OceanofPDF.com

Unravelling The Beast

Copyright © 2023 Jodie King

All rights reserved.

The characters and events depicted in this book are entirely fictitious. Names, characters, settings, and incidents are either created by the author's imagination or utilized fictitiously. Any resemblance to a living or deceased person, event, or location is completely coincidental. Except for brief quotations in a book review, no part of this book may be duplicated or reproduced in any form or by any method, whether electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and collection system, without the author's written permission.

For more information on the author and her books, visit her linktree:

https://linktr.ee/jodiek_author

Daylight - David Kushner

If You Want Love - NF

Rain - Sleep Token

Victor Weed - Grey Killer

Evil Beauty - Fate

Just Pretend - Bad Omens

Going to Hell - Bryce Savage

Tattoo - Loreen

The Feels - labrinth

Moonlight - Nomyn

Red - Santino Le Saint

Khula - Andy Linch

Void Inside - Phelian

Born To Die - Lana Del Rey

Dark Paradise - Lana Del Rey

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

This book contains profound, extremely explicit, and potentially triggering themes, such as graphic violence/brutality/death, degradation, drug/alcohol use, suicidal thoughts, foul language, masks, anal, aggressive forms of sex play, blood and knife play, trauma, grief, attempted rape (not between MMC and FMC), and mentions of sex trafficking.

Things to know about Unravelling the Beast:

- Story is written in Dual POVs

- Jealous and possessive MMC

- Aggressive MMC

- Highlights of trauma and grief.

- An emotional rollercoaster.

OceanofPDF.com

Dedicated to those who love to ride a red flag & suck on a morally gray’s dick.

I step out of my car, my head thumping with an unbearable pain I haven't been able to shake the entire drive home. I slam the door shut behind me before slugging toward the front door to my mansion, pressing my hand deep into my pants pocket to find my phone and key.

Retrieving my phone first, I peer down at the lit-up screen, my vision still somewhat hazy, to check if my wife, Bridget, has answered the text I sent her before traveling here after randomly falling asleep in my office last night.

I'm thinking she's mad at me because I went out drinking and didn't come home, but there have been no call attempts from her, even last night, which is fucking unusual for her.

I come to a standstill at the door and, with my key in hand, I slide it into the lock before turning it. When I discover I'm not hearing the click, I realize it's already unlocked. My brow furrows as I press down on the handle and push the door open.

As soon as I walk in, I hear my newborn son, Cree, screaming at the top of his lungs from upstairs in the distance. Panic surges through me, followed by an overwhelming sense that something is wrong.

I rush towards the large staircase case before sprinting up it, taking two steps at a time. As soon as I enter the corridor, I take long strides toward Cree's cry, the unsettling shriek drowning out the sound of the racing pulse in my ears.

Before entering his nursery, I draw my gun from the back of my pants and hold it beside me. As soon as I stroll in, I spot him kicking around in the crib and proceed toward him. I come to a halt beside him and notice his face is beet red from all the screaming, and his fists and legs are screwed up tightly.

I lift his pacifier and place it on his lips, where he instantly latches, clearly hungry. I keep it there, hush him until he calms down, and when he does, I attempt to yell out for my wife, unsure where she is.

“Bridge!?”

When I don't get a response, I turn around, but as soon as I notice Cree's built-in closet door slightly ajar with blood on it, my heartbeat slows entirely.

I freeze, dread coursing through my veins, making them cold, until I urge myself to move, and when I do, I walk rapidly. I hurry toward the door, swing it open, and my gaze falls on her, wrapped in rope with a gag in her mouth, sitting on the floor and resting against the wall below the garments.

I collapse to my knees in front of her, a gunshot wound in her forehead, her crystal blue gaze now dull. My wide eyes well up with tears as they scan her frantically, unable to comprehend what they are seeing.

I crawl forward, weeping, before throwing my trembling body around her and dragging her closer to me. I cradle my dead wife tightly, rocking her back and forth while screaming out in despair.

The first time I heard the phrase "The Big Apple," I used to think that it meant that New York was full of possibilities and ambitions, but it turns out that's not the case in my situation. I mean, how difficult is it to find a permanent nanny position in a city known to house business-minded families who will most likely require a live-in nanny to watch over their children?

I recently moved here in support of my parents and my eighteen year old sister, Lily, since she had been in a lot of trouble back in California, and she's begun failing school. My parents decided that moving her to a different state and school would keep her away from the troublesome teens she was hanging out with.

When the cops came to my parents' house, they claimed Lil was a witness in a grand theft auto investigation. Luckily, with my dad having a friend in the police force and a lack of evidence, the case was dropped, but my mom finally had enough and put the house up for sale the following week.

As a single woman and unemployed nanny, I decided to hop on the ride and relocate as well since I’ve always wanted to visit NYC, and here I am living the dream! Yeah, right. Since moving here, I haven't found a single steady nanny job. I mean, I've worked odd jobs from time to time. I babysat one child for a few weeks and another for a few days while their parents were elsewhere on business, but nothing permanent or live-in, as I'd hoped for.

Ah, well, I guess it'll come with time.

I am currently residing in a little house in the New York suburbs. It's a pleasant, small neighborhood, and I enjoy being here. The majority of my interior is white since I like to wake up in the morning with everything radiating brightness to get my day and good mood started.

My parents are currently paying for the house while I try to get back on my feet since they are both pretty well-off with good jobs, and my younger sister and I have always had the finer things in life. I started supporting myself after I graduated from high school, but when this became a last-minute decision and I didn't have a job lined up, they offered to help for the time being, which I appreciated.

To be honest, my parents always wanted me to do more than be a nanny, but I love what I do and have always been good with children. It's been my ideal job since I was a child, and I'd never change my career.

I suppose my doctor telling me a few years ago that my chances of ever having children are slim encouraged me to enjoy this profession even more as well. My parents eventually realized that I adored what I do, and they stopped attempting to persuade me otherwise.

Lying on my bed in my pajamas, I have been sipping coffee since it's early morning, when suddenly, I hear the sound of an email coming through on my laptop, which is at my feet at the foot of the bed. Excitement grips me, hoping for a new job opportunity after posting my résumé on several websites recently.

I set my coffee on the bedside table before reaching over and grabbing my laptop. I rest back on the headboard and lay it across my thighs before opening it to find the unread email. When I realize it’s from one of the websites where I placed my ad, I open it.

As soon as my eyes scan over the text, my brow begins to furrow in confusion as I read the word "urgent" before I reach for my phone beside me without hesitation.

With it in my hand, I glance between my phone and the laptop screen while dialing the number provided before placing the phone against my ear, and a woman answers the call after a couple of rings.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Wren Edwardz. I just called regarding the nanny position."

"Hey, yeah! Are you available to meet today? It's a little urgent."

"I mean, sure!” I exhale a tiny breath before continuing. "When and where?"

As she responds, I can hear relief in her voice.

"Are you free around 2 p.m.? I can text you the address.”

“Okay! I can do that!”

"Great! So I'll see you soon. Bye for now."

When she ends the call, I peer down at it with a big smile on my face, and she sends the address within a few minutes. I immediately begin to wonder if she was the child's mother, so I reread the email, hoping to learn more about the kid I will be meeting.

I quickly notice that it's a three-year-old little boy named Cree, and I smile.

“The perfect age.”

I get out of bed and head to my cozy walk-in closet and when I enter, I start looking for something smart but comfy to wear. I have an unexplained sense that these will be wealthy folk, so I choose black, which is always smart and sophisticated.

After choosing the appropriate apparel, I stroll to my bright, white en-suite bathroom, where I turn on my shower and undress. I step under the warm water and exhale a sigh of relief as the warmth envelops me, raining down on my dry skin and hair, quickly reviving me.

I scrub my sun-kissed skin and wash my long, dark brown hair before stepping out. I grab a white, fluffy towel from the rail and wrap it around my wet, nude body.

When I return to my walk-in closet, I sit on my vanity small plush stool, blow dry my hair, style it into loose curls, and then apply my makeup. I then continue to my clothing and slide into some black lacy panties and a bra before dragging my skin-colored stockings up my silky smooth legs.

I wiggle my black, high-waisted skirt up and over my curvaceous hips and pull on a white long-sleeve crop top before slipping into some tall, shiny, black, red-bottomed Louboutins.

I drape an oversized black blazer over my shoulders before gazing at myself in the mirror. I sweep my fingers through my long, thick, wavy curls, trying to add more volume, and then nod to myself in approval before taking my small, black Dior bag and heading into the bedroom.

When I grab my phone from my bed, I glance down at the time and see that I have only twenty minutes until I have to be there.

"Oh, fuck!"

I exit the house quickly and dash to my BMW.

When I'm positioned in my seat, I pull up the address from the text message and enter it into my GPS system, only to discover that it's fifteen minutes away, and I start to feel dread mount inside of me at the thought of being late for an interview.

As I finally get closer to the location, I start to relax because there is no traffic, and I pay close attention to the robotic woman's voice on the GPS as she directs me to my destination.

While approaching closer, I realize that my gut feeling about them being rich was correct, as I enter an area that's clearly for the extremely wealthy, and the houses are huge and fucking beautiful. I can't help but gasp as I stare in disbelief.

When the female robotic voice informs me that I have arrived at my destination, I turn towards a huge estate and come to a halt outside the gates. My mouth gapes open in amazement as I gaze at the house behind them.

I've been to a lot of mansions in my life, but nothing compares to this one. It is striking and unique compared to the other homes in the neighborhood, featuring remarkable, sharp and modern architecture with an eerie feeling of dark clouds looming over it.

I lower my window beside me and reach outside to press the intercom button. The same woman who had been on the phone with me before comes through on the speaker.

“Hey, Wren! I’ll open the gates now for you.

“Thank you!” I say it cheerfully with a smile, just in case she sees me on the tiny camera.

When I turn to face forward again, the large, black, spiked gates in front of me begin to open and I proceed cautiously up the long driveway until I am approaching the enormous structure.

As soon as I exit my car and close the door behind me, I notice a beautiful, heavily pregnant woman with long, golden brown hair approaching me with a broad, welcoming smile on her face.

I smile as we narrow the distance between us and extend my hand to her.

"Hello! Nice to finally meet you!"

She gives me a firm handshake.

"It's nice to meet you too, Wren! I'm Sara Hayes; please come inside!"

Her cheery, upbeat personality immediately calms my interview nerves, and I follow her as we stroll towards the house.

As we approach the front door, I turn and smile at her before taking a glance down at her incredibly big baby bump.

"How much longer do you have left?"

She smiles warmly as she cradles her bump and looks down at herself.                

"Any day now!"

I smile at her, and while following behind her, I speak again.

"Is this why you need a nanny? For when you go into labor?"

She looks me in the eyes and offers me a wry smile.

"Something like that."

When I glance ahead as we enter the house, I'm forced to come to a standstill due to the interior, since it's unlike anything I've ever seen before.

It's so cold and dark, but modern, sexy, and dominant. Blacks and grays cover the high walls and ceilings, as well as the floors, and I stare in utter disbelief, unable to wrap my head around it.

I suddenly realize I'm gawking, and Sara is going ahead of me, oblivious to the fact that I'm standing here like a fucking idiot, so I hurriedly catch up with her, lost in thought as I walk through the mansion, absorbing everything in sight.

This is not at all like my bright, white, cozy home. When I wake up in the morning, my house gives me life. This house is so gloomy that it nearly seems to contain something wicked and evil. It's almost suffocating and it's difficult to believe that a three-year-old child lives here.

When we enter the living room, I take a deep breath as I look around at the endless space.

There's a big white corner couch in the center of the large room that can seat at least thirty people; the walls are matte black, of course, but there's a huge electric fireplace with a dark gray marble backsplash behind it that travels all the way up to the towering ceiling.

I crane my neck to see the ceiling shining black, with tiny twinkly lights protruding through like little stars, and a giant spiral chandelier hanging low. It’s fucking breathtaking.

"Wren! Come, take a seat!” Her voice takes me out of my trance.

I cast a glance her way as she settles onto the white couch, and I smile before approaching her and taking a slow seat beside her, feeling a little on edge.

"Where is your son?"

Her small nose wrinkles as she smiles while waving me off with her perfectly manicured hand.

"Oh, Cree isn't my son; he’s my nephew, and he is taking a nap in his room right now.”

She throws out a girlish giggle, and I join in before speaking again.

"So, where are Mom and Dad?"

She gazes at me with a slightly hesitant expression.

"Dad is working a lot, and mom... Well, she passed away during childbirth."

My eyes soften, and my heart breaks for the little boy and his dad immediately.

"I'm so sorry to hear that."

She glances down at her hands, which are resting on her lap.

"It's fine; usually I would continue to look after Cree while Arlo works, but unfortunately..."

She motions with her hand toward her bump, and I nod with a small smile.

"I completely understand."

Before I speak again, I make a mental note that the dad's name is Arlo.

"So is Mr.."

I pause since I don’t even know his surname before continuing.

"Is Arlo going to attend this interview?"

She raises her head with a soft expression.

"Mr Hayes, sorry, I should have told you that. I have a dreadful baby brain at the moment."

We giggle together again until she carries on.

"Sorry, he isn't going to be joining us today. He is currently working, but he fully trusts me to choose the best nanny for the job. I discovered you on a website, and you seemed to be the perfect fit for what we're looking for considering all of your qualifications and experience." 

I give her a sweet smile in return for her compliments.

"Now we just have to see how Cree reacts to you! So you’re okay with living here?”

I straighten my shoulders before giving an optimistic nod.

"I mean, sure, I've been looking for a long-term position for a while now. I've been trying to find one ever since I moved to New York a few months ago. I lived with a little girl last year when I was in California, and it was a wonderful experience, but unfortunately, they relocated to Canada, and I was unwilling to move so far away from my family.”

Before she responds softly, she offers me an understanding look.

"Oh no, that's such a shame when you bond too."

I pull my gaze away from hers and stare down at my hands.

"Exactly. It was heartbreaking, but we keep in touch often, and I hope to visit them all one day. The family was so warm and welcoming."

When I lift my eyes to look at her again, her face has sunk and turned pale, creating an anxious feeling that stirs deep within me.

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

She shakes her head slightly and looks away.

"Of course not. It's just that my brother is a bit of an ass. Please try not to have high expectations of him. My advice would be to keep your distance unless absolutely necessary and to concentrate solely on Cree."

I'm taken aback, but I appreciate her blunt honesty. Complete truthfulness is a lot better than having no idea what you're getting yourself into.

I give a slightly unsure nod when she looks my way before she leans in close and talks gently.

"He's still a little broken over Cree's mom, you know? He hasn't been the same since."

I give her an understanding look, and she pulls back as she studies me for a second before completely changing the subject.

“How old are you?”

“I’m twenty-five.”

She offers a quick nod.

"I did think you were young. Now, let's talk about money and the perks of the job."

As I pay close attention, I straighten up a little.

"Of course, if you live here, everything is paid for. You'll get three paid holidays every year, as well as weekends off, because Cree stays with my parents on the weekends and has done so since he was a newborn."

Before I respond, my jaw drops with surprise.

"Wow! Really? This appears to be too good to be true."

She laughs at my disbelief as she stands and then continues.

"You'll see why the pay is so high, and I pray to God you have a high tolerance for arrogance."

My eyes broaden, but I try to hide them by lowering my head. She starts walking out of the room, and as I follow closely behind her, I begin to wonder about the kids' dad.

Should I really take this job? I mean, it's a lot of money—more than I've ever worked for and what I’ve always wanted—but what if it's a living hell while I'm here? I suppose I should meet the little boy before making a final decision.

We travel up some stunning, shiny black marble stairs until we reach the top, then continue along a long, luxurious corridor until Sara eventually comes to a halt outside of a door after passing many, and she turns to me before whispering.

“Let’s see if he is awake yet.”

We exchange a smile before she slowly lowers the door handle and enters. I trail close behind her and see that the room is dimly lit with the curtains closed.

When we're all the way in, I peer around the lovely room and take it all in. It's so different from the rest of the house; it's vibrant and reminds me of my home. His bed is built like a house, with an upstairs and downstairs, a ladder, and windows, and he appears to have plenty of toy trains.

Sara whispers softly next to me, as I can't see him yet.

"Cree, sweetie, are you awake?"

As soon as she says that, a small head appears at a window quickly, and we both giggle before she speaks again.

"There you are! I've brought someone to meet you."

I try to get a better look at him from behind the little window, but all I can see is him rubbing his sleepy eyes with his small fists and yawning. I get a much better glimpse of him when he starts moving, and he is easily the most adorable little boy I have ever seen in my life.

He has sun-kissed skin and curly, longish brown hair that curls around his face, huge chocolate-brown eyes, and chubby cheeks. I can't help but be in awe of him, and my heart melts with joy.

I watch as he shuffles to the little ladder on his bottom before turning around and climbing down it like an expert.

Sara crouches down and holds her arms out wide for him as he reaches the bottom, and she whispers.

“Come meet Wren!”

He walks slowly towards Sara, his innocent, curious eyes fixed on mine. To ease his nerves, I kneel down and offer him my most trustworthy smile.

“Hey Cree, It’s really lovely to meet you!”

He returns my smile before shyly burying his face in Sara's shoulder, but she starts tickling his ribs, causing him to laugh infectiously and my insides to turn to mush.

"Wren will be here to look after you when your cousin arrives, okay?"

His focus darts to me in an instant, and he looks at me nervously before speaking to Sara.

"But, Aunt Sara, I want you."

His voice is so sweet and innocent, and as I talk gently, my eyes soften.

"Hey, I promise we're going to have a great time together. I see you like trains."

When that captures his attention, his eyes get slightly bigger with excitement, and he nods.

"Which one is your favorite? Could you show me?"

He hesitates at first, but soon lets go of Sara and wanders over to one of his toy boxes. He lifts the lid and reaches inside, then holds it up with a smile and walks towards me.

I smile back as I speak with enthusiasm.

"Would you look at that? It's amazing. Have you ever traveled on a real train?"

He gives a tiny nod.

"I did go a long time ago and asked Daddy to take me again, but he is always busy."

I keep a straight face as my heartstrings are almost torn out of my chest, knowing this is common with business-like parents.

I maintain my cool and respond softly.

"Perhaps we can go together one day! I'd love it if you would show me. I've never been on a train before."

His small mouth opens in surprise.

"Never!?"

I giggle at his surprised look.

"I know, how boring am I, huh?"

His face brightens up before he speaks excitedly over my shoulder to Sara.

"Did you hear Aunt Sara? Wren is taking me on the train!"

We both giggle as he starts jumping up and down with joy, his small hands flapping, before he suddenly stops and looks at me.

"When can we go?"

Sara and I stand upright, and then we face each other.

"I mean, if you want it, the job is yours. He appears to like you, and I'm confident he will continue to do so."

I gaze down at the cute little boy beside me with huge brown eyes for a brief moment, lost in thought. I mean, he's a sweet little boy, and he probably needs strong females around him, which I know I can offer, but there's something off about the atmosphere in this house and the dad I haven't even met yet.

I've always been welcomed and at ease when I enter the houses where I work, but something calls on me to take this position and be there for Cree nonetheless.

After a brief ponder, I smile down at him and talk excitedly.

“Okay, let’s do it this weekend!”

He bounces up and down again as Sara claps her hands in delight.

"Excellent!"

I spend the next couple of hours with Cree until the early evening, learning a lot more about him before it's time to head home. We've really bonded and spoke about a wide range of things while Sara sat back and observed. He's like an open book, and he's really not shy at all.

Sara and I rise from the fluffy red carpet, and then she speaks.

"All right, Cree, it's time for Wren to go home, but she will be back Friday, okay?"

He pouts with huge, innocent eyes before responding in a sad voice.

"Do you have to? Please don’t leave!"

As I gaze down at him, my eyes soften. When the kids instantly connect with me and vice versa, it makes my job worthwhile.

I let out a tiny sigh before crouching down in front of him, arms outstretched for a hug.

"I promise to come back on Friday, and we'll board the train. I'm not going to let you down, Cree."

He offers me a big, toothy smile before lunging forward and wrapping his arms tightly around my neck, and I squeeze him back while Sara speaks above us.

"I'll see Wren out now, Cree, and then I'll come get you for dinner, okay?"

I rub his small back gently before he releases me, and when he draws back, he smiles, which I return. I observe him as he climbs onto the lower part of his bed, which has a small built-in television.

When I am standing upright, Sara wraps her arm around my shoulders as we go towards the door, and I shout back to Cree.

"Bye, Cree; see you soon!"

I peek over my shoulder to see him wave his little hand at me until I'm completely out of sight, and Sara removes her arm once we’ve entered the dark corridor and have shut the door behind us.

She starts talking as we move towards the stairs.

"I've never seen him so comfortable with a nanny before. Great job, Wren! I'm feeling much more at ease now; how about you?"

With a smile on my face, I respond.

"I think it went really well! Cree is a fantastic kid. You and his dad should be extremely proud."

As we descend the steps, she looks back at me with softened eyes.

"Does this mean you're taking the job?"

When we get to the bottom step, we come to a stop and I face her.

"I mean, I did say I'd be back."

She squeals with delight, clapping her hands together before wrapping her arms tightly around me. I'm stunned at first, but I laugh and hug her back.

"You won't regret this, Wren. I promise it will be worthwhile."

As we break our embrace, the front door suddenly unlocks, and both of our eyes shift in that direction.

A man enters with his head tilted down, withdrawing the key from the door, and my eyes instantly explore him, observing the immaculate, tight black suit he is wearing that is hugging his clearly toned physique.

Sara yells beside me, causing my body to tense unexpectedly.

"Arlo, come over to meet Cree's new nanny!"

My breath catches in my throat as soon as he lifts his head to look in this direction, and his enigmatic, piercing eyes meet mine.

He is easily the most handsome man I've ever seen, and he's so young. Perhaps my age or a little older. I was expecting someone entirely different.

He has loosely curled, longish, dark brown hair that is faded on the sides to reveal the tattoos that swirl around his head. His entire neck is tattooed, showing off his chiseled jaw and I begin to wonder if he is entirely tattooed. From what I can see by his tattoo-free face,

is that he has a tanned complexion, just as Cree has.

I suddenly feel flushed as he stands there, paused, and explores me with darkness stirring in his already gloomy eyes.

When he is finished with his almost unbearable stare, he stands tall, dropping his key into his pocket with his tattooed hand before swiftly kicking the door shut behind him with his foot. His body language oozes sex appeal and dominance but reeks of villainy as he begins to stride towards us.

I force a hard swallow in my dry throat and pull my eyes away from his intense, sinister gaze, all the while hearing his perfectly polished shoes tap across the black marble floor beneath him.

I cast a glance at Sara, who is watching him, completely unfazed by her brother's overbearing presence, until he stops beside me, and I have to stop myself from deeply inhaling his masculine scent of Armani and cigarettes.

After a while of stillness, my eyes wander up his tall frame to see him already intensely looking down at me, examining my facial features.

I can’t help but do the same with him, and I notice that he has silky smooth skin with a hint of stubble appearing on his chin. He has a silver nose ring, small hooped earrings to match, and dark brown eyes that are practically black.

I've never found a man like him attractive before, but it's not just the way he looks. I'm feeling drawn to him in an unusual way that I can't explain.

When my body becomes overwhelmed with anxiety, I try to brush it away by quickly holding out my hand with a slight smile on my face to ease the tension.

"Nice to meet you, Mr Hayes. I’m Wren Edwardz"

He glances down at my outstretched hand for a moment before clearly rejecting it and turning his attention to Sara, who is standing opposite him.

She now appears nervous and speaks rashly.

"Cree really likes her."

When Sara briefly looks at me, I give her a humble smile and place my unshaken hand beside me before he suddenly speaks, catching my attention.

"Does he now?"

His deep, smooth New York accent echoes over the huge, dark space surrounding us, and I quickly recognize that his tone is arrogant.

Sara narrows her eyes, clearly becoming irritated with him.

"Yes, he does; will you not say hello to her?"

I side-eye him as I see him stand straighter and place his tattooed hands in his pants pockets.

When he remains silent, she sighs, rolling her eyes, before giving me an apologetic smile.

"So, friday?"

Just as I'm ready to say something, Arlo cuts me off in an icy, chilling tone.

"Choose someone else, Sara."

I swiftly look up at him, but his attention is fixed on his sister.

"Arlo, you're not doing this. She's perfect for him, and she's the one we need. I'm sure of it!"

My eyes shift to Sara, who is now glaring up at her brother, before I watch between them as they proceed to have an intense stare-off.

I become confused and uncomfortable with what is going on here, so I speak out.

“I can leave if you want."

As soon as the words come out, Arlo's eyes collide with mine, but Sara speaks out first.

"No!"

His gaze sweeps over my face for a moment, narrowing now and then, before he responds sharply.

"Yes."

Sara now begins to plead with him.

"No, Arlo!"

She literally shouts at him at that time, and he pulls his cold eyes away from mine to stare down at her again.

"He's my fucking son. I say who the fuck is right for him."

"But..."

He suddenly cuts her off by raising his beastly voice.

"I don't fucking want her here; do I make myself clear?"

His harsh tone causes me to straighten up from the shiver crawling up my spine and I face away, but Sara continues her protest.

"Just be around Friday when she plans to come back for Cree to take him to see the trains, and you'll see her with him, and you can witness for yourself what I see. I've never seen him so happy and content with a nanny before! I promise you. Arlo, she's the one!"

The silence becomes uncomfortable again while I keep my head down, but when I peer up, they are just staring at one another.

I notice his sharp jaw muscles tense as he bites down on his teeth, and then his dark eyes quickly dart to mine.

"Friday."

He then switches his focus sharply to Sara.

"If I don't see what you see, she's gone."

I'm not sure whether I should be relieved that I might be employed or to be annoyed by this arrogant, beautiful asshole, but Sara seems thrilled as she smiles broadly and drapes her arm around my shoulder.

Arlo and I hold intense eye contact as she leads me towards the front door, and he stays in the same spot, watching closely as Sara leans in and whispers to me.

"I'm sorry about him. I'm sure he'll notice what I see when he sees you and Cree together. He's just somewhat overly protective, you know?"

As we come to a halt at the door, I give her a slight, uncertain nod, and she takes her arm off my shoulder and continues.

"Please return; Cree will be devastated if you don't."

I inhale a long breath and return my eyes to Arlo, who is staring carefully from a distance, his hands deep in his pockets, looking intimidating as hell.

As Sara opens the door in front of me, I pull my gaze away from him, and we walk out together.

The chilly night air hits me as we leave the house, and I shiver. As Sara walks alongside me towards my car, I notice a matte black Lamborghini parked behind my BMW.

"May I ask what Mr Hayes does for a living? He seems incredibly young to be living such a luxurious lifestyle."

As we approach my car, I turn to face her, and I notice she avoids eye contact before finally responding.

"He is a financial entrepreneur."

I give a slight nod as we stop and I reach out to open the door, then slide onto my seat before looking her way.

"So, Friday?"

She flashes me a smile.

"Yes, is 10 a.m. okay?"

As I respond, I tighten my seatbelt over me and clip it in.

"Perfect! I'll see you soon."

Once I've closed the door, we wave at each other through the window, but I sit there for a bit, buried in my own thoughts about how the day has gone. Like, how did an amazing, productive day turn into a shitty one in a matter of minutes?

Cree is such a sweetheart, and I can easily see myself looking after him full-time, but his dad? I hope I don't have to see him all the time, but that's probably unlikely since he lives there.

I suppose if I'm going to do this, I ought to figure out how to get out of his bad books, although I'm not sure how I got into them in the first place.

It's early Friday morning, and I have just gotten out of the shower. I enter my bedroom as my phone begins to ring on the bed and I walk towards the lit-up screen before coming to a
stop when I notice it's my little sister Lily calling.

I roll my eyes and reach down, with my other hand holding the towel in place that is wrapped around my damp body. When I have my phone, I lift it up, tap the screen, and position it on my ear.

“Hello?”

She answers immediately, her voice laced with giddiness.

“Wren, the best big sister in the whole wide world!”

I huff and flop down on the bed.

"What is it that you want now, Lil?"

She expresses her disbelief at my accusation.

"Why do you think I always want something?"

I roll my eyes once more before responding flatly.

"Because you do?"

When she remains silent, I know I'm right.

"So, what is it this time?"

She eventually musters the courage to speak after a brief pause.

"Well, there's this guy. From school. And..."

As she trails off, I sigh.

"And what?"

She then begins rambling quickly.

"Well, he wants us to hang out tonight, but you know how mom and dad are; they won't give me any money. They assume I'll just blow it on cigarettes and booze."

I release a sigh before I respond.

“And will you?”

"No, of course not!"

My brow raises in suspicion and I decide to challenge her.

"So, what do you need it for?"

Her tone turns cautious.

"It's just food and stuff." I'm not going to make him pay.

"Why not?"

She quickly becomes offended by my blunt questioning.

"Wren, seriously? Are you going to lecture me as well? I was hoping you'd be understanding."

I blow out a deep breath, but I remain silent until she speaks again.

"Right, what's wrong?"

“I suppose I’m a little nervous about today.”

“What’s happening today?”

I’m a little shocked that she doesn’t even know.

“Seriously, mom didn’t tell you?”

She scoffs before she answers.

“Me and mom are barely on speaking terms right now. She’s still blaming me for us moving away from Cali. So what is happening today?”

I fiddle with the hem of my towel nervously, just thinking about it.

“I have a big job interview today, but the kid's dad is..."

I squeeze my eyes shut as I fall back onto the bed when she attempts to finish my sentence.

“Is what? Hot?”

She giggles, and it makes me laugh with a head shake.

“I mean, would you believe me if I said he is actually incredibly hot and he can only be a couple more years older than me?”

She lets out a surprised gasp.

“What!? Does the kids' mom live there too?”

"Unfortunately, she died during childbirth."

“Oh, fuck.”

I sigh before I speak.

"I know, but the dad is really intimidating. Something isn't quite right about him, Lil. He's young, but he's rich as hell. His house is a work of art, but the interior is completely black and has a weird vibe to it. He initially refused to hire me and was fucking rude. That is, until his sister persuaded him to change his mind, and now I have to have a playdate in front of him today to see if I can live up to his expectations."

I hear her let out a tense breath before responding.

"I mean, it's something you've never experienced before; you're always welcomed into homes, but maybe this is the one for you, Wren! Perhaps this is an opportunity to further your career, a challenge that will push you out of your comfort zone but also help you grow as a person. Who knows?"

As I speak, I close my eyes and press my thumb to my temple.

"He could still say no today. Even though his son and I have bonded, he does not seem to want me there."

She lets out a big gasp and my eyes ping open.

"What!?"

"He's got the hots for you."

While responding, I let out a laugh.

“Oh, fuck off, Lil. He does not."

"Why not? I mean, you're beautiful and around his age. Why else would he not want you to be there? You're a highly qualified nanny, and you and his son have already bonded, so this could be the only reason!"

I sit up with a smile as I shake my head.

"You're wrong, Lily; I believe he is just an arrogant asshole in general."

"Well, whatever it is, go smash today and give him no reason not to hire your beautiful ass! I'm certain you can do it."

I withdraw the phone to check the time on the screen before returning it to my ear.

"Look, thank you, but I'd better get going or I'll be late."

"That'll be fifty dollars, please."

A frown forms on my face.

"Excuse me?"

"For my valuable advice and time."

Surprised by her mischievousness, I scoff.

"Girl, you called me!"

She giggles, and I smile as I roll my eyes.

"I'll send it over to your account right now, but please stay safe and don't do anything stupid!"

"Of course, sis! Thank you! And best of luck today."

I exhaled a weak breath.

"Thank you; I'll need it. Speak soon; I love you."

She suddenly speaks again, preventing me from hanging up.

"Oh, and Wren?"

"Yeah?"

"When you get this job, which I am confident you will, put your foot down if he continues to be a jerk. I know you're a kind person, but being nice doesn't always work against this type of man."

My brows shoot up my forehead.

"Wow, when did you become the guru of advice?"

She chuckles into the speaker.

"Believe me, it works every time. Speak soon."

After we’ve hung up, I quickly transfer the money and then toss my phone on my bed.

Maybe she's right; if this continues when I move in, I'll have to take a stand against his miserable arse.

I get up from the bed and go to my walk-in closet to choose something to wear for the day.

I decide to dress comfortably because I know I'll most likely be playing and chasing Cree all day.

After applying some light make-up, I throw my hair up in two high, long pigtails and dress in a khaki strappy vest, light blue denim shorts, and white high-top Converse.

I put on some jewelry—hooped earrings, a small silver cross necklace, and a fake nose ring—and gave myself a nod in the mirror.

Let's do this.

I grab a white shoulder bag and make my way to the bedroom to retrieve my phone from the bed before heading out to my car.

I soon arrive at Mr Hayes' house, and the gates open promptly this time, leading me to believe that my license plate is now registered on his system. I swiftly glance at the clock on the dash to make sure I'm on time, then continue driving up the long driveway towards the huge mansion.

As I pull up, I notice Arlo's Lamborghini parked nearby.

"So the asshole is definitely seeing this through then."

I turn off my engine, take my bag, and step out before closing the door behind me. I approach quickly and nervously towards the front door, pressing my finger on the doorbell when I'm within reach.

I fiddle with my hair, making sure I look okay, and I begin to wonder why. Cut this shit out, Wren. You're here for Cree.

I take a step back, and when the door finally opens, Cree bursts out, colliding with my legs. He snuggles his face into my thighs and wraps his little arms around them.

I laugh as I ruffle his curly brown hair with my fingers.

"Hey there, buddy!"

I kneel in front of him, and he gives me a huge smile, which I return. Then I talk with enthusiasm and excitement in my tone.

"Are you looking forward to today? I sure am! I can't wait for you to show me the big train!"

I try to maintain my focus on Cree as he jumps up and down, but I can not only see Arlo from the corner of my eye, but I can also feel him. His presence is extremely heavy, and his dark eyes are all over me, triggering all of my senses.

I clear my throat and try to shake the overwhelming sensation I'm experiencing before speaking directly to Cree again.

"Are you ready to go?"

When he nods and begins to calm down, I take my gaze away from him and finally look at Arlo, who is leaning up against the doorframe, his toned arms crossed over his chest.

My eyes deceive me, and my gaze wanders over him, quickly discovering that he isn't wearing his fancy suit this time. He's dressed in ripped light blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black snapback flipped backwards with his curly brown hair peeking out beneath the front. I can now see that he is, in fact, entirely covered in beautiful artwork. 

My mouth waters as I meet his piercing stare once more, but I manage to speak.

"No Sara today?"

He just stares at me for a few seconds longer before finally opening his mouth and responding.

"She's in labor."

My brows raise in surprise, and he examines my expression.

I pull my attention away from him and return it to Cree.

"How exciting! You'll soon have a baby cousin! Should we get in my car?"

"No."

My smile fades as I glance over at Arlo because of his strict voice, and he pushes himself off the doorframe.

"I'll drive."

"In that tiny thing? Will we all even fit in there?"

Straight away, I notice that my voice has an attitude, and I'm not even sure why I did it.

His brow rises casually as he makes a hand gesture toward Cree.

"That's not my only car; as you may have noticed, I have a kid."

Because of his obnoxious tone, I grind my teeth and try not to roll my eyes. I think he knows that he is irritating me, and I'm not sure if he is an outright asshole or if he enjoys being a pain in my ass. This is going to be a fucking long day.

I give him a fake smile as I stand upright.

“Very well.”

I smile down at Cree, extend my hand for him to take, which he accepts and then throw a glance over my shoulder at Arlo, my long, dark hair flicking as I do.

"Are you ready, Daddy?"

Something sinister shifts his eyes, and I turn my head to face forward, a faint smile creeping across my lips.

That either annoyed him or got him off. In either case, I'm satisfied. I begin to walk forward with Cree, firmly holding his hand as he skips alongside me.

When we reach the end of the lengthy path, we pause and I hear the front door slam behind us, followed by Arlo’s heavy footsteps coming our way.

He strolls past us, and we follow him until we enter a huge garage filled with luxury cars. The majority are black and gleaming, with tinted windows and chrome alloys.

As I take a glance around, I try to remain unimpressed until Arlo opens the back door of a black Mercedes AMG G-Wagon, and I lean down to lift Cree up from under his arms.

He is small for a three-year-old, but his vocabulary is amazing, and he has been very well behaved thus far. I effortlessly strap him in his car seat as Arlo opens the other back door and throws Cree's bag onto the back seat. Our eyes meet for a beat before he slams the door shut.

As soon as he can't see me, I roll my eyes and smile down at Cree as I finish strapping him in.

"There you go! Safe and secure."

Arlo settles into the driver's seat before reaching back with his fully tattooed arm to activate the small screen inside the passenger seat headrest.

When the screen comes to life, Cree smiles warmly at his dad, and Arlo, to my surprise, returns the smile, his pristine white teeth on display as well. He strokes Cree's leg with his palm before returning to his seat.

I stare in fascination, knowing that I’d just witnessed his eyes relaxed with a smile for the first time. When he doesn't have that bland, expressionless look on his face, he looks even more breathtaking and when he interacts with his son, he appears to have some life in him.

I snap out of my daze and smile down at Cree.

“Let’s go and see those trains!”

"Yes!!"

I can see the joy in his eyes, and it makes my heart leap. I close his door before climbing into the passenger seat next to Arlo. His strong aftershave envelops me, flooding my nostrils with the most delicious scent.

As I turn my body to clip in my seatbelt, I notice that he has one hand resting on the top of the steering wheel, fully relaxed, and that he is moving his tongue piercing along his bottom lip while staring ahead, completely zoned out. When he clearly hears that I'm all buckled up and settled, he starts the car and pulls out of the garage.

We drive for a while, and I check over my shoulder every now and then to see how Cree is doing and if he needs anything, just like I would with any child I care for. After some time, I ask him if he wants something to drink, but he shakes his head, so I smile and look forward again.

Arlo decides to speak for the first time during this entire journey.

"You know, he'll just tell you if he wants anything."

With annoyance, I purse my lips together. It's not what he says, but how he says it. The words come out as shitty and cocky, which for some reason, gets under my skin.

I pause, thinking of how to respond, before resting my head back and turning to face him with a slight smile on my lips.

"Would you prefer that I not ask your son if he needs anything, Arlo? Is that it?"

His dark eyes flash to mine, clearly picking up on my sarcastic tone, and our eyes lock for a split second before his gaze drops to my lips, where he can see my tiny smirk.

When he returns his focus to the road ahead, he speaks sternly.

"I don't like the attitude, Wren. That's not how you'll get this job; did you never learn that in your career?"

When I learn I can't win him over while attempting to match his attitude, I sigh and gaze forward once more, realizing I have to be the bigger person here and bite my tongue, even if it kills me.

"I apologize if I said something that offended you, Arlo. I'm here for your son, and I'm sure you'd like me to take good care of him.”

As nerves begin to consume me, I fidget a little in my seat and continue.

"It's my job, and I'm sure you can understand and appreciate how I do things when I'm trying to get to know the child I’m going to be potentially taking care of.”

I throw a glance his way, and his eyes meet mine.

"And, to be honest, I've never met a potential employer like you before. I'm usually very welcomed."

As he speaks firmly, he glances between me and the road ahead.

"I'm very protective of my son."

I give him a small nod of understanding before tilting my head to the side.

"But you weren't willing to give me a chance before you even saw me with Cree, so what was that about?"

He now keeps his eyes on the road and remains silent, but after a few minutes, when we come to a stop in a parking lot and he turns off the engine, he finally looks my way.

"Let's just call it gut instinct. If I don't think you're the right fit to look after my son, you never will."

"And now? Do you still have that gut instinct?"

Without breaking eye contact, he raises a perfect brow and unclips his seatbelt.

"We'll see after today, won't we?"

He pulls his stare away from me, opens the door next to him, and jumps out of the car.

He's going to be a tough nut to crack, Jesus. I suppose it's fair for him to be overprotective because he's Cree's only parent, but that doesn't justify the way he treats people.

I'm wondering how his other employees feel about working for him. His reliance on gut instinct is a pitiful excuse, but I can't back out now. I'll give everything I have today to prove him wrong.

I open the door beside me, leap out of the car and see Arlo holding Cree. As I speak to him, I close the gap and smile.

"Let's go see those wonderful trains, little man!"

He tries to wiggle out of his dad's arms, and when Arlo lowers him to his feet, he holds his arms up so that I can carry him.

My eyes soften as I reach beneath his arms to lift him up before sitting him on my hip. Arlo steps forward and hands one of Cree's trains to him.

"Thank you, Daddy!"

They exchange smiles before Arlo places a gentle kiss on his head and then speaks.

"Let's go"

Cree squeals with excitement as we go towards the train entrance, which makes me giggle. Arlo appears to know where we need to go; perhaps this is the place they visited before.

We walk onto an antique railway platform, and it's incredible. When Cree attempts to get free from my arms, I warn him first.

"If I lower you down, Cree, you must always hold mine or Daddy's hand, okay? This place can be very dangerous."

He gives me a little nod before I help him to his feet and he takes my hand in his, but when I glance up at Arlo, he is clearly observing us.

As the overwhelming pull returns, I avert my eyes once more and start to look around until I see a train approaching. Not just any train, but a vintage steam train resembling the one that travels to Hogwarts and I gasp as I look down at a grinning Cree.

"Wow, Cree! It's just like your toy!"

The joy on his face is palpable, and watching him so happy fills my heart with happiness. When it comes to a stop, the loud whistle makes my body jolt, and I place my hand on my chest just as Cree tugs on my hand.

"Don't be scared, Wren. It won't hurt you."

As the conductor allows us on and we enter, I take Cree aboard the train and lower him to his feet when we’re inside before taking a brief look around at the exquisite vintage carriage that is filled with luxurious royal blue and gold materials.

"Wow, this is amazing!"

Cree suddenly clutches my hand, snapping me out of my trance.

"Wren, come sit with me!"

Because of his eagerness, he pulls on my hand, causing me to stagger forward with a giggle, with Arlo trailing slowly behind us.

Cree climbs on my lap as I take a seat near the window, while Arlo sits opposite us. We don't have to wait long before the train starts moving, and Cree bounces up and down on me as we gaze out the window at the beautiful scenery we pass.

I cast a glance Arlo's way every now and again, and he just watches us, straight-faced, completely silent. It makes me feel like he's holding back because I'm here, which is unfortunate, and I don't understand it, but it's his choice.

Cree presses his face against the window the entire time, and I feel like we've bonded more today, but if Arlo can't see it, I'm not sure what else I can do.

Arlo eventually speaks when the journey has ended after a few hours.

"Time for us to go, Cree."

"No!"

Cree's sudden outburst takes me aback, and I calmly peer down at him on my lap as he folds his arms across his small chest with attitude, giving his dad a stern look.

My gaze is drawn to Arlo's, who glances at me, but Cree suddenly surges from my lap and tries to run up the carriage.

I attempt to reach out quickly to catch him, but Arlo gets there first by catching his wrist and speaking sternly.

"What did Wren say about keeping hold of our hands at all times?"

He frowns at his dad and stamps his little foot.

"But I don't want to go!"

Arlo's tolerance appears to wear thin quickly, and he stands before simply picking up Cree and carrying him off the train.

Cree kicks and screams in Arlo’s arms until we're on the platform, and he sets him down, still holding his wrist firmly.

I stand behind him as he crouches down to speak calmly to him at eye level.

"We can't stay here forever, Cree. The trip is over. We'll come back soon."

He gives his dad a serious glare.

"You always say that, and then we never come back!"

When I hear Arlo sigh and then lower his head, I decide to intervene. I take a step forward and place my hand on Arlo’s shoulder before crouching down beside him.

As I keep my focus on Cree, I notice Arlo looking at my hand on his shoulder, and he continues to keep his eyes on me as I remove it and speak softly to Cree.

"Hey, when we came in, I saw a small railway shop back there." Why don't we go get you a new train, my treat, before we leave?"

Cree looks me in the eyes before breaking into a mischievous grin, and I know I've won him over when he lunges forward, placing his arm tightly around my neck before I lift him. We then turn around and walk toward the shop.

I put Cree down on his feet as soon as we enter, and Arlo follows me closely as I stay near him while Cree explores the shop. When he finally decides on something he wants, he holds it up and beams at me.

"This one, please!"

I smile and nod.

"Let's go pay!"

As he springs excitedly towards the cashier, I take my purse from my shoulder bag and slowly follow him while retrieving my credit card.

Suddenly, Arlo dips his face down from behind and speaks quietly, close to my ear.

"I've got this."

I close my eyes for a brief moment as his deep, sexy voice trembles through me, temporarily melting me and sending a delicious shiver down my spine.

I open my eyes and speak once I have composed myself.

"It's my gift to him, and I want him to have something to remember me by if I don't see him again after today."

He remains silent, but I feel him watching me as I approach the checkout and pay with my credit card. Cree's new toy train is placed in a small bag and passed to him by the cashier before he turns to me with a big smile.

"Thank you so much, Wren! You're the best!"

My eyes soften as I kneel down in front of him.

"You deserved it, and now you have one more for your amazing collection."

He gives me a tight hug, and I embrace him while rubbing his small back with my palm.

"Let's get you back home. It’s been a long day.”

As we drive back, it becomes quiet and I look over my shoulder to see Cree fast asleep in his car seat.

We get out of Arlo's car when we arrive at his mansion, and he removes a sleeping Cree from his car seat before carrying him inside, while I cautiously follow behind.

When we enter the dark house, I close the door gently behind me, and he takes Cree in the direction of the living room. I slowly advance forward until he suddenly returns this way, his devilish eyes fixed on mine, until he stops in front of me.

I maintain eye contact as he stares at me down, expecting him to say something, but he doesn't; instead, he makes a head gesture towards the door behind me, suggesting he wants me to leave. I purse my lips before turning around and walking out of the door.

When I'm outside and face him, he is in the doorway, resting his tattooed arm up on the doorframe.

"So, what do you think?"

His wicked eyes unexpectedly sweep over my body, inspecting every curve I have very blatantly, causing tingles to rush through me and I’m forced to straighten up before glancing away.

“I’ll think about it.”

His unbothered demeanor makes me look into his eyes again and when I speak, I narrow mine.

"You've got to be kidding me? That's not..."

He raises his eyebrow at my attitude, which stops me from going any further.

"I said I'd think about it."

With frustration, I bite the inside of my cheek and glare at him before giving him a harsh nod and turning around.

I can feel his eyes on me as I head towards my car, clearly checking out my ass and bare thighs, and when I open the door, I glance back at him as I enter the driver's seat.

He calmly pushes himself off the doorframe and then walks back inside, closing the door behind him and I start my car before leaving the property.

Returning home, I mulled over everything that happened today in my head, and I'm confident that everything went well regarding Cree's care. I may have been a little rude to Arlo, but I'm only human, and I'm not there for him.

It's late evening when I finally arrive home, and I make myself some food right away. When I finish cooking, I take the dish of pasta to the living room to sit down when my phone on the coffee table receives a text message.

As I take a slow seat on my couch, I gaze down at the lit-up screen and notice that it is from an unknown number, so I pick it up and open it to read the simple message.

"Pack your shit; you move in tomorrow."

A big smile sweeps across my face, and I let out an excited squeal before quickly composing myself and replying back.

"Thank you."

I exhale with relief and feel my tense body relax for the first time today. Wren, you did it. You won over the beast. 

It's the next day, and I'm moving in with Cree and Arlo. I check myself in the mirror as I pull my long, black leather coat over my white turtleneck sweater dress and tie it at my pinched waist. I slip my feet into my knee-high black boots next before I smooth my long, straight hair down with my palm.

I know this will be a completely new and challenging experience for me, and to say I'm not nervous about it would be a complete fucking lie.

I take a deep breath and stroll into my bedroom, where I pull my huge, packed Louis Vuitton suitcase off my bed and swing an extra bag over my shoulder before dragging the heavy suitcase behind me.

When I get to my front door, I take one final look around at my clean, bright white house before opening the door and leaving.

I park as usual at Arlo's house and then exit the car. I walk around my car towards the trunk and struggle to get the big suitcase out as much as I did when I put it in.

It suddenly thuds on the hard floor and bursts at the seams. My clothing and underwear sprawl all over the concrete, and I sigh as I stare down at everything before crouching down and whispering angrily to myself.

“For fuck's sake, Wren. That's what you get for packing way too much shit.”

I start to place it all back inside when I suddenly hear shoes approaching from behind. I don't even need to look; I know it's Arlo. I sense his overbearing presence whenever he's in close proximity to me now, and I'm not sure how.

When he stops, he crouches beside me, and I side-eye him while he starts putting everything back into the suitcase with me.

We work in silence until I notice him holding something up from the corner of my eye. I glance that way and do a second take, realizing he has my tiny, black lace panties on his tattooed finger.

My attention is drawn to his face as he explores them with his eyes, and then he calmly shifts them away from the thin fabric until they are locked on mine. Holy shit.

I feel my cheeks heat up before I reach out to swing them off his finger, but he simply draws them further away while keeping his piercing stare secured on mine.

“Is this the kind of shit you'll be wearing in my fucking house?”

I take a deep breath before raising an eyebrow and responding confidently.

“What's wrong with them? I like them.”

He returns the eyebrow raise before I attempt to grab them again, but he is too quick, so I speak sternly.

“Give me my fucking panties, Arlo.”

He looks at me with such seriousness that I struggle to figure him out, but I decide to stop playing his games.

“Fine, keep them. I have plenty.”

I draw my eyes away from him but I can see him watching me zip up my suitcase from the corner of my eye. When I’m finished, I get to my feet and drag it behind me along the long path to the front door. I take a step back with my head down as he opens the door for us, and when we walk in, I turn to face him.

“Where’s my room?”

As he passes by me, he takes my suitcase and effortlessly lifts it up the grand stairs. I follow behind him, my large bag draped over my arm, and when we reach the top, we walk through the dark corridor before he stops outside of a door, opens it, and enters.

When I stroll in behind him, I take a look around. It's dark and moody, like the rest of his house, but it's still beautiful and elegant.

"There's an en-suite just over there."

I turn around and look at the door he motions to with his hand before returning my focus to him and giving a slight, uncertain nod. As I look around again, I feel his eyes on me the entire time when I finally decide to speak.

“Is your entire house this dark?”

I turn to face him while leaning up against a chest of drawers, and he answers while pushing his hands into his pant pockets, wearing a similar tight suit to the night I first met him.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He straightens up, clearly irritated that I am questioning or even trying to engage him in conversation, before shrugging his broad shoulders.

“It suits me just fine. I like it just as much as you like your little fucking panties.”

I raise an eyebrow in defiance as we just stare at one another for a beat before I continue on.

“But, why is it so dark?”

His black eyes are fixed on mine, peering deep into the deepest depths of me as he answers.

“This dark house feeds my dark fucking soul. The way I like it.”

As I stare at him, stunned by his response, he breaks eye contact and rubs his chin with his tattooed fingers.

“I'll be back later tonight. Cree isn't here tonight, as you probably already know. Help yourself to whatever you want.”

He now no longer looks at me, and my focus follows him as he walks out, slamming the door behind him, the sudden loudness causing my body to jolt.

What the hell have I gotten myself into? And did he really just take my fucking panties? Maybe Lil was right after all, but I need to tread carefully here. Something is still not quite right about this man. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm sure I'll figure it out in time, and the thought both intrigues and terrifies me.

As the day fades into night, I take a shower in the luxury en-suite bathroom that connects to the bedroom where I'll be staying. Once I am out, I blow dry my thick hair in front of the mirror and apply night cream to my makeup-free face.

When I'm done pampering for bed, I return to the bedroom and change into a cute, comfortable two-piece outfit—a white crop top and shorts. I lay down on the spacious bed, grabbing for my beats and placing them over my ears.

I listen to music and become lost in my own thoughts for a while, staring up at the towering ceiling, until I have a sudden craving for a glass of red wine.

I mean, Arlo isn't home yet, and Cree isn't here on the weekends, so why not sneak downstairs, see if I can grab a large glass, and then return back here? I nervously chew my bottom lip at the thought but eventually muster up the courage to go down there.

I leap out of bed, still listening to music in my ears, and make my way to my door. Once I have opened it, I stroll down the long, dark, eerie corridor before tiptoeing down the cold stairs on my bare feet, feeling anxious about this enormous house as I move through it while I nervously look around.

When I reach the bottom stair, I proceed to the living room, knowing that the huge kitchen is just to the right. As soon as  I walk in, I admire all of the black appliances, the gray marble island, and the gleaming gray tiles on the floor and walls.

An enormous, dazzling chandelier hangs low above the island, twinkling everything, and the ceiling is mirrored with spot lights, making everything appear even bigger.

I immediately look for a wine rack or something that could possibly hold bottles of wine, but I soon realize I am not successful. I start opening the bottom cupboards and soon find a couple of bottles, which makes me smile.

"Yes!"

I do a little happy dance while setting a bottle on the counter before humming along to the music that is blaring in my ears.

"Where do you keep your wine glasses, Mr Hayes?"

I move on to opening the top cabinets until I find them.

"There you are!"

I know it will be difficult because they are on the very highest shelf, so I will tiptoe and stretch as far as my small frame will allow.

As my shorts begin to wedge up my ass and I speak with gritted teeth, my fingertips sweep over one.

"Come on, short ass!"

Suddenly, I feel him so close behind me that my ass is resting on his crotch, and I pull in a sharp breath, my heart rate rising dramatically

.

When I flatten my feet, I'm almost certain that my ass slides down the entire length of his cock, and my cheeks blush from the thought.

I take my headphones off of my head and hang them around my neck while watching his tattooed hand raise before he lifts up a glass and then places it down in front of me.

I give him the side eye and speak quietly.

"Thanks."

He remains silent while he hovers over me for a few seconds longer, his dark spirit engulfing and suffocating me in the best possible ways.

My hands tighten around the bottle of wine until he moves away, and his warmth and intense energy fade from my body.

I glance over my shoulder to see him heading towards the stairs, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding in before returning my focus to the wine bottle in front of me.

Wren, you need to get your shit together.

I open the bottle and pour myself a hefty glass before putting it back in the cupboard. I take a huge gulp while returning to my bedroom.

As I move down the upstairs corridor, approaching my bedroom, I notice an odd buzzing sound coming from the far end of the dark area. My brows furrow in confusion, and I start to walk slower. My legs then draw me past my bedroom, and I'm heading towards the noise.

I come to a stop in front of a slightly open door and place my palm on it, pushing it open. As soon as I walk into an enormous space, I take a look around.

The bed is roughly three times the size of the one I'm sleeping in and of course, the space has a very moody design, but it has some dim lighting.

A huge gray fur rug covers the majority of the matte black flooring, while long black velvet curtains smother the high windows.

My gaze follows the buzzing noise in the far corner of the room, where I see Arlo seated on a small stool with his back to me, now topless, his muscular and inked back completely exposed.

As I approach, I set my beats and wine glass down on a desk before heading to confirm what he is doing. I notice he is holding something near his lower leg, and that thing is what is buzzing.

I speak without even thinking about it.

"What are you doing?"

The buzzing stops immediately, and he raises his head but does not look my way while he speaks bluntly.

"Get out."

I continue to step forward, ignoring him, but he quickly looks over his shoulder at me, fixing me with a harsh glare.

"What are you, fucking deaf?"

My eyes dart to him when I notice that he is tattooing himself.

"You're a tattoo artist?"

He releases a tense breath, then glances forward once more.

"Get the fuck out, Wren."

"Will you ink me?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

He suddenly stands and storms toward me, and before I know it, he is completely in my space, towering over me and roaring his deep, powerful voice at me.

"Because I fucking said so, now get the fuck out!"

His tone irritates me to no end and I scowl at him.

"You know what, Arlo? You can be a real fucking asshole."

His crazed eyes lock on mine as he snatches my face, pinching my cheeks hard and yanking me closer to him before speaking aggressively through tight teeth.

"That big smarmy mouth of yours will land you in big fucking trouble one day if you're not careful."

When he releases me, he forcefully pushes my face back, and I stagger until I find myself falling back onto his soft bed.

"Remove your fucking top."

As I stroke my hurting cheeks, I take deep breaths in response to the rage that has just erupted within me.

When I’ve gathered myself, I look at him, confused at what the hell he is asking me.

"Excuse me?"

"You want a fucking tattoo, don’t you?"

"You didn't even ask what I wanted!"

“That’s because I’ll do whatever the fuck I want to your body if you want me to fucking tattoo it.”

My eyebrows rise in surprise and I scoff.

“On my fucking tits?”

He calmly presses his hands into his pants pockets, undoubtedly losing patience with me.

"Remove your fucking top or get the fuck out of my bedroom."

We exchange grave stares and I honestly don't know what to do at that moment. I mean, people walk into tattoo parlors daily and get their tits, pussy, and even their assholes tattooed, so isn’t this the same kind of thing?

After some thought, I purse my lips and roll my eyes in defeat before holding the hem of my crop top in my hands and swiftly pulling it over my head until my big, bare breasts bounce out.

I calmly toss it onto his bedroom floor before leaning back on my hands and returning my eyes to him. Of course, he is checking out my tits, but I'm a confident woman. I like my tits. I have nothing to be ashamed of; they are perky and a very decent size.

I raise an eyebrow as I watch a dark storm brewing in his already gloomy eyes, and I can tell he clearly didn't expect me to do it.

I decide to awaken him from his aroused stupor and speak with allure dripping from my tongue.

"Stop staring."

His wicked eyes collide with mine and lock before he responds brusquely.

"I've seen many tits; don't fucking flatter yourself."

I smirk and decide to press his buttons even more.

"Then you have no reason to stare, Arlo."

My attention wanders down his entirely inked and ripped body. His body is sculpted to perfection, like a Greek warrior and his beltless pants fall low on his hips, revealing a sexy V that leads to his manhood and the waistband of his black Calvin’s.

When my eyes return to his, he eventually breaks intense eye contact and calmly gets all of the tattoo supplies he'll need, as well as a stool.

As soon as he has all he needs, he moves in my direction before setting up beside me.

"Lie back."

I slide closer to him and lie back on his command when he suddenly wraps his big arm around my midsection, causing my stomach to somersault unexpectedly because of the sudden sink to skin contact. He drags me closer to him and then raises my arm to rest it above my head.

It's bizarre because he makes me feel uneasy around Cree, yet now that we're alone, I have no concern that my tits are entirely exposed to him when I don't even know him.

I observe as he pulls black latex gloves over his tattooed hands before wiping something cold on the skin on the side and under my right breast.

The sensation causes tingles to appear on my skin, and I'm pretty certain that my nipples have become erect, but I refrain from checking.

When he suddenly speaks, his head is down.

"Is this your first tattoo?"

When he raises his eyes to meet mine, I respond quietly.

"Yes."

“And how well do you take pain?”

He raised a perfect brow when he said that and I mimicked the movement while I responded.

"Let's not pretend you care about that, Arlo. Just don't go and tattoo a cock on me or something I might have to kill you for."

He glances down at his supplies once more.

"No fucking promises. You'll just have to trust me, won't you?"

My eyes widen as reality sets in that he can do whatever he wants right now, and I've been stupid enough to put myself in this situation.

I stare at him as he turns on the tattoo pen and dips it into the ink before placing his gloved palm firmly on my right breast. He pushes it to the side, and I have to stop myself from gathering filthy thoughts of him squeezing it.

I take a deep breath before turning away, attempting to brace myself for the potential suffering I'm about to experience. Within a few seconds, I can feel the needles penetrating my skin, and I close my eyes in an attempt to drown out the pain.

The first fifteen minutes or so were challenging, but I kept a brave face and it does get easier as time passes. When I feel ready, I begin to slowly open my eyes before I look down at him.

He looks like a typical artist working on a masterpiece and as he concentrates, his silver tongue piercing rests on his soft lips.

"Where did you learn to do this?"

He doesn't take his eyes away from what he's doing as he responds.

"I've always enjoyed drawing, but it wasn't until three years ago that I picked up a tattoo pen and began working on myself."

My brows rise up in shock.

"What? You did all of your tattoos yourself?"

"The ones I could reach."

My eyes wander over him, taking a long look at the artistry on his skin now that he is closer, and I carefully examine each one of them. There are many different things, but the majority are portraits of beautiful women. I'm almost certain one of them is Cree's mom, but I'm not going to ask.

"I mean, they're incredible; you're an amazing artist. You should take this up professionally."

He inhales a deep breath before responding while returning to the ink.

"It's just a hobby, and that's all it will ever be."

We fall into silence for the rest of the time, and it seems that he is finally finished when he switches off the pen and wipes the large area over. I'm still not sure what he did, but it felt big, which worries me.

"There's a mirror just there."

He gestures with his head in the direction of the other side of the room and I don't waste any time as I sit up quickly before scooting my ass to the bottom of his bed, both excited and anxious about what I'm about to see.

When I get close enough to the mirror, I turn to my side and raise my arm above my head. As soon as I see it, my eyes widen and my jaw drops.

It's so simple but beautiful. It's a curving, shaded line that wraps around my side and underboob, with pendants of detailed gems and feathers hanging from it in varying lengths on my rib.

"Oh my God!"

He appears in the mirror behind me, removing his black gloves.

"You don't like it?"

I turn to face him, my eyes still wide and my arm now covering my breasts.

"Are you kidding me? I absolutely love it!"

Excitement strikes me and I release both of my breasts before leaping onto him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

As I'm tiptoeing, I place a kiss on his cheek and speak quietly against his skin.

"Thank you, it's beautiful."

As soon as I feel his entire body tense beneath my touch, I realize what the fuck I've done and I lower myself with my head down, gliding my hands down his toned chest. I take a small step back to create some distance while placing my arm across my tits again.

When I peer up at him through my lashes, I find him staring down at me, expressionless, but I can feel the tension pouring out of him. His jaw muscles are tense, and I'm almost certain he's battling within himself to either kill me or fuck the shit out of me.

When he finally takes his focus away from me and turns around, I let out a tense breath, my body unwinding. What the fuck is wrong with me? He is my boss and he's a walking red flag!

I notice him walking towards me, holding some clear film in his hand but this time he avoids eye contact with me and as soon as he is close enough, he crouches down before taping it over my tattoo.

As soon as he is finished, he stands upright and gives me one more cold look before walking away, entering another door in his room, and slamming it shut behind him.

I squeeze my eyes tight, feeling embarrassed and possibly rejected. When I have collected myself, I stroll over to my crop top on the floor, grab it, along with my wine and beats, and make my way out of his bedroom.

It’s the morning and I check myself in the mirror while adjusting my black, tight suit and tie, ready to wreak havoc for another day.

I place my heavy silver knife cross necklace around my neck, which symbolizes exactly who the fuck I am, before tucking it beneath my shirt.

I move on to slide all of my silver rings over my tattooed fingers and when I notice my wedding band glistening against the black glass, I carefully pick it up and place it in the center of my palm. I clench my hand tightly around it before slamming it down onto the desk as I release it.

I turn around and dash out of my bedroom and down the long corridor, peeking at Wren's bedroom door as I pass it, wondering if she's awake yet before jogging down the stairs.

I'm just about to walk toward the front door and leave when I hear her humming in the kitchen. I come to a sudden halt before taking a few steps backwards to see what she's up to, and once she's in my sights, I watch her.

I keep an eye on her, noticing she's making coffee with her back to me, and she's wearing those skimpy little white fucking shorts again that show off her juicy ass cheeks.

Her skin is as smooth as bronzed silk, and her long, thick, dark brown hair falls all the way down to the top of her ass. She has a killer shape, with toned legs, a round peachy ass, a snatched waist, and huge fucking tits. Her face is beautiful and flawless; her jaw is sharp; and she has big brown eyes with thick lashes and plump, rosy lips.

She is undoubtedly stunning, but what I like most about her is that she is small. I like the thought that I can fucking intimidate her, and the fantasy of overpowering and shattering her little body drives me fucking feral.

I growl, pulling my wicked stare away from her, and my dark thoughts return to last night. I knew she wanted me as much as I wanted her, and I was seconds away from completely and utterly annihilating that pussy.

This is exactly why I was reluctant to employ her. I knew she'd cause me trouble as soon as I saw her, but then seeing her with Cree made me realize she was right for him, and I had to put all my disgusting thoughts aside. I know I should stay away from her; I will only fucking demolish her entire existence. No woman should be interested in or be around a cold motherfucker like me.

I intentionally showed her my nasty side in an attempt to keep her the fuck away from me, but I now know that I'm clearly dealing with a woman who clearly digs a mean and dangerous bastard, which has made this fucking difficult. Unless she's just plain stupid, because she must sense what I am yet still chooses to ignore all the red fucking flags.

She's fearless, no doubt, but she's also playing a very risky game with a man like me. She has no idea what she has gotten herself into by moving in with me and my cruel, dark world. When she does, I'm almost certain she’ll try to flee.

My attention is drawn to the door when the bell suddenly rings. I then return my attention back to Wren, who is now staring at me. We lock eyes for a moment before I pull mine away and go towards the front door.

When I open it, I look straight into the eyes of Cash, my right-hand man.

"Arlo, I've tried to call you all fucking morning, you ignorant bastard."

He's a bizarre-looking motherfuck. He has dark slicked back hair, a small tattoo just over his brow, a teardrop under his eye, and, like me, is fully inked up to his jaw.

He resembles “The Joker” with his arched brows and wide grin. full of fucking malice.

I just stare at him until he peers over my shoulder, and then I side-eye behind me to see that it's Wren he has spotted. I return my focus to Cash, who is now beaming and raising an eyebrow at me.

"Oh, I get it. You've been smashing pristine pussy, huh?"

He says it matter-of-factly, and I glance away, my jaws clenched.

"She's Cree's fucking nanny."

He smirks before returning his attention to Wren, giving her his trademark grin and a brief wave of his hand.

"Good morning, beautiful."

My teeth grind with irritation as I watch him scan her hungrily. I peer over my shoulder again to see her mimic his small wave before her eyes briefly connect with mine, and then she walks up the stairs, blowing into her hot cup of coffee.

My filthy eyes follow her ass until she's completely out of sight and when I turn to face Cash, I see he is doing the same. I give him an evil glare before shoving him on the chest out the door, causing him to laugh.

Typical Cash doesn't give a fuck.

I step outside, shutting the door, before heading towards my car as he follows close behind.

"How in the fuck are you not destroying that fine piece of ass already?"

I ignore his question as I unlock my Lamborghini by pressing my thumb on the button of the fob.

"Get in the fucking car and shut the fuck up."

When the doors are fully lifted, I slide into the driver's seat and start her up.

Cash has been a long-time friend of mine, and he is essentially my business partner. Many people think of us as brothers because we often come as a pack, yet we are extremely different from one another.

He is overbearingly loud and erratic and he can make rash decisions without considering the consequences. While I am a tragic and cruel motherfucker with no soul, I can still be calm, quiet, and calculated, but my greatest trait is that if provoked enough, I can explode very fucking quickly, and the outcome is deadly.

Regardless, we work well as a balanced team, and it has only made us very rich, powerful, and respected young men.

"So, are you going to fuck her brains out or what?"

I cast a glance in his direction while I drive as he pulls out his cocaine tin, which he keeps on him at all times, and I am pissed that he won't shut the fuck up about her.

"Come on, when was the last time you had some decent fucking pussy?"

I tighten my teeth and continue to ignore him.

"You still haven't moved on from Bridget, have you?"

My cold eyes meet him in an instant, and I glare, causing him to lift his brows.

"Holy fucking shit. You're not fucking pussy; that's why you're always a miserable bastard

who never wants to party!"

I sound a warning tone at the motherfucker.

"Shut the fuck up, Cash."

"But..."

"No fucking buts! She was my fucking wife!"

"Yet she's fucking dead, Arlo."

I flick out my knife from my sleeve without warning and swiftly place it firmly against his neck while driving with one hand.

"You say one more fucking thing, and I'll kill you, cunt."

He gives me an evil sneer like the devil, and I look between him and the road to make sure he doesn't dare say anything more stupid.

"Chill, brother, I just want to see you happy."

As I withdraw my knife, I flick it closed and slide it back up my sleeve while I pull my eyes toward the road ahead.

"Yeah, fucking right, you're a cold piece of shit just like me."

He chuckles before responding.

"You'll be pounding her pussy into oblivion in no fucking time. You can't live with that and fight the urge, unless you're suddenly gay."

I roll my eyes, tired of his shit.

"Can we just get on with the day and drop the fucking subject? I don't need advice from someone who is so fucking high all the time that he doesn't even know what day it is."

I hear him snort a key of cocaine up his nose beside me before he speaks.

"Let's fucking do this.”

As it turns late in the evening on a Saturday, I step under the hot water of the shower and gently pull the film off my tattoo before throwing it onto the floor.

I let the water fall on it to clean it, but I leave the area soap-free as recommended online, and then I get out of the shower once I'm finished.

I wrap a towel around myself and stand in front of the mirror, thinking about the man Arlo left with today. I'm not sure who he was, but he gave me the chills.

He was oddly handsome, but there was something strange about him. The vibes bothered me more than they did when I met Arlo.

Who knows? Maybe he works with him, or he is a family member.

After I've dried off, I slip on thin white lace panties and a bra to match before sliding on a long, see-through white robe with a feathery trim on the bottom and tying it around my waist.

I start to wonder if Arlo is home yet since I'll need fresh film to cover up my tattoo.

I stroll out of my bedroom and up the corridor, but I notice very quickly that the house is dead silent.

I pause for a while at his bedroom door, nerves running through me, before taking a deep breath and knocking on his door.

When I don't hear an answer, I cautiously glance behind me down the long corridor before opening his bedroom door and peering inside.

"Arlo?"

I instantly see he isn't actually home yet, so I consider doing this myself and getting out of here. I look over at the same table he was at the night before and see that all of his tattooing supplies are still there.

I shuffle forward, untying my robe, before reaching down and attempting to do my best.

As I finish up and prepare to go, I hear a beeping sound coming from behind the door that he entered last night.

Curiosity gets the better of me, and I go towards it until I come to a stop in front of it, scanning for a handle that I can't find. I press hard on the door, and it suddenly clicks open.

I pull on the door, but there is nothing but darkness. Taking a slow, wide-eyed stride forward, the bright lights turn on automatically, temporarily blinding me.

When my eyes have adjusted, shock hits me as I look around the small area. It's a fucking arms room, and the walls are covered in various varieties of guns, knives, and other weapons.

In disbelief, I clap my hand over my mouth, my heart thumping in my chest as I glance around.

“What the fuck?”

Panic takes hold, and I quickly turn around to flee, but I come to a stop when I discover Arlo standing there, coldly staring at me from the doorway, blocking my path. Oh, fuck.

My shocked eyes travel down to the very obvious blood stain on his white shirt before meeting his eyes again, and I force myself to swallow.

He takes a slow stride forward, his hands calmly in his pants pockets, and I take a cautious step back while I stutter.

"Is... is that blood on your shirt?"

As he continues to move forward, he keeps his dark eyes locked on mine and responds with clenched teeth.

"Will you ever learn to stay the fuck out of my space?"

His terrifying demeanor scares the shit out of me, but I manage to speak with caution.

"What... What is this place?"

"What in the fuck does it look like?"

He comes to a stop about a foot away from me, and I raise my chin.

"All of this here with your young son in the house?"

I know he didn't like what I just said because his nostrils flare and he raises his voice.

"That's exactly why it’s fucking here!"

I straighten up as a result of his forceful tone.

"And there's blood on your shirt? What kind of person are you?"

"A person you don't get to judge because you know fuck all about me."

"I think I know enough now."

He raises his chin in defiance as he observes me, now speaking calmly.

"Oh yeah, and what's that?"

I fix my focus on him and point with my finger.

"You're a fucking monster who shouldn't have young kids in this house."

His eyes burn into mine like scorching flames, and every stride he takes forward compels me to take another step backward until I'm up against the table in the center of the room.

"And what the fuck are you going to do about it, hm? Are you going to call the cops and have me arrested?"

