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And in the center of it all, there he was. He sat on the largest couch with a tumbler of amber liquid in hand as he surveyed his club. A king on his throne. Zain.
thats a name
This was why she came to Treason. Not for the music. Not for the crowd. Not for the dancing. She came for him. What would Ivy say if she knew Elora was fucking her older brother?
the drama 22 pages in
He leaned away, his dark eyes sparkling. “Baby, maybe these games work on guys your age. But they won’t work on me.” “Then why are you dancing with me?” she hissed. “You’re not the only one who likes to play.” His gravelly voice sent a shiver down her spine. Why did that intrigue her? Ivy was rarely intrigued, especially by men.
Ivy didn’t enjoy control. She required it.
“Beautiful eyes,” she murmured. That crooked grin turned into a megawatt smile full of straight, white teeth. She might have swooned, except sheer mortification chased away any other reaction. “That was supposed to stay in my head.” “I’m glad it didn’t.” He chuckled.
“Are you expecting me to argue?” she asked, her voice steady. She’d break later, when she was alone. He flinched. She hated herself for that flinch. “I guess not.”
oof i hate this
That was the second time today someone had called her a bitch. Yes, it was true, but hearing it was wearing thin.
lmao
“W-what are you doing?” Why had she stammered? From surprise? Or the fact that she’d forgotten that he was simply that good looking? “Waiting for you. What are you studying?” “Economics. Why are you in my room?” “I thought we had a connection. Something special.” “Huh?” Was he drunk? Edwin smiled, revealing a dimple in his stubbled cheek. Cassia had always liked dimples. “I’m teasing. Ivy told me about what happened between you.”
If he was going to shatter the remains of her heart, he might as well be thorough.
“No, thank—oh.” A single glance and her pulse spiked, just like it had when she’d found him in her bedroom. “Oh,” Edwin mimicked. “One of these days, maybe you’ll greet me with a hello.”
“You’re irritatingly beautiful,” he said,
What would it be like to have that obvious, obnoxious sort of love?
“Eat.” He nodded at the pasta. “You’re so bossy.” “If you think that’s bossy”—he leaned closer, his gaze falling to her lips—“you haven’t seen anything yet.”
“I hate being called baby.” She leaned into his palm. Though when it came from his lips, she didn’t mind at all. “Tough.” His voice was rich and deep and so damn close. “I like calling you baby.”
Why are you staying?” Edwin leaned forward, his attention wholly fixed on her. The intensity in his eyes, the seriousness on his face made her heartbeat spike. “Because I think about you more than I should.” “Oh.” “Oh,” he mimicked. “So here we are.”
Zain’s stress relief came from riding his motorcycle. It was something he’d told her he preferred to do alone. Yet he’d taken her out twice in their years together. For Elora, he’d bent his rules.
“Working today?” “No, uh . . .” Zain gave her a tight smile. “I have a date.” She flinched. He saw it. “Oh. Right.” She backed away, nearly tripping over her own feet. Then she raised a hand to wave before spinning toward the stairs. “Elora,” he called, stopping her on the third stair. “Give me a reason to cancel it.”
“You fucked up my date.” A smile ghosted her lips. “Not sorry.”
it buzzed in her hand with a text from an unknown number. Hey, baby Ivy stood straight, her heart skipping as she typed out a reply. I told you to stop calling me baby He called instead of replying.
“Baking cookies.” “Can’t sleep?” She moved the phone to her other ear. “Maybe I always make cookies on Sundays.” “Why can’t you sleep?” Ivy frowned, irritated that he seemed to know her so well already. “Sometimes I just can’t.” Tate hummed. “What kind of cookies?” “Chocolate chip.” “Are you going to open the door if I come over?” Her pulse quickened. “Why would you come over?” “For a cookie.”
But something about Tate told her he wouldn’t care about the hair or her lack of makeup. Or maybe that was just Ivy’s wishful thinking that a man might want to see her.
“I won’t let you down, Red.” That nickname alone was worth the hassle of dyeing her hair regularly.
“We’re very matchy.” Edwin met her at the bottom stair, taking the leafy ring from his head and putting it on hers. “The matching is intentional. That way everyone at the club knows who you belong to.”
“I don’t want to belong to anyone but myself,” she admitted. “Fair enough,” he said. “Then how about this. We match so everyone at the club will know who I belong to.”
And while it was too loud for him to make introductions, his hand never left hers. That, along with the matching costumes, was introduction enough.
“You know what I think I like most about you, Red? You don’t want anything from me.”
Cold tequila seemed like a rich person’s preference.
White spots erupted behind her eyes, and she didn’t just see stars. Edwin brought a whole damn galaxy.
When he shifted his attention to her, it was like she’d been standing in the rain and he had the only umbrella.
