ACEThe air inside the car felt warm, even with the AC still on. The night outside was eerily quiet, broken only by the rustling of leaves swaying in the wind. Dim street lights cast a faint glow on the dashboard, creating soft shadows on Seraās face.I sat in the driverās seat, one hand resting on the wheel while the other lay lazily on my thigh. Sera, seated beside me in the passenger seat, still wearing her night dressāthe one I chose. A deep blue that blended into the night, baring her shoulders in just the right way. The fabric clung to her body like it was made for her. She turned her head toward me, her gaze searching mine for something.āIāve kept my promise,ā she murmured.I turned to her, locking eyes. āAnd you think thatās enough?āShe was silent for a moment, then a small, challenging smirk tugged at her lips. āYou really are never satisfied, are you?āI knew this game. I knew when she was teasing and when she was trying to deflect. And I wasnāt in the mood to play along.
SERABy the time we reached his bedroom door, I swallowed hard. I should stop this. I should pull my hand away, take a step back, say somethingāanythingāthat would give me an excuse to leave. But I just stood there, letting him open the door and pull me inside. The sharp click of the door locking behind me rang in my ears, sealing off any chance of retreat.I looked up, meeting his intense gaze. My breath felt heavy, my chest rising and falling abruptly, whether from the tension that still lingered from something happened in the car or the realization of what might happen tonight, I wasnāt sure.He didnāt say anything, but I could see the hunger in his eyes. The way they traced my face, the way they lingered on my lips. My body waited, while my mind desperately searched for an escape.Then he pulled me closer, and I could feel the heat radiating from him, smell the mix of his masculine scent and the faint trace of wine from dinner. And now, he was only an inch away, his voice filling
SERAāDo you feel this?ā he whispered. āIt beats just as strongly as yours, doesnāt it?āI should have pulled away. I should have denied his words. But I didnāt.Instead, my hand slid lower, tracing over his toned absāthe body of a man built on discipline.And that was when Ace smiled in satisfaction. He knew I was mesmerized by him. And he was right. But I wasnāt going to admit it.āI knew you wouldnāt run.ā His hand moved down, gliding over my thigh. āAnd Iāll make sure you never want to.āI was trapped in the way he controlled everything. Controlled me. And I hated how much I liked it. How much I wanted more. Ace and his game of dominanceāthis time, I had a feeling he was going to win.His lips brushed against my collarbone, trailing soft kisses before pressing deeper into my skin.āAceā¦ā I finally spoke, my voice hoarse and uncertain. My hands pushed against his shouldersātoo lightly, too weak to be a real push.āItās too late to hesitate, sweetheart,ā he murmured with a deep voic
SERAāYouāll come when I let you,ā he whispered like the devil himself. āBe a good girl and tell me what you want.āāIn your dreams.āI felt his smirk on my neck. āCome on, donāt be shy. Beg for it, and I'll give it to you.āI bit my tongue. I refused to give in. But my body told a different storyāit had already surrendered to him long ago. And he knew it. He knew I was on the edge.His kisses trailed lower, teeth grazing my shoulder before he whispered in a tone that made my body tense. āI can wait all night, Sera. But the question is⦠can you?āA quiet growl escaped me. This man ⦠he loved dominating me, pulling me into the rhythm of his game until I had no way to fight back.āSera.ā His voice dipped lower, firmer. āSay it.āI clenched the sheets beneath me, my entire body tense from the urges I could no longer contain. My breathing was ragged, and finally, the sound escaped my lips.āFuck me,ā I whispered, so damn low, but I knew he heard it. Swallowing hard, I gathered the last bi
SERAI didnāt remember how I got to the hospital.Everything felt like a thick fog. The city lights flickering through the car window, Aceās voice constantly speaking beside me, but I couldnāt catch a single word.All I could think about was Reggie. And fear.Fear of the worst possibility, one I didnāt even dare to name in my mind.The moment the car stopped, I pushed the door open before Ace could stop me. I ran through the hospital corridors, past unfamiliar facesādoctors, nurses, other visitors. I didnāt care about themāI didnāt even care about my own unsteady steps.I almost crashed into a nurse when I turned the corner, but I didnāt stop. My breath was ragged as I kept running until I saw that door. And Damon.He was standing there, steady and unhurried, as if he had been waiting for me. I could barely recognize the expression on his face. No fear, no shock. Just silence, hinting at something I didnāt want to hear.Beck was there tooāsitting on one of the chairs outside the room,
CALI knew this was coming.For days, Iād seen the signs. Every chart, every number, every response from Reggieās bodyāit all pointed to the same thing. His time was running out. I wanted to deny it, to believe maybe he had a few more days. But no. Tonight, itās happening.Walking out of the ICU, my breath felt heavy. I was used to death. As a doctor, I had delivered bad news to countless families. But this was different. This wasnāt just another patient. This was Reggie.And this was about Sera, too.Thatās why I convinced her to wait in the suiteāthe place where we always stayed while waiting for Reggie. I knew she wouldnāt like that decisionāSera hated being controlled. But she was also too exhausted, too fragile to witness this firsthand. So I made the choice for her, even knowing sheād probably hate me for it.As I closed the door behind me, I saw Ace at the end of the hallway. He wasnāt leaning against the wall or sitting on the bench. He stood tall, hands buried in his jacket p
