LOGINVALERIEMy face heated up instantly, a flush creeping up my neck. I glanced quickly at the front seats, but Hawthorne and the other man remained perfectly still, eyes forward like they were trained not to hear a thing. “That’s not the point.”“It is very much the entire point,” he countered, his hand finding my thigh under the privacy of the center console. The touch was light but intense, sending sparks racing up my leg. “I haven’t looked at anyone else since this started. And I have no plans to because my wife is quite good enough.”We went back and forth the whole drive, the argument filling the car like a live wire. “This isn’t just about appearances, Dominic. What if someone asks questions? What if they dig into how sudden this all was? Your grandmother already grilled me. The whole family is going to do the same but worse.”He squeezed my thigh gently. “Let them ask. We’ll handle it together. That’s what husbands and wives do, right?”“Fake husbands and wives,” I muttered, but t
VALERIE I was still looking at Dominic across the breakfast table, my fork paused halfway to my mouth, when Grandmother Eleanor dropped the bomb without any warning. I waited for Dominic to say something against it. Not that I fully understood what the hell it was about but given the name I might have a vague idea. One that I fear. Still Dominic sat there looking effortlessly composed and sipping his coffee like he didn't hear what she had just said. A family reunion.“Family reunion?” I repeated, blinking hard as the words sank in. My stomach did a little flip, the kind that had nothing to do with the perfectly prepared eggs on my plate.Grandmother Eleanor nodded once, decisive as ever, her posture straight as a ruler even in her chair. “It is tradition. We are a prestigious family. We cannot accept a new member without the proper formalities. And so, as per our tradition everyone will be there. Dominic's uncles, aunts, cousins from every branch.” this isn't good. “They all need
VALERIE My eyes moved to Grandmother Eleanor who was staring at me now like I was a puzzle she couldn't understand. She was probably wondering what he saw in me. The same thought I was having as well. "Are you sure about this girl, Dominic?" She asked, turning back to him. "You know I don't make wrong choices, grandma. Trust me." "Mn. Fair enough. Get dressed immediately. I've seen enough nudity for the day, thank you." She said and turned to leave the room. I was beyond stunned. I couldn't even explain what had just happened. Madeline was still shocked at what she heard. She wasn't alone anyways. But I could feel her growing hate. "You're not falling for this bullshit, right, grandma?" She asked, stopping the old woman on her tracks. "Come, Madeline. Let's go." She called but Madeline shook her head. "No-""Madeline." She calls in stern voice, cutting her off from saying any other thing. She fumes and walks out angrily. The door is finally shut close after his grandmother leaves
VALERIE I fluttered my eyes open to the sight of a bare, chiseled chest right in front of me. My hands were wrapped around his bare back as he slept on his side and his around my head, his fingers in my hair. The sides of my lips stretched as I remembered last night. The scent of us still lingered and it made me smile even more. I slowly moved my head back a little so I could look up at his face. His lips looked just as sexy as it had always been, even in his sleep. Probably the opposite of mine which must be all swollen and red at the moment. I could feel my cheeks flushing at every thought coming to my head. It felt like I was reliving it all again. Our passionate kisses, his hands in my hair and mine in his. I couldn't push it aside no matter how I tried. But I also couldn't push away the thought of our contract ending soon. It felt like a beautiful dream but I was fully aware it would all end soon. I couldn't push away something else as well. Something that has been growing ev
VALERIE“You confuse me so much,” I whispered, my voice still raw from crying and the cold. “One second you’re defending me at dinner. Then you rescue me, touch me, hold me. I cant figure you out Dominic. What do you want from me?” I rocked against him slowly, feeling him twitch and harden further. The jacuzzi jets pulsed around us, adding layers of sensation that made everything more intense.His hands gripped my hips firmly, pulling me closer, guiding my movements. “I’m sorry. I’m bad at putting labels to things. You scare the shit out of me, Valerie. Admitting you’re falling for me? It was too sudden. Because I…” He trailed off, choosing instead to kiss my neck, sucking lightly at the sensitive skin. “I don’t know what to do with that. But I know I don’t want you out in the cold. I don’t want you crying because of me. I don’t want— fuck.”I moaned softly as his mouth moved lower, trailing to my collarbone and then to my breasts. The water made everything slick and hypersensitive. H
VALERIE Frostbite? Maybe. Everything felt distant, detached, like I was watching someone else’s breakdown from afar. The lock clicked finally and the door flew open, and there was Dominic, eyes wild with alarm.His face went pale the instant he saw me curled on the ground like a broken thing and I immediately knew I probably looked close to death right now. “Shit.” he cursed loudly, dropping to his knees without hesitation. “Fuck. Valerie. Jesus Christ, you’re freezing.” His hands were on me immediately. They felt warm, frantic, rubbing my arms vigorously to chase away the numbness. “What the hell happened? How long have you been out here? Talk to me.”I tried to stand, but my legs refused to cooperate properly, wobbling badly. He didn’t wait. He scooped me up effortlessly, as if I weighed nothing at all, cradling me against his chest. His body heat began seeping through my damp clothes right away, a lifeline in the darkness. “S—someone… lo-locked it,” I managed, face buried in th
VALERIE“If it makes his life easier, yes.” Hawthorne didn't even blink before replying.I stared at him for a second, trying to figure out if he was serious or just extremely dedicated to whatever job description Dominic had forced on him, but his expression didn’t change, not even a flicker. “…Yo
VALARIEThere it was. I exhaled slowly, nodding once even though my chest felt tight again. “I know.”“Good,” he said quickly, like that settled everything. “Then help me out a little.” I straightened slightly. “First of all, you need to promise me something.”He blinked. “What?”“No gambling,” I s
DOMINIC I watched as Valerie stilled, just for a second, and I saw it, the flicker of something softer behind all that fire she carried around like armor.But then it was gone, replaced with that same stubborn spark I had come to expect from her, and her hand moved, slowly caressing, trailing down
VALERIEI can't help myself anymore, I pull away from the kiss with much effort and pulled her closer, still straddling me.She holds my gaze as my fingers began to trail south till it got to the thin linen caging her tight cunt. I expertly part the linen and place a finger into her already wet and







