ZADEMy hand is shaking as I look at him with her.“Baby, you are bleeding!” Olivia rushes to my side and grabs my hand. “what happened?”I shrug her hold off my hand gently, looking away. “it's nothing. Just a small scratch it; will heal in a minute.”She grabs it again persistently. " You have shards of glass in the flesh; let me clean you up.”Logan looks at me and I shake my head. Everything is fine, I am fine I won't jump off and go punch my father right in his face even if it's all I ache for now.Logan seems to feel content that I won't storm off and sits back in his chair, back to being broody. That’s why he is my closest friend. There is Rowan and Cass as well but I am closest with him. he understands me, sees the darkness chiurning inside me, and doesn’t seem frightened by it. He encourages me to look at it once in a while too.He once told me it's good to be familiar with all of you because the longer you ignore those parts, the stronger and more pressing they get. When it
ARII shouldn’t have come.“my baby!” a kiss on my cheek. “you look so beautiful.”“thank you mom, you look amazing too as always,” I look ar her side at the man who is smiling, hand on the small of her waist. “Mr. Parkers, thank you for inviting me.”He chuckles and steps in front of me. “when will you stop addressing me so formally?” probably never? He leans in for a hug. Its stiff, all my joints and limbs locked and I count the seconds until its all over.“the place looks wonderful.” It does. The who place is decorated so beautifully, I feel like I have walked rihght in a movie set.“my father loves everything to be a high luxury, everyone must have a good experience at his parties.”As I look around, I feel a smoldering gaze on my left and when i lock eyes with the silver ones, I feel my heart lurch to my throat.I knew he would be here, its his grandfafther’s party after all. I also expected the girl in his arm too, she is his girlfriend after all.I hate how my stomach drops whe
ZADE“zade!”“I am fine, don’t worry about me,” I turn toward the girl following me. “I just need to get fresh air then I will be okay.”Her heels click on the tiled floor as she approaches me, her dress swishing around her ankles. She looks like a fairy, a beautiful princess dressed like this. It’s the opposite of the other one trying to cozy up to my dad in front of me.“I didn't know she would be so shameless as to do that right in front of everyone,” Livie shakes her head. “why do they have to be here? They don’t belong to this world.”She knew I would be watching, that’s why she had t put on a fucking act and do what could hurt me. They look like a family, a perfect family of three.“your grandfather must have sway to your father,” Livie touches my arm. “you need to make sure you get back to the front, where you belong. Don’t let her steal the spotlight. It's yours.”“I am already the heir, what can she do?”“with how close I have seen she is with your father, do you think she ca
ARIWhat am I doing?I exhale as the door closes behind me with a click.The cool air of the open rooftop hits my clammy skin, and I feel like I am breathing properly for the first time that night.I walk to the glass railing and lean on it, looking at the glimmering skyline of the city. It’s a beautiful night, so different from all the ugly emotions churning inside me.Where did it start? Where will it end? My heart on the floor, stomped and bloodied? My honor and sanity to shits? All because my heart, my whole body, and my life seem to be starting because someone is activating all of these things within me?Why does it have to be the wrong person? Why does it have to be the one person who doesn’t love me, will never love me, let alone accept me?I am pathetic.I knew this would happen if I let it happen. I fell into the trap that’s called zade. I am going to get burned, scorched, and burnt to ashes.He was kissing her as he looked at me. I led him on, trapping him in my trap, tempti
ARI“It’s a little desperate, isn't it?”“wh-what?”He starts walking towards me slowly, hands in his pocket. The shadows are obscuring most of his face, and he doesn’t make it near me, standing a few feet away.“Isn't it desperate?”Did he see me?“what are you trying to achieve here, silvers? Mmh?”“I-I don’t know what you mean.”He sighs, face titling to the sky. “why are you doing this?”My face is flush red. I know I am supposed to be sacred he might have watched me as I touched myself. I should be embarrassed that I was thinking about him that way, but all I can feel is a thrill. He is here; he is in front of me.Did he come for me?“Is this what you wanted?”“I know better than to want anything from you.” I hate how I sound. Weak. Desperate. Breathy.“you let him touch
ARI“why would you? You can't make me do anything I don’t want to do, and you have no reason to tell me that, no valid reason at all.”“I don’t like your face. That’s enough for me to command you, will you to step over and let yourself fly. Will you do it?”“Enough with the jokes,” I push his chest again, and he sighs.“you are no fun.”“We have different definitions of fun.”“believe it or not, killing you would be the least fun thing for me. I need you to be around.”“I am touched.”“you should. It bought you more time on earth.”“I hate you.”“I feel the same way.”His lips are redder and plumper up close. Are we getting closer?“Why do you I have to see your face when I least want it?” he looks down, robbing me of the sight I was