I'm angered by his sarcastic tone, and I give him a fierce glare.

"Perhaps I will!"

I confidently push myself away from the table, but as I attempt to pass him, I'm forced to come to a halt when he quickly places a blade on my throat. I freeze, terrified; all the confidence I had just a second ago drains from my body, leaving my veins freezing cold.

I cast a glance his way, and he has his head down, shaking it side to side and clicking his tongue.

He speaks as his intense eyes reach mine.

"Now, you don't want to do that, do you, Wren?"

My throat tightens with dread, and I try to avoid eye contact as he slowly moves into my space, the knife pressed on my neck at all times.

I keep my face to the side as he dips down and speaks with his teeth clenched close to my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"There will be severe fucking consequences for your actions if you ever breathe a word of what goes on inside my fucking home. Do you understand me?

I inhale deeply and make eye contact when he withdraws.

"What are you going to do, kill me?"

He straightens up again, evaluating my facial features, until I feel him glide the knife up the side of my neck towards my cheek, his gaze fixed on the movement.

When he slides it across my cheek and places it firmly against my bottom lip, my entire body freezes.

“I’d start by cutting these pretty fucking lips off.”

He then brings it gently down my throat towards my chest, using the knife to further open my robe.

I feel him push the blade beneath the middle of my bra before swiftly cutting through it, and I squeeze my eyes tight as my body flinches.

He uses the knife to slowly push my delicate lace bra away, exposing each of my breasts to him. My breathing quickens when I open my eyes to see him staring at them with dark hunger.

I open my mouth to speak, but his eyes suddenly collide with mine, and he growls at me.

"Shut the fuck up!"

He then calmly moves his focus to my exposed breasts again, slightly licking his lips while dragging the blade to just above my nipple, before his cunning eyes swiftly meet mine again.

"Your perfect fucking titties would be next."

My heart pounds as I feel him run the blade over the curve of my breast and down my flat stomach.

When I realize what he's about to do, I reach out to stop him, but he takes my wrist quickly and firmly and forces it behind my back. He pulls me close to his body as he keeps me restrained, the blade threatening to pierce my pubic bone.

He gives me an evil glare as he speaks aggressively near my face.

"Don't fucking move."

My chest now heaves with every breath I take as he looks down, inserting the blade into my panties and pressing the cold, sharp blade firmly against my pussy lips.

When he raises his head, he scans my entire face before bringing his lips down close to mine, exposing his teeth as he growls aggressively against them.

"I'd finish off by fucking your sexy cunt with it."

His deep voice sends unwanted waves of arousal through me, sickening me, but I can't help it, and I'm almost certain his knife could be wet.

My pupils dilate as he traces his lips against mine, igniting my soul before capturing and yanking on my bottom lip with his teeth, sinking them in until I hiss.

When he releases it, he drives his pierced tongue deep into my mouth, and I feel something surge through me as I allow mine to collide with his. As soon as I taste him, I moan into his lips, and we compete for dominance as we devour each other.

It becomes forceful and overpowering, like nothing I've ever experienced before. It's as if we’ve wanted to do this the entire time and have now given in to our desires.

He backs me up a few steps until I'm wedged between the table behind me and his hard, towering frame before he releases my wrist to reach up and grasp a fistful of my hair. He pulls back on it harshly to gain even more access to my mouth, and his tongue presses deeper, almost reaching my tonsils, as he tastes every inch of me.

I hear his blade crash to the floor after he removes it from resting on my pussy the entire time and without warning, he presses his hand into my lace panties, causing a delicious somersault to twist in my gut.

He slips two of his long fingers firmly through my folds before forcibly sliding them into my wet entrance, causing me to moan and furrow my brows from the sudden stretch.

He shows absolutely no mercy as he pushes them further until they are knuckle deep inside of me. As he breaks away from the kiss, his heavy eyes search mine as he murmurs quietly against my lips.

"Fuck, you have a tight little pussy."

He immediately draws his fingers back and drives them back in, leading me to moan and my legs to quiver.

He groans against my lips as he begins to mercilessly finger-fuck me.

"You sound so fucking good."

It feels incredible, and just gazing at his sinfully handsome face while he watches what he does to me arouses me so much more.

When he releases my hair, he grips the front of my throat and pushes me back onto the table behind me, forcing me to brutally bend backward.

He holds my throat tightly, pinning me down to the table, and begins to finger bang me hard and fast, perfectly hitting my spot like a fucking expert.

"Oh, fuck!"

I inhale a loud gasp as his warm mouth clamps down on my stiff nipple as he offers me even more pleasure. He savagely smothers both of my tits with his pierced tongue before repeatedly biting and pulling on my nipples.

My hands cling fiercely around his wrist, which is crushing on my throat, and the screams escaping me are ones I've never heard before. It doesn't take long before I'm overwhelmed with pleasure, and my orgasm is at its peak.

I'm coming apart as soon as he grinds his thumb against my swollen clit and delivers a few more deep, forceful thrusts.

I let out a loud moan, my back arching off the table while I spasm and become tense. He observes my body's reaction as I come for him, his fingers still moving within my soaked, clenched pussy, causing me to overstimulate and my eyes to roll to the back of my head.

When he slows down and my body begins to unwind, sweat gathers on my tanned skin, and I attempt to catch my breath. I instantly start to wonder how the fuck that just happened and why I even allowed it.

As he removes his fingers from my slick pussy and panties, our eyes collide, and he stares down at me for a moment, both of us expressionless, before he pulls his gaze away and walks out, leaving me feeling empty.

Because of the intensity I just felt, I squeeze my eyes tight and continue to calm my body, and I'm drawn deep into thought.

He's threatening to fuck me with his knife and kill me one minute, and the next he's got his fingers deep inside my pussy, giving me the best pleasure I've ever had in my life! Have I lost my mind, or has he?

I need to get out of here; I made a huge mistake. How could I let someone like him come near me? What the fuck has happened to me? What kind of man has a weapon room and blood on his shirt?

Feeling like I need to flee, I get up from the table and go shakily towards the door, pausing when I see him on his bed with his back to me.

My eyes dart to the door, which is quite a distance away, and I softly tiptoe towards it when suddenly he speaks sharply, prompting me to come to a stop.

"Where in the fuck do you think you're going?"

I start to wonder how he even heard me.

"Leaving."

As he responds coldly, he doesn't turn around.

"Where to?"

I clear my throat and try to remain confident.

"I think it's best if I just go home. I'm not sure what you are, but I don't like it, and I don't want to be any part of it."

He stands slowly before turning to face me, and we stare at one another.

"It's a little late for that, Wren. You're fucking staying."

I begin to feel irritated and raise my voice.

"You can't tell me what to do, Arlo; I'm a grown ass woman, and if I want to go home, I fucking will!"

I draw my angry eyes away from his and move towards the door.

"Take one more step, and I'll tie you to my fucking bed."

I come to a standstill and look at him before my gaze travels down to the blood stain on his shirt, causing me to panic again.

"You're now a part of this; you've seen too much. I can't trust you to walk out of that fucking door without opening your big fucking mouth."

I begin to plead with him.

"I'm not going to say shit. You've made it clear that if I do, you'll kill me. Just maybe this isn't the job for me after all."

From a distance, he narrows his eyes on me.

"You're not going fucking anywhere. You have nothing to worry about if you stay the fuck out of my business. You're here for Cree."

"Are you telling me you're going to keep me here against my will, Arlo?"

We exchange an intense, silent stare, which tells me that's exactly what he's telling me.

My anxiety level rises, and my chest tightens. I take my focus away from him and cast a quick glance at the bedroom door before returning my eyes to his.

He stands taller, hands in his pants pockets, and lets out a sigh, clearly fed up with my bullshit.

"Don't even fucking try it."

I make a sudden dart out the door and dash along the dark corridor, barefooted, towards the stairs. I hear his heavy footsteps fast approaching me, and when he suddenly wraps his powerful arm around my middle from behind, I let out a scream, but he swiftly covers my mouth with his palm as he lifts me easily off the floor.

As he speaks with gritted teeth in my ear, I struggle against him.

"Be a good girl for me, Wren. I like chasing you, but I'd love nothing more than to fucking punish you for it. So fucking behave yourself."

As he carries me back along the corridor, my heart pounds in my chest like never before, and my tiptoes drag along the hard floor.

When we return to his room, he leads me to the bed and easily throws me onto it.

I brush my hair away from my face and scowl up at him.

"I'm not staying here with you!"

"You'll do as you're fucking told. I need to keep an eye on you, at least for the night. You just proved you can’t be fucking trusted."

I scoff and shift my eyes before speaking quietly.

"Yeah right."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

He raises an eyebrow and folds his arms across his chest.

"You've already fucked my pussy with your fingers."

He observes me before elevating his chin a little and narrowing his eyes on mine.

"If you're implying that I'm keeping you here to continue touching you, then you're very fucking mistaken."

"Good. Keep your hands to yourself, Arlo; it was a mistake."

I maintain eye contact as I scoot my ass along his black silky duvet until I reach the top of the bed, where I slip my feet beneath the fabric before sliding under it and pulling it over my head.

I lay as close to the edge as possible, unclipping my cut bra and tossing it on the floor beside the bed. I hear movements within the room, and I peek out to see what he's doing.

He has his back to me as he unbuckles his belt and drags his zipper down. He pushes his trousers down his fully tattooed legs, and I can’t help but check out his firm, toned ass in his tight black Calvin’s. When he is about to turn around, I panic and throw the duvet back over my head.

I feel him get into bed beside me and hear the light switch turn off, but I just lay there for a while. It smells just of him under here, and I still can't believe I'm sleeping with him tonight, but I clearly have no choice in the matter.

I'll have to gain his trust all over again. Why the fuck did I attempt to run away? Cree returns home tomorrow, and my attention has to shift fully to him.

After a while of complete stillness, I find myself falling into a deep sleep.

When I wake up in the morning, I realize my head is still under the thick black duvet, as it has been all night. I feel sluggish as I roll onto my back and pull it away from my face to get some much-needed air.

The room remains gloomy, yet sunlight filters through the cracks in the black curtains. I glance over in Arlo’s direction to see that he is wide awake, staring up at the ceiling with his arm behind his head.

I'm not sure whether he's even slept, but he doesn't even look my way as he remains zoned out. I turn my head to look up at the high ceiling as well, then fling the duvet off me before sitting up.

I raise my arms over the top of my head, stretching, and then begin moving off the bed when he suddenly grabs a hold of my hair and drags me down onto the bed with force, causing me to wince in pain.

He stares down at me, resting on his forearm and clutching my hair tightly. 

"Where the fuck are you going?"

I frown and narrow my eyes.

"I need to get ready for when your son comes home. Will you let go of me? I did exactly what you asked!"

He scans my entire face before bringing his lips in close proximity to mine, causing me to take a quick breath, and then he speaks through gritted teeth.

“Fuck no.”

Something so simple causes an unwanted desire to spread through me like a wildfire, consuming every inch of my body. I stare deeply into his intense black pupils and let out a quivering breath.

Thoughts of how he made my body respond to him last night flash through my filthy mind, and I can already feel myself crumbling beneath him. Here we go again.

I deceive myself by placing a wary hand on his warm, tattooed chest before sliding it up to the side of his neck until my arm is firmly over his shoulders, and then I pull him down to my lips. He doesn't stop me, and as soon as they meet, he eats my mouth like he's rabid.

As he completely dominates me, he clutches my throat tightly with one hand, moves between my legs, and presses his hard cock against my pussy, causing me to gasp against his lips.

With his pierced tongue still in my mouth, he unties my robe eagerly and pulls it apart before lowering his body onto mine, and the skin-to-skin contact is everything I crave.

Every time he grinds against me, my hips buck, giving us both a taste of what could be, but in all honesty, I'm feeling so needy for him that I'll let him do whatever the fuck he wants to me right now. 

He glides his big palm down my outer thigh until he is giving my ass a bruising squeeze, forcing me to hiss. He continues with his movements while we exchange quick eye contact, and he speaks forcibly against my parted lips.

"I hope you're fucking ready for me to smash my big cock into that tight little cunt of yours, slut."

I can feel it rubbing against the slit of my wet pussy, and he does not appear small at all. His dominance concerns me more, but I'll take the fucking challenge to feel him deep inside of me just once. I have a feeling Arlo will be worth it.

He lowers his face to the side of my neck, and just as I feel him reach down between us, the doorbell rings. He doesn't stop as he slides his hand into my panties, and I speak breathlessly as he begins to stroke my clit.

"Fuck, Arlo, is that?"

He growls against my ear, lowering his fingers and shoving them deep into my entrance, forcing me to gasp loudly from the sudden stretch before he pulls back on my hair.

"Shut the fuck up, ignore it, and let me completely fucking destroy you."

He starts to drive his lengthy fingers in and out of me, and as I begin to enjoy it, he lifts his head and ghosts his lips above mine, both of us breathing heavily.

When the doorbell rings yet again, echoing through the huge mansion, he comes to a sudden stop, his fingers deep inside of me. I can see the annoyance lick around his dark orbs, and I glance all around his face while whispering.

"It might be Cree."

He growls loudly against my lips before pulling his fingers out of my wet pussy, pushing himself off of me, and leaping out of bed.

I pant, sexual desire coursing through me as I wrap my robe around myself while watching him slide some sweatpants up his legs.

I get out of bed and start walking past him to go and get ready for Cree when he suddenly snatches my wrist and yanks me forcefully into his powerful body. He takes hold of my chin with one hand and presses the pad of his thumb against my bottom lip while staring down at me sternly.

"Remember what I fucking said, and I won't need to hurt you."

I force a hard swallow before nodding, and he lets me go. I move backwards slowly, keeping my eyes fixed on his, until I am completely out of his sight.

As soon as I enter my bedroom, I exhale a long breath and close the door behind me.

Fuck. Why the hell do I keep allowing this to happen between us? What kind of warped spell does Arlo have me under? I feel dirty around him, and I love it.

Never have I felt like doing disgusting things with a man, but I’d lose all my morals for Arlo, clearly. He openly threatens my life, but nothing matters once his lips or hands are on me, suffocating me with his dark presence and draining my fucking soul from my body.

I’ve never let a man speak to me in such a degrading manner or touch me so roughly. Yet I want Arlo to. He's dangerous—so dangerous. I'm just not sure how dangerous yet, but just from his entire vibe, I should be running the other way, as any sane person would, but I won't, and that's the most crazy part of this whole fucked-up situation.

Well, enough about him; I’m here for Cree, and he's home. I squeeze my eyes briefly before opening them again and heading to the bathroom, where I decide to take a shower.

When I step under the warm water, I stand there for a while, lost in thought, allowing it to try to wash my dirty sins away.

As soon as my hair is blow-dried, I place it up in a tight bun and slip my body into a plain white crop top, high-waisted light blue jeans, and I add some medium-sized silver hoop to my ears to finish the look. I then exit the bedroom and head downstairs to greet Cree.

I hear voices in the living room as I tiptoe down the stairs. I take slow steps toward where they are coming from before stopping by the doorway, a fair distance away, to see Cree in Arlo's arms and an older woman sitting on the couch looking up at them.

I observe the older woman, who I'm guessing is Arlo's mother. She has silver hair that is shoulder length, showing her age, but she is still beautiful and elegant.

My attention is drawn away from her when Arlo speaks to Cree.

"I hope you were a good boy for Grandma."

So it is Arlo's mother.

.

"Of course he was; he always is. Unlike you, when you were a boy, oh, and a man."

Arlo shakes his head with an eye roll at her before she talks again.

"You're looking forward to meeting your new baby cousin soon, aren't you, Cree?"

Cree reacts with a wide smile and a nod until Arlo speaks.

"Sara did call me briefly yesterday, but I didn't have much time to talk. How is she doing?"

Arlo's mom nods in return before responding.

"Yeah, she's okay. I haven't seen her yet, but I'm going there after visiting here, and she and her baby girl seem to be fine, according to what she tells me on the phone."

"Did Lloyd show up for her?"

When his mother shakes her head, caution written all over her mature features, I notice Arlo's jaw tensing and his eyes narrowing.

"That mother-f..."

As soon as I notice he is about to curse in front of Cree, I step forward.

"Cree!"

My cheerful voice causes all eyes to turn to me, and Cree smiles.

"Wren!"

He wriggles out of Arlo's grasp before dashing toward me as soon as his feet touch the ground, and I crouch down, arms stretched wide, ready to catch him and give him a warm hug.

When he and I collide, we hug tightly, and I lift him up      

"Did you have a good time?"

He smiles broadly as he points to Arlo's mom.

"Yes, I stayed at Grandma's house. Come and meet her!"

I give her a small smile before approaching her, but she looks at me carefully with an

expressionless face.

She takes her eyes away from mine and looks up at Arlo.

"Is this the new nanny?"

Arlo's focused stare is fixed on mine as he replies.

"It is."

I extend my hand to her, and she graciously accepts it.

"Nice to meet you; I'm Wren."

She gives me a small smile.

"Carmella Hayes."

When she lets go of my hand, she rises off the couch and turns to face Arlo.

“I should go and pay a visit to Sara. Would you like to come with me?”

He gives me a brief glance before returning his eyes to hers.

"I'm busy today, mom. Just send her my love."

She gives him a frown.

"Come on, Arlo. Wren will be fine here for a couple of hours with Cree; after all,

Isn't that what she's paid for? Your sister could certainly use your support right now.”

"Sure I am! I was thinking we could bake some cookies today, Cree!

After saying that, I glance down at Cree.

"Would you like that?"

He shouts excitedly.

"Yay!"

I giggle as he bounces up and down on my hip, and when I return my eyes to Arlo's, he sighs and looks away, speaking flatly.

"One hour."

I place Cree down on his feet so he can wave off his dad and grandma, and then we walk to the kitchen together.

"Let's see what we have here to make those cookies!"

He tilts his head back to look up at me and takes my hand.

"Can we make one for Daddy?"

I smile down at him as I respond.

"Of course we can! Have you ever baked cookies before?"

He gives a cheeky nod

.

"With Aunt Sara and Grandma, yes."

"Okay, great!"

Once everything is prepared, I take a tall kitchen chair and place it against the counter before lifting Cree and carrying him to the sink.

"First, let us wash our hands. We'd like to get rid of all those nasty germs!"

After that, I position him on the tall chair in front of all the ingredients, and we start to mix them in a mixing bowl. As expected, we seem to make quite a mess, but this only adds to the fun.

"All we have to do now is roll them into even balls and place them on the baking tray."

To demonstrate how to do it, I scoop some of it into my hand and roll it into a ball, and then I giggle as I see him attempt to do the same.

By mistake, we make them all different sizes and arrange them on the baking sheet until there is no more dough left. I preheat the oven and then place them inside when it's ready.

"Okay, that's it! Let's get you cleaned up, and they'll be ready soon!"

Before we clean ourselves, he gives me a big, warm smile, but I notice him rubbing his tired little eyes.

"How about a nap after these are finished and cooled down?"

He nods sleepily and speaks through a yawn.

"Can we eat one first?"

"We can."

When the time comes, I remove them with an oven glove and lay them on the counter, while also warning Cree.

"Be careful, Cree; they're really hot right now. You don’t want to get burned."

To be safe, I pull him up from the stool and place him on his feet while they cool down.

When they're cool enough, I set them on the plate one by one while Cree stands on his tiptoes, peeking over the counter.

I crouch down in front of him with the plate in my hands as soon as I am finished.

"Wow, Cree! Look at what you made! Do you think we should try one?"

He smiles eagerly.

"Yes, please!"

He takes one and continues to eat it, while I giggle and take a small bite of one.

"Mmmm... so delicious!"

"That big one is for Daddy!"

"Wow! He will love that! Why don't we leave it here on the counter while we go take you for a little nap?"

He gives me a small pout with his big brown eyes.

"Can I give it to him?"

I ruffle my fingers through his curly hair with a smile.

"Of course, I'll make sure you're the one who gives it to him, okay?"

As I take him up the stairs, he lets out another big yawn.

I gaze down at my new niece in my arms and press the tip of my finger into the palm of her tiny hand before she clings to it. Her pink, wrinkled, soft skin resembles that of a fuzzy peach and her hair is thick and brown.

"She reminds me of Cree as a newborn."

My sister agrees as she watches us from her hospital bed.

"I think so, too."

I observe her as she groans in pain and struggles to sit up.

"How is Cree, anyway?"

I give a small nod before looking down at my niece in my arms again.

"Yeah, he's good."

"Did you go and see the trains?"

My eyes flick up to meet hers.

"We did."

She stares at me carefully for a moment before speaking again.

"And Wren?"

I sigh before breaking eye contact.

"And Wren..."

"Mom said before you walked in that she was there this morning, so I take it you gave her the job and she's moved in already?"

I remain silent, but I hear her exhale a tense breath.

"Be nice to her, Arlo. She is only there to do her job, and she's great with Cree."

I raise my eyes to hers and squint slightly, becoming agitated quickly.

"Don't you think I know that?"

I offer the baby back to her, and she accepts her with an uneasy look before I speak sternly to her.

"Let's talk about why Lloyd didn't show the fuck up to his first child's birth."

My mom quickly snaps at me.

"Arlo, it's hardly the time!"

I narrow my hard gaze on my mom while Sara speaks.

"I told him, but he didn't show up. I didn't expect anything different; after all, we're going through a divorce.”

My focus darts to Sara instantly and I grit my teeth.

"Divorce or no fucking divorce, he should have been here! It's not the baby's fault that you're not working!"

She glares at me, clearly feeling enraged by my tone of voice.

"What did you expect, Arlo? You know the type of man he is. I've learned not to get my hopes up with that pig."

I raise my voice, becoming even more annoyed.

"I'll break his fucking legs and peel the skin from his body!"

My mom suddenly yells.

"Enough with you two!"

My furious glare quickly met hers.

"And where the fuck is Dad?"

When I mention him, she immediately tenses up before she stutters.

"He's... working."

My jaw clenches when I notice her avoiding eye contact. Yeah, fucking right. He's probably out there right now, banging on some young chick like the filthy scumbag he is. My mom and sister clearly have poor fucking taste in men because both of their husbands are serial cheaters.

Deciding I should leave before this gets even more heated, I pull my harsh eyes away from my mom and look down at my sister.

“I need to go, but you did good, sis; she's perfect.”

After putting Cree to bed, I gently close his bedroom door before returning downstairs, heading for the kitchen.

As I near the doorway, I nearly stop myself from going any further when I notice Arlo sitting on one of the stools at the kitchen island, staring down at the plate of cookies.

I fight through my anxiety and continue to stroll forward to clean up the rest of the mess we made, but I feel his eyes following my every move.

I start cleaning the counters and putting everything back where it belongs when I notice him pick up a cookie and bring it to his mouth.

My eyes widen, and I rush towards him before slapping his hand. He pauses, still staring down at the cookie, and he appears surprised that I would dare swat a cookie away from his mouth.

Because I suddenly feel nervous, I stutter while attempting to explain myself.

"Cre.. Cree wanted to give it to you. Don't eat it yet."

He suddenly drops the cookie onto the plate and raises his dark eyes to mine. I anxiously chew the inside of my cheek as the intensity in his stare becomes overwhelming, and as I slowly draw my eyes away from his to turn around, he stands off the stool, snatches my wrist, and yanks me into his hard body.

As soon as we collide, he pins my wrists behind my back, fully restraining me, and

speaks sternly.

"Did you just fucking slap me?"

I try to break free from his tight grip, a nervous giggle escaping me, and he snarls.

"Oh, it's also funny, huh?"

He suddenly turns me around and forces me to bend over the kitchen island, causing me to shout.

"Arlo!"

I hear him grit his teeth as he speaks.

"Let's see if you like to be fucking slapped, shall we?"

As he locks both of my wrists with one of his huge hands, he draws the other back, and I tense up before he smacks my ass so hard that I shoot to my tiptoes with a high-pitched shriek, leaving me.

My ass stings instantly; the burning sensation grips me and I know he has left his handprint on it, so I yell at him, feeling infuriated.

"Why so fucking hard!?"

He suddenly bends over my body and whispers aggressively near my ear.

"Because I like it fucking hard."

His sexy voice sends thrills down between my thighs, knowing exactly what he is hinting at before he continues.

"And I think you do, too."

My breathing becomes shallow as he slips his hand between my legs and up my inner thigh, sending shockwaves through me.

“Let’s see how much you like being slapped.”

He moves his palm over the crotch of my jeans and pops the button open.

"Tell me, how fucking wet are you, Wren?"

My body responds to him, and I'm quickly turned on, anticipation overtaking me as I consider how strange it is for one man to be able to accomplish this every time he sets his hands on my body.

I close my eyes with lust as he slips his hands down into my panties and presses his fingers through my pussy lips until he is met with my moisture.

He growls against my ear as soon as he feels it, clearly pleased with what he does to me.

“You’re a bad fucking girl.”

He releases my wrists, grabs the back of my hair with his fist and roughly pulls me to stand upright before placing his hand around the front of my throat, forcing my head back against his hard chest.

He holds me there as he pushes his hand deeper into my panties and twists his fingers within my pussy, leading me to moan

“You like that? My fingers deep inside your perfect cunt?”

When he pulls them out of me, I side-eye him as he brings his come-soaked fingers to his lips and sucks them into his mouth to taste me. Fuck.

“No, that just won’t fucking do.”

He rapidly spins me around by my hips before grasping the small of my waist, lifting me, and dumping my ass down onto the kitchen island in one swift motion.

He grips my ass tightly into his hands and forcefully drags me toward him, causing me to gasp near his face at eye level.

As he brings his mouth close to mine and speaks against my parted lips, I scan his menacing eyes.

"I'm about to eat that sweet little pussy of yours, got it?"

I swallow hard as I stare at him for a second, thinking about how half of me wants to let him eat out right here on the kitchen fucking counter, but the other half of me wants to take back control.

When I don't protest since I'm lost in my thoughts, he presses on my chest with his palm, and I fall back on my hands before he grabs the waistband of my jeans and yanks them forcefully down my legs.

He tosses them to the floor, his feral gaze staying fixed on mine, before he runs his hands up the outer area of my thighs, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin and a shiver to crawl up my spine.

He continues to move them up until he is holding handfuls of my hips and then slides them down to the curve of my ass, giving it a tight squeeze.

He glides one palm up my flat stomach, beneath my crop top, and between my braless breasts until his hand is tightly wrapped around my throat. He squeezes and pulls on my neck, prompting me to sit up, and I follow his lead until we're at eye level again.

He keeps his inscrutable eyes focused on my lips as he gathers my crop top in his hands before swiftly bringing it up over my head, causing my big breasts to bounce.

When I'm only in my panties, he grabs my ass again before dragging me closer to him until I’m almost hanging off the edge of the counter and my exposed chest presses against his broad chest.

He runs his warm hands up the curve of my back until he is grabbing my shoulders from behind, and he reluctantly draws his eyes away from mine, stooping his head before taking my nipple to his mouth.

I toss my head back with a gasp as soon as I feel his pierced tongue teasing the stiff tip. When he sucks and bites on it viciously, I enjoy his brutal treatment, which is strange because I had no idea that feeling pain could be so pleasurable until I met Arlo.

I lay my palms on his tattooed neck before sliding them up the sides of his head. I remove his backward snapback and let it fall to the floor so I can latch my fingers into his dark hair while he devours my tits, making my pussy throb.

When his hands travel down my back, he wraps the strings of my panties around his fingers before tugging them down the curve of my ass and I elevate myself by placing my hands on his shoulders, allowing him to draw them down my thighs.

He raises his head, his face close to mine.

"Fucking kiss me like you want me to eat that cunt of yours."

I take a glance at his lips before dipping my head to the side and pressing my tongue deep into his mouth, where we kiss fiercely, and I love every second of it.

I finish the kiss by pulling on his lower lip with my teeth, pulling a growl from him, and we both look at each other with intense desire before he raises his chin.

"Lay yourself back for me."

With the order, he taps the side of my ass with his fingers before I rest back on my elbows, holding eye contact.

"Spread fucking your legs and show me what I've been dying to see."

I allow my knees to fall on his command, and his cunning eyes wander down the centre of my body, devouring me and leaving hot fire in their path before they settle on my exposed pussy.

I observe as he delicately wets his lips with the tip of his tongue before lowering his head, and before I know it, his piercing is sliding all the way up the slit of my pussy, and I gasp.

He presses his forearms down on my inner thighs, keeping my legs restrained and uses the tips of his fingers to pry my pussy lips open before devouring me like a ravenous fucking animal. He French kisses every inch of my throbbing core with a growl in his throat before sliding his tongue deep into me and fucking me with it.

When he has slipped his two pointer fingers into my entrance from each hand, he pulls my pussy open, causing me to hiss from the stretch, but he simply spits into my hole before shoving his tongue even deeper into me.

He continues to keep me wide as he licks upward until he is sucking on my throbbing clit and tugs on it with his teeth, making me experience sensations I’ve never felt before. As I rock my hips, desperate for more, I reach down with one hand and tightly grasp his wavy hair, encouraging him to continue.

When he fully focuses on destroying my clit, my breathing becomes erratic, and I know I'm not going to last long as I can feel my climax swelling inside of me rapidly.

"Oh, fuck, I'm going to fucking come!"

He eats me even harder, sparking every nerve ending in my body, causing it to stiffen and jerk as I scream out with my head thrown back. He shows no mercy as he prevents me from closing my legs, continuing his onslaught, and drinking all of my come.

I flop onto my back with a thud and pant hard, but as he withdraws from my ruined pussy, he grabs my wrist and pulls my limp body to sit up rapidly.

He grips the nape of my neck and speaks firmly against my lips when my hazy eyes reach his.

"You taste as beautiful as you fucking look."

I give him a lazy smile.

"And you know how to eat pussy, clearly."

He hisses against my lips, baring his teeth in response.

"There's a whole lot more where that fucking came from."

He grabs my ass and lifts me around his waist, and I know he's going to take me upstairs to fuck my brains out.

Suddenly, the doorbell rings, and he comes to a stop with a heavy sigh. I glance over his shoulder in the direction of the front door and spot the guy from yesterday peering through the windows.

I start to worry that he'll see me naked, so I wrap my arms tightly around Arlo.

"He can't see me, can he?"

He casts a glance behind him before returning his eyes to mine.

"Reflective windows."

I take a deep breath, and then he lowers me to my feet.

As he stares down at me, I hide behind him.

"Go to my bedroom; I'll be there in a few minutes."

I give him a slight nod before gathering my things, and I feel his eyes on me as I leave the kitchen and make my way upstairs.

I watch her walk up the stairs, naked, clutching her clothes tight to her chest, and when she's out of sight, my jaw tenses before my eyes flick to the door, then I rage towards it.

I instantly open it to Cash and give him a horrible grimace.

"What in the fuck do you want?"

He has a wide grin on his face, completely ignoring my furious tone.

"That's not how you welcome your best fucking friend, Arlo!"

He takes a step forward, attempting to enter the house without permission, and I swiftly place my palm on his chest, pushing him back.

"You didn't fucking answer me; what the fuck do you want?"

"You know what day it is and you weren’t answering your phone, moody bastard."

My eyes narrow and my teeth clench.

"Maybe because I'm fucking busy, did that ever occur to you?"

He elevates his chin while studying me.

"Too busy for poker night?"

"Yes, too busy for a fucking poker night!"

He looks at me suspiciously once again.

"Doing what?"

I pull my head back, my face screwed up, feeling irritated that he is even questioning me.

"What are you, my fucking mom?"

His lips widen into an ugly grin.

"You're finally fucking her, aren't you?"

When he speaks again, I give him a stern look.

"Come on, bro, if you have to, let her join in."

I growl and look away.

“Wren doesn’t know our way of life.”

“So fucking what? She’s gonna find out at some point.”

The thought of her knowing exactly what I do aggravates me and I don’t know why.

“Look, I’ll be on my best behavior.”

When my eyes return to his, he offers me a wide smile that could make Lucifer himself smile, but I'm not Lucifer; I'm worse. Much fucking worse.

"Any fucking bullshit from you, and I'll kick your ass out. Physically."

He gives an abrupt nod.

"Deal! 8 p.m.?

I give a slight nod in return before observing him stroll away, now completely satisfied with himself.

When I close the door, I turn around, ready to go and fuck the life out of Wren, but I come to a standstill when I see her descending the stairs, now fully dressed, with Cree in her arms.

As she reaches the bottom step, she lowers him to his feet, and when he notices me, he squeals and rushes towards me.

"Daddy!"

As he approaches, I crouch down and embrace him in my arms.

I peer over his shoulder at Wren, who is standing afar, and my gaze sweeps down her perfect body, realizing it's yet another missed opportunity, but she's not going anywhere anytime soon.

At least not until I’ve had my way with her and broke her into a million pieces. This girl makes me lose control; the degree of control I'd managed to uphold for the past three fucking years was shattered the instant I laid eyes on her, and I despise both of us for it.

"Wren said you made cookies, but she wouldn't let me eat one."

OceanofPDF.com

She narrows her eyes and smiles at me as soon as I snitch on her to Cree, but I remain expressionless.

"No, daddy, you weren't allowed one until I was awake. Sorry, but you can have it now!”

I lift him up, and we head to the kitchen, with Wren close behind. When we walk in, I set him at the end of the kitchen island, next to the plate of cookies, and he points to the largest one.

"See! That big one is yours!"

I lift it up off the plate, and he watches with big eyes of anticipation while I take a huge bite.

"Mmmm... Finally... I've only just eaten lunch, but this is hitting the spot just as much.”

My eyes flick in Wren’s direction as she takes a seat on a stool at the far end of the island, and she gives me a shy smile, tucking a couple of strands of her dark hair behind her ear, almost mesmerizing me with her beauty.

I take my focus away from her and return it to Cree.

"This is the best cookie I've ever had, Cree. You need to make more for Daddy soon."

He smiles up at me, his gappy teeth showing, and then waits for me to eat the entire huge fucking thing. When I'm finished, I know my strict diet is ruined for the week, but his smile makes it worthwhile.

It's late in the evening, and I've just tucked Cree into bed after feeding and bathing him. I gently close his door, trying not to make a sound, before walking to my room.

When I enter, I check the time on my phone and find that it's a little after 7 p.m., so I start stripping down to take a much needed shower.

Once I get inside, I wash my hair and scrub my tanned skin until I feel clean and ready to get out. I tiptoe to turn it off, and as I turn around, my body leaps off the ground, my breath catching in my throat as I notice Arlo standing there, leaning against the door frame with his hands in his pants pockets.

His wicked eyes scan the entire length of my naked, wet body until they swiftly meet mine. I shift my attention to his attire and notice that he appears to be ready to go out for the evening.

He's dressed in a buttoned-down black fitted silk shirt that exposes his fully tattooed chest and ripped arms, a chunky silver cross around his neck, black tight trousers that embrace his muscular legs and calves, and black, glossy pointed shoes. Fuck, he looks hot.

My mouth waters at the sight of him and as I reach for a towel, I break eye contact.

"Are you going somewhere nice?"

He responds while I wrap the towel over my damp body.

"I have a few friends coming over for poker night." 

I stand in front of the mirror before side-eyeing him as soon as I notice him pushing himself off the door frame and when he is behind me, we lock eyes in the mirror.

"Join us if you want."

Suddenly feeling very reluctant, I glance away.

"I'm actually quite tired."

I can feel his intense gaze all over me, but I don't look at him and after a brief pause, he finally responds.

"Have a good evening."

He walks away, and I close my eyes with a sigh before staring at myself in the mirror. Tired, really? I really need to grow a pair, but I worry his friends might be as terrifying as he is, which is very likely.

After a while of contemplation and convincing myself, I eventually push away the fear before starting to blow dry my hair, style it into loose waves, and apply my makeup. I guess I’m doing this.

When I’m finished, I stroll to my closet and slip into an enticing black lace panties and bra set before pulling a short, tight, black leather-look dress over my voluptuous body.

As soon as I feel happy with how I look while looking in the mirror, noticing how great the dress hugs every curve of my body perfectly, I slide my petite feet into a pair of nude Louboutins before exiting the bedroom.

When I enter the living room, I notice Arlo slouching back on the couch, his legs spread wide, and one arm stretched over the back, looking down at his phone on his thigh.

I don't look his way as I make my way to the kitchen, but I can feel his eyes following me as I continue, hoping to pour myself a large glass of red wine to ease my nerves.

I bend down to retrieve it from the cupboard, and I can hear his shoes clicking over the marble flooring as he approaches from behind.

When he comes to a stop, I feel his dark presence and warmth close behind me, and he dips down to speak through clenched teeth close to my ear.

"Do you get pleasure out of fucking torturing me?"

Before I respond, a subtle smile creeps over my lips.

"Maybe.”

Without warning, he rapidly spins me by my hips and lifts me before dropping me onto the counter. As he uses his body to press my legs apart, he aggressively pushes my dress up my thighs until it is bunched around my waist, causing desire to pour through every inch of me.

He grabs my bare ass and flushes me closer to him, making my heated core press against his rock-hard cock, not losing eye contact once.

He reaches up, squeezes my cheeks, and bares his teeth with frustration against my lips.

"Do you feel that? You have no idea what the fuck I've had to deal with since your pretty little ass entered this fucking house. What the hell is it about you?"

When his lips crash against mine, it knocks the wind out of me and we kiss ferociously until I'm fumbling with his belt, eager for him to be inside of me to finally fuck my brains out.

As I murmur against his lips, he breathes heavily against mine while I flick open his button and drag his zipper down.

"You're driving me equally fucking crazy; now fuck me hard already; I can't wait any longer."

I realize I sound desperate, but that is exactly how I feel: desperate for Arlo Hayes’ cock to be drilling my pussy, and I will proudly admit that.

His devilish eyes stay fixed on mine as I shove my hand into his Calvin’s and for the first time, I wrap my palm around his big, hard cock.

He growls against my lips as soon as I touch him, his eyes growing heavy and I start to pump him up and down, but when I feel something on the tip of his cock, my brows furrow while I slow down.

"Wait, are you pierced?"

He hisses against my lips and clutches my throat tightly in his hand, sending a thrill through me.

"You bet I fucking am; now jerk me off, you little slut. You'll get a brutal fucking later.”

He rests his brow on mine while I fuck him with my hand, wanting to give him as much pleasure as he has blessed me with over the past few days.

Keeping his dark gaze fixed on me, his soft lips part, and just when I think he is about to explode, the doorbell rings.

He swiftly snatches my wrist, preventing me from achieving my goal, and when I release his cock, he slides my hand out.

His face is expressionless, but his sinister eyes are boring into mine as he pulls his zipper up, buckles his belt, and then turns around, heading for the front door.

I leap off the counter with a sigh, my panties now soaking wet, and I feel irritated that we've been interrupted yet again. I spin around to resume unscrewing the bottle of wine when my name is suddenly and enthusiastically called.

I glance over my shoulder and realize it's the same guy as before and he approaches me with a big, terrifying smile, his arms out wide.

When he gets close enough, I turn to face him, and he squeezes me into an unwelcome embrace. I raise my chin and look over his shoulder to find Arlo standing there with another guy and two beautiful young women.

When the guy breaks away from the hug, he stares down at me with a devious smirk on his lips.

"I'm Cash."

I give him a half-smile as the other guy approaches, catching my attention. I can tell he is related to Arlo immediately. He looks like him—maybe a little older, totally tattooed like the rest of them, and with black, slicked-back hair.

He gives me a charming grin before offering his hand.

"I'm Charlie, Arlo's cousin."

I smile as I graciously place my hand in his, and he seems to put me a lot more at ease than Cash.

"Nice to meet you; I’m Wren.”

All of these men are devilishly attractive, but they each have their own distinct aura that distinguishes them from one another.

Both men stare down at me as if they want to eat me alive, and as my chest tightens, I glance over at Arlo, who is watching carefully from a distance, but I wish he'd come and save me.

Fortunately, the girls take a step forward, breaking my feeling of anxiety, and one of them introduces herself.

"I'm Savannah Thorell. You must be the new nanny."

She delivers bitchy vibes right away and says her entire name, as if I should know who she is. She is tall and slender, with long, golden blonde hair and little freckles that decorate her small nose. She is very pretty and could easily serve as a model.

When I give her an uneasy smile with a nod, she motions to her friend next to her with her hand.

"This is my bestie, Izzy."

Izzy gives me a fragile smile and a little wave of her hand, indicating that she is the more reserved of the two.

She, too, is beautiful, with long, half-black, half-pink hair and big brown eyes with a similar body shape to mine.

“It's nice to meet you both. I'm Wren.”

I notice the men approaching the extended, marble table in the dining area and then I glance at the girls before speaking.

"Wine?"

Savannah speaks up with a begging tone in her high-pitched voice.

"Please. I'm dying for one."

I turn on my heels, approach the counter, and reach up for glasses on the top shelf, grateful I'm wearing heels tonight so I don't embarrass myself.

As I pour each of us a glass, Savannah starts talking to Izzy behind me.

"Is it just me, or is Arlo looking extra hot tonight?"

I cringe internally, instantly feeling awkward and hoping I'm not standing near a girl who has already fucked him until Izzy responds to her.

"When are you going to get the hint that he isn't interested, Sav?"

As I continue to fill another glass, I try not to reveal my relief.

"He wants it, Izzy. He is just being a stubborn ass; I've been so close to riding his dick way too many times."

"Yet he always pushes you away."

I take a glass in each hand and, as I turn, offer one to them both before I speak.

"He does?"

When they take the glasses from my hands, I lift my own and take a big gulp, and Savannah speaks again.

"Arlo never fucks. Well, he hasn't since his wife was murdered."

My eyes widen, and I nearly spit out my drink.

"I'm sorry, she was what?"

They both just blink blankly at me as if it's no big secret until Savannah leans in close.

"You didn't know she was murdered right here in this house?"

I stare into her eyes, my blood suddenly running cold, and I feel a sense of fury that Sara lied to me. I’ve been messing with a man who has lost his wife to murder. What the fuck?

"No, I didn't know that."

"It was a tragedy, for sure. He hasn’t been the same since and he never offers his cock to anyone anymore. We've made out, but he won’t take it any further; he likes to play hard to get."

Izzy rolls her eyes before glancing away from her.

"Or is he still grieving the loss, Sav?"

"After three fucking years, Izzy? Come on."

I begin to feel annoyed by Savannah’s selfish attitude and Izzy fixes a glare on her best friend.

"There is no time limit on grief, Savannah; things like that will haunt someone for the rest of their lives!"

Suddenly, Cash calls out to us, making us all look over at him.

"Are you girls playing, or what?"

We all enter the large dining area, and as I take a seat, I place my glass on the table, making eye contact with Arlo, who sits across from me.

As I slowly take a seat, Cash pulls a chair out beside me, Izzy is on the other side, and Savannah is between Arlo and Charlie.

Arlo and I keep our eyes stuck on each other while I begin to think about what Savannah said and how Sara lied to me. I mean, it's terrifying to think about, but I thought she was being honest the whole time, and how come Arlo doesn't fuck but he is eager to get into my panties every five minutes?

Cash leans in close, snapping me out of my trance and drapes his arm across the back of my chair, causing me to side-eye him.

"Do you know how to play, beautiful?"

His vibes are filled with pure evil, but I nod politely before reaching for my wine.

"Okay, good! I'm right here if you need anything."

He winks at me when I make eye contact while sipping my wine, and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

When I glance over at Arlo again, I can see he is observing us carefully, slouching back in his chair and running his tongue piercing along his bottom lip. Savannah tries to talk to him, yearning for his attention, but he completely disregards her like the rude asshole he is, which I don't mind because it's pretty hilarious to see.

We're soon playing, and about halfway through the game, I feel Cash force his hand between my legs beneath the table, and my body tenses instantly. He squeezes my thigh casually, and while I side-eye him, he pretends to be playing cards and doing nothing wrong.

I take his wrist and yank it away before crossing my legs. How fucking dare he? He should keep his dirty hands to himself.

When he looks at me, he gives a menacing grin and a wink that sends chills down my spine, but not in a good way, before he looks away.

My gaze meets Arlo's, and his dark eyes shift between me and Cash as though he senses something is wrong. When they fix on mine, his perfect brows crease and his head tilts to the side ever so slightly as if to ask me what’s up, but I just straighten my shoulders and glance down at my cards.

His circle of friends is a strange and eerie bunch. The energy in this room has the potential to drain the life out of you and suck you into a black void from which you will never come back.

The more people talk to one another, the calmer I feel, unless it's the large glass of wine that I keep sipping and soon it's just me and Arlo playing.

I stare down at my cards, feeling pretty satisfied with what I have, before raising my head to look over at Arlo, smirking with my chin lifted and a twinkle of amusement in my eyes.

"What do you have?"

He reaches over and places his cards on the table before slouching back in his chair, and we all lean over to look.

Savannah exhales, followed by a pitched squeak that almost bleeds my ears.

"Wow, baby, there's no way she can beat that!"

I raise an eyebrow at her when she gives me a smug look and Arlo maintains his gaze on me, waiting for me to expose my cards, so I stand and gracefully reach over, setting them down on the table.

When everyone leans over to see, Charlie laughs while I take a seat.

"Holy shit, three kings?"

Savannah's gaze is drawn to mine with a glare in her eyes.

"What the fuck?"

While Arlo tries to rub a smirk off his lips with his thumb, Cash speaks.

"Another game?"

Arlo suddenly speaks firmly.

"No."

"Oh, come on, bro, the night is still young."

When Cash starts gathering the cards again, Arlo leans forward and slaps his big, tattooed hand on his to stop him.

"Get the fuck out!"

Cash pushes his chair back, plainly furious, and I observe as Savannah places her arm around Arlo's shoulders, whispering against his ear before placing a seductive, lingering kiss on his cheek.

A small spike of unwanted jealousy crawls its way up my throat, but I swallow it back down as he keeps his focus on me the entire time as if he is testing me.

When she pulls away from him, she glances at me and speaks sarcastically.

"Nice to meet you, nanny."

I give her a quick, phony smile, unable to be the bigger person, before rolling my eyes and looking away.

When I hear the front door close and they've all left, I lean forward and lift up my red wine glass to finish it.

"How the fuck did you do that?"

My focus shifts to him as he remains sitting opposite me, and I smirk against my glass, feeling a little drunk.

"Do what?"

As he responds, I finish the rest of the wine.

"You fucking know what."

I shrug as I gaze down at the now-empty glass in my hands.

"Beginners' luck?"

I lied. I've been playing cards with my dad since I was a little girl. He always said he'd take me to Vegas one day and we'd win thousands of dollars. That day has yet to come.

He places his palms on the table before calmly standing while pushing his chair out, causing it to scrape across the floor and I watch him from the corner of my eye as he slowly circles the large table, making my heart race with each step he takes.

When he stops beside me, he gently takes my glass from my grasp and places it on the table. I glance up at him, and his dark gaze is filled with thirst and hunger, making me know exactly what he wants.

I take a slow stand in front of him before I take his tattooed hand in mine and as I pass him, I pull on it, making him follow behind me while we make our way upstairs.

We stroll up the long, dark corridor, our fingers loosely entwined, as we head straight to his bedroom. I feel nervous about how he'll fuck me, but I’m also intrigued to get a taste of what this beast is capable of.

When we enter his bedroom, I release his hand and take a few steps forward while hearing him close his door behind us. I whirl around to face him, my long, dark hair flying over my shoulder and down my back.

He closes the short distance between us, his feral eyes fixed on mine, and he reeks of dominance and power.

With gritted teeth, he barks an order as he looks down at me.

"Take that slutty fucking dress off before I tear it off.”

We lock eyes as I reach around and drag the zipper all the way down my back before slipping the dress over the contours of my body. As soon as it falls at my feet, he reaches out, grasps my throat, and yanks me into him aggressively.

He dips his face, cocking it to the side, and speaks close to my face.

"There's no one here to fucking stop me from tearing you to shreds now, Wren. Nobody is coming to save you from me. You're now mine, and I'm about to utterly destroy every single tight little fucking hole you have."

He stares deep into my eyes with a crazed look, then grits his teeth.

"Drop to your fucking knees, like a good little slut."

As he releases his tight grip on my throat, I swallow hard before lowering myself to my knees in front of him. I peer up at him, and he keeps his focus fixed on me while he unbuckles his belt, the jingling sound of metal echoing through the vast room.

"It's about time I shoved my cock down that throat of yours to shut you the fuck up. Let me see what that gag reflex can do."

He shrugs off his shirt, throws it to the side, and then presses his hand into his black Calvin’s.

My eyes are drawn to his big, veiny, hard dick when he flops it out, the piercing on the end fascinating me and I take in every inch of it of his size.

I've never seen a cock this big, much less been fucked by one with a metal hoop on it. Arlo is clearly gifted for pure pleasure. Piercings are for those guys who love to fuck and satisfy a woman. The idea thrills me and causes my core to ache as I start to fantasize about how it's going to feel brushing up and down the walls of my pussy tonight.

He takes a fistful of my hair while holding the base of his heavy cock and draws me closer, prompting me to open my mouth to take him. As soon as I part my lips and widen my mouth, he shoves it into the back of my throat, forcing me to gag on him.

He gives a growl.

"That's it, gag on my fucking cock."

He starts fucking my face while his hands are wrapped around my hair, tearing it from the scalp. Of course, he's not gentle with me, but I don’t expect anything less and I suck him as hard as I can while hollowing my cheeks.

I gaze up at him through watery lenses, and his expressions clearly show that he likes what I am doing to him, as his lips are parted and his eyes are heavy.

He growls and throws his head back before ramping up the pace, slamming his weapon continuously down my throat, as far as he can get himself, causing saliva to trickle down my chin and me to gag repeatedly, but I force myself to take his brutal treatment.

When he slows his rhythm, he gazes down at me again and loosens his grip on my hair. He seems to allow me to take some control and I lick the tip of his cock, running my tongue around his piercing, before wrapping my lips around him with a suck and sliding my plump lips all the way down the length, basically swallowing the entire thing.

I enjoy myself while moaning against him, loving his pre-come tingling my tastebuds as his hands gradually tighten in my hair once more.

After some time of him forcefully skull-fucking me once again, he suddenly presses his dick in deep, holding it there and lodging it in my windpipe.

His thighs twitch beneath my palms and his cock pulses on my tongue, the act causing me to choke on the sensation of his hot come rushing down my throat and I am forced to drink every single drop.

As soon as he is finished, he releases me, allowing his cock to slip from my tingling, salvia-coated lips, and I inhale a huge breath, flooding my lungs with the oxygen they desperately need.

After gathering myself from the shock of my life, since I’ve never experienced having my face fucked that viciously before, my watery eyes flick to his tattooed hands down beside him, where I see strands of my dark hair wrapped around his fingers.

I wipe the tears from my cheeks with my palms and the wetness off my chin before rising up on my shaky legs.

I stare straight into his hungry eyes, seemingly about to pounce at any moment, but I decide to push him over the edge anyway because for some reason, I now love it when he is rough with me.

I lay my palms on his strong, tattooed chest before tiptoeing and speaking seductively against his lips.

"Did you like my lips wrapped around your big cock, daddy?"

He suddenly grasps my throat tightly and I raise my chin with a smile.

"Let's see how daddy's big fucking cock feels deep inside that tight little cunt of yours."

His frenzied stare falls upon my lips, and he elevates his chin, baring his teeth, while he speaks.

"Fucking kiss me."

As soon as he removes his hand from my throat, I wrap my arms around the back of his neck and pull him down into me until our lips collide. He leans down, wraps his hands around the backs of my thighs, lifting me effortlessly, and I encircle his waist.

While our tongues battle for dominance, he squeezes my ass with his hands before slitting my cheeks wide with a growl in his throat that trembles through me. He slid one palm up the curve on my back before unhooking my bra while taking slow steps toward his bed.

When he lowers me onto his bed, he comes down with me between my thighs, still eating my mouth and he rips my bra from my body, hurling it across the room in a wrath of sexual frustration.

I pant against his swollen, wet lips as he uses his thighs to push my body up his silky, black sheets until my head lands on his soft pillows, then resumes the fierce kiss while grinding his hard cock against my throbbing pussy.

I drag my long nails up his tattooed back as arousal storms its way through my body like a wildfire and my thighs are forced to lock around him because of the intensity I’m feeling.

He lowers his hand between us, pinches the wet lace of panties, and pulls them aside, peeling them away from my heated core. When he slides the tip of his cock firmly down between my pussy lips and positions himself on my soaking entrance, a shudder runs up my spine.

As he speaks harshly against my lips, he keeps it there.

"Spread yourself wide. I want you to take every fucking inch of me."

I allow my legs to fall wide open beside him, and as he hovers his lips over mine, he unexpectedly drives his cock deep into my pussy without warning.

I can't help but let out a scream and throw my head back, feeling the burn from his forceful stretching. He instantly places his hand over my mouth, and I pant heavily through my nose while staring at him with wide eyes. He gives a devilishly handsome smirk that I've never seen from him before, and it sets my veins aflame.

He tilts my head to the side so he can speak through clenched teeth near my ear.

"Fucking hurt, did it? Good. Now shut the fuck up and take my cock like the good girl you are."

He keeps his palm over my mouth while raising his head to peer deeply into my pupils before dragging his cock back to the tip before driving into me once more.

At first, my body tenses, almost like it’s rejecting him, but the wetter I get and adjust to his size, as well as the piercing on his cock, the much better it starts to feel.

"Fuck, your greedy fucking pussy feels so snug around me."

The further he drills into me, the harder he gets, and eventually, he's burying himself so deep into me that he's striking my cervix, causing me to moan uncontrollably against his palm.

Our bodies slip against one another with each thrust, with my legs tensing as the pleasure intensifies and my body starts to sweat profusely.

He suddenly forces his fingers into my mouth and watches the movement as he slides them to the back of my throat, drenching them with my saliva. When he removes them, he brings his hand between us and slides it into my panties before rubbing my aroused clit firmly.

He seems to start to lose control when he growls loudly before sitting back on his knees. When he wraps both his hands around my throat, he squeezes to the point where my airway is restricted while pounding me down on him for some time, forcing me to fuck myself brutally with his dick.

He quickly snatches my legs and places them on his shoulders before leaning over my body, laying his palms beside my head, causing them to lift high and I instantly know this is the position that will make me come.

As soon as he starts dipping his dick down into my soaked pussy at such a steep angle, it leads me to push and claw at his chest, almost wanting to stop this feral beast, but it feels too fucking good at the same time. It feels as if I am being punished in the best way possible, and I am willing to accept his cruel ways.

While I can feel my orgasm swelling inside of me, he leans down, elevating my hips even higher, and grits his teeth close to my face, showing his vexation.

"How the fuck are you taking my cock so fucking good?"

I place my hand around his neck and guide him down to my lips, which he accepts while he hammers into me until I am finally succumbing to my intense climax. I throw my head back as waves of ecstasy run through my body, completely paralyzing me.

When my pussy clenches and pulses around him, the sensation tips him over the edge, and I feel him release his hot load deep inside of me. He pushes his brow against mine with his eyes closed, a low growl ripping from his throat as he continues to fuck me hard through both of our climaxes.

As soon as he comes to a slow stop, we both attempt to catch our breath and he allows my legs to fall from his shoulders. Feeling like deadweight, my entire body tingling and attempting to recover from his onslaught, I feel his hand glide firmly up the back of my thigh. He gives my ass a bruising squeeze, causing me to hiss from the pain, and his sinister eyes open, quickly catching mine.

Before he speaks, his sharp jaw tenses as he scans my entire face.

"I'm not fucking finished with you yet; there's still one more hole for me to fuck and destroy."

He seems to be testing all of my limitations in one night, trying to see how far he can push me and if I'm up for the challenge.

His cock ejects from my sore, soaking pussy as he sits back on his knees, and he clutches my legs before swiftly rolling me over onto my stomach.

He yanks my panties down my legs before pushing my thighs open high and wide until they are resting on each side of my body. The position is degrading because it reveals all of me to him, but in this moment, I don't give a fuck because I'm too hung up in a state of bliss.

I breathe deeply into the bed sheets as I hear him completely remove his belt from his pants, and before I know it, he's fastening it tightly around my wrists behind my back, completely restricting me.

When he's finished, he leans down close and speaks deliciously into my ear.

"Have you ever been fucked in the ass before, Wren?"

I let out a tense breath before responding.

"No."

He rests his brow against the side of my head before inhaling deeply, clearly satisfied with my answer.

"Good, I'll enjoy breaking into your virgin asshole for the first time."

The thought terrifies me because I now know how brutal he can be, yet for some reason, I'm not willing to stop him from doing whatever he wants to me; I’m clearly enjoying the darker side of sex.

He lowers one of his hands down the curve of my back until it is pressing through the split of my ass, his fingertips skimming over my asshole, before he suddenly plunges two of his fingers into my burning pussy, causing me to gasp.

When he pulls them out, he slides them up to my asshole, wetting everything with a mixture of our come. He carefully slips one finger into me, and I squeeze my eyes until he is in knuckle deep.

After a little finger fucking, he chooses to insert a second finger, and I tighten as he stretches me even further until they are both deep in my ass.

I release a big breath as he relaxes back on his knees between my spread legs and stimulates my clit from underneath to help me relax. When he begins to slide his fingers in and out of my ass, moans start to escape me and I start unwinding, absolutely loving the sensation.

As soon as I elevate my ass slightly, begging for more, he growls and continues to plough his fingers inside of me, getting deeper with each thrust. When he unexpectedly slaps his palm down my cheek hard, it leads me to squeal from the sting and bury my face in the bedsheets.

“You’ve got such a hungry asshole.”

I feel him climb up my body and he grabs a fistful of my hair, yanking it back so far that I can see him upside down above me. He observes my facial expressions as he starts to completely destroy my asshole violently by twisting and curling his fingers deep within me.

My moans intensify and he lowers his face until his lips are in contact with mine.

"You like that, do you, slut?"

I’m too dazed to get any words out; I’m drowning in lust so I bite my bottom lip instead and he whispers with a growl, causing me to tremble.

"You fucking love it."

He slips his tongue into my mouth upside down and I allow mine to slide over his piercing before he murmurs again.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard that you'll never find another man who can please you like I do. I'll leave my imprint and scent all over your innocent little body and mind for the rest of your fucking days."

When he releases my hair, my head falls forward, and he returns back to his knees again before sliding his fingers out, spreading my ass cheeks wide and spitting on my hole.

As I feel his piercing press against me, I close my eyes, hoping it doesn't hurt as much as they say. When he slowly presses his cock inside of me, I try to relax, regardless of his size.

He stretches me inch by inch, and I'm just relieved he didn't force him inside me like he did my pussy. I clench my fists behind my back, and he lets out a groan when his dick is fully inside of me.

As my ass begins to throb around him, he creeps up my body and speaks into my ear again.

"That's a good fucking girl."

I take a deep, quivering breath as he begins to stroke my clit with his fingers while slowly thrusting his dick. As soon as I start to relax and moan, he wastes no time picking up pace and ramming me with his cock at full force, slamming so hard into my asshole that I feel his balls smacking against my pussy and my legs start to shake from the rough penetration.

As soon as he gets going, he shows me no mercy and asserts his complete power over my body, causing me to scream into the bedsheets.

After being smashed in, he suddenly pulls out, forcing a whimper to escape me, but he simply flips me onto my back with a wrath of frustration, my wrists remaining bound behind my back.

My hair clings to my sweaty face as I breathe heavily and as he reaches over to remove it so that we can see each other. He grips my face hard and brings his cock back to my asshole before sliding deep into me in one quick stroke, not at all being gentle now, and when a scream nearly escapes me, he hisses on my lips, warning me not to.

"Shut the fuck up and take my fucking dick."

Our eyes lock with dark passion, both of us gasping for air. The tension thickens in the air around us while I see him reach his hand down between us and he suddenly slips two of his fingers deep into my pussy with his cock still in my ass.

When he starts fucking both of my holes at the same time, pleasure takes hold of my body, causing me to moan loudly and thrust around. I’ve never felt so much desire and stress at the same time while being fucked, but I relish the feeling of it.

I can feel my wetness all over his hand and my thighs as it begins to pour out of me. He reluctantly pulls his devious eyes from mine after staring at me the entire time and dips his head.

He sucks and bites on my bouncing breast, offering further pleasure and pain, sinking his teeth into my skin. Not being able to hold it any longer, I'm exploding after a couple of powerful thrusts in my pussy and ass.

I throw back my head, my body straining as it stiffens and the loudest moan I've ever let out leaves me while my climax rips through me like never before.

He continues to pound into me until he swiftly pulls out and shoots his come on my pussy and stomach while jerking his cock off, releasing himself all over me and it's easily the sexiest thing I've ever seen a man do.

With his head thrown back, breathing heavily, I observe his incredible, inked body glisten in the light as his skin coats with sweat. When he is through, he lifts his head, and his dark gaze finds mine. We stay silent, staring deeply into each other’s eyes, probably trying to figure out what the fuck just happened between us.

I’ve never experienced sex like that before. I am pretty certain he has, though, but there’s something in his stare that tells me he wasn’t expecting that. I’m not even sure if it was about the sex; the chemistry I felt between us was through the roof and it was better than the multiple orgasms he gave me.

He climbs off the bed, reaches over, and grabs my upper arm firmly before pulling me up to my feet. I stand in front of him on wobbly knees, and his intense stare locks on mine as he circles around me to unbuckle the belt that is still tight around my wrists.

I rub one of my wrists as soon as the belt falls to the floor before he snatches it and tugs me behind him. I stumble forward, trying to keep up with his long strides, until we reach his large, elegant bathroom.

He pulls me towards the shower, and once inside, he reaches up and turns it on. As soon as he lets go of my wrist, he rips his pants down and steps under the water before turning around to face me.

I watch him from just outside the shower, but he reaches out, snatching my wrist again, and yanks me into his muscular body.

He wraps his arms over the small of my back, drawing me closer to his naked body, and I lay my palms on his tattooed chest.

As the water streams down on his face and torso, I lose myself in his beauty. He is breathtaking, a masterpiece that appears to have been handcrafted perfectly in the hands of an angel or maybe the devil himself.

We peer into each other's eyes when he places his brows on mine, and in that moment I see something different in Arlo, something that makes me feel all warm inside. After tonight, I’m realizing that when we’re alone, I’ll allow him to strip me of all my values and repeatedly have his way with me. I don’t want him to ever stop after that performance and connection.

This man alters me shamefully; he summons something deep within me that I never realized was dwelling there, but it's so exhilarating to be cloaked in his gloom.

He now feels like a poisonous drug, sweeping through my veins, and it has consumed me into a nightmare—his nightmare, which I don't ever want to escape from.

I tiptoe ever so slightly, tilting my head to capture his soft lips with mine. We instantly become lost in a fierce kiss as soon as our lips meet, and it doesn't take long for things to get heated between us again.

He slides his hands firmly down the curves of my wet body until he grabs my ass and lifts me. As soon as I circle his waist, he crushes my back against the cold, wet glass of the shower with his big frame, completely smothering me, and before I know it, his cock is buried deep inside me again as he fucks me brutally.

It's the morning after, and I haven't slept, not like I do nowadays anyway. The room is still dim with the curtains blocking the daylight that desperately wants to shine through, and I'm sitting on the edge of the bed, buried in my thoughts of darkness.

I slowly shift my eyes to Wren behind me, who is fast asleep on her back with her beautiful, long, dark hair sprawled over my black, velvety pillows.

When she sleeps, she looks like an angel, but I now know she is the fucking devil reincarnated to suck my soul into further black abysses.

I move my eyes away from her, returning my focus to the photo in my hand. Bridget, my wife, stares back at me, reminding me of how much I just deceived her by fucking Wren the way I did last night.

My wife and Wren are polar opposites. Bridge was blonde, fair-skinned, tall, and slim, whereas Wren is dark all over, tanned, short, and curvaceous.

Their personalities are also diverse and that's what confuses me, because I know when I look at Wren, it's not like I'm seeking my wife, but I'm drawn to her like some sort of sick fucking obsession when I don’t want to be; she’s weakened me; she’s broken my control.

In three long, miserable years, no woman has ever tempted me to fuck them, but here comes Wren, who enters my life less than a week ago and destroys all that power I thought I had. The sexual chemistry between us is off the charts, and we both fucking know it.

I should have avoided her; I shouldn’t have given her the fucking job. As soon as she entered my life, I knew it was only a matter of time before I surrendered all my self-control, but I had no idea that she'd turn out to be the fuck of a lifetime.

It feels like we are in absolute chaos together; although she seems like my opposite, I’m full of darkness while she’s full of light, yet there’s something about her that I’m drawn to. She’s absolutely captivating.

The way she allowed me to do anything I wanted to her without protest sent my mind into a fucking frenzy. She's an obedient little slut, that’s for sure, which is such a fucking turn-on for me, especially since I purposefully intended to break her little body and she took it all.

I just hope to fuck she doesn't expect more, because I can't give her more; it's not like that; I’m not like that. I'll fuck her into oblivion for the rest of my days, but I can't give her anything beyond that. There's nothing left of me but a dark, cold shell of a man who only exists in this fucked-up world for his son.

She's far too pure for my crooked life, and she's still yet to discover what kind of evil mother fucker she's just spent the night with.

I side-eye her over my shoulder when I hear her stirring behind me. Her delicious big tits and pink little nipples peek out from beneath the duvet as she stretches her arms above her head with a yawn. When she's finished and fully aware of his surroundings, she looks at me and takes a brief pause.

I return my attention to the photo of Bridget just as she begins to move and crawl towards me. She presses her naked body onto my back and her stiff nipples slide across my tattooed skin. As she wraps her tiny arms around my shoulders, I allow the photograph to slip between my fingers, and it drops between my legs, landing on the floor.

When she begins kissing my neck seductively with her tongue, I close my eyes for a second, almost relishing the sensation of her soft, plump lips on my skin, but I quickly grow defensive and take a long breath before seizing her wrists and swinging them over my head.

I rotate my body and grasp her throat with my hand before slamming her down onto the bed with force while I'm kneeling between her naked legs.

I stare down at her below me with resentment, and she looks at me with concern. She’s breathing heavily through panic and I sense there is a hint of fear in her eyes, but when they soften, it agitates me even more.

To express my fury, I bring my face close to hers and speak with my teeth clenched.

"Don't ever get me wrong, Wren. I don't do the sappy, romantic bullshit you desire. I'm a cold, nasty cunt who will only use you for your greedy fucking pussy, understand?”

She looks at my lips as my harsh words escape and takes them all in, seemingly unfazed by my anger and when her eyes meet mine, she says something that even fucks someone like me up.

"So, fucking use me, Arlo."

I growl forcefully against her lips before hastily reaching down between us, pressing my hand into my boxers and whipping out my heavy cock. I ram myself deep inside her and drill into her violently until she screams for me.

It's music to my fucking ears as I pound her tight cunt hard, releasing every ounce of frustration I have out on her. When she tries to touch me, I snatch her fragile wrists, force them down onto the bed, and place all of my body weight on them before returning to my vicious onslaught to teach her a fucking lesson.

Her eyes are focused on mine, peering into my shattered soul as I thrust my cock so deeply into her that I couldn’t get any further even if I tried.

Her big tits bounce beneath me while the sound of slapping skin against skin echoes through the bedroom and it doesn't take long for either of us to succumb to the pleasure we're experiencing, and we both come at the exact same time.

I collapse onto her, crushing her with my big frame, still clutching her wrists so she doesn't dare attempt to fucking hug me again. I feel the sensation of her dripping pussy gripping my dick tightly with a pulsing beat and her tiny body twitches beneath me.

I attempt to control my breathing against the crook of her neck, noticing she smells so delicious that I'm almost tempted to kiss or bite it.

Choosing against it, I push on her wrists with annoyance as I climb off her and stand off the bed before making my way to my bathroom without looking her way.

My chest rises and falls with each breath I take as my eyes follow him until he walks into the restroom. When he is no longer in my sights, I stare up at the towering, dark ceiling above me, lost in thought about what he just said to me.

I think Arlo has it all wrong. I know this is only sex and I'm happy with it being that way because, in all honesty, I’m not after a relationship with him, but a girl can like a little aftercare too, right? I suppose I shouldn't get my hopes up too high with him. He's a cold-hearted beast who makes no apologies for it and I will need to learn to accept that.

I rise up before shifting my ass across the bed until I'm sitting on the edge, when I suddenly feel something beneath my feet.

My brows furrow in confusion as I glance down to see a photo. I reach for it, pinch it between my fingers and turn it around. When I see a stunning blonde young woman peering back at me, I know right away she's Cree's mom and Arlo’s wife just by looking into her eyes.

As I drop the photo to the floor, I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling curious about what happened to her. Did they ever find the person who did it? Who would do something so horrific to a new mom? Who would do that to Arlo?

I have so many unanswered questions on my mind, yet I'm unable to ask them. Arlo is undoubtedly still grieving the loss of his wife, and he doesn't seem like the kind of person who would open up about it.

If he has been looking at a photo of her right after spending the night with me, I know he is feeling one particular emotion. Guilt. Which makes me feel sad for him. It’s clear I am the first to have him after her death and it seems like he has been fucking me like he hates me for it.

I sit there for a moment, staring ahead, lost in a daydream, wondering what to do next in this scenario, when suddenly I hear the bathroom door open behind me. I side-eye Arlo as he strolls in with only a towel around his waist and when I glance forward again, he speaks.

“Go get yourself ready; we'll be taking Cree to see Sara and the baby today.”

I stand up from the bed, not responding, and slip my bra and panties back on, feeling his harsh stare all over me the entire time. Before I leave, I slowly reach down and pick up the photo, and my gaze is drawn to his as he stands on the opposite side of the bed from me.

He straightens his broad shoulders while inhaling deeply, shifting once from one to the other, clearly now aware that I've just seen a photo of his wife, and we lock eyes.

I speak as I gently lower it onto the bed.

"She was absolutely beautiful, as expected."

He stares at me expressionlessly while I offer him a small, soft smile, not wanting to make things awkward between us because, regardless, it was still his wife and he loved her. I then break eye contact before hurrying out of his room.

When I enter my bedroom, I close the door behind me and exhale a big breath that I hadn't realized I was holding in. I rush to the shower to quickly get ready and once inside, I allow the warm water to rain down on my dry skin as I stand there in a daze.

I'm wondering if I'll be able to find the time to confront Sara today about why she lied to me. Why did she feel the need to lie? Did she expect me to run away and not take the job?

It might have freaked me out a little, but it wouldn't have stopped me from looking after Cree. Regardless, it's something I should have been aware of from the beginning, and I wish she'd just been honest with me, but we're here now and there's no going back.

I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around myself before approaching the huge mirror. I bend over the counter to get a better look at myself, and my eyes widen in disbelief when I notice I have marks all over my neck. Bite marks and fingerprints, and my mouth hangs open, a gasp escaping.

Arlo ravaged my throat last night in the shower; he was all over it while he fucked me hard against the steamy glass. That man isn’t soft at all; he almost choked me to death.

"They look beautiful, don't they?"

My body jumps as soon as I hear his voice behind me and I place my hand on my chest, feeling my heart pound beneath it.

I give him a sideways look as he stands in the doorway before I respond sharply, feeling irritated.

"How the hell am I going to cover them, Arlo? Do you have to be so rough?"

"Yes."

When he snaps back coldly, I roll my eyes before looking over my shoulder at him, making stern eye contact.

"Don’t you know how to knock?"

He raises himself off the doorframe and carefully examines my demeanor with his eyes. He takes a slow step, pressing his tattooed hands into his black, tight jeans pockets, and speaks in a frighteningly calm manner.

“You are one to talk; you don't know how to stay the fuck out of my bedroom; besides, I've now fucked your ass, your pussy, and your throat hard.”

As he continues forward, he keeps his intense, stony gaze fixed on mine, causing my heart rate to rise.

“I've seen what you look like when you fucking come for me, Wren.”

When he is close behind me, I whirl around to face him, and he traps me between his toned body and the counter.

