Ava was sitting and reading as Zane and Jax were playing pool. Ryder had gone to take Gabriel for their fourth date and Ava was looking forward to getting all the news from Gabriel later, or perhaps tomorrow. It had been an emotional day with visiting her old home. But it had also been cathartic, and she felt better after she had done it. She had revealed more of herself to Zane. She had spent the better part of a week trying to place a wall between them. But it had been emotionally exhausting, and it had felt so much better this afternoon when she didn’t have to watch every single word or action in his company. Maybe she just needed to accept that she had feelings for him. Not that she would let him know. Zane had been very clear what he needed and wanted from their relationship was just sex, no attachment. So she would give him that. Maybe when it was over he would at least see her as a friend. When her time was up with him, she would take her broken heart and she would start a new

Ava relaxed into the bed while listening for Zane’s soft footsteps. A gentle touch from his lips landed on her upper arm. He graced his fingers over her stomach. Each caress and touch raised the fever in Ava’s body. She wanted to squirm, to manoeuvre her body with the little give the restraints gave her, so she could get release. But Zane had told her to be still, so she bit down on her bottom lip and pleaded for her body to remain motionless. “Don’t bite your lip, angel. You will hurt yourself,” Zane told her, tugging her lip free with his thumb. Ava wanted to scream at him, beg him to give her what she needed. Instead, she let out a soft whimper. “Do you feel needy?” he asked, cupping her pussy with his hand, not moving it or helping her get what she needed.“Yes, Sir,” she said and nodded as best she could. “But I told you I would worship your body,” he reminded her as he ran both of his hands up one of her legs and followed up with kisses. “Zane, you said you would make me cum,

The night of the gala was approaching, all Zane had told Ava was that her dress would be black in a classic style. It wasn’t much to go on, but Ava had booked an appointment at Salon Noire. Gabriel offered to keep her company. It would give them time to catch up as well. Ava arrived, accompanied by Ryder and Carlos. She had asked Gabriel if it would be okay with him that Ryder came along as her bodyguard. Ava was worried Gabriel would feel uncomfortable to have someone he dated be in the same company as him, but not be able to interact in that way. She knew Ryder would never be unprofessional when he was on duty. But Gabriel had assured her he didn’t care. He knew what Ryder did for a living and he was used to him in that capacity when the two friends were hanging out. “So tell me all about your dress,” Tammy urged Ava as she started doing her hair. “I can’t say much about it, I know it’s black and that it has a classic look,” Ava told her.“Honey, how come you don’t know what your

“And she just jumped straight into it. Started buttering him up and flirting like there was no tomorrow,” Jax said, sounding bitter.“Are you interested in her?” Zane asked.“Fuck no. Not as more than a onetime fuck. Sorry Ava,” Jax added. “Don’t mind me,” she said.“So you’re not interested in her. She used the mark’s attraction to her advantage to get you what you wanted. I don’t see the issue,” Zane told his friend. “There is no issue.” Both Zane and Jax turned to Ava when they heard her giggle. “What? Care to share what’s so funny, angel?” Zane asked.“He is grumpy because Jennie isn’t falling over herself to get his attention. Another man noticed her and she rolled with it instead of focusing on Jax and he doesn’t like to be treated like he treats women,” Ava said, still giggling.“I am not interested in her,” Jax objected.“I know you aren’t. That’s what makes it so much fun. You are just so used to women thinking you are god’s gift to them. Then when Jennie didn’t act like t

Ava gasped for air when Zane’s lips travelled down her throat as his hand caressed down her leg, finding the slit in the dress and pulling her leg around him as he exposed it. “Zane,” she half-heartedly objected. Her body was, as usual, responding to his touch, but her mind was aware of the party that was going on just a few feet away. “I have needed to fuck you since you came down the stairs, angel. This dress is driving me insane, and that fucking idiot has every part of me needing to claim my ownership of you,” Zane growled in her ear, making her whimper. Ava felt the need in her grow alarmingly fast as Zane’s hand travelled up her exposed leg. She heard him swear as his fingertips felt the delicate lace of the stockings. “You are killing me,” he murmured against her neck as his lips tasted her pulse. “Someone might come by,” she pointed out.“I don’t care. Your body is singing to me. We won’t be here long, angel,” he said. Ava knew he was right. She could feel her body rapidly