Ruby's POVI had one peaceful sleep after some days, and I could say that I slept like a baby, or maybe, like a log of wood. Who knows?It did not matter how I slept, as long as I was able to forget everything that had happened these past few days.Now I was awake, but I felt too lazy to get out of bed. I just wished it was not morning already. I closed my eyes again hoping I could fall asleep again but then came some noise outside my room.Sliding into my slippers, I walked towards the door and pinned my ear against it."Do you think she's okay?" Someone asked. I immediately recognized the voice as Lilac's.A heavy sigh, then Ariana replied. "I don't know, Lilac. She appeared at my front steps yesterday, looking like a bat out of hell. She's sleeping in there right now.""This is why I don't like powerful men like Dominic." Lilac grumbled. "They think they can do anything they like to anyone."I shook my head slowly as I listened to my friends. I knew they were only looking out for m
Dominic’s POVThe past week had been hell for me.I barely left my study, barely ate meals, barely spoke to anyone. My days blurred together. I'd stopped going to the office and moved my work to the house. It was endless hours of staring at my laptop, pretending to work when all I could think about was Ruby. The house was too quiet without her. Too empty.I didn’t even know where Ariel was half the time. Not that she’d come looking for me, after our last conversation.Tonight was no different. I sat at my desk, peering at the screen, but the words meant nothing. My coffee had gone cold beside me. My body ached from sitting too long, but I didn’t move.The door creaked open."I said I don’t want to be disturbed!" I snapped. "I told the house manager that I don't want to be disturbed!""Nice to see you too, Dad."I exhaled slowly and brushed a tired hand against my face. "Ariel, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else."She stepped inside, balancing a tray in her hands. "I brought yo
Ruby’s POVA day after Dominic came to see me, Ariana, Lilac, and I sat crisscross applesauce on the floor with a giant bowl of popcorn between us. The TV was on, throwing a soft glow around the living room as we watched Pride and Prejudice.Lilac tossed a kernel of popcorn into her mouth and chewed loudly. "So, Ruby, are you ever going back to your condo?"I exhaled and leaned back on my palms. "Eventually," I said. "But right now? No. That house is too big and too quiet. And Dominic could find me there."Ariana patted my thigh. "You can stay here as long as you want."I gave her a small smile. "Thanks."Lilac crunched on another handful of popcorn. "Okay, serious question. Do you really believe Dominic slept with Rosalie?"I gasped and my hand flew to my chest in exaggerated horror. "How dare you!"Lilac snorted. "I mean, think about it. If Dominic didn’t care about proving his innocence, why would he come all the way here to find you?"I scoffed, shaking my head as memories of that
Ruby’s POVTwo hours later, Ariana was snoring softly beside me with her arm thrown across my stomach like a deadweight. I shifted slightly, careful not to wake her, when my phone buzzed on the nightstand.I grabbed it, turned it on and blinked against the brightness. It was a voice note from Dominic.I hovered my fingers over the screen. I could ignore it, pretend I never saw it. But curiosity got the best of me. I tapped play."Ruby… I’m sorry." His voice was familiar but more quiet than I remembered, rough like he hadn’t slept. "I know I messed up, but can we talk? Please."I exhaled through my nose. Just hearing his voice was already loosening all the knots of resolve in my head.Then, in the background, Ariel’s voice chimed in, "Ruby, you should come back. Daddy’s been a grumpy old man since you left. I miss you too."A chuckle slipped out before I could stop it. I typed out a reply. Sure. I’d love to meet. I’ll come by the house tomorrow.Almost immediately, Dominic responded wi
Ruby's POV"There is so much to talk about," I murmured against his chest. Dominic pulled back and silently led me upstairs. I knew where this was headed already.When we got to his room, he closed the door behind us and I sighed. "I am still not moving back in with…"But before I could finish talking, he pulled me closer and kissed me deep.I tangled my fingers in his hair and invited him to deepen the kiss. When at last I felt the thrust of his tongue, desire shook me with a force that made me gasp.He’d done nothing more than kiss me and I was already molten and ready for him, already fumbling with the material of his tank top. He caught my hands and finished the job far more efficiently than I ever could have. I ran my hands over the firm muscles of his chest and felt the answering shudder beneath my palms.“So much for being mad at him,” I scoffed at that thought.Lifting his mouth from mine, he gazed down at me with an intensity that tightened the coil of excitement deep inside
Ruby's POVThe taste of my pussy on his lips began the spiral of need all over again.“Now, Dom,” I urged. “I want you.” He outlined my mouth with the tip of his tongue. “That sounds like an order. I told you not to give orders.” I groaned in frustration. With a soft chuckle he reached over to the bedside table for the condom. The soft snap of the latex as it covered his erection sent a hot new surge of longing through me.“Come here,” he whispered, slipping his arm under me and lifting me gently. I hadn’t expected this would be what he’d want now, but I followed his guidance and positioned myself above him.“Why this way?” I murmured.His voice was ragged with need. “Because now you need to be in control again.""Because you said so?"“Yes. I call the shots on this bed.”I gazed into his eyes as I slowly lowered myself, taking him deeper and deeper inside me. I’d never seen a blue so intense as the color of his eyes as I accepted him completely inside me.He understood so much, inc