He suddenly snatches my towel and yanks it away from my naked body, flinging it against the wall without losing eye contact.

“I've analyzed and seen every single fucking inch of you.”

He leans down, placing his hands on the counter on either side of me. While he looks deeply into my eyes at my level, I instantly recognize something sinister rising within him.

"Why in the fuck would I need to knock, Wren?"

I glance at his lips as his serious words escape him, and when my gaze returns to his, I speak with clenched teeth, feeling frustrated with his bullshit and what he has done to my throat.

"Because it's fucking rude not to?"

When I attempt to turn in his arms to avoid him, he suddenly grabs a handful of the back of my hair and pulls me back around to face him. I instantly reach and grasp his wrist, but he simply yanks my hair until my head is tilted fully back, causing a wince to escape my lips.

As he locks me in place, he brings his mouth in close proximity to mine.

"If you haven't already noticed, I am rude. I’m more than fucking rude. I’m a soulless cunt and I don't give a shit because I do whatever the fuck I want."

With his other hand, he grips my face firmly and squeezes my cheeks.

"Stop with your shitty fucking attitude, or you'll get more than just a couple of bruises around your fucking neck."

I become defensive and speak angrily through squeezed cheeks.

"A couple? Have you seen the fucking state it’s in?"

His dark eyes wander down to my neck, and he cocks his head to the side to examine them before returning his gaze to mine, a faint smirk on his lips.

"What the fuck is wrong with them? All I see is art."

I remain silent when I catch on to what he is doing and I don't want to provoke the beast any further.

"There's nothing to fucking say now, no?"

I can sense he is trying to get a reaction out of me and he pinches my cheeks a little harder before he moves my head to the side and speaks with clenched teeth next to my ear.

"Don't even think about ignoring me, slut."

My eyes flutter shut as he licks his pierced tongue all the way up my neck to my cheek.

As my skin flushes, he turns me around by my hair to face us both in the mirror.

"See, look how pretty you look with my handprint around your fucking throat."

His intense but clearly amused eyes move down my naked body in the reflection, and then he dips his head to the side and looks at my side profile, whispering near my ear.

"Fucking beautiful."

As his intimidating voice trembles through my entire body, it causes me to close my eyes.

When my eyes open again, I watch as his devious eyes move down my neck to my collarbone, then flash to mine in the mirror.

His eyes tell me he is about to do something I'll either hate or love and without warning, he turns me before lifting me up by the small of my waist. When my ass comes crashing down onto the counter, he uses his body to nudge my legs apart before he slips his hand between my thighs and presses two of his long fingers deep into my pussy.

My eyes roll as a gasp leaves me from the sudden intrusion.

"Put your fucking feet up on the counter."

I obey because his fingers feel too incredible in my pussy right now, and I lean back on my palms before placing my feet on the counter, causing my legs to rise high and wide for him.

He coils and twists his fingers to get to the deepest parts of me before he begins to finger bang hard and fast. As I watch them surge in and out of me, strong moans leave me, my brows pinched and my mouth gaping open.

"Look at what I fucking do to you, Wren. Your little abused body belongs to me now."

He snatches my throat and tilts me forward until our faces are close, and he continues to ruthlessly ruin my pussy, hitting my spot perfectly with just the right amount of pressure every time.

He growls against my lips before inserting his thumb into my mouth, and I suck on it while panting hard through my nose. When he places his now-wet thumb against my clit and rubs it with pleasure, I fling my head back in ecstasy.

I've never been finger-fucked so good. He knows exactly what he's doing by caressing the right spot and luring me to erupt all over his fingers.

When the pleasure becomes too much for me, my climax hits me harder than ever before, and as soon as my pussy convulses around his fingers, he yanks them out and I feel a wet, warm gush leave my body.

He plunges them back into me, giving me no time to revive from my high before he continues to violate me by going even harder and faster, causing me to scream. As my legs begin to close, he pries them open, forcing me to bear whatever he wants to inflict on me.

Shortly as I sense another orgasm approaching, he rips his fingers out of me once more, causing another loud, wet sound to escape me and hit the floor below.

Warm liquid coats my throbbing pussy as I gasp for air, paralyzed from the two powerful climaxes that just rocked my body. I can feel him rubbing his fingers between the lips of my sensitive pussy before slapping it lightly.

When I feel like I am coming back down to earth, I tilt my heavy head forward to look at him through dazed eyes.

I notice him staring down at the floor at his feet, which confuses me.

"What the hell was that?"

When his expressionless eyes dart to mine, he moves once more between my legs and runs his warm, tattooed palms up the sides of my thighs. He grabs handfuls of my ass and pulls me in close, forcing me to sit up and wrap my arm around his shoulders.

I stare at him, perplexed and wait for him to respond.

"You just came all over my shoes."

My eyes widen and my cheeks flush with humiliation since I’ve never done that before. I face away so he can't see my embarrassment, but he simply follows my eyes until we’re locked again.

"Don't you dare fucking do that. Never be shy around me. You did exactly what I wanted you to do."

He wraps his strong, muscular arms over the small of my back, drawing me in closer, and now speaks against my lips.

"It was fucking hot."

I smile against his lips before he kisses me hard, and I immediately melt in his arms. As I allow his tongue to slip deep into my mouth, we start kissing wildly, unable to get enough of each other, while he glides his big palms up and down my naked back.

When he breaks away from the kiss, which leaves me breathless, he studies my facial features with his dark eyes for a beat before completely releasing me, turning around, and walking towards the door.

"I better go change my fucking shoes."

I bite my bottom lip with a smile before hopping off the counter and confronting myself in the mirror. Well, that was the first for me, but I'm glad he didn't make me feel strange about it. Perhaps there is some good left in Arlo.

Maybe I could soften that tough exterior in some way. Yeah, right, I need to keep dreaming. I should face facts; he is what he is, and I am starting to become obsessed with it. I like how he is with me. In a strange way, I enjoy his brutality and how he sends me into euphoria every damn time. I don't think I'd want him any other way. Which makes me pretty messed up when I think about it.

I return to my bedroom after cleaning myself up to choose something to wear for the day and search through my vast collection before deciding on an outfit.

Once I’m dressed in a white jumper dress, I return to the bathroom mirror and sigh to myself as soon as I see his very visible marks on my neck once again.

"Fuck, I need to cover these somehow. Cree can't see them."

I take my makeup bag and start covering it with concealer to the best of my abilities before fixing my hair and doing my makeup. As soon as I’m finished, I grab my phone from the counter and head downstairs.

When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I can hear Cree and Arlo chatting in the kitchen.

As I stroll in, Cree is the first to notice me, and his big smile causes Arlo to turn around to look at me. His dark stare follows me as I close the gap until I'm standing beside him, opposite Cree.

With a smile, I reach over on my tiptoes and wave my fingers over Cree’s curly hair.

"Good morning, sleepy head!"

He scrunches his nose up, a shy giggle escaping him, before I return flat on my feet and side-eye Arlo, who has a bowl of fruit and yogurt in front of him.

As Cree looks down at his iPad while eating his cereal, I notice Arlo draws his head back to get a decent look at my ass in the dress I’m wearing.

I avoid giving him any attention by asking him to stop and instead concentrate on Cree.

"Did you have a good night's sleep?"

Cree lifts his head briefly from the screen and gives me a slight nod before returning his focus to it.

"I think so..."

Suddenly, I feel Arlo's hand on my ass discreetly, and I roll my eyes before reaching around and forcing his hand away. I turn my head and give him a serious look, to which he responds with an eyebrow lift and a tensed jaw.

When I pull my eyes away from him, about to speak to Cree again, he forces his hand up my dress and gives my ass an intense, bruising squeeze. I immediately rise to my tiptoes in pain, gripping the counter tightly in an attempt to collect myself and suppress a scream.

He holds onto it tightly until Cree glances up from his iPad, completely oblivious to his dad's wicked antics and Arlo finally loosens his hard grip on my cheek.

"Are you coming with us to Aunt Sara's house, Wren?"

I try not to show my relief by clearing my throat and giving a little smile with a nod. As soon as Cree smiles in return and looks down at his iPad again, my wide eyes flick to Arlo's quickly.

He raises an eyebrow as he calmly slips a spoonful of fruit and yogurt into his mouth, as if he did nothing wrong and I deserved it for pushing his hand away.

I narrow my eyes on him, and his lips lift into the smallest sneer before I turn away and walk across the huge kitchen to the coffee machine, where I resume my conversation with Cree.

"So, Cree, you will meet your baby cousin for the first time today. Are you excited?"

I reach for a mug, place it inside before pressing the button and then smile over my shoulder at Cree, but he simply shrugs his shoulders before responding.

"She's a girl..."

My brows furrow, and as I hear my coffee being prepared, I turn around fully to face him, arms crossed over my chest, leaning up against the counter.

"And what's wrong with girls, mister?"

I have a little smile on my lips and eagerly await his innocent response.

"They are no fun..."

My gaze shifts to Arlo, who is observing his son carefully until he stands and takes both their empty bowls toward the sink.

"You'll learn in time, Cree; girls are actually a lot of fun."

Arlo casts a glance my way when he says that, and I roll my eyes before returning my attention to Cree.

"I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with your cousin once she gets a little bigger; for the time being, she'll probably just sleep all the time."

"Why?"

"Well, babies are small and don't move much, but they get tired quickly—well, until they get big like you and have lots of energy."

"So she'll be boring at first?"

Before responding, I think about how smart he is for a three-year-old.

"Perhaps a little, but it won't be long before she's running around bothering you."

I smile and wink at him before Arlo walks toward him and lifts him from his chair.

"Let's get you dressed and ready to go."

"I can do that."

He doesn't look at me as he speaks.

"I've got this."

When they are no longer in sight, I turn around to finish my coffee.

As soon as it’s done, I take a brief, small sip of the hot, black liquid before heading to the refrigerator in the hopes of finding something quick to eat, and when I notice a banana, I reach for it before closing the door.

"This will do just fine."

I proceed to the kitchen island and take a seat, setting down my coffee and banana in front of me. I reach for my phone and go through my messages until I find one from Mom and Lilly, but I decide to open my mom's first.

"How is the job going so far, sweetie?" I haven't heard from you in a while. When you have time, we'll have to catch up. I love you x"

My eyes soften as I begin to feel terrible about not keeping in touch with her since moving into this house, so I decide to text back quickly and reassure her that everything is fine.

"I'm fine, Mom. I hope you are as well. Sorry for the delay; I've been quite busy, but things are going well thus far. We'll definitely catch up soon. I love you too x"

When I move on to my sister's message, I scan my eyes over the text.

"Ugh, mom is so annoying! Call me as soon as possible; I need to vent! x"

I sigh before hitting the call button, hoping to make it a quick conversation before we leave here.

"Wren?"

“Lily?”

"Where the fuck have you been? It's never taken you this long to call us!"

"I've been extremely busy. What's up?"

"Ugh, Mom is driving me insane. Could I come and live with you, please?"

As I respond, I laugh with a head shake.

"I don't think so, Lil. What on earth is going on now?"

"Well, as you know, I'm seeing this guy, and mom saw him picking me up on his motorcycle and immediately judged him as a bad person. I'm tired of this bullshit."

I let out a small sigh.

"She's only concerned about you. You've never had particularly great taste in men."

I start to wonder how I can possibly judge her. I'm fucking my twisted, dangerous boss that I've only just met!

"I know that, but she needs to let me breathe a little, Wren!"

I never had this issue with my parents, but then again, I never did anything wrong. My sister and I were always complete opposites in that regard. I’ve always been a good girl or so I thought until I met Arlo, and now we’re pretty much even, or maybe now I’m even worse than she ever was.

"Has she met him properly yet?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Well, maybe let her meet him if he's not bad."

"She will not like him."

"And why not?"

"Well, he has a bad boy image, is tattooed, and is a little older than me. He is nothing like dad."

"How much older?"

"A bit.."

As I become concerned, I give her a forewarning tone.

"Lily, tell me how much older than you."

"He's... He's roughly around your age."

My mouth drops open, and my eyes expand while I exhale a gasp.

"What?"

"Oh, Wren, come on, it's not that bad! You're starting to sound like mom."

"No, Lil, don't start with that shit. It's no surprise she's concerned; you're only 18!"

Arlo appears in the far distance while he advances towards me, his eyes burning into mine. Lily sighing on the phone before she resumes speaking causes me to break eye contact with him.

"He's a really nice guy. I really like this one; he's mature, and I enjoy that about him.”

I give Arlo the side eye as he heads towards the refrigerator behind me, and I speak a little more quietly into the phone.

"I don't give a fuck, Lil. He's far too old for you!"

She lets out a defeated sigh.

"For fuck sake."

"I want to meet him."

"What?"

I throw another sidelong glance at Arlo, who is now leaning against the refrigerator, clearly listening in on the conversation I'm having while unscrewing the lid of a bottle of water.

"Well, if you have nothing to worry about, let me meet him, and if he is such a nice guy, as you say, I'll try to convince mom."

"No way! You'll just have to trust me on that."

"This isn't how it works; you've already lied to me."

"How?"

"You said he was from your school, but now you're telling me he's my age when you're only 18!"

She now remains completely silent, and I sigh before proceeding.

"If you just let me meet him, Lil, all your problems will disappear, won't they? Mom trusts my input, since I'm a good judge of character."

Arlo suddenly scoffs behind me, and my focus darts to him, to which he raises an eyebrow at me just as Lily responds.

"Alright, I'll try to arrange something, but please promise me you won't scare him away."

As I speak, I pull my gaze away from Arlo's intense stare.

"I'll give it my best."

"How's the job going?"

I think about how crazy things have been since I’ve been here before I respond.

"Yeah, things are going well."

"And what about the asshole boss?"

I throw a glance over my shoulder at Arlo, and my gaze moves down his body.

"Yeah, interesting."

When my attention returns to Arlo, he narrows his eyes and tilts his head to the side, clearly sensing we’re talking about him.

"He's there, isn't he?"

“Yep.”

“Okay, I'll let you go, but I'll get in touch with you, and I love you.”

Before responding, I bring my eyes back forward.

"I love you too."

When I end the call, I gently place my phone down on the counter and lift my banana while I speak.

“What was that scoff all about?”

I can hear his footsteps slowly approaching me as I peel away the layer.

Before I know it, his tattooed arms are on each side of me on the counter, and he dips his head.

“Do mommy and daddy know you're fucking a sick and sadistic asshole?”

As I respond, I keep my eyes fixed on the banana.

"Of course not."

“Good judge of character, my ass.”

He brings his mouth even closer to my ear, as if attempting to intimidate me.

“Only if you knew what kind of fucked-up person you've been allowing to slide into that sweet, innocent pussy of yours.”

I speak calmly while looking ahead.

“Oh, I know exactly who you are, Arlo, but I can't help that you know how to make me come harder than ever before, and now I'm addicted to that big cock of yours.”

I bring the banana to my lips before sliding it into my mouth, letting it hit the back of my throat before taking a bite. I know he saw me do it because he growls aggressively against my ear, and I smile as I chew.

“Dirty fucking slut, you haven't even seen a fraction of what I am capable of yet.”

When I've swallowed, I turn to face him, my gaze shifting to his lips.

“I'm looking forward to seeing what else you have in store for me, Daddy.”

When my eyes flick back up to meet him, they are extremely dark, stirring with sin, and I love the sight of them.

“You're fucking lucky that my son is awake.”

I twist my body in his direction, I reach down to grasp his dick and balls in my palm and I give them a gentle squeeze while murmuring seductively on his lips.

“We always have later, baby.”

His obscure eyes are fixed on mine, and I can sense that he is attempting to control his violent sexual urges, but I decide to push him further.

“What's wrong, Arlo? Do you want me to suck it now?”

When I try to press my hand into his sweatpants, he snatches my wrist and clenches his teeth, frustration written all over his handsome face.

“Don't fucking tease me, bitch, or you'll regret it.”

As I whisper into his mouth, I smirk.

“You fucking love it.”

He suddenly grabs my throat in both hands and bites my bottom lip so strongly that my brows knit from the pain. When he finally releases, he drives his pierced tongue deep into my mouth, and we start to make out like two horny teenagers.

He breaks the kiss that has taken my breath away, leaving me dizzy, and his sinister eyes bore into mine while he speaks with clenched teeth, expressing his anger.

“You'll be punished for that later, you little slut. You'll learn the fucking hard way to never tease me.”

He pushes on my neck as he lets go and I take my bottom lip into my mouth, tasting my own blood. I smile faintly as I notice him adjusting his hard cock in his sweatpants before strolling away, heading for the stairs.

I know I should know better than to tease him, but I don't care since I enjoy the thrill of it. I want to see what he's going to do to me next and I will continue to frustrate him because he will undoubtedly go even harder on me next time, which fascinates and excites me.

When he and Cree suddenly return, I get up from the stool, discard the banana peel and place my empty coffee cup in the sink.

Cree collides with my legs, and I smile as I lift him up before placing him on my hip and making eye contact.

“Are you ready to go?”

When he wraps his arms around my neck with a big grin, I glance at Arlo, who is observing us both carefully from a distance.

Cree draws back to look into my eyes, capturing my attention, and I gently rub his small back with my palm before speaking softly.

“Let's get going.”

We only drive a short distance before we’re parking up outside of another big, beautiful home. It's not quite as big as Arlo's, but it's still absolutely gorgeous and white.

As soon as we get out of the car, I remove Cree from his car seat and place him on the ground. While I close the car door, he dashes toward the front door and tiptoes to press the doorbell.

When Sara answers the door, she has a big smile on her pretty face.

“Cree!”

He clutches her legs, and she slowly leans down to embrace him before her eyes find mine behind his shoulder.

“Wren, it's good to see you again!”

She stands upright as I close the distance between us, and then we hug.

“It's great to see you too, Sara. How are you doing?”

“A little sore still, but I'll live.”

Arlo leans over me to kiss her cheek while attempting to squeeze by us to enter the house.

“Sis.”

“Bro.”

As we stand back, she smiles up at his tall frame while he passes her and then waves me in.

“Come on in!”

I follow behind Arlo and Cree, gasping as I take in the breathtaking surroundings.

“Wow!”

It's wonderful and big, which you wouldn't believe from the outside, but it's enormous inside, and everything is luxurious with white and gold decor.

“Your house is absolutely beautiful, Sara!”

She smiles before walking in front of me in the direction Arlo and Cree went.

“Come on over and meet the baby!”

I follow her until we reach the living room, where Cree is peering down at the small, newborn baby in a swinging chair. When I see she's dressed in pink with a large white bow headpiece, I'm in awe of her.

“Oh, Sara, she's adorable!”

She smiles back at me before crouching down next to Cree.

“Her name is Phoebe, Phoebe Hayes.”

When she says that, she glances up at Arlo, who gives her a tiny smirk, clearly pleased that she has taken their last name.

She then returns her attention to Cree.

“Would you want to hold her?”

He gives her a wary glance but eventually responds with a tiny nod.

"Sit up on the couch, and I'll bring her over to you."

I help Cree onto the large couch before standing back and watching her place her on his lap, making her appear much larger against his small body.

Sara and I stare at them both in delight for a while before she glances in my direction.

“Would you like to have something to drink, Wren?”

I nod and smile, hoping for an opportunity to ask her a few questions that I've been itching to ask.

When satisfied with my answer, she turns and faces Arlo.

“Would you mind watching the two of them for a moment?”

He gives a nod before quickly looking at me, and I pull my eyes away from his intense stare as I follow Sara to the kitchen.

As soon as she pulls a bottle of wine from the rack and smiles at me, I'm hesitant to drink while I'm working.

“Oh, I'm not sure if Arlo would like it if—"

Her brows furrow as she observes me.

“He won't mind at all, Wren! He's fine with Cree, and we'll only have one.”

I give her an awkward smile and watch as she pours each of us a large glass.

“This is the first drink I've had in nine long months!”

When she passes me a glass, we clink our glasses in celebration before taking a sip. We take a seat beside each other at the kitchen island, and before I say anything, I take a big gulp to settle my nerves.

“So, how was the birth?”

She shrugs her shoulders as she sets her glass down.

“Painful.”

We both laugh, and then my expression falls with seriousness and concern before I ask her what I've been meaning to ask.

“Sara, while we're alone, I wanted to ask you something.”

She glances at me, confusion falling over her pretty features.

“What is it?”

“Well, Arlo had some friends over for poker night, and I joined them, but there were a couple of girls there.”

“Who?”

“Some chick named Savannah, and—”

She rolls her eyes with a growl before picking up her wine glass again.

“I'm not sure why Arlo hangs out with that bitch; she's nothing but trouble.”

“Well, she said something that bothered me.”

She takes a sip of her wine before nodding for me to continue.

“She said Cree's mom was murdered.”

She suddenly shifts uncomfortably in her seat, losing eye contact, and I lean in to whisper gently.

“So, is it true?”

Her gaze swiftly meets mine before she responds with a gentle nod.

“I suppose you were bound to find out sooner or later, but yes, she was murdered.”

I can't stop my eyes from widening when it's confirmed.

“How? I'm confused. This is devastating.”

She sighs again before setting her glass on the counter.

“They were robbed not long after Cree was born and it's believed she thought they were going to take him; she was only protecting her son.”

My mouth is agape as I take in her words before she continues.

“Anyway, Arlo found her in the closet, tied up, and she had been shot in the head.”

I close my eyes, my heart aching for Arlo to have to find her in such a way and when Sara speaks again, I pick up my glass of wine with a shaking hand, taking a large gulp.

“I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Wren; I was worried about how you'd react, but I knew you would be perfect for Cree. He needs someone like you, and I believed you were tough enough to deal with Arlo.”

My concerned eyes meet hers as I speak gently.

“Did they ever find out who did it?”

She gives a small shake of her head.

“Unfortunately, not. It appeared to be a professional job. They removed all the footage from the security cameras and left no evidence. That's probably why Arlo is tense most of the time, and who can blame him? He's been trying to figure out who did it for years, but no one will talk and he hasn’t found closure."

I give a slight nod of understanding.

“He's not making your life a living hell, is he?”

My brows furrow when she says that, and I sigh, followed by a head shake before glancing away.

“He's alright. I hardly ever see him.”

She gives me a hesitant nod as she observes me, her eyes raking down to my neck, causing dread to surge within me, and I turn away slightly.

“Why do you have marks on your neck, Wren?”

I close my eyes as my stomach stirs with anxiety, not knowing what to say.

"He hasn't hurt you, has he?"

When my eyes instantly meet hers at her accusation, I respond with a headshake.

“It's not like that.”

Her eyes enlarge when I confirm it and I notice Arlo creeping around from the corner of my eye in the living room. I can feel his burning stare all over my body from a distance, but I don't look his way because I'm too focused on Sara and her shock.

“He did this to you?”

I place my hand on her arm in panic as she begins to stand up to confront him.

“It's not like that, Sara!”

She looks at me with confusion when I repeat myself before she takes a slow seat on the stool and I swallow hard because I don't want to have to clarify it to his sister.

After some time of staring at one another in cold silence, I finally see it click through her eyes and a big gasp escapes her.

“Wait, you’re fucking him, aren’t you?”

When I feel my cheeks heat up, I face away.

“Oh, my God, you are!”

“It's just sexual chemistry, nothing more.”

As she responds, she shakes her head vigorously.

“You must keep your distance from him, Wren. I’m sorry, I love my brother, but he is currently messed up in the head and he will not treat you right.”

I sigh and glance away once more.

“There's nothing more I want from him, Sara; we’re just two adults having rough sex.”

Before picking up her wine glass, she cringes at the thought, and she mumbles with the rim against her lips.

“Best of luck with that, Wren, but be warned; Arlo will only break your heart, and more so, don’t ever catch feelings for him.”

Just as I'm ready to respond, Cree suddenly rushes into the kitchen, stopping me from going any further with the conversation.

“Aunt Sara?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Can you, me, and Wren take Phoebe to the park one day?”

“Of course we can; we'll make plans soon, okay?”

Cree hasn't slept all day after spending the entire time at Sara's house and eating dinner, so I know he will sleep well tonight. When it's time to leave, I pick up a tired Cree and carry him outside to the car.

While I'm placing him in his car seat, I notice Arlo and Sara having a quiet, intense conversation by the front door, which I can clearly hear.

“Listen to me now, Arlo. Stay the hell away from her.”

As I fiddle with the straps on Cree's car seat, I peer through the tinted windows of the car door beside me.

Arlo presses his hands into his jeans pockets, and she gives him a serious glare.

“Do you think this is all a game? Do you enjoy inflicting pain on women?”

“Sexually, yes.”

She closes her eyes at his bluntness before raising her hand in disapproval.

“Don't fucking hurt her, you evil bastard. You were never that rough with Bridge. Have you seen what you’ve done to her neck? She's far too sweet for your twisted bullshit.”

He lays his hands on her shoulders as he leans in close to her face.

“Wren is much stronger than you think and she fucking digs it. Also, stay the fuck out of my business.”

Before entering the car, I close Cree's door and open the passenger side door before waving to Sara. They both watch as I close the door behind me while she waves back with a smile.

I can still see them having a heated conversation, but I can't hear what they're saying. All I know is that Sara isn't happy about the situation.

When Arlo starts walking quickly towards the car, I pull in a quivering breath before he opens the door beside me. I start to worry that he'll ask why I told her, and my anxiety rises.

I peek back as he pulls out of the driveway and I see Cree is asleep, so I decide to speak.

“I'm sorry; she noticed the marks on my neck, and I didn't know what to say because I've only been around you.”

He responds sharply without looking my way.

“I don't give a fuck what she thinks.”

I close my eyes for a moment before staring out the window beside me, and we drive in silence.

When we arrive at Arlo's mansion, I lift Cree's limp body from his car seat and take him towards the house, with Arlo following close behind.

He unlocks the front door, allowing me to enter first and the entire space is almost pitch black,other than some of the moonlight that is pouring in through the windows.

I carry Cree upstairs to his bedroom, still knowing where I'm going and when I walk in, I turn on his nightlight before laying him on the bed. I start to undress him while he sleeps and when I've finished dressing him in his pajamas, I cover him with his duvet and kiss him on the head, as I do every night.

When entering the dark corridor, I quietly close his door behind me, but as I approach the stairs, I notice a silhouette of a man at the top. Panic grips itself tightly around me immediately, and my heart accelerates as it stands completely still.

My ears begin to ring, and my body starts to tremble as thoughts of what happened in this house flash through my frantic mind.

Just as I'm ready to shout for Arlo, he steps forward into the moonlight and I feel my shoulders relax and take a breath of relief, but I shouldn't because he's looking at me with such wicked intent that it's almost terrifying.

I have a desire to run away from him, but instead I just stand there, frozen, while staring at him with wide eyes.

He hooks his finger at me in an eerie manner, encouraging me to approach him and my feet shuffle over the cold, hard floor, as if I'm under his evil spell.

As soon as I'm within reach, he reaches out, snatches my wrist, and flings me into his muscular body.

“We're gonna play a game.”

As I speak quietly, my brows pinch with uncertainty while I look up at his moonlit face.

“A game?”

He lowers his face to mine and whispers in an ominous tone, sending a chill up my spine.

“Yes, a fucking game.”

My heart rate increases even more as I attempt to swallow the lump that is growing in my throat.

“What kind of a game?”

I freeze as he suddenly brings his knife up to my cheek, the blade shining against the moonlight.

“Hide and find.”

I just stare at him, wide-eyed, as he continues.

“Rules… You will hide, and if I find you, I have the authority to do as I wish and you'll obey without question, like a good fucking girl, no matter how sadistic it may be.

As he presses the point of the sharp metal firmer against my face, I release a quivering breath.

“If I don't find you within ten minutes, I will give you my word that I'll leave that delicate little throat of yours alone for a while.”

He speaks against my opened lips as he sweeps his knife down to my neck, forcing my eyelids to flutter shut with sick longing.

“You do not go outside. You can't scream, but you may run for your fucking life. The mansion will remain entirely dark. You have two minutes, beautiful.”

He murmurs harshly into my lips, awakening every fiber of my being.

“Go on, tick fucking tock.”

As he removes his blade from my throat, my eyes ping open, and a thrill runs through me before I sprint by him, my pulse pounding with excitement and terror as I race towards the stairs.

I remain in the same spot in the poorly lit corridor, utterly silent, while hearing her small, bare feet sprint down the stairs. I'm sure I can still hear her heart hammering against her chest from a distance. I turn my head to the side, attempting to pick up on anything that might indicate where she'll hide from me.

I know this mansion like the back of my hand, so I have the upper hand in this scenario. Of course I do, as I always do. I'll find her in less than two minutes. While counting down the seconds for roughly two minutes, I start to feel an overwhelming sense of eagerness and impatience to find her and do whatever sick and twisted fantasy that I want; it’s like a lifetime has passed already.

When the moment finally comes, I glance down at my pocket knife, flick it close and slide it into my pocket before turning around and creeping my way to the stairs.

My heart is pounding in my chest, smashing into my rib cage as I hurriedly look around the huge, dark home, realizing I am still very unfamiliar with this house. His cruel voice booms in my thoughts repeatedly. Tick fucking tock!

I stare in the direction of the living room and rush towards it and when I enter, I realize it's probably the darkest room to hide in because the moonlight doesn't shine directly through the windows in here.

I continue forward, shaky arms held out in front of me, trying to grasp for anything to help me figure out where the hell I am going. When I feel the couch, I grip the soft, luxurious padding tightly and begin to move around it. I realize that I can't exactly hide behind the couch since he'll undoubtedly look there.

I glance around the huge, pitch-black space until the wide windows gleaming to my right catch my attention, and I recall the huge, towering curtains in this room.

I shuffle forward slowly, arms stretched again, before gripping the window sill with shaky hands and moving along it. When I finally feel the velvety material of the curtains on my skin, I whip them open and drop myself to the floor before wrapping them around me in an attempt to hide.

I squeeze myself into the corner of the wall as much as I can and bring my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms tightly over them. I hold my palm firmly over my mouth, trying to calm my chaotic breathing, thinking about how he could possibly find me and what his sadistic plans could be.

It doesn't take long for me to notice movement in the quiet house, and I clench my eyes shut, holding my breath. I’m pretty sure the noises are coming from the kitchen, but I can't be sure.

It already feels like ten minutes have passed, although it surely hasn't and I can hear his heavy footsteps everywhere, filling the once-silent room with loudness and they move closer toward me by the second.

As I sit there, I try to convince myself that it's far too dark and that if I stay quiet and calm enough, there is no way that he will see me down here.

When I hear him slowly step past me as if he can sense my presence, my entire body freezes. I'm sure I'm absolutely silent, but his footsteps suddenly stop not far away, and my eyelids snap open.

It feels like an eternity as I hear nothing and it's as if he's listening, waiting for anything, and I don't think I can hold my breath much longer. The brute force of my anxiousness grips my throat, choking me, and my body is desperate to tremble and breathe as if the grim fucking reaper is pursuing me, but it isn't; it's Arlo playing his cruel and wicked games with me.

There is complete stillness. I can only hear the ringing in my ears when, all of a sudden...

The curtain is whipped open and I dash under his arm while passing him. As he tries to reach out to grab me, I feel the air strike my skin, but I'm far too quick. The panic surges through me and I dash around the huge couch, still unable to see where I'm going completely.

I head for the moonlight in the foyer to escape the twisted beast, but I can sense and hear him closing the gap between us from behind. The loudness of his fast, heavy footsteps crashes over the hard marble floor, and I try my hardest not to scream this fucking mansion down like I desperately want to.

I come to a sudden standstill as soon as I realize that sprinting up the stairs will not help me escape him; he will only catch me. I slowly turn around to face him as soon as I hear him come to a halt as well.

He is a few feet away, and he's in a position as if he's about to pounce.

“Time is fucking up, Wren. Surrender!”

He lunges forward, and I dodge him in a panic, causing him to skid and crash to the floor. I try to flee again, rushing past him, but he suddenly snatches my ankle, causing me to trip and fall onto my arm on the hard floor with a thump.

I look down at him, still holding my ankle tightly, and try to kick him away with my other foot, but he catches that one as well, abruptly stopping me.

He drags me violently down the hard marble floor toward him, and he kneels between my spread legs. As he leans over me, he attempts to seize my wrists, but in my state of panic, I slap his hands away frantically, swinging them around like a maniac.

Before he speaks, I hear him give out a menacing chuckle.

“You little bitch!”

He manages to catch them after a struggle and brutally pins them down to the floor. I take deep breaths, my heart slamming against my chest and stare up at his silhouette, realizing that this asshole has somehow won and that I have no idea what's going through his wicked mind.

He hovers over me, placing his weight on my fragile wrists and bringing his face down to mine.

“I fucking told you to obey.”

“How did you find me?”

I'm having trouble breathing as I continue. .

“I was quiet; it's dark; there's no way you could have heard or seen me.”

“I hear and see fucking everything.”

“It's not possible.”

“Absolutely anything is possible with me, Wren.”

I become silent, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat and breathing as he stays close to my face.

“Are you going to be a good fucking girl when I release your wrists?”

After some thought, I decide to swallow my pride because, in all fairness, he did win, and I did accept playing his perverted game.

“Yes.”

He stays motionless for a beat before returning to his knees and releasing my wrists. I remain in the same position, my entire body going limp from the tension and distress it has just endured, but my breath becomes caught in my throat as soon as I see his blade flick out against the moonlight.

“Stay the fuck still.”

He grabs a fistful of my dress on my chest and slices a hole into it with his knife, but when he places his knife on the floor, I release an uneven breath.

He forces both of his hands into the opening he just created before pulling my dress apart, ripping it completely down the middle. My pulse climbs again, and my chest rises and falls with each breath as soon as he takes his blade again and places it beneath the bust of my bra.

He swiftly slices through it like butter before moving on to the strings of my panties, cutting through them one by one. When I hear him place his knife back down on the floor, I release a quivering breath.

He glides his big, warm, tattooed hands up the curves of my body until he reaches the small of my waist. He pulls my body upward towards him with a low growl in his throat, arching my back slightly off the floor and I feel an unexpected somersault in my tummy.

Goosebumps scatter over my skin as I can sense his greedy gaze all over me since the moonlight is shining directly on me, but I can only see his outline.

He glides his palms slowly up the front of my body and as he pushes my sliced bra away, he firmly presses them up and over the mounds of my exposed tits. He sweeps his thumbs over my rigid nipples before moving his hands back down my body, evidently enamored with me.

The moonlight shining in behind me allows me to see her beauty beneath me. The terror and distress have faded from her pretty features, and she now glows with dark desire.

My gaze wanders hungrily over her incredible figure, and I can't fucking wait to devour every inch of her. Being this goddamn fucking sexy is inhumane. It's no surprise that I can't stay the fuck away from her.

I press the tips of my fingers into the hot flesh on her hips, dipping my head and licking my tongue all the way up her middle until I'm between her big titties. I lick around her left breast before sucking on her tight nipple. Her body begins to squirm beneath me as I tug on it with my teeth before consuming it once more with my mouth and tongue.

I start biting her breasts, sinking my teeth into her skin, and I can sense she almost wants to tell me to stop, but she doesn't; she takes it, and I enjoy seeing how far I can push her; it turns me the fuck on even more.

When I'm done being an evil cunt, I hover my mouth over hers and slip my hand between her thighs until I am moving the thin, lace fabric that covers the part of her body that I enjoy the most.

As I press my fingers between her plump, pussy lips, I speak.

“Let's see how fucking wet you got from being scared of me, beautiful.”

When I lower my fingers and feel her soaked entrance on my finger tips, I grit my teeth and snarl savagely. I thrust my fingers deep into her sticky pussy without warning, causing a moan to escape her.

“Fucking slut loves to be scared.”

I begin to finger-bang her tight, dripping cunt hard and deep, causing her moans to intensify and getting me extremely aroused. I pull her hair back roughly to expose her neck to me and do something I told myself never to do, but at this moment, I want to; I need to.

I press my lips against her soft, sweet-smelling throat, and she gasps at the unexpected sensation. The sounds she’s releasing make my hard cock twitch and leak in my boxers.

“You like my fingers deep inside your hungry little cunt, slut?”

When she doesn't answer, I curl them deep within her and yank her hair back even more until I hear her wince.

“When I'm fucking speaking to you, answer me.”

She responds in breathless, hushed tones.

“I fucking love it, Arlo. I love what you do to me.”

I like hearing her say that more than I would like to admit and then move down her body until my mouth is clamped down on her aching clit. I suck and lick her aggressively while driving my fingers inside her quickly.

One of her legs is caught beneath me, and I use my free hand to prevent her other leg from closing while I destroy her until she comes hard for me. When her tiny body tightens, I swiftly pull them out of her and smother the entirety of her twitching pussy with my tongue, absorbing all of her come.

When I draw back, I creep up her body and snatch her face, squeezing her cheeks and forcing her to open her mouth. As she does, I lower my face close to hers and spit her own come into her mouth before kissing her deeply, forcing her to taste how delicious she is.

We continue to devour each other while I slip my arm around her lower back and my other hand over the back of her thigh, effortlessly lifting her off the floor. As I walk with her, she circles me with her arms and legs, panting into the crook of my neck as I squeeze her juicy ass into my hands before spreading her cheeks wide.

Once he has carried me to the living room, he flips on the light switch, causing my eyes to squint from the sudden brightness. As soon as he lowers me to my feet in front of him, our gazes lock for the first time since this whole twisted game began tonight.

He rakes his fingers through my hair near my ears before gripping tightly and easing my head back, his lips close to mine. He stares into my eyes with wild need, and I'm almost certain I am the same. When his lips collide with mine, we kiss hungrily, consuming each other, his tongue driving deep into my throat repeatedly.

When he starts walking me backward, I sneak my palms beneath his shirt to feel his toned, tattooed abs, but as soon as the backs of my knees meet the couch, he places his hands on my shoulders, breaking the kiss and forcing me to sit down.

He stands between my open thighs, reaches his arm above his head and drags his t-shirt up his body. I watch as it gradually rises, revealing his inked skin, and when he tosses it to the side, we find eye contact again and my toes almost curl because of the way he stares down at me with such intensity.

He gathers all my long, thick hair in a ponytail and holds it in one hand while pressing the other inside of his pants and flopping his big cock out.

"Suck it like you're fucking starving for it; show me what a bad little slut you are."

I approach his cock with my mouth wide open, then wrap my lips around the pierced tip and suck my way down his full length until he hits the back of my throat, pulling a growl from him.

I suck the life out of him while caressing his balls with my palm and occasionally teasing his piercing with my tongue. As he surrenders all control, he lets out small gasps and grunts of pleasure, letting me know that I'm doing a good job. When I start jerking him off and licking his balls, I know I've pushed him over the brink because he yanks my hair back, stopping me.

As I lick my lips, his dark eyes lure me in, and he flashes me the smallest smirk that I rarely see, but when his expression becomes serious again, he forces me to my feet by my hair.

When he releases my hair, he turns me around before tugging my torn dress down my arms, leaving me completely naked. He clutches the nape of my neck and bends me over the couch, pressing my face into the soft cushions.

I raise my knees on it as he maintains a strong grasp before pushing my thighs apart with his knees.

“Stay the fuck there, and don't move.”

When he walks away from me, my ass and pussy are on full display in the air, but I still stay as he instructed me to. I hear him rummaging through a kitchen drawer, and when he clearly finds what he's looking for, he returns.

He snatches both of my wrists and starts wrapping something plastic around them, but as soon as I hear a zip and they tighten brutally, I realize he has bound me with a zip tie.

“Is that really necessary?”

He immediately spanks the side of my ass without warning, and my toes crunch as a squeal escapes me.

“Next time you ask such stupid fucking shit, it'll be my belt across your ass.”

I decide to stop giving him any more attitude while biting down on my tongue and the large area on my cheek begins to throb. He lets out a deep growl as he squeezes my ass with his palms, and then I feel his pierced tip rub up and down my pussy and ass, as if he's debating which hole to fuck first, and at this point, I couldn't care less because as long as his big dick is somewhere in me, pleasuring me, I'm satisfied.

When he suddenly slips his cock into my pussy, I let out a small scream, but he reaches down and places his hand firmly on the nape of my neck, his teeth clenched.

“I didn't say anything about screaming for me yet, slut. Shut the fuck up.”

He yanks my hair back before pressing my face down into the couch, making it impossible for me to scream anymore. While keeping his palm on the back of my head, he wraps his fingers around the cable tie with his other hand, pulling tightly on it toward him to outstretch my arms.

He begins thrusting his cock into me slowly, but pressing deep with each strike. As I feel the piercing of his cock rubbing against the walls of my wet pussy, I moan into the couch.

When he cranks up the pace, he slams into me with such power that I fear my spine will snap.

As he removes his hand from the back of my head, I turn my face to the side to take a gasp of breath.

He bends over my body, placing his hands on the couch above me, forcing my back to curve even more brutally and I can't help but cry out when he penetrates at a much deeper angle.

"Oh, fuck!”

He growls above me, breathless.

"Yeah, oh, fuck."

He slams his cock into me violently, but I relish the pain and pleasure he torments me with until I'm on the edge of exploding, until he abruptly pulls out when I least expect it. My dripping pussy throbs for release as he throws his arm around my middle and forces me up to my feet. I wobble as I steady myself as I stand upright, my legs feeling like jelly from the animalistic impact he just brutalized me with.

He calmly moves around my shaking body until he is standing in front of me, then takes a slow seat on the couch, resting his arms across his back, completely relaxed and looking fine as fuck.

I attempt to catch my breath as his malicious eyes wander over my naked, sweating body while he sweeps his tongue piercing across his bottom lip.

When he is finished, his devious eyes flash to mine before he barks out an order.

"Ride my fucking cock."

He reaches down and holds the base of his dick, making it stand up right so I can swallow it whole. I take a step forward between his legs, climbing myself over his thighs before gently lowering myself onto him, a dragging gasp escaping me as I slide down his entire length and take all of him inside of me.

As soon as my pussy is on his hand, he returns his arm to the back of the couch and appears chilled. His wicked eyes don't leave me when I start bouncing. They are black, fixed, and focused as I do all of the work.

"Harder, slut."

I slam myself down onto him, striking my cervix and I fling my head back while relishing the feeling of fucking him. My legs get fatigued from the lack of support since both of my wrists are still bound behind my back, but I won’t let either of us down.

I feel him grasp my bouncing titties in his hands before slapping each of them, causing sharp pain to shoot through both.

"The best tits I've ever fucking seen."

My climax is approaching at an alarming rate, and when it finally ripples through me, I let out an intense scream. As the ecstasy ignites every part of my body, he suddenly shifts me to lie back on the couch, slips his dick back into me, and forces my thighs up on my chest by placing his big hands behind my knees.

He holds me down with all his body weight above me, suffocating my lungs as he rams himself into me so aggressively that I can feel all of my blood rushing to my head from the pain and pleasure I'm experiencing.

When I finally feel him explode deep within my pussy, he starts to lessen his overbearing pace before releasing my heavy legs and collapsing on top of me. He takes a breather, resting his forehead between my breasts, and in my daze, I start to wonder how the fuck my pussy took such a battering and enjoyed it.

After gathering himself, he climbs off me, our sweaty skin peeling away from each other and I watch as he walks towards the foyer. As soon as I see him return with his knife, I realize I no longer feel the fear I once felt and I willingly turn onto my side so he can cut through the cable tie around my wrists.

As soon as he is finished, I softly rub my wrists before standing in front of him, our eyes locked. I take a glance at his lips as I pass him to retrieve all of my destroyed clothing that is scattered across the floor, feeling his eyes all over my nude body.

I tiptoe up the stairs, holding my clothes to my chest and head for my bedroom, without glancing back to check whether he is following me or not.

When I place my hand on the handle of my door to enter, I feel his strong arm snake around my middle from behind before he draws me in close to his warm body.

He kisses the side of my neck gently, forcing my eyelids to flutter shut and tingles to burst through me as I enjoy feeling his gentler side before he whispers in my ear.

"You stay with me now."

He wraps both of his arms around me and lifts me off the ground before carrying me up the long, dark corridor towards his bedroom.

It’s Friday, and I'm in the kitchen with Cree, packing his bag and making sure everything is ready for his weekend visit to his grandparents.

"So, I've packed all of your favorite trains; do you need anything else?"

"No, thank you!"

Arlo strides in, dressed in one of his tight black suits, and I can't help but feel a flutter between my thighs. As I tear my eyes away from him, I continue to pack Cree's bag, shaking my head in an attempt to break myself out of my trance and rid myself of my dirty thoughts.

When he approaches us, I observe him picking up Cree and launching him up into the air before catching him, making him release an infectious laugh.

"Are you going to work, Daddy?"

Before Arlo speaks, he lets out a defeated sigh.

"I am and I won't see you until Sunday because I'll be working until later tonight."

He casts a glance my way, and my eyes dart to the bag in front of me, as if I hadn't been gawking at them both.

I throw a sidelong glance as I see him assist Cree to his feet and kiss him on the forehead.

"Be good for Grandma."

"I will. I love you."

"I love you too."

When Arlo looks back at me, our eyes connect this time, and he winks before turning away towards the front door. I smile softly to myself as I think about how I've stayed with him every single night since I've been here and how we sometimes fuck for hours.

We can't get enough of each other, but I wonder how long this will continue. What are we? Just fuck-buddies? I mean, that's a thing, right? I also sometimes think that maybe I should remove myself from the situation. I like Arlo; the man can fuck hard, but I still don't know a thing about him since he is so closed off.

I feel trapped in his grasp and unable to escape, even if I wanted to. My world has become as gloomy as this mansion and his presence. When I'm around him, I feel like I have a drug addiction, and you know what they say about drug addictions: they're destructive.

No kind of addiction is good for you, and nothing healthy ever comes from it. This was supposed to be a job, a simple job that I enjoy, but I've ended up not only fucking my boss every night, but I've also fallen into some deranged fantasy with him. I know I should have thought this through, but there's something about Arlo that I am unable to stay away from.

Cree speaks out, jolting me out of my daydream.

"Wren?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"When will Grandma be here?"

Before responding, I quickly checked the time on my phone.

"We need to get your jacket and shoes on right away!"

I give him a big smile as I lift him up and take him over to the couch, where I put his shoes and jacket on.

The doorbell rings just as I finish.

"That must be Grandma now!"

He leaps from the couch, giddy with enthusiasm, and I trail behind him towards the door.

I smile as I open it for Arlo's mom and I rush back to the kitchen as I speak.

"Let me just grab his bag for you!"

Her and Cree follow, and when I take his bag from the counter, I turn to face them, passing the bag to her while she scans me suspiciously.

"Has he gotten all of his trains?"

"Of course. He will not leave without them. They're all in his bag."

She offers me a half-smile, which creates an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I quickly stoop down in front of Cree to avoid eye contact.

"Remember what Daddy said? Be good for Grandma, and we'll see you on Sunday, okay?"

He lunges forward, tightly wraps his arms around my neck and we embrace.

"I'll be missing you."

He answers with his face buried in the crook of my neck.

"I'll miss you, too."

As I stand, I notice Carmella observing us, and I force my gaze away from her to smile down at Cree.

"Go on, have some fun!"

He giggles as he skips merrily in the direction of the front door, and just as I'm ready to follow behind him, Carmella snatches my wrist, forcing me to come to a sudden halt.

I turn to face her, still staring down at her firm grip on my wrist, before shifting my eyes to hers.

"A word of advice, girl: fucking the men in this family will only cause you hurt, trauma, and misery."

She releases my wrist as she passes by me and I just stare at her with wide eyes, but she continues.

"Take it from someone who knows: once you're in, there's no getting out."

I stand there rooted on the spot, side-eyeing her as she walks away, and my body jumps when I hear the door slam shut behind her. What the fuck was that all about? What exactly did she mean? And did Sara really tell her mom that I was sleeping with her son?

I take a deep breath and compose myself, realizing that I have the day to myself and that I need to attempt to push all the shit that has been happening recently to the side. Arlo has a huge bathtub with my name written all over it and I believe it’s time to pamper and unwind a little; it's probably what I need.

I cruise my Lamborghini to meet my dad and some of our soldiers at one of our spots. They have someone that I've been trying to get my hands on for quite some time. When I pull up outside of a rundown abandoned warehouse, I shut the engine and step out when the doors rise before they seal shut again.

I retrieve my cigarette box from my inside pocket and place it on my lips before biting on one and drawing it out with my teeth. I light it up with my silver zippo as I take a glance around the desolate area and then take a big drag, filling my lungs with the toxic fumes. I hold it in before I suddenly hear my dad's deep voice behind me.

"Son."

My jaw tightens with displeasure as I release the smoke through my nose and then reluctantly turn around to face him. I take another lengthy suck on my cigarette and blow the smoke in his face purposefully while observing him before flicking it to the floor.

"Where the fuck is he?"

He turns his head and indicates a door to a building on my right, and as I take a step in the direction he gestured to, he places his hand on my shoulder, stopping me. I stare down at his old hand on my pristine suit, and he speaks when my eyes dart to his.

"There's a couple of big dogs in there from LA; show them what you can do, Arlo."

He flashes me a chilling grin, one I probably inherited from the smug bastard, but my face remains stone-fucking cold as always. I push past his hand and stroll to where I need to go, with him following behind me.

When I enter the small room, there are already around six men standing in the corners, one of whom is Cash. The person in question is gagged and bound to a chair in the middle of the room. He already appears to be on the verge of passing out from being beaten, as he groans with his head flopping around.

I take another glance around at all the men; some I recognize, some I don't, but who the fuck cares? I'm here to do my job, and I'm going to enjoy doing this one. Taking a step further into the room, I notice a tray of knives and torture devices next to my victim's chair, as well as a baseball bat, all waiting and calling for me.

As I kneel down in front of him, I pull my pants up and follow his swaying head movements, waiting for him to realize it's me who will be dealing with him today. When he finally does, his eyes widen, and his bloodied face becomes terrified.

"Yeah, mother-fucker, that's right, it's me."

He shakes his head frantically when I say the chilling words, and I nod gently.

"You know what's happening today, don't you, Cole?"

He desperately attempts to plead through the gag in his mouth, saying anything he can to avoid what I'm about to do to him. Everyone in my city knows who the fuck I am and what I am capable of and to be honest, if I were facing me, I’d be shit scared too.

"Shhhh... Not today, Cole. You don't get to bullshit me twice."

As I rise upright, I slide my suit jacket down my arms and hand it to Cash, who takes it and hangs it delicately over his forearm. While I stroll back and forth, taunting him, I take off my tie and roll up my shirt sleeves.

Once done, I come to a stop in front of the tray of knives and scan them all with my eyes until I find one that will do the job. They’re not my beautiful knives, but they’ll do.

I lift it up and trace my finger over the sharp blade, admiringly, causing my skin to be sliced open and my cold eyes to lock on to his.

I crouch down in front of him once more, his terrified stare focused on me and the knife in my hand.

"What made you do it, Cole? Why did you feel the need to rape her? I told you to leave her the fuck alone."

As he shakes his head, he looks panicked, and I continue by pointing the knife at him.

"You're about to find out exactly what I do to rapists in my city."

Without thinking, I plunge the blade deep into his thigh until I feel it strike the bone. I watch as he screams out in agony while tossing his head back, and as I twist it within him, his body shakes, but I proceed calmly.

When I finally release the handle, I leave it in his thigh before I stand and then move back towards the tray.

"You fucked up big time, Cole!"

I discreetly take the baseball bat with both hands and swiftly raise it above my head before driving it down with everything I've got until it connects with the knife still buried in his thigh. As soon as I hear the bone splitting, I lift the bat at an angle and swing it as hard as I can into his  knee.

The screams that escape him are bloodcurdling, but I've done this so many times before, or worse, for so many different reasons that the sound of suffering is absolutely meaningless to me now. This is who I am, and this is how I was raised.

I toss the bat to the ground before removing the knife from his leg without warning, prompting another terrifying cry from him.

I slowly move behind him, knife in hand and I pull back on his sweaty, bloodied hair before glancing around the room, making eye contact with every single 'big dog' in here while pointing the knife in their direction.

"Gentleman, you're about to find out exactly why they call me “The Skinner.”

I flash a nasty grin as I speak, looking down at Cole's upside-down face below me.

"Don't worry, Cole, I'll make sure your mom gets your face."

I clutch his hair tightly so he can't move, while I press the blade into his face and carefully carve beneath the flesh to peel his face away.

I'm lying back on my bed, listening to music, when I glance at the time on my phone. It's nearly half past seven, and just as I'm about to place it down beside me, I receive a text from Arlo. My eyes skim over the words as I sit up. I'm confused when I see it's simply an address; what exactly is The Rogue Rooms?

After a little pondering, I decided to respond.

"What's this?"

I get a text back almost instantly.

"It's my club's address. A car will be with you within the hour to collect you."

As I react, I scrunch up my nose.

"Do I get to have a say in this?"

He responds with a single word.

"No."

I sigh and toss my phone on my bed. So much for my calm, quiet night, and since when has Arlo owned a club? What kind of club is it? Oh, god, don't tell me he owns a sex club!

I'm curious as to why he suddenly thought of me going there, but I guess this could be a good opportunity to have a night out and also to see what lies beyond this house in Arlo’s world. I mean, that’s what I wanted, right?

As nervousness and excitement circulate through me, I scoot my ass over the bed and head for my wardrobe. I go through all of my beautiful, luxurious dresses until I find one that will undoubtedly make his dick leak.

I undress and get into some white lace lingerie before slipping a long, silky white dress up my bronzed body.

I unwind in the VIP area of my club with my men and dad. They laugh, joke and drink around me as I stare down at my phone, keeping a close eye on the time.

I tell myself that I don't really want her here, that I just felt bad that she was all alone in that big, dark house by herself, but that's not the case. I want her here, and I want to see her. If I had a choice, I'd have gone home by now, but my dad and men expect a party every Friday in honor of our violent and criminal wins of the week.

I lift my bourbon to my lips while resting my phone on my thigh with the other before taking a big swig. Cash falls down beside me, full of enthusiasm that I fucking hate.

He holds up an unlit cigar in front of me, and I elevate my chin, signaling for him to put it in my mouth. When he does, I bite on it before he strikes a match and lights up the end for me.

"You seem tense, brother. What's up?"

I remain silent, completely ignoring him and continue to stare down at my phone.

"Are you expecting someone or something?"

I don’t respond as I puff on the cigar, creating a massive smoke cloud to rise above me. When he seems to have left me alone and took the hint, I raise my eyes to the balcony that overlooks my club’s entrance. After a few minutes, I see Savannah and Izzy stroll in, causing my jaw to tense with annoyance.

I slip my phone into my suit pocket and remove the cigar from my lips so that I can speak to Cash sternly, not taking my eyes off them.

"What the fuck is she doing here?"

He glances over to where I'm looking, and when he notices who I’m speaking about, he sinks back further into the plush, velvety red seat with a sigh.

"I invited her."

My focus swiftly turns to him and I narrow my eyes.

"And why the fuck would you do something so stupid like that?"

My eyes return in her direction and I watch her every move as she walks towards the bar wearing a tiny red dress with Izzy beside her.

"She won't leave me alone about you, Arlo. Just fuck her already; she's a fucking pest."

I grit my teeth as I respond, expressing my fury.

"No."

"Why the hell not? She's apparently good-looking, and she fits perfectly into our world."

"She's not my fucking type, or I would have fucked her already."

"Blonde, long legs, and perky tits ain't your type any more, no?"

In an instant, my cold eyes flash to his, giving him a death stare, and he raises his hands in surrender before turning away, knowing not to push me any further.

It's obvious that's not my type any more. Wren is short, brunette, curvy, and has big fucking tits. She's nothing like my typical type, yet I can't stop my dick from wanting to drill her pussy 24/7.

I refocus my attention on the entrance and stare, carefully studying every individual as they arrive, until I finally notice her, at which point what remains of my shattered heartbeat stops entirely.

As I take in what she's wearing, my wicked eyes wander over her beautiful body. She's dressed in a long, white silk dress with a large slit that extends all the way up to the top of her thigh, revealing her smoothed, tanned leg and the luxurious material hugs every single one of her luscious curves perfectly.

My entire attention is drawn to her as she glances around with a bright smile on her stunning face, instantly luring me in and obscuring everything else in the club around me. Her enchanting gaze exposes the core of pure beauty. It makes you want to explore the depths of her captivating eyes and embrace the allure that lies within.

Wren is kind, nurturing, and understanding, and the light in her heart could blind even the dimmest of souls, but not mine, unfortunately. Mine is so opaque that it is impenetrable to luminosity.

While I observe her from a distance, my dick twitches against my pants. The images of her riding my cock backward last night flood wildly through my memory, as does how I slid my finger deep into her ass to make her scream louder for me.

I attempt to pull my gaze away from her to look around and stop myself from getting hard, but I realize that every single man is mesmerized by her as well, which sparks some unwanted possessiveness in me.

I suppress it as soon as she starts moving and my eyes follow her every step as she walks effortlessly towards the bar, clearly seeing Savannah and Izzy.

Cash leans in and nudges my shoulder with his, pulling me out of my reverie.

"What the fuck is she doing here?"

My teeth grind down and when I don’t speak, he continues.

"You invited the fucking nanny?"

I cast a glare at him while biting on my words.

"Shut the fuck up, Cash."

When I enter the booming, brightly lit club, I glance around with a beaming smile on my face. It's incredible, has a terrific atmosphere and isn't overly crowded, at least not yet.

I've looked everywhere for Arlo, but I am unable to locate him until my focus is drawn to the bar area, where I notice Savannah and Izzy. As I move towards them, I feel male attention all over me, but I continue confidently.

When I tap their shoulders from behind, they turn around and Savannah's expression changes from a smile to a scowl in a split second.

She then replaces it with a fake smile as she speaks.

"Wren!"

She pulls me into an awkward hug, lightly patting my back with her palm and Izzy gives me an authentic, soft smile.

"Would you like a cocktail, Wren?"

"Yes, please!"

I stand back as she places our orders when a text suddenly appears on my phone in my hand, vibrating against my skin and I take a look to see it's from Arlo.

"Did you have to dress that fucking sexy, or are you purposefully trying to get men murdered tonight?"

As I respond, I smile and bite my bottom lip.

"Where are you?"

He replies instantly.

"Look up."

I whirl around, lifting my eyes, until I notice a small, red VIP section in the far corner with some stairs that lead up to it that I hadn’t noticed before. When I spot him, slouched back in the seat, legs spread wide, staring at me, I smile while giving a little wave with my hand before Izzy suddenly speaks behind me.

"Here's your drink, Wren. I ordered you a French martini, just like me!"

I turn around to face her, a smile still on my face and take the drink she is offering.

"Thank you, Izzy. The next one is on me."

Savannah unexpectedly spins around and scans me from head to toe with her evil eyes.

"I guess Arlo is here tonight."

She's acting as if she doesn't know. Of course, she knows that he is here; I have a feeling Savannah follows him around like a little lost puppy.

"I'm assuming so, since he was the one who invited me."

I sip my martini carefully, noticing the jealousy flash across her face, but she attempts to wipe it away while straightening her shoulders.

"Well, he's coming home with me tonight. I'm fucking his dick once and for all because I've had enough of his bullshit."

I raise an eyebrow in defiance, maintain full eye contact with her, and lift my chin while responding calmly.

"Is that what you think?"

Her eyes are suddenly piercing into mine, fire circling her blue pupils. She knows I'm fucking Arlo for sure, and there's nothing this desperate bitch can do about it. I might have to show her tonight who Arlo wants just to get her to leave him alone.

She leans in closer to my face, speaking with a hiss on her tongue.

"It's not what I think, babes; it's what I know for a fact."

Izzy places her hand on Savannah's shoulder and pushes her back while we exchange heated stares, the tension is clearly rising. Savannah suddenly glances over my shoulder, a wide smile now on her face, and she talks with fake enthusiasm.

"Arlo!”

When I feel him place his warm palm on the small of my back, I smile and look down at the drink in my hands. She lunges over me, nudging me out of the way, and I side-eye her as she gives him an unwanted kiss on his cheek.

When she withdraws, he leans in and speaks into my ear.

"Come with me."

He sounds and smells so fucking sexy that I wish I could pounce on him right now and have my way with him, but I simply follow his lead.

Keeping his hand on my lower back the entire time he guides me away from the girls, and I can feel Savannah's envious stare searing into us from behind.

All eyes are on us as we move across the dance floor, people moving out of our way without hesitation and when I reach the bottom of the stairs, he motions with his hand that I take them first.

I gather my long dress into my hand as I climb them and when I reach the top, I notice a small group of men all staring at me with unsettling expressions.

Cash catches my attention as he walks toward me with a big grin on his face.

"Wren, sweetheart!"

He closes the distance between us and gives me an embrace that I don't want, but I hug him back regardless before he speaks.

"Come take a seat."

I stroll over to the red lounge chairs and make a slight nod to the men who are slouched back, sipping whisky from crystal glasses, and puffing on cigars, but none return the gesture.

My attention is drawn to an older man who stares at me so intently that I imagine it's Arlo looking at me the way he does at times, which sends a shudder crawling up my spine.

Their demeanours are intimidating and suffocating, while they just burrow their dark stares into me and do nothing else. I take a cautious seat, and Arlo sits alongside me on one side while Cash sits on the other.

As Savannah and Izzy make it to the top stairs and enter, I sip my Martini, feeling slightly uneasy and Savannah naturally takes the seat next to Arlo, and Izzy sits beside Cash.

After a long stretch of silence, I start to sense I am unwanted here until I feel Arlo relax his arm back on the chair behind me and gently slide his thumb up and down my shoulder, attempting to put me at ease.

When a waitress in nothing but black lingerie appears with a large tray of shots and alcoholic beverages, Cash raises his voice.

"Now it's time to fucking party!"

After a few drinks, everyone begins to unwind, and conversations seem to flow more freely, but Arlo remains silent as he watches ahead and doesn’t engage at all.

I can feel the alcohol seeping through my veins at a rapid pace, making me feel all warm inside and I start to wonder whether I drank too much already due to nerves, but I don't care; I’m feeling much calmer.

I glance down at the dancefloor, which is now ram-packed with people dancing away to the loud music, and it makes me want to do the same.

Izzy must have heard my thoughts because she called over to me.

"Wren, let's go dance!"

I give her an upbeat smile as I sit forward.

"Sure!"

I reach over and set my empty glass on the table in front of us before taking a peek over to Savannah, who has been trying to talk with Arlo for the majority of the night, but of course, as usual, he has completely blanked her entire existence.

She is resting back in her seat, her cocktail on her lips, staring ahead, clearly furious since she isn't getting her way.

Before I stand, I slide my palm down Arlo's hard thigh and give it a squeeze. When Izzy and I descend the stairs, I glance back at him to see that his eyes are already following me as always, and I smile.

I observe her strolling towards the dancefloor with Izzy and immediately think that some foolish cunt is going to place his hands on what's mine and I'll have to peel the poor motherfucks skin away from his body.

When she starts dancing, I become heated and aroused almost instantly. Her small figure moves naturally to the music while her long, dark, straight hair swings across her lower back and hips as they sway seamlessly to the rhythm, igniting a ferocious firestorm within me.

She knows that I'm staring at her because she occasionally casts eye contact my way; she's performing for me and enjoys every second of what she fucking does to me.

After a few songs with my focus remaining fixed on her, I notice Savannah scoot closer to me, and I side-eye her. She lowers her head and whispers seductively close to my ear and the alcohol in her breath is potent.

"Why don't you follow me home tonight? It's about time I showed you what I'm able to do with that big cock of yours, Arlo."

I ignore her dirty talk and return my focus to Wren, who is now watching us carefully from a distance, analyzing what's happening.

When Savannah lays her palm on my thigh and starts moving it up, Wren stops dancing and we hold intense eye contact. I want her to feel the jealousy I've had at times tonight, and I can already see it written all over her pretty face.

As soon as Savannah’s hand reaches my crotch and she is ready to grip my balls, I swiftly snatch her wrist and hold it firmly. I hear her wince as I twist it, and I calmly pull my focus away from Wren and stare into Savannah's horrified eyes before speaking with gritted teeth.

"When will you take the fucking hint and stay the fuck away from me? Do I have to start breaking bones?"

She flashes me a sly grin with darkness in her eyes.

"Never, bab--"

I rotate her wrist sharply again, forcing her to whimper, and I yank her closer to my face.

"You'd never be able to handle me; you're a weak little cunt."

We exchange angry stares while I notice Wren heading up the stairs before I continue.

"You're about to finally get the fucking hint."

When I release her wrist with a push, she pouts and attempts to rub the pain away. I shift my eyes away from her, and they meet Wren, who is confidently striding towards me.

When she pauses between my wide legs, I peer up at her and I know exactly what she's going to do, and I'm not going to fucking stop her. She gathers her long dress at the front and lifts it, revealing her bronzed legs and some of her white lace panties. Maintaining intense eye contact, she mounts my lap frontally, settling on my now-hardening cock.

I instantly press my hands up her dress, grab her bare ass and flush her roughly closer to me, causing her to gasp and a smile to appear on her plump lips.

I can feel all eyes on us, but I couldn't give a fuck at this point. Nobody has seen me like this with a woman for a very long time, and I can sense the shock in the small area around us.

When Wren casts a glance in Savannah's direction and smiles, clearly intending to aggravate her, I can sense Savannah’s rage bubbling beside me, and I can tell she's ready to leap on Wren.

When Wren's glassy eyes finally meet mine, I shout sharply.

"Get the fuck out!"

Her body tightens before looking at me confused and at first she must have thought I was speaking to her because she begins to rise, but I dig my fingertips into her juicy ass to stop her.

When she notices everyone else leaving, I see her shoulders relax, and she returns her attention to me. She offers me a modest smile as I raise my hands up to her hips and squeeze her curves tightly, forcing her to gasp and bite her red bottom lip, arousal storming through her pretty eyes.

She places her small palms on the sides of my neck and dips her head to the side until her tongue is deep in my mouth. We kiss as though we've been starving for each other all night, and she grinds herself down on me, trying to get some friction on her needy little cunt.

I separate my thighs further, forcing hers to do the same, and dip my hand between us before tearing the damp fabric of her panties away from her pussy lips and setting them aside.

“My dirty fucking slut.”

I growl as I rub the tips of my fingers up and down her drenched slit, the pad of my thumb pressed on her clit, and she whispers breathlessly against my lips.

"Here?"

"Yes, fucking here."

I take my other hand out from beneath her dress and reach up behind her, grabbing a handful of her hair and yanking it back. As I hold onto it tightly, I shove my fingers within her, forcing her to let out an intense moan, but the loud music drowns out the sexy sound. 

I finger her delicious wet cunt deeply for some time, building her up while licking and biting the cleavage of her bulging breasts, and at this point, I don't give a fuck who can see me destroying her pussy from down below.

When I’m so turned on that I cannot stand it any longer, I slide my fingers out and lift her up around me, taking her to my office on the left of the VIP lounge.

He takes me into what I believe is his club office and slams the door shut with my body. He crushes his big frame against mine, dominating my mouth with his pierced tongue. He grinds into me, his solid cock sliding up and down my pussy with each stroke, teasing me with what's to come.

As he starts kissing and licking his way down my neck, shockwaves of desire sweep through me, and I let out a satisfied gasp and throw my head back against the door, my eyes closed. He wraps his fingers around the strings of my shoulder straps and tugs them down, revealing my thin, white lace strapless bra.

When he sneaks his tattooed fingers beneath the bust of my bra with both hands, he rips it down violently in a wrath of frustration, forcing my big breasts to bounce out at him. He immediately dips his head to greedily devour each of my nipples.

I feel and hear him loosen his belt and drag his zipper down between us and when he places his cock on my dripping entrance, he lifts his head to look into my eyes, bringing his face near mine.

"This is my fucking pussy now, do you understand?"

I take in his words with a glance at his lips, and when I peer into his eyes, I respond.

"Then your cock now belongs to me."

He raises an eyebrow in challenge before scanning my entire face, clearly taking in my words as well, until he presses his lips against mine and hisses fiercely.

"I belong to no one!"

"Then neither do I."

I can see in his eyes that he is becoming frustrated not only with me but also with himself.

"Don't fucking test me, slut."

It's probably the alcohol buzzing through my veins that gives me the confidence to hold firm on this and continue regardless of the repercussions.

"I want to hear you say it, Arlo."

As I continue, he just stares deep into my eyes.

"Tell me you won't fuck anyone else while you're fucking me."

His jaw muscle tenses as he slowly withdraws, but I can see the fury building in his gorgeous eyes. He grabs my throat harshly and pins me to the door, causing my head to bang against it, making me wince from the pain.

When he tilts my head to the side with his thumb on my jaw, he brings his mouth close to my ear and speaks with a deep, agitated voice.

"Listen here, slut. There's only one pussy on this planet that somehow makes me fucking starving and barbaric, and it's fucking yours."

As he continues, I grin and bite my bottom lip.

"If you're talking about that scrawny cunt out there, you're very mistaken."

When he is finished in my ear, he forces me to face him, but he continues against my lips while staring into my eyes.

"Now tell me what's fucking mine."

My eyes search his calmly for a beat before I respond by pushing my lips firmly on his and whispering.

"It's yours."

He growls aggressively and squeezes my neck tightly, his fingers imprinting on my flesh. He drives his tongue deep into my mouth, and as we start kissing frantically, he rams his cock into me without warning.

I groan as a result of the sudden stretch I’ve become used to, but he simply keeps his hands around my throat while licking my lips, banging his cock into me against the door.

"That's right, this pussy is mine, and I'm going to keep destroying you until you can't take any more of me, Wren."

He is claiming what's rightfully his, striking my cervix and drilling into me so hard that I begin to scream.

As my eyes roll from the pleasure and pain he is inflicting on me, I can hear how wet I am becoming, and the sounds of both our wet intimate parts colliding echo throughout the large office space around us. I'm dripping down his cock, balls, and all down my thighs. It's very obvious that I am extremely aroused by this man.

He bites my lower lip between our teeth before releasing it with a pull.

"I fucking can't get enough of you."

He suddenly lifts me further around him, and the next thing I know, I'm roughly being bent over his desk, his palm firmly on the nape of my neck.

“Fucking stay.”

When he lifts his hand off my neck, he crouches down behind me, and I feel his palms beneath my long dress and he moves them firmly up the back of my thighs, creating goosebumps on my skin. He eases the strings of my panties over the curvature of my ass and thighs, and when they reach my feet, he grips each of my ankles, assisting me in stepping out of them.

The bottom of my dress is then gathered into his hands and moved up to my waist. He grabs both of my ass cheeks before pulling one hand back and smacking it hard, causing me to hiss until I feel his warm tongue on the stinging area, soothing my skin.

He raises one of my thighs and rests it up on the desk before he dips his head and starts eating me out from underneath, causing me to moan loudly from the sudden intrusive sensation.

He moves slowly, as if savoring his favorite meal, and licks the whole of my pussy with his skilled tongue, his piercing adding extra pleasure as he explores every inch of my throbbing, wet core. He growls against me as he gently tugs on my pussy lips with his teeth before French kissing me entirely again.

I tuck my bottom lip between my teeth before speaking breathlessly.

"Fuck, Arlo, you're so fucking good at eating pussy."

I pant hard as he pleasures me in ways that no man has ever done before, and all I want to do at this point is ride his handsome face until I’m red-raw. I'm a quivering mess and on the edge of shattering when he finishes eating me out.

He stands up behind me, grabs a hold of my hair, and forces me to stand up onto my trembling legs. He holds me close to his body as he wraps his big palm over the front of my throat and whispers into my ear.

"Get your slutty self looking respectable, because I'm taking you home to be finished."

My brows furrow, and I speak out of breath.

"But I need to come right now, Arlo; I’m almost there; finish me!"

He remains silent for a moment before responding in an unbothered tone.

"No."

"Why? Please, just–"

I've never begged a man to put me out of my misery and make me come, but I will, Arlo.

A growl rumbles in his throat, close to my ear, giving me a warning tone.

