Weary and worried out of his mind, Levi closed the front door behind him and slumped on the couch, where he spent a long time deliberating.He hated asking his folks for anything, and after his bitter fight with his father five years ago over the company succession, he swore he'd never use his family's resources. But finding a reputable security team, one he could trust with the life of the person most precious to him, would take time. And it was becoming more apparent each day that time was something he no longer had.Gritting his teeth, Levi swallowed his pride and called his mother. He'd try her first, and if she refused, he'd have to go to Leviticus and throw himself at his feet. Something he seriously dreaded and despised with a passion."Levi, is everything okay?" his mom asked as soon as she picked up on the third ring. "Is it Colleen? Do we have any news? She's gone, isn't she?""Mom, it's not Colleen." Levi spent a few minutes assuring her he was okay, and there was nothing n

Natalie didn't need a mirror to tell her she looked like someone who'd just been properly fucked. Or, at the very least, thoroughly kissed. After all, the latter was true, and the former could have easily happened if Levi didn't have to rush off to catch his flight.And she didn't understand how a fifteen-minute chat—in which she was meant to tell Levi to stop summoning her to his office like she was his lackey or something—had turned into a heavy makeout session with her almost begging him to ravish her there and then on his couch.Bathroom break, Smart Natalie suggested, and she was all for that plan. The last thing she wanted was to get tongues wagging again in the chat.Stopping at the ladies to fix herself up before returning to her desk sounded like an excellent idea. So she did just that after she left Levi's office and spent a few minutes in front of the mirror, fixing her hair and clothes before she splashed cold water on her face to cool down her horny self.By the time she

So this was the motivation Aunty Viv was talking about, Natalie thought, her mind galloping wildly like a herd of feral horses.She closed her eyes, praying the next time she opened them again, she'd be in her bed, and this would all be a terrible nightmare that she could easily shake off with a strong cup of coffee.But when she opened them again, she was still in the middle of her living room, and Amber was outraged."My goodness, Nat! How could you? Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep this from me? Didn't you think I'd want to know?"Lightheaded, out of breath and weak-kneed, Natalie sank on the couch, convinced if she remained on her feet, they'd give out on her anyway at any moment.She took quick, shallow breaths, unable to understand how her life could go up in flames so quickly and so soon.The very thing that had kept her awake most nights was finally playing out in front of her eyes. The one thing she'd feared—her siblings finding out about her secret life—had finally h

Warning: this chapter mentions illegal substances, implied violence and suicidal thoughts. If you are sensitive to these topics, please exit now. Your mental health comes; first, I'll see you in the next few chapters... *** Natalie didn't need Scottie's pills anymore because the pain in her ribs was almost gone. She only felt it when she pushed herself too hard or did something strenuous, like running up a flight of stairs or lifting something heavy.But after the horror show of an evening, she'd had at Heat with Aunty Viv, she needed something to help her pass out quickly. So she took two of Scottie's strong stuff and downed them with the half-finished bottle of wine Emily had left behind days ago and headed to bed.Hard as Natalie tried to nod off to sleep and forget the nightmare that awaited her in the morning, she couldn't. She'd left the brown package inside her handbag in the living room, but its weight had followed her to bed, keeping her wide awake as thoughts of her meeting

True to her word, bright and early Wednesday morning, Aunty Viv sent Natalie a text with the location pin for the drop-off and followed it up with a phone call."Good morning, doll! Hope you slept well. You'll need all the energy for the day I've planned for you."Tired as hell from lack of sleep, emotionally unstable from everything she'd been through in the past 24 hours, Natalie lost her shit. "Listen here, Aunty Viv, I have a day job! I can't be at your beck and call the whole day. I'll deliver your package after work!""I don't remember giving you a choice. Stay close to your phone. After the delivery, I'll send you new instructions."As soon as she hung up from Aunty Viv, Natalie called Norah and explained she had a family emergency. Something had come up with Jamie, and she needed to head to Sparrow Beach ASAP."Oh, dear! I'm so sorry. Take all the time you need, as long as you keep your laptop close to you. I might need to send you some reports."Her normally aloof manager sou