Arya's POV
It felt like an attainment seeing myself fly a private jet. I never thought that could be possible my whole life. We landed shortly afterwards. Wow, I found myself in yet another island. How rich could this family be? Lucas held my hand and we headed into one of the buildings. "You might find them a bit out of place but don't let anyone get to you alright? you will only survive this easily if you appear difficult," he whispered to me as we proceeded inside. By "them" Is he by any chance referring to his family? Why did he sound like they are dangerous or something? Why is he just letting me know now? What have I gotten myself into? I suddenly noticed his hand on mine tightened as he squeezed it gently. "It's okay, I will never let anything happen to you babydoll, you don't have to be scared," he whispered. I guess he noticed how tensed his statement made me. And why does he keep referring to me as "babydoll?" I'm quite certain that I was clear when I had told him my name. And there is something about how the name rolls off his tongue and the look on his face whenever he says it. We walked in to a full house, I guess they were already aware of our coming. Four heavily built men just like Lucas, were seated at the living room. Gracious goodness! This is a family full of hot men! One would literally pee on themselves if approached by heavily hung men like this. This was the major headache I was having seeing myself close to Lucas, his spectacular physique could make you lose sense of reasoning and crave for him to do things to you, I've prepared double standards of resistance to be able to escape his charm. I'm guessing they do not have a girl seeing there's none sitting with them. "Look who is here, my son!" A man sitting on a throne like couch a bit far from them squealed happily, I'm guessing he is the father, he wasn't left out in the handsomeness, he looked as though he was aging backwards, good looks sure do run in their veins. With the look on his brothers faces as their father hailed Lucas, I instantly realized what's going on. Lucas seems to be the favorite son. They all stood up with a not so bright smiles on their faces and did the brotherly hug thingy. "And who is this goddess you have here?" one of them asked. I didn't fail to notice the look he's been giving me since we got here, I just chose to ignore it. "Arya, my woman," he replied and wrapped his hand around my waist. "Babydoll, meet my brothers, Jayden, Hardin, Ryan and Martin," he pointed at each one as he called out their names and they shook hands with me. My body suddenly tensed up as he mentioned Martin, the sneaky one who's been giving me the creepy stares. "Welcome to the family beauty," he said stretching out his hand for a handshake and I reluctantly accepted. His grip lingered before he finally released me, not without licking his lips. Is he not scared to do this in front of Lucas? Now I clearly understand what he meant by "you might find them a bit out of place," Lucas pulled me with him and we walked towards his father. "My son!" He hailed standing up and they did a signature handshake. Wait what? They are this close? Isn't it going to be an issue with the rest of his brothers? They exchanged pleasantries and he turned towards me. "Dad, I brought home, my woman," he said beaming all smiles. "babydoll, meet my dad." "Hello sir, it's nice to meet you," I greeted stretching out my hand for a handshake. Surprisingly, he pulled me into a warm hug instead. "Oh darling, you are a beauty to behold, Lucas has eyes only for good things, always makes me proud," he smiled at me. "C'mon everyone, let's head to the dining now, we have a lot to celebrate," he said. * I twisted uncomfortably on my seat as I felt Martin's hot gaze on me throughout the dinner. I almost let out a sharp cry of excitement when finally the dinner came to an end and everyone retired back to their room. Finally away from his creepy eyes eating me up like I am some delicacy. "You were excellent babydoll," Lucas whispered into my ear as we made our way to the room. Now here comes the real problem, Lucas and I are sharing a room, how possible can that be? With a perverted guy like him, I won't be surprised if I wake up to his hands on my boobs or butts, he seems capable of anything. I needed to do something. Fast. "Uhm... Can I take a walk around the island? I don't feel sleepy," I finally spoke up after careful consideration. I intend to return when he's fast asleep. "Sure, do you need me to come with you?" He asked. "Oh no! You don't have to worry, I'll be okay," I quickly cut in. I turned around sharply and