"As much as I love to hear you fucking beg me to finish you, I'd also like to play with you tonight in the comfort of my own home. You can fucking wait like a good little bitch."

When he releases my throat, I roll my eyes as I hear him drag his zipper up and buckle his belt behind me, so I reluctantly adjust my dress.

"Where are my panties?"

As I turn to face him, he has them on his finger, exactly like the day I moved into his house. We exchange heated stares as he stands taller, showing authority before shoving it into his pants pocket and then making a head gesture towards the door.

"Walk the fuck out there without panties.."

I roll my eyes and purse my lips in frustration before approaching and opening the door.

We enter the empty VIP area before heading down the stairs. I'm feeling a little drunk and my pussy is throbbing for release, but I attempt to walk with confidence, regardless, on shaky legs.

I eagerly approach the exit when suddenly he snatches my wrist, bringing me to a stop and I turn to face him. His attention is fixed on the bar area, and when my eyes follow his, I notice all of his friends and the girls there, including Savannah, giving me the biggest glare.

He leans down and speaks close to my ear as I maintain eye contact with her, a sly smirk on my lips because I like to annoy her.

"Give me two minutes."

I pull my focus away from Savannah and glance at his lips before speaking innocently.

"Please hurry, daddy. I need my cunt ruined."

When my eyes flick back to his, they are full of darkness, as if he might take me back to the office and punish me for speaking so vulgarly. Savannah's envious eyes are burning holes into us from afar, but I simply bite my lip with a smile, fluttering my thick lashes at him.

As he tears his gaze away from mine, his sharp jaw muscles flex with annoyance, and I watch him go towards the bar.

He is chatting with Cash when Savannah says something behind him, causing him to turn around and talk aggressively to her. She glares up at him while she shouts, the loud music not allowing me to hear what she is saying, but she occasionally looks my way and points in my direction, which irritates me.

I decide to approach them all, and when I get close enough, I place my hand on Arlo's arm. 

"Let's go."

I get a glimpse of him looking down at my hand out of the corner of my eye, but I'm too caught up in having an intense stare-off with Savannah.

"Is there a problem, Savannah?"

"Yeah, there is a fucking problem!"

"Oh, Savannah! Grow up!" He's not interested in you, but I'll give him a good fuck on your behalf."

She suddenly tosses her red drink over the front of my dress, and I look down at it in disbelief.

I feel immense rage boiling inside of me, and just as I'm ready to pounce on the bitch, I feel Arlo's strong arm wrap around me, preventing me.

"Let fucking go of me!"

I struggle against him while maintaining an angry stare at her smug expression, and he dips his head to speak into my ear.

"Don't lower your pretty self to that cunt."

Suddenly, the older man with them shouted aggressively.

"Arlo, handle her!"

My angry eyes fly to him in an instant, and I give him a fierce flare while raising my voice to him.

"Handle fucking me? That skank just threw her drink on me!"

The old man now stares at me with intense rage in his eyes, but the alcohol booming through my veins gives me the confidence to not care about any of these terrifying people.

I notice Savannah moving forward from the corner of my eye, but Cash steps in front of her and shouts.

"Chill ladies! Fucking hell!"

Arlo tightens his grip on me and speaks into my ear through gritted teeth.

"Wren, shut the fuck up and leave it!"

I forcibly push his arm off of me in a fit of rage before spinning around and glaring up at him.

"Is that how it is?"

He stands a little taller, his eyes sweeping across my face, and I grit my teeth.

"Fuck you, Arlo."

I watch her stomp past me in her madness, and I feel annoyance run through me. When I turn around, I see Savannah with a smug look on her face. I step forward to scare the smarmy fucking look off her face but my dad steps in front of me and raises his voice.

"Don't!"

I clench my teeth, preparing to headbutt the cunt as we stand nose to nose

.

"You may be my fucking father, but remember who the fuck I am. Remember the monster you fucking created!"

As everyone stands back and watches, we both exchange rage-filled stares. They know not to get between us two beasts; this happens far too often since we're similar—far too similar—and we both crave dominance and power over one another.

He flashes his teeth angrily as he shouts.

"This is the last time I say this, son. I've given you plenty of time and now you have one month to get that little bitch out of your system."

My nostrils flare as he tries to tell me what to do, and I press my forehead aggressively against his as I yell with rage, spraying spit in his face.

"Fuck you, you fucking cunt!"

Cash realizes that the time has come to intervene because he knows me too well to know when I'm about to lose my fucking shit. When he places his hands on our shoulders and pushes us apart, I shrug his hand away and straighten my suit before pointing at my dad from a short distance with wide, angry eyes.

"Don't make me fucking kill you, you old fuck!"

He looks at me calmly but does not respond to my threat, so I take my eyes off him and turn to leave my club.

The night breeze strikes my face as soon as I storm outside of the crowded space, and I inhale deeply. I only have to wait two seconds before the valet arrives in my Lamborghini.

I raise my chin and look over to one of my security guards, who would have been watching me all night.

"Which way did she fucking go?"

He points to the left of me, and I glance in that direction before the valet guy tosses my keys to me, and when I catch them, I circle my car and get in.

As soon as the doors are lowered and sealed, I screech my tires before speeding down the street to find her. When I spot her strolling down the sidewalk, I sigh and slow down behind her. I observe as she walks with her hands covering her bare arms, still trying to walk confidently as she does.

As I lower my window, I duck my head, and when my car is beside her, she gives me the side eye.

"Get in the fucking car."

She raises her cute little nose in the air and starts walking a little faster, attempting to completely ignore me.

"I won't fucking ask you again, Wren!"

She now flips me off, so I growl with frustration before shutting off the engine, and when my doors lift, I step out.

I close the gap quickly behind her, and when she notices, she cranks up the pace in her heels, but I'm far too quick; even when walking quickly, my legs are much longer than her short ass.

When she's close enough, I wrap my arm around her waist and lift her off the floor, tossing her over my shoulder. Of course, she kicks out, but I ignore her bratty, drunken fucking attitude and take her to my car.

I basically throw her into her passenger seat, and she gives me a frown, panting heavily with fury as we lock eyes.

"Put on your fucking seat belt and behave yourself."

She folds her arms across her chest, indicating that she is not going to do as she's told, so I lean down and pull the seat belt, attempting to place it over her.

She starts to slap my hands away, so I quickly snatch her throat and restrict her to the seat, causing her to freeze, but she maintains her furious glare.

"Get your fucking shit together! You're acting like a drunk little cunt!"

She purses her lips in frustration and turns her face away, not saying anything, but she now lets me clip her seatbelt with my free hand. I release her throat and duck out of my car before turning around and climbing into the driver's seat beside her.

When the doors close, I start my car and speed away.

It's silent while we drive, but I can feel her wrath seeping out of her tiny body.

I rest back in my seat, one hand on the bottom of the steering wheel, lazily, and I stroke my chin with my free hand. I can't blame her for becoming frustrated with me. I should have had her fucking back in front of her, but she still has no idea who these people are or what they are capable of. The last thing I want is for her to be hurt or taken because of my fucked-up life.

She suddenly speaks in a calm, icy tone as she focuses on the road ahead.

"What's up with you and Savannah? Why won't she take no for an answer?"

I glance forward as I mull over her words before responding.

"Haven't you seen me make my feelings clear to the little cunt? I don't want her, and I don't want anything to do with her."

"So, how come she's always with your group then? I can see you're the boss, so why don't you have a say in her being there?"

My jaw tightens as I take in her words and think about how to tell her the half-truth.

"She's very close to my family and has been around us for many years."

She is silent for a while before babbling again, and at this point, I wish she'd just fucking stop. She must know by now that I'm not a talkative person, but clearly the alcohol is making her believe that I'll tolerate it.

"Who is that old man? He seems fucking crazy, and he is nowhere near your age group."

I cast a glance her way, and when she looks at me, I speak.

"That old man is my fucking dad."

Her eyes widen, and her pretty lips part in shock.

"That's your dad!?"

I return my focus to the road with a small nod.

"No wonder I get a strange vibe from him. He reminds me of you, but older."

I cringe internally at the thought of being anything like that old asshole, and hearing her say that hits me hard.

"Is that why you told me to shut the fuck up?"

"I told you to shut the fuck up because you have no idea what you're fucking with when it comes to my father."

As I continue, I give her a sidelong glance.

"I don't care what you say to Savannah, but when it comes to my father, you have to understand he is much fucking worse than me."

She sighs and rests back in her seat, her focus returning to the road ahead.

"And what's worse than you, Arlo? I know nothing about you and your sister told me you're a finance entrepreneur."

I clench my teeth and respond with a steely tone.

"I'm not a fucking entrepreneur in finance, happy?"

"So, what do you do for a living to have such a luxurious lifestyle at a young age?"

I remain silent as I think about all the horrific shit I've done to earn that luxurious lifestyle, and I know she'll flee if I tell her anything about what I do.

She sighs at my ignorance before moving her gaze to the window beside her.

"I can't believe Sara has lied to me yet again."

Confusion takes over, forcing me to speak sternly.

"What do you mean, again?"

I notice her body tense, but she remains mute, as if she is playing me at my own game.

"Hello? Are you going to fucking answer me? You've asked me numerous fucking questions!"

"Yet I never get a proper fucking answer. Arlo."

I feel annoyance flood through me as a result of her shitty fucking attitude, and I want to fuck it hard out of her. Knowing she's wearing no panties beneath that pretty dress and that she hasn't come yet doesn't help. Her pussy is most likely still screaming for its fucking release.

I drive through my front iron gates, and when I pull up outside, I turn off the engine and as soon as the doors lift, she unplugs her seat belt and gets out ahead of me. I remain in my seat while observing her striding towards the front door, her peachy ass jiggling visibly in her long dress.

Because of the effect she always has on my cock, I grumble in my throat before stepping out of the car myself. Even when I try to convince myself that I don't want to fuck her, I know that I will fuck that attitude right out of her as soon as we enter that house, whether she wants it or not.

I approach her from behind, her back to me, clearly waiting for me to open the door with my key. When I’m close, I lean around her petite body, her ass resting on my crotch, and insert my key into the door before turning it.

As I press the handle down and the door opens wide, I turn my head to look at her side profile, and I see her take a hard swallow, hesitating to enter because she knows I'm about to completely destroy her.

One thing I've noticed about Wren in the little time I've known her is how quickly she picks up on my demeanor. She knows what I'm going to do next without actually knowing what I'm going to do next.

I lean in close to her ear and speak coldly.

"Get the fuck inside."

She draws a deep breath and straightens her shoulders before finally taking a step forward. I watch her kick off her heels beside the door before she heads up the stairs. I smirk as I kick the door shut behind me, keeping my eyes fixed on her as she continues to climb them quickly.

She forgets I'm a very wicked and sadistic person, and the more she tries to fight, run, or irritate me, the more I'll do whatever the fuck I want to her, and it makes me so fucking horny.

I follow some distance behind her, and when I notice she's walking even quicker, I know she's going to play fucking games with me.

I come to a halt at the top of the stairs, and she glances back at me from outside of her bedroom door, her hand on the handle. We stare at each other, and I give her an intense look to tell her not to bother going inside her fucking bedroom.

When she smirks and slowly presses the door handle down, clearly testing me, I take a slow step forward, ready to pounce, and I see the second thought flash through her big brown eyes.

As soon as she suddenly dashes into her bedroom and slams the door shut behind her, I smile like a cheshire cat before cracking my neck. I move my head from side to side and then advance quickly to her door.

When I surge through the door, she is already standing back, her chest heaving with panic, before glaring and pointing at me while shouting.

OceanofPDF.com

"You can't always have me whenever you fucking want!"

My crazed eyes pierce into hers, full of darkness, and I pull my suit jacket down my arms before calmly discarding it to the side of the room before continuing with my tie. I unbutton my shirt as we maintain consistent eye contact, and as I tug it down my body, her eyes flicker around frantically, clearly thinking about how she will escape me.

Her fearful eyes meet mine quickly as I begin to unbuckle my belt and when I take a slow stride forward, she takes a cautious step backward, like a caged animal.

"You know what the fuck this is between us. I claimed you."

"Fuck your claim, Arlo!"

As she tries to rush past me, I reach out swiftly and catch her fragile throat to stop her. I hold it tightly, and she begins to claw at my hand, straining for breath. I yank her towards me effortlessly and as soon as her small frame collides with mine, I ease my grip, and she inhales a deep breath, her shocked eyes staring up at me.

"Listen, that fucking claim means something to me; do you understand?"

I rest my hands on the front and back of her neck as I scan her beautiful face with my eyes. When I tilt my head down and press my lips to hers, she ceases all breathing.

"I don't claim just anyone."

She frowns at me and responds sternly.

"Do you think that's supposed to make me feel special? You'll have to do better than that, Arlo."

"I don't do fucking special; you know exactly what the fuck I am;  I've always made it perfectly clear."

She then says something that completely catches me off guard.

"But, has it always been that way?"

As her words resound through me, I stare deep into her big, brown eyes, my jaw clenching, and my hands tightening even more around her throat.

Everything goes blank visually as my life with Bridget flashes across my dark imagination. Times I don't want to think about. Times I try not to think about it on a daily basis, and I wish she'd never asked me such a stupid fucking question.

I gently closed my eyes in an attempt to shake the snapshots in my mind, and I must have loosened my grip on her because I suddenly felt the sensation of her warm, plump lips on mine. My harrowing, dark thoughts are instantly cleared by our powerful connection, and I kiss her back forcefully, thrusting my tongue deep into her mouth.

I devour her mouth, leading her to moan into my throat, and I glide my hands down over her breasts until they are on her stomach. I gather her long dress in my hands before pulling it up over her body. I toss it to the side and grasp her face with wicked intent in my eyes before returning my mouth to hers.

I taste every inch of her with my tongue, biting her lips, feeling like I could shatter her little body into a million pieces.

As I lead her backward towards the bed, my hands find her ass and give it a painful squeeze. When the back of  her legs hits it, I break away and push her face until she falls back onto it with a bounce. She climbs back up the bed, her desire-filled eyes lock on mine, and I prowl forward across it, like a hungry fucking wolf seeking its prey.

When I'm close enough, I reach over and catch  her ankles before rapidly dragging her down toward me. I hover over her body, re-grab her face, and force my tongue back into her mouth. She bucks her hips, pressing her desperate pussy against my stiff cock, needing some friction and clearly desiring to be fucking ruined by me.

I reach down between us and release my cock before sliding myself inside her cozy and hungry pussy with one slippery stroke. She sighs with satisfaction against my lips, yet her lustful stare is fixed on mine.

I observe her facial expressions as I fuck her more slowly than usual, breaking her in inch by inch and as I speak quietly, I rest my brow against hers.

"You're just as fucked and deranged as me in all of this shit, Wren."

I reach behind her head and pull back on her hair, revealing her delicate neck to me. I slide my tongue all the way up her throat to her ear, and as I start to press myself deeper inside her, my teeth clench.

"We're clearly both fucking addicted to whatever the fuck this is between us."

Her nails dig into my inked back as I continue to brutally drill into her, becoming rougher with each powerful blow and she moans so loudly that I could easily come just from the sexy sounds she makes.

As I hover above her, I move both of my arms behind her knees and hoist them high and wide before placing my palms on the bed beside her. I slam my cock into her so hard that her juicy pussy clamps down tightly around my cock, her body tensing from the pounding I'm giving her, and I fucking love how it feels.

It doesn't take long for her to come first, and she's screaming my name, but I continue my onslaught by ramming myself deep into her during the pinnacle of her climax.

I pull out of her, flip her onto her front, and violently lift her hips to elevate only her ass before pushing her knees apart with mine and then slamming myself back into her moist pussy.

She screams from the intrusion, but I reach down, grab her hair, and pull back on it, smacking her ass so hard that I leave decorations of my handprints all over her bronzed skin.

"Do you like getting fucked rough, slut?"

When she responds, it’s a scream of pure delight and agony, which both please me.

"I do!"

She doesn't have to tell me; I can feel it. Her come is running down my balls, and it's also on both of our fucking thighs. When I finally feel my hot come shoot out deep inside her tight pussy, I close my eyes from the sensation.

I release a small growl as my thrusts fade and gaze down to observe my cock twitching inside her while I continue to slide in and out of her. I greedily watch her juicy, pink pussy lips repeatedly swallow the entire length of me.

When I'm through, I release her hair and collapse onto the bed alongside her before gazing up at the ceiling, my hands resting behind my head, attempting to catch my breath.

As I stare forward into nothingness for a while, I am quickly drawn back into the usual, dark and depressing place in my mind that has become my sanctuary and home. Wren’s unexpected movements beside me pull me out of my mental space, and I side-eye her as she shuffles closer.

I watch her carefully as she lowers her big tits on my chest and then tucks her head beneath my chin before yawning and snuggling against me. I remain motionless as her strawberry-scented hair engulfs my nostrils, not knowing how to react.

I don't know how to feel about her showing me affection like this. I should just throw her off of me, leave the room, and teach her a fucking lesson never to do it again, but I don't; like a weak  fool, I allow it to happen.

I squint through heavy, dry eyes to see sunrise colors peeking through the cracks in the dark curtains. When I open my eyes fully, I take in my surroundings until I notice Arlo's tattooed abs in front of me; his belt and zip are undone, revealing his black Calvin’s, and it takes me a few seconds to gather my bearings.

My head throbs, a hangover is developing, and when I realize I am lying on Arlo’s chest, my eyes expand. My face peels away from his skin as I slowly elevate my head and because of the ache, I groan while turning my stiff neck with my eyes closed.

As soon as I reopen them, I find myself extremely close to Arlo's face, which takes me aback. He just stares at me with a cold expression, his dark-brown eyes circling my face. The panic starts to creep in as I realize I've clearly drunkenly and boldly cuddled against him all night.

I quickly sit back on my knees and talk nervously, breaking eye contact.

"Shit, I'm sorry; I didn't realize I had slept on you."

When I hesitantly lift my eyes to him, he is still looking at me, but he is silent, as if deep in thought. His enigmatic eyes are heavy and restless, as if he hasn't slept at all, and a shade of darkness lurks beneath them.

His gaze sweeps down my naked body before he sighs and glances away. My stomach drops,  immediately thinking I've done something wrong, so I gently turn around, scoot my ass across the bed, and head for my bathroom.

I clamp my eyes tight while resting back against the door, trying to remember what happened last night. Oh god, I must have been more intoxicated than I initially thought because I can only remember some things, but I hope I didn't embarrass myself or Arlo too much.

I empty my bladder before facing myself in the large mirror, noticing that my make-up has smudged all over my face and I look like death. I blow out a defeated sigh before grabbing a makeup wipe and cleaning it all away. As soon as I'm done, I wrap a towel around myself and head back to my bedroom.

When I walk in, I notice Arlo is no longer here, so I take a seat on the edge of my bed, reach for my phone, which is on the nightstand and see a message from Lily.

"Are you free today?”

I decided to reply quickly.

"I could be; what's up?"

I get a response instantly.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to meet for lunch today. I could invite Jasper as well.”

As I respond, my brows furrow in confusion.

"Jasper?"

"Remember? The guy I'm seeing?"

My brows arch as soon as I realize who she is referring to.

"Oh, right, yeah, sorry! Give me an hour and I'll let you know, okay?"

I drop my phone onto the bed before I stand up, still feeling a slight pain in my head.

I leave my room and stride up the long corridor, heading for Arlo's bedroom to see what he is doing today.

When I step inside, I can see he isn't in here, but I can hear his shower water running, so I enter fully and continue to his en suite.

Walking through the huge space, steam hits my face, and the sound of water crashing to the floor echoes in my ears.

I take a slow step forward, but when I see him in the shower, beyond the mist, I pause and observe him. He has his palms on the tiles and is slightly leaning over, with his head dipped low, allowing the hot water to fall on his fully inked body.

I feel an uneasy sensation in my stomach watching him, as if I can feel the heaviness of his heart and pain. His emotional distress and suffering lure something deep within me toward him, and I begin to shuffle forward.

After clearing some of the distance, I allow my towel to fall from my body, and when I am directly behind him, I hesitantly reach out and carefully lay my palms on his scorching, wet back.

I immediately feel him tense up beneath my touch and I momentarily consider backing away, but I decide against it. I slowly raise them to his shoulders, give them a small squeeze and rub, and then firmly lower them again. I wrap my arms around his waist before dragging my palms over his tight abs and chest while kissing his tattooed skin.

He takes a deep breath before snatching one of my wrists and pulling me around so that I am in front of him. He keeps one of his palms on the tiles while pressing on my chest with the other, forcing me back against the cold wall. He returns his hand beside me, caging me in and we lock gazes until he rests his brow on mine and closes his tired eyes.

After a short moment of silence, I mustered the courage to speak in hushed tones.

"What's wrong, Arlo?"

He remains mute, so I reach up and lay both of my palms on his face, feeling his jaw stiffen beneath them. When he doesn’t react, I slide one hand down the front of his wet body, and his dark eyes snap open when I wrap my palm around his big cock.

He stares at me expressionlessly as I stroke him and bite my lower lip.

"Let me make you feel good for a little while, baby."

When he is hard for me, I lower myself to my knees in front of him and glance up to see that he is staying in the same position as he was before. I bring the tip to my lips before sucking down the entire length of him, inch by inch, until his piercing reaches the back of my throat, and I hear him inhale deeply.

As I begin to deepthroat him, I feel his fingers slide into the back of my hair, softly taking a handful, and I lay my palms on his thighs, but he isn't forceful this time; he simply keeps his hand there while allowing me to pleasure him at my pace.

I can hear him growl above me the more I increase the pace and gag a few times, hoping to make him come without him skull-fucking me for once.

I'm pleased with myself as soon as I feel his dick pulsate on my tongue and his come pours down my throat. He clutches my hair tighter, a snarl escaping him as his thighs spasm beneath my hands, and I continue to fuck my throat with his dick until there's nothing left.

He unexpectedly pulls me to stand up by my hair, and as soon as I am in front of him, he turns me around so I’m facing the tiles.

He wraps his arm around my stomach from behind, speaking close to my ear.

“Your turn. Hands high on the tiles and don’t dare fucking move them.”

When I rest my palms on the tiles in front of me, he holds my hips and lifts them slightly, compelling me to push my ass out farther.

From behind, he moves his hand between my thighs, rubbing the tips of his fingers up and down the slit of my pussy before pressing his two long fingers deep inside of me, causing me to moan from the intrusion.

I notice him reach up and remove the shower head before pressing a button that makes the water spray out narrowly and powerfully.

When he brings it to the front of me and presses it firmly against my clit, my knees buckle under me. The water strongly stimulates my bud of nerves, and as he starts fingering me at the same time from behind. The sensation becomes overwhelming, but it feels so damn good.

He French kisses my neck and shoulder with a growl in his throat while I moan with my eyes closed until he speaks into my ear.

"Fucking kiss me while I pleasure your cunt."

I open my heavy eyelids and turn to face him over my shoulder, where he dips his head and we kiss fiercely. I feel him gently slip a finger into my ass, causing my brows to furrow and I whisper against his lips.

"Oh, fuck."

As he begins to thrust all three into me, he speaks into my open lips with a deep murmur.

"You're gonna come so fucking hard for me, aren't you, my little slut?"

I can't respond because I'm in a fucking haze, and my eyes are rolling as the pleasure that is swelling inside of me intensifies.

My hands clench into fists on the tiles, and my legs begin to shake as I feel my climax approaching. The sensation of having all three of his fingers deep inside of me, as well as the shower head on my clit, causes an orgasm to detonate inside me like an atomic fucking bomb.

I scream out, my body quaking as every nerve ending in my body shatters in bliss. I feel all of my holes pulsing around him while I try my hardest to stay upright on weak legs.

He kisses my neck gently before speaking against it.

"That’s my good fucking girl."

When my high begins to fade away, I fling my head forward, trying to control my breathing, and he slips his fingers out of me. The showerhead comes to a stop before he removes it from my pussy, and returns it above us.

After a moment of gathering myself, I take a jittery breath as I stand upright and turn around to face him, but he is already out of the shower, wrapping a towel around himself, not looking my way.

When I step out of the shower as well, I lean down and retrieve my towel from the floor before wrapping it around me and speaking uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm going to meet my little sister for lunch; would you like to join us?"

I can sense him watching me as I tuck the towel into my bust, and when I side-eye him, he looks away while he responds.

"I've got a ton of shit to do today."

I give a silent nod and walk away, his eyes burning into my back the entire time until I'm out of sight.

When I get back to my room, grab my phone and ask Lil to text me a place and time before tossing it back onto the bed. I draw my curtains to let some much-needed light in, but I frown as soon as I realize it's pouring down with rain outside.

I groan before heading for my closet to choose something warm to wear.

I opt for some high-waisted black skinny jeans, a black long-sleeve blouse, some black combat boots, and a long, black raincoat. After putting on a small amount of makeup, I slip my arms into my coat, fastening it around my waist with the fixed belt. I take my black handbag and place my phone inside before heading downstairs with my umbrella.

When I see Arlo on the phone at the bottom of the stairs, I slow down, observing him dressed in one of his immaculate black suits.

He must hear me coming since he suddenly speaks sternly into the phone.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fucking there."

When he ends the call, his devious eyes flash to mine with his head still tilted down before they wander down the entire length of me, taking in my apparel.

He straightens up when he looks into my eyes again and when I get to the bottom step, I give him a tiny smile before moving by him. His eyes continue to follow my every step as I near the front door.

“I guess I’ll see you later, Arlo.”

He sounds a warning tone that causes me to come to a stop.

"Wren..."

I give him a side eye over my shoulder, and when he doesn't continue, I glance back until my eyes reach his.

He inhales deeply, his jaw tensing, before he elevates his chin ever so slightly.

"Where's my fucking kiss?"

I return to look forward and respond with a small smile on my lips.

"We're kissing before we leave each other, now are we?"

Of course, he remains silent. He'd never admit to being a soft bastard.

When he doesn't answer, I cast another glance over my shoulder at him, and he stands taller, hands in his pants pockets, expressionless and makes a head gesture.

“Come the fuck here.”

I turn and take gradual steps forward, maintaining eye contact, and when I'm standing in front of him, I lay my palms on his chest before sliding them up to his tattooed neck. I tiptoe and press my lips hard against his.

Just as I'm about to pull back, he grabs the back of my hair with one hand and clutches my jaw with the other, speaking through gritted teeth against my lips.

"You know full well, that's not how we fucking kiss."

"Show me how we kiss then, Arlo."

He growls and his pupils dilate before he plunges his tongue deep into my mouth, sending a thrill straight through me.

I moan as he devours my mouth extremely hard, making my panties sticky and my core ache with need—exactly how I like it. He glides his hand down my throat and chest until he has it on my breast and he squeezes it tight.

I attempt to break away from his aggressive kiss by pushing on his chest before we both end up fucking again, but he simply clutches my throat and hisses against my tingling lips.

"I ain’t fucking finished!"

I smile as I whisper once again.

"I need to go, Arlo."

His dark eyes search mine before he reluctantly releases his grip on me and presses one last forceful kiss upon my lips.

My smile maintains as my gaze drops to his mouth.

"I'll see you later."

I run my thumb across his now-red lipstick-smeared lips.

"You might want to wipe that."

I wink at him while he remains unreadable before I turn around and go out the front door with a spring in my step.

The rain is pouring down brutally when I step outside, so I quickly open my umbrella and place it over my head before hurrying towards my car.

When I get inside, I notice Arlo leaving the house as well and he stands under the porch while smoking a cigarette. As he blows out smoke, his eyes meet mine, and I give him one last small smile before pulling away.

As soon as I arrived at a crowded diner parking lot, I cut my car’s engine and when I opened my door, rain hammered down on me, causing me to squeal from the coldness and swiftly open my umbrella. I step out of the car with it hanging over me, take my bag, and hastily enter the diner.

When I stroll in and close my drenched umbrella again, I spot Lily sitting in the far back of the cute but busy place and as I approach her, she waves excitedly at me like an overjoyed schoolgirl.

She stands the closer I get, and we hug tightly before we separate and I keep my hands on her shoulders while looking her in the eyes with a wide smile.

"How are you, Lil?"

"Yeah, I'm good; how about you?"

As we both take a seat opposite each other, I sigh before responding.

"I'm okay."

I give her a tiny smile as she carefully examines my face with a confused look, sweeping her dark and straight hair over her shoulder with her hand.

"You don't look okay."

"Honestly, I'm fine. It's just been an interesting couple of weeks, that’s all."

"Like what?"

When I decide to change the subject, I avoid eye contact.

"So, where is this guy?"

She doesn’t answer me, so I return my eyes to hers and she looks at me up and down, clearly worried, but I can't talk to her about Arlo.

She'll never understand our relationship, if you can call it that. Hell, I don't even know what to call it, and I don't expect someone from the outside to understand either. Any sane person would tell me to go; never look back; he's not a good person, but deep down, I don't believe Arlo is entirely evil.

I truly believe he is going through grief, and he is so lost in his own darkness that he no longer knows what light is.

"He'll be here in a minute; do you want me to order you a drink?"

With a twinkle in her beautiful brown eyes, she sucks her strawberry milkshake through a straw. I nod and grin at her but she pauses and glances at the door behind me just as she was going to wave over to the waitress.

A big, beaming smile appears across her face as she stands and I peek behind my shoulder to see who she is looking at before my eyes widen in disbelief when I see him.

He is definitely around my age, but that's not the shocking thing; he clearly has a bad boy image, and his tattoos are identical to Arlo's, all the way up to his sharp jaw.

My focus is fixed on him as he strides towards us, dressed in tight black ripped jeans, a black beanie hat with his long, brown curly hair emerging from beneath it, and a black leather biker jacket.

I glance back at Lily, who gives me a reluctant smile, and I side-eye him as he leans down and kisses her on the cheek. They both shuffle across the seats opposite me, and Jasper sits directly across from me, giving me a charming grin before speaking.

"You must be Wren."

Oh, god. He sounds just like Arlo as well, and I have a bad feeling that he is either blood related or a close friend, which makes me feel uneasy. As hypocritical as it sounds, the last thing I want is for my little sister to be around someone who hangs out with Arlo.

I'm not sure how to put it, but everyone around Arlo appears intense and terrifying. You may not know exactly what they do, but you can be certain that it isn't good. I'm not stupid; I know Arlo is the villain in his world.

I clear my throat before responding, trying not to be rude and stare.

"That's right and you must be Jasper."

He leans back, moving his arm to rest on the back of my sister's seat.

"In the flesh."

I examine him as thoroughly as he examines me until I notice Lily motioning for the waitress to come over.

"Let's get you guys some drinks."

We chat until it's dark outside while sipping on our drinks, and he actually seems very nice. He is more laid-back and lively than what I have back home, but I can see why my mom is worried; he oozes bad boy.

"Please let me pass, Jasp; I need to use the restroom."

"Of course, gorgeous."

He stands, allowing Lily through before she walks away.

I keep an eye on her, and when she's out of sight, I return my focus to Jasper in front of me, and we maintain eye contact until I decide to be direct.

"So, Jasper, do you have any family around here?"

I sip my milkshake as he takes a deep breath and rests back in his seat.

"I do."

"And what is your last name?"

He now looks at me suspiciously and in anticipation, I tilt my head to the side, awaiting his response.

"Hayes, why?"

As dread fills me, I close my eyes before facing away.

"You know my family?"

When I open my eyes again, I don't look at him when I respond.

"I know Arlo."

When he leans forward, he places his elbows on the table with his hands clasped, and he strokes his thumb along his bottom lip, drawing my attention back to him.

"How the fuck do you know, Arlo?"

"I live with him."

His brows crease for a split second before arching.

"Wait, you're Cree’s new nanny?"

I offer a slight nod, and he relaxes back again, laughing slightly.

"Wow, what a small fucking world!"

"How are you related to him?"

He sighs and glances away, raising his brows.

"He's my half-brother. I am our father's ‘love child’."

My mouth drops open in shock before I respond.

"What? I had no idea he had a brother, only a sister."

"Yeah, like I said, ‘love child’. Nobody wants to talk about me."

My eyes ease at that comment because I feel like it came from somewhere that hurts and I continue on gently.

"So, do you ever see or speak to Arlo?"

He gives a slight shrug of his broad shoulders.

"Of course. He is my big brother after all, but it's not as if many people can actually talk to him these days."

I nod in understanding before returning my attention to him.

"And how old are you?"

"I'm 25."

"So, how old is Arlo?"

As he speaks, he smirks and elevates his chin.

"You don't even know the age of the guy you're fucking?"

I close my eyes briefly, hoping he wouldn't know that, but it seems gossip travels fast in this family.

"He's 28, Wren."

When I look at him, he smirks, clearly teasing me, so I lean in and stare straight into his eyes.

"If you fucking hurt her, I swear to God.”

He keeps the mischievous smirk on his lips while tilting his chin up.

"How can you pass judgment on me and Lily when you're fucking someone like Arlo Hayes?"

He leans in close to my face as my eyes blaze into his.

"You're playing with the fucking devil, sweetheart, but rest assured, Lil won’t have to deal with even a fraction of what you're dealing with."

I just search his piercing blue eyes, speechless, but when I hear Lily, I rest back and break our intense stare off.

"Are you guys okay?"

Jasper stands to allow her to return to her seat and I give her a small smile.

"Yeah, everything is fine."

It’s late in the evening and I am seated at the head of the table in our huge meeting room, reclined back with my ankle resting across my knee.

With a sigh, I set my elbow on the arm of my chair and tugged on my bottom lip with my fingers, watching everyone negotiate in front of me. I move my focus on the cradle that swings back and forth on the table, attempting to block out the nonsense being said by all the Elite criminals.

My thoughts turn to Wren, and I soon find myself unable to get her off my fucking mind, wondering if she's safe or home yet. Then I wonder why I care; she’s supposed to be just a fuck.

I glance down at my phone on the desk in front of me, considering reaching out to her, but I stop myself just as James Sinns speaks.

"Charles, arms and narcotics are going great, but we need to step up our game. We can't keep holding back any longer; we have to take it all."

Then Ashton Draco speaks up, and my gaze is drawn to him.

"James is correct, Charles. We need to expand."

I look at my dad as soon as he opens his mouth.

"What do you both suggest?"

My eyes wander around until I spot Savannah sitting at the opposite end of the long table from me. She's the only woman in here, and she clearly believes she's entitled to be because her father is.

She has her tits on full display wearing a low-cut black dress, inviting every man to gawk at her, but she fucking disgusts me. I despise the cunt. She'd seem attractive to any sane man, but I know precisely what she is.

I can't really judge considering the insane shit I do, and in reality, we'd make the perfect couple in the Elite world, but I loathe her, and her begging, needy behavior makes me want to puke. She doesn’t give a fuck about me; she’s only interested in one thing she can gain from me. Power.

Her crystal blue eyes burrow into mine from afar, and she licks her lips delicately before giving me a devious smirk, but when James speaks again, I break eye contact.

"I propose we move onto live cargo. I know all the right people in the Russian Mafia, and the money is good. It's the greatest time to join forces right now in New York too, since the system is slowly disintegrating."

My angry eyes dart between my dad and James, and I grit my teeth just as my dad is going to respond.

"We don't do human trafficking. When are you going to get that through your thick, fucking skull?"

My dad sounds a warning tone at me.

"Arlo..."

He should know better; I'm not fucking ten years old anymore, and I own this shit just as much as he does.

Ashton now decides to open his big, fucking mouth, drawing my attention.

"Arlo, we need to expand this business, and trafficking is the only logical next step; it's very profitable."

My eyes flare with rage as I sense wrath growing within me at an alarming rate, and I expose my teeth.

"I don't give a fuck, you greedy cunt. We Hayes don't do rape or shift fucking heartbeats!"

When I see my dad turn my way, I can sense he's considering it, so I give him a harsh look.

"Don't fucking attempt to undermine me, old man. For many years, this has been a rule of ours, a rule and vowel you fucking made with me."

He shrugs his shoulders casually and seems unconcerned as he reclines in his seat.

"Times change, son."

I raise my voice, feeling furious with this bullshit.

"I said fucking no! We make enough fucking profit with what we do already. We own New York City; why the fuck do we need to take over human trafficking as well?"

Savannah suddenly speaks smugly.

"Well, I think it's a great idea."

Her squeaky, annoying voice aggravates me further and my furious stare meets her, but she simply smirks, causing my blood to boil.

"No one even asked you, cunt."

She leans forward, maintaining steady eye contact.

"Because my family owns shares in this company, Arlo, I believe I have every right to say whatever the fuck I want."

I clench my teeth as I respond.

"Not when I'm at the head of this fucking table, you don't."

She smiles widely, now really fucking me off.

"Well, get used to it, baby; we'll be married soon, and I'll have even more of a say over what you do."

I feel as if venom is seeping into my veins and rushing to my head before I smash my fist down onto the table. My fire-filled eyes blaze into hers from afar and I point at her, biting on my words to express my fury.

"Over my dead body! I would never fucking marry a no-good, using little bitch like you."

"Baby, you need to stop playing hard to get because it's happening whether you like it or not."

Unable to control myself any longer, I dash around the table towards her, but her father, Royce Thorell, stands tall in front of me and raises his voice.

“Enough!”

I flip my knife out of my sleeve and push the sharp blade to his face, right below his right eye, before he could even see it coming.

My dad calls out to me, thinking he has authority over me when he has none.

"Arlo!"

I ignore his shitty warning and stare wide-eyed into Royce's while speaking coldly.

"How about I just skin you and her alive, and then we won't have this little fucking problem, will we?"

Before he decides on what to do next, he gives me a faint, hesitant smile and then yells.

"Savannah, get the fuck out!"

"What!?"

"You heard me; get the fuck out."

I stay fixed on him as I hear her growl, push her chair out, and exit the room, leading my dad to speak.

"Arlo, put the fucking knife away."

I stare into Royce’s eyes for a few seconds longer before flipping my knife closed, slipping it back up my sleeve and then straightening my suit out as I stride back to my chair.

I sink back as a text message appears on my phone, and I reach for it before placing it on my knee beneath the table, noticing it’s from Wren.

"Are you home yet?"

I raise my eyes and peer around the table to see that everyone has resumed the meeting, and then I reply to her.

"I take it you're not."

She responds instantly.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because you'd know I'm still stuck in this shitty fucking business meeting."

"When will you be back?"

"What are you, my fucking nanny, or Cree’s?"

"Lol, I just wanted to see you."

My jaw tightens with annoyance because of her sweet fucking messages.

"You want to see my dick, you mean?"

"And that, yes, since I can't seem to get that kiss out of my head, I'm still throbbing from it."

As she attempts to push my buttons in an important business meeting, I release a tense breath and decide to push hers back.

"You want to play fucking games with me, do you slut?"

There's a brief pause before she finally responds.

"That depends on what it is, Arlo. Does it involve me coming hard completely at your mercy?"

I raise an eyebrow in response to her sexy brazenness before glancing around the room, paranoid that people can hear what my little slut is saying to me, but they obviously can't, so I continue.

"You'll definitely be getting fucking wet. Text me where you are, and I'll pick you up in one hour."

"But I have my own car."

"I don't give a fuck; I'll pick you up."

When she messages me an address for a diner across town, I place my phone face down on the table and continue to listen in on this bullshit meeting.

I'm still waiting at the diner with Lil and Jasper, waiting for Arlo and I'm definitely enjoying both of their company. Jasper is actually really nice; he is a bit cheeky, but I admire how he treats Lil.

It makes me wonder if Arlo was ever this relaxed before the murder of his wife. I haven't had a chance to speak much about Arlo to Jasper since I've been focusing on Lil and her interactions with him.

Lil speaks as I check the time on my phone.

"So, when are you going, Wren?"

I scoff with a smile, and my eyes meet hers.

"Are you trying to get rid of me, Lil?"

"Of course not! It's just that it's really dark, raining, and I didn't want you to drive home on your own so late."

I groan as I glance away.

"Don't worry, I have someone collecting me."

"Who?"

I raise my head, and just as I'm about to tell her, I notice Jasper smirking over my shoulder, and feel the atmosphere in the room shift. Arlo has entered, and I can feel it all over my entire body.

I look back and find him standing tall in the doorway, dangerous yet sexy as heck; exuding dominance and power.

My heart skips a couple of beats as I admire him briefly, and I have a sense of twisted pride that this incredibly handsome but dark beast has claimed me as his.

Jasper stands as Arlo strides towards us, everyone glancing his way as he passes them, and Lily whispers loudly behind me.

"Who in the hell is that?"

As I respond, he keeps his piercing stare fixed on mine.

"That's Arlo."

She responds with a baffled tone.

"Who?

When he stops beside me, his strong scent tingles all of my senses, shooting straight to my core before he calmly moves his gaze away from mine to look at Jasper, who is standing in front of him with his hand extended.

Arlo shakes it strongly, while Jasper pats his shoulder with his free hand.

"How's it going, bro? I wasn't expecting to see you in a fucking diner."

Arlo basically ignores him like the rude bastard he is, and Lily unexpectedly speaks opposite me.

"You have a brother, Jasp?"

I notice that Arlo is uncomfortable here, and his dark eyes dart around at us all as if he's trying to figure out what the fuck is going on and why the hell we're together, but he doesn’t ask.

When his eyes return to mine, he indicates with his hand for me to shift over and when I do, he takes the seat beside me before smoothing his tattooed hands down the front of his damp suit.

Lil looks between me and Arlo, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Wait, how do you know Jasper's brother, Wren?"

Arlo lays his arm casually behind my seat, causing me to fidget slightly before responding to her.

"Arlo is my boss."

Her lips part in shock, her eyes widening as she blinks at him before shaking her head.

"Wow, this is a small fucking city!"

Jasper suddenly speaks with a laugh.

"That's exactly what I said. Two brothers fucking two sisters."

My eyes expand and meet him rapidly as Lily gasps.

"What?"

I give him a harsh look, but he simply smirks in response, fully aware of what he has done.

"So, you came here to judge Jasper, knowing full well you're fucking his brother?"

My attention shifts to her, and her eyes dart between me and Arlo, disbelief lingering on her pretty face.

"How was I supposed to know he had a brother, Lil? I had no idea until Jasper told me his last name when you went to the restroom because I had a feeling he was someone to do with Arlo.”

She bursts out laughing, shaking her head, and throwing her hands in the air.

"Mom's going to fucking love this; we're both dating unapproved men!"

I close my eyes gradually before I carefully lay my palm on the table, trying to remain calm and when I reopen them, I speak firmly while sensing Arlo side-eyeing me, his intense aura spilling forth.

"I'm not fucking dating anyone, Lil."

"No, just fucking."

My eyes dart to Jaspers when he says the words and I narrow them as I tilt my head to the side.

"I'm an adult, Jasper, and I can fuck whomever I want. There's a big difference between you and an eighteen-year-old."

He shrugs his shoulders, clearly unfazed, and maintains his grin.

"It's perfectly legal, Wren."

I roll my eyes and glance away as I respond quietly.

"I know that, but my mom will not approve. I'm sorry."

Lily then speaks directly across from me.

"That's where you come in and convince her otherwise, Wren."

"And why would I do that?"

"Come on, you can clearly see he's a good guy.”

I cast a glance at Jasper beside her, but it's not him I'm worried about. It's his crazy family and his insane dad, and I'm not sure how I feel about my baby sister being involved in all of this.

I exhale a strained breath before responding.

"Look, I'll be in touch about it; I need some time to process everything."

She now turns to face Arlo with a smile on her face.

"And what do you have to say about all of this, Arlo?"

My body tightens as she attempts to get him involved, and I turn my head wryly to look at him. Leaning back, his eyes darting between Lily and Jasper before settling on me alongside him, his gaze taking in my facial features.

"Listen to your fucking sister; she's a good judge of character."

I can’t help but smile at that remark before gazing down at my hands, but when I hear Lily scoff, I raise my head to see that she is now frowning.

"We'd better get going, but I'll be in touch, okay? Just give me a ring if you need me, Lil."

After I say that, Arlo slides out from his seat, allowing me to get out before Lil and I hug.

I can hear Arlo talking quietly to Jasper while we embrace and I turn my head to the side before whispering softly in ear.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

When we separate, I smile at her before looking up at Jasper. 

"It was nice meeting you, Jasper."

"You too, Wren."

He winks at me before nodding to Arlo and we both leave the diner together.

I keep my head lowered as the rain hammers down on me as we rush toward his Lamborghini, and when we're close enough, his doors lift and I step inside.

He climbs in beside me, and as the doors close, I buckle my seat belt, glancing his way.

"Thanks for that in there."

He side-eyes me while roaring the car to life.

"What the fuck did I do?"

"You did a lot more than you know."

As he reverses out of the parking spot with speed, he rests his palm behind my seat and peers out of the rear window.

"You don't want her dating my brother?"

My look at him as he brings his arm forward.

"What?"

He gives me a sidelong glance before returning his eyes ahead and pulling away.

"Just say the fucking word, and I'll make him dump her ass, problem solved."

With a sigh, I shake my head before moving my eyes forward.

"No, that'll only break her heart; I can tell she likes him a lot."

"You both have a fucking terrible taste in men."

I giggle before resting my head back on the seat and gazing over at him.

"I don't believe you're all bad, Arlo."

His eyes dart mine before he returns them to the road.

"Don't get your hopes up on that bullshit opinion, Wren. I'm as bad as they fucking come."

I observe him from afar for a second, before looking forward again.

We become silent for a while as we drive, and I soon notice we're in darkness on empty back roads, surrounded by woodland.

In the middle of the shadowy forest, he cuts the engine of his black, matte Lamborghini and the heavy rain bangs loudly onto the roof above us. Everything goes dark, but the red neon lights beneath the seats bring some sort of dim light within his car. I turn my head cautiously and my heart rate quickens when my eyes meet his intense stare.

He calmly reaches over before grabbing a handful of the back of my hair.

"Come the fuck here."

I unclip my seatbelt, and he pushes his seat back farther, allowing me better access to straddle him. When I raise my head to gaze into his dark eyes, he wraps his big palms around my ass before dragging me forcefully up his thighs to be closer to him, causing me to gasp near his face.

"We're gonna play a game."

I draw my bottom lip into my mouth with my teeth, nervously chewing since I don't know what the next game will be, but it not only sends a thrill through me but also a pang of fear.

"I know. Here?"

He slowly shakes his head, keeping his devilish eyes on mine.

"Not here."

Beside us, he peers out of the rain-streaked window and gestures with his head.

"Out there. Manhunt."

I can’t stop my eyes from broadening as I attempt to swallow the knot that is forming in my throat and when his eyes return to mine, I speak cautiously.

"But it's raining and dark."

He slides his hands inside my jacket before clutching the small of my waist with his big hands and skimming his thumbs beneath my braless breasts, causing goosebumps to scatter over my skin.

His feral eyes wander down my body greedily as he responds with a growl.

"I know, but I want to catch you soaked and fucking scared for me."

"But what if you don't find me and I get lost?"

He suddenly strengthens his grasp on my waist, sinking the tips of his fingers into my flesh while speaking through clenched teeth.

"I'll always fucking find you!"

After some deafening silence between us, he calmly presses a button on his door, and when it lifts fully, the windy rain begins to spray inside, soaking our clothing, but we continue our intense eye contact.

In my fright, my breathing becomes shallow, and fear crawls up my throat the same way it did the last game, but this time it feels much worse. He gives me an evil smirk and I glance at his lips before moving forward to kiss him, but he simply turns his face away, rejecting me.

When I attempt to kiss him for the second time and he moves away, I start to feel furious.

"Fucking kiss me! I've been waiting all day!"

His wicked eyes flash to mine before he unexpectedly clutches my throat, pinning me in place while he brings his mouth close to mine.

"You can fucking wait a little while longer."

I narrow my eyes as he releases my throat with a rough push and then he gives a head gesture to the open door beside us.

"Get the fuck out."

Reality hits me and I straighten up, preparing myself for what's to come before talking fast, as if I'm running out of time already.

"Rules?"

"The same as the last game."

I respond with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

"Do you really think you'll be able to find me in those huge woods in just ten short minutes?"

His intoxicating black eyes glitter with amusement, and he raises an eyebrow in challenge.

"I know for a fucking fact that I will."

As his deep words come out, I glance at his lips, which I want to kiss.

"And what do I get in return if I win?"

He ponders for a moment before responding calmly while elevating his chin.

"What do you desire?"

I consider it for a moment before saying what I feel.

"I want you to make love to me."

As his eyes bore into mine and his jaw tenses, I can see it's something he doesn't want to do, of course, but I stay firm because I want to push the boundaries for some reason.

It's not even that I am craving for him to fuck me softly; I do, in a strange way, actually enjoy his perverted ways, but what I want is for him to feel something in that unhappy soul of his for once.

How depressing it must be in one's mind to not want to accept nothing in your heart but hate, aggression and darkness on a daily basis.

He inhales a deep breath and turns his face away.

"Very well."

When his cold eyes find mine again, he gives another heat movement toward the open door.

"Tick fucking tock."

Before getting out of the car, I smile with an eye roll and the strong rain floods down on me, soaking me instantaneously. I cast one last glance over my shoulder in his direction, and his eyes are filled with dark desire, as if he is fully prepared for this.

I draw a shaky breath before staring at the huge, gloomy woods in front of me and sprinting towards them.

My heart pounds against my chest as I enter and the strong smell of damp forest floods my nostrils. I attempt to ignore the reality that I'm practically in the pitch black and that there could be wild animals in here willing to kill and eat me.

I continue to speed ahead as fast as my aching legs will allow, slipping and falling into the slushy mud now and then until I can't physically go on any longer.

I'm still in the driver's seat of my Lamborghini, with one leg hanging outside and the rain soaks through my clothes. I glance down at the silver Rolex on my wrist, keeping a close eye on the seconds as they pass, and think about the possibility that Wren might just be as mentally fucked as I am.

I shouldn't like it; she should be a weak little cunt, but I do. I really fucking do. I enjoy her playing my sick and twisted games with me, but she forgets that making love to her is something I simply cannot do, so I intend to give her absolutely no chance of winning this shit tonight.

It threw me the fuck off when she said that. I'm not in this for love. I have no intention of ever falling in love again; I am incapable of giving affection, so why would I offer her false hope? I'm pretty certain I haven't given her any reason to think differently about me.

Wren is simply my fuck toy; my sick obsession; the woman I can’t stay away from; the light that blinds my darkness for a while; the one I can let loose on and screw the hell out of. She has lured me in through no fault of my own, and I am now fully exploiting the fact that she will allow me to take whatever the fuck I want from her and enjoy it.

After one minute has passed, I reach behind my seat and pull out a thick rope, a pair of black leather gloves, and a black balaclava. I toss them on the seat beside me before lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. As I bite it, I pull my suit jacket down my arms, roll up my sleeves, and unbutton my shirt halfway down before flicking the cigarette out into the rain.

I take what I need from the seat before calmly exiting my car and closing the doors. The cold, heavy rain drops drench me instantly, causing my shirt to stick to my hot skin, and I relish the sensation of it pelting down on me as I roll my shoulders and tense neck.

I press my hands into the leather gloves before sliding the balaclava over my face and down. When I am ready to go, I sling the rope over my shoulder and creep my way toward the somber forest.

When I stroll in, it's dark, but the sky is still bright from the full moon that is attempting to fight its way through the black clouds, so I can still somewhat see around me.

As I take my time moving ahead, I listen for anything other than the torrential rain bombarding the trees above me. I gaze down at the sludgy, wet ground for any hints as to which way she might've run.

After some time, I finally spot a trail of muddy footprints and I start following them with a malicious smirk on my lips.

I continue until I am fairly deep into the woods when the trail suddenly comes to a stop and fades off to the left on a grassy spot. I glance around, trying to figure out which way she could have gone.

I take slow, deliberate steps ahead in the direction I believe she might have gone. My training instincts are heightened, eager to find her, and I peer around damp tree trunks as I pass them.

Treading carefully, I attempt not to make a sound, but when I hear a branch crack behind me, I spin around swiftly. I wait, my eyes scanning the vast area, before I take a step forward in the direction of the sound, lifting my nose and sniffing the cold, damp air.

She shouldn't have worn that sexy fucking perfume tonight. I can smell her. She’s close.

I continue to glance around a few more trunks until I finally spot her in the distance, kneeling down behind a tree with her back to me.

She's entirely unaware that I'm there, and I start thinking about how fucking easy she's made this for me and how she could have at least hidden in a bush or something, but then again, she's against someone like me; it wouldn't have mattered what she did; I'd have found her anyhow.

I take a slow stride forward, approaching her from behind, and as soon as I am close enough, I pounce, jumping in her line of sight.

"Boo!"

She jumps to her feet with a high, pitched scream escaping her that echoes throughout the entire woods. I watch as she speeds away and a wide smile creeps across my face. I shake my head before going after her and she's fast when she's terrified, but I'm much fucking faster.

Closing the gap behind her, we wizz through trees and she slips on the mud as she attempts to look behind her to see how close I am before gathering herself and attempting to run again. 

I pick up speed and when I think she’s close enough, I lunge before tackling her to the ground and we both crash and tumble over soaking wet mud with a thud.

She groans a short distance away and I lift my head to see her rolling around on her front on the damp floor. I breathe heavily as I get to my feet and stagger toward her. When I am beside her, I reach down and wrap my arm around her middle from behind.

As soon as I lift her to her feet, she screams again, still in fight mode, fighting me, but I simply spin her and slam her hard against a tree trunk with my body.

When she looks up at me, I observe her beautiful big eyes filled with terror; her complexion is now drained of any color, and it’s pale from the fear.

I can feel her small body trembling against me while we stare at each other in utter silence. I become lost in the beauty of the rain drizzling down on her flawless face. Her long, dark hair is so drenched, it almost appears she has just exited the shower and it's always such a sight when she's wet.

Both of us pant heavily from the adrenaline we had just felt until she carefully raises her trembling hands and slips my soaked balaclava halfway up my face, exposing only my lips.

She gives me a quick glance in the eyes before pouncing and thrusting her tongue deep into my mouth. I attempt to dominate her mouth, but she kisses me so forcefully that I can feel her hunger and desire seeping from her and traveling straight through me, making me feel something.

She glides her small palms down my chest before I press my body firmer against hers, trapping her between me and the huge tree.

I take her face into my hands, tilting her head back, and destroy her sexy mouth with everything I've got because I can't get enough of her. I forcefully drag her raincoat down her shoulders until it falls at our feet, then grab the bust of her blouse and rip it down the center, buttons falling to the wet ground under us.

As I begin to turn feral, I wrap my palms around the backs of her thighs and raise her against the tree before pressing my hands beneath her damp bra and grabbing her breasts, roughly squeezing them.

I break away from the kiss that has me breathless and place my brow against hers.

"I'm gonna ruin your beautiful wet body so hard, right here in the pouring fucking rain."

I rip away the rest of her clothes like a frantic animal, and she lets me strip her entirely down to her tiny black lace panties.

We lock our gazes on one another, both of our eyes heavy with hunger and filthy desire.

I take a step back before barking out an order.

"Hold out your fucking wrists to me."

Her big breasts heave with every breath she takes and she obeys me like my good girl. I take the rope from my shoulder and wrap one end tightly around both of her tiny wrists.

When I am done securing her, I glance up, seeing a strong tree branch above us, and when my eyes return to her, I tug on the rope, moving backward, and she follows my lead until she is exactly where I want her to be.

I throw the rope over the branch, and when it wraps around it, I catch it and pull it down, causing her arms to extend and stretch upward until she's up on her tiptoes.

She stares up at the rope that is restricting her, and when her wide eyes return to mine, I tightly loop the rope around the huge trunk to secure it, so she can't escape me.

Now entirely at my mercy, I close the gap between us and look down at her, keeping steady eye contact. I slip my hand into my pants pocket to retrieve my knife before flicking the blade out, and she doesn't even flinch like she used to.

I calmly crouch down in front of her before slipping the knife beneath the stings of her tiny panties and swiftly slicing through both of them. As I gradually stand upright, I snatch the fabric that is covering her pretty pussy, and I yank it off her before tossing it to the soggy ground.

I slowly drag the tip of my blade down the centre of her, my ravenous eyes wandering over her dripping and naked body. I become mesmerized as raindrops gently descend her smooth, tight skin, and her nipples are so fucking stiff they could scratch a car.

My eyes snap to hers as I close my blade and slip it back into my pocket and I take a step forward until her breasts are touching my chest, then reach behind her and tug her hair back.

When her neck is exposed to me, I dip my head and smother her cold skin with my warm tongue, licking all the rain off of her, causing her to let out a sensual gasp.

My cock strains against my wet trousers, leaking from the tip, but I try hard not to fuck her already because I want to take my time with my prize, even if we're both freezing fucking cold.

I slide my tongue over the curve of her tit until my lips are clamped over her erect nipple. I suck before I bite hard and yank it back with my teeth, a growl rising in my throat. I move on to her next breast, devouring it before making my way down her body, kissing and biting into her flesh while firmly holding her in place by her hips.

When I am crouched in front of her, I lift one of her thighs over my shoulder and then the other before gripping her wet, cold, peachy ass into my palms, giving it a firm squeeze to support her.

I bite my way down her inner thighs until I'm pressing my entire face against her and eating her pretty cunt like a hungry fucking beast, and she lets out a struggling moan.

I savage the entirety of her before pressing my pierced tongue deep into her tight little pussyhole until I can taste her come creaming out of her and then rising up her slit to suck on her clit.

I move one hand beneath her, slip my glove off, and quickly slide three of my fingers deep inside her without warning, forcing her to scream.

As she balances on my shoulders, I drive my fingers in as deep as I can with violent thrusts, destroying her clit until it's swollen and throbbing, and she is quivering around me.

After some time of completely ruining her pussy with my mouth and fingers, I withdraw and lift her thighs from my shoulders before standing in front of her, licking my lips and tasting the delicious come that is coating them.

I observe her heavy eyes and parted lips, noticing she is in total bliss, before I snatch her face and press my tongue down her throat, kissing her fiercely until she's out of breath and can no longer stand it.

When I break away from the kiss, I push her face roughly with a snarl and her head flings back. I maneuver around her tiny, shackled body until I am standing behind her and she sways from the rope. I gaze down at her round ass, which I want to demolish while unbuckling my belt and sliding my zipper down.

I flop my heavy cock out with eagerness and then approach her from behind, wrapping my arm around her middle and pulling her close to me. I direct my dick to her warm, wet pussy before sliding myself deep inside of her in one swift stroke and she tosses her head back onto my shoulder with a satisfied moan.

I place my gloved palm over the front of her throat, my arm between her big tits, and speak into her ear as I attempt to press myself even deeper.

"You're so fucking perfect, do you know that?"

She turns her head to look at me with a soft smile and glances at my lips, giving me an indication that she wants to be kissed while I fuck her pussy, so I do just that; after all, she has submitted like a good little slut.

I tilt my head and kiss her passionately as I begin to pump my cock into her dripping pussy and she moans around my tongue. I slide my hand down to her bouncing tit and pinch her nipple, pulling on it with my fingers and thumb, before squeezing her entire breast while I thrust my cock harder.

When I begin to lose control because her cunt feels so good, I hold her close to me tightly and pound into her as hard as I can, striking her cervix with full force. Her pussy tightens around my cock, squeezing the life out of me and she screams while I continue to fuck her brutally.

When she is coming, I slow down, giving her slow but forceful thrusts while taking a moment to observe her trembling body since she always looks so beautiful when she comes for me.

She still has her head thrown back and her eyes closed when I withdraw, pulling my cock out of her juicy pussy. I keep my arm around her middle, steading her as I guide my dick towards her asshole and as I begin pressing into her, I hear her hiss, so I speak against her ear.

"You can take it. Just relax for me. Once I’m in, I’ll make you feel good."

As soon as she relaxes, I slip my cock deeper into her tight ass and once I am all the way in, I wait for her to adjust around me. I reach down to her pussy and circle my fingers around her aching clit, attempting to help her relax even more.

I start off slow, slipping my entire length out of her before sliding into her again, sending us into euphoria. As soon as I get going, I begin to pound into her asshole hard and fast and she screams so loudly that she is definitely waking the wolves.

I growl against her neck as I suck it and enjoy how her tight, delicious ass feels bouncing around my throbbing cock. When I can no longer hold my climax, I grip her hips tightly and smash into her ass until I blast my hot load deep into her ass. She let out another scream as my big dick pulsated and swelled, and I fucking loved the sensation of it.

My forehead rests on her shoulder as I attempt to slow my erratic breathing. The cold and dense air is piercing my aching lungs and my thrusts gradually fade. When I'm completely finished, I lift my head and slip my dick out of her now sloppy asshole, causing a small whimper to leave her.

I growl near her ear when I speak.

"You did so well, my little slut; I'm so proud of you. You always please me so fucking much."

I step around her, dragging my zipper up before I flick my blade open to cut her down and her head falls forward, looking utterly destroyed and exhausted.

When she's freed, her legs buckle, and she wraps her arms tightly around my neck while I catch her with one arm. I slide my knife back in my pants and dip down to get her coat, which I throw over her cold, naked body before scooping her up in my arms.

As I carry her back to the car through the damp, rainy woods, I gaze down at her to see she still has her eyes closed, obviously completely worn out from what I had just put her body through tonight.

When we’re at my car door, I wait for it to lift before awkwardly bending down and placing her inside.

She curls up in a ball, her messy boots on my flawless seats, but I don't fucking care right now. I wrap the seat belt around her before clipping it in and then moving around to the driver's side.

As the door closes, I settle in my seat, removing my drenched balaclava, and start the car, immediately turning on the heater.

As I drive us home with one hand on the wheel, I can’t help but keep glancing her way, thinking about how fucking difficult it is going to be to break away from her. I already know it. All my dark and fucked-up thoughts seem to vanish when I'm fucking Wren or even in her presence. I don't know how she does it or what it is about her, but she manages to stop my grief for that single second, and I'm addicted to it. I'm fucking addicted to her.

Not only do I have to marry that cunt, Savannah, whom I loathe and refuse to touch, but I'll also need to withdraw from Wren and what she does to me. I'm not sure how this is going to work out; she'll never forgive me for this shit, and I don't blame her; I'll probably never forgive myself either.

When I pull up outside of my house, I jump out of the car and stroll around my car to Wren. I scoop her tired body up in my arms again, lock my Lamborghini, and carry her to the door before entering.

I take her straight upstairs to my bedroom, and when we enter, I kick off my shoes before taking her over to the bed and laying her down.

I remove her dirty boots, glancing at her pale face occasionally, and pull off her wet raincoat from her body before throwing the thick, black duvet over her.

I observe her as she closes her eyes and snuggles into the plush material while I undress out of my damp clothes. When I'm naked, I climb into the bed beside her, and she immediately turns around, shuffles closer, and snuggles her cold, naked body against mine.

I allow her to do it yet again as I stare up at the ceiling, thinking like I do every night since I must be a fucking vampire or something because I never sleep. She suddenly speaks in a quiet, sleepy tone while rubbing her palm up and down my abs.

"Arlo?"

I remain silent as I continue to stare into oblivion, but when she lifts her head and turns to face me, my eyes dart to hers instantly, and a smile spreads across her plump lips while her eyes are heavy with tiredness.

"How did you find me?"

I carefully lift my hand before grabbing her face and pushing her back onto the bed. I hover over her, propped up on my elbow and attempt to not smile. We exchange looks, and when I lower my face down to hers, I speak against her lips.

"No matter where you fucking are, I'll always find you, and that's a promise."

My thumb slides gently over her jaw as she smiles in response before we share a deep and passionate kiss while I pull her naked body closer to mine by wrapping my arm over the small of her back.

When I open my sleepy eyes the next morning, I'm lying on my stomach, my arms under the pillow. My attention is drawn straight away to Arlo, who is lying next to me on his side, facing me with his eyes closed.

I just stare and admire his handsome, sleeping face for a while without moving to avoid waking him up. He always appears to be so tired. I'm curious what goes through his mind on a daily basis. I don't think I've ever seen him asleep. When I go to sleep, he's always awake, staring into nothingness, and when I wake up, it's the same.

My thoughts return to last night and how much fear, pleasure, and pain he instilled in me, but also how much I surprisingly relished every second of it. I remember how he looked after me afterwards when he didn’t have to, but he did.

When he suddenly gently opens his dark eyes, they immediately lock on mine. We remain in the same position, staring at one another, and as I absorb his features, that’s when I unfortunately begin to feel something for him. But I don't want to feel anything for him; how can I? He doesn't give a damn about me and has always made it clear that we're nothing more than incredible sex.

Sometimes the way he touches and kisses me makes me think that maybe, just maybe, there's something more between us, but I'm foolish; Arlo could never be the one I imagine my future with; he can't be my soulmate; he doesn't even have a soul.

After some stillness, I decide to turn my head and face away from him in an attempt to push my deep feelings aside.

I lay there absolutely silent until I felt his warm palm creep across the bottom of my back, and he curled his fingers around my waist before dragging me towards him.

He rests his arm between my breasts, his hand relaxed on my throat, as my back is curled up against his body. When I feel him breathing heavily in my hair, possibly falling back to sleep, I lose track of time, but I try to get enough confidence to say something.

"What is this between us, Arlo?"

I feel and hear him stop breathing immediately as soon as the words escape me, but he remains utterly silent and doesn't respond to me. I continue to wait for him to say something, anything, but he doesn't, and I get to the point where I toss the duvet off of me and get out of bed.

I head straight towards the bedroom door to leave, but his stern voice stops me.

"Don't make this fucking complicated now, Wren."

My brows furrow in confusion, and I shake my head.

“Complicated? Hasn't it always been fucking complicated?"

I give him the side eye, and he rises up on his elbows before talking firmly again.

"You know what the fuck I mean."

I purse my lips, annoyance creeping in, and glance down at my hands.

"I just thought—"

He immediately cuts me off before I can finish what I was about to say.

"You thought wrong. You know what the fuck this is and who the fuck I am. Don't ever get things twisted up between us."

I squeeze my eyes shut as I respond quietly.

"So you don't see us?"

I cast a glance at him over my shoulder, and his jaw tenses as fire builds in his eyes while he declares through clenched teeth:

"I don't see fucking anything. "

I grow defensive and spin around to confront him, narrowing my eyes and raising my voice.

"You're fucking fooling yourself, Arlo! Two people can't have as much sex as we do without feeling some—"

My words are cut short by him tossing the duvet off of himself and standing off the bed before storming at me, causing my body to freeze.

When he is entirely in my space, he glares down at me with a bitter expression on his face and speaks aggressively.

"Feel? You think I fucking feel?"

I swallow hard as I stare into his angry eyes, trying to maintain my confidence before responding gently.

"You must have done so at some point because you were in love, Arlo."

He grinds his teeth, his eyes not leaving mine and the silence grows uncomfortable. I decide to take a slow step forward, closing the gap between us, and bring my palm to his face, but he turns his head, looking away and stopping me.

"Why in the fuck would you ever want more with a cold cunt like me, Wren? Haven't I shown you enough not to catch feelings? Enough red fucking flags?"

I drop my hand as I observe his side profile, his sharp jaw tense, and after a moment, I softly speak.

"I don't think you're entirely bad, Arlo. I can feel it deep inside me that you’re not—"

His harsh eyes collide with mine, and he lowers his face down close to mine with such hatred in his eyes that any normal person would be scared.

"You're so fucking wrong. You know absolutely fuck all about me. Your feelings are way off balance!"

As his furious words echo through me, I straighten up.

"And let's get one thing straight: I fucking use you, Wren. When are you going to get that into your head? You're nothing more than a piece of fucking meat that I fuck anytime I want!"

Rage swells up within me, and I smack him hard across the face while breathing heavily through gritted teeth.

He keeps his face to the side, and I watch as his red jaw tenses with irritation, but I can't stop my eyes from welling up with tears, and my lip trembles as I whisper.

"Fuck you."

That one hurt. I felt that. He can call me your little slut all he wants; talk to me dirty; fuck me like a whore; but never talk to me like that when I'm trying to express myself and expect me to take it.

When his cold eyes meet mine, he rises tall, his big stature overshadowing my petite frame. I draw my teary eyes away from his, glancing away and trying to control myself before exhaling an uneasy breath.

"Shall we just end this here, then? I mean, you've just made it very clear that I mean absolutely nothing to you."

As I begin to step toward the door, I feel his eyes following me before he suddenly pounces, slamming me against the door by my throat, causing me to wince as my head bangs on it.

I turn my face away from him, and he presses his forehead against the side of my head, his eyes tightly shut, both of us breathing heavily, and my heart thumping in my chest.

"Please let me go, Arlo."

I wait for what feels like forever; both of us are silent and I sense he wants to say something but he is reluctant to say it to me. When he carefully releases my throat, he lifts his head from mine before facing away and turning around.

I watch his every move as he heads towards his bathroom, his hands balled up into fists, before he opens the door, walks in, and then slams it shut behind him, causing my body to jump.

I rest back against the door, my eyes pressed shut, trying to settle my unsteady breathing and pounding heart. When I'm feeling more at ease, I open his door and go to my room to get into my shower.

As I stand under the hot water, allowing the hot water to burn my skin, I think about how Arlo will now understand what it's like to want me for more than just sex. If he doesn't, then it is what it is. He can attempt to belittle me all he wants; that's fine with me.

I mean, I like Arlo a lot, and it will be difficult to break away from him since he is like a drug deep within my veins, and my body will be overwhelmed with withdrawal, but I can't keep letting him take everything he wants from me yet give little in return.

If he wants to be in denial and defensive about us, I'll leave with my dignity intact, even if it kills me to move on from him. Cree comes back today, and I need to give all of my attention to him. I've missed him and I am looking forward to seeing his cheeky face. It makes everything worthwhile and gives me a reason to be here.

When I step out of the shower, I wrap a fluffy, white towel around my wet body before going to my closet to pick something comfy to wear because I'll be spending the day with Cree.

I dress down in a black bandeau top, high-waisted blue jeans, and a see-through kimono before straightening my hair and adding some light make-up to my dull-looking face.

When I'm finished, I open my door and as I close it behind me, I notice Arlo leaving his bedroom as well at the far end of the corridor.

Our eyes connect from afar, and we both stand at our doors to take one another in, and that's when I realize this is going to be a lot harder than I initially thought. He looks so hot, wearing black, ripped jeans and a plain white tank top, displaying all of his perfectly inked skin.

I manage to peel my gaze away from him reluctantly and peer down the hallway, getting ready to take the stairs. Just as I'm ready to go, I hear his heavy, calculated footsteps coming this way and I watch him from the corner of my eye.

When he comes to a halt in front of me, I cease breathing and keep my eyes low, attempting to avoid eye contact. As my anxiety grows, I attempt to step past him, but he quickly places his fully tattooed arm on the doorframe, bringing me to a stop.

He tilts his head, attempting to get me to look at him, but I turn away as I speak.

"What do you want, Arlo?"

"You know what I fucking want."

As his deep, arrogant voice trembles through me, I close my eyes.

"I'm only here for Cree now; not for you."

I can sense his annoyance pouring from him. Arlo likes what he can control, yet he doesn't have any right now, and he knows I'm serious, or he would have forced himself upon me already.

"Is that what you think?"

As I turn to look at him, my stern eyes meet his, and he lifts an eyebrow, clearly testing my patience.

I bring my face close to his and grit my teeth to assert my power.

"Let's get one thing straight, Arlo: I'm not anyone's fucking 'meat'’. I deserve better than that. Better than you!"

I attempt to push by him again, but he doesn't budge, and he speaks calmly as his eyes explore my face with his head cocked to the side.

"You weren't saying that when you told me to fucking use you. Allowing me to tie you and fuck you so hard that I could feel your tiny body shattering beneath me time and time again."

Before responding, my angry eyes scan his face for a brief pause.

"You're good at fucking me; I'll give you that, and maybe I even used you too, but anything beyond that, you're a nasty, cold cunt, and you're not fucking worth it."

His brows lift, and he smirks—he actually smirks at me.