CALThe repast was held at Blackwood Estate. The main hall was filled with mourners standing in small groups, each holding a drink, their voices humming softly in the air.But not with grief.From the start, I knew this wasnāt just a gathering to remember Reggie. It was a stage for his business associates to secure their positions in the world he left behind.The guests spoke in hushed tones, but their conversations lacked the weight of loss. Their words were the same ones theyād murmur at a gala or a corporate summit. Their clothes were black, but their expressions didnāt carry sorrow. Their discussions revolved around stocks, assets, and speculation about who would take control now that Reggie was gone.I caught pieces of their conversations.āSera Blackwood might sell off the assets in a few months. Sheās too young to handle this alone.āāOr maybe sheāll hold onto them. We know sheās smart, but without Reggie ⦠is she strong enough?āāShe canāt run it by herself. A board of directo
ACEI didnāt expect the night to end like this.This wasnāt how I wanted it to be.The heat of her skin, the way her breath hitched, how she gave herself to me completely ⦠I wanted all of that. But not this. I didnāt want Sera sitting there in silence, her expression empty, while the people around her talked as if she were nothing more than a bargaining chip in a transaction.I always knew Reggie and Sera only had each other. But tonight, in a room full of men in black suits who cared more about assets and stocks than memories and loss, that fact felt more real than ever.There were no relatives of Reggie here. No one claiming to be his brother, cousin, or even an old friend. Just people who, at some point in their lives, had a professional interest in Reggie or Sera. And now, after Reggieās death, they watched Sera like hawks circling their prey, waiting to see if she was strong enough to hold onto what he left behind or if she would crumble under the pressure.Meanwhile, the four o
DAMONShe really went full bad girl when she barged into my room wearing nothing but a black T-shirtāmy T-shirt. Somehow, that was even hotter than if sheād walked in naked.āIs this how you study? Half-naked and dangerously hot?ā she asked, arm crossed.I was actually trying to be a better man for once, doing some homework on the Blackwood Group. But the second I saw her standing thereābare legs, messy hair, those big challenging eyes like a sin straight out of hellāI lost it.My body moved before my brain caught up. One breath and I already had her in my arms, kissing her hard, hungry, with an urge I couldnāt fake if I tried.āYou really want me to lose my mind tonight, huh, princess?ā I murmured against her mouth.She just let out this low, dirty laughāone that made me instantly harderāand ran her fingers down my bare chest, like she knew exactly how easy it was to make me fall apart.āYouāre not scared of me at all, are you?ā I whispered, my hand wrapped around her neck.She looke
SERAAfter Grant left, taking his ambitious ideas with him, I was about to refill my tea when I noticed something out the front window. Something mildly alarming. Or mildly hilarious. Or both.Ace was standing in the drivewayāsleeves rolled up, jaw clenched, looking like a man on the brink of a very controlled meltdown. Beside him, Beck sat behind the wheel of a car that Iād known, since their arrival, would end up being Beckās. And from the way Beck gripped the steering wheel like it was a giant paintbrush, I knew this was going to be entertaining.I stepped outside, leaning against the doorframe, secretly wondering how long Ace could last before losing it.āBrakeās on the left, Beckett,ā Ace said flatly, the use of Beckett and that tone suggesting his patience was hanging by 12%.Beck nodded, fully committedāand promptly stomped on the pedal, launching the car forward like a wild horse out of its stable. Ace jumped to the side with a sharp curse. āThatās the gas, you idiot!āBeck p
SERAI was on my third email, fourth sip of cold coffee, and possibly my hundredth sigh when a knock landed on my doorāsoft, polite, but too familiar to ignore.Before I could say anything, the door creaked open just enough to let Calās head peek through.āHey,ā he said, a little grin on his face. I automatically stood up. "Cal? What are youā"āTell me you havenāt eaten.āI blinked. āIs that a trick question?āHe opened the door wider, revealing a brown paper bag in one hand. āDidnāt think so.āāYouāre ridiculous.āāAnd youāre predictable.āHe walked in, and the smell hit me before he even sat down: grilled chicken, something spicy. My stomach betrayed me with a growl.āGod, that smells unfairly good,ā kataku, menyusulnya duduk di sofa.He set the bag on the table, pulled out a container, then handed me a fork like this was some scheduled meeting on my calendar. āEat first. You can hate me later.āI gave him a look. āI donāt hate you.āāNot even a little?āI tried not to smile. Faile