ZADE“did you get what you wanted?”“it could have been more, but you stopped. Why?”I sigh, looking at Livie. “I was not in the mood. You got the video, so now you can do what you want.” I start going to the door before she starts talking behind me.“you wouldn’t lie to me, right?”I turn and face her. “what?”“you wouldn’t lie to me about this or to protect her, right? I know I got here late, and you two seemed close. You aren't catching feelings, right?”“if I wanted to protect her, accepting to be your prop and make her look like a slut would not be something I would agree to do.”She smiles, walking up to me. “I just had to be sure. I want to know that I am the only girl in your heart and mind.”“you are.”The party has already started, and Ari seems to have been trapped by my father and her mother because she is sandwiched between them as they take photos. It shouldn't hurt me, but it does.This used to be something mother enjoyed. She planned Grandpa’s birthday parties every si
ARII watch as Zade is dragged out until the doors close.Mr. Parker exhales, the cool mask he had on slipping a little as he looks at Mom and leans down to whisper something I can't make out.He wanted to hurt her; Zade wanted to hurt Mom to teach his father a lesson.He is drunk, hurt, and lonely, a sight I never thought I could ever see from him. To see him acting like this, the cold, nonchalant prince, something must have set him off.“you, come with me.”I am so lost in my head I don’t see the girl snapping her fingers at me like I am a dog.“do you want me to drag you out too?” she leans in to whisper, and I feel like my head will explode.Too much of everything in one night has left me feeling drained. Olivia starts walking, and I follow her. There are things I want to make sure she didn’t see, and I also want to know why she was recording me. I am still shaking from earlier, the stress eating at me at the back of my mind.“what is it?” I sigh once the door to the balcony shuts
ARIZade is letting me take what I need from him, this time letting me have my way on my terms.It has been that way from the very beginning, but tonight, it's like he wants me to take care of myself using him and, in a way, take care of himself too, by using him.So when I guide him and press him on my opening, we both freeze, breathing heavily before I urge him with a pull of his hips to push inside me.And heavens, it feels delicious. The stretch, the feeling of him opening me up as my walls accommodate him until he is fully seated inside me …I contract, squeezing him, feeling the girth inside me and I want to swallow more of him, suck him in and keep him there … it’s a heady, good feeling.“Why won't you love me?” The hoarse whisper makes me open my eyes just as Zade looks at me. He is …crying?“What?” I ask, eyes wide.“Why did you say you can't love me?”“Because,” I shift, and we both groan. His hips jerk in response, and he starts moving slowly. He has forgotten about the que
ARIWhen the body is exposed to extreme cold, at some point, it stops supplying the less important parts with blood in order to save the vital organs.It has been quite similar to me. I have spent most of my life just functioning, and apparently it has been necessary for my body to cut off supplies to some of the things anyone my age would deem normal to have.There hasn’t been a case where I could feel anything other than flight and flight. But eventually, here I am.My body is thawing, slowly coming to life, and it feels so good.Zade’s tongue is slicking inside my mouth, seeking and touching every crevice inside. His body is pressed to mine to keep me up, one thigh pressed between my legs, one hand grabbing my butt, hips flushed.I am weak at my knees. I want him, I can feel him, and I am floating. I know I am kissing him, but I am also falling and falling, feeling safe that he will catch me.It’s a dam that has been let loose.He is mine. I shouldn’t feel this way. I should feel g
ZADE“But then it will be another, then another… if you can be swayed so easily, then is it even worth it?”“I wasn’t swayed easily. You and I know that there is more to us than a bond between mates.”“Hard to believe that when all that connects us is that.”“Our parents do connect us, too. Do you think we wouldn’t have crossed paths if we hadn’t been mates?”“We could have, but you would be intent on killing me or destroying my life like you did at the beginning.”“That’s true. But you can just chalk up my feelings and invalidate them, simplify them to one variable.”“It’s the only thing that is making sense. I mean, here I am, sitting in your love sanctuary, surrounded by your memories with her, and yet you are telling me it's me you want. What about her? Why was it so easy for you to just leave her?”“If you hadn't shown up, I already knew it would rather be her that I pretended with, cosplayed my inner wishful thinking even though it wasn’t true.”I close my eyes briefly before lo