When he continues, he elevates his chin calmly after his eyes have relaxed again.

"All this because I won't admit to you that I have fake fucking feelings for you? You want me to lie to you to make you feel better, Wren? Is that it?"

I glance at his lips as his words come out condescendingly, and it irritates me.

"I want you to be truthful with yourself, Arlo. If you don't feel anything for me, you will have no issue with letting me go. I'm not bound to you; I'm just a fuck, remember? I'm free to do whatever the fuck I want."

I raise an eyebrow at him and I can see that what I said angered him because his luscious lips have lost their smirk and his eyes have narrowed. I pull my eyes away from him before walking around him while he remains in the same posture, not stopping me.

I attempt to appear confident as I stride down the hallway, heading for the stairs, despite the fact that I can feel his dark orbs burning into me from behind.

My jaw tightens as I watch her walk down the stairs, feeling irritated that she is doing this.

Yeah, I get it; I went over the top, got defensive, and said some wild shit, but what does she really expect from someone like me? I am who the fuck I am, and I am unapologetic as fuck about it. I'm not going to tell her what she wants to hear just to make her feel better.

Why would she want anything more from someone like me? Is she fucking insane? Of course, she is. She is my perfect mate, my dark queen in my fucked-up fantasies. No sane woman would allow you to tie her up to a fucking tree in the pouring rain and fuck her ass into oblivion.

I shake my head before I explode, push my arm off the doorframe, and jog down the stairs to see Wren open the door for Cree, my mom, and Sara.

As I reach the bottom step, Cree notices me with a wide smile on his face, and I inhale deeply before returning the smile. My son is the only person I could ever love or feel anything for. He is the only solace left in my miserable soul, but I know I have to put on a mask every day to avoid showing him the monster his father is. I don't want him to be like me; it’s what Bridge would have wanted.

I crouch down and catch him in my arms when he sprints in my direction. I squeezed him tightly before lifting him off the ground with his arms wrapped around my neck.

"Missed you, Cree."

"I missed you, too, Daddy!"

I perch him on my forearm, keeping a big smile on his innocent face, and I elevate my chin before speaking calmly.

“What have you been up to?”

“I played with a muddy mess at Granny’s house when it was raining!”

“Muddy mess?”

“Yes, I played in the wet mud with my raincoat and boots on! Did you see the rain?”

I raise an eyebrow and smile before glancing over at Wren, who is chatting with Sara by the front door, and my thoughts return to last night as my eyes wander down her body while I respond to Cree.

"I sure did."

Sara yells over to me, her fucking loud voice ringing through the mansion, jolting me out of my dark, wicked thoughts.

"Arlo, I was just telling Wren about my birthday dinner tonight; didn't you tell her?"

I give her a slight head shake, and she sighs loudly while rolling her eyes.

Cree attempts to wriggle out of my arms, and when I place him on the ground, I watch him dash to Wren, who catches him and places him on her hip with a big smile.

I stand back, pressing my tattooed hands into my front jeans pockets, while I observe as she happily interacts with him until Sara calls over to me again.

"Well, are you all coming?"

I carefully shift my gaze away from Wren and Cree to look at Sara.

"We will be there."

A wide smile grows across her face, and when I return my focus to Wren, she is now staring at me with a cold-stone expression, and I don't like it. I don't like it at all.

Sara expresses herself cheerfully.

"Great! Arlo knows where to go, and it's at 7 p.m."

Wren now looks at and speaks to Sara.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was your birthday. I wish I would have known."

Sara smiles and waves her off with her hand.

"It's not until Friday, but this was the only day my favorite restaurant was available! Make sure you all dress formally."

Just as they are about to leave, I call out to my mom.

"Where's Dad?"

She pauses, her body tensing as soon as I mention him, before glancing over her shoulder at me.

"His office."

I give a slight nod before watching them walk out. Standing motionless, I think about how I'm going to spend some time with Cree, and then I plan a visit to the old cunt and get out of this Savannah bullshit.

Wren sets Cree on the floor before crouching down in front of him after closing the front door behind them.

"So, what do you want to do today, Cree?"

"Painting!"

As she stands, a broad smile spreads across her pretty face.

"I'll go and get them from upstairs, and you go to the living room and wait for me!"

Cree skips away to the living room and my attention is drawn to Wren as soon as she starts strolling in my direction, but that beautiful smile she just had has now fucking vanished, and I feel enraged by it.

When she attempts to pass me to get to the stairs, I swiftly stretch my arm out, causing her to come to a standstill.

She sighs, raises her head to look at me and speaks sternly.

.

"Can I get past?”

I lower myself and whisper gently into her ear, attempting to create peace in my agitated body.

"How long will you keep this fucking stubbornness up for?"

She turns her head, catching a graze of my lips with hers, and whispers against them.

"For as long as it takes."

When her eyes connect mine again, we stare at each other for a beat, and I grind down on my teeth in frustration because all I want to do is pounce on her, show her my authority, and show her she belongs to fucking me.

Knowing she won't allow me to kiss or touch her is driving me fucking insane. I'm not sure why, but it's definitely bothering me.

Our eyes remain locked as I stand upright and move my arm down beside me, allowing her to pass. She wastes no time moving by me, and my attention follows her up the stairs, checking out her round ass while a frustrated growl rises in my throat.

When she's out of sight, I purse my lips together before entering the living room, where I find Cree clearing the coffee table to place his paints on.

I help him and then sink back on the couch, arms stretched across my back, and gaze up at the towering ceiling, lost in thought about how to deal with this situation—a situation I didn’t think I would find myself in.

"Okay, little man, I've got all your paints, some paper, and newspaper, so we don't make too much of a mess!"

I raise my head when I hear her voice and she takes a seat on the white fur rug, crossing her legs at the huge marble coffee table alongside Cree before she lays newspaper all over it, then prepares his paint.

"I'm going to paint a train!"

They exchange big smiles before Wren responds.

"I can hardly wait to see it! What color is it going to be?"

"Green!"

I watch them paint and bond for a while, and it reminds me of why I hired her in the first place: she's so fucking good with him.

"Maybe Daddy can paint something?"

My gaze is drawn away from Cree to Wren as soon as she speaks, and she gives me a mischievous grin that makes my cock twitch in my tight jeans, and I just want to fuck that sexy grin off her face.

"Please, Daddy, paint something! Oh, please, please!"

They both look at me intently, waiting for me to do something, so I groan and reach forward, grabbing a couple of pieces of paper, a paintbrush, a small pallet of paint and a pen.

I gaze down and work on two pieces of art, one for Cree and one for Wren, and after a while, just as I'm about to finish, Cree leaps to his feet and shows off his painting with a big, proud smile.

"Look, it's the train from when we went to the railway station together!"

Wren reacts in amazement.

"That's fantastic, Cree! Excellent work!"

When she says that, he hands her the painting.

"It's for you, Wren."

Her eyes soften, and I watch as her heart melts before my fucking eyes, her palm on her chest and her plump lips pouting, as if she's about to cry.

"Thank you very much, Cree. This is going up in my bedroom!"

"You're welcome; can I see yours?"

She stares down at her painting slyly, and I know it's going to be a fucking mess.

When she holds it up for us to see, she covers her flushed cheeks behind it, and I suppress a laugh.

"Wow! That’s good!"

She peers out from behind it before lowering it and she gives Cree a big smile since he praised her.

When her focus shifts to me, she immediately notices I'm amused by the disaster she just created, and she narrows her eyes.

"Shall we look at yours now, Daddy?"

Her gorgeous brown eyes glimmer with amusement, but I confidently lean over and set my masterpiece painting of a steam train on the coffee table in front of them, and as I recline, they both gasp in admiration.

"Wow, Daddy! Can I keep it?"

I nod and give him a small smile.

"It's all yours, son."

He smiles excitedly before scooping it up, and as I take my eyes off of him, I look to Wren, who is already looking at me, fighting a smile. I raise an eyebrow at her before glancing down at the sketch I created for her, debating whether or not to give it to her.

I fold it into a small square, hold it tightly in my fist and speak while standing and sliding my phone into my back pocket.

"I need to go for a few hours, but I'll be back in time for Sara's birthday meal."

I crouch down in front of Cree, and, as we embrace, I place the small square of paper on the coffee table and slide it over to Wren with the tip of my finger. Before taking it, she gazes down at it, and when her eyes meet mine, she has confusion written all over her stunning features.

I kiss Cree on the side of his head and speak into his ear.

“Be a good boy for Wren; I won’t be long. Love you.”

“I love you too, Daddy.”

I release him,  rise up and give Wren another glance before exiting the house.

As I drive to my dad's office, which is in downtown New York, I set one hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and rub my mouth with the other as I consider how I might end up killing the cunt.

I know he'll try anything to force me into this arranged marriage. One thing about my father is that he does not back down once he gets something in his head for more greed and power; he will not stop until he gets what he fucking wants.

When I arrive at the enormous, dark building, I step out of my car and cross the street before entering.

I storm straight to his office on the highest floor, wrath coursing through my veins because I know I have to face this no-good prick.

When his door comes into view, I see two of his henchmen standing outside, and they are probably twice my size, but I continue to disregard them, unaffected, since they know who the fuck I am.

As soon as I open my dad's door and enter, I notice him sitting behind his desk in the gloomy office with a woman kneeling in front of him, sucking his dick.

I growl and turn away as it irritates me before I raise my voice sharply.

"Get the fuck out!"

I give them a sideways look as she quickly gets to her feet and hurries past me, wiping her lips with her perfectly manicured fingers. When the door closes behind me, I realize his fucking security have followed me in and are up my ass, close behind me.

I fix my focus on my dad as he reclines back in his chair, adjusting his zipper and belt before raking his fingers through his dark brown, disheveled hair.

"Son, what can I do for you?"

As I stare coldly at the bastard that I call a father, my jaw tenses, and I realize how much I actually despise him.

He stands calmly and moves around the front of his desk before leaning up against it, his tattooed hands overlapping in front of him, as my cold eyes stay focused on him.

"Well?"

As I respond, I clench my teeth.

"Savannah."

He sighs and shakes his head while raising his hand to me.

"We've talked about it, Arlo. It's fucking happening."

I yell angrily, showing how fucking enraged I am.

"I won't fucking do it, then what?"

His dark eyes instantly find mine, and he examines me for a moment, twiddling his thumbs before he responds calmly.

"It's about that nanny you’re fucking, isn't it? Because I can assure you, son—"

As fury flows through me, I cut short his words.

"It has nothing to do with Wren. This is about Cree; it's about fucking everything!"

"What about him? Savannah would make a terrific stepmother."

I scoff before turning away and my teeth grind. The thought of her being anywhere near my son  makes me feel sick to my fucking stomach.

"Sometimes, we have to do things for more power, Arlo."

My wide, angry eyes meet him as he pushes himself away from the desk and proceeds to take a slow step forward.

"Sometimes we have to do things for the sake of family."

I narrow my glare at him before I shout.

"Family? You call this sham a fucking family? You're forcing my son and me to live with an utter cunt who I'll kill within a fucking week!"

He shakes his head and clicks his tongue.

"You won't, Arlo, because you already know what will happen if you don't do this, don't you?"

Anger swells within me, causing my body to tremble and all I can think about is hacking his throat open.

"I'll never have you working in the States again, son. You'll lose everything. Nobody will want to work with you once I'm done and you've already given me your fucking word."

Fighting to keep my murderous wrath at rest, I lean over and shout in his face instead.

"FUCK MY WORD!"

He glances me up and down before speaking calmly, his chin slightly raised.

"You have one fucking week to get your affairs in order. I want to see you and Savannah married as soon as possible."

When I take a step forward, I notice his henchmen stride with me, and I side-glance one of them to calculate how tall he is as my dad continues.

"You must understand, Arlo, that even though you are skilled at killing and people fear you, I am still your boss and father. Keep in mind that I am the organ grinder, and you will always be beneath me."

My enraged, crazed eyes dart to my father quickly, and I fiddle with my knife in my pocket, ready to unleash my inner beast.

When I take another slow step forward and his security does the same again, I whip out my knife, flick it open, and swing my arm and torso around before plunging the knife deep into the side of one of their throats.

As the other prepares to draw his gun, I pull the blade from his partner's throat and stab it into the front of his forehead with such power that I feel it crack his cranium.

When they both crumple onto the floor beneath me, blood spraying everywhere, I force my blade from his skull and spit on them before flicking my knife closed.

A dominating sense of satisfaction sweeps over me, and I feel rejuvenated from the killing as my father shouts behind me.

"Jesus Christ, Arlo! That's the fifth and sixth in six fucking months!"

I stash my knife in my pocket, panting heavily, adrenaline pumping through my veins, before turning around to face him.

"I'm not backing down on this! You have one fucking week, Arlo!"

My jaw tightens as I cock my head to the side, glaring at him like a fucking psychopath who is ready to kill him as well.

He pulls his eyes away from mine and walks slowly to his desk before sitting down again.

"Now go! You have to be ready for your sister's birthday meal."

I stare at him from afar, wanting to skin him alive, but I can't, at least not yet. My patience is wearing thin, and his time is running the fuck out.

I take a slow, unnerving step forward before pointing at him and speaking through tight teeth.

"You're going to regret this big time, old man. No good will come from this; only countless lives will be wiped out as a result of your selfish fucking bullshit."

He rests back in his chair and swings back and forth.

"We'll see, son."

"Don't say I didn't fucking warn you, cunt."

Feeling as if I can't control myself any longer, I spin around, step over the two bodies at my feet and exit the office without saying a word.

When I enter a modern restroom on the lower floor of the building, I dash over to the sinks to cleanse the blood from my hands and arms.

Drying my hands, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror in front of me, which causes me to pause and stare at myself. I don't even recognize myself anymore, and I feel disgusted by it because I don't seem to have any control over anything right now. The situation with my father, with Wren and with Bridget’s murder.

When fury takes over, I let out a roar and pull my fist back before delivering a powerful blow to the mirror, shattering it into pieces.

I rest my palms on the now-glass-filled sink in front of me, screwing my eyes tightly shut as I try to at least control my rapid breathing and the emotions that are trying to take over me.

Cree stands back and holds his arms out with a beaming smile on his face after getting dressed for Sara’s birthday dinner.

"What'd you think?"

My eyes ease and my heart melts in my chest as he looks so freaking adorable in the little black suit I helped choose for him.

"You look so handsome, Cree. I can't wait for Daddy to see you because you look just like him!"

As I stand with a broad smile, he lets out a shy, cheeky chuckle.

"I'm going to get ready, but I'll come and collect you as soon as I can, okay?"

"Okay, I'll just watch TV!"

I turn around and leave his bedroom after watching him climb onto his bed.

When I gently close his door, Arlo emerges at the top of the stairs, and it startles me as he stands there staring at me intensely. My eyes move calmly down to the very visible blood splatters on his white vest tank.

As my mouth begins to dry, I swallow hard and begin to back up, our eyes locked the entire time. As soon as I reach my bedroom door, I press the door handle and enter.

I lean up against the door, exhaling a breath I wasn't aware I was holding, before digging into my back pocket for whatever he gave me today that I hadn't had time to look at.

I carefully unfold it, and my eyes widen as I realize he has sketched us in pen, embracing and kissing, and an open hand on the left with some writing etched at the bottom on the crinkled paper.

“And my hands are not cleansed; perhaps they will never be, but at least they can still carry you home when you’re ready to fall asleep.”

His words take me back to last night, when he carried me through the woods and looked after me. Could this be his way of expressing that he actually cares about me but only shows it in small doses? I'm confused by this, as I am by him in general, but I admire his effort, even if it's in an odd but sweet way.

I allow the paper to slip through my fingers and fall onto my bed before stripping naked and heading to the bathroom.

When the water is just the right temperature, I walk under it and toss my head back, letting the water fall on my face and hair.

I suddenly sense his presence behind me, and my body freezes for a moment before I spin  around to face him, our eyes instantly connecting.

We stare at one another in silence before he closes the small gap between us and rests his brow against mine, the water pouring down on both of us before he inhales deeply.

"You want to know if I feel?"

I simply remain mute, observing his face while letting him continue.

"The only thing I feel is darkness and I'm consumed by it every fucking day. I feel heartache every day and have done so for a very long time.”

He slides his palms firmly up my wet chest until they are both around my throat, his thumbs resting on my jaw, and he opens his dark eyes to stare deep into mine.

"You're the only thing in this damn world that makes me forget all that darkness; even if only for a split second while I'm with you, it's enough to allow me to breathe."

I attempt not to get emotional as my eyes search his because I can sense the honesty in them; I can feel the pain in his voice.

"I can't say what the fuck this is between us, Wren, but what I do know is that you make me not feel, and it means more to me than you'll ever fucking know."

He tightens his grip on my throat before pulling me closer to his face, tilting my head back and glancing all around my face.

"I can't and won't fucking lose whatever this is between us; do you understand?"

His emotional words pierce my heart, engulfing it with his inferno, because I know it probably took a lot for him to express himself that deeply to me.

I didn't need him to proclaim his everlasting love for me; all I wanted was something, anything, to make all of this madness worthwhile, and even if he didn't say it in so many words, it was enough for me to realize that I really must mean something to him, and that's all I really wanted.

I whisper against his lips as my breathing gets shallower.

"Kiss me."

He forces his mouth hard against mine without hesitation before pressing his pierced tongue deep into my mouth, kissing me passionately and our incredible connection reverberates through me.

I lock my arms around the back of his neck, pulling him down and we ravish each other. When we break away, he stares down at me with darkness in his eyes, but I simply give him a bright smile before continuing my shower and washing my hair with him standing close behind me.

I step out of the shower when I’m finished and wrap a towel around myself before turning on the hair dryer. As I style my hair, I can feel him observing my every movement.

I slide my palm down my silky, thick hair and throw a glance his way with a small smile.

"You need to get ready, Arlo, or we might be late."

He groans as if he doesn’t want to go before he finally turns the shower off, and as he passes me, he swiftly rips my towel from my naked body and calmly wraps it around his waist.

"Hey, that’s mine!"

He lifts his brow and elevates his chin while tucking the towel in before speaking in an unbothered tone.

"Mine now."

When he walks out of the bathroom, I smile and shake my head.

"Asshole."

I continue styling my hair in a pretty updo and applying my makeup, then head to my closet to pick an ideal outfit for Sara’s birthday meal tonight.

When I find the right dress, I slide on my black lace lingerie with a garter belt and stockings before pulling the black, tight, mid-length dress up over my curvy physique. After zipping up the back, I put on some diamond-dangling earrings and slipped my feet into a pair of nude Louboutins.

I adjust myself in the mirror and when I am satisfied, I turn around to walk out of the door, but I come to a standstill when I notice Arlo standing there in the doorway, hands in his pockets, watching me.

We both admire one another; the sexual tension between us is already apparent before I glance at what he is wearing because, as always, he looks fucking sexy in a pristine black suit. After examining him, my eyes meet his, and I notice they are enigmatic and stormy.

As he takes a step forward, he clicks his tongue and shakes his head from side to side.

"This just won't fucking do."

As I respond, I frown slightly and look down at myself.

“You don’t like it?”

He comes to stop in front of me, and I gaze up at him, waiting for him to answer.

"That's the problem, I do, so how many other perverted cunts are going to be imagining what you're wearing beneath that sexy fucking dress?"

I grin as I roll my eyes at his jealousy before sounding a warning at him.

“Arlo..”

He grips my throat firmly and draws me closer to him, bringing my face to his and I am forced up onto my tiptoes, despite the fact that I am wearing tall heels.

His black eyes sweep across my features before he sets his lips on mine, biting on his words.

"You look absolutely stunning, and I'm a jealous fucking man."

I smile against his lips before I respond.

"Yet I'm yours, remember?"

He growls onto my lips.

“Yes, you are fucking mine.”

His words tremble through me and when his lips finally capture mine, we become lost in an intense and fiery kiss until I place my palms firmly on his chest to break away.

I gaze into his eyes and speak through breathlessness because of the arousal that has spiked inside of me, my core throbbing already.

"We need to go; Cree is waiting."

He releases the hold on my throat with a frustrated snarl, and as soon as I pass him, he spanks my ass hard, forcing me to squeal and buckle on my legs.

“That ass is mine later, slut.”

I giggle, rubbing my sore cheek with my palm as I go out the door, making my way to Cree's room with Arlo following close behind.

I press on his door handle, and as soon as I open it, he leaps from his bed and runs towards us, a big smile on his face.

"Look, Daddy, I look just like you!"

Arlo smirks and lifts his pants before crouching in front of him and smoothing his tattooed hand down the front of Cree’s tailored suit.

"Nah, you look much better than me."

He lifts him with him as he stands, and then we walk downstairs before leaving the house and getting into his car.

I can sense Arlo keeps looking across to me as he drives, but I just gaze out of the window beside me, feeling a little worried about having to face his family, especially his father, after what happened at the club.

When we’ve pulled up outside of a luxurious restaurant in the heart of New York City and gotten out of the car, Arlo frees Cree from his carseat before handing over his keys to a valet.

As soon as we enter, I can’t stop the gasp that escapes me since I've never dined in such an outstanding restaurant before; it honestly leaves me breathless by its beauty and how classy it is.

Arlo appears to know where he's going, and we're not asked for our reservations, so I just trail behind him while he still carries Cree in his arms.

When I spot his family, I take an anxious breath and as we move closer to them, Sara smiles as she calls out to me.

"Wren! Come sit with me!"

I return her as I approach, then Cree speaks behind me.

"I want to sit with Wren, daddy!"

As I pull out a chair for him beside me, Arlo lowers him to his feet, and he races toward me with a big smile on my face. He climbs onto it, and I take a seat between him and Sara, while Arlo's mom is on the opposite side of Cree.

"Wren, you look beautiful!"

With a broad smile on my face, I turn to face Sara.

"As do you, Sara!"

Arlo's dad, whom I've been avoiding eye contact with, suddenly speaks out.

"Son, come sit beside me and Charley."

I observe Arlo hesitantly move forward to sit next to his father, opposite me. I quickly notice that the men are at the head of the table, which is a rather domineering and terrifying sight, but I presume the women in this family are used to it because they appear unaffected.

Feeling Arlo’s dad’s intimidating eyes all over me from across the table, I look everywhere but at him. I cringe at the memory of how I spoke to him when I had no idea who he was.

We order dinner, and I speak to Sara for a while, continuing to ignore the stares from across the table, but when I do cast a glance over at Arlo, he is just observing me, looking relaxed in his seat, sipping whisky, but he doesn't say anything to anyone as usual.

Arlo's father raises his glass as our dinner is served to us by waiters wearing silk white gloves.

“A toast!”

We all hold our glasses up except Arlo, and I wait to hear what he has to say about his daughter.

“To my beautiful daughter, Sara! My first child, my pride and joy, will turn 32 on Friday! I am extremely proud of you, baby girl.”

Sara responds beside me, but it sounds reluctant.

“Thank you, Dad.”

He speaks again just as I'm about to take a sip of my drink.

"And to my son, Arlo!"

My brows furrow with confusion before I look at Arlo beside him.

"Congratulations on his engagement to Savannah Thorell!"

I can’t stop my eyes from expanding, but Arlo continues to stare at me with intensity. The words echo through me; I can’t hear anything else as everything blurs around me, leaving only Arlo in my peripheral. My throat starts to tighten, strangling the life out of me and my heart aches.

“What!? Arlo, say it ain't so."

Sara’s gasp beside me pulls me out of my mental state but I continue to look into Arlo’s eyes since he doesn’t deny it; he simply doesn't say a single thing.

As anxiousness sweeps through me, tears prick the corners of my eyes, leading me to frantically push my chair out before standing and clearing my throat.

"Please excuse me; I have to use the bathroom."

Sara calls out to me as I pass her.

"Wren?"

As I rush through the restaurant, weaving in and out of tables and servers, a tear escapes and cascades down my flushed cheek.

I push on the ladies' restroom doors with my palm, instantly seeing that they're empty when I enter, luckily, before striding toward the huge mirrors. I dab my tear-stained cheeks with a towel to avoid ruining my makeup and once I'm done, I just stare at myself in the mirror.

I straighten my shoulders in defiance since I realize I don't seem to recognize myself anymore. I’ve come weak—weak for a man who clearly doesn’t care about me. I sniffle before gazing down and opening my small clutch bag to find some lipstick, when suddenly I hear the door opening behind me.

I immediately sense it’s him; I can fucking feel it all over me. I keep my head lowered, messing with the lipstick lid, and when it eventually comes off, I lean over the counter to take a closer look at myself, completely disregarding the fact that Arlo is behind me.

I press the lipstick over my lips as he approaches, his polished shoes tapping against the marble flooring until he's so near that he lays his hands on the counter on either side of me. When he peers over my shoulder, my eyes instinctively lock with his in the mirror.

I roll my lips together, smearing my pink lipstick out evenly and then break eye contact to place the lid back on and return it to my bag.

"So, when were you going to tell me? Maybe after the wedding? Or would I have received an invitation from the fake bimbo herself?"

As I zip up my bag, wrath of betrayal and jealousy rush through my veins at an alarming rate, and I can feel his eyes all over me in the reflection.

“I’m a joke to you, aren’t I, Arlo? Just some piece of worthless fucking meat!”

I fight back the tears that are threatening to come, fiddling with my bag as I look down at it, anything to not look at him because he doesn’t have a right to see me upset.

After a while of brutal silence, I swallow hard and take a deep breath before finally turning around to face him, and his gaze instantly falls to my lips as he is at my eye level.

He moves his focus from my lips to my eyes in one slow blink before inspecting them deeply. I examine his too and all I want is for him to speak, to say anything, to tell me it's all a lie, to make me feel better in some fucking way, but he doesn't, so I decide to speak out first.

"You're really going through with this, aren't you?"

When his jaw tightens, I feel my heart shatter inside my chest and I'm not sure why, but I feel it disintegrate.

My emotions are quickly replaced by rage and I grit my teeth angrily.

"You piece of shit!"

I'm ready to smack him again, but instead I straighten up and attempt to walk past him, but he doesn't budge, trapping and infuriating me.

"Fucking move!"

When he suddenly speaks, his voice is calm.

"I genuinely meant what I fucking said in the shower today."

I pause and turn my head to look at him.

"I can't, and I won't, lose whatever the fuck this is."

I lift my chin and lean back against the counter in front of him before narrowing my eyes.

"I won't be your little mistress, Arlo."

"I don't fucking plan on marrying that cunt."

"So, why did your dad say—"

He cuts me off in the middle of my question.

"Because that's what he fucking wants, and it's what he expects."

I look up at him, confused, as he stands upright, placing his hands in his pants pockets.

"What he wants is not a fucking option. I'm not doing it.”

Just as I am ready to speak, he lifts his hand and places his fingers beneath my chin, tilting my head back.

"You'll have to trust me on this one, Wren. You're going to have to play the game, just for a while, at least until I sort out this bullshit. I didn't tell you because it's not fucking happening."

"Arlo, you should have just told me and avoided my embarrassment."

“Why would I tell you something that isn't happening, Wren? I had no idea he'd open his old cunt mouth like that."

I roll my eyes and pull my chin from his grasp.

“That's not the point, Arlo, and you know it."

We remain silent for a beat and when I eventually glance his way, he raises his chin with a deep inhale.

"Are you going to fucking trust me or not?"

I find myself giving him a small, uncertain nod after a while of pondering, divided between my thoughts, hoping that this man will be worth it after all the bullshit. Seeing Arlo beneath his gloom is what I desperately want to discover; I want to see who he really is behind the cold facade. There’s got to be a soul in there somewhere.

He offers me a small smirk before lifting his hand to my jaw and firmly dragging his thumb along my bottom lip, smearing my lipstick, and watching the action.

"That's my good fucking girl."

His praise resounds through me, causing my eyes to flutter shut and he rubs the pad of his thumb firmly across my top lip. I immediately feel drunk on him, with intense arousal, as if he has me under his enchanted spell.

He presses it between my parted lips and slides it into my mouth before pushing  it down on my tongue, and I suck strongly around it, pulling a snarl from him. When he slides it out, he grips my chin firmly, and my hazy eyes fly open. He carefully tilts down, causing my heart rate to rise, and places his lips firmly on mine.

My heavy eyes close once again, and we open up for each other, letting our tongues dominate in a forceful, suffocating kiss. When things between us get heated, he grasps the small of my waist and easily lifts me before dropping my ass onto the counter in one swift motion.

When he pushes my dress up my thighs, bunching them around my waist and exposing my suspenders and panties, I whisper breathlessly against his lips.

"Arlo, we can't do—"

He hisses and growls, warning me to shut the fuck up and when he feels my gather and stockings with his hands, he raises them with his fingers before letting them smack back down on my skin, inflicting a burning sting.

He squeezes my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh, before yanking me closer to him, pressing my heated pussy firmly onto his stiffening cock, causing me to gasp against his lips.

He watches as I seductively bite my bottom lip and he snarls in frustration, his eyes dark with need, and he brings his face close to mine.

"Little slut, I'll destroy your little fucking pussy right here if you're not careful teasing me."

I smile as I glide my palms firmly up his strong chest before placing my arms around the back of his neck. I tilt my head to the side and slide my tongue over his soft lips before whispering seductively against them.

"So fucking do it."

He clutches my throat firmly and yanks me off the counter, causing me to stagger in my heels before he spins me around, grabs the nape of my neck and forces me to bend over.

Keeping my face pressed against the cold marble, I hear him unbuckle his belt eagerly behind me with his free hand, and then he hooks his finger beneath the string of my panties that's confined between my ass cheeks and slides his finger down it.

He pulls it to the side, revealing my pussy to him and as soon as he has access, he forces his cock inside me and I cry out in pleasure and pain. He pulls back on my hair, causing me to wince, and my eyes meet him instantly in the mirror in front of me.

“Look at me while I loosen your tight cunt from behind. I want to witness you yield to pleasure through those pretty eyes of yours."

I know I'm not going to last as soon as he starts pounding his cock into me. His piercing scrapes up and down my walls as he hammers into me repeatedly, with his hand still wrapped in my hair and I can't stop the strangled screams that are escaping me.

He strikes the side of my ass with his palm occasionally, adding more pain to my pleasure and we're both coming shortly after a harsh and violent fucking. As my body is shaking and my pussy is convulsing around his dick, I suddenly hear the door open behind us, but I'm too high due to my overpowering orgasm to even care.

Arlo glances over his shoulder but still continues to slowly fuck my pussy until he quickly flicks his blade out and points it back at whoever it is.

"Get the fuck out!"

I hear a woman scream before she leaves and I let out a lazy laugh, my eyes heavy and when I speak, my voice is breathless.

"Did you really have to do that?"

He closes his blade before slipping it back into his pants pocket, and he glances at me in the mirror.

"I think the freak wanted to watch!"

He finally releases my hair as I laugh loudly and drop my head forward. As he wraps his strong arm around my waist, he drags my sluggish body up toward him.

I rest my head back on his chest before looking up at him with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk still on my lips.

"You're a psycho, do you know that?"

He glances all around my face before dipping his head and murmuring against my lips with darkness shimmering in his eyes.

"Yet you dig it, so what the fuck does that make you?"

I smile once more before responding.

"Equally insane."

He snickers against my lips.

"Yeah, fucking equally as insane."

Just as he is ready to kiss me, the door unexpectedly opens again, and we both look in the mirror to see that Sara has entered this time.

My cheeks flush with shame and I attempt to lower my dress down my thighs and ass while hiding behind Arlo. She places her hand on her hip with a tiny, amused smile and glances between us both in the mirror through narrowed eyes.

"I knew you weren't marrying that fucking bimbo."

Arlo rolls his eyes before speaking sternly, as if he's running out of patience with people interrupting us.

"Can we get some fucking privacy?"

She rolls her eyes before turning around and leaving with a huff, and I immediately feel awful.

"Arlo, it's her birthday, and I just ruined it."

In the mirror, his eyes meet mine, and he stares at me for a moment, his jaw tensing in disapproval.

"That prick out there ruined shit, not you."

I turn around and look up at him.

"So, what happens now?"

"We're fucking leaving; I'm taking you and Cree home."

My brows furrow and I speak softly.

"But what about Sara?"

"Sara will understand, Wren. She doesn't even like him. I don't want him near you or Cree until he straightens his fucking act out."

He suddenly places his palms on my face and searches my eyes deeply, speaking in a serious tone.

“You need to stay the fuck away from him, do you understand?”

I feel fear grip me from his words, and I look at him cautiously, unsure of what to say, before I offer him a slight nod instead.

He takes his hands off my face and stands upright while straightening out his suit.

"We're going to walk in there, and I'm going to get Cree and hand him over to you. Don't make any sort of eye contact with my old man. I just want you to take Cree outside and wait for me."

I give him another nod in agreement before he turns around and walks towards the door.

As we exit the restroom together, I nervously follow behind him. My anxiety is at an all-time high as we enter the restaurant and approach the table, but I try to gulp it down and remain stronger than I feel.

I stand at the far end of the table, avoiding eye contact with everyone and focus on Arlo walking around to Cree before lifting him from his chair under his arms.

"Arlo, what are you doing?"

"I'm taking Cree home with me, mom. Say bye, Cree."

I watch him wave his small hand to everyone with a cheeky grin, completely unaware of everything that is going on, and Arlo passes him to me and I perch him on my hip. Before I leave as instructed, I glance down at Sara, giving her an apologetic look, and he gives me a nod of understanding. I then turn around and proceed towards the main doors.

I watch as Wren walks away with Cree just as I asked her to until I hear my mom speak behind me.

"Is that really necessary, Arlo?"

I clench my teeth in annoyance before turning around and facing them all as she continues.

"He was enjoying himself."

My cold eyes lock onto hers and I scowl at her.

"And so was Wren, up until that fucking bastard ruined everyone's night."

My dad suddenly chose to speak up.

"Wow, son, you've really got it bad."

My focus shifts from my mom to my dad, and he reclines in his seat with a smug smirk on his face that I would love to slice off.

He crosses his arms over his chest and casually rests his ankle on his knee.

"I honestly thought she was just a fuck."

I'm irritated to the point of showing my teeth and hissing as I respond.

"She means everything to my fucking son and maybe if you were any decent fucking father, you'd do right by yours.”

He waves me off with his hand and shakes his head, as if he doesn't give a shit.

"Oh, cry me a fucking river, Arlo. I’ve made you who you are today.”

As my fury grows stronger, I raise my voice.

"And you think that's something to be fucking proud of, do you? Both of you?"

My eyes dart rapidly between my parents as I lay my palms on the table in front of me, trying to remain calm and expecting a response, but when I don't get one, I continue.

"You think it's okay to raise your kid to become a fucking monster for your own personal gain?"

They exchange glances but remain silent, so I stand tall, glaring at both of them and pointing my finger between them.

"I'll never fucking raise my son the same way you two pairs of cunts did me."

My mom now gasps and shouts.

“Arlo!”

My father then continues to annoy me in a calm manner.

"Stop with the childish attitude and do as you're told, son; it's that fucking simple."

I pound my fists down onto the table in front of me without warning, causing Sara and my mother to jump from the unexpected noise, while I give my dad a hard glare and speak through gritted teeth.

“Get fucked.”

He observes me for a moment before raising his chin.

"All right, I'll do as I promised."

I laugh at the old fuck like the fucking maniac I am because his stupidity amuses me so much, but when my face returns to seriousness, I speak coldly.

"You really want to go to fucking war with me, do you, old man?"

As I continue, he straightens himself somewhat and fidgets.

"I fucking own this shit just as much as you do, mother-fucker. I built it from scratch with you. Do you think I can't rip it out from under your old, wrinkly, fucking ass?"

He now speaks to me forcefully, his teeth clenched, showing who he really is beneath that smug bullshit act.

"Don't fucking test me, son."

I stare into his eyes with such hatred that my eyes begin to burn.

"I'm not marrying her, so deal with it. You either drop this shit or we can go to war, which will never be good for fucking business; choose wisely, Charles."

As he remains quiet, I pull my angry stare away from him and look down at Sara beside me before tilting down and placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Happy birthday, sis.”

I stand upright again, giving my parents one final piercing stare before turning and walking away.

It's quiet as we drive home, and I check in the rearview mirror to see Cree asleep in his car seat.

I glance over at Wren, who is staring out the window beside her, lost in thought, before I sink back in my seat and stare ahead, feeling frustrated from all that has happened tonight.

When we arrive at the house, I carry Cree upstairs in my arms, and I can hear Wren's tall heels clicking along the hard, marble floor behind me.

As soon as we enter his bedroom, I gently lay him on his bed when I feel Wren's touch on my shoulder and I turn my head to look at her.

"I've got this."

She speaks barely above a whipster and I nod before returning my focus to Cree. I stroke his soft, curly hair before rising up and lingering for a beat as Wren collects some pajamas from his chest of drawers before I head out of the door, heading straight to my bedroom.

When I enter, I take a seat on the end of my bed for a bit, my head in my hands, before pulling off my tie and then my suit jacket down my arms. I kick my shoes off of my feet and then throw myself back on the bed, placing my palms behind my head.

I stare up at the ceiling, contemplating all the possible ways I can get out of this shitstorm scenario I've found myself in without destroying the business in the process.

After a while, I hear her enter and quietly close the door behind her as I remain in the same position, staring into nothingness, although I can sense her moving around below me. When she comes into view, she mounts my lap and hovers above me with her hands beside my head, and my eyes are drawn to hers.

Her gorgeous dark hair falls around her face, making her look even more angelic and she smiles at me, making my lips twitch as I almost smile back. My eyes follow her body as she settles back on me again, and I prop up on my elbows to get a better look at her entire lingerie set.

I feel my eyes immediately darken as I take in her perfect curves and the cleavage of her bulging, big tits. When my feral gaze meets hers, she gives me a sweet and innocent smile that hardens my cock.

I can't stop my eyes from wandering all over her beautiful body and face, thinking of all of the ways I can destroy her in that sexy fucking lingerie before she reaches down and begins to unbutton my shirt, watching her hands as she does.

When she's finished, she pulls my shirt apart and pushes it over my shoulders before firmly gliding her palms up and down my abs and chest. As her heavy eyes move up my inked skin, she bites her plump bottom lip between her teeth, and I feel ready to fucking pounce.

She pushes down hard on my chest, forcing me to lay back, and she leans over me again, whispering seductively close to my face.

"We're gonna play a game."

My brow rises slightly and I wait for her to continue.

"Instead of ‘Simon says’."

She presses her lips against mine, her lustful gaze fixed on mine, and she whispers.

"This will be called ‘Arlo says.’"

I grit my teeth, my dick straining against my fucking pants beneath her hot pussy, and I can feel the twisted darkness seeping through me.

"What do you think, Daddy? Would you enjoy playing that game with me?"

As I stare at her, I realize that this little slut does something to me that no one else has ever done. She takes all of my sick and perverted desires, pets and pleasures them, and then says, “Give me fucking more, but ten times harder the next time, please.”

I consider it for a moment and as soon as I decide that this game could be fun since I could push her to her fucking limits and she'd still do whatever I say to satisfy me, I begin to sit up, which forces her to do the same.

I unbuckle my belt between us and hastily remove it from the hoops of my pants before wrapping it around her throat, tightening the clasp so much that the metal bites her skin and she hisses.

I grip the belt, pulling her near my face, and I bark out an order with teeth clenched.

“Arlo says stand the fuck up off me, slut.”

She smirks as she climbs off me, stands between my knees, and my sinister eyes travel up her sexy body until they land on hers.

"Arlo says to take a couple of steps backward, turn around, drop to your knees, and spread them wide beside you."

As she takes a step back, she keeps her mischievous stare on mine, and I allow the belt to slip from my fingers. I remain sitting on the end of the bed as I watch her turn around and sink to her knees before spreading them wide beside her, just as I asked her too.

When she arches her back and lays her palms delicately on her thighs, I cock my head to the side, admiring her curvaceous hips and ass that are bulging from her tight lingerie, the position perfectly highlighting them.

She turns her head and glances back at me, patiently waiting for me to do something, and after a few more seconds, I rise from the bed.

"You're picture fucking perfect, my little slut."

I take a step forward and slowly stroll around her until I'm directly in front of her. I hook my finger beneath her chin, tilting her head back farther, and she stares up at me with huge, innocent eyes through her thick lashes.

I bend down to catch my belt that is still snug around her throat and I lift it before wrapping it around my knuckles to prevent her from moving, and I raise my chin as I speak.

"Arlo says, Suck my fucking cock."

She glances at my crotch, reaches up and drags my zipper down before pressing her hand into my black, tight boxers. She takes my stiff dick and pulls me free before moving forward and sucking me into her warm mouth.

My eyes immediately close and I tilt my head back as she sucks it just how I like it. She can give good  head and take it even when I'm face-fucking her too.

After a few minutes of her sucking me like a fucking lollipop and giving me the most incredible pleasure ever, I lean over her and grip her juicy ass cheeks in both my hands, giving them a bruising squeeze.

She continues sucking me raw as I strike both of my hands down hard on her ass, turning them bright red from my hand prints and she squeals against my dick and tenses up. I reach into my pocket and pull out my knife before flicking the blade open.

I tug on each of her panty strings with my fingertips before swiftly slicing through them, then take the remaining fabric and pull it away from her pussy before throwing it across the room.

Once my knife is back in my pants pocket, I slide one of my palms down the curve of her back until my fingers are pressed through the crack of her ass. I continue, skimming over her tight asshole, until I can feel her moist, slick pussyhole on my fingers and snarl in my throat.

"Don't you dare stop no matter what, slut. Keep on deepthroating my fucking dick."

She doesn't stop as I reach as far as I can until I insert two fingers into her pussy from underneath and press them as deeply as I can.

She moans against me as I finger-fuck her, making sure my fingers are covered in her juices before drawing them out. I slide them up to her asshole before slipping the two come-soaked fingers into her until they are knuckle deep within her ass.

She pants heavily against my cock with a pause, trying to catch her breath, but I use my free hand to grasp the back of her hair and drive her mouth down on me, forcing her to continue to fucking suck it.

I fuck her ass ruthlessly with my fingers, twisting and curling them deep within her, wrecking her tight little asshole.

“Such a good fucking girl for me.”

She moans around me, sending vibrations through me as she flexes her hips, begging me to fuck her more like the filthy little bitch she is. I slip my fingers out of her now-loose asshole before smacking her already-red ass cheek again and standing straight to look down at her.

Her beautiful eyes are leaking with tears from all the gagging, and her mascara has smudged beneath them. When I pull my dick from her lips, I grab the belt once again and wrap it tightly around my hand.

I tug on it as I pass her, forcing her to crawl on all fours behind me before yanking her closer as I take another seat on the bed. She kneels in between my spread legs, looking up at me with swollen, red, raw lips, waiting for me to command her again.

"Arlo says to finish me the fuck off with that sexy mouth of yours and drink my come until there's nothing left."

She puts her hands on my open thighs and lowers her mouth to my dick like a good girl before sucking me hard and fast.

I clench my fists in her hair as she bobs up and down, panting hard while I push her head down to make her choke and gag until I'm blasting inside her throat.

I press down on her head, forcing her to swallow me, and my heavy eyes close in ecstasy as she does exactly what I  asked for and more.

As I finish, I release my tight grip on her hair, and  starts to suck me slowly until I pull on it, causing her to look up at me. I take in her flushed face and dark eyes as she licks my come from her lips.

I slowly stand in front of her before taking a step around her body and reaching down to her, placing my arm around her midsection from behind and effortlessly lifting her little body off the floor.

I walk with her till I'm standing on my black, fur rug on the floor, then I drop her onto her hands and knees in front of me. I reach over quickly and grab the back of her neck, before pushing her face down into the rug.

I situate my legs on either side of her ass, and when I release her neck, I grip my cock and push down on it to direct it to her glistening cunt.

I forcibly dip my cock into her until I'm balls deep, and she lets out a loud cry, and I grit my teeth as I speak.

"Arlo says shut the fuck up, slut, or it'll only get fucking worse for you."

I suck two of my fingers before forcing them deep into her ass at the same time, and she groans loudly. I glance at her for a brief time before starting to fuck both her holes deep with my body parts, pleasing both me and her.

I quickly dip my cock into her gushing pussy continuously and tug on the belt, causing her neck to be pulled back.

I growl as I squeeze her juicy ass with my hand, looking down at her tight pussy, swallowing my dick as I fuck the absolute shit out of her.

When she's coming, I pull out swiftly, crouch down behind her, and spread all of her wide with my hands and fingers before devouring and destroying her pussy and asshole with my pierced tongue.

She moans so loudly that it's like music to my ears, which I could listen to all fucking day.

I smack her ass cheeks a couple more times as I eat all her delicious come-filled pussy and asshole before pulling back and licking my lips. I wrap my arms around her stomach, pull up her heavy, tired body, and carry her over to my bed.

She raises her knees as soon as we are close enough, and I let her fall on it before she rolls onto her back. I gaze down at her as she breathe heavily while peering deep into my eyes, and I hold her hips before pushing her up my velvety bed sheets, lifting my knees to follow her.

As soon as she's in the middle of my bed, I straddle her midsection and snatch fragile wrists before pinning them down firmly onto the bed, placing the majority of my body weight on them.

I bring my face up to hers, making intense eye contact.

"Arlo says keep your wrists the fuck there and don't move a muscle no matter what."

When I rest back back, I release her wrists and remove my knife from the pocket of my pants.

With each deep breath she takes, her chest heaves, and I hook my knife beneath the center of her bra before slicing through it swiftly.

After I use my knife to pry her bra open, exposing her big breasts to me before gliding the blade gently down her skin from between her tits until I reach her belly button, and my black eyes snap to hers quickly.

I break eye contact by dipping my head and taking her stiff nipple into my mouth while pressing my blade firmly against the other.

I bite down hard on it before pulling it with my teeth until it can no longer pull, causing her to whimper, and then I suck it back into my mouth.

I bite all over her breast, leaving marks with my teeth, yet she welcomes it as she hisses and moans.

When I'm done being a nasty, sadistic cunt, I decide to do something I've never done before, but I really want to do it with her.

I sit back again and gaze down at her, my jaw tensing as I bring my hand up over her breasts and press my knife into my palm, causing her to gasp in shock.

"Arlo!"

I continue slicing, ignoring her pleas, until I've carved a perfect W into the centre of my palm, blood pissing the fuck out of it, and it starts dripping down onto her breasts.

I stare at it for a beat, almost falling in fucking love with it as it drips down upon her, and when I look at her, her astonished eyes meet mine.

I extend my bleeding hand and speak calmly.

"Arlo says, " Let me do yours."

Her beautiful brown eyes widen even further, and she casts a wary glance between me and the knife in my hand.

She swallows hard as I wait for her response. There shouldn't even be a fucking answer; I should just do it, but I won't tarnish her perfect skin without her permission; I'm not that much of a asshole.

After about a minute of stillness, she lets out a stiff breath and cautiously rests her hand upside down on my wounded hand.

I tighten my grip on her fingers before bringing my blade to her palm and when I glance down at her, I see she squeezes her eyes shut and turns her face away.

When I begin slicing down her hand, it shakes as her fingers stiffen and she lets out small whimpers, but I try to make it as quick as possible for her. Once I'm done, I flick my blade closed and toss it onto the bed.

Her bright, red blood streams down my fingers and wrists, and I notice her gradually opening her eyes, but I'm hypnotized by it. I've always been mesmerized by the sight of blood, but hers is far more beautiful.

As I gently release her hand, she turns it to face herself, and when she sees I've carved an A into her palm, she looks deep into my eyes, a mixture of disbelief and confusion lingering within her big brown orbs.

I swiftly grasp her hand and turn it before pressing my palm to hers, and we tightly entwine our fingers together, allowing our blood to combine and unite.

I then force her hand down onto the bed beside her head before moving between her knees, which she opens wide for me.

I pant heavily, frustrated, as I take my already stiff cock and guide it to her pussy, but I don't press into her yet.

As I hover over her, I grab her other hand, entwining our fingers, and pin it beside her head as well.

She looks up at me as I bend my head and place my lips on hers. We kiss passionately, and I get so engrossed in it that I soon find my body laying on top of hers, and I drive my solid cock deep into her without warning.

She gasps into my mouth before continuing the passionate kiss, and I start giving her deep, slow thrusts with my dick.

I let go of her unwounded hand, still holding our wounded hands together, and draw back to look at her while I fuck her slowly, placing my hand on her jaw and placing the pad of my thumb against her lower lip.

We stare deeply into each other's eyes as I lean my forehead against hers. Both of us breathe heavily, and I slowly fuck her.

I tuck Cree into bed for his afternoon nap, and he yawns as he rubs his tired eyes.

"I'll come get you in a couple of hours, okay?"

"Okay, Wren."

I lean down, kiss his forehead, and smooth his curly hair while he whispers gently.

"Love you, Wren."

I pull back and gaze down at him, my heart melting in my chest and tears threatening to come because it's the first time he's ever said that, and I sniffle before speaking with a wobble in my throat.

"I love you, Cree, with all my heart."

He looks up at me before turning to his side and closing his heavy eyes. I look at him for a moment while lost in thought before leaving his room and heading downstairs.

I go straight to the kitchen, where I clean up a little and look down at my bandaged hand. I unravel it and stare down at the partly healed, deep red A in my hand from a few nights ago.

I smile to myself, remembering that night and how he bonded our blood before making love to me.

Suddenly, there's a knock on the front door, and my brows rise in surprise because I hadn't anticipated Arlo or anyone else. Before heading to the front door, I set the bloody bandage on the kitchen island.

When I open the door and see that it's Arlo's father, my entire body freezes.

"Hello, Wren."

He takes a step forward, practically forcing and welcoming himself in, and I want to slam the door in his face out of fear, but I find myself slowly backing up, keeping my wide eyes on him.

Once he has fully entered, he carefully closes the door behind him and glances around.

"Is my son home?"

When his eyes return to mine, I shake my head slowly.

"Cree?"

I straighten up, folding my arms across my chest before speaking, trying to project confidence in the face of his frightening demeanor.

"He's upstairs asleep."

He looks all around my face before he now speaks in a calm tone.

"I'm here to see you, Wren."

As I answer, my brows rise before forming a crease.

"Me?"

My body tenses as he takes a slow step forward and stops just in front of me, his spicy aftershave burning my nostrils.

He towers over me and raises his powerful voice when he is in my space.

"You!"

Before I respond, I swallow hard and keep my eyes fixed on him.

"What exactly do you want?"

"I want you to leave. I want you to leave this family and never look back."

I confidently broaden my shoulders and give him a hard look.

"I'm not leaving.”

Anger surges across his eyes, and he lowers his face to mine, flashing his teeth frighteningly.

"It wasn't a question, you dumb bitch; it was a fucking order!"

I raise an eyebrow as I begin to feel defensive, and I do my best to hold my ground.

"I only follow Arlo's orders. Is he aware you're here?"

He remains silent while he stands straight, then lifts his chin.

"You're leaving today. Write Arlo a note and tell him you're going because you're upset over his engagement or some heartbreaking bullshit, but make it fucking convincing."

I narrow my eyes on him.

"I don't think you're listening to me; I'm not leaving Cree. What the fuck do you not understand about that?"

Without warning, he strikes me with a mighty blow to the stomach, knocking the wind out of me and causing me to fall to my knees in front of him.

Cradling my stomach, I gasp for air, and my eyes well up with tears from the excruciating pain.

I pant hard through gritted teeth when I eventually regain my breath, and I observe him crouch down calmly in front of me.

He begins to speak in a deep, bitter tone as I keep my weeping eyes low.

"I'm not my fucking son, Arlo, Wren. People around me obey and do what they're told. Man, woman, or fucking child."

He bruisingly snatches my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"You and your sister would make fine toys for my new business. What’s her fucking name? Lily, isn’t it?"

I just stare at him, wide-eyed, as panic swells within me, and he continues.

"All the filthy old cunts I know would gladly ruin all of her tight, eighteen-year-old holes, teach her, and sell her the fuck on to the next load of perverts to destroy her until she's dead and no longer useful."

I shake my head frantically, and he nods.

"Oh, you don't want that?"

I remain silent, breathing deeply as he draws his face closer to mine.

"You have until today to pack your shit and fuck off back to wherever you fucking came from."

Before he stands, he aggressively releases my chin. I watch him approach the door, then he comes to a stop and turns to face me, his hand on the door handle.

"And Wren? If you say anything to Arlo about this, I'll fuck her personally, then ship her somewhere your poor fucking loved ones will never be able to find her, and then I'll come for you, and I am not someone you want to be fucked by, believe me."

Before he opens the door, he offers me a terrifying smile.

OceanofPDF.com

“Have an amazing day and it was nice to finally meet you properly.”

When he shuts the door behind him, I can't take it anymore and I sob. I lean forward and place my forehead on the floor. After a moment, I groan, wipe my wet face with my hands, and stand up on trembling legs.

I take out my phone from my back pocket. I look down at it and shakily scroll through my contacts until I find Lily as I walk to my bedroom.

It rings for a while, and I start to panic, but she eventually answers.

"Hello?"

"Lil, where are you?"

"At home, why?"

As I grab my suitcase from the wardrobe, I exhale a sigh of relief.

"I was just checking."

I lift the empty suitcase onto my bed and unzip it while she speaks.

"What's the matter, Wren? You sound strange."

"I'm fine; I was just wondering what you've been up to."

I start packing the suitcase, stuffing everything I can into it and not folding anything.

"Well, I've just been hanging out with Jasper, and I'm seeing him tonight."

I hesitate and momentarily close my eyes, thinking about how I'm going to stop this, but she speaks before I do.

"I was thinking we could go on a double date with Arlo and Jasper one day."

I groan with an eye roll and then answer.

"If you hadn't noticed, Lil, Arlo isn't that type of guy."

“True. I had no idea you liked the dark, dominant, and mysterious types, but damn, he's hot too, exactly like his brother."

I place my thumb against my temple, my eyelids clenched tight.

"I'm not sure how to say it, Lil, but neither of us can be near them. They're involved in far too much crazy bullshit."

“What?”

I continue firmly.

"I'm serious, Lil; you can't see Jasper anymore, and I'm leaving Arlo's house today."

“Why? What the hell is going on?"

As I respond, I proceed to stuff my belongings into the suitcase.

"It's a complicated story that I don't have time to explain right now. I'll call you later when I get home to tell you, but can you please promise that you’ll stay home tonight?"

Now she answers with concern.

"Wren, you're scaring me."

"I'm sorry, I don't want to scare you, but could you please, please promise me?"

She is silent for some time, then sighs before speaking again.

“Okay.”

I expressed my relief.

“Thank you! I love you, baby, sis. I’ll call you soon!”

I hang up quickly so she doesn't ask any more questions, and then I close up my suitcase. I pull it off the bed and drag it down the hall while dialing Sara's phone number.

As I bump it down the stairs, she responds, and I try to keep my voice calm and controlled so she doesn't suspect anything is wrong.

"Wren?"

"Hey, Sara. How are you doing?"

"I’m good. How about you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine; first and foremost, I just wanted to apologize for the other night."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Trust me, we rarely have normal fucking birthdays or dinners in my family."

She laughs, and I push myself to laugh in response.

"Okay, so I was wondering if you were busy right now?"

"Erm, I'm not really; why? What's up?"

"Well, Arlo isn't here, and I don't want to bother him, but I have a family emergency, and I need you to come and get Cree until Arlo or myself can come and collect him later."

She takes a brief pause before responding.

"Okay, no worries. I'll be there in thirty minutes; is that all right?"

My shoulders ease slightly.

"Perfect, thank you so much."

She speaks cheerfully before hanging up, not suspecting anything.

"Okay, see you soon, bye!"

I tuck my phone in my back pocket and open the front door. I drag my heavy suitcase down the path, then open the trunk and set it inside. I then swiftly lock my car and head back to the house.

When I walk in and close the door behind me, I go straight to the kitchen, open a drawer to get a notepad and pen, and start writing.

Arlo.. Please don’t think I’ve given up on you or Cree.

I scribble it out, rip the paper from the pad, and start over.

Arlo.. I'm sorry for doing this, but I don't have a choice.

I scribbled that before ripping the paper off again, frustrated with myself and welling up in my eyes.

Tears fall onto the paper as I write, and I brush them away as I finish the note. When I'm done, I rip it out of the pad, set it on the counter, and discard the other paper.

My heart bleeds as I take a big breath and stare down at it, laying there for him to see. This is extremely unfair, but what other option do I have?

I have no idea what Arlo's father is capable of, but Arlo himself has warned me twice about him now. I can't risk something bad happening to my baby sister; I don't care about myself, but nothing can happen to her.

I step back from the note, wiping tears from my eyes, and turn around to head up the stairs to get Cree.

As I make my way to his bedroom, I try to fix myself so he doesn't see or pick up on my emotional state. I stand outside his door for a bit, completing a breathing exercise, before carefully pushing the door handle down and entering his bedroom.

He stirs as I walk in, and I talk softly.

"Wakey, wakey."

I smile down at him as he rubs his eyes, then reach into his bed and lift him out. I place him on my hip, trying not to groan from the pain in my stomach, and I speak enthusiastically.

"Did you get enough sleep?"

“Mmmhmmm..”

As I reach into his drawer and take out a coat, shoes, and his bag, he speaks.

"Are we going somewhere?"

My heart breaks because I know I'll never see, hear, or smell him again after today.

"Aunt Sara will pick you up so you can spend the afternoon with her, okay?"

“Okay..”

I take him downstairs just as the doorbell rings, and I walk towards it with him still on my hip.

When I open it, there's Sara, and I wear a fake smile.

She immediately smiles at Cree.

"Hey, Cree, baby!"

I peer down at him as he smiles at her, then quickly glance away because I'm afraid I'll start sobbing again. I promised myself I would be here for this little boy, yet here I am, leaving against my will and I feel fucking terrible.

Before I speak, I clear my throat.

"He's only just woken up from his afternoon nap, so he'll be fully awake and energetic for you."

She now smiles at me, but I feel I'm not ready to let go of him just yet.

"How about I walk you to Aunt Sara's car?"

“Okay!”

As we leave, I take one more glance inside the dark, gloomy mansion before closing the door behind me.

We walk together down the path until we reach Sara's car. I unlock the back door and I can feel myself becoming devastated as I strap him into his seat.

"Will you be coming to get me later, Wren?"

I kiss his forehead and linger for a moment before whispering with a quiver in my throat.

"Daddy will come and get you, okay?"

He smiles up at me as I step back.

"I love you, Wren. I'll see you later."

As I respond, my lower lip wobbles a little.

"I love you too. Will you be good for Aunt Sara?"

He nods, and I know I have to break away from him or I'll never let him go. This is certainly the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. As I back away, he waves, and I give him a small wave before closing the door.

When Sara talks gently beside me, I clamp my eyes shut with my palm on the door and take a big breath.

“Wren, are you all right?”

I slowly open my eyes and lift my head to face her, giving her a slight nod.

She gives me a wary glance before speaking again.

"You don’t look okay?"

I clear my throat and turn away.

"Honestly, I'm fine. Arlo will collect Cree later."

She remains silent, but I can feel her worried gaze all over me, so I decide it’s probably best I just leave.

"Look, I'd better get going."

As I begin to walk away, the tears I've been holding in suddenly flow and slide down my cheeks.

I originally go towards my house, but at the last minute I change my mind and detour to my parents' house because I know Arlo will come straight to my house, and this way I can keep an eye on Lily as well.

As I approach the driveway, I nervously bite my nails before cutting the engine, taking a big breath, and stepping out of the car.

I take my suitcase from my trunk and drag it up the long path towards the front door before wiping my face, straightening my shoulders, and pushing my finger down on the doorbell.

After what seems like an eternity, I finally see my mom appear through the glass of her front door.

As she opens the door, she stares at me, confused, and I offer her a big, phony smile.

"Mom!"

I charge forward and pull her into a startlingly tight hug, feeling her body stiffen.

"What the hell are you doing here, Wren? You didn't say you were coming here."

I respond with faked enthusiasm when I pull away and my eyes meet hers.

"I thought I'd surprise you while I'm on vacation.”

She looks down at my suitcase beside me, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Already?"

When I rest my hand on my hip, the waistband of my pants brushes against the letter A that is carved into my palm, and I start to panic since I didn't cover it.

I decide to take a step forward as I speak.

"Aren't you inviting your eldest daughter in or am I sleeping out here tonight?"

She smiles and rolls her eyes before taking a step back and waving me inside. When I close the door behind me, she turns around to face me.

"Wait, you're staying here?"

"Is that okay?"

"Why not your house?"

"Well, I thought I'd spend some time with you guys while I have the time off."

She looks at me suspiciously, and I sigh with an eye roll.

"It's only for one week, Mom; will that be a problem?"

She pauses for a moment, pondering what I've said, before motioning for me to join her in the kitchen.

"Of course not; stay for as long as you need!"

I speak as we enter.

"Is Lil home?"

"Yeah, she's upstairs."

"And what about Dad?"

"He's at work, of course, sweetie!"

I smile at her before strolling over to the table and taking a seat.

When she takes a seat across from me, I quickly hide my hand under the table.

"I haven't seen you in weeks, Wren. How are things?"

I fidget slightly before offering her a faint smile.

"Yeah, everything is fine."

"And what about the kid? Do you enjoy working there?"

My heart bleeds once more as I think about Cree and lower my eyes, losing myself in my sad thoughts and forgetting her questions.

"Wren, what's the matter, darling? You don't seem yourself, and you look really rundown and exhausted."

I don’t look her in the eyes as I respond.

"I guess I am, mom. This job isn't easy, and I think I need a short break."

When I finally look her in the eyes, they are full of concern, and I reach across the table with my unwounded palm and give her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

"Honestly, mom, I'm okay. I'm sure all I need is a hot shower and a good night's sleep."

She smiles softly and gives me a little nod.

"Why don't you go do that, and I'll make us some dinner later? We can catch up with a glass of wine, just like old times."

I smile at her before standing and dragging my luggage behind me as I walk out.

When I eventually make it upstairs and into a spare bedroom, I feel like shit and completely deflated.

I just want to fall to my knees and let the darkness of Arlo's home and presence consume me. I've never felt so lost in my entire life.

I take a slow seat on the end of the bed, gently resting backwards, and gaze up at the ceiling, wondering how Arlo will react when he realizes I'm gone. Will he simply accept and think it's for the best, marry Savannah, and go on with his life as his father desires, or will I ever see him again?

As a tear falls from my eye, it slides down the side of my face into my hair, and I see Lily standing in the doorway from the corner of my moist eye.

She stands there for a bit, observing me from a distance in silence, and I continue to stare up at the ceiling. I feel like I'm only feeling a portion of what Arlo feels on a daily basis, but his struggle is so much worse. I feel like I’ve lost someone I love.

Having a shattered heart and knowing you can't be around someone you care passionately about is a hard pill to swallow, and I'm finding it so hard to swallow it right now. It feels lodged in my throat, trapped, and it's preventing me from breathing; I'm suffocating.

Lil slowly steps towards me before sitting on the edge of the bed and speaking softly.

"Wren?"

I glance at her with teary eyes, and she looks at me with uncertainty.

"You don't look so good; do you need some rest?"

My eyelids gently close, causing more tears to escape, and when I open them again, my gaze returns to the ceiling. She stands up and retrieves a blanket, which she lays over me.

"Our talk can wait; you need to sleep."

I quickly catch her wrist as she starts to leave, and when her gaze returns to mine, I speak.

"Stay in tonight and don't tell anyone that I'm here, okay?"

She gives me a small, wary nod and then I release her wrist, letting her go.

When I hear the door close, I shuffle up the bed and groan as I curl into a ball. Tears continue to pour from my eyes, soaking my pillow, but I soon find myself exhausted and falling into a deep sleep.

I'm on my way home, driving in my Lamborghini and I glance at the time to see it's just gone past 9 p.m. Suddenly a call comes through on my speakers and I glance at the screen to see it's my sister, Sara.

I sigh before answering it with a calm tone

.

"What's up?"

"Arlo, where are you? It's late and Cree is already asleep."

I pull my head back in confusion.

"What the fuck do you mean Cree is already asleep?"

"Wait, Wren didn't tell you to come and collect him from my house?"

I grit my teeth as I respond, becoming agitated.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Sara?"

"She called me today and asked me to collect Cree because she had a family emergency."

My jaw tenses with annoyance as I stare ahead, my grip on the steering wheel tightening.

"She didn't tell me shit."

"She was acting weird, Arlo. She wasn't herself, so maybe it's serious and she just didn't have time to tell you. I'm not sure."

"I'll be there in 10 minutes."

"Okay, I'll see you soon."

As soon as she hangs up, I try to call Wren, but the ringing continues without an answer, and I become enraged and yell at the phone.

"Answer the fucking phone!"

When I pull up outside Sara's house, I quickly exit the car and walk to the door, where she is already standing with Cree asleep in her arms.

When I take him from her, he immediately cuddles me and continues to sleep, as Sara whispers.

"Did you manage to call Wren while you were on the way?"

I speak bluntly, irritation rushing through me.

"She's not fucking answering."

I stroll away before strapping Cree into the car, getting inside, and driving away.

As we drive home and Cree is asleep, I try to call her again, but she's still not answering, which causes me to have a nasty, horrible mixture of rage, worry, and paranoia rolling around inside of me.

When we arrive home, I take Cree straight to his bed and undress him before putting him in his pajamas. I try to do it as gently and slowly as possible so I don't wake him, but it's fucking difficult because I start thinking all kinds of weird shit about Wren because this isn't like her at all.

She'd never leave Cree without telling me what the fuck was going on. Yeah, we fuck and she owes me nothing, but she takes her job very seriously; I know it, and I know she knows to contact me first before anyone fucking else when it comes to leaving Cree.

When I'm through, I pull his duvet over him, kiss him on the cheek, and quietly exit his room.

The first thing I do after that is enter Wren's bedroom and switch on the light.

I take a slow step forward and glance around, but I don't need to since I sense it right away. She fucking left us. I turn quickly and dash downstairs to the kitchen as wrath surges through me.

As I rush in and turn on the light, my eyes are drawn to the note on the counter. I stand there outraged, staring at it from a distance, debating whether I even want to read it and listen to the bullshit she has to say.

I furiously rub my palms up and down my face before taking a hesitant step towards it. As I stand over it, my eyes scan the words she wrote.

Arlo. This is hard for me. Always know that I care about you and Cree with my whole heart, but I can't be the reason for your family's hardship. I can't be the reason you're stuck in this miserable situation you've found yourself in. You probably assume I've given up and don't care, but that's not true. I care far too much, and that's the problem. Just know that in your dark world, you managed to bring light into mine and I felt alive every second I was with you and Cree. I will miss you both dearly. With love, Wren.

When I've finished reading it, I purse my lips in disapproval, grab it, and scrunch it up before hurling it at the wall.

I spend the majority of the night pacing up and down, slowly losing my mind while gulping Bourbon. I just need to see her, but I can't since Cree is here. I'm stuck here, going out of my fucking mind.

She can't possibly believe she's doing us a fucking favour! It makes no sense because I told her I don't want and will not marry Savannah. I thought I made it clear that I wanted her; what the fuck didn't she understand?

I recline on the couch, my Bourbon in hand, and reach for my phone to check the time.

When I realize it's already 2 a.m., I decide to call Jasper, who answers after a couple of rings.

"Arlo?"

"Have you heard anything from Wren's sister tonight?"

"To be honest, I haven't, and it's unusual for her. She usually texts me all night, but she canceled her plans to see me tonight and then never texted me at all.”

As I speak, I grit my teeth with agitation.

"So, do you know where she lives?"

"Yeah, bro, why what's up?"

"Just send me the fucking address."

I hang up the phone and take a big sip of my Bourbon while scrolling through recent text messages between me and Wren.

I think I should contact her for a brief moment until Jasper gets back to me with the address, but I know it's pointless. I know she won't go to her house because she thinks she's smart, but she fucking underestimates me.

I'm bringing her back here, no matter what it takes. She can kick and scream all she wants, but she's about to find out she's fucking mine.

I'm packing my suitcase in my parents' spare bedroom, and I'm feeling a little better after an intense week. Arlo has attempted to call me multiple times, and I feel horrible for not answering even one, but as the week passed, the calls stopped, and I believe that has put light on the fact that maybe he realizes it's for the best and it's time to move on from whatever we were, so I've decided to return home today.

I side-eye Lily while she takes a seat on the edge of the bed with a huff, and I can tell she's not happy about the situation, but who can blame her? She's met someone she likes, just like I have, and I've forced her to break off any contact with him in order to keep her safe.

"Wren, Jasper won't stop calling me and he is threatening to come here."

I stand up straight and raise my eyes to meet hers.

"Have you said anything to him at all?"

"No, I've completely ignored him all week because I know how serious this is, and just so you know, I understand why you're doing this and agree with you. I like Jasp a lot, but we're sisters, and family will always come first."

I toss my pile of things into the suitcase before sitting alongside her, drawing her into me with my arm around her shoulder.

"I'm only doing this to protect you from severe harm. I told you what he said and did, Lil, and he is serious."

"Why don't we just tell them? Perhaps they can help."

As I speak softly, I close my eyes and rub my palm up and down her arm.

"And what good is that, Lil? We'll be kidnapped regardless, and I'm not sure if Arlo can really protect us from someone like him; after all, he is their father. I can't take that risk, not with you. I love you too much to see you hurt in all of this, and he did warn me not to tell Arlo, so I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm told.”

She looks at me as I pull back, and I continue in a serious tone.

"As heartbreaking as this is, it's for the best, Lil. This is a dark world that we have no concept about—a scary, fucked-up world and the only way I can protect you is to take you out of it. You understand that, don't you?"

She gives me a tiny nod, and I trace her cheek with my thumb.

"Please stick to the game plan, baby sis."

“I will.”

"Maybe text Jasper and tell him it's not working out so he doesn't freak out anymore. I'm sure Arlo has told him what I said in that note, but I think he'd rather hear it from you for closure."

As I pull my suitcase off the bed, she speaks again.

"You know he'll come for you, don't you? I don't know Arlo at all, but he seems to be the type of guy who knows exactly what he wants and won't take no for an answer."

I sigh and raise my brows before responding.

"I'll deal with that when the time comes, but for now, I'm hoping he takes the bait."

I glance over my shoulder at her as I walk out, dragging my luggage behind me, and find her standing there lost in thought, so I speak.

"Come on, come and see me out."

She grumbles as her glazed eyes meet mine before following behind me.

When I reach the bottom step, I see and hear my mom standing at the front entrance chatting to someone from afar, and I listen as she speaks.

"She's not feeling too well, Jasper."

I hear Lil race up the stairs behind me just as Jasper responds to my mom.

"I've been trying to call her, but I'm getting no answer, and I just want to know she's okay, that's all."

My body freezes as I wait for my mom to respond.

"She's fine; she just doesn't want visitors right now, but I'll let her know you stopped by."

"Okay, thanks."

I know he must know I'm here because my car is parked in the driveway, so I take a deep breath and drag my luggage towards the door. My mother turns to face me as I approach.

"I'm going to go now, Mom, but thank you so much for having me."

Jasper suddenly gasps from behind the door.

"Wren?"

As I hug my mom goodbye, I give him a quick smile over her shoulder, and he reminds me so much of Arlo that it almost kills me.

"Let's go outside and talk, Jasper."

He offers a slight nod before stepping back so I can leave the house, and my mom watches us suspiciously as we walk towards my car.

When I unlock the trunk of my car, Jasper effortlessly picks up my suitcase and places it inside for me.

I give him a little smile.

"Thanks."

When I peek back over my shoulder towards the house, I see my mom finally enter and close the door behind her.

When my gaze returns to his, I speak quietly.

"What are you doing here?"

"You know why the fuck I'm here. What the fuck are you and Lil up to? Arlo is going out of his fucking mind!"

I stand taller because of his stern words.

"He is?"

"Of course he fucking is! Look, I don't know what the fuck you and him were, but he is determined to speak to you."

