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#26: Except You

Author: Aria Steele
last update publish date: 2026-06-20 20:46:20

~Lila~

The second we clear Thorne’s office, Ryder drapes his arm around me and leads me to his dungeon.

I shiver in the shadowy chill of the room as Ryder races around, collecting various items and yanking on his T-shirt. I make my way to the armoire, withdraw my bag, and turn to leave.

“I didn’t give you permission to go,” he points out sharply, suddenly by my side.

I glance at my cell phone. “It’s after midnight, and I’ve been here since six this morning. I’m tired, hungry, I want a showe
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  • His Undercover Submissive   #45: You Won't Call Him

    ~Ryder~I dash back to the luxury suite I share with Bud, incredibly anxious to return. Ever since I ran into Zane on the grounds and saw for myself that my friend is in one piece, I’ve been praying to God the same is true for her. Zane assured me she was perfectly fine, but until I see her with my own eyes and hold her in my arms, the anxiety is going to keep eating at me.Stuffing the keycard into the electronic slot, I shove the door open and find Lila pacing the floor.A wave of pure relief pours through my chest. Worrying about Zane has made me incredibly edgy, as did breaking into Kantor’s administrative office. Hell, the fact that Jordan hasn’t pursued Lila all day is making me edgy, too. The total slimeball had practically drooled all over himself when we first arrived at the resort, sizing her up. I was entirely certain he’d soon issue us an explicit invitation to the VIP room as a twisted means of testing her cover. But we haven’t seen or heard a single word from Jordan

  • His Undercover Submissive   #44: Go Easy On Him

    ~Lila~Ten minutes after Ryder’s departure, a loud knock sounds at the door. I jump, feeling my heart leap straight into my throat. For a split second, I fear Jordan has been lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to catch me alone – the bastard has been eerily absent since last night. Or worse, Kantor has somehow discovered that we breached his office ledger and has come for violent retribution.Cursing the fact that I couldn’t smuggle a proper firearm onto this damn island, I tear a taper candle out of the decorative metal candlestick on the nightstand. Gripping the improvised weapon tightly behind my back, I cautiously crack the door open.But it isn’t Jordan or Kantor standing on the threshold.“Zane? You’re okay.” He looks slightly disheveled and heavily lidded, but entirely unharmed.“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?” He saunters right past me into the villa, completely unbothered.“We overheard Kantor telling his security detail that they’d killed a man, and that they

  • His Undercover Submissive   #43: Don’t Leave This Room

    ~Ryder~The enormity of the realization hits me like a physical blow, forcing me to stumble backward until I sink onto the edge of the mattress. My thoughts spin at a terrifying speed, desperately clawing for any alternative explanation. Maybe there is another logical answer. Maybe the killer stripped the gold chain from my mother’s neck not as a twisted trophy, but simply for its monetary value. Maybe he pawned it. And maybe Adam just happened to stumble into the same shop and buy it.Maybe. But that is too massive a coincidence to ever be real.My mother’s murder was a brutal crime of passion, not a robbery. That necklace wasn’t worth more than a few hundred dollars, yet it was the absolute only item missing from Amanda’s entire apartment. The killer left her original wedding rings untouched, pieces worth thousands more. The investigators – along with my father – monitored the local pawn networks for months, but the pendant never surfaced. Besides, an upscale prick like Adam Ster

  • His Undercover Submissive   #42: Identity Of The Monster

    ~Ryder~Twenty minutes later, Lila and I are safely locked back inside our villa. I try calling Zane twice while checking over the new remote control he managed to swap out for us. Both times, my phone drops straight to a flat voicemail. Cold panic begins to claw at my gut. Aside from my brother, Harry, Zane is the closest friend I have in this world. He can’t be dead. God damn it, he just can’t be.Bud emerges from the bathroom, pulling the elastic band from her dark hair. She looks at me, unadulterated concern shining in those sweet chocolate eyes, and walks directly toward me. Dropping to her knees right in front of my chair, she gently takes my hands in hers.“I know how worried you are.”I just stare blankly at the plastic remote control.“We can talk completely freely,” she murmurs, squeezing my fingers. “I just finished sweeping the rest of the room. It’s clean.”I nod miserably, letting out a heavy breath. “How can I not be losing my mind? I fee

  • His Undercover Submissive   #41: I'll Be Ready

    ~Ryder~At exactly two o’clock, Lila and I, dressed as maintenance workers in the outfits Zane provided, let ourselves into the secure hallway on the top floor. I pull my cap low over my face and push an empty trash can, just in case we are on surveillance. Bud does the same, ensuring her hair is tucked beneath, as she shoves the vacuum over the garish, resort-style carpet of Velvet Haven.The access card clicks, and we move into Kantor’s office. I look around for surveillance equipment and don’t see anything obvious. Still, we have to be cautious.Per the plan we developed as we worked into the gray zip-up maintenance jumpers, I move immediately to the safe beneath the ornate rug of red and gold near the window. It opens up with the combination Zane provided.I push aside a stack of cash and stare at the thick section of DVDs tucked inside. I flip through them quickly. None have any sort of writing or markings, so I have to put them back for now. I can’t afford to take them and h

  • His Undercover Submissive   #40: No Questions Asked

    ~Lila~Something about the intense look on Ryder’s face tells me this walk isn’t just about maintaining our cover as a dominant master and an obedient sub. There is a heavy weight behind his eyes.“All right,” I say, matching his low tone. “Lead the way.”Nobody pays us any attention as we slip out through the main pavilion, heading through the lobby and out a side exit. We navigate past a small gravel lot crowded with resort utility carts and a foul-smelling dumpster, following a crude stone trail lined with palm trees. As we distance ourselves from prying eyes, the heavy crash of the ocean waves begins to drown out the rest of Velvet Haven.The moment my toes sink into the cool sand and the salt air hits my face, Ryder reaches down, his large hand completely engulfing mine. A brilliant moon hangs surprisingly low over the water. For a single, fleeting second, I wish he and I were actually here for a romantic getaway – just a normal couple enjoying a midnight st

  • His Undercover Submissive   #24: We're Getting There

    ~Ryder~ I don’t have a good feeling about this. After cleaning Bud with a warm, wet washcloth, I push aside her trembling fingers and help her dress quickly. Once done, we leave the room, and she settles into a grim silence. I take her hand, wrapping her cold fingers in mine. “You don’t know

  • His Undercover Submissive   #23: I Need You

    ~Lila~A moment later, I feel Zane’s fingers on my pussy, searching, sinking deep, before circling my clit in lip-biting little circles.“Do you want to come for us, baby?” Ryder murmurs, spreading kisses across my face, down my neck, then bending to trace his tongue around my clamped n

  • His Undercover Submissive   #19: If I Had My Way

    ~Ryder~ The morning sun shines through the small gap in the motel curtains, making a bright line on the floor. I’m already awake, resting against the headboard with my arm wrapped tightly around Lila. She’s sleeping deeply, her face soft and relaxed against my chest. Suddenly, her phone starts

  • His Undercover Submissive   #14: What's Your Safe Word?

    ~Lila~With my blindfold on, I have no idea what to expect. I shiver in both fear and anticipation, focusing on getting out of my body and head, and just letting whatever is going to happen, happen.A wet tongue rolls over my taut nipple. Zane’s. The little point tightens even more. I b

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