MasukAlexander’s POVI bring the car to a stop at the end of the street and get out in a hurry. Sophia is still giggling. I recall the heartbreaking moment we shared here some nights ago, but in this moment, happiness and passion pump in my veins.It’s darker than usual. Even better.I get to her door and yank it open.“Alexander.” She says, remaining in stitches. I unbuckle her seat belt and slip a hand under her thighs, pulling her to the edge of the seat.“Aaah!” A tiny, excited shrill emerges from her throat. “Alexan– what are you…”“Shh.” I’m laughing just as I lift her off the seat and press her to my chest. “It’s way too early to start screaming…”Her legs curve around my waist. Her arms go around my neck. Soft and full, she slides down against my chest till her face stops in front of mine, and a dangerous heat burns through me. I don’t even have to kiss her to feel that surge of energy between my own legs. Our chests rise and fall rapidly against each other. Her gaze is glued to
Alexander’s POV~35 minutes later~My fingers tap happily on the steering wheel as I drive to the Roses’ residence. I grieve the loss of some of my best works—City of Unnoticed Chaos was a personal favorite. Celebration took months of sleepless nights and travel to complete. But the reality where all of Mr. Rose’s problems can now be easily solved trumps any other feeling. An image of Sophia plays in my mind, and I’m unable to hold back a smile. In a while, I’ll see her again. ‘You’re big and rough…’Huffing a laugh, I shake my head. My naughty girl.A call comes in on the infotainment screen. I tap it to answer. “Good evening, sir.”“What is it, Dean?”“Mr. Rain was just at your fiancée’s place.”My right foot slams on the brake. My head is thrust forward, dropping as my car comes to a sudden halt. “Mr. Thorne?” Dean calls with worry in his voice.My fists tighten around the steering wheel, turning my hands white as I steady my breath.‘Start by learning to trust her… Don’t allo
Sophia’s POVHe nods, swallows, and shifts his jaw. “It made me feel a little better about wanting to hang out with you. Wanting to spend time with you.”A scoff spews out of my lips. Tears sting my eyes, but I hold them back with every fiber of my strength. “Hurting my feelings made you feel better?”He shakes his head. “It killed me. But it was all I knew to do… to be able to live with myself for having feelings for someone I met while she was a child.”“That’s just an excuse…” I croak. “That’s not true, Soph.”“It is.” I nod, finding my voice. “You didn’t want to be with me. Maybe you felt the same way… But I was no longer a child. I went after you. I reached out to you… I threw myself at you, shamelessly. My parents were trying to set me up with other men, and–and you knew. You knew! If you wanted to be with me, you’d have done something about it and not hide behind that terrible excuse, like a coward.”“Sophia?” He calls, hurt clouding his features.“You didn’t want to marry me.
Sophia’s POV“Spit in his face.”My jaw drops as Layla and I turn to Jordyn. “I’m just kidding,” she refutes unconvincingly with a deep sigh and rolls her eyes. “Urgh. What does he want from you?”“He’s in the lounge with your dad,” Ava reminds us of her presence and twists her mouth in distaste—another person who stopped crushing on Lewis once she found out he got engaged. “I can wait for you.”I nod.She goes out the door and shuts it, leaving the three of us to stare at ourselves. My heart runs a little faster than usual. I remember my conversation with him at Candace’s villa, and I’m not sure sober Sophia will be that bold again.“You can choose not to see him. You know?” Layla chirps. I nod again because it’s all I want to do—avoid him forever. But for how long do I keep hiding and never speaking up? I mutter, “I don’t have anything to say to him—” “Then don’t go see him,” Jordyn says.I look at her, slowly picking at my nails. “I want to go. I want to hear what he still has t
Sophia’s POV I woke up, and he was gone. I panicked, thinking: he said he wasn’t going to leave me, but he did. But he called to let me know he had to step out in the middle of the night for an urgent matter. I wonder what was so urgent. Garvey picked me up by 06:30. There was a shawl on the seat waiting for me, for very obvious and intimate reasons. I managed to make it to my bedroom without my parents asking too many questions. I got some more sleep.Now, it’s 12:00 P.M.; my fitting is in thirty minutes. Layla, Jordyn, and my mom are in my bedroom, laughing about something and waiting for me while I lose my mind in my closet.My neck stings as I stare at the mirror. I’ve got one, two, three hickeys on my neck, and one on my collarbone. There’s a small bruise on my bottom lip. I covered it up with dark lip liner and gloss.I’m doomed, but I touch the pendant of my new necklace, unable to help but smile as last night plays in my head. Our little private secret. Heat fills me as my
Penelope’s POV (Psycho)Scratching his eyes, Bobby strolls in from the resting lounge as Mr. Thorne enters my office. They both pause, staring at each other. And suddenly, Bobby points a finger.“Crazy man number two!”“Bobby?!” I gasp in horror, leaving Mr. Thorne’s side and rushing to put a hand over Bob’s mouth. I glance at Mr. Thorne. His eyes widen. He looks caught off guard. “He’s my little brother,” I quickly say. “He has a fever, so I couldn’t leave him alone…”“Hello,” my brother greets him with a wave.He says nothing, remaining rooted at the door, eyes still on Bobby.I press my lips together and turn to my brother, putting the back of my palm to his forehead. He’s still warm, but it’s much better than two hours ago. “Bobby, go wait for me in that room. Okay? Watch your anime, then get some sleep. I’ll come for you soon.”He nods and turns around, strolling back the way he came, in his Naruto pajamas. He pauses at the door and turns again, eyes on Mr. Thorne, who still hasn
Sophia’s POVHe breaks our kiss, hands going still on my thighs. I lock gaze with him, seeing how dark and dilated his pupils have turned. He’s panting just as I am, looking unusually unsettled. His face is frozen—an expression of shock I don’t miss. My body trembles, but I shake my head weakly, l
Sophia’s POV“It’s a guest bedroom,” he says, rolling the strap of my purse around his knuckles. I stare at my purse, mouth dry and open. I don’t know if it’s shock from learning that I’m spending the night in his bedroom or from having my purse snatched from me. My phone, my money, my passport—all
Sophia’s POVHe’s got nipple piercings, a back half-full of tattoos, smokes cigars, swore never to get married, but says he’s marrying me in October.I’m the first woman he’s invited into his penthouse and bedroom; he kisses like a sinner and promises to show me things I can’t handle yet. He lies ef
Alexander Thorne’s POVPhone in hand, I tap a slow rhythm against the steering wheel, my gaze fixed on the pristine lineup of cars in my private garage. My mind is elsewhere.Dimitri left thirty-five minutes ago. I sent Garvey home, too, yet I’ve been seated inside the darkness of this car, waiting.