I step around him and stroll towards the car door while I speak.

"Well, tell him I've made up my mind and it's done."

"Nothing is done until Arlo says so; what don't you understand about that, Wren? Didn’t you learn anything while living with him?"

I hesitate, my hand on the door, as I mull over what he said, and he continues.

"And because you and him aren't working out, me and Lil have got to be separated. Why?"

I instantly turned to face him.

"It's complicated. If I can't be involved in this, Lil can't either. I don't want her around your family."

He narrows his eyes.

"And why did it take you this fucking long to realise this? What the hell happened or changed? This can't possibly be because of this Savannah bullshit."

Becoming agitated, I respond firmly.

"Why can't it? Do you honestly believe I should be second in line while he's fucking engaged to someone else?"

"No, but—"

"No, no buts! I deserve better than what I'm getting from your warped family, so keep the fuck away from me and mine."

I pull on the car door handle and step inside as he continues, leading me to halt once again.

"He won't stop, Wren, not until he talks to you, and there's absolutely fucking nothing anyone can do about it, and I'm not giving up on Lil."

I draw a deep breath before taking my seat, and just as I'm about to shut the door, he stops me.

"He knows you're here."

I give him a side look through the crack in the door.

"So, why isn't he here himself?"

"Because he knew he'd be dragging your screaming ass out of here and he didn't want to give your folks a bad impression."

I try not to smile before I speak.

"Look, I need to go, so can you move your bike?"

He sighs as I close the door, and I watch in my mirrors as he starts his motorcycle and speeds away.

I take a deep breath and sit in utter stillness for a while, debating whether leaving here is the best option, but it's too late; my mom would freak if I stayed any longer; she's already suspicious of me being here.

If I have to confront Arlo when I get home, so be it. I'll just have to keep my calm and tell him that whatever has been going on between us is most definitely over. I'm not sure if he'd find closure in hearing the words come out of my mouth rather than a note.

It's comforting to know he's not giving up on me so easily, but it's also concerning, and it's making this a lot harder. Is his father aware of what's going on and that I've left, as he asked?

I start my car and check over my shoulder as I reverse out; once on the road, I return home.

It's late at night, and I'm finally at home. I've had a relaxing shower, changed into a red lace nightdress, and just had some dinner, but I've spent the majority of the day pacing back and forth, wondering if or when he'll come. I've tried listening to music and watching TV to distract myself from the anxiety, but I still can't keep my mind off of him.

It's already 11 p.m., and I double-check that all of my doors are locked and secure, considering he has decided not to come before heading upstairs to my bedroom.

When I enter my bedroom, I head to the window and close my curtains.

I'm sitting outside of Wren’s house in my Lamborghini, out of sight, peering out the tinted window beside me, and it's the first time I've seen her for an entire week. She walks towards the front upstairs window in nothing but a skimpy red nightdress before closing the curtains, leaving a small crack of light shining through.

This will be the first time I've been able to get her alone, and fuck yeah, I plan to shit the hell out of her in the process of her seeing me. She wants to play games with me, dodge my calls, fucking ghost me, and tell Jasper we're done. Yeah, we'll see about that.

Cree has been asking me where the fuck she has been all fucking week, and I've had to keep telling him that she'll be home soon because she fucking will! I'm not leaving this house without her.

I'm not losing her a second time, no matter how many times she says no. I've given her more than enough space to come to her senses, but she's definitely stuck on whatever bullshit this is about.

My mind has been consumed with her, and I've had no time to think clearly, do business, or anything else for that matter. I've realised how much she means to me in this short time away from her, and I'll tell her that tonight if I have to, but in my fucking way.

Jasper is the only person I've been able to speak with about this because Wren has fucking decided he can't see her sister either.

Me and my half brother have never been close. My dad has always made us believe he was a mistake, a black sheep, but this past week has made me aware that he is probably the only family I can honestly rely on when it comes down to shit like this.

I take a slow step out of my car and, as the doors close, I lean up against it, pulling a cigarette from my pocket and lighting the end. I patiently stare at her window, waiting for her to switch off her light.

I flick my cigarette away before slipping my hands into a pair of black leather gloves and pulling on my black beanie hat. The light goes out after about 10 minutes, and I wait a few more minutes before prowling across the deserted, quiet street.

I reach into my black inner coat pocket and pull out a lockpicking tool that I've used and perfected for many years when doing hits. I gently insert it into the keyhole and play with it until I hear a slight click.

Fucking bingo.

I discreetly peek behind me to ensure no one has seen me break into her fucking house, and then I slowly push the door open.

As I enter the dark foyer, I can smell her immediately, and I must prevent myself from charging up the stairs and pouncing on her. After closing the door behind me, I take a slow step forward and creep up the staircase until I reach the top.

I spot the bedroom she's in and notice the door is slightly ajar, which makes this so much easier for me. I take a steady step forward, avoiding any unexpected movements or sounds until I'm outside her door. I pause for a bit, listening to see if I can hear anything, and when I hear her breathing heavily, I know she's sleeping or close to it.

I know her well enough to recognise every sound she makes while asleep, awake, or being fucked, which is engraved in my mind for the rest of my life.

My cock hardens just thinking about violently fucking her, but I attempt to push those dirty thoughts away for the time being.

I place my palm on the door and gently push on it, and when it's wide enough, I step inside and instantly notice her, laying on her side with her eyes closed, her dark hair sprawled on her white pillows, like a brunette sleeping beauty.

I stand at the foot of the bed, staring down at her, wondering how the fuck I'm going to do this without her screaming the house down or having a heart attack.

Suddenly, her body stiffens, her eyes pop open, and I remain totally motionless as she slowly raises her head before turning to face me. When she sees my silhouette, she shrieks in alarm and scrambles up the bed, pressing her back against the headboard.

She hugs her knees to her chest before reaching over and turning on the bedside lamp.

As soon as the strong light illuminates the dark room, our eyes lock for the first time in what feels like an eternity. Her wide, shocked eyes are fixed on my angry orbs, and I can hear her panicked breathing.

I clench my teeth, wanting to tear her a fucking part and shout at her for doing this to us.

She suddenly decides to speak after a while of uncomfortable silence between us.

"You need to leave!"

I detect panic in her voice, which confuses me, but I stand straighter while elevating my chin before I respond calmly.

"I'm not going fucking anywhere."

She throws the duvet off of her, revealing her sexy red nightdress, and when she swings her legs off the edge of the bed, she stands and storms towards me, her brown eyes filled with rage.

She pushes hard on my chest when she gets close enough, attempting to move me, but I don't move a fucking muscle.

"Get the fuck out!"

She pushes again, frustration and tears welling up in her eyes, and I just stare at her.

“GET THE FUCK OUT!”

She screamed at me that time, a single tear rolling down her cheek, but she'll fucking understand I'm not going anywhere.

"Why won't you fucking listen to me?"

I snap aggressively, my eyes gleaming with fury as I shout and throw my hands in the air.

"Did you fucking listen to me?"

When she realizes how angry I am, her body stiffens instantly.

"Did you listen to me when I said I'm not marrying that cunt? Did you listen to me when I said, I'm not fucking losing this?"

I point at her and declare with clenched teeth.

"You want to talk about listening when you fucking don't listen at all!"

As she chooses to stay silent, I continue on my rant while she stares at me with teary eyes.

"Do you have any idea what the fuck you've done? Do you even give a shit, like you said? Was it all a fucking lie when you said you wanted more from and with me?"

Her eyes stay fixed on me, her mind racing, and she speaks softly.

"Of course not."

"Then what the fuck, Wren?"

She closes her eyes in response to my verbal fury, but it's all spilling out now, and I can't stop or control it. I'm not holding it well, and the frustration and hurt are causing my body to vibrate. She needs to know exactly how I'm feeling.

When she opens her eyes, she turns away from me.

"It's complicated."

"No shit!"

Her eyes quickly find mine, and she narrows them.

"It's not because of me! It's because of you and your crazy fucking family!"

I scoff and look away.

"Do you really believe I didn't have all this bullshit with Bridget?"

When I glance at her, she now looks shocked that I'm even mentioning my dead wife.

"Do you think she didn't have to go through leaps and bounds to make our relationship work, but I still married her regardless because, guess what? I do what the fuck I want, when I want!"

She narrows her eyes again after a brief pause.

"It doesn't make it right, Arlo. Do you care about anyone but yourself? It's too late; you should have tried much sooner!"

I clench my teeth so tightly they grind, and I can't believe she would dare to say that.

"Do you care about the people you hurt around you when you're the way you are?"

As my eyes flame into hers and fire ignites within me, I take a slow step closer.

"The thing is, I care way too much when I feel or care, which is why I don't fucking do it!"

When I come to a stop in front of her, towering over her, she keeps her eyes low and her sweet scent engulfs me, tempting me to kiss, touch and fuck every inch of her.

She speaks softly, with her head tilted down and her eyes low.  

"And now?”

I grasp her chin, forcing her to look into my eyes before I respond calmly.

"You know what the fuck now, or I wouldn't be here; I wouldn’t bother, and you know it."

She examines my facial features, her eyes welling up, then pulls her chin from my grip and faces away.

"I can't. I'm sorry. It's too late."

I drop my hand and stare at her tear-stained face in disbelief, and I can't believe she's not listening to a word I'm saying while I'm trying to open up to her, exactly as she wanted.

"Cree asks for you at least three times a fucking day."

She closes her watery eyes, more tears cascading down her pink cheeks and I can feel her suffering, but she is fighting it, and I can’t understand why.

When she opens her eyes, she wipes her cheeks with her palms before her angry eyes dart to mine.

"Don't you do that; don't you dare try to manipulate me!"

I feel my temper hit me again, and I am forced to raise my voice once more to try to express how frustrating the whole situation is for Cree and for me.

"It's the fucking truth, Wren!"

She pokes my chest with her finger, flames licking around her brown pupils.

"Do you know how hard this has been? Leaving him was the most challenging thing I've ever had to do in my entire life."

"So, come the fuck home!"

"No!"

"Why the fuck not, Wren? Your excuses are pitiful. I'm not marrying her!"

She sighs in defeat and strolls over to the end of the bed, where she takes a seat with her head down and after a while of quiet, she suddenly speaks sternly.

"Just fucking leave, Arlo; you're making this ten times harder."

My nostrils flare, and I grit my teeth in response.

"I'm not going anywhere, Wren, and I don't give a fuck how many times you say it."

She stands unexpectedly, frustration in her eyes, and when she's within my reach, she tightly clamps both of her small hands around my wrist.

She uses everything she has within to try to pull me towards the door.

"I'll fucking force you to leave then!"

I stare at her blankly as she attempts to move me, not giving in, but I keep my feet firmly planted on the ground.

The more I watch her, the more I feel an overpowering sense of irritation wash over me, and I swiftly grasp her wrist without warning before yanking her into my body.

When her tiny body collides with mine, I wrap my arm over the bottom of her back, locking hers  beside her and of course, she fights against me, attempting to separate herself from my strong hold.

"Get the fuck off of me!"

I grab her hair and pull back on it as hard as I can, forcing her to screw her eyes shut with a wince. I draw my face close to hers, holding her in place, and hiss against her pretty lips, which I've wanted to kiss ever since I walked into this room.

"You're fucking mine!"

She suddenly ceases all struggle and gradually opens her wet, puffy eyes, staring directly into my wide, angry eyes as we both breathe heavily.

When something passes between us, my rage is instantly replaced by desire because of how close she is to me, and I notice it in her gaze as well.

I pounce, plunging my tongue straight down her throat, and she allows me, kissing me back just as I expected and we kiss wildly.

The sexual connection I have with her is unlike any other, and one kiss can feel like bliss running through my dark veins, directly into my bloodstream, and igniting them to life. It’s as if she is my favorite drug that I've been craving all fucking week to put me out of my misery.

She moans against my lips as I release her arms before she slides her small palms up my chest until they reach my neck, and she removes my beanie hat.

While I devour her sexy mouth, she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me down closer to her before running her fingers through my brown, wavy hair. As I gather her nightdress into the palm of my hand, I maintain my arm tight around the bottom of her back. I hold the silky material up and place my other hand on her smooth, juicy ass before squeezing it roughly.

I growl into her mouth before snatching her throat and slamming her up against the wall, my eyes feral with chaos and I add pressure to her throat while baring my teeth.

"Do you realise how fucking insane you've driven me all week?"

I kiss her again, dominating her mouth and stealing her oxygen, before I continue when I break off again, gritting my teeth with frustration against her lips.

"I've fucking missed you."

I capture and bite her bottom lip severely, making her feel only a portion of the pain I've had, and she winces.

"When I say you're mine, I fucking mean it! What's mine is mine for eternity.”

I grab her wrist tightly with my free hand and hold it up so she can see my initial buried deeply in her palm for life.

“This means more to me than you’ll ever know. We are bound. Not just by blood but by connection, soul, and fucking mind.”

I continue our brutal kiss and wrap my hands over the back of her thighs before lifting her around me. I stroll with her for a short distance and she starts rocking her hips, indicating her needy, slutty pussy is desperate for a fucking pounding.

I smack her ass before securing her panty strings around my hands and pulling them up her back, trapping them between her ass cheeks and pussy lips.

When she whimpers, I forcibly speak against her plump, rosy lips.

"I want to hear you say it, Wren. Tell me you want this, that you want me."

Her eyes search mine with desire, and she whispers.

"It'll always be you."

I growl before pressing my lips against hers and we're back to kissing again like two ravenous savages. I move with her until I'm throwing her onto the bed, frustration coursing through me as I push my hands up her nightdress, violently grasp her panties, and rip them down her golden brown legs.

I lift her nightdress up her body until her big tits are exposed to me, toss it across the room and then stand upright before stripping naked. Her hungry eyes follow each movement I make, and when I'm finished, I lay my body on hers, the skin-to-skin contact being everything I hoped for.

My hard cock grinds against her moist pussy, and our bodies move to the rhythm, desperate for intimacy. She keeps her eyes locked on mine as our lips softly brush and she whispers.

"I fucking missed you, too."

I know she did; she didn't have to tell me, but her words cause me to slow down my pace.

She runs her small hands up and down my inked back and smiles against my lips as I stare silently at her.

"Tell me how rough I'm going to get it, Arlo. Say something."

I hiss at her lips before speaking against them with flames in my eyes.

“I hope that both those tight holes of yours can take a fucking pounding tonight, or else I’ll be ripping you two more.”

Sinfulness glistens in her huge brown eyes as she bites her bottom lip.

"Fuck, I love it when you talk dirty to me."

"I know you fucking do, and that's why you're my little slut."

I watch her while she throws her head back and laughs.

"Well, then, what are you waiting for?"

She speaks against my lips, her teeth tightened, as I usually do to her.

"Show me just how much you fucking missed me."

I have a tiny smirk on my lips and wickedness in my eyes.

"I hope you're fucking flexible or this will be very uncomfortable for you."

As I quickly sit back on my knees between her separated legs, her eyes broaden.

I grab one of her ankles and elevate her leg as high as it will go beside her head, pinning it. I stare down as I slide my pierced cock slightly into her pussy before grasping the other ankle and pinning it high as well.

I stare down at her, leaning over her, and restrain them both.

"So far, so good. Now let's see whether you can take my monster cock in this fucking position."

"Arlo, I—"

I forcefully ram my dick all the way into her, stopping her pleas, and she screams from the unwelcome depth.

I start drilling so hard into her that I can feel her tensing around my cock, her starving pussy swallowing me fully, and it feels so good to be inside her again.

She presses her palms against my chest, her nails scratching at my skin, almost as if she wants to tell me to stop, but I won't fucking stop, not until she asks me too.

I lower my head, bringing my face near hers.

"You can take it, my little slut. You're my good fucking girl, and you always take my big cock so well."

I've never heard her scream with such intensity before, but I love the melody she sings. I want everyone to know what I'm doing to her. I love hearing and seeing her in such pain and ecstasy at the same time. I get a sick satisfaction out of it, and I relish in what I do to her.

It doesn't take long for her to explode on my cock as I continue to slam into her. As her body quivers beneath me and her eyes roll from her intense orgasm, I slow my thrusts.

When I sit back and release her legs, she groans as she lowers them beside me.

"You're fucked now that I know you can flex like that."

She giggles while in a state of euphoria, shaking her head and I stand off of the bed. I jerk my heavy, throbbing dick as I gaze down at her with darkness in my eyes, unable to believe I've been lucky enough to find a woman who can take every twisted and disgusting fantasy I throw her way.

I turn her onto her front and raise her hips before dragging her to the edge of her bed and I no longer have to force her head down; she does it willingly.

I glide my hands slowly over her ass and down the curve of her back until I am pushing her nightdress over her head, leaving her completely naked, before locking her wrists behind her back with one hand.

I guide my dick back inside her dripping pussy and shove myself all the way until I hit her cervix, causing her to moan.

"Give me another one, baby. I want you to come all over my cock again."

As I begin to thrust myself into her, she shakes her head, and I take a hold of the back of her hair and pull back on it, raising her head.

"You can, and you fucking will!"

I pound into her repeatedly until she comes yet again, but this time the sensation causes me to fire my load deep inside her unexpectedly. I breathe heavily as I slow down until I've finished filling her, at which point I pull my sloppy dick from her twitching pussy.

I reach over her, unlocking her wrists while keeping her hair pulled back, before I press two of my fingers between her lips.

"Fucking suck on them good, bitch."

She does as she's told and coats them in her saliva before I slide them out and return to standing straight. I press my two wet fingers into her tight asshole and begin fucking her with them while I prepare her to take my big, fat cock.

I crouch down behind her and split her pretty pussy lips with my fingers, watching my come drip out of her.

"Push my fucking come out of your cunt."

She reacts breathlessly.

"What?"

I smack my palm down hard on her ass and she squeaks.

"Do as you're fucking told!"

When I feel her muscles pressing around my fingers deep in her ass, I part her lips again and watch as she pushes my come out. I curl my fingers inside her asshole, encouraging it to seep slowly down her tight cunt.

"Fuck, that's so fucking hot."

I let out a growl before stranding up again, noticing her clutch the bedsheets in her fists, clearly enjoying what I'm doing to her.

After a bit, I start thrusting further into her ass and jerking my cock off at the same time while she moans and basically begs for it.

"You're fucking loving that, aren't you, slut?"

"I fucking love it; please don't stop."

I stroke my pierced head up and down her drenched pussy, combining our come before slapping her clit with it. I spit on my cock for extra moisture before withdrawing my fingers from her now-destroyed asshole.

"I'm about to give you one better, baby."

I extended her legs wider with my knees to make her ass come down more before guiding my dick to her asshole and slowly slipping myself deep into her small ring.

I press in and out of her, allowing her to adjust until I lose control and lean over her body, grabbing her shoulders, curving her back brutally and pressing her ass down continuously on my cock with force.

She screams again as I fuck her for a while until the sensation of being so deep within her ass makes me erupt once again, and I can't help but rest my forehead on her sweaty back, my knees weakening and twitching.

I keep thrusting slowly, making sure there's nothing left, and as I pull out, I collapse on the bed alongside her, panting heavily. When she falls onto her back as well, she is quite a distance away, and I notice her heavily breathing too.

I glance over at her, extend my arm and make a head motion.

"Come the fuck here."

She looks at me warily because I've never done this with her before, but who can blame her when I've been nothing but a cold cunt towards her? After a while of total stillness and us staring at one another, she shuffles over to me and, when she's close enough, she cuddles into me, her face on my chest.

I wrap my arm around her shoulder, and we lie in silence, catching our breaths. After a while, I realize she's asleep because her body and breathing have both become heavier.

I start to move and sit up before getting out of bed. I lift her in my arms and place her at the head of the bed before jumping in beside her. She curls into me once more as I wrap my arm around her and pull the duvet up over us.

The next morning, I'm awakened by my legs opening and movement under the duvet. I roll onto my back, still sleepily in a haze, when my pussy is suddenly devoured by a ferocious beast and my eyes snap open.

"Oh, fuck!"

He eats me like a fucking animal, just the way I like it, and he presses on my inner thighs, pinning them open wide, to make sure I don't resist him. He growls against me as his gifted tongue and mouth probe every inch of my throbbing pussy.

I reach under the duvet and bury my hands in his hair, sinking my head into my plump pillow and moaning.

I buck my hips to his tongue's rhythm, getting right into it with my eyes closed as he works my sensitive clit, sucking and tugging on it, and after a while, I'm coming.

My body tenses and my hands tighten in his hair as he consumes me through it, showing no mercy while drinking all of my come. He sinks his tongue deep into my pussyhole to taste me before raising it all the way up my slit and gently kissing my tender clit.

He creeps up my body until his head peers out from beneath the duvet and his face is close to mine.

I smile as I bite my lower lip.

"How was breakfast?"

He raises an eyebrow as he responds.

"I've been wanting to do that all fucking night."

"You haven't slept?"

He sighs and collapses alongside me, resting his arm behind his head.

"Do I ever?"

I sit up before climbing on top of him, straddling his midsection with my wet, exposed pussy on his toned abs and his semi-hard cock rests between my ass cheeks. He moves his hands up my thighs until they are gripping my hips.

I bite the tip of my finger, looking at him slyly as his wicked eyes sweep down my naked body. When his eyes meet mine, he elevates his chin and speaks matter-of-factly.

"You're coming home with me today."

My face falls instantly, and nerves hit me as he watches me begin to bite my nail. He slowly reaches out and grabs my wrist, stopping me.

"Don't fucking do that."

"Do what?"

"Bite your fucking nails and still look at me as if you're still saying no."

I suppress the panic that is growing within me and look away.

"Wren, tell me what the fuck is wrong. I know what you're saying isn't true. We've already talked about it, and you said you fucking trusted me."

I react quietly when my gaze returns to him.

"I do—"

"Then tell me."

"I can't."

"Why the fuck not?"

I groan and glance away once more.

"Please don't do this, Arlo."

When I start to move away from him, he tightens his grip on my hips, driving his fingers into my flesh to stop me.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me, Wren."

I swallow the lump in my throat as my eyes well up, and I really want to tell him, but I'm afraid of how he'll react. Will he go crazy and blow up the whole thing, putting my sister in more danger because of his rage and temper?

As we stare at each other, he waits for me to tell him.

"If we have to, we can wait here all fucking day."

Before I say anything, I sniffle.

"I'm worried about how you'll react."

"You're fucking pregnant?"

He really caught me off guard with how bluntly he said that, causing me to straighten up and pinch my brows as I respond.

"What? No."

"You're seeing someone else?"

"No way, Arlo! What the hell?"

"Well, what the fuck is it?"

I sigh, knowing I'll never win this battle with Arlo since he's stubborn and will prod me until I tell him the truth.

After a while of silence, I finally just let it out.

"On the day I left, someone came to see me at your house."

His brows furrow in confusion and he elevates his chin while examining me carefully.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Promise me you won't react badly until we figure this out."

He pauses, hesitation written in his dark eyes and his jaw clenched, but when he reluctantly nods, I speak.

"Your dad."

I watch the fury flash through his eyes as he begins to rise and my heart pounds in my chest as panic grips me, but I attempt to push him back down.

"No! You promised me!"

"I'll fucking kill the old cunt!"

I take his face with my palms and look into his eyes, seeing something I've never seen in Arlo before that sends shivers down my spine, but I speak sternly.

"Please listen to me."

I can feel his jaw muscles tightening under my fingers, and he sighs before resting back, ready to hear what else I have to say.

"He told me to leave or he'd sell me and my sister into his new business and we'd be raped."

He bites his words as fury burns in his eyes.

"That fucking—"

"Please! Arlo, you must know all of it. Isn't this what you wanted from me? For me to be completely honest with you?"

He sighs and faces away, undoubtedly annoyed that he has to listen to more.

"When I tried to stand up for myself and make it clear that I wasn't prepared to leave you and Cree..."

My emotions get the better of me, and a tear rolls down my cheek. When his eyes circle my face, he waits patiently for me to continue, and I exhale an unsteady breath while staring down at my hands.

"He punched me in the stomach. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, and he kept saying crazy things about what he'd do to me and Lil if I didn’t leave you."

I feel his eyes all over me, the unbearable fury pouring out of him, and I know he wants to leave and do something, but he remains motionless and silent.

"I just don't want anything to happen to my baby sister. She is too pure and innocent for this shit, and she doesn't deserve it."

As I wipe my tears with my hands, he gently grabs both my wrists and pulls me down onto him, where I can hear his racing heart against my ear.

He places his arms tightly around me, and his powerful voice vibrates against my ear when he talks.

"Listen to me; I'll make sure nothing ever happens to either of you with my fucking life. You should have just told me, Wren."

"I'm sorry; I was in a state of shock and didn't know what to do at the time. I was just so scared.”

We fall silent for a while, and I begin to relax in his arms until he decides to speak.

"I've wanted to kill the bastard for many years, but I'm tied to him in more ways than blood. After this and what he's done to you, he's clearly shown how far he's willing to go to control everything I do, and I don't think I've got a choice anymore, no matter the fucking consequences."

I raise my head and look him in the eyes.

“Is that what you do? Kill?"

He just stares at me, his dark brown eyes piercing mine, but he doesn't say anything. I glance at his lips and continue speaking softly.

"You know it doesn't make a difference to me, right? I couldn't care less what you do in your world. I've known for some time that you're not an ordinary businessman."

He glances around my entire face before moving my hair over my shoulder and resting his warm, tattooed palm on the side of my neck. I get butterflies when he tenderly brushes his thumb over my jaw.

"And that's why I fucking like you. No matter what kind of monster I am, you look past it and still believe there is some good in me. You don't try to change me; you just accept me for who I fucking am."

My heart fills with something as I smile.

"It's difficult not to when I've had the pleasure of seeing you with Cree every day and you're not the same with him."

He swiftly presses his lips against mine, cutting me short, as if he doesn't want to disappoint me by refusing to talk about emotions any longer.

We become caught in a passionate kiss, and when we finally part ways, I smile and rest my cheek on his chest.

"I think you're right; you might have to stay here for a couple of days while I fix this shit."

I swiftly raise my head, worry written all over my face, and his eyes scan my features.

"Any problems, just call me, Wren. Don't ever leave me in the dark like that again."

He continues when I give a cautious, nervous nod.

"I'll have someone watching over you and Lily in the meantime."

"But, when will I see you again?"

As he responds, he sweeps his thumb along my bottom lip and studies the movement.

"I'll be in touch."

He leans forward and plants a firm kiss on my lips before getting out of bed.

"You're going now?"

His eyes meet mine as he pulls on his boxers and buckles the belt of his jeans.

"The sooner I fucking deal with this, the sooner I can have you home."

"But I'm worried, Arlo. What if he comes for me? What if he knows you've been here and that I've told you?"

He pulls his t-shirt over his head before responding.

"As soon as I leave here, I'll call someone I trust, and they'll be here within 10 fucking minutes."

I stare at him, panic gripping me, and he sits beside me on the bed.

"Listen to me; I've put not only your body, but undoubtedly your mind as well, through some tough shit since I've known you. You must remember that you are far more powerful than you think.”

My eyes search his, giving a little nod before he firmly holds my throat and looks at my lips.

He leans in, pressing his firmly against mine for a second, before resting his forehead on mine while he speaks.

"I'll call you."

He suddenly stands and walks out the door, leaving me speechless and I pull the duvet further up my naked body.

As I drive, I look down at my dashboard touch screen and go through my contacts until I come across Dominic, one of my trustworthy and ruthless men who I know can safeguard Wren.

When I press the call button, he responds quickly.

"Boss?"

"Dom, I need you to go to an address today and keep an eye on the house for me. The woman inside must be protected, and no one suspicious, especially my fucking father, can enter."

"Sure. Just text me the address."

"Before you go, I need you to call Mike and ask him to go to another address."

"All right, boss. Text them both through."

I hung up the phone and texted both addresses.

When I get home, I notice Cash waiting outside my front door, staring at me as I pull up. As I cut the engine and my doors lift, I jump out of my Lamborghini and storm up the pathway toward my house, locking eyes with him.

"Where the fuck have you been, Arlo? I've been trying to call you!"

I walk right past him, disregarding him entirely. Before entering, I press my key into my door and unlock it, and I can hear him stalking behind me.

I jog up the stairs, heading directly for my bedroom at the end of the long, dark hallway.

When I get inside, I go directly to my arms room and enter.

My eyes search the weapons littered over the walls as I consider which one to use to blow my father's head off once I've finished skinning him.

When my gaze is drawn to my gold and silver Desert Eagle 50 Cal, I take a step forward and take it off the hook. As I admire it, I notice Cash entering from the corner of my eye.

"What the fuck are you doing with that?"

I give him a sidelong glance before ignoring him completely and pulling out the clip to see how many rounds are in it.

"That nanny chick left you, right?"

My jaw clenches as I re-insert the clip and cock it back. I quickly turn and point it in his face.

My black eyes remain fixed on him as I tilt my head to the side, and he just stares at me until he lifts his chin and speaks calmly.

"Look, man, I had nothing to do with it. My loyalty has always been with you, brother."

I narrow my eyes and raise my voice.

"How the fuck do I know that? I can't seem to trust any of you motherfucks anymore."

He takes a deep breath before continuing.

"When have I ever fucking betrayed you?"

I search for the lies in his eyes, but I can't find them. If he's lying, he's doing a good job of disguising it.

I shrink the short space between us and press my gun beneath his chin until we're nose to nose, speaking with gritted teeth to assert my authority.

"I hope to fuck you're on the right side of this business when I kill that old bastard, Cash, or I'll be coming for you too. I'll fuck up any cunt who gets in my way."

I shove the gun more into his chin, causing it to rise.

"You got that?"

He nods, and I carefully withdraw my gun while continuing to speak.

"So, where the fuck is he?"

He shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't know; I haven't spoken to him."

My jaw tenses with annoyance as I turn around, slipping my gun into the back of my jeans before gazing up at my knife set, running my fingers down them until I land on one of my favorites and pick it up.

I press down on the side button, and when the blade flips out, I speak coldly.

"If you hear anything from him, tell him I'm fucking coming for him."

I close the knife and side-eye him before making a head motion towards the door.

"Now, get the fuck out of my house."

I keep an eye on him as I watch him walk away, and I slide my knife up my sleeve.

As I drive to my parents' house, I call Sara, who has Cree, and after a few rings, she answers.

"Hello?"

"How is he?"

"He's okay; I'm just making him breakfast."

"Sis, I know this is a big ask, but I need you to have him for a couple of days."

"Why? What's the matter, Arlo?"

"It's our old sperm donor. He's threatening Wren, and I can't have her home until this gets sorted."

I hear her exhale a sigh before responding.

"So, what are you going to do about it?"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

I remain silent, feeling agitated as I think about it, and she continues by whispering on the phone, clearly hiding from Cree.

"Just do what you have to do, Arlo. You don't have to worry about Cree; I'll be looking after him. He is safe with me, but please be careful. You know what and who he is, and Cree needs his Daddy."

My jaw tightens as I stare ahead, pondering all the possible outcomes of this fight before responding.

"Thanks, sis. I'll make it up to you, and if you have any problems, please call me. Tell Cree that I love him."

She is silent for a moment before sighing.

"Of course, I will, and we'll speak soon."

I pull up outside the mansion as the call ends and step out when the doors open. I storm to the front door, not giving a fuck about who's here. I ring the doorbell and hold my gun in the back of my jeans, ready to draw if necessary.

When the door opens, it's my mom who greets me, confused.

"Arlo, what are you doing here?"

I push past her, welcoming myself into her fucking house. I scan the huge area with my eyes, and as I hear the door close behind me, I turn to face her.

"Where the fuck is he?"

She covers her arms with her hands, not responding to me, forcing me to raise my voice in anger.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS HE!?"

Her body tenses before she speaks.

"What is this all about?"

I take a short step forward and stare down at her.

"Is he fucking here?"

She offers a slight head shake, and I grind my teeth, realising that this fucker is going to be more difficult to catch than anyone else in my life.

"He's in Mexico."

I stare at her, confused.

"What the fuck is he doing there?"

I know the fucking answer when she remains silent and just stares at me. He intends to make a deal for sex trafficking.

"That mother-fuck…"

Before I glance at her again and speak, I rub my palm over my mouth.

"And you agree with this, do you? What is he planning with human trafficking?"

She attempts to defend herself by raising her voice.

"Of course not!"

We stare at each other in silence, and I realize she never truly had a say in anything my old man did. She's dealt with his continual abuse, betrayal, and this horrific world for years, and she's always handled it well, but I sometimes wonder how she does it and why she’s put up with it. My mom is a strong woman, but she is weak for allowing him to repeatedly abuse her trust.

She sighs as she breaks eye contact.

"Is this all about that girl?"

I become enraged and raise my voice.

"WREN!"

I'm furious that she didn't even have the decency to say her fucking name.

"I'm tired of people calling her ‘The Nanny’ or ‘Girl.’ WREN is her fucking name!"

She studies me as she stands straighter, her gaze narrowing.

"You're in love with her?"

My jaw clenches and I speak with clenched teeth.

"I don't fucking love anyone."

She stares at me again before lifting her chin and continuing.

"So, why the hell won't you let her go, Arlo?"

I don’t take my gaze off of hers; all my blood is rushing through my veins like a fucking maelstrom.

"I haven't seen you like this since—"

"DON'T!"

Her entire body freezes, and she clamps her mouth shut.

"Do you really believe it matters who I fucking care about in this life, mom? That cunt will keep trying to control and ruin things for me. I, like you, have no say in this life."

She finally decides to speak.

"So you care about her?"

I narrow my eyes.

"Yes, I fucking care about her!"

I recognise it's probably the first time I've ever said that out loud, and to the one person who didn't even deserve to hear it.

I break eye contact by looking aside, but I can feel her eyes on me like a hot laser.

"And you believe she can reign alongside you in our world?"

I consider it for a moment, and I know I haven't known Wren for long, and fuck, I don't even know what this is between us yet, but one thing is certain: she can take whatever twisted bullshit I throw at her without hesitation.

Yeah, she was definitely raised in a very different life than mine, but that doesn't mean she can't manifest the shit I've put her through and take on my world with me.

Hell, she might not even want to, but we both know we don't want this thing between us to end, whatever the fuck this is, and that tells me she'll be willing to stay with me and bear my burdens no matter what.

I need to talk to her about it, but based on what I saw last night, Wren made it clear that she doesn't want to leave me and Cree anytime soon, and I want to keep her; I'm not letting her go, and I'll protect her with my life.

I raise my jaw and speak calmly.

"She can handle me, can't she?"

We just stare at each other in silence for some time until she raises an eyebrow before responding.

"Very well, come with me; we need to talk."

She goes right by me before climbing the stairs, and I wonder what the fuck she's up to. After a brief pause, I follow behind her, and soon we're in her office in the back of the mansion, where I close the door behind me.

I watch her walk around her desk and motion with her hand for me to sit in front of her. I sigh and take a lazy seat, crossing my ankle over my knee.

She takes a seat, her elbows on the desk, and I stare at her, waiting for her to say whatever the fuck she wants to say.

"So, what are your plans if you do eventually get hold of him?"

I raise an eyebrow and speak calmly.

"You know what the fuck I'll do; I don't need to spell it out to you, mom."

"So, you intend to kill him?"

"It's the only way this is going to stop, mom. The sooner he's gone, the better. Then I'll be able to take over the fucking business."

She gives a slight nod, unbothered that I plan to murder her husband.

"Okay, well, you'll have to wait a little longer for me, son."

I crease my brows and lean forward.

"And why the fuck should I do that? I don't have time for that when he's threatening to sell, Wren!"

"It's critical that you do, Arlo, or we'll lose everything!"

I confusedly shake my head.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

I follow her every move as she leans up against the front of her desk, sighing.

"I've been plotting your father's demise for quite some time, Arlo."

My brows raise, and I slump back in my chair, shocked, while she continues.

"Did you really think I'd let that bastard screw over me and my kids for all these years?"

She lowers herself to my eye level, a nasty grin on her lips.

"I've been playing a game, and he has no fucking idea what shitstorm is about to hit him."

I look at her with suspicion and elevate my chin.

"Why the fuck now? What's suddenly changed?"

She responds as she walks around her desk again.

"Your father has done many cruel things, but he did something completely unforgivable quite some time ago. Since then, I've realised he doesn't deserve to fucking live anymore, and he needs to die for us to be at peace."

I observe her as she takes another seat and I speak.

"And what the fuck was that?"

She shakes her head and rests her hands calmly on the desk in front of her.

"It doesn't matter right now; it's done. All I know is that this cannot continue; he is out of control and must be stopped before things escalate. We used to be a team, Arlo. Every decision was made as a family, but your father appears to believe he is the only one who has power now."

I take a deep breath before responding.

"So, what's your plan?"

She reclines in her chair and takes a moment to think carefully.

"Your father has made the decision that if he is murdered, we as a family will lose everything. No money, no house, no businesses, nothing."

I close my eyes, rage sweeping over me because the motherfucker had the audacity to do that to us. When I reopen my eyes, they swiftly meet hers, and I sit forward.

"We don't need that cunt, mom. I've got enough money and contacts to take over the entire firm.”

"It's not that simple anymore, Arlo; it used to be, but not anymore."

"And why the fuck not?"

She takes a long breath before responding.

"He is already in talks with all of the elites and investors, and if he is murdered, it will be his son's fault. You understand what that means, don't you? If you kill your own father without justification, you will never be accepted or trusted as an elite again. You and I will never be able to work in this game again, Arlo."

I stand up swiftly, frustrated and angry, and shout.

"Snakey motherfuck! Mom, I need to kill him! I can't be stopped!"

"I'm not saying you can't be the one to kill him, Arlo. I'd be pleased if you did."

I just stare at the woman who dragged me into this cruel world. She is not your typical mother; she raised me to be a cold-hearted animal.

Whenever I got into fist fights at school, she was the first to show up and watch. If I ever went underground at 16 years old to bare-knuckle fighting against full-grown guys, she would be the first to see it. She wouldn't cheer me on as any normal mother would while their kid was playing baseball; she’d just stand there waiting for me to win, and if I didn't, she'd send me back in there to take another fucking beating until I learned how to win. My mom was never maternal, and unlike Sara, I never got cuddles and fucking kisses before bed.

I was raised to be the man of the family and business, alongside my dad. On their leash, I was nothing more than a dog, and if they released that leash, I would attack like an untamed beast on both of their orders.

I'm not sure whether to hate her or love her for it because it not only made me the nasty bastard I am today, but it also made me strong enough to face what I had to deal with when Bridge was murdered.

I raise my chin and speak sternly now.

"So, what are you expecting me to do? Allow him to fucking take her."

Before she responds, she lets out a sigh.

"I have an outside investor, and we have everything in place to do this properly. I'm not going to let you storm into this with your temper and screw everything up."

In confusion, I pull my head back.

"What fucking investor?"

She stares at me with hesitation, as if she doesn't trust me enough.

"Just tell me, mom. We're on the same side!"

After a little pause, she gives a slight nod.

"Ghost."

My pupils dilate as I fix my eyes on her. Ghost is the most powerful silent investor in the elite underworld of the United States. He controls every aspect of this shit, yet no one has ever met him or knows who he is; he is literally a ghost, which is why we call him that. His decision is final, and there is nothing more to be said.

"How the fuck have you managed to connect with Ghost? It's not possible."

She suddenly pulls her sleeves up her arms, revealing her wrists. I take a slow step nearer, seeing two deep, healed slices across both of her wrists, and my gaze swiftly meets hers.

"I had to sacrifice Arlo in order to see him. When I woke up, he was there, and I told him everything about your father's betrayal and everything he's done outside of written vowels."

As I react, I just stare at her blankly.

"How the fuck do you even know it was him?"

She slants her head to one side before stepping toward me.

"Don't you think I asked that? He showed me his charred logo on his high inner thigh, Arlo."

This surprises me, so I give a suspicious nod. My mother is the only person on this planet who has met the Ghost of the Elite Underworld before me or my father, which makes me question why. Why her? What is it about her that prompted this person to expose their true identity to her out of all people?

"We're almost done with your father, Arlo, but you have to wait for things to be finalized on Ghost's end. You understand that you can't betray him or he'll turn on you as well, don’t you?"

I raise my chin and narrow my eyes.

"How can I put my trust in you? How do I know you're not secretly on his fucking side? I mean, it's always been that way."

She suddenly cups my face with her frail palms, and my body stiffens beneath her touch because she's never handled me like this before.

She looks deep into my eyes and speaks with sincerity.

"I know I haven't been the best mother, but trust me when I say that you, Sara, and Cree mean the world to me. I'll always choose you over that bastard. I will move heaven and earth for you, son."

When I look into her eyes, it's as if I'm staring into the eyes of my mother for the first time in my life, rather than a total stranger I grew up around.

"You must stick to the plan and prove that you can be trusted just as much as I can, okay? You can't allow your rage to get the best of you like it has for the past few years. You have to show that you can be both fierce and calm in times like this."

She drops her hands from my face as I give a brief, silent nod.

"Do whatever you need to do to protect Wren, but leave your father to me until I tell you otherwise."

She walks towards her desk and takes a seat, exhaling a defeated sigh.

"So he's in Mexico right now?"

She nods, and I nod back before going towards the door, but her voice stops me.

"Arlo!"

I give her the side eye and wait for her to continue.

"Don't go get yourself fucking killed. When everything is all said and done, you will have complete control of New York's underworld, and you know what that means, don't you?"

I turn and glance over my shoulder at her.

"You won't be known as ‘The Skinner' anymore, and you won't have to throw your weight around. You'll be more focused on business. You must restrain part of your rage because you will have people looking up to you who must not only fear but also respect you."

I pause for a split second to consider what she said before nodding and walking out.

I'm standing in front of my bedroom window, watching the sunset. The sky is filled with beautiful orange and violet hues. I cast a downward glance at the black car with tinted windows that has been parked at the front of my house all day.

It has to be the man Arlo sent. I haven't heard anything from him all day, and I'm curious what he's been up to. I'm wondering if he's okay and if he's figured this out yet. I just want to go home since I don't like being here by myself. It's driving me insane that I'm not with Arlo and Cree.

Suddenly, a text message emerges on my phone, which is on my bed, and I glance back over my shoulder before walking towards it.

When I have grabbed it, I sit at the foot of the bed before opening the message from Arlo.

"Put on a sexy dress for me; we're going out tonight."

I bite my lower lip unnervingly, fearful that his dad is out there somewhere, waiting to see us together before I reply.

"Do you think that's a good idea? What if your dad finds out I'm with you?"

He answers immediately.

"He's not in the city; he's in Mexico. Also, I don't give a fuck."

Before I respond again, I take a nervous breath and have a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"I'm not sure, Arlo."

He finally texts back after a minute or so.

"7pm."

I check the time and see that I still have a while before rolling my eyes and tossing my phone onto the bed.

I get to my feet and proceed to my bathroom to take a shower. When I step into the water, I begin to reflect on everything I've been thinking about all day. I try to unwind by telling myself that I'll be with Arlo and that he will protect me no matter what.

I get out of the shower, blow dry my hair and style it into beach wave curls before applying make-up and going into my closet to pick something to wear. I go with a pale blue short dress and matching heels.

I spritz myself with my favorite perfume and double-check myself in the mirror, ruffling my fingers throughout my long, dark hair, before exiting the bedroom with my phone and bag.

I head downstairs to the kitchen, where I pour myself a huge glass of red wine and gulp it down. attempting to calm the overwhelming nerves that are rising up inside of me.

What if he takes me somewhere Cash and Savannah could be? I don't think I could go through all of that again.

A loud knock on the front door startles my body. I set my drink down and carefully make my way to it, but as I get closer, there's another loud bang, and I begin to think it's not Arlo, so I freeze.

"Wren, it's me. Open the fuck up."

When I hear Arlo’s voice, my body relaxes and I swiftly open the door wide. He's leaning against the doorframe, a cigarette hanging from his lips. He's dressed in a black and gold printed shirt that's fully buttoned down, revealing his beautifully tattooed torso, tight black pants and black glossy shoes.

As I scan him from head to toe, taking him in, he does the same to me, and when our eyes finally meet quickly, I can see the intensity in his, causing my heart to skip a beat.

The sexual tension between us is already buzzing, and he takes his cigarette out of his lips before flicking it away, his piercing stare fixed on mine the entire time.

He raises himself off the doorframe and takes a slow step forward, leading me to take steps back.

He closes the door with his foot after he is completely inside before proceeding towards me. We maintain eye contact until my ass hits the couch behind me, forcing me to stop, and he continues until he is entirely in my space as I gaze up at him.

He clutches my face, squeezing my cheek as he tilts my head back, drawing his face close to mine before gritting his teeth on my lips.

"Fucking beautiful."

I instantly feel desire rush through me. I can't help it; this is Arlo fucking Hayes, and he does something to me whenever he is in my presence that I really can't explain.

He shifts his big tattooed hand to my small throat and takes it all in his grasp, tightly but enough to allow me to breathe.

His dark, wicked eyes move down my chest until they fall on my tits, where they linger for a second before returning to meet mine.

"You're not walking out of that door without me filling your sweet little cunt."

As he continues, his breath sweeps across my face, tinged with mint and cigarette smoke.

"I want you to be walking around with my seed dripping down your thighs tonight."

He knows I'm down when I bite my bottom lip from just thinking about him fucking me.

“Oh, you like the fucking sound of that, do you?”

He releases my throat before hauling me up around his waist and walking me a short distance until I'm up against a wall, at which point he aggressively grabs my throat again, pinning me to the wall.

He keeps his gloomy eyes fixed on mine as the arousal shoots to my core. He fiddles with his belt and zipper between us while I wait eagerly for him to fill me with his hot spunk.

When he finally frees his cock, he tugs my sticky panties to the side before situating himself on my slick entrance. He looks down at my swelling breasts before reaching out and roughly pulling my bust down, exposing them entirely to him.

He admires them, licking his lips slightly before returning his eye contact to mine and whispering forcefully into my parted lips.

"Pretty little fucking slut."

He thrusts his pierced tongue into my mouth, which I welcome, before he slides his cock deep within me without warning and I moan against his lips.

We kiss fiercely as he fucks me hard against the wall, squeezing both of my breaths into his palms before pulling on my nipples with his fingers and thumbs.

He presses his hand into my panties, his fingers finding my clit and rubbing it. With a gasp, I fling my head against the wall, and he uses the chance to kiss, lick, and bite my sensitive neck, causing waves of tingles to ripple over me while the pleasure he is giving me escalates.

He lifts his head and talks against my lips, looking deep into my eyes, as I feel I'm nearing my climax.

"You fucking know I'm never going to let you go, don't you?"

I stare into his dark eyes, trying to take in his words as he destroys me. He grabs my ass and lifts me higher up the wall before pressing his forehead against mine.

"I promise I'll kill any motherfucker who dares try to take you from me."

I see the seriousness and hunger in his eyes, and I can't hold on any longer; I'm fucking coming. As my body trembles, I feel him coming, releasing his warm seed deep inside me, filling me up just as promised, and we both pant heavily, our sweaty brows pressed against one another.

He is already looking at me as my heavy eyes meet his, and as he slows down, he gives me a tender kiss on the lips as he slows down his thrusts. I place my palm on his face as we open up for each other, his tongue brushing across mine, feeling our strong connection rushing through my veins.

When we finally break away, he lowers me to my feet and we both adjust our clothing. As soon as I'm finished, I walk over to the couch and get my bag before we both leave.

I place my phone in my bag and talk as we go towards his car.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"A friend of mine owns a nightclub across town."

I cast a worried glance at him, and he stops me by grasping my wrist, forcing me to turn to face him. He closes the short space between us before brushing my long hair over my shoulders.

"He has nothing to do with my dad; it will be safe there."

When I give him a slight nervous nod, he takes my hand and we continue to his car while noticing that the black car that had been parked outside all day is gone.

The silence between us is stifling as we drive through New York City, swerving in and out of traffic, and after a while, I decide to speak to break the tension.

"Who else will be there?"

I give him the side eye as he looks my way, and I feel his gaze wander down the length of me before returning to the road ahead.

"Jasper and Lilly."

I stare at him in disbelief, but he doesn't look at me.

"Lilly is only 18 years old, Arlo. She can't go to a club."

As he speaks, his brow furrows.

"Says fucking who?"

I just stare at him, and he sighs before turning to face me.

"The owner said she can enter as long as she doesn't drink. I gave him my word that she would not be drinking there."

I watch him as he returns his gaze to the road, slipping back into his seat with one palm on top of the steering wheel.

"I didn't think you were the double-dating type."

He sighs and rolls his eyes.

"Don't you start that shit; it's not a double date."

I roll my lips inward, trying not to laugh, and he must have sensed it because he glances in my direction swiftly, and I can't hold it anymore; I'm laughing.

He gives me a confused expression and speaks with a slight grin on his lips.

"What the fuck are you laughing at?"

I try to calm myself down by shaking my head and giggling.

"You're losing your fucking mind, girl."

That makes me laugh even harder, and I'm not sure why I'm laughing, but it feels good, and he keeps looking at me in confusion. We're pulling up outside the bustling club on the outskirts of New York City by the time I finally calm down.

Arlo jumps out first to meet me on my side as the doors lift and he tosses his keys to the valet. He takes my hand, our repairing scars pressing against one another, and the security guards at the door nod to Arlo as if they already know who he is before allowing us to bypass the lengthy queue.

As we enter the packed club, I gaze around in amazement, and Arlo grips my hand tightly, guiding me through the crowd. He clearly knows where he's going, and everyone's attention is on us as they move out of his way without hesitation.

We soon find ourselves in a much calmer part of the nightclub, where I notice Lily and Jasper seated on a cozy, white couch next to each other. When Lil notices me, she smiles broadly and nudges Jasper alongside her.

As we enter the VIP section, they both stand, and Lil instantly pulls me into a firm hug. When we separate, I take a good look at her and see that she looks beautiful, a lot older than her age.

She has so much make-up on her youthful skin that I can hardly recognise her. I can see the excitement in her eyes because she is in a club for the first time, and I don't want to burst her bubble, but I need to make it clear that she can't have an alcoholic drink here, just as Arlo said.

"You really shouldn't be here, Lil."

She frowns slightly, and I cast a sidelong glance at Arlo, who is watching us both and decides to speak.

"She's fucking fine. She knows she can't drink, or else I'll never allow her entry into another club in my city ever again."

She looks up at him, and he gives her a grave look, and I observe her swallow before nodding. After a brief pause, I decided to cheer things up.

"Hey, you can always have some alcohol-free cocktails, and I don't have to drink if you don't want me to."

As she responds, she gives me a half-smile.

"It's fine; I don't need alcohol to have a good time. I'm just happy to be here."

I smile at her before lacing my arm around her shoulder and guiding her to the plush couch. Arlo collapses down on the seat closest to mine, and just as I am ready to sit between him and Lily, he snatches my waist and yanks me down onto his lap.

The unexpected movement causes me to stagger on my heels and thud onto him as I shriek.

"Arlo!"

He grabs my face with his hand, forcing me closer to him, and he speaks with clenched teeth and fire in his eyes.

"This is your seat, right here on my fucking dick!"

My cheeks flush with embarrassment as he roughly releases my face and I keep my wide eyes on him, avoiding eye contact with Lily, who is clearly startled and staring at us.

I watch as his ravenous eyes move down my body as he sweeps his tongue piercing across his bottom lip and he shifts me into a better position that suits him best. When I finally look up, Lily just stares at me with broad eyes, and I give her a shy smile.

Few people understand Arlo and I don't really care if they do or not. It is slightly embarrassing that he did that in front of my little sister, and I hope to God he doesn't do it in front of my parents one day, but he is who he is, and he knows what he wants, and to be honest, that's how I like him. I love his domineering demeanor and I wouldn’t change a thing about him.

We soon begin to relax as the drinks flow, and conversation becomes easier as the night develops.

After a few hours of sitting on Arlo's lap, I notice Lily and Jasper chatting more privately, so I place my head on his shoulder and rub my palm up his bare, tattooed chest, speaking quietly against his neck, his strong fragrance tingling all of the senses in my body.

"I think I'm falling for you, Arlo Hayes."

He remains silent, staring ahead, but I know he definitely heard me, and after a short pause, he responds.

"I think you're falling fucking drunk."

I giggle against his neck, and he gently squeezes the side of my ass with his hand.

"Stop with the sappy shit or I'll take you home and fucking punish you for it."

I raise my head with a smile, and as soon as my eyes meet his, I smirk with an eyebrow arched.

"You know how much I love it when you punish me, Arlo."

His pupils intensify as he glances around my face, and he raises an eyebrow in challenge.

"Do you really want to be fucked hard, right here in front of your little sister, or will you shut the fuck up?"

I cast a glimpse over at Lily and Jasper, who are now making out, before my attention returns to Arlo and he speaks sternly.

"Yeah, I didn't fucking think so."

I pout with big innocent eyes, and he sighs with an eye roll before facing away. As I stand up from him, I reposition myself and straddle his lap, and he growls as he flushes me closer to him while squeezing my ass.

I smile at him with my palms on his face, and he rests his head back on the couch and stares into my eyes, relaxed for a change.

"Tell me."

"Tell you, fucking what?"

"You feel it as well."

His eyes explore mine before he smirks, shaking his head and looking away.

"Fuck off, Wren."

My gaze follows his, and when our eyes rejoin, I place my arms around his neck and draw my lips near to his before whispering.

"You feel it just as much as I do."

I press my tongue deep into his mouth, and he kisses me back passionately with one hand on the nape of my neck and the other on my ass, showing me he definitely feels the same.

As the kiss intensifies, I can feel his cock hardening beneath me and he groans into my mouth before breaking away and we exchange dark, lustful stares.

"Fuck it, we're leaving. I'm taking you home with me tonight."

"But—"

He unexpectedly bares his teeth, warning me not to continue protesting, and smacks my ass with his palm, signaling he wants me to move off of him. I fix my dress as I stand up off him, just as Jasper speaks.

"Are you guys going?"

As I respond, Arlo stands behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist from behind and drawing me closer to him.

"We are."

"Why so soon?"

"I'm feeling pretty drunk, Lil."

She gives me a small nod before we say our goodbyes and I speak directly to Jasper.

"Please make sure that you get her home safely, Jasp."

"Of course."

Arlo grabs my hand in his, and as we move towards the exit, I wave goodbye to them.

The night air hits me when we're outside, and I immediately feel a lot more drunk than when I was inside. I clutch Arlo's arm to steady my swaying body, and when his car arrives, I step down into it on wobbly legs, but Arlo keeps me upright with his hands on my waist.

As soon as he gets in beside me, he reaches for my seatbelt and tightens it over me before clicking it in, and then we're on our way to his place.

When we're driving up a long, dark, empty road, I glance his way and speak.

"Thanks for tonight; it's been really good."

I notice him peering at the rearview mirror as he responds.

"No problem."

My brows furrow as I speak.

"What's wrong?"

He stays silent, continuing to stare in the mirror, until he finally replies.

"We're being followed."

My eyes broaden before I glance into the mirror beside me to see that there are two black Range Rovers behind us, which raises my heart rate.

"Hold on tight; I'm going to fucking lose them."

Suddenly, he steps on the accelerator, and the speed causes me to be sucked back into my seat.

I brace myself as we speed up the long, dark road, and when he thinks he's lost them, he slows down a little.

I cast a quick glance his way.

"Who the fuck was that, Arlo? Is it to do with your dad?"

He remains silent and keeps checking the mirror until he shouts angrily in his deep voice.

"Fuck sake!"

I check my mirror again and notice a supercar similar to Arlo's approaching from behind, and Arlo calls out to me.

"Brace yourself; this is going to be intense."

He steps on it again, and I keep my eyes fixed on the rearview mirror to see what the other car is doing. When it gets close enough, it shifts to Arlo's side, and he calls out to me.

"You need to take the fucking wheel!"

I'm taken aback.

"What!?"

He shouts furiously.

"Do it, Wren!"

My heart is pounding in my chest as I reach out and place my shaky palm on the steering wheel.

He suddenly lowers his window and grabs a gun from the back of his trousers before reaching out.

As I struggle to keep his beast car steady, I hear him fire a few shots before hearing the other car's tires screech before a huge impact. He takes back control of the steering wheel and shouts as he lowers back into his seat.

“That mother-fucker!”

I sink back into my seat, my eyes full of tears, and stare ahead till he shouts out to me.

"Wren!"

I remain stunned and stare ahead until he forcefully holds my chin, causing me to look at him before he speaks reassuringly.

"It's okay!"

My wet eyes lock with his as he softly brushes his thumb down my jaw, attempting to calm me, until he suddenly glances into the mirror again, something attracting his attention, and his jaw tenses.

I look into the mirror beside me once more and notice another supercar closing in on us. When I return my focus in Arlo's direction, I can see he is becoming furious.

Arlo shouts as the car swiftly swings to my side this time.

"Hold the fuck on tight!"

He swerves into the car and hits it, the thump forcing my body to stiffen in horror. The other car slows for no more than two seconds before regaining power and hitting the back of Arlo's car, causing us to swerve out of control.

I scream, bracing myself, as Arlo tries to regain control of his car, only for it to tumble and roll over and over again.

My head suddenly collides with something hard, knocking me out.

Everything is hazy as I gradually flicker my eyelids open. My head is pounding like a hammer has struck it, and it feels as if my body is spinning in circles.

My eyes widen with panic as they begin to focus, and my breathing becomes rapid. I look around frantically, trying to figure out what happened and why I'm upside down. I suddenly realize I'm still in Arlo's crushed Lamborghini, trapped within the wreckage.

My nostrils are filled with the strong odor of gasoline, and I can feel blood oozing from a wound on my head, dripping onto the roof beneath me.

I turn my head warily to look at Arlo beside me, terrified of what I'm about to see. I scream at the top of my lungs as I see he's covered in blood and is either still knocked out or dead beside me, his arms swinging down ever so slightly.

My body trembles with dread and fear, and my damp eyes dart about quickly, trying to figure out what to do next.

My attention returns to Arlo, and I reach out with my quivering, bloodied hand, doing my utmost to reach out to him, even if it's only a short distance away. I groan as a sharp pain appears in my shoulder, and I cry out as I continue to stretch it out.

When I finally have a firm grip on his arm, I start shaking him frantically.

“Arlo! Arlo!”

When he doesn't respond at all, I go insane, tugging on his arm as hard as I can.

"Please wake up! Please wake up! Don't you dare leave me now!"

Suddenly, I hear male voices coming from somewhere near us, and my entire body stiffens. As they draw closer, I look around again, seeking anything I can use to defend myself and Arlo.

When I spot Arlo's silver and gold gun at a distance, I look at it for a split second through watery lenses before deciding to try my hardest to reach for it.

I reach my arm out as far as I can until my fingers graze it. When I gain it, I grasp it with my trembling hands and rest my finger on the trigger, pointing at the shattered window beside me.

As a pair of black, stylish shoes come into my view, I strive to keep my aim steady while my breathing becomes extremely shallow.

A pair of hands emerge on the concrete, as if someone is about to bend down, and when the stranger's face appears, I take a deep breath and fire the trigger without thinking clearly.

I watch as the bullet enters his face and explodes in front of my eyes. When his blood splatters up my skin and his features are now recognisable while he falls to the floor with a thump, I let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Fuck sake, Wren!"

Cash's voice from behind startles me, and I swiftly spin around to face him, only to see him holding a gun to Arlo's head.

I switch up and aim the gun at him while speaking through gritted teeth.

"Don't you fucking dare, or you'll be next!"

Before he responds, he has a wicked smirk on his lips.

"Oh, Wren, baby, you'll shoot him first; there's no way that bullet will get past him. Is that really what you want?"

I just stare at him with tears in my eyes and my hands shake violently.

"Be a good girl, drop the gun, and I won't blow his brains out right in front of you."

I hear the body being taken away behind me, and the sudden noise makes me jump, but I keep my eyes locked on Cash.

His face becomes more serious, as if he is bored of my bullshit, and he speaks firmly.

"I'll give you a count-down to three."

"One..."

Panic swells within me like never before, and I have no idea what to do.

"Two..."

He cocks his gun and returns it to Arlo's face.

I drop the gun unexpectedly as his mouth opens to say three, since I can't allow him to be the one who kills Arlo unless he's already dead. If he's still alive, I'm certain he'll go to extreme lengths to bring me back beside him. He's already told me multiple times that he would.

He smiles broadly before speaking.

"That's my good girl."

My body cringes when he says that, and I close my eyes as I turn away until I hear the warped door beside me being dragged over the ground, at which point my eyes snap open.

When the door is fully open, another stranger gets down on his hands and knees and takes the gun from beneath me. He stares up at me before reaching over and swiftly unclipping my seatbelt, and I groan as I fall upside down on my head.

He suddenly grabs my hair and drags me out of the car by it, forcing me to scream and kick out, the glass cracking under me.

When I'm fully out, he releases my hair, and Cash stands over me with a nasty grin on his face, hungrily peering down at me.

"Fuck, you're even hotter when you're covered in blood."

I take deep breaths, my chest heaving in fear, and I'm not sure where the strength comes from, but I quickly sit up before crawling away on my hands and knees, trying to get to my feet while Cash calls out to me.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?"

He suddenly fires a bullet, which hits the concrete beside me, causing me to come to a halt.

"Get her pretty little ass back here and put her in the rear

of the car with me."

Suddenly, footsteps approach from behind me, and a strong arm wraps around my midsection, lifting me up and forcing me to scream and struggle as hard as I can, but he clasps his hand over my mouth, silencing me.

As the man leads me to the black Range Rover, I notice Cash grinning and shaking his head.

"She's a fucking feisty one!"

The man holding me opens the door and throws me onto the back seat. I shoot him the most poisonous glare before he smirks and slams the door in my face. I spot two men in the front seats and Cash climbs in beside me with his gun pointing at me.

As he slides into his seat, he smiles and maintains his eyes locked on mine as he speaks to the driver.

"You know exactly where we need to go, boys."

While we drive by Arlo's destroyed, upside-down Lamborghini, tears obscure my vision and stream down my cheeks while I speak harshly.

"You'd better hope he's not alive."

Cash answers from behind me.

"Even if he is, princess, it's exactly what Charles wanted."

I turn quickly and scream at him, giving him a severe glare.

"Well, he's an evil cunt! And you're nothing more than a fucking snake! You’re all going to

get what’s coming to you; mark my words!”

He gives me a patronizing look, and I shift my attention to the window beside me.

(Unconscious State)

I'm standing in utter darkness, breathing heavily, and my chest feels like something heavy is sitting on it, causing me to struggle to inhale.

I frantically look around the abyss, wondering where the hell I am.

Am I dead?

Suddenly, I feel my gun in my hand, and when I look down, blood begins to pour from my palms, spilling into nothingness beneath me.

It's too quiet; all I can hear is my shallow breathing as I watch the bright red blood trickle down.

Unexpectedly, Cree starts screaming at the top of his lungs; it's his baby cry, and the crying gets louder and louder, rebounding around me and making my ears ring.

In a panic, I look around for him, but all I see is emptiness and I hear screaming from all directions. I start shouting and calling out to him.

"Cree! Cree! Cree!"

(Present time)

As my eyes ping open, I gasp for air, and when I collect my breath, my eyes dart around crazily.

When I realize I'm upside down in my car, my attention shifts to where Wren would be sitting next to me. When I notice she isn't there next to me, rage fills me so quickly that my body begins to shake violently.

I reach for my seatbelt and unclip it, falling down with a bang onto my head, but the immense wrath and adrenaline rushing through me make me not give a shit about my possible injuries. I roll onto my back, swing my legs around, and begin to kick out the warped door along the concrete.

I drag my body along the shattered glass when it's open enough, and when I'm completely free, I sit up with a groan before standing up on heavy legs.

I hobble to the side of the road, searching for my phone in my pocket. I hurriedly pull it out, look down at the crack screen, and slide up my contacts until I land on Jasper, then hit the call.

"Arlo?"

As I continue along the deserted black road, I speak quickly.

"Where's Lily?"

He responds with concern in his voice.

"What's going on, bro? Why the fuck do you sound like that?"

I become irritated and clamp my teeth.

"Where the fuck is she?"

"She's at home; I dropped her off not long ago. Why? What's going on?"

I yell into the phone.

"That cunt has taken, Wren!"

My chest aches just thinking about what the fuck she must be going through and the panic in her eyes before the crash flashes through my mind.

"What? How the fuck?"

"On the way home, they crashed into my fucking Lambo; my car flipped, and I was knocked out, but she was gone when I woke up!"

He suddenly shouts, expressing his fury.

"That dirty little cu—"

"I need you to come and fucking pick me up!"

I come to a stop and collapse to my knees, squeezing my eyes shut.

"I need to find her before they do something to her that she'll never come back from."

"Send me the location, bro; I've fucking got you!"

I hang up on him without saying anything else before texting him my location and dragging myself to the side of the road, where I sit with my head lowered between my bent knees.

I sit there for a while, thinking about all kinds of crazy shit. Some cars pass by and swerve around my smashed Lamborghini, but none of them stop.

I groan as I hear police sirens in the distance and talk to myself.

"Fuck, that's all I fucking need."

As they get closer, a car pulls up behind me, and I glance over my shoulder to see, assuming it's Jasper. He runs over to me and grabs my arm, throwing his arm over my back and lifting me up.

I hobble over to his car, and once inside, he climbs in beside me and speaks as he speeds away.

"Where too?"

I look across at my half brother and stare at his side profile, thinking about how he isn't really a part of this world. He's done a few odd jobs here and there, but he's never been as deeply devoted as I am. Jasper is my complete opposite, although we have a striking similarity in looks.

In times like this, I recognise he is loyal to me rather than our father. He has a specific hatred for him that probably cuts him far deeper than my dislike for him, but I'm guessing he's never acted upon it because I've always been close to our dad. I'm surprised that he wants to help me at all. I've been a shit brother.

I sigh and look ahead.

"My mom's house."

He casts a brief glance my way.

"You don't want to go find Wren first?"

My jaw clenches as I ponder it before responding.

"I need to clear some things up first; I have no idea where the hell they've taken her. Also, I'd like to know why the fuck my mom lied to me about dad being in fucking Mexico when he clearly isn't."

He speaks, stunned.

"She lied to you? Fuck."

Just thinking about it makes me furious; after all, what else has she lied to me about? All this Ghost shit? Who the fuck can I trust if I can't even trust my own mom?

Jasper speaks up alongside me.

"I spoke with Lil on the way here; she's fine. You think she'll be okay, right?"

I turn my head to face him.

"She'll be fucking fine; they got what they really wanted."

He offers a slight nod and then looks forward again, taking my word for it, but I hope to fuck I'm right and they don't take her as well. Regardless, I need Jasper's assistance.

We're soon driving across town, closer to my parents' place, and I start speaking again.

"Do you have a gun?"

He motions to the dashboard in front of me, which I open to see his handgun. I pick it up and check the rounds before cocking it back as we drive through the already-open gates.

When we reach the house, I quickly step out of the car before making my way to the front door. When I discover the door is slightly ajar, suspicion grows within me, and I slowly enter the house. I look around, confused, with Jasper lurking behind me, and there isn't a sound.

I motion for him to follow me up the long stairs, and when I reach the top, I can hear faint noises coming from down the hallway. I keep my gun pointed forward and take a step deeper within the mansion until I'm standing outside my mom's office.

I throw a look behind me at Jasper, and when he gives me a slight nod, I immediately open the door and aim sharply forward again.

My eyes widen when I spot my mom on the floor, severely beaten, and I sprint over to her before sinking on my knees beside her. I scan all around her swollen, beaten body and face, as I hardly recognise her.

As I yell, I wrap my arm beneath her almost lifeless body and pull her towards me.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!"

She gently opens her eyes and turns her head to look up at me, and my brows furrow.

"Who the fuck has done this to you!?"

With a small gasp in her throat and blood on her lips, she begins to speak.

"Charles, he's returned. He knows that I betrayed him."

I shake my head.

"What? How?"

In a daze, she swings her head from side to side before reaching out her bloodied palm and placing it on my face as she speaks.

"What has happened to you?"

"They fucking chased me, crashed into me, and took Wren when I was knocked out!"

Before responding, she stares at me, fading in and out of consciousness.

"You must go find her, Arlo."

"I'm working on it, Mom. You must give me access to contact Ghost. I need this shit pushed forward so I can fucking kill him."

She shakes her head once again, blood oozing from the corner of her mouth.

"He watches everything, Arlo, and he knows what's going on right now. When the time comes for you to kill your father, you'll know when he's willing to let you finish him."

Confusion causes me to raise my voice.

"How!?"

"Trust me, you'll know."

She looks into my eyes as she starts to tear up, and she speaks with a tremble in her throat.

"I'm so fucking sorry, baby. I swear to you, I had no idea. I didn't realize what he did until long after."

My eyes welled up with tears just looking at her, but I'm not sure what she meant.

"What the hell are you talking about, Mom?"

She strokes my face with her palm, taking in my features, tears falling from the corners of her eyes as she responds.

"You were drugged, Arlo, and you didn't know what you were doing..."

My eyebrows pinch and my eyes pierce into hers.

"What the fuck are you talking about!?"

Her hand drops unexpectedly as she closes her heavy, watery eyes.

I shake her as I yell in panic.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!"

When she doesn't react, I raise my eyes to Jasper, who is standing in the doorway.

"Take her to the nearest fucking hospital, leave her there, and return asap!"

He gives me a slight nod and strides towards us without hesitation. I stay on my knees as I observe him taking her out of the room, trying to figure out what she was talking about. She must have been delusional because I've never been drugged and haven't touched drugs since I was twenty years old.

I rise up before heading to my old bedroom, and when I enter, I glance around at the space I once resided in many years ago, which is still untouched.

When I enter the en suite I pull out a first aid container that has always been here and pull my shirt down my arm to expose my injuries. When I find a deep laceration just below my rib, I clean it and stitch it up with a hiss.

As soon as I've cleaned myself up, I hurry to my closet and change into some fresh clothes, just as Jasper calls to me from the hallway.

"Arlo?"

I responded by calling back to him.

"In here!"

As he walks into the room, I sit on the bed and tie my sneakers, giving him the side look.

"How is she?"

He sighs before speaking.

"Not in a good way, bro, but they said they'd take care of her."

I give a slight nod before standing, and I speak as I move past him.

"Ready to wreak fucking havoc?"

He responds while following behind me.

"You have arms?"

I walk into my parents' bedroom and proceed to their arms room. I punch the code that has always been the same into the door, and when it unlocks, we enter.

I glance around the room, which is a lot bigger than mine, and grab a duffle bag as I talk.

"Grab whatever you have confidence with, but make sure it's fucking silenced."

We both stand there for some time, putting silencers on weapons and loading them with bullets before putting them in the bag.

When we're done, I zip it up and sling it over my shoulder while I speak.

"Lets get the fuck out of here."

As we leave, he responds.

"You know where she is?"

As I speak, I move forward.

"No, but once I'm finished with what I'm about to do next, I'll fucking know."

As we pull up outside the address I asked Jasper to take me too, I retrieve a gun from the bag.

"Wait the fuck here until I get back."

"Who's house is this?"

As I open the door, I offer my slight grin to him.

"Savannah's dad's house."

Before I jump out with my gun, he smirks back.

I place the gun in the back of my pants as I glance up at the tall fence that surrounds the mansion. I jump and clutch the bars before groaning and hauling myself up, feeling my stitches rip until I land on my feet on the other side.

I crouch down and creep around the side of the house, glancing through the windows as I prowl towards the rear door.

I can't see anyone through the huge, glass double doors that lead to a living room, but the lights are on and his car is here. I remove my gun from my pants before sliding the door open and entering.

I take silent steps forward, not hearing a sound, and keep my gun pointing forward until I reach the spacious kitchen.

I immediately notice Savannah is standing at the stove, cooking food with her back to me. I come up behind her quietly, and when she's within my reach, I quickly press my palm over her mouth and push the gun to her temple before muttering quietly with clenched teeth.