ZADEThere is something dark, alluring, and compelling about Ari Silvers that I have never been able to fully comprehend.Her beauty and magnetism are not the traditional kind. It's raw, demands that you see her, revere her, and ache to be close to her, so you can bathe in it.She is beautiful in the traditional sense as well, but then you look again. And again, and again. You are drawn in, wanting, needing, desiring, and even wanting to corrupt.She is pure, she is dark, she is innocent, but also twisted. She is all that you wish you could hold and covet to yourself, but you cannot. For it is not to be held by others and coveted, stolen, but to be looked at, worshiped, and if you are good, to be bathed in.But never yours.She is sitting on the rooftop.I followed the feeling of our bond, and I am surprised, a little unsure why she would be here. This is where she fell, almost to her death after all.Her knees are pressed against her chest as she looks at the far distance, lost in wh
ZADEI stop behind one balding man, I think he is here because he is a legacy. Not the official family but still as important. I can see the sweat trickling down his neck into the stiff, tight suit he is wearing.If I wasn’t so sure before, now standing behind him as he reeks of fear … it's solid. My hand goes through his back, and I touch the organ that’s beating and warm in my palm.Gasps echo around, but no one says a word, as they look at me with horrified expressions, save for my father, of course.“This man,” I turn to Jude, “you missed this man.” My fingers close around the beating organ and pull my hand back. The body shakes, twitching before his head thumps on the table like a log. The scent of blood permeates the air, thickening it with the tension and fear pulsing in the room.I walk over to Jude and let the organ fall on his file, and he looks at it, eyes wide. I am sure he isn't breathing. After all, I just killed a legacy, and he has a lot of mess to clean up.And also,
ZADEWe are back to ignoring each other.Or to be more precise, Ari has gone back to hating my guts and ignoring my existence. And when she sees me, when our eyes meet, those first two seconds, time seems to slow down, and it's only us. The world fades away, and it's us, and I usually get this feeling in my chest, this heavy thing that is threatening to drown me, but in a sweet way.It's only us, as if we know something, just the two of us, and then the moment is snapped and broken, and she is back to scowling at me, rolling her eyes.But I know, those few seconds, where it is only us, when time stops and we only see each other, feel each other… that is the truth of us.She told me she wanted devotion and then proceeded to lock herself in the bedroom before she left early in the morning, even though we did spend the night together.I didn’t sleep, not when she was in the next room and I knew she wasn’t asleep either. I listened to her breathing, every turn and twist in the bed.I list
ARI“What's going on inside this little mind?” his voice is so close to me, nose brushing my temple.I should feel something. A tingle, but I am so damn tired. All I want is to sleep, forget that I exist for a few hours before I start going back to my life. I can't escape it anymore, now can I?“Nothing,” I sigh. “I am just a little sleepy.”Is he expecting more from me tonight?I wish I had the girls with me. They would allow me to be in your space. Maybe I should call them, text them, but I don't have my phone. I remember crashing it in the hotel suite before I walked out into the traffic.Maybe I am not as okay as I think. But getting a grip is important.If I am going to avenge and face the people who ruined me to begin with, I can't let go of the reality. I need to be focused and work hard to make sure they don’t destroy me before I destroy them.I know I am not going to come out of it. The plans I made to go study law as further studies, get out of the pack and live my life as a
ARIMy life is a mess.It’s a fucked life, painful, dry, bland, void of colour.I am ugly too, rotting slowly inside, underserving of anything good because that’s just what is set in stone for me.Despite it all, despite feeling all of that, as Zade looks at me like I mean something, like I matter … I can't help but want to be under that gaze for a longer time.He is looking at me how he used to look at Olivia, like he might love me, like I mean something. He wants to know if I am okay, taking care of me, a gentle, caring touch on my cold, withering soul.I don’t deserve it, and yet.I yearn for it. Crave it. I can't not shudder under it.“Do you want me to ask you?”Yes. I want him to ask me. I want him to push for me to tell him what's going on in my head. For him to fight for me. I am selfish like that. Mother didn’t say anything untrue, because here I am, asking and taking what doesn’t belong to me.I came into this life, took Olivia’s man under fate’s guidance, and yes. It hurt.
ARII don’t think I have ever truly let myself think deeply about Zade, who is becoming, and his birthright. I am not one to attach my identity to the boy I am seeing or crushing on, and in this case, the boy I am mated to.But it's still heavy. I find it … sexy that he is already so mature, powerful too, and it's only going to get even better.Yes, I think I am crushing on Zade, and I can't control choking on my water once that fully hits me.“Are you okay?” he asks me as he rushes to my side, rubbing my back.“Yeah,” I wheeze out. “Guess I am a little surprised.”“Why?” he chuckles as he gets back to cooking.“The first thing someone sees when they see you is how spoiled you are.” That’s not true.The first thing I saw and felt when I first laid my eyes on him was just how magnetic and powerful he was. Yes, you could tell from miles away that he is wealthy, but it wasn’t the kind I got from the rest of the students.No, his was the quiet, generational wealth that just didn’t come fr