جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 130

Serena’s POVI glanced over, surprised to find Ryan suddenly there. I'd been sitting in this restaurant all evening and hadn't even noticed when he'd arrived."Sir, would you like to pay for this lady?" the waiter asked.Ryan nodded, then reached over and took my card, sliding it back into my purse with a deliberate closeness that made my skin tingle."That small amount of money you earn," he said with a patronizing smirk, "better save it for yourself."Lucian's gaze drifted between us, his lips curling into a slight, mocking smile. Ryan didn't even spare him a glance, just grabbed my hand and started making decisions for me."It's getting late. I'll take you home."I tried to pull my hand away—twice—but couldn't break his grip. God, his hands were strong."Mr. West," I said with an awkward laugh, "do you have a driver picking you up?"After all, I'd volunteered to drive Lucian here. We'd finished dinner, but I couldn't just abandon him. I was being polite, expecting Lucian's usual acc

Serena’s POVI choked back a gasp as that entertainment reporter's question hung in the air.In such a professional setting, asking about personal relationships was clearly meant to sabotage the event.Lucian's face darkened immediately."Today is the launch event for the collaboration between Celestial Gems and Dreamland Jewelry," he stated coldly. "If anyone wishes to speculate on baseless gossip, I suggest you leave now."The moment he finished speaking, security personnel materialized from the edges of the room and escorted the intrusive reporter out.Thankfully, the guy was smart enough not to make a scene, or this would've definitely become juicy fodder for tomorrow's gossip columns.Even so, the atmosphere had shifted. I hadn't expected trouble from my competitors, yet somehow this random entertainment reporter had the audacity to derail our event.Thank god Lucian handled it swiftly before things got truly uncomfortable."Serena, it's over. Don't worry," Lucian murmured, leanin

Serena’s POVI woke to the sensation of gentle kisses being pressed against my stomach. My eyes fluttered open in the dim morning light to find Ryan's dark head between my thighs, his hands splayed possessively across my hips."What are you doing?" I whispered, my voice still husky from sleep.Ryan looked up at me, his eyes dark with hunger. "Appreciating what's mine."My breath caught as his thumbs traced circles on my inner thighs. "I thought we were done last night.""Not even close, princess." His voice was rough, commanding. "I've been starving for you for months."I shivered as he lowered his head again, pressing reverent kisses to the small swell of my belly. The tenderness in his touch made my chest ache with conflicting emotions."Ryan, I-""Shhh," he interrupted, sliding lower. "Let daddy take care of you."Before I could protest, his tongue made contact with my sensitive core, causing my hips to buck involuntarily. He chuckled, the vibration sending shockwaves through me."S

Serena's POVWhen we arrived, Sophie's normally pristine apartment looked like a hurricane had torn through it. Furniture was overturned, drawers pulled out and emptied onto the floor. Designer clothes were strewn everywhere, and there was a small splatter of blood on the cream carpet.Sophie herself sat huddled on her couch, mascara streaking down her cheeks, her lip split and swollen. She looked up when we entered, and I couldn't miss how her eyes brightened at the sight of Ryan.I stared at Sophie's pathetic form huddled on the couch, feeling absolutely zero sympathy wash over me. The mascara streaking down her cheeks, her supposedly split lip—all of it looked more like theater than trauma.Honestly, whatever trouble she'd found herself in, she probably deserved ev ery bit of it."Oh Ryan," she cried, leaping up and throwing herself into his arms. "I was so scared! He said he'd kill me!"Ryan awkwardly patted her back, his eyes finding mine over her shoulder. I crossed my arms, tryi

Serena's POVI settled into life as Ryan's pampered houseguest surprisingly quickly.The Blackwood mansion was like a fortress—I felt completely safe here, with no need to look over my shoulder constantly.After binging two episodes of some mindless show on the massive living room couch, I felt the couch dip beside me. Ryan had come downstairs, looking annoyingly handsome in his tailored suit."Enjoying yourself?" he asked, his eyes taking in my sprawled position and the empty snack bowl beside me."Immensely," I replied dryly. "Your Netflix subscription is the real MVP here."He laughed, then leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against my forehead. "I have to head to the office. Try not to burn the place down while I'm gone.""No promises," I shot back, fighting the warmth spreading through my chest at his casual affection.After he left, the huge mansion felt oddly lonely around me.My phone rang—it was Maya."Lucian came by the studio today," she said excitedly. "Since you weren't t