"Hello there, cunt."

I continue as she breaths frantically against my hand.

"Daddy's fucking home, isn't he?"

When she chooses to ignore me, I press the gun farther into her temple, causing her to shut her eyes.

"Don't even dare think about ignoring me because I'll happily blow your fucking brains out for the shit you've caused."

She whimpers while giving a slight nod and I respond.

"Good. Now I'm going to take my hand off of your big fucking mouth, and I want you to call Daddy to come here. Don't you dare scream or act panicked."

When she offers another slight nod, I carefully remove my hand from her mouth and wrap my arm around her neck, holding the gun firmly on the side of her head.

"Dad?"

I yank her around to face the doorway, and I hear him react from a distance.

"Yes, princess?"

"Can you come here, please?"

As it falls silent, I keep my eyes fixed on the doorway until I hear footsteps approaching and prepare myself for what's coming next.

As soon as he comes into view, he freezes and his eyes expand.

"Arlo! What the hell is this?"

My enraged eyes drill into his as I roar

.

"You know what the fuck this is! Where the fuck is she?"

He appears perplexed.

"Who?"

Savannah squeaks with horror as I point my gun at him.

"You stupid motherfuck, don't play fucking games with me. I'll kill you both, and you know it!"

As I continue, he purses his lips in irritation and looks away.

"You have three seconds to give me the correct location or I'll blow her brains out here in front of you."

"One.."

His frantic eyes return to mine as I press the gun to her head.

“Two..”

Savannah screams in fear as she trembles against me.

“Daddy, just fucking tell him!”

Just as I’m about to say three, he finally shouts.

“The abandoned jail in New Jersey!”

I return my gun to him and narrow my eyes.

“You wouldn’t fucking lie to me now, would you, Royce?”

He slowly shakes his head with petrified eyes.

"Is that old cunt there?"

"When I spoke with him, he said he was on his way there, but it would be a brief visit since there is an Elite meeting tonight."

My brow raises and I observe him as I respond.

"Oh yeah, and what the fuck is this meeting about?"

He is hesitant to answer at first until he finally says the one word.

"You."

My jaw tightens in aggravation as I stare at him before suddenly aiming my gun at his knees and shooting both of them without warning, forcing him to cry out and slump to the floor.

With Savannah screaming in my ear, I then aim for his  eyes and speak through tight teeth.

"When I take over New York because I certainly fucking will, I won't be needing snakes like you."

He looks at me with terror in his eyes, his hands up in surrender, but I pull the trigger without hesitation, watching the bullet pierce the center of his forehead.

"Nooo!"

As Savannah screams in despair, his heavy, dead body falls forward, and I swiftly return the gun to the side of her head, causing her to shriek and freeze.

As I speak in a harsh, chilling tone, I cast a glance down at her side profile.

"I told you never to push me, Sav. Now, maybe you'll all take my word for it, won't you? But don’t worry, both of our Daddy’s die tonight.”

When she stays silent, I give a head gesture.

"Now show me where your fucking dining room is."

I keep my arm securely over her neck as she takes hesitant steps forward on wobbly legs. She sobs as we pass her father's lifeless body, and I feel sickly satisfied that I killed the bastard right in front of her.

I push her towards a chair as soon as we enter the dining room, and when it's within my grasp, I pull it out.

"Sit the fuck down, and don't fucking move."

I keep my gun pointed at her as she takes a seat and I search for something to tie her up with. I rip the cords from the back of the huge TV on the wall and advance towards her while shouting.

"Place your hands behind your back!"

She immediately obeys, and I stand behind her, tying her tightly to the chair as she speaks.

"You're... you're not going to kill me?"

My jaw tenses with annoyance, and when I'm done, I step around her and grab a cloth from the table.

"You're fucking lucky that I don't kill women or children."

Her eyes widen and her jaw drops.

"So you wouldn't have killed me the whole time?"

With a sneer on my lips, I bend to her eye level and twist the cloth with my hands.

"It's not nice to be played, is it?"

I force the cloth into her mouth and tie it securely around the back of her head just as she's about to respond.

When I'm done, I stand upright before gazing down at her, and her tearful eyes connect with mine.

"Don't even think about trying to escape. If I find out you've informed others of this, I'll make an exception to come finish the job, and let's hope daddy was telling the truth, otherwise I'll be back."

I lean in again, my eyes fixed on hers.

"Or I'll just have to ask Wren to finish you. I mean, she'd most likely be more than fucking willing."

She gives me a nasty look as I stand straight before turning around and exiting through the back door.

When I get into the passenger seat of Jasper's car, he accelerates and speaks.

"Did you manage to get the address?"

I give a slight nod.

"The abandoned jail in New Jersey."

OceanofPDF.com

Lily

I'm lying in my bed, listening to some soothing music while reading and about to go asleep when I hear my mom yelling.

"Mom!?"

As I sit up quickly, my chest tightens with fear, my heart hammering against my ribs.

I sprint towards my door and open it before peering around the doorframe and down the hallway. When I see my mom racing towards me with dread in her eyes, my dad walks backward with a shotgun in his hands and calls out.

"Hazel!" "Get Lily in the safe room!"

As she passes me, she takes my wrist and forces me up the hallway, causing me to stumble behind her. When we come to a stop, my mom opens the cupboard door, and I immediately observe a hidden doorway behind the clothes in there.

"What the hell is this, Mom?"

When I look back down the hallway, I see my dad still walking backward, and when a man with a black balaclava races towards him, he fires a bullet, tearing his body apart instantaneously, sending blood and guts to splatter up the white walls.

My mom grabs my hand and drags me into the secret room just as I'm ready to scream in terror.

Two men take me through an abandoned jail, my feet dragging down the dusty, filthy floor because I refuse to walk freely. It has a nasty odor and is filthy. Everything on the walls is peeling away, and the cell bars are rusting.

I look around at the cramped place I'll be in as they carry me into a cell, and as the men let go of me under my arms, they grip my wrists tightly. I glance up as I hear chains jingle above me and see him placing my wrists inside rusted, cold metal shackles before locking them with a key.

As one of them pulls on the chain, my arms stretch higher and I fling my head back, crying out in pain from my shoulder. I hear him tighten the chain around the cell bars before handing Cash the key, and I take a deep breath, swinging gently, my tiptoes barely brushing the floor.

Cash keeps his dark stare on me as he speaks to the guys.

"Leave us."

The men depart, leaving us alone, and I start to panic as he gives me an intense, hungry stare.

I narrow my eyes before talking as he begins a cigarette without breaking eye contact.

"You're so fucking dead after this."

He raises an eyebrow as he blows out smoke, unaffected, and I continue.

"Why would you fucking do this to your own best friend?"

He silently examines me before flicking his cigarette on the filthy floor and stamping it out with his perfectly gleaming shoes.

"You, of all people, should understand the hell he's been through because of what happened to Bridget."

His eyes spark with something dark and malicious, and he storms at me, paralyzing my body with fear.

He talks angrily in my face when he comes to a stop in front of me.

"Bridget was mine way before she was fucking his!"

I stare at him, puzzled, until he draws his face closer to mine, prompting me to withdraw my head back even further.

"Let's see how he likes it now. Payback is a bitch, Wren, and you'll be my little bitch tonight."

He moves his greedy eyes to my heaving breasts, and I cringe as I turn my face away, until he unexpectedly grabs the back of my hair and pulls so hard that my neck cracks.

I yell fiercely at him when I feel his hot tongue lick the blood from my cleavage.

"Get the fuck off of me, you sick fuck!"

As my heart pounds in my chest and tears sting my eyes, I desperately try to wiggle free. When he suddenly gets ready to pull the bust of my dress down, I wildly struggle to get free as my heart hammers in my chest and tears sting my eyes.

"Enough!"

When he hears Arlo's dad's voice, he releases all of my hair and gives Charles the side-eye.

"She needs to be left untouched for the fucking client. I told you to clean her the fuck up!"

As Cash responds, an evil grin spreads across his face, like the Joker himself.

"I am, boss, just with my fucking tongue."

Charles stares between us both before settling his harsh glare on Cash's.

"I'm serious, Cash. Fucking rape her, and I'll kill you myself. We have a lot riding on this one and I have plans for her.”

I have this fearful and strange feeling that I don't want him to leave since I know Cash isn't going to listen to him.

"Where are you going?"

As he walks away, Charles answers Cash sharply.

"To the Elite fucking meeting, you fool!"

When Cash's eyes meet mine, he gives me a wicked grin.

"So, where the fuck were we?"

Panic surges through me, and I attempt to pull myself away from him.

"Shouldn't you be listening to your boss?"

He grabs my face and digs his fingers into my skin.

"What the boss doesn't know won't fucking hurt him."

He looks into my eyes before continuing.

"I've always wondered what your pussy would feel like around my cock since the first time I saw you, and tonight I'm going to find out."

My body tenses as he licks my neck, and I squeeze my eyes shut as Arlo's words come back to me, comforting me. I'll always fucking find you.

I cling to his words with everything that's left of me, and when Cash tries to kiss my face, I move my head away from him.

"Keep the fuck still, little one."

When I feel his hands on my bust again, I swiftly lift my knee, and it immediately connects with his balls, forcing him to groan and fall to the floor onto his side.

I watch as he rolls around on the floor, grasping his balls, and when he finally calms down, he breathes heavily through gritted teeth, and I swallow hard as I observe him stand up, his malicious eyes fixated on me.

When he has closed the short distance between us, he suddenly pulls his hand back and smacks the back of his hand across my face with such power that my head snaps back.

My eyes begin to darken and spin, and I can taste my blood filling my mouth.

He yanks the bust of my dress down, exposing my breasts, and lifts my dress before violently dragging my panties down my legs.

Tears gather in my eyes as I realize I'm powerless and too weak to do anything, and I hear him unbuckle his belt between us.

I suddenly hear a distant, fuzzy voice just as he is going to lift me around him.

"Get the fuck off of her now!"

In a fog, I raise my head, thinking I must be imagining Arlo's voice because I wasn't sure if he was dead or alive.

I see a shadowy figure standing at the cell door and when my eyes focus, I see it's Arlo with a gun pointed at Cash from behind, and my heavy head falls forward as relief sweeps over me.

When I raise my head, Cash stares me in the eyes as he raises his hands and responds to Arlo.

"It's great that you've decided to join us, Arlo. Things were going to get very fucking interesting for your little girlfriend here."

Arlo suddenly shouts aggressively.

"Back the fuck away from her, you stupid motherfuck."

As Cash steps back, his gaze is fixed on mine, and when he is close enough, Arlo grabs Cash's gun from the back of his pants and hands it to Jasper behind him, who has been respectful enough not to look my way.

"Keep your gun on him at all times, Jasp."

When Arlo's eyes finally collide with mine and he moves towards me, I can't stop myself from sobbing hysterically. Just seeing him alive is everything I could have wished for. He carefully pulls my dress back over my exposed breasts and looks deep into my teary eyes as he speaks gently.

"It's okay, baby; I'm here now, and no one is going to fucking hurt you anymore."

I feel my shoulders relax for the first time tonight as he draws his face close to mine and places a delicate kiss on my cut lips, and I just want to hug him tight.

Cash suddenly decides to speak condescendingly.

"Well, isn’t this fucking sweet?"

I see Arlo's jaw clenched and hatred well up in his eyes before he turns and shoots Cash in the leg, causing him to collapse to the floor with a groan.

Arlo then speaks up aggressively.

"Mother-fucking pussy, just keep your mouth shut! Jasp, search his pockets for a key to this damn thing!"

As Jasper reaches down to look into Cash's pockets, Cash suddenly grabs Jasper's gun and tries to aim it at us, but Arlo is far too quick and fires several bullets into him before shouting, causing me to clamp my eyes tight.

"FUCK!I wanted to fuck him up! He got off way to fucking easily!"

Jasper responds sheepishly.

"Sorry, Arlo."

"Just search for the damn fucking key!"

When Jasper descends to search Cash's body, Arlo turns around and faces me. He cups my cheeks with his big, tattooed, warm hands and softly strokes his thumbs across them before resting his forehead on mine and speaking gently.

"I'm so fucking sorry, Wren."

My eyes well up with tears again as I see the hurt and sincerity in his eyes, and I whisper with a tremble on my lips.

"I thought you were dead. I thought I had lost you."

When I feel the metal cuffs above me loosen, my legs weaken beneath me, but Arlo catches me. He lifts me up into his arms, and as he carries me outside, I place my head on his chest.

I look around and see dead bodies everywhere, causing me to be overcome with uncertainty.

"I didn't hear you guys come in."

Jasper speaks as he strolls beside Arlo.

"Silenced guns."

Before I react, my mouth hangs open.

"You two did this all by yourselves? There were so many of them."

Jasper casts a glance my way.

"Wren, never underestimate Arlo's abilities."

I burrow deeper into Arlo's chest when I feel the cool night air on my skin when we finally step outside.

Jasper unlocks a car door, and Arlo sets me inside before strapping me in and kissing me.

He pauses for a moment, staring into my eyes, before speaking.

"Jasper will take you to my house and keep an eye out for you until I return."

As I respond, I look at him, confused.

"You're not coming with us?"

He gives a small shake of his head.

"I need to finish this one once and for all, or it will never end."

My eyes widen and I shake my head frantically as dread sweeps through me, just thinking about the possibility of losing him again. I clutch his shirt hard in my fists.

"No! I've already fucking lost you once tonight; I can't lose you again!"

He gives me a tender kiss on my forehead while gripping my wrists and pulling them firmly, causing me to release his shirt. He brings his eyes to mine, still holding on to me, and speaks reassuringly.

"I'll be back."

I shake my head once more.

"No! Please no!"

As he climbs out of the car, he releases my wrists, and before I can reach out to stop him, he is too far away.

"No, Arlo!"

He keeps his eyes fixed on mine before slamming the door in my face, and I scream and pound on the window.

"ARLO!"

I attempt to ignore Wren's cries and pleas from inside the car as I approach another car that clearly belongs to one of the bastards we killed.

I hear Jasper coming from behind, and as I open the door, he rests his hand on my shoulder, causing me to come to a halt and side-eye him.

"I have complete faith in you to finish him, but please make sure you return in one piece, brother."

I give him a slight nod before reaching into my pants and pulling out my house keys, which I toss to him as I speak.

"Look after her."

I don't say anything else as I leap into the driver's seat and stoop down to find the wires that will start the car. When I find them, I ignite them, and the engine roars to life as I settle back into the seat and slam the door beside me.

As I drive towards the location where I'm almost certain the meeting will take place, I start thinking about Wren and how bad I feel for just leaving her like that after everything she's been through. I'm hoping she can understand why and that I'm doing this for everyone involved. For fucking with us. I was so angry and sick to my stomach when I saw Cash all over her.

I dread to think what the horrible cunt would have done to her if I hadn't gotten there when I did. I can't let her go through that again. I can't bear to see her pretty, big eyes that fucking petrified again. Even someone like myself, who has seen the most horrific stuff fucking imaginable, was haunted by the horror and anguish on her face tonight.

I was on the verge of firing the trigger right in front of her, but I stopped myself because I didn't want to scare her any more than she already was. Cash got the easy way out, unfortunately for fucking me, because if I had my way, it would have been a lot fucking worse for him.

There's a special place in hell for him, and when I die, I'll find him there to torture him for the remainder of his wretched fucking death.

Now I'm about to enter a fucking room full of potential foes. I'm not sure which side people are on or what I'm up against anymore, but I might not even walk out of that room again. But I know one thing: Charles Hayes, my father, is dying with me if I die tonight. If I die, he won't be alive on this planet; I'll be bringing that fucker right to hell with me.

I'm on the back seat, my knees to my chest, while my head is resting on the car door, and I can't shake the fear that something horrific will happen to Arlo and I won't see him again.

They kept him alive for a reason. Cash didn't finish him because Charles wants Arlo alive for some reason, which I'm not sure of, but it can't be good. I can't help but think Arlo is about to walk into some kind of twisted death trap, and maybe he already knows that. I don't know, but the thought of it terrifies the hell out of me.

Tonight, I got only a small taste of his cold and horrifying world. It tastes acidic and bitter, with a metallic aftertaste of blood. It's ominous, brutal, and cruel, with no bounds on how deep the darkness can go. It's no surprise he is the way he is if this is the world he's grown up in.

He knows nothing different and sees nothing different, but I hope that one day I can show him what normalcy looks like. Regardless of what I saw tonight, I don't want to change him. Arlo is who he is, and I care deeply about him despite it all.

The car vibrates beneath me as we drive, and the streetlights flash inside the car as we pass them, and I notice Jasper side-eyeing me now and then to see whether I'm okay.

A call unexpectedly comes through on his phone, and he touches the dashboard screen, causing a voice to boom over his car speakers.

"Jasp!?"

When I hear my sister's panicked murmur, I immediately sit up as Jasper reacts.

"What is it, Lil!?"

"Someone tried to get me, Jasp."

Jasper yells into his phone.

"I'm coming to you right now!"

"There isn't any need. My dad... My dad took care of it."

In shock, I gasp.

"Dad? Our Dad?"

She pauses for a beat before speaking, puzzled.

"Wait... Wren? What on earth are you doing there?"

I sigh and recline in my seat, and Jasper answers for me.

"They kidnapped her for a while, but Arlo and I got her back. I'm returning her to his place right now. Are you positive you don't need me to come get you?"

"What? Oh my god, Wren, are you okay?"

I take a long breath before responding.

"I'm fine, Lil. I'm just exhausted. What did you mean by "dad has taken care of it?"

She whispers into the phone once again.

"He tore them apart with a shotgun, Wren, and then locked me and mom in a safe room before transporting us to some luxurious hotel."

I shake my head in disbelief, not believing what she's saying.

"A safe room?"

"Look, I have to go because Mom is calling and I'm hiding in the bathroom, but I'll call you tomorrow. Please keep her safe, Jasp, and I love you both."

Jasper speaks up before I do.

"Get some sleep, sweetheart."

I respond just as she is about to hang up.

"Love you, Lil."

When she's gone, I speak while looking at Jasper's side profile.

"Did she just say the word 'L' to you?"

His eyes are drawn to mine in the rear-view mirror before he shrugs his shoulders.

"She can say whatever the hell she wants; I don't care as long as she's happy."

As I settle back, an unwelcome feeling of envy overtakes me.

I park outside the huge building and turn off the engine. I sit there for a bit, trying to gather my thoughts and staring down at the gun in my hand, before raising my head and staring forward at the empty street. The sun is rising, and warm orange hues fill the spotless sky.

I glance down at my Rolex and notice it's 4:30 a.m. I let out a stiff breath as Cree invaded my thoughts, taunting me and telling me I shouldn't be doing this and that I should be thinking of him. While guilt strikes again, I try to avoid it since I know it's the right thing to do and I don't have a choice.

I eventually push past the distracting thoughts and let out a snarl before opening the door beside me and getting out of the car. I creep across the street and, when I'm close enough, I use my palm to force open the glass doors before entering the lobby. I quickly discover it's completely empty and quiet, with no one in sight, which causes an unnerving sensation to settle within me as I race towards the stairs.

I try to catch my breath as I rush towards the meeting room on the top floor. When the room comes into view, I notice two security guards standing outside, and when they notice me charging towards them with fury in my eyes, they raise their guns, but I’m way to quick for these mother-fuckers. I lift my gun and fire a couple of bullets from my silenced handgun, striking them both in the forehead from a distance.

As their bodies tumble to the ground, I feel an anger within me that is more violent than anything I have ever felt in my life, yet it is exactly what I need. I need to feel this fucking fury to summon the bravery to rush in there and wreak havoc.

I proceed to the door, and when I'm close enough, I deliver a powerful kick, forcing it to fly open before I enter.

I keep my gun pointed forward, breathing heavily as I scan the room, stepping forward until I'm at the far end of the long table. I glance around the table, where fifty-something men are seated, with my father at the head of the table, farthest away from me.

I lock my wide, furious eyes on his and stare with hatred, peering deep into his black fucking soul. My body trembles from the seething wrath within me, and I'm fighting to keep my gun straight.

The room is deafeningly quiet, and everyone's attention is fixed on me as my father decides to relax in his chair and speak.

"I knew you'd join us, Arlo. Please take a seat, son."

My jaws clench so tightly that I’m almost certain a back tooth cracks, and I glare at him.

"I'm not your fucking son. You dirty, old, disloyal CUNT, I am now your worst fucking nightmare!"

His brows raise as he smirks, plainly amused and unfazed, which makes me want to shoot the cunt right now, but I resist the urge since he deserves and will receive so much fucking worse than Cash did.

He leans forward, his elbows resting on the table in front of him.

"You want to talk to me about disloyalty? You of all people, Arlo?"

I tip my head to the side as he glances around at all the silent men at the table who have been staring at me the entire time, and he continues.

"My son is as disloyal as they come, aren't you, Arlo?"

All the men now turn to look at Charles, and I bite down on my words, anger coursing through me.

"I've been fucking loyal to you, our family, my friends, and this business since I could walk Can you say the same thing? You do nothing but repeatedly stab your own family and friends in the fucking back time and time again."

When he laughs with a head shake and continues, I rest my finger on the trigger of my gun, more eager than ever to pull it.

"Gentlemen, this boy is fucking delusional. He's insane. We've all witnessed his violent outbursts and behavior. He is not to be trusted!"

I raise my voice, enraged that he, of all people, can say such bullshit.

"Fuck you, Charles! You die today after what you did to Mom and Wren; I will gladly kill you, you piece of fucking shit, even if it means I die with you!"

He raises an eyebrow as he calmly reclines once again.

"Oh, you're now a woman's protector?"

As he continues to spew bullshit, my nostrils flare.

"Gentleman, this man has never shown any loyalty to women. He claims that he does not harm or kill women, but—"

He suddenly lays his palms down on the table in front of him and stands before gritting his teeth.

"My son murdered his own fucking wife right in front of his infant son."

My heart stops beating entirely as I stare at him with wide, frantic eyes. I suddenly can't concentrate; I can't think straight; my whole body is numb and stiff; and I momentarily forget why I'm here in the first place as his words reverberate through me.

I hear him continue as I am lost in my own chaos.

"That's right, my grandson Cree was only three months old when Arlo here went on his drunken, violent rampage and killed poor, beautiful Bridget."

My eyes dart around wildly, my breathing growing shallow as my mom's words return to me before she passed out. I shout, my body shaking violently, when my cold, watery eyes collide with his across the table.

"I WAS FUCKING DRUGGED BY YOU! YOU FUCKING DRUGGED ME!"

I hastily cock my gun back when all of the Elites suddenly pull their guns out and point them at me. I'm unaffected by their bullshit and keep my attention focused on my father as he takes a calm seat and speaks.

"All you had to do, my boy, was follow the rules, and we wouldn't be here. Now look at the position you're in."

As rage takes over, I fire a bullet that hits my father's shoulder, causing him to groan in pain. As all the Elites around the table cock their guns, my dad shouts.

"DON'T!"

They all turn to look at him as he pants heavily, gripping the wound on his shoulder as bright, red blood trickles through his fingers and continues with his hard glare at me.

"This boy will suffer the same punishment that he inflicts on others. He's going to be skinned alive."

As a number of Elites rise from their chairs and approach me, I mentally and physically prepare myself to take them all out as best I can.

Suddenly, a text message arrives on my phone, which vibrates in my pocket, and I hear every man in this room receive a message on their phones as well. The sounds of various chimes echo across the huge room, and everyone looks down at their phones.

As a wave of confusion washes over me, I reach into my pocket and pull mine out. When the screen comes to life and I see the Ghost logo flash across it, I read the words beneath it, "Charles Hayes is to be perished." a nasty grin spreads across my face.

As my father speaks puzzledly across the table, I raise my hard, furious stare at him.

"What the fuck is going on?"

As one of the elites slides their phones over the table to him, his eyes enhance and he looks directly at me.

Everyone shifts their guns from being directed at me to pointing at him in an instant, and I can't help but laugh like the fucking maniac I am.

"Oh, shit! What an odd fucking twist of events!"

He shakes his head and turns to face James Sinns, who is sitting alongside him.

"This can't be right."

James lifts his brows and gives a slight nod.

"I'm afraid so, Charles. You're aware that Ghost's word is final."

I take a deep breath and lower my gun beside me, a wicked smirk on my face as I speak, staring at him with dark, aggressive eyes.

"Times up, motherfucker. Ghost has seen you for what you are: the nasty, evil, disloyal fucking bastard that you are."

His wide eyes meet mine, and he answers by raising his hands.

"You don't want to do this to your father, son. You'll never be able to live with yourself!"

My expression darkens and I clench my teeth, spit foaming at the corners of my mouth.

"You're not my fucking father! You've taken away the only person I've ever truly loved. You're a greedy scumbag, and I can't wait to see you fucking dead!"

I can sense the panic rising within him as he yells at everyone around him.

"Kill him, you fucking pussies! You respond to me, not that cunt Ghost! It's an order!"

The next person to speak out is Ashton.

"We're sorry, Charles, but rules are rules, and we can't go against either the code or Ghost."

His wide, anxious eyes catch mine swiftly, and I smirk as I stroll forward, my chin raised in confidence, while concealing my gun in the back of my pants.

I climb to the table's edge before sprinting across it, causing it to tremble and vibrate beneath me.

I jump and pounce on top of him as soon as he gets close enough, forcing his chair to fall backward onto the floor, and as I straddle his waist, I punch the living shit out of his face.

My gripped fists collide with his old skin, easily splitting it and causing it to bleed and gash. I don't stop for what feels like an eternity, each blow loaded with a different kind of wrath and resentment.

I let out every ounce of fury on him. For me, Bridge, Cree, Wren, my mom, and everybody else, he's damaged and would want a fucking piece of him.

When my arms become weak, I rise off him while breathing heavily and spit on his unrecognizable face.

I turn to face the men who have gathered to see my horrific rampage, and I speak breathlessly through clamped teeth.

"Get him the fuck up and strapped into the chair."

I wipe my bleeding knuckles on my shirt as I observe them hoist and tie him to the chair, barely conscious, and I stand straight as I speak decisively while looking around.

"I'm about to set a fucking example of what New York should and will become. We don't tolerate disloyalty in its most severe forms.”

“We don't assassinate family members for the sake of wealth and fucking power. We never hurt those we claim to love. We operate as one and are never behind each other's fucking backs! Let this serve as a fucking warning to everyone about what Arlo Hayes will do to you if he finds you doing such things in his city."

I grab my knife from my back pocket and wrap my fingers around it before bringing it out and flicking it open. I approach him till I'm in front of him, then use my knife to sever every button on his shirt before stepping behind him.

I grab a handful of his sweaty, bloodied hair and pull back as forcefully as I can, making eye contact with all the Elites before glancing down at my dazed father. When I set my blade to his forehead and press it beneath his flesh, he lets out a bloodcurdling scream.

His body shakes uncontrollably as I glide it down his face, ignoring his screams while I cut through his muscle tissue down his face, neck, chest, and back up until the blade re-joins where I started on his forehead.

As I stand in front of him, I toss my bloodied blade to the ground and extend my hands out, curling the tips of my fingers beneath his skin on his forehead, and begin to peel it away from his facial muscles.

The cries that leave him are as satisfying as I continue to tear the skin away until his face, neck, and chest are entirely exposed and he is skinned.

As I speak coldly, I stare at his exposed face, red, bloodied tendons, and his bold eyeballs, which only stare into mine.

"You've only just met the monstrosity you created, and it's such a shame it had to be this way."

I reach for my gun from the back of my pants and aim at him, a sinister grin spreading across my lips.

"See you in hell, Charles."

I pull the trigger without hesitation, and the bullet blasts into his face, causing his chair to fly backward and blood to splatter up the walls behind him.

I close my eyes briefly as I drop my gun beside me and exhale a weak breath, feeling relieved that the fucker is finally dead. When I've gathered myself, I slowly turn around to face everyone who has watched the show and stand tall before swiftly lifting my gun without warning and pressing the trigger on James, then switching to Ashton on the opposite side of me to shoot and kill him as well.

I look around the room at everyone as their bodies fall to the floor and lower my gun, tossing it onto the table in front of me as I speak.

"Snakes have no place in New York, gentleman. You're either with me or against me. Choose wisely. Have a great rest of your day."

All eyes are on me as I walk past them and out of the room without saying anything else.

The fresh morning air meets my hot, sticky skin as soon as I leave the building, and I stop to inhale deeply with my eyes closed and my head thrown back.

As I expected, anguish fills my already hollow heart, pouring through the holes that already lie there, and a tear escapes my eye and runs down my face. I sniffle as I lift my head and open my watery eyes before crossing the street towards the car with legs that feel like lead.

When I get inside the car, I place my forehead on the steering wheel in front of me, realizing what the fuck I've done, and my body feels as if it's about to burst with grief and sorrow. I let out a loud roar as I raise my fist and deliver a strong punch to the dashboard, tears pouring from my eyes—the tears I've been holding in for the last three fucking years.

How could I be so cruel to her? How could I kill her? Why did I fucking kill her? I murdered the only person I've ever truly loved, the mother of my child. He'll never, ever forgive me for this! I'll never, ever forgive myself.

I sit back and start the car after some time of crying in solitude.

As I pull up outside my house, I turn off the engine and stare at the mansion where I killed my fucking wife, and no matter how hard I try, I can't remember a fucking thing about that day. I wipe my wet face with my bloodied shirt before opening the door and walking to the front door.

I see Jasper standing in the foyer as soon as I enter, so I kick the door shut behind me, avoiding eye contact.

He speaks to me as I pass by.

"Thank fuck you're here, bro; I was getting worried."

I walk by him and into the kitchen, hearing him close behind me. I lean down to retrieve a bottle of Bourbon from the cupboard before opening it and throwing my head back as I pour the amber liquid down the back of my throat as he speaks behind me.

"Is it done?"

As I get my breath, I strike the bottle down on the counter, the booze burning my insides, making me warm and numb as I answer coldly.

"Yes."

I give him the side eye while he remains mute, and I continue.

"You can fucking go now."

"Are you sure you're alright, brother?"

I raise the bottle of Bourbon and glance back at him.

“I fucking will be.”

He gives a slightly hesitant nod and then turns to go as he speaks.

"Speak soon, bro. If you need me, just call me."

I glance down at the bottle, ignoring him, and as the front door closes, I lift the bottle and proceed to pour it down my throat.

After a while of leaning over the counter and drinking, I start to feel as numb as I was hoping for, and my legs feel wavy. I set the practically empty bottle on the counter, then stand up straight before turning around and walking up the stairs.

My eyes blur as I stagger across the hallway towards my bedroom, the alcohol zipping through my veins and tears continuously welling up in my eyes.

When I reach my slightly open door, I push on it with my hand and tumble forward to find Wren sleeping on my bed in just a towel and damp hair, seemingly from a shower or some shit. I stand at the foot of the bed, staring at her while my body sways back and forth, thinking about how she deserves more than the horrible, murderous piece of shit that I am. They all do.

I move slowly over to my arm's room door and quietly push on it, trying not to make a sound, before glancing back at her one more time and entering.

As soon as I step inside, I grab a gun and fall against a wall, sliding down it until I'm sitting on the floor with my knees raised. For a while, I rest my forearms on my knees, head lowered, lost in my own dark, deep thoughts, trapped in the deepest depths of what's left of my fractured, tortured soul.

I gaze down at my gun in my hand, staring at it for a moment before checking the bullets inside. When I notice there is only one bullet, I cock it back and insert the barrel into my mouth, my head resting against the wall behind me. 

Tears flow from my eyes as memories of Bridget, Wren, and Cree rush through my frenzied mind, almost preventing me from doing this, but I know it's for the best. In this fucking world, I'm not good for anyone; all I do is cause hurt; that’s all I’m made for.

I take deep breaths around the gun in my mouth and squeeze my wet eyes shut, preparing to pull the trigger.

""Arlo!?”

When I hear her voice, I immediately open my eyes and gaze up at her in the doorway.

Her broad eyes scan me as she attempts to figure out what the fuck is going on, causing me to hesitate.

"What the hell are you doing?"

I just stare at her through teary lenses with the gun still in my mouth, and her huge, brown eyes start to well too.

She suddenly falls on her knees in front of me, reaches out her shaking hands, and places them on mine, holding the gun, as she begins to plead with me gently.

"Please, please, please don't do this!"

I observe as tears flood down her cheeks, the fear and despair in her eyes making me cry even more. We stare into each other's eyes for a while, but I don't move a muscle as she continues with a mournful whisper.

"Please, Arlo, don't do this."

She attempts to pull on my hands with hers, but I resist because I don't want her to stop me; I want her to leave this room so I can blow my fucking brains out and do us all a favour.

"You don't have to do this. I'm here for you, Arlo, just as you've been there for me."

I stare at her, puzzled and the ridiculous comment causes me to remove the gun from my mouth so I can tell her that's total bullshit.

"Bullshit. Leave me alone, Wren. You'd be a lot better off without me, believe me."

As I face away, she responds sternly.

"I'm not leaving, and if you're going to do this,  you'll have to do it in front of me."

My cold eyes meet hers fast, and I yell at her to assert my authority.

"FUCKING LEAVE!"

She reacts with a frown.

"I'm not going anywhere."

I grab her throat unexpectedly, filled with fury because she won't leave, and yank her towards me, speaking with gritted teeth close to her face.

"I fucking killed her! Do you want to suffer the same fate? Do you want to be killed by me, exactly like my wife was?"

Her eyes search mine, confused but carefully absorbing my words.

"I don't know what you think you've done, Arlo, but I know you'd never kill me."

As I get overcome with emotion again, I screw my eyes shut and place my brow against hers, still keeping a firm grip on her throat while I let out a sobering whisper.

"I fucking killed her, Wren. I'm not sure how, but I fucking killed her."

She brings her shaky hands to my face, lifts my head, and whispers quietly as my tearful eyes meet hers.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, baby, but you have Cree to think about, and you can't do this to yourself, Arlo; he needs you. You've come this far for him, and you need to keep going."

I shake my head slowly, tears streaming down my face.

"He would be better off without me; I do not deserve him. I shouldn't be the one to bring him up, and he'll never forgive me for what I've done. He's far too innocent and pure for my fucking shit."

She pauses for a second as I close my eyes again. She releases my face before continuing speaking.

"He's only pure because of you, Arlo. You've done an amazing job with him on your own. You still showed up for him despite your sadness, suffering, and sorrow, and he is who he is because of you. Don't do this to him, Arlo; it'll only tear him apart."

Before I speak, I open my eyes and look around her angelic, beautiful face.

"Why do you fucking stick around? Why would you stay with someone as messed up as me after what I've fucking done? Why are you here, Wren? You should just let me do this! It's exactly what I fucking deserve!"

Her eyes and voice both soften.

"Because, even with everything that’s happened, you still have good in you; it just needs to come to the surface a little more. I think you are bereaved and have never fully accepted what has happened in your life, which is not your fault, Arlo. It's completely normal to filter out feelings so you don't have to cope with them. You just need to remember who you were before all the darkness took over."

She continues by placing her hands on my neck and peering deeply into my eyes.

"I'm in love with you, Arlo. The good, the bad, and the ugly, and I can't lose you, do you hear me?"

I just stare into her eyes, not quite believing what she just said.

"You’re fucking what?"

I watch as she swallows hard and pauses before responding quietly.

"I'm in love with you."

I continue to stare at her, and the thought of her falling in love with me makes me reconsider my entire existence as well as hers. Firstly, how the fuck has she fallen in love with me? I can understand Bridget because she saw a different side of me—maybe not my real side, but a soft side—but Wren has had it hard and seen me at my worst, and she's still managed to fall in love with me?

I respond calmly, raising my chin.

"And how in the fuck has that happened?"

She gives me a hesitant, nervous smile and shrugs her shoulders as she turns away.

"It was bound to happen, right? Our connection is superior."

She's not wrong; our connection is powerful and has been since the first time I laid eyes on her. Despite all of my attempts to destroy her in order to alleviate myself of guilt, it just broke down the barriers surrounding my heart for her; shit backfired on me without my knowledge, but I have no regrets.

Her big, red eyes meet mine, but I haven't taken mine off hers once as I observe her becoming anxious. As I look around her bruised, gorgeous features, I quickly forget why I'm here in the first place and begin to unwind in her presence.

I reach out and gently grab her face, pulling her towards mine, and speak quietly on her lips as we stare into each other's eyes.

"You're stupid for falling in love with the monster that I am, but I fucking won't stop you."

I dip my head and press her damaged lips against mine before extending my hand to her throat, clutching her tightly as our kiss enhances and we devour each other's mouths in a deep and powerful kiss.

As I drop the gun and rip her towel off her naked body, she climbs upon me and straddles me. I grab her ass in my hands and proceed to stand with her around me, taking her to my bedroom as we continue our fiery kiss.

I lower her onto the bed and kneel between her wide legs as she raises my shirt up my body and pulls it over my head before forcing my tongue back into her mouth.

I bite her sore, cracked lips with my teeth, causing her to hiss, before thrusting my tongue back into her mouth and freeing myself from.

I slide my cock deep inside her already moist pussy as soon as I'm ready, and she gasps into my mouth before I speak.

"Fucking tell me."

I begin to press into her hard, and she moans as we maintain intense eye contact before I place my forehead on hers and squeeze her big breast into my hand.

"Fucking tell me, Wren."

I graze my lips against hers, pressing my cock as deep inside her as I can, fucking her slowly, and she whispers as she gasps against my lips.

"I love you, Arlo."

My eyes search hers, and my black heart fills with something light, a sensation I haven't felt in a long time. I growl against her lips before sliding my tongue into her mouth and continuing to destroy her mouth while ruthlessly fucking her.

"I fucking love hearing you say that."

I push into her slowly but firmly, each time pressing  her over the edge of destruction.

As I speak quietly, I secure my arm under her knees and hoist them high before placing my hands on the bed.

"I'm going to make you feel just as good as you make me feel, baby."

She moans as I penetrate her hard and furiously. The louder she gets, the more I pound into her, and I glance down at what I'm doing to her. I grip her shoulders from behind and ram her onto my cock until we're both coming at the same time, her knees trapped beneath my arms.

When I feel her warm, juicy pussy tighten around me, I release my hot come with a groan against her lips before speaking breathlessly.

"Fuck, you do it for me; you make all my fucked-up problems disappear and when it's just me and you, that's all there is; just me and you."

When I open my heavy eyelids in the dark room, I notice daylight peeking through the small break between the curtains.

When I regain my bearings, I find my head resting on Arlo's bicep, while the other big arm is wrapped around my abdomen, with his hand resting between my breasts. His warm, naked chest rests on my back, and he is fast asleep, breathing deeply in my hair.

My thoughts return to what happened last, and my eyes draw close as I recall how depressed he was. I've never seen him that distraught or fragile. It was heartbreaking to witness, but I'm thankful I was there and woke up at the right moment, or things may have turned out very differently this morning. I would have no doubt gone into that arm room and seen his lifeless body. The thought sends shivers up my spine.

He seemed to calm down when I told him I loved him before we made love, and then he went to sleep, obviously drained, but I found it difficult to sleep myself. My thoughts were driving me insane, and I couldn't get what he said out of my head.

What exactly did he mean when he said he killed her? Is this someone playing sick games with him, or did he really kill Bridget? And how come he cannot remember it? Did he finish, Charles? All of these are questions I'd like to ask him, but I didn't want to pester him this morning and make things worse. I just wanted to help ease the suffering he was going through in any way I could.

He jolts awake, and my eyes snap open before I side-eye him from behind. As he yawns, he drags me closer to him, and after he's done, he deeply inhales the aroma of my hair before speaking in a drowsy voice next to my ear.

"Did you get any sleep?"

I take a deep breath before responding quietly.

"A little."

He groans and stretches his legs before speaking again.

"How are you feeling?"

"My shoulder is a little tender, but I think it'll be okay."

He exhales a deep breath.

"I've got a ton of shit to sort out today."

I roll onto my back and turn my head to face him.

"Don't you think you could use some rest after this morning?"

He glances around my face, pondering before drawing in closer, gazing at my lips until they are close to mine and when he speaks quietly against them, his eyes flicker to mine.

"Fuck no."

I'm not sure if this is his coping method, but it's certainly not healthy, and I don't want him to slip back into a bottomless hole of depression.

He notices my hesitation and rolls onto his back, his arm still under my head, and speaks while looking up at the black ceiling.

"Stop fucking worrying about me. This is how I deal with shit."

I sigh before responding.

"And how has that worked out for you thus far?"

He looks across at me quickly, with an eyebrow raised .

"What are you? My fucking therapist?"

I roll my eyes and look away.

"I just worry about you, that's all."

He rolls onto his side to face me again, and he looks all around my face before speaking seriously.

"Because you fucking love me, huh?"

I roll my eyes with a smile and face forward until he softly grasps my chin, forcing me to look at him again before bringing his lips near mine until they are touching.

"Did you just say that to snap me out of my fucking bullshit?"

My brow furrows as I respond, slightly offended.

"What? No way, I'd never—"

He hisses and bares his teeth against my lips, driving waves of desire through me and shutting me up.

When his lips graze against mine, my eyes flutter close and he whispers into my mouth.

"Fucking say it again."

I open my heavy eyes as he glides his big, warm hand down my throat, down my chest, and over my breast while holding my gaze. The sensation causes me to lose all focus and I'm unable to say anything, so he continues to murmur.

"I know you love my mouth..."

He continues to run the tips of his fingers slowly over my flat stomach, sending waves of butterflies through me.

"I know you love my big fucking cock."

He moves his hand until it's between my thighs and he presses his fingers between my pussy lips. When he reaches my wet entrance, he slowly inserts his two fingers into me, causing my hips to buck slightly as I gasp against his soft lips with my eyes closed.

He speaks as he slides them further.

"I know you love my fingers."

He curls them when they are knuckle deep within me, forcing me to let out a brief quivering moan.

"I want you to fucking love me for me, Wren. Not because of what I'm capable of doing to your sexy little cunt."

I open my heavy, hungry eyes and stare into his eyes while he doesn't move his fingers. As I glance into his eyes, I place my hand on the side of his entirely tattooed neck and slide my fingers through the back of his brown hair.

"I love you for you, Arlo. Regardless of what you do to me, I still fucking love everything about you."

He studies my eyes as though he is still unsure, and he isn't satisfied until he pounces, driving his lips to mine and engulfing my mouth with his pierced tongue.

He draws me in closer by bending his arm behind my head and taking a hold of my hair. I can feel our strong connection surging through me, and things feel different; he is kissing me differently.

I'm not sure what it is, but I cherish it and can't get enough of what he does to me and how he makes me feel. As he leans over me, he devours my mouth so hard that my head has sunk into his bicep, and I raise my hand to his face, enjoying everything he has to offer.

He eventually starts moving his fingers inside me, curling and twisting them deeply before savagely fucking me with them, sending waves of tremendous pleasure through every fibre of my body. I gasp and moan into his mouth as his swollen lips hover over mine, and he stares into my eyes with darkness building in his.

When he slips a third finger inside me, my back arches off the bed and just as I'm about to scream, he quickly places his palm over my mouth.

"Shhhh.. You can fucking take all three like my good fucking girl; I know you can."

When he really starts banging me with all three of his fingers, making me get wetter and wetter, I basically scream against his hand because he is hitting the right place so precisely, calling for me to explode around his long, tattooed digits.

He takes his hand away from my mouth and growls against my lips before speaking fiercely against them with a hiss of his tongue.

"Fucking come for me, my little slut. Show me what I do to that greedy fucking cunt of yours, and show me how much you fucking love me."

My body squirms from the pleasure and pain he is inflicting on me as he continues to penetrate deeper. He moves suddenly and settles between my wide legs on his knees before reaching over my bare body and placing his hand beside my head.

With a loud scream, I fling my head back against the pillow as he presses them further now that he has better access.

"Fuck yeah, baby, let me hear you fucking scream for me."

He dips his head and sucks my nipple into his mouth, pulling so hard with his teeth that I fear it will rip off, and I scream as he continues the ruthless penetration inside my pussy until I can't hold it any longer and I'm coming so fucking hard that I scream, my moisture pouring out of me onto his hand and bed.

Throughout my orgasm, he shows no leniency, pressing them as deep as they will go to finish me off while licking his warm, pierced tongue around my bouncing breasts.

My eyes remain closed as he begins to slow down, and I try to come down from the powerful high I just experienced and calm my erratic breathing pattern.

I let out a slight whimper before opening my eyes as he carefully removes his come-soaked fingers from my now-throbbing pussy.

I gaze up at him as he raises his fingers to my lips, and as I gently open my mouth, he presses them all the way in, moving them over my tongue until they hit the back of my throat, causing me to gag somewhat.

As I suck, he fucks my mouth with them, and I can taste my own come on my tongue. While removing them, he offers me a playful smirk.

"That's my good girl; you taste so fucking good, don't you?"

When his face returns to seriousness, he glances at my lips as I smile, and he swiftly dips down, consuming my mouth in a scorching kiss that takes my breath away.

He breaks off the kiss and speaks while I run my nails up and down his back.

"I'll be back soon."

He rises up and surges out of bed, but before he can get any farther, I sit up on my elbows and call out to him.

"Arlo?"

He comes to a halt in front of the bathroom door and gives me a side eye over his shoulder.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

He sighs and stares ahead for a moment before turning around and facing me.

"Just know that you're now safe. No one will ever fucking hurt you again."

Before responding softly, I shake my head.

"I didn't mean that, Arlo. What you said last night..."

He closes his eyes and turns his face away, then opens them again and stands in stillness, his tongue piercing and sliding over his bottom lip.

I decide to continue when he does not answer.

"It can't be true, can it? You would never..."

His harsh stare quickly shifts to mine.

"Why wouldn't I? I'm undoubtedly insane and capable of fucking anything."

My eyes and voice become gentle.

"Arlo, I—"

He speaks firmly once more, stopping me in my tracks.

"Fucking drop it, Wren. You shouldn't have seen me like that, and it won't happen again, fucking believe me."

I ignore his bitter tone and shuffle across the bed before coming to a stop in front of him.

When I rest my hands on his chest, he turns his face away again, but this time with a small warning growl, clearly annoyed that I am pressing on the matter.

"You can't keep ignoring it, baby. It's something you need to talk about in order to let go and go on."

His eyes instantly met mine again, evaluating my face before zooming in on mine.

"This shit will eat away at me for the rest of my fucking days, which is why I wanted to fucking end it. There's no turning back, Wren; I've done the most horrific thing someone can ever fucking do, and it will haunt me exactly as I fucking deserve. Don't think for a second that I'll ever be able to let this bullshit go. If you do, you're clearly in love with the wrong man!"

He steps back from me, with his dark gaze fixed on mine, until he turns and walks into the bathroom.

I let out a discouraged sigh and turn away, unsure what to do next, but I understand that this will take time. Everything is still very raw for him right now, and I don't blame him. I just hope that one day he will find a sense of closure and that his pain will fade as time passes.

In any case, I'll be waiting for him to be ready to entirely devote his heart to me, but I won't force him. He doesn't need to tell me he loves me; I can feel it. Sometimes we don't need to hear it in words; we can just feel it, and well, he might not even know it yet.

As I walk into the shower, I toss my head back and allow the water to pour over my face and hair. My mind and body feel like they've been through fifty rounds of hardcore boxing, and my memory flashes back to last night.

I try my fucking hardest to push past the nightmares that haunt my already darkened soul, as I have for years, but this one is much more difficult than I imagined. This one aches more than anything I've ever fucking felt, and I loathe it.

I have plans to see my mom today to try to get some answers. She must be fine because I haven't heard Sara screaming down the phone yet, but I need to know what she knows.

My thoughts then turn to Wren and how, for the first time, she told me she loved me and it pulled me out of doing something stupid, but I still didn't have the fucking kindness to say it back. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to because my mental state is so messed up right now that I'm not even sure what love is anymore.

I once believed I loved someone, and then I fucking killed her. No amount of drugs would have allowed you to do anything like that if you truly loved someone, surely? Wren deserves so much more than I can give her; she's far too good for me.

Ever since I've known her, she has never forced me to explain why I am the way I am or why I am so cruel, twisted, and absolutely fucked in the head. She simply sat in the stillness of my darkness. She looked at my nightmare and said, "Can I join you?" She never questioned anything, and that's why I like her. That's why I like her a hell of a lot. She's always seen me for the sadistic, nasty asshole I am while still finding some specks of goodness in me when I can't even find goodness in myself.

She saved me from myself last night. In an instant, with three simple words, she dragged me out of a black fucking hole that was swallowing me whole. I never thought anyone could have that kind of power, and I didn't realise until that point that I was entirely hers, but I still find it so fucking challenging to open up to her.

She suddenly wraps her arms around me from behind, her big, juicy titties and erect nipples on my back sending a filthy sensation straight down to my cock. I sigh and turn around to face her, and she keeps her arms around me as she looks up at me through her thick lashes.

I glance over her face, moving her hair behind her shoulders, and then cup my hands around her face, tilting her head back and sweeping my thumbs across her cheeks.

"You deserve so much better than the fucking mess they made of me."

I continue while she looks at me, perplexed.

"But I need you for some reason; what's left of my pitiful soul needs you; it craves you; and it calls for you, even when I don't want it to."

I lay my hands on her shoulders and bend down to her eye level, looking deeply into her big brown eyes while I speak seriously.

"I'm not sure what fucking voodoo shit spell you've cast on me, but—"

I smile as she giggles, and I place my arm around her shoulder as I stand straight again, pulling her closer to me. She presses her face against my wet chest, stroking her fingers up and down my abs before glancing up at me.

I lower my head, my gaze shifting from her eyes to her lips.

"I'll be back soon. Call me if you need me."

She nods silently, so I kiss her cheek again before exiting the shower, wrapping a towel around myself and leaving the bathroom.

When I enter my huge walk-in closet, I swiftly pick something to throw on. I go with a white tank, gray sweatpants, and sneakers. Before leaving, I grab a black snapback and turn it backwards on my head.

I pull Sara's phone number up on my dashboard screen and call through to her to check on Cree once I'm in my black, matte range rover.

When she answers, she sounds surprised.

"Arlo?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"What the hell is going on? Is it true?"

I sigh and sink back into my seat a little more before responding.

"Is what true?"

I hear her walk away, followed by a murmur into the phone.

"That you finished, dad!?"

"That's right."

Her silence makes me realize she was probably closer to him than any of us, and I always knew she'd feel upset if I ever killed him.

"I'm sorry, sis, but you know he was out of control and—"

"He absolutely deserved it, Arlo."

I remain silent for a brief period, as does she, before she sighs and continues.

"I heard about Bridget and what he did to you. He deserved everything that happened to him. That man was the very definition of pure evil."

When she talks again, my jaw tenses as I stare at the road ahead of me.

"I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you, but please know that I am always here for you and that I love you. I knew Bridge, and she would have recognized that you didn't mean it; she loved you more than anything."

Tears well up in my eyes, and I clear my throat in an attempt to regain control of my emotions before changing the subject.

"How's Cree?"

"Yeah, he's okay. He's been asking about you and Wren."

"I'll pick him up tomorrow, if that's all right? Wren's face is wounded and I don't want him to see her that way."

“Of course. Is she doing okay? I really want to see Mom, but Aunt Linda has been with her the entire time, so I know she's fine."

Before I respond, I sigh.

"Wren is fine; she's tough and will pull through. I'm on my way to see Mom right now."

"Okay, well, I guess I'll go see her tomorrow. Aunt Linda said she's in bad shape, and it's fortunate that you found her when you did and Jasper got her to the hospital."

I respond as I drive inside the hospital parking lot.

"Look, I'd better get going; I'm just pulling up to the hospital. Tell Cree that we love him and will see him tomorrow. I appreciate it, sis."

I park while she responds.

Okay, no worries;  see you tomorrow. Bye."

When she cuts the call, I turn off the engine with a deep sigh and jump out of the car before heading into the hospital.

After speaking to a doctor, he takes me to her room, and I walk in behind him. I immediately notice my mom in bed, with my aunt Linda seated in a chair close to her. My mom's eyes are closed, but she must have sensed my presence because they gradually open and she looks at me at the end of the bed.

Her face is purple and blue, her left eye is fully blown out, the white is bright red, and her lips are cut and swollen.

We stare at each other in cold silence until my aunt stands and walks past me, kissing my cheek gently before exiting the room and leaving us alone.

The quiet between us is deafening, and we both know we have so much to say. I take a few steps forward, eager for her to say something—fucking anything to get this shit conversation started.

She slowly raises her injured hand and motions to the chair next to her.

"Come take a seat."

My jaw clenches in frustration because I'm more irritated with her than I'd like to admit. She could have stopped this and told me this shit years ago. She could have told me I was the one who killed Bridge, and I could have stopped looking for the killer since I had been staring at him in the fucking mirror the entire time.

I stand straighter as I respond coldly.

"I'm good to stand."

She sighs and drops her hand.

"You're annoyed with me because I didn't tell you?"

My eyes narrow instantly.

"Yes, I'm annoyed you didn't tell me, mom! What the fuck?"

She briefly closes her eyes before reopening them.

"And then what? You would have blown up the entire thing, and things would not have worked as well as they did last night."

Fury rises in me as I expose my teeth and speak with gritted teeth.

"I am your fucking son! Fuck this business! The money! You should have been a good mom and told me! How do you even know this is true? How do you know it isn't just another one of his sick fucking games?"

She now glances at me and observes me before gently responding.

"I'm sorry, son, but it's true. I know exactly what happened because I saw the footage of you that night."

As I stare at her, my brows furrow and tears threaten to sting my eyes.

"What?"

"Don't you recall going to your club that night? As usual, with everyone on a Friday."

My eyes dart around frantically, trying to remember what happened that night.

"I remember going there and being there, but I don't remember anything else after that, other than waking up in my office in the early hours of the morning, then going home and finding her."

She sighs gently before responding.

"Arlo, that's when they drugged your drink. They then began to fill your head with all kinds of nonsense, claiming that Cree isn't yours, and they urged you to turn violent."

I blink blankly as my eyes blur with tears, and they cascade down my cheeks as I shake my head.

"I'd fucking never believe that."

As she responds, her eyes soften.

"I'm sorry, baby, but you did it. I'm not sure why, but you just weren't yourself."

I take a deep breath, any remaining hope that this was not true departing my body as she continues on.

"When I found out around a year later, I was horrified. I suffered several beatings from your father for arguing, I would tell you. That's when I realized I had to be wise and do things the right way, Arlo, because he would have killed me and you'd have never known."

As I talk, I sniffle and wipe my tears away.

"Did he ever tell you why he did it?"

When my tearful eyes meet hers, she gives a slight nod.

"He claimed you were softening as a result of her, and he feared you would leave our world to become someone he didn't want you to be. That's probably what he feared with Wren as well."

My body starts to tremble with rage, and I just want to tear this whole fucking room to pieces to let out some of the miserable fucking emotions I don't want to feel right now.

I speak as I approach the door.

"I need to go."

I storm out without saying anything else.

After stopping at a liquor store, I sit in my car until the sun sets, drinking whiskey near the cemetery where my wife is buried.

I pour the amber liquid down my throat repeatedly, attempting to relieve the agony in my chest, but I begin to fear that no amount of alcohol will ever be able to heal it.

I toss the bottle onto the seat next to me when I'm feeling wavy, grab the bunch of red roses I bought for her, and open the door beside me.

I stagger out, wipe my tear-stained face with my tank, then straighten up and head towards the entrance. I haven't been here since her funeral because I couldn't bear facing her again. What the fuck am I doing?

I take a slow, shaky approach towards her gravestone, and when I see it from a distance, I come to a halt. As I stare at it, my eyes mist with tears again, and my heart rate quickens. In dread, I turn around swiftly and prepare to go back out, but I pause for a second to gather my thoughts.

This is something you must do, Arlo, you big fucking pussy. Go face her.

I clamp my eyes tight, forcing more tears to cascade down my cheeks, and I throw my head back, heavily inhaling the chilly air. When I reopen my eyes and gaze forward, I turn around and resume my gradual walk towards her headstone.

When I'm finally in front of her, I gaze down at her clean resting place, which I've always made sure was well-kept. My tearful eyes move to her black marble headstone, and my cloudy vision scans the words.

Here lies Bridget Sophia Hayes. A much-loved wife, daughter, and mother.

I immediately feel a sob build in my throat, my heart collapsing as I sink to my knees with a weep before resting my forehead on the ground.

"I'm fucking sorry, Bridge. I'm fucking sorry."

My head is bursting with memories of us together. Memories of her short time with Cree. Memories of when we married, when we first met, and when she gave birth to our son.

I shake my head as I cry into the soil and speak in hushed tones.

"I'm hoping you'll forgive me. I would never harm you intentionally. I love and miss you every single day, and I've done nothing but deceive you."

Suddenly, I hear a bird chirping nearby, which shakes me out of my dark state. I cautiously raise my head to see where it is, and when I discover it's a goldfinch perched precisely on top of her tombstone, eyeing me, my heartbeat freezes.

I stare at it in disbelief because it's the same bird Bridge used to paint in the yard on warm summer evenings. It cocks its head to the side, tweets briefly, and then flies away. I stare in shock, wondering if that was any indication of forgiveness—her attempting to tell me something I needed to hear all along and I find comfort in it.

With a sniffle, I sit back on my knees and carefully place the bouquet of red roses by her headstone. I sit in silence until it's dark, staring at her grave, lost in reflection, the fear of being here gone, and I feel myself calming down.

When I'm ready to go, I lean over and place a delicate kiss on her headstone before resting my forehead on it and whispering.

"We both love and miss you terribly. You will always be a huge part of our lives, and I promise to never forget or stop loving you, Bridge. Regardless of how circumstances change, you'll always have a special place in my heart, and your spirit will always live on in our son. Until we meet again."

I place another lingering kiss on her grave before standing on unsteady legs. I cast one more glimpse back at her over my shoulder before turning and walking slowly to my car.

It's late in the evening, and Arlo is still not home, and I start to worry and wonder if he's okay. I return from his walk-in closet, where I found one of his t-shirts to throw on, as I only have a couple of outfits here because most of my clothing is still at home.

I fall onto his bed and lie on top of the duvet, looking down at my phone beside me, debating whether to call Lily. I pick up my phone and scroll through my contacts until I find her number and push the call button.

She answers after a couple of rings.

"Wren?"

"Hey, Lil, I'm sorry I haven't called; I've been so tired and a lot has happened."

"It's okay, Wren, chill."

I sigh deeply and close my eyes before speaking.

"How are you doing? Are you still staying at the hotel?"

"No, we're back home now, but shit is strange, Wren."

I open my eyes and glance up at the ceiling, perplexed.

"What do you mean?"

She takes a brief pause before responding.

"I mean, last night the entire upstairs was covered in blood and bullet holes, and now there isn't a trace. It's as if nothing ever happened."

I shake my head, still confused.

"How the hell is that possible? What have Mom and Dad said about it? Are the cops involved?"

She takes a deep breath before responding.

"See, this is where things start to get strange. No cops, no statements; mom isn't saying anything, and I haven't even seen dad yet. I'm utterly confused."

As I exhale, I am concerned for my dad's welfare.

"I mean, is he okay?"

"Yeah, I've heard him on the phone with Mom, but I haven't seen him since I saw him shoot those guys apart."

Before I react again, I remain silent as I try to wrap my head around everything and wonder what the hell is going on.

"So, you've returned home and everything is fine? As though nothing ever happened."

"Yeah, basically."

"How about Jasper? Have you heard anything from him today?"

"Yes, we texted and he called. I'm going to try to see him tomorrow."

I lay there for a while, my mind racing, until she speaks, breaking my trance.

"Wren, are you still there?"

I blink a few times before responding.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm here. I was just thinking. Maybe we should get together soon, or I'll come there, but I'll let you know."

"Okay, yeah, just let me know and we'll meet."

Just as I'm about to say something else, the bedroom door opens and Arlo wanders in with his head down.

"I've got to go, Lil, but I'll call you soon, okay?"

"Okay, no problem; I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

I hang up the phone, keeping my gaze fixed on Arlo as he tosses his snapback to the ground before reaching behind his head and yanking his shirt off.

When he throws it to one side, he kicks off his shoes, and his eyes finally reach mine, signaling my awareness that something is wrong.

As he prowls towards the bottom of the bed and stops, I sit up on my elbows, his dark, slightly red, and puffy eyes transfixed on mine.

He makes a lazy hand motion towards me while speaking with a slight slur.

“Is that my fucking shirt?”

I avert my gaze from his and look down at his shirt on my body before returning it to his. He waits for me to respond, but I only offer him a brief, wordless nod.

His glazed eyes blaze into mine as he stands there, slightly waving back and forth, and I realize he's been drinking. He smirks and starts crawling up the huge bed towards me, keeping his eyes locked on mine.

When I'm within his reach, he takes my ankles and pulls me down the bed easily but aggressively, forcing his shirt to ride up my body, exposing my nakedness underneath, and a small shriek escapes me.

While he kneels between my open thighs, he grabs the small of my waist and squeezes it as his black eyes sweep over me, admiring me.

When they flicker to mine, he gives a small, sinister grin and begins to speak.

"You know you're what dreams are made of, right?"

His attention shifts to my exposed pussy for a brief moment before he continues with a small growl in his throat.

"Every man's wet fucking fantasy."

Because of his drunken state, I try not to giggle and when his eyes return to mine, he talks earnestly.

"But you've become so much more to me."

He takes my hand in his and shows me both of our palms, revealing our initials carved into them.

"This was when I knew you were mine, and then when you told me you loved me, I knew I was entirely yours."

My eyes soften as he lets go of my hand and moves until his forearms are resting on either side of my head and his body on mine.

He glances around my face before settling his eyes on my lips and continuing.

"You've saved a broken man more times than you'll ever fucking know. You didn't even have to do anything other than be present."

I resist the tears that threaten to spill as I feel my heart melt in my chest. He closes his eyes and places his brow on mine.

"Our love is fucked, Wren. It's a crazy fucking game that we both can't get enough of; it's consumed us both, yet we continue to love what it does to us. I just can't promise it'll ever be normal because I’m not fucking normal."

I make the decision to respond softly.

"I don't want us to be normal, Arlo. Normal is dull."

I continue as he cautiously opens his eyes to stare into mine.

"I like what we are, and I wouldn't have it any other way because this is us, Arlo. This is our normal, and it doesn't have to make sense to anyone else, because what does it matter if it's love? Our twisted love."

His gaze roves over mine, and I can see him pondering carefully until, after a long stretch of silence, he finally speaks.

"I went to see Bridget tonight."

My heartbeat briefly stops because he may be opening up to me.

"It was the first time in three years that I'd had the fucking decency to go and face her."

As he continues, he presses his eyes shut, and I glance around his face.

"I've been such a selfish, fucking asshole."

My eyes soften as I observe his despair, and it causes my heartbreak as well.

"You weren't selfish; it was just how you dealt with things, Arlo. It's better late than never, and she would have understood your reasoning."

I glide my hands up his tattooed back and smile softly when he opens his tearful eyes.

"Going to see her was extremely brave of you."

He closes his eyes again and sighs deeply before speaking.

"I had to apologize to her. It's the least she fucking deserves."

"And did it bring you any comfort?"

He sniffles before speaking when his gaze lifts to me.

"I felt a sense of forgiveness."

I feel my body relax and relief move over me as a result of what he is saying. I lift my palm to his face as I open my now-tearful eyes, and a tear rolls into my hair.

With a small wobble in my throat, I raise my head slightly and whisper against his lips.

"I'm so fucking proud of you; you know that, don't you?"

I press my lips firmly against his, and when we open up for each other, we kiss fiercely and passionately, the intensity of love pouring out of both of our souls.

He grips my hair with his hands and gently pulls back to drive his pierced tongue deeper.

Our bodies grind into one another, yearning to be connected, and when I feel him pull out his cock between us as he breaks off the kiss, I continue to keep my eyes closed, my lips tingling from the way he just devoured my mouth.

I open my heavy eyelids as he positions his hard cock at my slick opening and pauses while slowly brushing his lips against mine, staring deep into my soul.

He whispers over my parted lips as he gently sweeps his nose over mine.

"I fucking love you, too."

My eyes frantically explore his in disbelief, my heart racing in my chest, and when he presses his dick into me without warning, I can't help but moan.

I can barely think straight as he begins to thrust into me hard and deep because the connection between us overwhelms me immediately.

He lowers his head and places his lips against the crook of my neck, speaking with gritted teeth and a growl in his voice.

"But I'm about to fuck you like I fucking hate you and always will because I love destroying you, baby, and I know you love it too."

He sinks his teeth into my neck before sucking hard on my sensitive skin, plainly leaving a mark, and then he speaks when he tilts his head to look at me.

"Fucking kiss me."

As I bring my lips to his quickly, we lose ourselves in another fierce kiss as he brutally fucks me.

I'm standing outside my house the next day, smoking a cigarette, and I glance around, scanning the area with my eyes. I then turn back and look up at my big ass mansion, absorbing it all in as I consider a change.

Me, Cree, and Wren all deserve a change. I need to say my final goodbyes to this house. It's full of memories, both good and awful, but I can't keep waking up and being dragged back into my pit of fucking darkness because I know what took place in this house.

No amount of black paint or sombre interior design can disguise the hideous secrets and hurt that lurk within this fucking mansion.

As I observe Wren coming out the front door with a big smile on her gorgeous face, I take a long pull of my cigarette.

My gaze sweeps down the length of her as she closes the door behind her, and I blow out the smoke before flicking it away as she walks towards me, her heels clicking along the pavement and her gaze locked on mine.

I grasp her wrist and yank her into me as soon as she's within my reach. When her body collides with mine, I place my arm around the bottom of her back to keep her close.

She places her hands on my chest and brightly smiles up at me, and her eyes sparkle with happiness.

As I speak, I cast a glimpse at her full, rosy lips.

"You look fucking beautiful."

Before she responds, a grin forms across her lips.

"Why thank you? You don't look too bad yourself, Mr Hayes."

I smirk down at her before she suddenly takes the lapels of my jacket and pulls me down into her lips. My hands descend down to her peachy ass, where I crush her cheeks with my hands and destroy her mouth so hard she has to bend backward.

I feel the urge to drag her back inside and ruin her sweet pussy for looking so damn good. I use my teeth to yank on her lower lip before plunging my tongue down her throat again, and I shift my hand between us until I'm rubbing her warm pussy over her tight, black jeans, causing her to moan.

That alone tells me she's ready to get fucked hard before we leave. I wrap my hands over the back of her thighs before swiftly wrapping her around me and walking back towards the house.

As she grinds her desperate cunt into me, we continue to eat each other's mouth until I hear someone clear their throat behind me, causing me to come to a halt.

Wren looks over my shoulder as we pause, and I immediately sense it’s a fucking cop on my property, which fucking enrages me, so I shout sharply.

"Get the fuck off my property, pig."

When I cast a sidelong glance over my shoulder and notice that he is still not moving, Wren wriggles down to her feet, and I turn to face the piece of shit.

"What are you, deaf? Fuck off!"

He flashes his badge before putting it back in his pocket.

"Detective Jones, Mr Hayes. We need to have a word."

Rage floods every inch of me as my eyes blaze into his because these motherfuckers know not to fuck with me, especially on my property. In my city, I fucking own them; I dominate this shit, and I'm untouchable since the majority of them are crooks themselves.

I speak sternly as my nostrils flare.

"Wren, get in the car."

As she walks past me, he gives her a slight nod with a smile, which makes me want to pounce on the fuck, skin him alive, and bury him in my backyard.

"You're either new to this shit or you're just plain fucking stupid, pig."

He raises an eyebrow at me before responding, unaffected.

"I'm from Los Angeles, Mr Hayes. We're not all crooks."

"I couldn't give a flying fuck what you are, motherfucker. You'd fuck off out of here if you knew what's good for you. I don't have anything to say to you."

Despite his continued attempts to enrage me, I keep my death stare fixed on him as I walk past him, towards my car.

"There have been a number of unexplained deaths around you, Mr Hayes, including one of your wife's, Bridget Hayes."

I come to a quick halt, my wrath building up before he continues.

"I was surprised to see you never had the cops involved to investigate her murder, unless you have something to hide, of course."

Anger surges through me, causing me to turn and rush toward him until we're face-to-face and I hear Wren call out to me.

"Arlo!"

Before speaking aggressively in his face, I bared my teeth.

"I don't call you because you're a bunch of worthless cunts. I handle my own business. This is my city, you piece of fucking shit, but you probably already knew that! Stay the fuck out of my way; this is your final warning."

Wren yells behind me once more.

"Arlo, please!"

My fists are so clenched that I can feel my short nails penetrating my flesh, and he looks into my eyes before stating calmly.

"I'll catch up with you soon, Mr Hayes."

I clench my teeth and press my nose to his.

"Good luck with that."

I then back away, keeping my wide, dark eyes on him until I turn around and step into my car, slamming the door behind me.

As he gets into his car, I keep my focus fixed on him through the tinted windows, and Wren is shocked beside me.

"What the hell was that about, Arlo? You can't just talk to a cop like that!"

I smirk at her before responding.

“Baby, I can talk to whoever the fuck I want like that.”

She reclines in her seat, stunned, and I check my mirror to see if the pig is leaving, which he is, so I start my car and reverse out.

As we drive, I keep looking at her and thinking about how we were before that cunt disturbed us. While I draw my gaze away from her and stare ahead, I let out a deep growl.

When I see her look at me, I return my eyes to her, sweeping over her beautiful body before reaching over and grabbing a handful of her hair.

"Suck my cock. I can't stop thinking about those pretty lips wrapped around my pierced fucking dick."

She takes a cautious glance around before her big eyes collide with mine again, and I raise an eyebrow.

"Don't you dare act all fucking innocent with me; I know what a dirty little slut you are; now suck me."

I pull on her hair as I look between her and the road, and she unclips her seatbelt before positioning her face over my lap.

As she loosens my belt and pulls my zip down while I maintain my hand clutched in her long, dark hair, I can feel my cock already leaking and aroused.

She lowers her hot month onto me after pulling my stiff cock free, and I growl as I rest my head back, my eyes becoming heavy.

I try to keep my eyes on the road ahead while she sucks me good, hard, and quick, exactly how I like it, giving me the greatest pleasure and my hand grips her hair tighter. When she comes up, I press her head back down to shove myself deeper into her throat, and when she gags, my toes curl in my shoes.

"That's it, beautiful, just like that."

I can feel myself building up after a while of her deep throating me, and when I eventually come, I can feel my cock twitch in her throat as it releases, and she drinks every last fucking drop.

My eyes threaten to roll and my legs spasm as she continues to suck me through it. When it becomes too much, I yank on her hair, forcing her to look up at me, and when her watery eyes find mine, I smirk down at her, observing her flushed cheeks and swollen, come-coated lips.

"Fucking kiss me."

She instantly adjusts her position, and I glance at the road as she presses her lips to mine before driving her tongue deep into my mouth while placing her hands on my face.

I kiss her back while driving, and when she breaks off, I grip the nape of her neck and talk with clenched teeth, glancing between her and the road.

"Such a fucking good girl for me."

I kiss her smiling lips firmly before quickly releasing her, and she settles back into her seat as I keep one hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and adjust myself with my free hand.

She glances at me and speaks after a little silence.

"Why would a detective be involved, Arlo? Don't you find that strange?"

I cast a peek her way before returning my attention to the road.

"There's always a good cop out there trying to bring us down, Wren. This is nothing new. He'll quickly realise he's not getting anywhere and abandon whatever fucking case he's made against me."

She gives me an uneasy look before sighing and staring forward.

This is something she will grow accustomed to over time. This is my daily life; I've seen it since I was born in this godforsaken world, yet I understand it's still new and fresh to her.

We entwine our fingers as I take her hand, our scars becoming one, and she smiles.

When we arrive at Wren's house, we get out of the car, and as I walk around, I take her hand in mine and we walk towards her house.

"Wren!"

