CAL
Turner sat in the driver’s seat, fiddling with his phone while waiting. I leaned back in the rear seat, gazing out the window and enjoying the crisp morning air.
“Turner,” I called, breaking the silence as I glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror.
“Yes, Mr. Cal?” he replied politely.
“You’re pretty close with Damon, aren’t you?” I asked, keeping my tone casual.
Turner turned slightly, then fixed his gaze back on the front. “You could say that. It’s nice having someone to talk to about spare parts and such.”
I nodded thoughtfully. “Seems like he treats you nice. He talks to you more than he does with me or anyone
SERAHis hand was still pinning both of my wrists above my head. Just one hand was enough to keep me in place. My body lifted slightly toward him with every movement he made, and all I could do was look at his face. God, that face. So close, yet still far. So beautiful, and yet untouchable.“Ace—” My voice cracked.He turned slightly, his lips brushing the edge of my cheek. “Yes, sweetheart?”I squirmed just a little, trying to free one hand because I just … I really needed to— “Let me touch you.” I closed my eyes, feeling the slow, deep movements of his body inside mine. He filled me completely, achingly. “Please, I need to.”His breath grazed the side of my neck, hot and steady, so different from my own, which was ragged and uneven. “Tell me why,” he murmured lowly.A helpless sigh left me. My body tensed beneath him, full and aching for more and he knew it. I looked up at him, silently begging. My fingers curled, aching to reach, to feel the skin that had always seemed too perfec
SERAThe hallway in that old house was silent, only the ticking of a clock echoed with Ace’s footsteps. And somehow, it felt sacred. Like we were walking through history, rewriting something that had already been written.I leaned against his chest, still naked. He didn’t put his jacket on me after all. And I knew, behind those security cameras, someone—anyone—might be watching. But strangely, I wasn’t scared or ashamed.I felt seen. And I wanted to be seen as his.A door opened then closed behind us. The scent of old wood and cleaning solution lingered in the air, softly mixed with the warmth of his skin.He laid me down on the bed and crouched to take off my shoes. His smile was impossibly gentle—almost not his own—when he looked at me and unhooked the chain from my thigh. “You good?”I nodded, even though my chest was starting to tremble again.He kissed my thigh softly before standing up. His shirt came undone slowly, one button at a time. He wasn’t moving like someone in a hurry
ACE“This is how you should be remembered,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her right knee. “Not as an heiress or a symbol, but as a woman who chose to submit only to the man who earned it.”My fingers brushed the chain on her thigh. I twisted the A pendant slightly, then gave it a tug, just enough to make it sting.She exhaled, shaky.“Do you know what this chain means, Sera?” I asked calmly.Her eyes met mine, pupils blown wide. “Yours.”I nodded, rising slowly but still leaning in close. “Exactly. But not just your body.” My fingers traced her waist, then her stomach, finally reaching the sharp line of her jaw. “Your mind, too. Your choices. When you stood beside me at that gala wearing this, you were already mine.”She swallowed, but didn’t look away.I kissed her chin. Then her neck. Then lower, down to her collarbone.And when my lips touched her nipple and she tensed under me, I laughed quietly. “Too sensitive tonight,” I murmured, then licked her again, slower. My hand anchore
ACEThe camera flashes were still going off in the distance. Applause, clinking glasses, fake smiles. But Sera and I walked out of that ballroom like we were stealing ourselves away from the world.She walked beside me in that red dress. A red that wasn’t just a color, but a surrender in fabric form.The family car that brought us was still parked where it should be, with Turner standing by the rear door. I barely glanced in that direction before turning right.My car was waiting in a more discreet spot. A black coupe, sleek and polished like a shard of obsidian under the garden lights.The key in my pocket gave a signal. The lights blinked calmly, soundless.Sera didn’t say anything when I opened the door for her. She just looked at me for a second and got in.I slipped into the driver’s seat. Low classical music drifted from the speakers. The engine purred to life, pulling us out of the lot and into the cold, open night.We didn’t talk. My one hand on the wheel, the other resting on
SERAI gave a polite nod to the last guest I was speaking with, a small signal that I was excusing myself to the restroom. My stilettos clicked calmly against the slick white marble. MMy steps were light, though my head spun a bit from the chandelier’s harsh light and the overly festive music.I took a breath, catching my own reflection in the mirror. The later it got, the faster my heart seemed to beat.Tonight, I was giving myself fully to Ace. Willingly. Completely. And I knew after this, nothing between us would be the same.I had barely taken a few steps out of the restroom when a hand grabbed me—fast, firm, silent. Fingers wrapped around my wrist and pulled me into a dark corner off the hallway. I almost screamed until I caught the scent of tobacco and that unmistakable cologne.Damon.“Jesus, Damon, you almost scared the—” My protest cut off when my back hit the cold marble wall, and his breath was already too close to my face.“I hate this place,” he growled, voice low and bur
SERAThe moment we stepped through the grand glass doors of the ballroom, the world inside greeted us with golden light and soft orchestra music. Crystal chandeliers hung high from the arched ceiling, scattering warm reflections across silk gowns and tailored tuxedos that moved gracefully through the room. The air was a blend of expensive wine, fresh peonies, and perfectly curated luxury.I felt heads turn in our direction. Camera flashes began to click, one by one finally catching the elusive Ace Vance, the oldest Blackwood son who’d always existed as little more than a whisper. But tonight, he wasn’t just a rumor. He was the spotlight.Ace barely reacted. His shoulders stayed firm, his jaw was set, and his smile flickered for maybe half a second, just enough to make people wonder if it was a smile or a warning.Gia reached us fast. Her dress was pretty, but still practical enough for someone always five seconds away from running a crisis. “Mr. Ace needs to join the others,” she sai