strolled out of the room. ** I walked around the island admiring the beauty of nature and wealth as the cool breeze relaxed my head, just like Lucas's island, everything around here is eye catching. Enough to keep me here till I'm sure Lucas has slept off. Suddenly, a hand pulled me to a dark corner and slammed me against the wall. I was about screaming when I saw the face clear, Martin. "Hey, what are you doing? Let me go," I tried to struggle out of his grip but he was stronger than I am. "What was it that he called you? Babydoll?" He smirked. "You are one sexy lady, I can't take my eyes off you for a second," he whispered stroking my cheeks seductively. His touch irritated me terribly. I should have stayed back inside. "I want you badly, Arya, I want you as mine," he said. "What are you saying? I am your brother's woman," I spat angrily. "He don't deserve you, shit! He isn't always going to get the best things, you are mine, it's only a matter of time before I take you away from him by any means possible," he gritted. "I do not want to hear any of this Martin, I came out here for a bit of fresh breeze and I think I'm due now, let me go, I need to go back to my man," I sounded sternly staring back at him dead in the eyes. I'm not gonna let him intimidate me, Lucas already warned me of this. He chuckled and placed his hands on both sides of the wall caging me in-between. "You heard the lady, she wants to go back to her man, let her go this instant, do you have a death wish?" I heard a voice roar behind us. I snapped my head towards the direction of the voice to see Lucas standing there with his palms hurled up in a fist and his eyes as dark as I have never seen before.Arya's POV.Martin quickly pulled away from me and faced him with a smile on his face.Everything about this man is creepy as hell, I mean he has a smile on his face when he has just been caught trying to force himself on his brother's woman."Relax bro," I was only having a discussion with my future sister in law," he shrugged. "Oh yeah? Having a discussion with her caged in between your hands? That must really be some important discussion," Lucas snapped, the anger in his voice was undeniably evident.Okay, I don't like where this is going.I quickly walked over to Lucas and grabbed his hands, at this point, I wasn't concerned about how I felt as our hands came in contact, I just needed to get him out of here immediately before the situation escalated."Lucas, please let's go," I muttered staring at him with pleading eyes."Man, take your bitch and leave already," Martin suddenly blurted out.Wait, what?Did he just call me that?"What did you just call her?" Lucas gritted marching
Arya's POV. Lucas continued to pace to and fro the room, his breath so ragged, I could hear them from the edge of the bed where I sat. He's been on that since we returned to the room. "Get a good sleep, babydoll, we have a long trip ahead of us tomorrow," he casually spared me a glance before returning to his pacing. I truly wanted to get a good sleep, I was tired already from today's trip, and such drama that went down few minutes ago. I tried not to look at him further and just go to sleep like he had demanded. I really, really tried. But how could I ignore him when he was pacing furiously around the room, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it might snap? The tension in his shoulders, the way his fists were balled at his sides, and the quiet rage radiating from him... it was impossible to ignore. Lucas was a storm, and I was trapped in his eye. "Sit down," I finally spoke, my voice more uncertain than I wanted it to be. Oh goodness, what am I doing? He stopped pacing and
Arya’s POVI stretched lazily, savoring the feel of the soft sheets beneath me. The warmth of sleep still clung to my body as I let out a small sigh, sinking deeper into the pillows. The bed felt emptier than before.Wait.I blinked groggily, my fingers searching the other side of the bed. Nothing. Lucas wasn’t there.Good.I didn’t know why I felt relieved. Maybe it was because being around him made me too aware of myself. He had this way of looking at me, speaking to me, twisting my words until they meant something entirely different.I pushed the thoughts aside and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The large room was quiet, the morning light seeping in through the half drawn curtains.A shower. That’s what I needed to prepare myself for the long trip ahead of me today.Yawning, I swung my legs over the bed, standing up and stretching once again. The extra robe I had thrown on last night slipped slightly off my shoulder, exposing more of my skin to the cool air. I shivered, ru