“Look at me,” she ordered, bringing her hands to his pecs. He lifted his head, and when he met her gaze, she drowned in those crystal-blue pools. I love you. Could he see it? Did he know that she loved him? He was her heart. She loved Zain Clarence with her soul.
You don’t know me well enough to know what does and doesn’t sound like me.” “I might not know your favorite book or the best memory from your childhood, but I’ve got a decent read on you, Ivy. You fight me at every turn because it makes it interesting. You crave control, and when I steal it, part of you gets angry and part of you loves it. Not that you’d ever admit that to me or yourself.”
“Are you asking me out on a date?” “Wasn’t asking.” Tate ducked lower, his lips skimming her neck. “Any other questions?”
“Wear green. I like green.” She harrumphed. “I always wear green. It’s my favorite color.” “Mine too.” He winked, then strode into the hallway. Ivy held her breath, straining to hear the front door. Then once he was gone, she rushed to her bedroom, straight for the window that overlooked the front of the house. The arrogant bastard stood next to his car, arms crossed and legs planted wide, his eyes aimed her way. Given the smirk on his face, he’d known she’d run to watch him.
He moved off her and onto his side, his fingers once more drawing on her skin, this time above her breasts. Edwin had taught her the appeal of pillow talk. She’d never been touched this much, like he couldn’t keep his hands off her.
“I’m going to ask you questions.” Edwin faced her again and the determination on his face made her breath catch. “I’m going to test each of your limits. You don’t know how to think or feel about this? I’ll make it crystal fucking clear. I’ll push and fight and rip free these truths you’re guarding.” “Edwin—” “But you have to decide. Do you want me? Or are you looking for someone to fuck while you finish school? Because I’ll gladly fuck you, Red. But my cock is all you’ll get. So what’s it going to be, Cassia?” The growl of her name, the intensity of his expression . . . this was not an Edwin
...more
“I love you.” Her voice cracked. “I’ll always love you.” She half expected Zain to open his eyes and give her a look like he’d known it all along. That she’d never hidden her love as well as she’d tried. Instead, his heart monitor flatlined.
Ivy shook her head, leaning into him. They leaned on each other. They had their entire lives.
It wasn’t right. Elora should be here, not Mira. Elora should be first in line for updates, not Mira. Elora should be wearing his ring. Not. Fucking. Mira.
PERIOD
“Today. I’ll give you today. But we’re not done. Far from it. And we will be discussing this. Soon.”
Elora had asked Ivy to stop giving her updates on Zain. It hurt too much. But Ivy had ignored Elora’s request and stopped by with them daily. Never in her life had Elora been so grateful for Ivy’s obstinance.
He was her brother. Like Dad was her father. Elora would fight for them both.
Elora had taken the picture, not because he was beautiful and at peace. But because of his hand. Before he’d fallen asleep, he’d stretched out his arm to where she’d been sitting by his feet, reading a book. He’d opened his hand, palm up, like he’d expected her to take it. She hadn’t. But he’d kept his hand open anyway, even while he’d slept. She should have taken his hand.
A year ago, hell, two months ago, that would have given Ivy a thrill. Except Michael had lost his appeal. His allure had dulled in comparison to a dark-haired man who’d invaded her heart.
i love this song
“You could have stuck around and fucking asked me yourself about Mira. But you ran. Like always, you ran. And goddamn it, I needed you, El. I needed to wake up from that nightmare and see your face. I needed you. And you should have been there.”
“I don’t want—” “I love you.” Elora needed her own weapon. And at the moment, honesty was her sharpest knife. She couldn’t go back in time and say it years ago, like she should have. But she could say it today. “I love you very much.” Zain didn’t so much as blink as he studied her. Could he hear the truth in her words? Could he see them coming from her heart?
“I can’t stop. There’s more I hate.” About their situation. About herself. “There’s more to say.” “I’d rather skip what you hate and hear you say that you love me again.” “I love you.” Her voice cracked. Damn it. She was going to cry. Hard. There was no stopping it. No leaving to hide herself in a lonely corner. He was going to see what no one else ever had. Elora, stripped bare. Zain’s forehead dropped to hers. “I love you.”
She reached for his shower puff, lathering it with soap, then her hands roved over his body, tracing every line of raised flesh. Touching every wound. Tracing every scar. They were a part of him now, like the tattoos. And like the ink, those marks were hers. He was hers.
After you and I—” “After you left me that fucking note?” She winced. Not her finest moment. “Sorry.” “Once I’m recovered, you owe me for that.” His hand slid down her spine, tugging up the hem of her shirt to palm her bare ass. “And, babe, I’m gonna collect.”
And though you might pretend to shut me out, Elora Maldonado, no one in this world knows you like I do.”
