Semua Bab MISTRESS OF THE GAME: Bab 51 - Bab 59

MARIEI ravished the food like a hungry lion. Every bite was a small victory, a rebellion against the exhaustion and hunger that had gnawed at me all day. By the time I had finished mine, Storm had barely touched his plate. His food sat there, mostly untouched, as if it were more an afterthought than a necessity.I looked at him, wanting to ask if I could have some of what was left, but the words caught in my throat, I could not find the courage to ask. There was an invisible barrier between us, not just the physical distance but something far more chilling, and I lacked the courage to break it.It was as if he read my mind. Without a word, he stood up and emptied half of his plate onto mine. The food spread across my plate, filling it again, but still, he did not speak. No glance, no nod, no sign of softness. Just a cold gesture, like a king tossing scraps to a servant.I was grateful but unsure how to express it. So, I simply ate, slower this time. I let the food settle in my stomac

XAVIER STORMThe whiskey warmed the edge of my throat like a slow-burning secret I didn’t want to tell.I sat in the study, the house quiet around me. The only sound was the low crackle of the fireplace, flickering shadows across the bookshelves and dark wood panels. I had been nursing the same bottle for over an hour, each sip doing less than the last.My eyes drifted to the wall-mounted screen displaying a black-and-white still shot of a house. Though I looked at the screen, I saw Marie, barefoot, restless, hiding from me, and walking straight into something bigger than she realized. Bull had cut the feed, but it didn’t matter. I could still see her outline in my mind, maybe she knew exactly what she was doing.I gripped the glass tighter and took another gulp.The phone buzzed across the desk. It was sharp and urgent. I stared at it for a second before picking up.“Talk,” I said.Bull’s voice came in low and deliberate. “Boss. We had to leave the area.”I stood slowly, the hair on

XAVIER STORMI watched as the rain fell steadily outside, the cool droplets running down the glass panes of my office windows. The storm had been relentless earlier, but now the rain had begun to fade away, leaving the world outside damp and glistening under the gray sky. There was no call from Sunny. No call from Dante either. I wanted to be there, to see how things unfolded in real time, but all I could do was wait. The silence gnawed at me.The hum of the office's air conditioning was the only sound, mixing with the distant drip of water from the eaves. My luxury office sat on the top of the building like a glass fortress, walls of transparent panes wrapping around the room from floor to ceiling. The glass doors that led inside gleamed under the soft recessed lighting, their handles polished to a mirror shine. Through them, I could see the plush leather chairs arranged neatly around the dark mahogany conference table. The thick carpet, deep in charcoal gray, muted footsteps and gav

XAVIER STORMAfter the call, I felt in control again. I had used Suuny just the way I wanted, although I was not done with him at all, he really came in handy today, and Marie was finally within my reach once again. Her body would no longer hunt me in my thoughts, it was mine again to do as I wish.I soon became bored at the office as I waited for Dante’s call, it was already evening by way so I thought to just close and go the hotel.I should inform Else that I would not be coming home tonight, she deserved that much. That was the least I could do for such a beautiful sweet soul. I picked my phone and dialed her number, she answered at the first ring.“Baby, you are not coming home tonight are you?”“Why do you think that?’ Her question shocked me, she was surprisingly very correct.“You never call by this time, if not to tell me you would not be sleeping over.”“Hmm,” I she was right, I did not realize I was that predictable. “Well you are right, I would not be sleeping over tonight

XAVIER STORMAfter the call ended, I muttered to myself, "This is going to be longer than I planned for." My voice sounded small against the weight of what I was about to do.I tucked the thick envelope under my arm and took my laptop in the other hand. My steps echoed down the hallway as I made my way to my private office at the L-Lounge. The door creaked open like it had done a thousand times before. This room, rich with dark oak, leather chairs, and the scent of ambition, was mine. For now.I sat at my desk and placed the envelope in front of me like it was a ticking bomb. I didn’t open it. Instead, I stared at the wood grain of the desk, letting the reality seep into my chest. It hit me this might be the last time I would ever sit here. The last time I would call this place mine.A chill moved down my spine. Nostalgia slithered through me like smoke. This was the first empire I built. My first real win. The L-Lounge had been my playground, my war zone, my proving ground. I fought