MasukAriana’s POV "What?"The word left both mine and Nathaniel’s mouths at the same time. I sat there, paralyzed, as I looked at the man sitting across from me. James, the CEO of CloudWorkers, was now a full-blown mess. He wasn't just sniffling anymore; he was sobbing into his hands, his shoulders shaking with a grief that looked absolutely unconsolable.People from the surrounding tables were starting to stare. "James, please," my mother whispered, her own eyes red. She looked at me with a pained expression. "Go out for a minute, get some air."James nodded weakly, grabbed his handkerchief, and stumbled toward the exit. I watched him go, my mind spinning. I turned back to Eunice. "How... is this for real? Is this some kind of joke?""It’s no joke, Ariana," she said softly. "Before I left Arthur, I found James again. I found out that he never married. He never moved on. He told me he still loved me and that he regretted his cowardice every single day of his life. I decided to go back to
Ariana’s POV I didn't let him hide under the covers. I kicked them back, wanting to see every inch of him in the moonlight. Nathaniel didn't hesitate; he pulled down his sweatpants, and his cock bounced out, thick and firm. Even in the dim light, I could see the familiar dark, flushed head was already glistening, leaking a small trail of anticipation.He started to stroke himself and I watched his muscles ripple in his arms and chest with every movement. He wasn't being gentle, probably because he was driven by the same hunger I felt. After a few seconds, I couldn't just watch. I reached out, my fingers wrapping around the base of his shaft, feeling the frantic pulse of his heart beneath the skin.He groaned, his head falling back against the headboard. "Ariana," he rasped, his pace quickening. I leaned in, my breath hot against his skin, and began to trail my tongue along the underside, following the vein that throbbed with every stroke.When I felt his body go rigid, his breath hit
Nathaniel's POVBy 6:00 PM, we were at the precinct. The air inside was thick with the smell of burnt coffee and old paper. The detective assigned to our case was a man who looked like he hadn’t slept since the late nineties. He had heavy bags under his eyes and a weary expression that suggested he’d seen too many family disputes to care about ours.He asked the basic questions about names, addresses, and relationship to the suspect with a dry, monotonous voice. Then, he tapped his pen on the desk. "I’ll need to question you separately. Miss Tokes, come with me."I watched them walk into a small, glass-walled room. I could see her through the partition, looking small but determined. About twenty minutes later, she was ushered out, and it was my turn.I sat across from the detective. He didn't look impressed by my suit or my name. "So, Mr. Coop. You claim the suspect held a weapon to the victim’s head. Did you actually see him pull the trigger?""He didn't need to pull it for it to be
Ariana’s POVHe turned the phone screen toward me. It was a text from his security team. My heart stopped. "Maya is being held at the apartment. As soon as she got out of her car, Arthur jumped her. He’s holding her at gunpoint in front of the house. My men are there, but they can’t engage without risking her life."The blood drained from my face. "Maya? Why is she always getting roped into my mess?" I felt a wave of nausea. I owed that girl everything, and now her life was on the line. "Nathaniel, what are we going to do? We can't let him hurt her.""I’ve already alerted the police," Nathaniel said, his voice dropping into that calm, authoritative tone he used when things were at their worst. "But we have to go there. We need to deescalate the situation before they arrive. Just promise me you will listen to everything I say once we arrive. Do not try to be a hero."I nodded fervently. "I promise."The drive to Astoria felt like it took hours, even though the driver was pushing the sp
Ariana’s POVIt’s not every day you find out that your entire life has been built on a lie. I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling tiles, trying to make sense of it. How could my mother do this? She had left me with a man who wasn't even my father and just disappeared into the wind. Did she not think I deserved to know who actually gave me life?Who is he? The thought made my heart ache with a strange kind of hope. Maybe he was out there, a man who would actually care for me. Maybe he had no idea I existed, which is why he never came for me all these years. But then the fear crept in. He probably has a whole other life, a family. Would he even want a grown daughter showing up at his door?My head was starting to throb from the sheer weight of the questions. Nathaniel told me to stay calm, but he had gone off hours ago, leaving me with nothing but my thoughts. I felt a surge of relief when the door swung open and Maya burst in, grinning from ear to ear."Mr. Coop called and
Nathaniel's POV It was 4:00 PM, and the hospital room was bathed in the soft, orange glow of the late afternoon sun. Ariana was sleeping soundly beside me, her breathing deep and peaceful. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, my mind going through a number of things. I was calculating every possible outcome, trying to build a fortress around the woman in my arms.Then, my phone rang.The ringtone pierced the quiet room very loudly. I muttered a curse under my breath, fumbling for the device on the nightstand. I quickly checked to make sure Ariana hadn't stirred, then untangled myself from her warmth as gently as possible. I slipped out of the bed and walked to the far corner of the room before answering.It was my father."Yes?" I said, my voice low and to the point."You have not been to the company today," his voice boomed on the other end, devoid of any fatherly concern. "I wondered where you were. Your mother tells me you are at a clinic with the intern girl.""I am," I said
Ariana's POVMaya and I spent the rest of the day just chilling and watching Friday shows. It felt surreal to be sitting on a comfortable sofa, surrounded by the sound of an air conditioner and the smell of scented candles, after so long in the wild. Maya had taken over the kitchen completely. She
Nathaniel's POVAriana was running in the rain on the island and laughing. She looked beautiful and radiant in the moonlight, her skin glowing with life. She turned toward me, her eyes sparkling, and hugged me. I held her back fiercely, burying my face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the sce
Ariana's POV Nathaniel's eyes widened, darkening with a mix of surprise and raw desire as he watched my hands tug the ties loose. The fabric parted easily, and I reached inside, wrapping my fingers around his thickening cock. It was already half-hard, warm and heavy in my palm, the skin smooth ove
Ariana's POVIt’s been nearly two months. I know this because Nathaniel came up with a tally system carved into the side of one of our storage crates. Fifty-eight days since we have been here.We started the morning at the lagoon, our usual ritual. We bathed in the cool, clear water, and I used a b