Ruby’s POVWhen I woke up, the first thing I saw was Dominic. He was lying beside me, breathing so slowly and evenly. Peaceful. His features were so relaxed.I reached out, tracing my fingers lightly over the scar on his cheek. The scar was white and stood out so sharply on his face, I saw why he was so insistent on wearing that mask. Dominic didn’t even stir as I touched the scar.Rosalie’s message echoed in my mind as I touched Dominic. I needed to hear her out. With a quiet sigh, I slipped out of bed and headed for the shower as I kept thinking about Rosalie. She was never straightforward; she played games, twisted words, pushed buttons just to see people break. But she claimed to have secrets. And if there was even a chance those secrets involved Dominic, I had to know.I dressed quickly, grabbed my bag then leaned down and pressed a kiss to Dominic’s cheek. He barely moved, just a soft inhale as I pulled back.I sent him a quick text: I'll be back soon. Make us breakfast.Then I
Ruby’s POVI barely remembered the drive back to Ariana’s place. My mind was a mess filler with everything Rosalie had said, everything I’d seen on her laptop. My chest felt hollow and my throat felt raw, even though I hadn't cried yet.As soon as I stepped inside, Ariana walked out from the kitchen with a large spoon in her hand. “Ruby? What happened?”I shook my head, swallowing against the lump in my throat. “I just need some time alone.” She took a step forward. “Ruby, talk to me....”“Not now, Ari.” I gasped as I felt the tears coming. “Please.”Something in my face must have stopped her from pressing further. She sighed, stepping back as I walked past her. The room door clicked shut behind me, and I leaned against it for a second, squeezing my eyes shut. I needed to breathe and I needed to think, but every time I did, Dominic’s face swam in my mind. I remembered the way he’d looked at me, touched me, whispered promises into my skin, all while hiding this big secret from me.Wha
Ruby's POV“Ariel, stop moving! I can’t fix your hair if you keep squirming!”Ariel groaned dramatically, tossing her head back. “I swear, Lilac, if you pull my scalp one more time...”Lilac scoffed, not even looking up from the curling iron in her hand. “Then what? You’ll go out there with lopsided curls? Please.”Ariana snickered from where she was wrestling with a stubborn zipper on a garment bag. “She has a point, Ariel. Just sit still and suffer through it like the rest of us.”I laughed as I stood in front of the mirror, carefully stepping out of my wedding gown. The dress slid off my body, leaving me in just my underwear as I reached for the dinner dress waiting on the hanger.“God!” I sighed, rolling my shoulders. “That thing is gorgeous, but it weighs like two elephants.”Ariel turned to me and arched a brow. “You chose it, Stepmom. Can I call you that?”"Please, don't."Ariana laughed at the look of horror on my face. Lilac clapped her hands together. “Okay! Ariel, you’re do
Dominic's POV“You son of a bitch! I’ll kill you, Dominic! I swear I’ll kill you!”Ambrose’s face was twisted with rage. He looked like he was ready to throttle me to the ground and beat me up. Spit flew from his mouth as he screamed. I didn’t flinch at his numerous threats. I didn’t even blink.I just laughed right in his face. The man really thought he could outsmart me.Ambrose's fury only increased. Like I predicted, he lunged forward at me, but my men raised their guns instantly, stopping him in his tracks. He knew better than to test them.Still chuckling, I turned to one of my men. “Put my daughter on the phone.”The man nodded, pulling out my phone which was with him and dialing Ariel’s number. He placed it in my hand as the call connected.It rang loudly twice, then the screen lit up with her face. The agonizing breath I had been holding since realising she was in danger finally left my lungs. I felt like I could breathe with ease again.Ariel was safe. Damien had saved her l
Ambrose's POV“To Dominic Rutherford, the man who lost everything in one night!”A loud cheer erupted around the long dining table as glasses clinked together. Laughter filled the room, bouncing off the cracked walls of the old Château Beaumont. The air smelled of whiskey, cigar smoke and greasy pizza. My men were in high spirits, stuffing their faces and drinking like kings. Seven of them were the seven other convicts that I had escaped with.Sergio, one of my more talkative men, laughed with a cigar dangling from his fingers. “I still can’t believe it. The great Dominic Rutherford, completely wiped out overnight.”Another man chuckled, slapping the table. “That’s what happens when you play a game against Ambrose Vandyke. You lose.”I took a slow sip of my drink. “He thought he was untouchable.” I shook my head, smiling. “He should have learned by now. No one is untouchable. Not even him.”More laughter.Another man spoke up. “And his little Hollywood princess, Ruby. That one who act
