جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 20

I moved quietly down the hall after I heard Derek on the phone again, talking about those shipments. I pushed the office door open slow and stepped inside. The room smelled like old papers and whiskey. I went straight to the desk and started pulling drawers open.Marcus’s voice came from behind me, low and rough. “What you doing in here, Ava?”I jumped and turned around fast. “Marcus, I didn’t know you were here. I just needed to check something.”He walked closer and stood right in front of me. “Check what? You know Derek doesn’t like people in his office.”“I heard him say something about the next shipment and I got curious. That’s all.” I tried to step back, but the desk was behind me.Marcus put his hands on my waist and turned me around so I faced the desk. “Curious, huh? Let me show you what happens when you get too curious.”He bent me over the desk and lifted my dress up. His hand went between my legs and he rubbed my pussy through my panties. “Already wet for me. You like sne

I slipped into the grand library like a ghost, closing the heavy oak door behind me with a soft click that echoed through the cavernous room. Dust motes danced in the slanted beams of afternoon sunlight filtering through tall, arched windows. Floor-to-ceiling shelves lined every wall, filled with leather-bound volumes that smelled of aged paper and forgotten stories. This had always been my sanctuary in this cold mansion, a place where I could disappear for hours without Derek noticing or caring. Today, I needed it more than ever.My legs still felt unsteady from the morning’s tensions. The soreness between my thighs was a constant, throbbing reminder of the previous night and the stolen hallway kiss from Marcus. I sank into the deep velvet armchair in the far corner, the one tucked behind a towering sculpture of intertwined lovers. My hands trembled as I pulled the poetry book Lucas had left me from my skirt pocket. The leather was soft, warm from being pressed against my body. I ope

Ava's POV The guest suite door clicked shut behind me with a soft finality that sent a shiver racing down my spine. My legs were still shaky from the frantic escape through the mansion, but the heat between my thighs had only grown hotter. Marcus stood in the center of the large, dimly lit room, his powerful frame casting long shadows across the king-sized bed. The heavy velvet curtains were drawn, plunging the space into intimacy. His dark eyes locked onto mine immediately, intense and commanding, the same gaze that had watched me at the bar and then claimed me the night we met.“You ran,” he said, his voice low and smooth, like velvet over steel. He didn’t move closer yet, just let the silence stretch, waiting. “After everything we shared with Damien and Lucas. You left like you were trying to hide from us.”“I… I couldn’t stay in the library,” I whispered, stepping farther into the room. My hands twisted in the hem of my skirt. “Damien’s jealousy… and then Derek calling my name. I

Ava's POV  I lay in bed for hours, staring at the ceiling fan spinning lazily above me. The mansion was silent except for the distant hum of the air conditioning and the faint creak of old pipes. Sleep refused to come. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Marcus’s intense stare, heard Damien’s rough laughter, felt Lucas’s gentle eyes watching me like I was the only thing that mattered. My body still hummed from the pool house, but my mind wouldn’t quiet. *What am I doing? What if Derek finds out? What if this is just another cage?* I sat up, the sheets pooling at my waist. My skin felt too warm, too restless. The clock on the nightstand read 2:47 a.m. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I slipped out of bed, pulled on the oversized shirt from Marcus’s room, and padded down the long hallway in bare feet. The corridor was dark, lit only by the thin line of moonlight slipping through the tall windows. Every step

The private boutique on the edge of downtown was discreet, almost hidden behind a row of tall hedges and heavy iron gates. I had insisted on coming alone, but the moment I stepped inside and the bell chimed softly, Damien’s voice drifted out from behind a curtain of silk.“Miss Sterling. Or should I say… future Mrs. Sterling?” He leaned against the marble counter, arms crossed, that wicked half-smile playing on his lips. “You look like trouble already. I like it.”My cheeks warmed instantly. “Damien. You weren’t supposed to know where I was going. Derek will flip if he finds out I’m doing any of this myself.”“He won’t.” Damien pushed off the counter and stepped closer, close enough that I could smell the faint trace of his cologne—something dark and expensive. “I’ve been watching the cameras all morning. Marcus made sure the signal never reaches the main house. You’re safe. For now.” His eyes dropped to the simple black dress I was wearing and lingered on the way it hugged my curves.