Arya's POV.I had just finished brushing my hair when I heard the door click open. I turned, expecting a maid or maybe even the driver, but instead, my heart nearly leaped out of my chest when I saw him.Lucas strolled into the room with a tray of food in his hands, his movements effortlessly smooth, his gaze unreadable as usual. Even in the simplest actions, he carried himself with an undeniable air of dominance, like a man who always got what he wanted.“I brought breakfast,” he said casually, setting the tray on the small table beside the bed.I blinked in surprise. Lucas? Bringing food to me?He didn’t strike me as the type of man to do something like this for a woman.. at least, not without some kind of ulterior motive. And yet, here he was, looking as though this was the most natural thing in the world.“I… you didn’t have to,” I muttered, avoiding his gaze as I adjusted the sleeve of my dress.“I did,” he countered, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. “I don’t want Ma
Arya's POV.The hum of the jet engines had been nothing but background noise to the tumor simmering in my mind. I stared blankly out the window, watching the dark clouds swirl outside as the aircraft sliced through the sky. The whole trip had been a whirlwind.. Lucas’s dangerous family, his cockiness, Martin’s obsession, and that ridiculous fight that had me holding my breath the entire time. But now, something far more pressing weighed on me.The contract. My payment.The realization settled in like a heavy stone in my stomach.Lucas had hired me for a week, but we didn’t even stay a complete 24 hours at his family’s estate. Would he use that as an excuse not to pay me? Would he claim that since the trip was cut short, my contract was null and void?My heart hammered in my chest at the thought. I needed that money. Desperately.I stole a glance at Lucas, who was seated across from me, his fingers lazily drumming against the armrest. His sharp blue-green eyes were fixed on the file i
Arya's POV.A loud knock sounded through the room, dragging me out of the deep sleep I had been lost in. I groaned, turning to my side, burying my face into the pillow as I tried to ignore it. But the knocking continued... Whoever was behind the knocking had no intentions of stopping. But, I myself had no intentions of standing up from the bed either. I needed to sleep some more. I was having such good time of my life. "Miss Arya," a soft voice called from the other side. "Sir Lucas wants you to join him for breakfast."Lucas.The sound of his name sent a sudden rush of awareness through my body, and I instantly sat up, blinking against the deep wave of sleep that was still washing over me.Breakfast?I glanced at the clock on the wall and realized just how late it was. I had been so exhausted from yesterday’s trip back that I must have slept through the entire morning. The fatigue still clung to my muscles."Tell him I'll be there in a moment!" I called back, rubbing the sleep from
Arya's POV.I barely made it back to my room before I let out the breath I never knew I was holding. My heart pounded against my ribs, and my fingers trembled as I locked the door behind me.I could still feel the weight of Lucas’s gaze on me, the way his piercing eyes had followed my every movement at breakfast. Every time I looked up, he was watching me... his expression unreadable, his lips curled slightly in amusement, as if he was playing some secret game that only he knew the rules to.I had lost my appetite the moment I realized I was the object of his entertainment.This was a mistake.I never should’ve taken this job.I flopped onto the massive bed, gripping the sheets as if they could ground me. I have only been here for less than twenty four hours, and already, I felt trapped.Lucas Griffin is dangerous.Not in the obvious way... though his attitude alone was enough to make anyone’s blood run cold. But the true danger wasn’t in his power, his wealth, or even the violence h
Arya's POV.I stood at the edge of the pool, arms crossed over my chest as I watched Lucas dive into the water with effortlessly. He swam up moments later, his dark hair slicked back, water streaming down his sculpted shoulders. My throat went dry.Why does he have to look like sin itself?He ran a hand over his face, shaking off the excess water before resting his piercing gaze on me. "Come on in," he called, his voice deep, smooth... almost coaxing.I hesitated, my arms tightening around myself. “Turn around.”He suddenly smirked. "What?" “I said turn around. I need to take my clothes off.”His smirk grew into a full blown grin. “Now, why would I do that when I have every right to watch?”I quickly shot him a hard glare. "Lucas..." “Relax, babydoll. It’s just a swimsuit. Nothing I haven’t seen before.”I couldn't hold back my gasp. "You have not seen me in a swimsuit before!”“Not yet.” He winked.God, he is so cornily annoying. And why the hell does my stupid body find it intrig
