Lahat ng Kabanata ng Kiss It Better: Kabanata 311 - Kabanata 320

The next evening, I dress myself with military precision. Every inch of my outfit, my makeup, my hair—it’s all chosen with one aim in mind.It’s armor.Because if Victor Pierro breaks my heart after tonight, if he gets what he wants then turns me away afterward… I will never let him see how much that hurts me. That’s my promise to myself.My lingerie is dark purple silk; my dress is steel gray with a high neckline but a plunging back. I slide on my highest, stabbiest heels and slick my lips with red. My dark hair is swept over one shoulder. The black trench coat is the final touch, the belt cinched at my waist.A stranger stares back at me in my bedroom mirror, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. I look excited. I am excited.I also look ready to crush a certain casino owner under my heel, and you know what? That’s accurate, too.The journey to Biao’s is agonizingly slow, the streets clogged with traffic. I stare out of the tinted window in the backseat and count my breaths.Nearl

Jasmine’s eyes spark with defiance, her chin raising an inch into the air. She’s getting all pumped up, ready to argue with me for the sake of it, but I spread a palm over her chest before she can speak and press her gently down to the desk.“Oof. Victor!”Dark tresses of hair splay out on my desk, and Jasmine’s gaze darts around my office ceiling. She’s tense and untrusting still, even now as I sink into my desk chair and move it closer. Even as I place steadying hands on her bare thighs. Her skin is warm satin.“Relax,” I murmur, stroking with my thumbs. “You can trust me, Jasmine.”She scoffs, but wiggles closer to the edge. Atta girl.“I won’t do this if you don’t want me to.” The gray fabric of her dress is slippery and soft, pooling over her thighs as I place her feet one by one on my arm rests. Her heels look wickedly sharp—a warning.“Jasmine?” I wait for her to meet my eyes. She looks so out of her depth, my chest aches. “You can say no to this. You can always refuse. But jus

Five years laterOn the third floor of the Biao, a balcony overlooks the casino below. I stand there, hands resting lightly on the rail, and peer down like a queen surveying her kingdom.A band plays from a podium in the corner of the room, while elegant guests gather around the games tables below. Everyone down there is dressed to impress, with tailored evening wear on the men and jewels sparkling at the women’s throats. The servers weave between tables bearing trays of champagne, while the chandelier glitters high above.It’s a masterpiece. So much grander than when my father ran this place. Perhaps it’s disloyal of me to be glad that Victor owns this casino now rather than the Biaos… but then again, I barely ever speak to my parents these days. We have yearly awkward phone calls, and that’s that.I’m always glad to hear that they’re safe, that they’re trying to be smarter, but I can’t handle much more. They keep trying to make amends for what they said to me all those years ago, bu

The mystery woman blinks her eyes, her long, dark eyelashes fluttering against her porcelain skin. She has freckles dotting her cheeks and nose, and I want to trace each one of them with my fingers. I want to memorize the pattern they make on her sweet face. I want to taste them.Stop. It.She breaks eye contact first. I take a breath for the first time since walking inside, pulling air into my lungs. The woman looks over my shoulder, then narrows her eyes. I can see her defenses snapping into place as she glares at Darren and then flits her eyes over to me.Huffing out a breath, the woman rolls her eyes and gets off the couch, stomping down the hallway. It’s then I notice her body. Her curves. Sweet Jesus God in heaven, those curves.Full, round breasts that I want to weigh in my hands. Hips I want to slide my hands over and grip as I sink deep inside her. And that ass…“That’s as much of an introduction as you’ll get to my daughter,” Darren says in annoyance.Shit. His daughter? Tha

Without another word, I get up and shove past a smug Miriam, sprinting upstairs to my room.As soon as the door closes, I fling myself on my bed and bury my face in my pillow. I silently sob, hating myself for making everything worse. I’m broken. A brat. Rotten, just like everyone says I am.Gathering my wits about me, I sit up and dig through my closet to find a change of clothes. My hands shake with how upset I still am, but I take a few deep breaths to try and get myself under control.Ten minutes later, I shuffle down the stairs in a pair of jeans and a pink blouse. My dad and Finn are already at the table while Miriam is mixing herself a cocktail in the kitchen.“Where’s your contact?” she hisses under her breath. “We don’t want to make our guest uncomfortable.”I grit my teeth and glare at her. My dad had a custom contact made for my blue eye so it matches my green one. Miriam insisted. She said my eyes were unsettling, and I guess my dad agreed. That doesn’t mean I have to wear