ACEI didnāt know who started it. But the second our lips met again, I stopped thinking.This kiss was deeperābolder. Her breath hitched, and her body shifted a little in my lap, like she was trying to find a more comfortable position ⦠or maybe something closer. Something more.I let out a quiet sigh as my fingers slipped under the collar of her pajama shirt, brushing against her warm skin. She tensed for a second, but didnāt pull away. Instead, she reached up, grabbed the back of my neck, and kissed me harder. Her lips demanding, her tongue tracing mine in a rhythm that made my thoughts go static.My sanity was almost gone.She moved againāarched her hips, sliding in closer. Her knees were braced beside my waist now, bodies aligned. Her chest pressed to mine, her stomach against me. I could feel her heartbeat, wild and uneven.My hand slipped under her shirt, finding the smooth line of her back. I traced her spine slowly, deliberately.And yeahāIād been hard for a while now.She kne
ACEI set my alarm for 2:40. Three nights in a row. Not because I had insomnia. I just ⦠needed to make sure of something.The first night, I just sat here. Nothing happened.The second night, I made chamomile tea. Still nothing.The third nightātonightāI sat on the old leather couch facing the door, turned on the dim reading lamp, and opened a book I wasnāt really reading. The tea I made was still steaming on the little side table next to me. Two cups. I didnāt even drink tea, but I kept putting it there. Some kind of ritual I made up for myself. The reading lamp cast a soft glow, lighting up a random stack of books I picked just to make it look like I was reading. And the door ⦠I left it open. Just a crack. Just enough for someone walking by to see the light inside. Just enough to be a quiet invitation.Until I finally heard itāthe bedroom door creaking open, then light footsteps in the hallway at 3 a.m.And there she was.Sera stood in the library doorway. Her hair was messily ti
SERAāFor you, I would.āI froze. Breath catching. Before I could say anything, he turned back to the screenāas if nothing had happened. As if he hadnāt just dropped a line that made my heart skip a whole damn beat.A few minutes passed in a comfortable silence, until suddenly, I heard him speak softly. āThank you.āI frowned and turned a little. āFor what?āHe didnāt look at me right away. His eyes were still on the screen, like he was trying to find the right words. āFor not asking.āAnd just like that, the mood shifted. I knew what he meant. That scar I saw at the gym. But it wasnāt just that. It was the way he said it. The way his shoulders tensed, the way his breathing slowedācontrolled. Cal, who was usually so gentle and relaxed, now felt ⦠intense.āBecause I know what that feels like,ā I said softly.He finally looked at me. Our eyes met, and this time, neither of us looked away. His eyes were darker than usual, like they were holding in way more than heād ever say out loud.I
SERAThe moment Beck disappeared past the door, I knew Ace would go right after him. His shoulders were stiff, his jaw clenched like someone holding back a whole ocean of rage.Before he could leave, I grabbed his hand. “Come here,” I said softly, pulling him closer and giving him a quick kiss on the lips—gentle, light, just enough to cut through the tension between us.“I know you can handle this,” I whispered, still close enough to feel his breath. “I trust you, Ace.”For a second, something in his eyes softened. Just for a second. His gaze stayed sharp, still like Ace's—never fully readable. “I’ll be good. Because you
BECKToday, the first class after the announcement felt heavier than usual. Not because of the material, but because my chest felt ⦠tight. Like Reggie didnāt just leave behind a legacy, but also left a weight way too big for me to carry.Legacy. It sounds like a gift, right? But it feels more like a curse. Like a crown of thorns handed to us not out of hope, but as a reminder that weāre never really free. That now we all have something weāre supposed to protect.And the truth was ⦠I still didnāt know what it means to be a Blackwood. Even I was not sure I deserved to carry that name.My steps were heavy as I crossed to the pavilion to grab my favorite leather jacket. The plan was to grab my stuff and leave with Ace. We were supposed to go driving.Yeah, Ace insisted on teaching me how to drive. He said, āA grown man who canāt drive is embarrassing. What, you think youāll survive an emergency driving with crayons?āWhich was dumb. I didnāt even use crayons. (Anymore.)Then I heard so
SERAI never questioned Reggie's decisions.He must had his reasons.That was the line I kept replaying in my head, like some mantra, every time that stubborn old man made a decision I couldnāt fully accept. But todayātonightāthat line felt like poison slowly tightening around my chest.I sat at the edge of his bed, right where I always sat whenever we talked. My spot. From there, I could look at him across the room, lounging on that worn-out leather sofa, complaining about corporate politics. I could still feel him there somehow. Like a ghost that refused to leave.My hand clutched a letter. Edward had given each of usāme and the Blackwood brothersāa personal letter from Reggie.The edges were already crumpling under my shaking fingers, but I couldnāt let go. This wasnāt a contract, or some company memo, or a blood-chilling will. It was just a letter. In Reggieās handwriting, I knew those strokes by heart.I had read it twice. Maybe three times? I wasnāt sure anymore.***Dearest Ser