Hailey's POV. The drive back home felt longer than usual. My head was in a state of chaos and it was all because of him.I couldn’t get his face out of my head.I had only seen him for a second, maybe two, before Mom dragged me out. There was something... familiar about him, even though I’d never seen him before.Maybe it was the way his hair fell over his forehead, just a little too long, or how his eyes, those brief, shadowed eyes, looked calm.Maybe he looked like someone I knew back in California but I really doubt that. I couldn't stop replaying that fleeting moment over and over.Who was he?I didn’t even catch his name. I had been too caught up in my own anxiety. I really wanted to know who he was.I wanted to know why seeing him made my heart stutter like it had forgotten how to beat.I leaned against the car seat, pressing my back against it and letting out a slow breath.What was it about him?Maybe it was the way the world seemed to tilt just slightly when our eyes coll
Hailey’s POV.A week.Seven whole days since we moved.You’d think that might be enough time for me to at least unpack or open the blinds or look around the neighborhood. But no. I stayed in my room like it was a bunker and the rest of the world was at war. The most I did was drag myself to the kitchen for water or snacks, and even that felt like crossing enemy lines.I didn’t care about the house fridge or the stupid backyard with trimmed hedges that looked like they belonged in a brochure.I don't want any of that."Wakey wakeey, sunshine." Aiden's text was the first to wake me up. "Hey." I simply texted him. "Are you still pissed about moving?""Very much so.""C'mon, try to let it go, and enjoy the city." "But I won't be able to see you again." "What made you so sure that I lived in California and you could find me there?" That seemed to strike a bell. "I don't know, I just had a feeling." A knock suddenly came on the door before I could get his next message. “Hailey,” mom
Hailey's POV.The plane had barely landed before I was itching to disappear. Not into a new place or new beginning like everyone kept saying... but to dissolve. Just vanish. Because arriving didn’t feel like an arrival at all.I clutched the strap of my backpack tighter, head down, ignoring everything, my parents. Everything . It all made me sick.The drive from the airport took another eternity. I didn’t care about the clean streets or the fact that the weather here was “nicer.” My chest ached like a balloon filled too tightly, ready to burst with the slightest jab.When we finally pulled up to the new house... big, modern, ugly in its perfection... I didn’t wait for anyone. I grabbed my duffel bag, ignored Dad’s attempt at a half smile, and walked straight in without a word.I stomped up the stairs, turning corners I wasn't used to, passing empty rooms and unfamiliar walls. I picked the room at the end of the hall just because it was farthest away from everyone. It didn’t matter
Hailey’s POV.The rain had started just as we left the house, the kind of rain that blurred everything... buildings, streets, even emotions. It matched the heaviness pressing against my chest as I sat in the back seat of the car, silent, still, and aching in ways I couldn’t yet explain. I didn’t say a word. I couldn’t.Outside, the familiar streets greeted me. Trees I used to race past on my bike stood tall and wet, their leaves seemed to be whispering silent goodbyes. Mr. Howard’s bookstore with the bell that never worked right, the little coffee shop where Marissa , Liam and I used to cram for tests and gossip over muffins too dry and coffee too bitter. Everything looked softer in the rain, like the city was crying with me.Mom glanced at me through the rearview mirror. She didn’t say anything either. Maybe she saw the tears that had started to slide down my cheeks. Maybe she didn’t. I didn’t bother to wipe them away.This was it. We were really leaving.Dad’s transfer came three w
