I didn’t even know when I grabbed it, instinct, maybe. Anything to block whatever reckless thought was flashing in Owain’s eyes."Yeah, I do," he murmured, his voice low and rough. "Don’t need you to remind me." His gaze dipped to my mouth before snapping back into my eyes. "But I can always make you next… if that’s what’s bothering you."The lazy curl of his lips was pure trouble. His fingers closed over mine, dragging the plastic away with a slow, deliberate pull. He didn’t break eye contact, not even when his other hand slid the bag somewhere behind the chair. The sound of it sliding down was faint, but the heat rolling off him wasn’t.Then he was right there, close enough that I could feel his breath fanning over my cheek. His chest brushed mine as he leaned in, his voice a whispe
KARIMA HEART"How about you let her go, Romeo? She clearly said to let go." Owain’s voice was cool, almost lazy, as he reached for my hand and tugged me slightly toward him.Nathan’s jaw flexed, fury sparking in his eyes, but he didn’t move right away.Owain stepped forward, sliding me behind him like I was something to shield. A mocking smile curled across his lips."Playtime’s over. Your momma’s calling you downstairs."Nathan’s stare sharpened. "And if I don’t feel like letting her go? What then?"If Nathan was boiling, Owain was ice. That icy face was what's probably irritating Nathan the most. He was just cool and calm, not even any hint of anger."Nothing much," he said smoothly. "I’ll just break your hands and toss them to the dogs I saw outside. Pretty sure your sweet momma wouldn’t like cleaning that mess. So run along, mummy’s boy."That was it. Nathan’s control snapped. He grabbed Owain by the collar, yanking him so hard his shirt rode halfway up, flashing the white waistban
KARIMA HEARTThe moment we reached the garage, he yanked the garage shutter up, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest.The car was insane. Jet-black, sleek, the kind of BMW that looked untouchable. And bigger than Malcom’s. When Owain tapped the pedal, the engine growled deadly. It was like the sound alone could turn heads. He caught my expression, of course he did, and I couldn’t tell if he was showing off on purpose or just being Owain, irritating and smug.I kept my mouth shut, but seriously, how the hell did he own something like this? He’d barely been in New York a week. And now that I thought about it, I’d never even bothered to ask what he actually did for a living. Malcom once said “business development representative,” but… please. Owain? In a suit, making polite small talk in boardrooms? Yeah, no. He wasn't the type that was built up for that thingy.“Seat belt,” he said, glancing my way.Maybe I was wrong about him being the law-breaking type, at least he believed in se
KARIMA HEARTI turned to Nathan—his jaw was clenched so tight it looked like he was seconds away from launching a fist into Owain’s face.One wrong word, and that would be it.“Shouldn’t you be with your girlfriend right now?” I blurted, trying to ease the tension between the two of them.Owain shrugged. “She’s talking to Malcom. I figured you and I could talk instead.”I rolled my eyes. Oh please. What he really meant was he came here to pick a fight.“I can’t talk now. I’m heading out.”“With Mr. Cheat?” he asked, grinning in that smug, mocking way of his.“I’m not a cheat,” Nathan cut in smoothly. “I think you meant to say her boyfriend.”I looked from Nathan to Owain, who was now wearing that annoyingly calm smile that somehow made things worse. The way they were eyeing each other with that sharp, charged glare, it was like they were both waiting for a signal to swing.Before fists started flying, I stepped in front of Owain, blocking him just as he took a step toward Nate.“Okay.
KARIMA HEARTMinutes later, Malcom finally stepped out of the room—probably done sulking. I didn’t bother glancing his way. I just kept dishing out a bowl of spaghetti at the dining like he wasn’t even there.He pulled out a chair gently, as if tiptoeing around my mood. I held back a smirk. He was either stalling before apologizing which would mean surrendering or trying to act cool until the silence broke him.I slid a bowl of food and a glass of juice in front of him.“Thank you,” he muttered.And then, of course, Mr. Annoying strolled out of his room, hand-in-hand with Mrs. Sassy. My eyes narrowed as she clung to Owain’s arm like she couldn’t breathe without him.Seriously, where did she think she was? A hotel suite? Or maybe Owain’s house, acting like she owned the place just because she could hold his hand in public.She tugged him into the seat across from Malcom and parked herself in the chair directly facing me.I served them both. God knows it took all the self-control in me
OWAIN LUTHERI staggered away from Malcom, my fingers threading through my hair in frustration.Malcom wouldn’t lift his head, guilt branded on his face, not because Yasmin caught us mid-fight, but because Karima just witnessed it all.I strolled up to Yasmin, draping an arm around her waist. “Yasmin, you didn’t mention you’d be flying in.” I met her gaze.Karima had already stepped in, pulling Malcom to his feet, though he still avoided her eyes.Yasmin? She brushed my arm off like I was contaminated.I would be lying if I said that little stunt could actually shrug off the scene she just witnessed.“I asked you a question, Owain. What the hell happened?” She snapped. Her eyes flicked to my swollen, bloodied lip.“It’s nothing, alright? Can we focus on why you’re here?” I insisted.D*mn. Wrong move. Her eyes narrowed, sharp as daggers.“Seriously? That's what's important now, huh?” She shot a glance at Karima who instantly avoided her gaze. “Because you sure aren’t thrilled to see me