Dominic's POVThe apartment was quiet. The kind of quiet that wrapped around a place when no one had been home for hours. I sat in the darkness with my gun in hand, my thumb tracing the cool metal absently.I was waiting for him.The only source of light came from the faint glow of the city bleeding through the curtains. Shadows were thrown across the walls, shifting slightly whenever the wind moved the blinds.Brandon was taking his time, and I was slowly losing my patience.I could have gone after him sooner. I could have tracked him down, dragged him out of whatever hole he was hiding in, but that wasn’t what I wanted. No, I wanted this. I wanted him to walk in, thinking he was safe. Thinking that after everything, he still had a place to return to.Because that was the cruelest part of it all.Brandon was a young man of twenty three. He was still naive enough to believe that there was a way out of this. That he could betray Ariel and walk away with his hands clean. No, the sins of
Ruby's POVThe car was quiet, but the silence wasn’t comfortable. It was the kind of silence that left you agitated and jumpy.I sat in the front seat beside Damien, staring at my phone. The time read 11:49 PM. It had been almost fifty minutes since Dominic sent us the location that Ambrose had given him.Fifty minutes that felt like a whole lifetime. We had been waiting here for that long.I wrapped my fingers around the phone and peered out of the window. Ambrose had promised to let Ariel go, but I didn’t trust him. At this point, I couldn't see anything in the foggy, moonless night that showed that Ariel had been released.The Ambrose I had known growing up had been a reliable man, someone I once looked up to. But the Ambrose of the past five years was a different creature entirely. He was a scary monster. A man who had ruined lives, destroyed families and now, kidnapped an innocent young woman just to threaten her father.I was sick of it.I turned my head slightly, glancing at Da
Dominic's POVI curled my hands into fist so hard that my nails bit into my palms. Every single cell in my body screamed at me to put a bullet in Ambrose’s head, but the image of Ariel tied to that bomb was burned into my skull.I had no choice. I couldn't put Ariel's life at risk. I just had to take his word for it. Ambrose grinned, watching me wrestle with the decision. He thrived off this, watching me break under his thumb."It's really heartwarming to watch a father willing to do anything for his daughter." He mused. "Including giving away all the assets that he'd spent almost twenty-five years gathering. Personally, I can't say I am willing to go to that length for any child of mine."I swallowed my pride and spoke through gritted teeth. “I have the signed transfer papers in my car. I’ll hand them over to you, but you’ll tell your people to deactivate the bomb first.”Ambrose hummed, rubbing his chin. “That’s a tempting offer, Dominic. But I have one condition.”I glared at him.
Dominic's POVThe tires screeched as I sped down the empty road, towards the outskirts of the city, where Illinois met Missouri. That place was all trees and forest and shrubbery, and that was where Ambrose had set the location to meet with him.Trees blurred past in a mess of green and shadow. Even the sky overhead was growing darker by the minute. It was almost night. The signed contracts sat on the seat beside me. It was a last resort. A bluff. I had one final plan up my sleeve, and if it didn’t work, I knew I would be walking into my own grave. I just had to make sure Ariel was out of harm's way before doing it.I had told Damien and the others not to follow. I told them I had it under control. It was a lie. But I couldn’t risk Ariel’s life by bringing an army with me.Ambrose wanted me alone? Fine. I’d give him exactly what he asked for.The road stretched on endlessly, winding deeper into the forest. Eventually, the GPS told me to stop. The location Ambrose sent wasn’t accessib
Dominic's POVThe second I heard Damien’s voice outside the door, I bolted upright.Ruby gasped beside me, scrambling to find her dress. “Shit, shit, shit!”“Ruby?" Ariana’s high-pitched voice rang out. "We're coming in!”“No, you’re not!” Ruby hissed, fumbling with the zipper on her dress. I yanked my shirt over my head, hopping on one leg to get my pants back on.It was like some ridiculous game, one where losing meant our friends walking in on something they would never let us live down.Just as Ruby managed to smooth out her dress, and I ran a hand through my cornrows to look somewhat presentable, the door opened.Damien, Ariana and Lilac walked in, stopping just past the doorway. One look at the messy bed, the slightly disheveled clothes and Ruby’s flushed cheeks, and they all knew exactly what had happened.Damien’s eyes moved from the unmade bed to me, his eyebrows raised in amusement. “Really, Dominic?”"We were gone for forty five minutes!" Lilac exclaimed. "You guys couldn't
Ruby's POV Naturally, all I wanted was to argue.... until his fingers brushed up my thighs. When he got to the end of the road, he stroked my pussy gently. I closed my eyes as his breath warmed my delicate skin. My head went back, my hands clutched the pillows. He won. So it wasn’t my life. I might as well enjoy myself.The warm breath on the very edge of my thighs narrowed and then it was his lips. The tip of his tongue, licking, nipping.A fingertip slid slightly inside me, moving slowly, just teasing me with the promise of things to come. He nibbled one thigh, then the other, increasing the pressure against my clit so slowly I had to thrust up against him.He moaned at the movement, rewarding me by concentrating on the one spot with tiny circles.The nibbles stopped. He used both thumbs to spread me open. I held my breath as he found my clit with the hardened tip of his tongue.I gasped and my hands moved to the back of his head, fingers running through his thick, dark cornrows. I