Third book alert!SEXT PARTNER.Hailey's parents moved to a new city due to job promotion and she transfers to a new school, only to discover that her secret sext partner was the hottest boy in school, and he was dating the hottest girl in school as well. She stood no chance of having him, but what if she was underestimating the intense hold she had over him. Chapter one."You know I'd really love to see you!" His text popped up on my phone just as I plopped down on the bed. "Well, I am not what you call the perfect lady!" I texted immediately. "I highly doubt that." His reply came and I chuckled to myself. Aiden and I bumped into each other in a weird app, exchanged numbers and have been keeping each other's company intimately, since then. We haven't met, neither have we seen each other. Our interaction was strictly over text and I think we are both okay with that. We are both 18 and in 12th grade."We will eventually see each other someday you know." He texted. "Yeah?" "Yes
Chloe's POV. The moment I stepped out of the elevator and into the wide, glass paneled lobby of Hayes’s firm, I felt like I was trespassing on a dangerous ground.I continued to feverishly put one feet after another, my footsteps thumping in sync with the unease curling in my stomach. I hadn't seen Hayes in days. Not since... the party. Not since the bathroom. Not since he found out. My heart clenched at the thought.The receptionist looked up with a warm smile that faltered the second she recognized me.“Um... Miss Chloe. I’m not sure if Mr. Hayes is available”“Please.” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat quickly. “Just let him know I’m here. I won’t stay long. I promise.”She hesitated, clearly torn between professional courtesy and the pitiful look on my face. Eventually, she picked up the phone and dialed.A moment passed. Then two.Finally, she looked up at me with an apologetic glance. “He said… he’s busy.”“I’ll wait,” I said stubbornly and sat on the plush leather couc
Hayes's POV.I slowly opened my eyes trying to take in the environment but it posed a big threat, my eyelids were heavy and my head too.I squeezed my eyes back shut and relaxed, I didn't care about my environment anymore, it felt safe and conducive, not even the problems I was dealing with popped up in my head, I felt at peace.I suddenly felt a presence beside me, I assumed it was Chloe, she stirred and laid her head on my chest, snuggling deeper into me, and in turn, I wrapped my arms around her, in the process, I inhaled the scent of her hair and it sent an unexplainable calmness down my spine.It suddenly occurred to me that this is in no way Chloe's scent. And Chloe and I aren't even in a good place right now for her to be sleeping beside me. My nose suddenly caught her scent again, this time, my eyes popped open in shock.And to more shock, it was an unknown lady lying on my chest, looking closely, I suddenly realized that it was the lady from the club last night.What is she
Hayes's POV.I dragged my feet frustratedly into the club and went straight to the bar section."A shot please," I said to the waiter.This will make it the second time that I will be in a buzzing underground club ready to soak myself with some really hot liquor, all for the sake of heartbreak.When am I ever going to learn huh?First it was Elisha, and now Chloe. What exactly have I done to deserve this? Have I not been loving enough? Is there something that I am not doing right? It hurts because I truly loved Chloe more than I have ever loved another woman. She really held a place in my heart. Why did she have to hurt me like this when all I have ever done was to love her unconditionally. It hurts more because despite how hard I was trying to shut her out, somehow, I just couldn't and it was infuriating the hell out of me.I should hate her, I should shut her out and cast her away from my life for hurting me so bad, but somehow, all I could think of was her wellbeing, I couldn't s
Chloe's POV. I didn’t want Hardin to drive me home.I couldn’t look at him, not right now. Not after everything that had just unraveled like a cruel twist of fate in front of Hayes... his eyes, his trembling voice, his heartbreak. all because of me. I had caused it. I had made this mess.So I stood stubbornly by the curb, trembling, refusing Hardin’s extended hand and barely meeting his eyes when he called my name with that low, frustrated murmur.“Chloe, let me at least make sure you get home safe.”I shook my head furiously. “No. Just… just go, Hardin.”He exhaled, jaw clenched, torn between anger and concern. His eyes lingered on me for a beat too long. searching, but I couldn’t let him find anything. Not now.The taxi pulled up, and I got in without another word, slamming the door shut behind me like I was sealing off every horrible choice I’d made tonight.The ride was quiet, filled only with the noises from the street as we drove by. I sat with my head leaning against the cool