As we both come to a halt, we turn around to face the man who called her, and Wren exclaims with delight.

"Dad! What are you doing here?"

I straighten up when I hear her say ‘Dad’, and she releases the clasp of my hand as he strides towards us, looking between me and her with a solemn expression on his old face.

When he gets close enough, she pulls him into an embrace, and he peers over her shoulder at me, examining me, and I try not to give any clue that I'm an utter asshole.

He looks down at her when she breaks off with a big smile, returning the smile before he responds.

"How have you been, sweetheart?"

Before responding, she nods.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I've only been working."

He moves his gaze around her face until it focuses on her busted lip.

"I haven't seen you in a while; what happened to your lip?"

I observe her warily looking at him.

"I was having fun with Cree and slipped; no big deal."

He looks into her eyes, searching for the lie, until he stands straight and gives a slight nod. She then gives me a hesitant smile before returning her attention to her father.

"Dad, this is—"

"I know. Your boss, right?"

After he says that, he extends his hand to me, and I shake it firmly while I speak.

"Arlo Hayes."

He responds with a modest nod.

“Philip Edwardz.”

I can't quite figure him out as he looks into my eyes intensely, his vibe sending me all kinds of signals as I shake his hand.

Wren clears her throat, clearly sensing the tension, and Phillip finally lets go of my hand as she speaks.

"So, what brings you here, Dad?"

As he responds, he glances down at her with a faint smile.

"Well, I was driving by on my way home and thought I'd see if you were home because your mom said you were on vacation and might be here."

She nods slightly.

"I was just coming back to get my belongings. Do you want to come in?"

He smiles and gives a little head shake.

"I'd better get going, but it was nice to see you."

He's a touch taller than me, with broader shoulders, yet he has the typical appearance of an older man. When he stands a little taller and looks between us both.

"Perhaps you and Arlo could join us for dinner at our house some time?"

My focus is drawn to Wren, who appears stunned as she speaks.

"What?"

Before responding to her, he gives her a small smile.

"I'm not stupid, Wren. I know you're dating, and I'd like to get to know the man who caught your attention."

She glances at me for approval, and to be honest, I'm not into the whole family bullshit; it's not my favorite thing to do, but I'll do it for her.

I give her a slight nod, and she returns her attention to her father, who is still waiting for a response.

"Okay, sure! Just let us know in advance, and we'll be there."

He gives a slight nod, and Wren's expression changes as she asks softly.

"I want to ask you something before you go. What happened the other night? Lil told me you had intruders."

My attention instantly shifts to him, and he inhales deeply before shoving his hands into the pants pockets.

"I suppose they wanted money, and I did what I had to do to protect your mother and Lily, because that's what it's all about: protecting what's ours."

Before he continues, he quickly turns his attention to me.

"Isn't that right, Arlo?"

I observe him suspiciously before giving him a small, silent nod, and he returns his attention to Wren, kissing her on the cheek.

"I'll see you soon and will be in touch."

He backs up before turning around and returning to his car, shouting back.

"Take care, guys!"

Wren calls out to him.

"Bye, Dad!"

I'm lost in thought as we watch him drive away, and then Wren turns to me, tiptoeing to give me a kiss, jolting me out of my reverie.

She smiles as she lowers herself to her feet before speaking.

"Let's get this done, and then we can go get Cree!"

She passes by me as I remain in the same spot, and I hear her open the door behind me.

"Are you coming in?"

I turn around and give her a slight nod before following her in.

When we enter, I look around her living room while she gathers her belongings, and as I speak, I pick up a photo frame that is perched on a tiny table.

"What was that about when you said your family had intruders?"

As she responds, I look down at a family photo of Wren when she was younger, Lily as an infant, and her parents, all of whom appear to be a typical, happy, and normal family.

"Oh, they had intruders the night everything happened; I can only assume it had something to do with your father trying to get Lily."

I give her the side eye as she folds her clothes and packs everything into her suitcase, and I speak up again.

"You didn't tell me?"

She exhales a little sigh before responding.

"I didn't find out until Jasper drove me home that night and Lil called him. I didn't bring it up since you've got enough going on and my dad has dealt with it."

I set the frame carefully on the table before turning to face her, my hands in my pockets.

"Dealt with it, how?"

Her brows furrow as she continues to pack.

"That's the strange thing; Lil said she was hurried into a secret safe room in their house that we've never known about, but before that, my dad was shot-gunning people down."

As I examine her, I raise an eyebrow, my mind racing.

"A secret safe room?"

She looks up briefly, nods, and then glances down.

"Strange, isn't it? I thought that stuff only happened in movies."

She then straightens up and faces me while folding a shirt.

"And that's not even the strangest part. Lil claimed he sent her and my mom to a secured hotel, and when they returned the next day, everything was completely normal, as if nothing had taken place. There was no blood, bullet holes, or dead bodies, and my mom isn't saying anything."

I raise an eyebrow as she glances down at her suitcase and I continue to question her.

"Have you ever seen your dad with a gun before? Especially with a gun that powerful?"

With a little smile, she shakes her head and scrunches her little nose.

"To be honest, I'm surprised. He'd always been the quiet, geeky type, a regular man with a regular job and no criminal record or worry, but as he put it, you'll do anything for what's yours, right?"

I give a little nod as her eyes meet mine, and as she zips up her suitcase, I stand lost in thought, sliding my tongue piercing along my bottom lip. There's something fucking strange going on here. I have a bad feeling that Wren's father is a part of my world.

As soon as I shook his hand, I could tell he wasn't your average guy; he exudes an aura that only the elites recognize. Maybe I'm wrong, or maybe I'm overthinking it since I don't trust any motherfucker right now, but it looks like I'll be looking into Wren's dad's background.

She smiles at me as she drags the suitcase away from her couch.

"Right, let's go!"

I take a couple steps forward, take her suitcase, and we leave the house.

When we arrive outside Sara's house and Arlo turns off the engine, he sits back in his seat even further, letting out a tense breath while staring ahead.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

He waits a bit before reaching down, unbuckles his seatbelt and answers as he opens his door before stepping out.

"I'm good."

I just stare at him as he closes the door behind him and I exit the car.

As we near the front door, I lightly catch his tattooed hand in mine, and he comes to a halt before turning to face me.

I make pleading eyes at him.

"Tell me what's wrong, please?"

I close the small gap between us, and he just stares down at me, expressionless, and I continue while placing my hands on his chest.

"If you don't want to do the whole dinner thing, just say that because we don't have to go."

He looks me in the eyes silently before placing his hands on the side of my neck, his thumbs resting on my jaw, and the connection makes me feel mushy inside.

"I don't give a damn about that, Wren. I'll do whatever the fuck you want me to do."

I offer him a little smile before he looks at my lips and dips his head until our lips meet. I hold his wrists, and he drags his thumbs down my jaw as our tongues entwine. After a heartfelt kiss that leaves my body tingling, he kisses my forehead gently before taking my hand and leading me to the front door.

I stand behind him as he knocks on the door, and Sara answers quickly. When she comes into view, she greets us with a wide smile.

"It's good to see you guys; come on in!"

Arlo steps in first and kisses her on the cheek before releasing my hand and walking deeper into the home.

Sara and I embrace before she talks quietly to me.

"Are you all right? I'm so sorry."

With a little smile, I shake my head.

"I'm fine, Sara; thank you, though. How are you doing?"

She sighs deeply before closing the door behind us.

"Things are a little crazy right now, but I'll be fine."

I offer her a simple understanding nod before I suddenly hear Cree's voice and my head whips around to see him.

"Where have you been, Daddy?"

When I see Arlo coming this way with Cree in his arms, my heart melts in my chest, and Arlo responds to him.

"Sorry, Cree, I just needed to do some things, but I'm here now and I brought someone here to see you."

“Who?”

When Arlo comes to a stop some distance away, his eyes catch mine and he nods, causing Cree to look at me.

I watch his big brown eyes light up and his huge smile.

"Wren!"

A broad smile spreads across my face as he wriggles out of Arlo's arms and runs to me at lightning speed, causing me to crouch swiftly with my arms out wide, catching him in an intense hug.

I lift him, his small arms tight around my neck, as he snuggles his face into the crook of my neck.

I close my eyes, tears welling up, and turn my head to inhale his scent, which I've missed so much.

As he keeps grabbing me tightly, determined not to let go, my tearful eyes meet Arlo's, who is still standing in the same place with his hands in his pockets. I notice his eyes softening slightly and a faint smile forming on his perfect lips.

As I embrace Cree, I tuck my face into his shoulder, and when he finally pulls back, he smiles and places his palms firmly on my cheeks.

"Where have you been?"

As I speak softly, I study his eyes.

"I had to see my family, but I'm not going anywhere anymore, okay?"

He looks at me with a cute, serious expression.

"You promise?"

I sniffle before smiling and whispering.

"I promise."

I close my eyes as he holds me again, my heart breaking because I know I should never have put him through what I did by leaving.

As I decide to speak again, I stroke his little back.

"What have you been doing? Have you been having a good time?"

He smiles as he looks at me again.

"I've been doing a lot of drawing. Aunt Sara thinks I'm really good at it and that I should practice more."

I reply with a smile on my lips.

"You definitely have your dad's creative mind, and you should practice a lot because one day you could be an incredible artist!"

Arlo suddenly speaks up from a distance.

"Maybe he could teach you a thing or two."

My eyes meet him immediately with an eyebrow raised, and he grins as Cree giggles. I look at Cree before tickling his belly, which causes him to laugh even harder.

"You two are big meanies!"

When I stop tickling him, he points back at Arlo and continues to giggle.

"Tickle him; he said it!"

As I speak, I narrow my eyes at Arlo.

"Later, daddy will get tickles."

Arlo raises his brow with a smirk before I resume my attention to Cree.

"So, are you ready to come home right now?"

Sara speaks behind us.

"Everything is in his bag, and he has eaten dinner. I'd bring Phoebe here to say goodbye to Cree, but she's still sleeping."

I smile as I turn toward Sara.

"How is she?"

She takes a deep breath before responding.

"Getting big! We still need to go on that playdate."

I smile and give a nod.

"Of course! Just let me know when you're available; we're usually free."

She smiles and looks over at Arlo.

"I'm going to see mom when Phoebe wakes up. Aunt Linda said that she has returned home."

I notice Arlo standing a bit higher and inhaling deeply, as if he is uncomfortable, and I cast a confused glance between him and Sara.

He walks up to us and takes Cree from my arms as he speaks.

"We had better get going."

Cree immediately snuggles into Arlo's chest, and Sara offers him his bag, which Arlo throws over his shoulder.

"Thanks for doing this, sis."

She gives him a warm smile.

"Anytime, you know that."

She then hugs him tightly, as if she were anticipating doing so the entire time.

"I'm here if you need me, Arlo."

When she pulls back, she kisses Cree goodbye before we leave the house.

As we enter the house and walk through the door, I notice Cree is wide awake and ready to play, so I ask.

"What shall we do this evening, Cree?"

He pauses there carefully, thinking with his finger on his chin, then Arlo suddenly speaks behind me as he closes the door behind us.

"I'm feeling like taking a dip in the pool."

Cree gasps in excitement.

OceanofPDF.com

"Yes!"

I turn around and look at Arlo, my face puzzled.

"Isn't it a bit cold for that?"

He smirks as he slides his jacket down his muscular arms, drawing his face near to me and speaking quietly.

"Heated fucking pool, Wren."

I turn around and face Cree when he squeals behind me.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Wren, you'll join us in the pool, won't you?"

I freeze as I feel Arlo's hand discreetly on my ass and find myself unable to speak. He leans down and speaks calmly over my shoulder, his eyes fixed on Cree.

"Oh, Cree, she's coming in, because if she doesn't, I'll chuck her in fully clothed."

Cree giggles evilly at Arlo's threat, and Arlo gives my ass a small squeeze before turning his head and speaking close to my ear.

"Get into something pretty, and we'll meet you outside."

I observe as they both head towards the backyard, and I stand in the same spot, lost in thought about how it's just a matter of time before Cree realizes we're more than just nanny and boss. Arlo has been all over me recently, and he doesn't care who sees. I'm always concerned about Cree's reaction. Will he hate me for it? I certainly hope not.

I snap out of my intrusive trance and gaze down at my suitcase, where I search for a bathing suit.

I make my way upstairs to change into an appealing lime green two piece. I pull my hair up into a small bun before looking in the mirror to give myself approval.

When I return downstairs, I head straight to the massive, double-glass rear doors and stand there for a moment, my eyes scanning the light-up pool area, which I've never seen before.

The sun is setting, beautiful tones of deep blue fill the pristine sky, stars begin to glimmer, and a hue of orange fades through on the horizon.

The huge house looks out over a slew of houses down below that stretch as far as the eye can see.

My attention is drawn when I observe Arlo throwing Cree up in the air in the pool and then catching him, repeating the motions. I'm worried at first, but Cree's infectious chuckles soon have me laughing as well.

I must have caught Arlo's attention out of the corner of his eye, for he pauses from throwing Cree again and looks my way.

I give him a shy smile before his hungry eyes wander down my entire body, eye fucking every inch of me, and when they quickly find mine again, they peer into my soul, and I watch as his sharp jaw tenses as he grinds on his teeth. I can already feel the sexual tension escaping him.

This man is continuously on heat, which I don't mind. He makes me feel like the most beautiful woman on the planet. I can't get enough of the way he looks at me, touches me, and speaks to me. He is my weakness, my power, and the darkness to my light. Although he's rough around the edges, he's entirely mine, and my goodness, I've fallen madly in love with this man. In my eyes, his imperfections will always be perfect.

Cree suddenly calls out to me.

"Wren, get in!"

I break away from Arlo's focused stare to look at Cree in his arms and give him a big smile before walking towards the pool.

When I go to the pool's edge, I lower myself down before getting in, all the while feeling Arlo's attention on me.

Cree talks again, smiling at me.

"See, it's not that cold!"

We try to teach Cree how to swim with floaties on, have a splash fight, and I manage to dunk Arlo a few times while we're all in the pool together. For the first time, I feel like we're bonding as a small unit the entire time we're together.

Only a few months ago, I wouldn't have gotten even a small smirk out of Arlo, so seeing him openly laugh with Cree around me is so touching, and it shows me exactly what he is like with his son behind closed doors.

I continue to gaze in amazement at what an incredible dad he is, and you can see their love for each other. Arlo has done a fantastic job on his own while coping with grief. That is strength, and Arlo embodies it at all times. Even when he believes he is weak, he is the strongest person I've ever known, and I admire him for it.

When I notice the sky darkening and Cree rubbing his tired eyes with his fist, I glance at Arlo, who is probably thinking the same thing I am.

I take my focus away from him and talk softly to Cree.

"Hey, little guy, maybe I should get you to bed."

He reacts with a pout.

"Ooooh!"

As Arlo lifts him out of the water and sets him on the edge, my eyes soften, and as I begin to get out, Arlo looks at me and speaks sternly.

"I've got this, and you're staying right here."

"Are you—"

He cuts me off as he climbs out and water cascades off his incredible body.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

I watch from the pool as they wrap towels around themselves before strolling towards the house, and as they approach the doors, Arlo gives me a wink before continuing.

I smile and shake my head as I float around, taking in the scenery. I become lost in the majesty of the lights from people's houses twinkling in the distance.

I hear him get back into the pool after a while of stillness, and the water ripples around me. I turn to face him, and he prowls towards me, his eyes full of darkness. He lifts me up around my waist as soon as I'm within reach, and I immediately wrap my legs around him with a big smile.

I throw my arms around his broad shoulders and exchange brief glances before I tilt my head to the side and press my tongue deep into his mouth with a moan in my throat.

He gradually moves his palms up the back of my thighs until they are on my ass, then he pulls on my swimsuit, wedging it up the crack of my ass so he can feel and squeeze my exposed ass cheeks.

I smile as I break the kiss, and as his dark eyes fall to my lips, I gaze across at the view while I speak.

"You have an extremely beautiful home; you're very lucky."

I sense him staring at my side profile rather than the view he has undoubtedly seen a thousand times.

"It's a beautiful house, but it's not the one I see us in."

My attention is drawn towards him quickly, not knowing what he means.

"What?"

We float in the center of the pool while he gazes at my lips, and when our eyes collide once more, he looks into them deeply.

"I want us to choose a house that is fucking ours, where we can make new memories."

I look at him, surprised.

"Together?"

He smirks as he squeezes my ass cheeks so tight, driving his fingers into my flesh that I squeal with a big smile on my face.

"Yes, fucking together, Wren."

He brings his face near mine, and we stare into each other's eyes before he speaks again, this time with tight teeth.

"You're mine. Where I go, you go, and vice versa."

I feel a surge of excitement rush through me, and I strike without warning, taking his soft lips to mine in a strong and eager kiss that he accepts.

As we kiss fiercely, I feel his hand reach up from the water behind me and tug my bun free, allowing my long, brown hair to flow down my shoulders and onto the water.

He grabs a handful of my hair and pulls it back, forcing the kiss to break and my back to hover just above the water.

I release a gasp as he glides his warm, pierced tongue from between my breasts to my chin, and he loosens the strings of my bikini top before forcefully ripping it off me and tossing it into the water

As he pulls back my head, he glides his other hand up and over my breast before giving it a crushing squeeze with his entire huge hand, and I can't help but moan as the tension and desire surge through me.

He lowers his hot mouth onto one of my erect nipples, sucking and tugging with his teeth while pinching and pulling with his fingers on the other.

As he continues to destroy my tits with his mouth, he suddenly presses his hand within my bikini bottoms without warning, and I let out a gasp as his skilled fingers instantly find my sensitive bud, where he starts rubbing me in circular motions with just enough pressure.

When he pulls me up, I rest my brow on his and he watches what he does to me as my brows clench and my mouth falls wide, moans escaping. He removes his hand after an enjoyable rub-out, building me up, and I miss them being there already as he swims with me until we reach the edge of the pool.

He lifts me by the small of my waist and drops me onto the edge before grabbing my ass and roughly flushing me into him while he remains in the water between my legs.

He grabs my throat and presses down on it, forcing me to lie back on the chilly tiles. He softly releases my throat and moves his hand down the center of my body; my back is slightly arched off the floor. He grips the small of my waist and starts licking the water off my flat stomach and softly biting the flesh just below my ribs, causing my entire body to tremble.

He grabs my bikini bottoms and drags them down my legs before tossing them to the side as well. I spread my legs wide so he can eat me out, and that's exactly what he does. His hands explore every inch of my body as he absorbs my pussy like a greedy beast, tugging, sucking, and biting me as I moan.

I reach down and place my hands in his wet hair, encouraging him to continue eating me just as he is, and I toss my head back in ecstasy.

When he growls against me and pulls away after a while, I open my heavy eyes to see him leap from the pool, and he leans down, grabs my wrist, and rapidly pulls me to my feet. He places his strong tattooed arm around my middle from behind, lifts me off my feet, and carries me towards the sun loungers.

As soon as we get there, he drops me and I fall onto it on my hands and knees. He grips the back of my neck and urges my head down, my face pressed into the plush cushion with my ass in the air.

When I'm in the position he chooses, he settles behind me, his legs spread wide and hanging off either side of the sun lounger.

He slowly moves his hands up the back of my thighs, and when he gets to my ass, he spreads my cheeks apart with his fingers and separates my wet pussy lips with his thumbs, exposing all of me to him.

He returns to business instantly and begins to devour me from behind, my ass and pussy throbbing for him as his pierced tongue explores both openings.

I moan wildly as he inserts his tongue so deeply into my pussy that I can feel his piercing stimulating the inside of me before he slides it all the way up and does the same with my ass, fucking me as deep as his tongue will allow.

When he's finished thoroughly enjoying himself, he leans down and grasps my hair, forcing me to rest back on my knees between his open legs.

I lean back into his bare chest, resting my head on his shoulder in a slight daze. I feel his hand come between us from behind, and he pulls his hard cock from his wet shorts before placing his pierced tip from underneath against my soaked pussy. He grabs both of my wrists and lifts them up until my arms become wrapped around his neck from behind.

He slowly moves his hands up the front of my body until he has my big tits in his palms and turns his head to speak in my ear with a growl in his throat.

"Allow your pussy to swallow my dick whole, baby, and then fuck me hard like you're fucking desperate for it."

I slowly lower myself onto his big cock, inch by inch, until he is swallowed whole by my hungry pussy.

He lets out a brief gasp before continuing to talk.

"That's it, just like fucking that. Now show me how much you fucking love me."

I begin to bounce up and down on his cock in a position I've never been in before, but it feels so fucking good. I raise myself all the way and then lower myself all the way to the base of his dick, keeping my head still on his toned shoulder.

He glides his hands softly down my arms, which are still wrapped around the back of his neck, causing butterflies to flutter within me.

He continues moving them down to my bouncing tits and growling into my ear as he pulls on my nipples with his fingers before slapping them individually.

He whispers into my ear, breathless.

"Such a good little slut for Daddy."

He presses his two fingers through my parted lips until they are deep into my mouth, and I continue to ride his dick while sucking on them. When his fingers become coated with my saliva, he takes them out of my mouth before moving his hand behind and beneath me, and I slow down to let him slide them into my ass.

I gradually close my eyes with a hiss on my lips and attempt to relax, but I'm so used to it now that I love both the pain and the pleasure of it. After a gentle, knuckle-deep press, he begins to thrust them into me while kissing my shoulder, and I moan as I attempt to adjust.

The euphoria begins to overtake me as he pushes them as deeply as he can and begins mercilessly fucking my ass while squeezing my breast. The moans that escape my lips are barbaric, and when he pauses, I pant hard, and he talks close to my ear once again.

"Now fuck my cock and my fucking fingers at the same time."

As I resume my bounce, his cock and fingers invade both of my holes, causing incredible pleasure to surge through my smoldering body.

He slips his free hand down the front of my body until it's between my open thighs and begins to rub my clit, providing me with even more pleasure, and I rapidly feel my climax peak.

When my orgasm lands, I scream and my entire body trembles. As I struggle to continue bouncing, he brutally destroys my asshole with his fingers so forcefully that I can't think straight during my orgasm. He speaks when he places his arm between my breasts and he has a hard grip on my throat.

"Keep going, baby; I'm almost fucking there."

I take a small breath and then continue to fuck his cock and fingers until he is finished as well. He groans into my neck before biting it, and I feel his big dick pulsate deep within me as his hot come fills me. When I come to a halt, he takes his fingers from my now-destroyed asshole, causing a tiny hiss to escape my lips.

As he moves his warm hands up my thick thighs, then up the front of my body to my breasts, I turn my head to look at him and run my fingers through his hair.

When he turns his head to look at me, I offer him a heavy-eyed, closed smile, and his sight drifts to my smiling lips. He leans in and presses his tongue against my lips before kissing them gently, and as I slip my hand to the side of his neck, I open my mouth to let his tongue enter. He squeezes his fingers around my throat as we sit there for a while, lost in the passionate kiss, and I feel like I could do this all night with him.

The next morning, I wake up to a tug on my duvet, which causes me to open my tired eyes.

"Wren? Daddy?"

My eyes expand as I look down at Cree alongside the bed, and dread rises within me as I realize he has just witnessed me in bed with his dad.

I attempt to remain calm and extend my arm to stroke his curly hair with my hand.

"Good morning, buddy, what's wrong?"

He sniffles and rubs his eye with his closed fist while responding.

"I had a nightmare."

My eyes soften before I notice Arlo swiftly prop up on his elbow to look at Cree, who speaks gently.

"Can I come in with you guys?"

Mine and Arlo's looks momentarily connect before he returns to look at Cree.

"Climb up, little man."

He smiles broadly, and when he tries to climb up the enormous bed, I help him, and he crawls across my legs to get in between us, and I begin to feel thankful that I'm wearing Arlo's shirts instead of being naked.

He slips beneath the duvet and lies between us before he speaks, looking in my direction.

"Why are you here, Wren? Did you have a nightmare as well?"

I try not to giggle due to his innocence before responding.

"He is the best for nightmares, and he gives the best cuddles, doesn't he?"

Arlo smirks before lying back, resting his arm behind his head and gazing up at the ceiling, now wide awake.

As I speak, my attention returns to Cree.

"I guess we're not going to sleep again; we should do something today, Cree."

"Like, what?"

"Hm, perhaps we could go to the park?"

He smiles with delight with lit-up eyes and Arlo speaks.

"Let's get you some breakfast first."

Arlo jumps out of bed and lifts Cree to carry him downstairs and as I watch them leave,  I prop up on my elbows.

When they’re no longer in sight, I fall on my back and stare into space for some time before throwing off the duvet and swinging my legs over the side of the bed, heading for a shower.

When I get out of the shower, I put on some high waisted jeans, a white crop top and white sneakers. I'm staring in the mirror when my phone pings on the bed with a notification. When I glance down at it, my brows furrow, and when I pick it up, my eyes widen.

"What the fuck."

As I stare at it in disbelief, Arlo strides in, and my eyes catch his instantly, and I narrow them as I hold my phone up.

"What in the hell is this?"

He closes the gap between us before focusing his eyes on the notification. When he takes a step back, his eyes meet mine and he raises an eyebrow before shrugging his broad shoulders casually..

"It's your fucking salary; what the hell else would it be?"

I speak through clenched teeth.

"It's three times my salary, Arlo!"

He lifts his brow, seemingly unbothered by the vast amount.

"So?"

I purse my lips before tossing my phone on the bed.

"I don't want it."

"And why the fuck not?"

When my eyes return to his, I narrow them once again.

"Don't you think we're past the whole nanny and boss thing, Arlo? I don't want to get paid to take care of Cree!"

Before he speaks calmly, his eyes examine my angry expression.

"You're keeping the fucking money; it's what you deserve, and you earned it."

In confusion, I pull my head back.

"How in the world did I deserve it, Arlo? I've barely been there for him; I don't deserve it, and, as I already stated, I don't want to be paid to look after him anymore; I enjoy it."

He observes me again, his tongue piercing gliding along his bottom lip as it always does when he thinks and when he's through, he narrows his eyes and elevates his chin.

"Come the fuck here and tell me you don't fucking deserve it."

I stiffen up as a result of his cold tone, struggling to get any words out before he suddenly raises his voice.

"Now!"

My body jerks forward in response to his dominance, and I shift forward until I'm right in front of him, peering up at him through my lashes.

"Go on, then."

Because of his sturdy stare, I'm at a loss for words, and I stammer.

"I don't... I don't de..."

He suddenly lifts me up by the waist before effortlessly tossing me onto the bed and I can’t help but giggle as he crawls up my body until he is between my legs, looming over me.

I maintain an amused look on my face as he dips his head until his face is near mine.

"You deserve every fucking dollar, and don't ever tell me otherwise."

As I respond, my eyes soften.

"It's way too much, Arlo."

He bares his teeth on my lips.

"Shut the fuck up!"

I look him in the eyes before firmly moving my hands up his bare chest until they are on his neck and speaking softly.

"Thank you."

We lock eye contact as he presses his lips firmly on mine and when he withdraws, I observe him stand off the bed before he approaches the bathroom door.

"Are you working today?"

He opens the door, but before entering, he throws a glance over his shoulder and gives me a small nod.

"I have to get this business back on track; I'll be home later."

I give him a slight nod before he enters the bathroom without saying anything else. I leap off of the bed and head to Cree's room to get him ready for a day of fun.

It’s been over a week since I murdered my father and I'm in my club's office, slouched back in my chair, lost in thought while sliding my tongue piercing along my bottom lip, until there's a knock at the door.

"Yeah?"

When the door opens, Jasper appears, and he smiles as he closes the door behind him before taking a few steps forward, hands in his front jeans pockets.

As she speaks, he shrugs his shoulders.

"What's up, bro? I haven't seen you since that night. How are things going?"

I recline in my chair and make a hand gesture to the chair in front of me, and he makes a tentative nod while approaching the chair and taking a seat.

"So?"

I take a long breath before sitting up straight, keeping eye contact.

"I need something from you."

"Sure, what is it?"

I study him for a moment, noting that whatever I ask him, he will most likely do it in a heartbeat, which gives me assurance that what I am about to ask him is the right thing to do.

"I want you to be my right-hand man."

He raises his brows and relaxes back in his chair.

"Me?"

I give a slight nod.

"You."

"Why? I'm nothing like you, Arlo. Look at the mistake I made by letting Cash take my gun."

I carefully move my piercing along my bottom lip once more before answering.

"I need someone trustworthy. The rest will come in due time, Jasp."

His eyes follow me as I stand and stroll around to the front of my desk.

"You're the only one who is capable of the job, Jasper. I can't even trust my own mother right now. You're not completely stupid; all you need is some training and experience."

He looks away and shakes his head slightly.

"I'm not sure, Arlo."

He rubs his chin with his hand, and I place my hands in my pockets to give him a moment to think. I decided to speak again after a brief period of silence.

"Look, I know I'm asking a lot of you; it's a lot to give up, and you'll be putting everything on the fucking line, but trust me, it'll be worth it in the long run, bro."

He glances up at me, our eyes locked for a few moments before he responds.

"I've never been considered an Elite."

I take a long breath before nodding. Our father did not raise us in the same way, and our lifestyles have always been very different.

"I am not going to force you, Jasp, but I'd rather have you by my side than some of these mother-fuckers who had their guns aimed at me that night."

His eyes meet mine once again before he responds.

"But they won't respect me."

I react carefully, raising an eyebrow.

"You're my brother and a Hayes; they have no fucking choice. Do you really believe they respect me right now? They don't have to respect you; they have to fear you, and as long as you're with me, we'll be a force to be reckoned with."

He looks away, deep in thought, and when he doesn't respond, I proceed around my desk once more before taking a seat.

He raises his head suddenly as he responds.

"Okay."

I examine him with my chin raised, surprised, before smirking and standing, extending my hand over the desk.

"Welcome to the deadliest business in New York City, brother."

When he returns my smirk and takes my hand, I immediately pull him to his feet before drawing him close for an embrace. I'm relieved to have him by my side as we pat each other on the back. When we break the tender moment, a text message appears on my phone, and I pick it up before taking a seat, my eyes running over what it says.

“Hey, could we have dinner Friday, 28th, at my parents house? x”

I sigh, rubbing my palm over my mouth, still not happy about it, but I know I have to. I respond swiftly before changing my mind.

"Sure. I'll have Sara keep an eye on Cree."

She responds promptly with a single word.

"Okay x"

I raise my eyes to Jasper, who is already looking at me, and lean forward while speaking, placing my phone on the desk.

"Have you met their parents yet?"

His brow furrows.

"Lil's and Wren's?"

I give him a little nod, and he shakes his head slightly.

"Well, I've met their mom, but not their dad. Why?"

I groan and swing back and forth for a moment before responding.

"I've been invited to fucking dinner."

His brow furrows and he laughs.

"And you agreed?"

I give a small nod, and he seems stunned, which reminds me that I've been such a cold cunt over the years that he has every right to be shocked.

"I can't say I'm not surprised, Arlo. I didn't think the whole family dinner thing was you."

My lips lift into a small smirk as I respond.

"It fucking isn't, but Wren is definitely my thing."

We both exchange a smile before he speaks.

"These Edwardz girls have us pussy-whipped, brother."

I raise an eyebrow with a smirk.

"Speak for your motherfucking self."

He chuckles deeply, and I watch him before continuing.

"I met their dad at Wren's house last week, and there was something off about him, Jasp. I'm not sure what the fuck it is; I can't put my finger on it, so I had someone look into him."

He stares at me puzzled before leaning forward and giving me his undivided attention.

"What exactly do you mean, off?"

"Well, I immediately thought he was a member of the elites. I had that strange sense, and I felt like he knew who I was. I was speechless when Wren told me how he handled Charles' men that night and then how perfectly it was cleaned up."

He nods slightly, uncertain.

“And what did you find?”

My jaw clenches with agitation as I glance away.

"Fuck all. He's as clean as a fucking whistle."

As I continue, I return my gaze to him.

"However, I'm not fucking buying it. I'm usually right when I sense something is off."

He takes a long breath and settles back in his chair.

"Perhaps he's just a regular guy, Arlo, but he has connections like every other wealthy man in this city."

I shake my head and look aside.

"I just fucking hope he's not an Elite enemy."

My eyes catch his when he responds.

"Well, in either case, if he is an elite, he and his wife clearly want to keep it a secret from their daughters for whatever reason, and if he were an enemy, he probably would have gotten news of your relationship with Wren and would have tried to stop it right away, not invite you to fucking dinner."

A thought strikes me out of nowhere. I leap to my feet and as Jasper talks, I grab my phone and shit.

"What is it?"

"I need to fucking go."

"What, why?"

As I respond, I slip my phone into my pocket and move towards the door.

"I'll be in touch."

When I finally arrive home that evening, it's dark, and the house is still, as if everyone is fast asleep. I take off my tie and suit jacket and hang them both up before making my way up the dimly lit stairs to my bedroom.

When I open my bedroom door and lift my head, I notice Wren sitting on the edge of the bed, resting back on her hands, wearing a short, black, silky robe with her legs crossed and towering, black, red bottom heels on her tiny feet.

She has a devilish sparkle in her eyes as I kick the door shut with my foot while keeping eye contact. As I carefully approach her, I know we're fucking; I can sense it, I can smell it, she's fucking down for it and she wants to be utterly destroyed.

When I get close enough, she reaches out her hand and places it on my stomach, stopping me, and she keeps her beautiful, mischievous eyes on mine as she glances up at me. She rises to her feet in front of me, and I stare down at her, ready to pounce at any second because of the twisted sexual need pouring through my dark veins.

She raises an eyebrow.

"How was your day?"

I observe her face and give a slight silent nod before she continues.

"I appreciate you accepting the invitation to dinner, but I wanted you to do one more thing for me."

My eyes wander over her, confused by what she's saying, but I'll do anything right now to bang into her precious, tight cunt. That's the kind of hold this girl has on me. I'm desperate for her like a pitiful, hormonal, virgin teenager, but my gut instinct tells me to ask her what it is first.

As I respond carefully, I lift my chin.

"What the fuck is it?"

She gives me a playful smirk before turning around and delicately bending over the bed, her delicious ass pressing against my semi-hard cock. My throat tightens with an involuntary growl until she turns around.

She has something in her hand, and when I carefully pull my dark eyes away from hers, I notice she is holding up zip ties. My eyes flash to hers in an instant, and she throws a glance behind me, over my shoulder.

I don't even have to look; I know she's going to tie me to the fucking chair, and I immediately go on the defence.

"Fuck no, I'm not your little bitch."

She gives me a pout and enormous eyes before tiptoeing closer to my lips and speaking in a seductive, sensual whisper.

"Come on, baby, it'll be fun and it'll only happen once, I promise. Unless, of course, you love what I'm about to perform."

My jaw clenches as she licks her tongue up from my chin to my lips, and fire surges within me as I stare deep into her big brown eyes while speaking with gritted teeth.

"Do you want to be fucking killed when I break free from those ties? Do you have a fucking death wish or something?"

She purses her lips and tries not to laugh, but I'm dead fucking serious. As she responds, her lips raise into a wicked sneer.

"Maybe."

I raise an eyebrow at her brazenness as she lowers herself back down, her innocent eyes fixated on mine, waiting for my response.

I lower my face closer to hers and bite my words, already displaying my irritation.

“It’s your fucking funeral.”

I turn around and walk towards the chair, wondering why the fuck I'm allowing this shit to happen.

I sink back, lazily resting my forearms on the arms of the chair while I watch her saunter towards me in tall, black heels.

She crouches down in front of me, between my wide open legs, and takes a cable tie, wraps it around my wrist and ties it tightly to the arm of the chair.

I watch her each movement as she goes on to the other arm, but this time she ties it so fucking tight that my blood circulation is immediately restricted. I grit my teeth in annoyance as she smirks up at me and then stands between my thighs.

While maintaining close eye contact, she unfolds her robe, revealing sexy, fucking lingerie. Black lace bra with matching panties, stockings, and a garter belt around her waist.

My greedy eyes soak in every inch of her, sweeping down the full length of her as she allows the robe to fall down her shoulder until it's pooling at her feet.

She glances down at herself as she speaks, her hands on her toned stomach.

"What do you think? I brought it especially for you."

I respond coldly, raising an eyebrow.

"Turn the fuck around, and let me see your ass."

She smiles with an eye roll before turning around to show me the back, bringing her long brown hair to the front of her shoulder.

She shakes her juicy ass, and I sigh and turn away, ready to snap these fucking ties off me already.

"Very fucking nice; it's a shame I'll be ripping them off you once I'm fucking done."

She glances over her shoulder at me, her long, wavy hair tumbling down her back as she lets it go, and she responds with a smirk on her pretty lips.

“I’m about to do you one better, daddy.”

I raise an eyebrow as she approaches one of my drawers, grumbling as her sexy hips and ass sway. Fuck, this is going to be a lot harder than I thought. I have an unhealthy obsession with control, and it fucking shows.

She retrieves something from a drawer before turning around to face me. She smiles as she holds two of my knives in each hand, and I just stare at her, my intensity bursting out of me.

I observe her placing her bottom lip between her teeth before speaking.

"Which one is your favorite, Arlo?"

I remain quiet, my cock expanding and straining against my pants merely from watching her hold my blades in such little lingerie.

She shifts her eyes from mine to the knife in her left hand before licking her tongue all the way up the handle and sucking seductively on the tip of it. Fuck, she's going to be the fucking death of me.

When she's through being a filthy fucking slut, she pops it out of her mouth before speaking.

"This one?"

She changes her focus to her right hand and does the same thing, but it's much longer, and when it reaches the back of her throat, she gags, causing my cock to jerk and leak.

"Or this one?"

She sways her hips side to side as she waits for my response, and then she says something that shoots fucking shivers up my spine.

"Which one would you like to see me fuck myself with?"

My eyes blaze into her like hellfire, and she stares at me steadily, making it clear she's determined to do it, and I'm not going to stop her because this sick shit is right up my fucking alley.

I slowly lift my finger on the right without saying anything since the handle is much longer and thicker, and I know she'll fucking come on it.

"Good choice, baby! I like this one as well."

I raise an eyebrow at her giddy attitude before I bite on my words.

"Yeah, I bet you do, you filthy fucking slut. Now fuck yourself with it."

She fixes her dark, sinister eyes on mine before dropping the other knife to her feet and clicking her tongue a few times while shaking her head.

"We're going to do this my fucking way."

I purse my lips together, my nostrils flaring, before speaking again in a calm, icy tone, desperately trying to control my visible wrath.

"For fucking now."

Her full lips twitch into a smirk, and her dark eyes sparkle before she looks down at herself.

"I think this needs to come off."

I sigh before I respond.

"Keep those fucking heels, suspenders, and stockings on, or I swear to fucking god."

She raises her eyes to meet mine, slips the knife beneath the bust of her bra, and slices through it swiftly, forcing my toes to curl into my shoes.

She delicately pushes it away with the knife, exposing both of her perfectly huge, perky titties, and her nipples are rigid just the way I fucking like them, ready to bite and pull.

She lets it fall to the floor before shifting her attention to her panties and cutting through the strings one by one. When she's finished, she grabs the front fabric and rips it off her pussy before tossing it to the side of the room.

I admire her beautiful pussy and tits before lifting my chin and speaking calmly, my eyes locking onto hers.

"Such a sexy little slut."

She approaches me until she rests one hand on my shoulder before draping her legs over my thighs and straddling me directly onto my hard cock with her exposed, damp pussy.

When she feels my dick flex beneath her, she smirks before slowly sliding her tongue all the way up the flat side of my blade, tormenting the fuck out of me.

I'm mesmerized as she runs the blade carefully over her plump bottom lip, chin, and down her throat towards her big tits, and my eyes can't help but follow the knife's path.

She grinds her bare cunt on my solid cock while throwing her head back and dragging the blade over her breast and down to her stomach, clearly fucking enjoying her slutty little self, and I'm fucking enjoying it as well.

When she comes to a halt just above her belly button, she lifts her head, her heavy eyes meeting mine, and she bites her bottom lip before glancing down at my shirt before speaking.

"This just won't do, baby; I need to see your beautiful inked skin."

She roughly grabs a fistful of my shirt and starts slicing the buttons off one by one with the knife. I keep my eyes fixed on her gorgeous face, watching her as she concentrates until she finishes, at which point she pulls it wide open before stretching it over my shoulders, and she grins as she runs her hand up and down my fully inked chest.

When her eyes swiftly collide with mine, I notice something wicked in them that I've never seen in little innocent Wren before; she looks fucking crazed.

She positions the blade on my body and carefully raises it up the middle, locking eyes with me, until it's on the side of my neck. She nips my skin with the sharp blade, but I don't move a fucking muscle as her eyes widen and she smiles like a sexy little cheshire cat.

"Oops!"

She removes the blade before bringing her fingers to my neck and tracing them up the trail of blood before gazing down at it on her skin, captivated, before slowly licking her tongue up her fingers, tasting my blood. When she looks at me innocently with the tips of her fingers in her mouth, my eyes darken even more. She's playing with fucking fire; I'm about to erupt, and she still hasn't fucked herself yet.

She wraps her arms around my shoulders and whispers softly against my lips.

"Did you like that, baby? Is this what you want? Me to show you exactly what you fucking made of me? A feral fucking slut."

I hiss on her lips, displaying my teeth, before biting down on my words.

"You're fucking perfect."

When I praise her, she smiles against my lips before plunging her tongue deep into my mouth. When she starts grinding down on my hard cock, yearning for friction on her greedy cunt, I have a strong desire to grab her, bite her, and fucking demolish her while I aggressively kiss her back with my pierced tongue and teeth.

She breaks off the kiss that has me gasping for air before standing off me and kneeling between my spread legs.

I watch as she places the knife on the floor next to her and then runs her hands up my thighs before unbuckling my belt. She tears it entirely out of the loops and tosses it across the room before proceeding to drag my zipper down my pants.

She looks up at me, bites her bottom lip as she reaches into my boxers, wraps her small palm around my leaky cock, and smirks as she pulls me free.

She holds my dick up straight while maintaining strong eye contact before dipping her head and sucking me into her warm mouth.

When she sucks me hard and fast right away, reaching the back of her fucking throat like my good girl, my eyelids close involuntarily and I growl.

I praise her breathlessly.

“Such a fucking good girl for me, sucking me exactly how I love it."

My dark, heavy eyes observe her as she teases me by licking the hoop on the end of my cock with her soft tongue, and my chest rises and falls with each breath I take.

My fists clench because all I want to do is grab her hair, shove my dick down her fucking throat and hold her there until she passes the fuck out.

I can feel myself building up when she picks up the pace again, sucking me hard, and she must sense it because she suddenly removes her mouth and grabs her luscious big titties before wrapping them tightly around my shaft.

She begins jerking my cock with her tits while sucking and licking the tip, and I growl, completely and utterly turned the fuck on by this dirty little slut. I couldn't love her any more than I do right now.

When I feel it coming, I tilt my head forward and watch as she allows my warm fluids to shoot up her tits and face while pushing her tongue out to catch it in her sexy mouth.

My eyes roll and my legs spasm as she wanks me off until I'm entirely empty. When she comes to a stop, I stare down at her with wide eyes and speak breathlessly.

"What... the... fuck?"

She smiles with my come all over her, then lifts her large titties and licks everything she can off them, and I shake my head slightly, stunned.

"You're gonna fucking kill me if you keep doing filthy shit like this."

She speaks with a sneer as she stands.

"You haven't seen anything yet, baby. Rest in peace to you."

She turns around and searches for a small towel to wipe the last of my come from her tits and face.

After that, she approaches me again, leans down, and smiles as she picks up the knife before speaking.

"My turn."

My dark eyes meet hers, and I speak with clenched teeth, attempting to uphold my authority despite the fact that I clearly fucking don't have any right now.

"Yes, it's your fucking turn. Now fuck your tight, drippy pussy with it and show me what you look like when you're coming without my big cock ramming into you."

She stares down at me, her big eyes glistening with darkness and thrills, before turning around and bending over the bed. She climbs up it, exposing absolutely everything to me, and I pucker my lips, sexual frustration progressively killing me.

She lies on her back at the foot of the bed, as close to me as possible, giving me a beautiful view. She rises on one elbow and spreads her legs as wide as she can with her tall heels on the bed.

I wet my dry lips with my tongue as she slowly sweeps the knife down the middle of her body, stroking it gently across her smooth, tanned skin until she reaches her cunt.

She grabs the blade tightly in her fingers, and I know it'll slice her right away because none of my blades are fucking dull; they're all razor-sharp and ready to skin people.

She places the handle on her pussyhole, and my heavy eyes watch the action as she slowly presses it within herself. Her mouth opens and her brows pinch as she completely immerses herself with it, and it's easily the sexiest thing I've ever seen in my fucking life.

When she begins to gently fuck herself with it, my eyes dart between her sexy facial expressions, her drenched pussy swallowing my knife handle whole, and her huge tits that jiggle with each deep thrust she takes.

After adjusting to the sensation, she falls back on the bed and reaches her other hand down to rub her clit at the same time before fucking her wet cunt with the knife handle hard and fast.

I observe in utter delight and slight horror as blood begins to trickle between her fingers because she shows herself and me absolutely no mercy while destroying herself with it.

I'm more tempted than ever to snap these fucking ties off my wrists and finish her with my cock. My body rattles with tension, and I threaten to lose control, but I'm too infatuated with her and what she's doing for us.

She moans as she pleasures herself, and her back arches slightly off the bed, her come smothering my knife.

"That's my good girl; fuck yourself harder and deeper, just how we both fucking like it."

When she comes, she suppresses a scream as her legs quiver uncontrollably, and I get a sick, satisfied feeling that she has just come all over my fucking knife. A knife that has quickly become my favorite. I envy the knife and wish I were it.

I call out to her in the midst of her orgasm.

"Pull it the fuck out, slut!"

She swiftly takes it out on my command, and I watch as her pussy twitches and come oozes out of her onto the bed while she drops my bloody, come-soaked knife between her legs.

Her big breasts rise and fall with heavy breaths, and I watch from afar in silence as she attempts to calm down after a powerful climax.

After a while, I find myself speaking through clenched teeth.

"Now get these fucking ties off of me."

My tone is stone-cold with a hint of irritability, and she quickly raises her head and looks at me with heavy eyes before raising herself up on her elbows once again.

We search each other's lust-filled eyes, and I quickly recognise she's not going to let me go, which irritates me to no end.

I narrow my eyes at her and sound a cautionary tone to express my frustration.

"Don't dare fuck with me."

She undoubtedly knows she has the upper hand because she gives me another devilish smirk before speaking seductively while slipping her hand down to her wet cunt and stroking her fingers up and down her slit.

"You don't want to see more?"

Before responding, I take a long breath.

"What I really want is for you to cut these ties off of me so I can fucking break you."

She lifts her brow in defiance.

"What if I can break you?"

My nostrils flare and my teeth tighten.

"Not a fucking chance."

She sits up with a broad smile, clearly ready for the challenge, and I watch her every movement as she stands off the bed and moves towards me.

I draw a big breath as she bends down to my eye level, her hands on my tied wrists, clearly ready to put my patience to the test.

"Baby, I know your weakness."

I raise my eyebrow.

"I don't have weaknesses."

Her mouth twists into a smirk.

"No?"

She cocks her head to the side, keeping her eyes fixed on mine, before leaning in close and speaking seductively against my lips.

"I know you love fucking my asshole."

My jaw tightens in annoyance because she's not fucking wrong. I love fucking every hole she has, but her ass is my favourite to destroy since I know she can't handle it, which makes my sick, sadistic mind pleased.

I just stare at her as she goes on.

"What if I fucked you with my ass, hm? Would you like that?"

My fire-filled eyes pierce into hers for a few seconds before I raise my chin and speak with stone-cold calmness, the polar opposite of how I actually fucking feel right now.

"How about you untie me, beautiful, and I'll show you exactly how I want to fuck that pretty, tight little asshole of yours?"

I stare into her eyes, waiting for her to bite, but I should have known better; she knows me all too well now.

She smiles as she speaks.

"Come on, Arlo, it's only one night, baby. Let me show you what I'm capable of."

I clench my teeth in frustration, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't like this side of Wren.

I sigh and glance away briefly before returning my gaze to her dark eyes.

"What are you waiting for, slut? Ride your fucking asshole on my dick and do it fucking good."

She smiles as she stands tall, satisfied with herself, and turns around to sit backwards on my lap.

I can't help but tilt my head to take in her beautiful body near mine and breathe in her sexual aroma as she relaxes back against my naked chest, her arm across my shoulder. She smells like dirty sex and cocoa butter right now, and I fucking love it.

She spreads her legs wide and drapes them over the arms of the chair before reaching down to grab my aching cock. She glances down as she positions the pierced tip against her wet, slippery pussy before lowering herself onto me.

I growl into her ear and then speak with gritted teeth on her neck as she lets out a dragging, satisfied moan while I fill her.

"I said, your fucking asshole."

She turns to face me and gazes at my lips as she responds with a straight face.

"I need to get your big dick nice and wet before I can give you the fucking ride of your life."

My lips raise into a small amused smirk.

"You dirty little slut, I fucking love you."

She places her bleeding palm on my neck, tilts her head to the side, and slips her soft tongue deep into my mouth. We kiss fiercely, unable to stop ourselves, and she grinds on my cock, striving to get it all sloppy and wet with her come.

As I wedge my teeth into her bottom lip, she gasps against my lips, and when I let go, she elevates her body slightly and begins fucking herself with my dick, her head thrown back, clearly desiring more than moistness.

I run my tongue up the side of her neck with a growl in my throat, then glance down at her big, bouncing titties that I want to bite brutally.

She comes to a halt, reaches down, and takes my cock from her now-dripping pussy before spinning around and frontally mounting me. She grasps the base and tilts her face down, dripping saliva from her mouth onto my erection before positioning her asshole over my dick.

She places her hand on my shoulder to steady herself before looking at me. Her brow furrows and her mouth hangs open, a gasp escaping her as she lowers herself onto me.When she has completely sunk me deep inside of her, my eyes darken even more as I explore her flushed, dazed face.

I speak forcefully with clenched teeth to shake her out of it.

"Your tight little asshole is so fucking full of me that it's strangling my cock to death, and it's the best chokehold I've ever been in, baby. Now fuck the absolute shit out of me, slut. Prove to me what you're fucking capable of!"

On my orders, she begins to drive up and down on my cock, hard and fast, her long nails ripping into the skin on my shoulders. I watch her every move, completely captivated by this beautiful fucking woman I'm obsessed with and can't get enough of.

She closes her eyes and crushes her forehead against mine, moaning passionately as she fucks me wildly, smashing her asshole down onto me and getting me as deep inside of her as she can.

She definitely takes me on the ride of my fucking life, and in this position, her tight little asshole feels so fucking incredible around me.

She tilts her head to the side before biting my neck and burying her teeth as deeply as she can, causing me to growl with a hiss as she continues to destroy both of us until we erupt.

She throws her head back and moans loudly during our climax, but she doesn't stop for a second. My entire body tingles as I fight the overstimulation and nestle my head between her bouncing breasts. When she eventually comes to a stop, she places her head on my shoulder as we both try to regain our breath.

We stay silent for some time until we both lift our heads and look at each other. I offer her a slight smirk before dropping my face and speaking sternly.

"Good girl. Now fucking untie me."

Her wide eyes analyze mine before responding carefully and cautiously.

"You're not satisfied?"

I raise my brow because I just came harder than I have in my entire fucking life.

"You're fucking joking, right?"

I know she's serious when she just stares at me, so I draw my face close to hers and look deep into her eyes.

“I loved every fucking second of it.”

I bite down on my words, narrowing my eyes just as she attempts to speak.

"But I wasn't joking when I said I'd fucking break you. Un-fucking-tie me, Wren."

She bites her lip nervously, so I shout.

"NOW!"

My powerful, domineering voice causes her beautiful body to jump before she hurriedly steps away from me. I keep an eye on her as she rushes towards the bed, takes up the knife, and turns around to face me, but she stays motionless with a menacing grin on her lips.

My jaw clenches in annoyance because I know she's going to do something stupid again. She approaches me cautiously until she is directly in front of me, then places the knife in my hand, clearly believing I will be unable to free myself.

She smirks and takes a few steps back, and I reciprocate by swiftly flicking the knife over with my fingers and wedging it under the cable tie on my wrist without breaking eye contact.

I catch a hint of fear in her now-wide eyes before I speak coldly.

"I suggest you fucking run."

She kicks off her heels before running towards the bathroom door on the opposite side of the room and I swiftly cut through one tie before cutting through the other. As she places her hand on the door, I drop the knife to the floor before rising up and sprinting after her.

She bursts through the door with me hot on her tail. When I slam the door open with my shoulder, I see her standing halfway through the huge bathroom, her eyes wide with fear and breathing heavily.

I charge at her with darkness in my eyes, and she lets out a terrified squeal before turning and trying to flee. I sprint quickly, and before she can get further, I grab her hair and yank her towards me.

As her back collides with my chest, she screams out, and I quickly place my free hand on her face, squeezing her cheeks with my thumb and fingers before gritting my teeth and hissing fiercely into her ear.

"You should know better than to tease the fuck out of me, Wren. Now you have to deal with the repercussions of your filthy fucking actions."

I slide my palm down her throat towards her tit and give it a tight, painful grope that causes her to whimper. I yank her hair back so she can see me, then press my mouth against hers before raising my hand and slapping each of her big breasts harshly, prompting her to startle and clench her eyes shut.

I keep tormenting her as I speak against her panting lips.

"What happened to the brave, Wren, huh?"

I delicately run my fingers down her smooth stomach until I'm feeling her hot pussy, at which point her eyes open to meet mine.

"Did you miss having my hands all over you while you enjoyed teasing and fucking me?"

As she stares into my threatening eyes, I bring my hand back to swiftly smack her exposed pussy, and as it connects, she squeals against my lips and tenses up.

I offer her a harrowing smile before hissing violently against her lips.

"Don't you dare fucking annoy me even more by ignoring me."

She blinks up at me, thinking carefully about what to say next before answering.

"Are you going to break me, or what?"

When she smirks, I growl against her lips since she is continuing to push my buttons like a little fucking brat and I tighten my grip on her hair before dragging her towards the shower with me.

When we're inside, I keep my hand in her hair, hold her to my chest, and reach to turn on the shower. As we stand outside the flowing water, I shrug my shirt off and kick off my shoes.

As I release her hair, I give her a forceful shove, and she stumbles into the stream of water before whirling around to face me. I observe the water raining down on her, and she watches my every move while I strip down until I'm completely naked.

I take a few steps forward until I'm standing under the water with her and she looks up at me as I stoke my semi-hard cock between us with my hand, washing her asshole off me because I desperately want to fuck her cunt.

When I'm finished, I pounce, wrapping both of my hands around her tiny throat and driving my tongue down her throat. I grasp her neck so tightly that I can feel her struggle for air as her hands tighten on my wrists and my tongue dominates every inch of her mouth.

When I release the hold, she gasps for air, her eyes widen, and I smirk before whispering near her lips.

"You now understand how I feel around you. Breathless and fucking desperate."

I gently brush my thumbs up and down her jaw, examining her features with my eyes before crushing my lips to hers once more, and as we both open up and our tongues entwine, I lead her backward until her back hits the steaming glass.

I press my big body against her small frame, burying my fingers into her wet hair and pulling back on it slightly to tilt her head back and force my tongue even farther because I am unable to get enough of her.

She glides her hands slowly up my back, then claws them back down, ripping across my flesh and forcing me to hiss against her lips before kissing her harder. I slide my hands slowly down over her breasts, squeezing them briefly before moving them down the sides of her body until I'm leaning down slightly to wrap my palms over the back of her thighs and lift her around me.

She circles her legs around my waist, driving her fingers into my wet hair, and I grind my hard cock against her hungry pussy. I can tell this is going to be a passionate fuck right away, which irritates me because I was going to teach her a fucking lesson, but I can't seem to stop myself lately.

I can feel it between us immediately; the intense passion is rushing through me, and I want to give her a nice, slow but forceful fuck against this glass like a little fucking pussy. It's obvious that I'm losing all control over her; I fucking love her and I'm always expressing it to her.

Desperate to be inside her, I reach between us and position my cock at her entrance before sliding myself deep into her. She gasps against my lips, drawing my attention to look into her dark eyes.

For a moment, we stare deeply into each other's souls as I pause before gently moving my nose over hers and whispering over her parted, breathless lips.

"You know I fucking love the absolute shit out of you, right?"

She simply searches my eyes while remaining silent, allowing me to continue.

"I'd die for you. I'd live for you, but I'd never be able to live without you, Wren. You're the light in my fucking darkness, and your radiance keeps me going. I hope you know that."

Her big eyes ease before she rests her forehead on mine, raises her palm to my face, and whispers.

"I love you, too, Arlo."

"Marry me."

Her eyes widen and quickly connect with mine.

"What?"

I gulp, realizing that I shouldn't have said it like that or in this way, but I cup her cheeks into my palms regardless and gently tilt her head back before speaking seriously.

"Look, I know it's not the sweetest or best fucking proposal in the world with my dick buried deep inside you, but I only say what I mean, and I want to marry you, Wren."

Her eyes are loaded with a variety of emotions. Shock, excitement, doubt, and hesitation all run clearly through her thoughts, but she remains mute and speechless, and her breathing has become heavier.

I close my eyes gradually, knowing that I've just screwed everything the fuck up. What the hell was I thinking?

She suddenly speaks.

"Arlo... I..."

When I open my eyes, I gaze straight into hers again, but she still can't seem to get any words out, so I lower my hands to her neck and do the talking for her.

"You don't have to say anything right now. You deserve fucking better than that."

I tilt my head and press my lips firmly on hers, letting her know that I'm not disappointed that she didn't give me an answer right away. We get lost in it again when she opens her mouth to let my tongue enter before I start fucking her against the glass.

It's the night we go to dinner with my parents, and I'm standing naked in the bathroom. The hot shower is running, causing a slight steamy mist to cloud the whole room.

My hands tremble as I stare down, a thin coating of tears obstructing my vision, and when I blink, a tear cascades down my hot cheek, allowing me to clearly read the pregnancy test results in my unsteady palms.

When I hear the bathroom door unexpectedly open, I'm too stiff to move or do anything but I can sense it's him.

As his gaze pierces into me from the doorway, my heart pounds, my breathing quickens, and my body becomes overwhelmed with anxiety. I raise my wet eyes hesitantly, and I see him staring at the test in my hands, forcing me to swallow hard.

His eyes meet mine swiftly, and I can't read his expression. It's dull and flat, just like the first day I met him, and he isn't giving anything away, refusing to let me figure out how he's feeling right now.

I carefully pull my wet eyes away from his, returning my gaze to the pregnancy test, where two lines are sharp and unmistakable. I'm pregnant.

The only sounds in my ears are my own struggling breathing and the scorching shower behind me. My palms begin to sweat as I catch a glimpse of him slowly approaching me out of the corner of my eye.

I avoid making eye contact since I'm not sure how he'll react. Will he be happy or furious? With Arlo, you never know.

When I see him standing right beside me, I take a trembling deep breath and keep my eyes fixed on the test. He lifts his tattooed hand and gently removes it from my palms. I continue to keep my head low while I observe the movement, and he holds it between his finger and thumb while clearly reading the results.

But Arlo isn't a fool; he could probably tell by the look on my face that the results were extremely obvious. He didn't need to look at the tiny stick to see that we were having a baby together.

He finally decides to speak after a while of stillness.

"Why are you crying?"

I remain mute and do not look at him until he softly lifts my face up to look at him by taking my chin between his fingers and thumb.

He stares into my eyes, attempting to read me as much as I am attempting to read him.

"You're not happy."

He didn't pose that as a question; he said it matter-of-factly, so I sigh before responding.

"No, it's not that. I'm just shocked, that's all."

Before he speaks, he draws his head back in confusion.

“How? We fuck like two crazed animals, Wren.”

I roll my lips inward, trying to suppress a smile, before gathering myself and speaking seriously.

"I've always had fertility issues, Arlo. I was born with only one ovary, so my chances of ever becoming pregnant were slim. That's probably why you've never really seen me have my period, because it's always been so ridiculously irregular. It's only that this time it was much longer than usual, so..."

He slowly releases my chin, and I glance down at the test in his hand.

"I took a test."

Prior to him speaking, I felt him observing me and could feel his burning gaze searing my already hot skin.

"So you're not upset that you're fucking pregnant with my spawn of Satan?"

That makes me giggle as he places the pregnancy test on the counter beside us before quickly picking me up by the waist and I wrap my arms and legs around him.

I gaze down at him as he looks up at me, carefully running his warm hands up and down the naked skin of my back, which makes goosebumps appear all over the surface of my skin

I look all around his face before speaking softly.

“You're not angry?”

Before speaking calmly, he gives my eyes a brief once-over and then slowly shakes his head.

“Fuck no.”

I gently smile as I admire his gorgeous face, then I tilt my head to the side and give him a soft kiss on his luscious lips.

I close my eyes and rest my forehead against his before taking a deep breath and whispering.

“Thank you; you just gave me the greatest gift of all.”

He moves me and lowers me onto the chilly marble countertop while standing in between my thighs before speaking seriously.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you had fertility problems?”

I sigh deeply and shrug my shoulders as I turn away.

“I guess I didn’t really think we would get to this point so I didn’t bother mentioning it. I mean, I always knew I could possibly get pregnant one day, but I was always told that I might need extra help and monitor things in order to succeed.”

His tattooed hands gently brush my long, dark hair behind my shoulders before he grips my neck with both of them, his thumbs resting on my jaw.

“Is that why you love working with kids?”

I bring my hands to his chest and I give him a small smile.

“I loved kids before I even knew about the problem. I used to use Lily as my own personal dolly when I was younger.”

A smile creeps on his devilishly handsome face before he inhales deeply as he shuts his eyes and places his brow against mine while keeping his hands still on my neck.

“I can’t believe Cree is going to be a big brother.”

As I look at him, my heart swells with love, and I'm just grateful that I get to witness Arlo this way. When he's not irrational, he's a whole different person. He is affectionate, raw, and tender.

After a brief silence, seeing him this way sparks some questions in me, so I decide to ask him something I've always wanted to ask.

“Can I ask you something?”

He raises his eyes to meet mine, stands straight, and gives me a slight, uncertain nod.

“When we first met, why were you the way you were with me? Was it personal because you’re not half of who I knew then? Well, maybe in the bedroom, and I’m cool with that, but.”

We both smile as I fade off, and then he just stares at me, thinking deeply while running his tongue piercing back and forth along his bottom lip before responding in a serious tone.

“Nothing I say will ever fucking justify how I treated you, but I thought you were a threat at the time. I knew you'd drag me out of the gloom that I so badly desired. I loathed myself and felt like I was betraying Bridget every time we fucked or if I felt anything toward you.”

My eyes search his, and I take in his words as he continues.

“I fucked you brutally and was a monster to you because you were like a drug that I didn't want to take, but I couldn't stop myself, and my body was ready to fucking overdose on you. I didn't want that at the time. I fought hard, so over time, I wanted to shatter your perfect little body and mind, consume you with all my evil, and make you feel a fraction of how I felt in my black soul.”

My eyes widen while I swallow hard, and he moves his palms to my shoulders as he stoops to my eye level, causing me to take in a sharp breath.

“But it was fucking pointless. Because your light shone brightly in my darkness, and it was powerful. You made me forget things I didn't want to remember; you made me feel things I tried so hard not to feel; but most of all, you made me fucking love again, and I soon realized that light and darkness can become one and live harmoniously in the shadows together.”

As he brings his face close to mine and whispers softly, my eyes begin to well up.

“You remained by my side even when I was at my lowest and worst, and that was enough to convince me that you were sent here to save me from my fucking self. You are my Satan's angel, Wren. You were my match made in hell and you deserve to see me at my best.”

When I blink, a tear slips down my warm cheek. I sniffle, and he gazes all around my face as he pauses and I speak softly.

“And the games? Was that all your way of trying to shatter me?”

He shrugs his big shoulders casually before he responds.

“You might fucking say that at first, yeah, but over time, I began to love them. In a matter of seconds, you went from being extremely terrified to being completely turned on, which only excited me. It made me understand your strengths and limitations as well as my own.”

“I soon accepted that, just as much as you were my weakness, I was also yours. It even showed me that we are both equally as fucking insane together. Every time I captured you, you were at my mercy, willingly, and that did something to my perverted sick mind, but I enjoy every second I'm with you, no matter what it is we're doing.”

I think about what he said as I wipe the tears from my cheeks, a little relieved that I can sort of understand him now, even if it all still seems crazy, but I can also understand his mindset in a strange way.

He catches my wrists and leans into me, placing them around his neck before sliding his arms around the middle of my back and drawing me closer to him.

I run my fingers through his growing hair while I talk quietly and embrace the love we have for one another.

“You know I’d never want us to change who we are, right? I adore the beast you are regardless and I love what you have made of me. Everything was worth it.”

He inhales deeply while burying his face into my neck, taps the side of my ass lightly with his palm, and then releases me.

“You should get ready or we’ll be fucking late.”

As he takes a step back, straightening himself out, smoothing his tattooed hands down the front of himself, and looking incredibly hot, I soon realize that he is actually ready for this dinner when I’m not anywhere near close.

When he rakes his fingers through his longish, brown hair and peeks over my shoulder at himself in the mirror behind me, I admire him and lose myself in his beauty. Tonight he is wearing a black shirt with black trousers and a long black coat, full of darkness and class.

“I like this new look you’re going for. The longer hair suits you. It makes you look older. More mysterious and dangerous.”

He pauses, and as his brown eyes instantly find mine, I smirk coyly at him and he examines my entire face before tilting his chin.

“You’ve still got your sexy ass on the counter; why aren’t you moving?”

I let out a big sigh before I speak with uncertainty.

“Maybe I should cancel.”

As I turn my face away, he stoops to follow my eyes until we are locked once again.

“Fuck no. We’re going.”

I groan and roll my eyes before jumping off the counter in front of him, forcing him to take a step backwards. He watches my big titties bounce as I land on my feet, and I smirk as I move past him towards the running shower.

After only two short steps, he catches my wrist swiftly and yanks me back towards him. He holds both of my wrists behind my back to keep me restrained while he speaks through clenched teeth close to my face.

“I hope this pregnancy doesn’t make you think you get off lightly with me. I will still ruin you, and if I can’t destroy your fucking pussy, your asshole is always available for the next nine months.”

I give him a big smile and talk quietly while placing my lips in close proximity to his.

“And that’s exactly why I love your crazy self. Straight to the point.”

His luscious lips lift into a smirk.

“Yeah?”

I smile as I respond.

“Yeah.”

He pounces, taking my breath away and smothering me with an intense, passionate kiss that makes me bow backward. I kiss him back with the same ferocity and dominance because I can't get enough of him.

When we eventually break away, we both look at each other, panting heavily out of need and possibly contemplating whether we could risk ten more minutes.

Before suddenly releasing my wrists, he speaks forcefully against my tingling lips.

“Hurry the fuck up before I chain you to my fucking bed and have my way with you all night long. We don’t want to keep Mommy and Daddy waiting, do we?”

I raise an eyebrow, entirely willing to do that, but I know better than to challenge him, so I quickly turn and make my way to the shower.

I lean up against the marble counter in the bathroom with my arms crossed over my chest and watch Wren shower like the pervert I am.

My hungry eyes take in every inch of her wet body, and I’m tempted to strip down and join her the entire time. When my gaze settles on her toned, tight stomach, I get lost in thought and turn my head to see the pregnancy test beside me, still sitting on the counter.

I reach down, picking it up gently, and bring it to the front of me. I keep my head low while I focus on the two very bold lines with a small smile on my lips.

Her carrying my baby was something I imagined once or twice. Maybe not at first, because my goal was to utterly destroy her, but recently, when I came inside her, I always knew there was a possibility, but it didn’t stop me because I knew she’d be fucking incredible with my kids.

She’s a good girl, and she’s just what we need in our lives to keep us grounded. Am I happy? Fuck yeah. If I had asked myself that six months ago, my answer would have been the complete opposite. However, this girl is now somebody I can see my future with as my family, and hopefully one day she will be my wife.

I pull my eyes from the test and lift my gaze in Wren’s direction as she tiptoes to turn the shower off before wringing the water that was clinging onto her long, dark brown locks.

As she wraps a towel around herself, I place the pregnancy test back down on the counter and stand straight while she walks toward me.

When she’s within reach, I grab her chin in my hand and kiss her firmly on the lips before I speak.

“I’ll meet you downstairs.”

She gives me a small smile and nods before I slide my thumb across her plump bottom lip. I release her and then pass her, walking toward the bathroom door.

I jog downstairs and make my way to the kitchen straight away and when I enter, I head straight for a bottle of whiskey as well as a crystal glass before turning around and placing them on the kitchen island before taking a seat.

I pour myself a small amount of the amber liquid and then lower the bottle down before lifting the glass to my lips and taking a small sip. I sit there for a while, lost in the silence and my deep thoughts, while staring ahead.

When I finally hear Wren descending down the marble stairs in her heels, I shift my eyes to the doorway in front of me, waiting for her to come into view. As she does, she proceeds to walk slowly in my direction with her head down while tucking her phone into her small bag.

Before my dark eyes take in the rest of her sexy outfit, I watch her long, curly hair bounce around her face. She is wearing a short denim skirt, a white off-the-shoulder ruffle top and a pair of white heels to match.

The immediate, twisted need to bend her over the kitchen counter and shove my cock straight up her snug little cunt causes my jaw to clench. My eyes trail up her body and meet hers as soon as she lifts her head.

Before she begins to speak, she smiles at me with an angelic, happy expression.

“Ready to go, baby?”

I take another lazy sip of my whiskey, blatantly ignoring her, and draw my eyes away from her to stare ahead again. She strolls around the island and I catch a glimpse of her placing her bag on the island out of the corner of my eyes.

As she stops beside me, her seductive, sweet smell causes a slight sting in my nostrils as it engulfs me, turning me the fuck on even more.

She pauses for a moment, looking at my side profile, before she speaks again.

“Hey, did you hear me? Are you ready?”

I remain silent, keeping my eyes ahead as I shoot the last of my whiskey back, hissing as little when it burns the back of my throat.

After I set the glass down, I finally turn my head and look into her big brown eyes.

“Not quite.”

She gives me a confused look, and I lift my chin as my gaze shifts to her plump, pink lips.

“You’ve got fucking panties on.”

Before she responds, she scoffs and her eyes widen in disbelief.

“Arlo, we’re going to dinner with my parents and—”

“I. Don’t. Give. A. Fuck.”

We share stone-cold stares for a beat before I clench my teeth.

“Take them the fuck off.”

I can see the hesitation all over her face, but I stay firm because I relish authority and dominance. She finally growls and rolls her eyes before lifting her short, denim skirt up her thighs before slipping her tiny, lace pink panties down her bronzed legs.

When she steps out of them, she stands up straight and holds them up on her finger with a frown on her face. While we keep intense eye contact, I swipe them off her finger and stuff them into my coat pocket.

She narrows her eyes as she speaks.

“I mean it, Arlo. You better be on your best behavior tonight.”

I raise an eyebrow and respond in an unbothered tone.

“And if I don’t?”

She anxiously looks into my eyes, and I unexpectedly grab the nape of her neck, bringing her face dangerously close to mine. She begins to breathe heavily against my lips as I glide my free hand up her smooth inner thigh until my palm is cupping her bare pussy.

When her eyes flutter close, I can see a tremble running through her.

“What if I have a sick fucking fantasy to make you come in front of your parents?”

Her eyes snap open to look at me, but when they do, they are still heavy with filthy fucking need.

She speaks quietly when she responds.

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

I feel she is wet for me when I run my fingers down her slit and through her plump, pussy lips, which causes me to grin as I pull my hand out from beneath her skirt, bringing my fingers to my mouth. I slide them slowly down my tongue to taste her delicious cunt, and I can see she is undoubtedly turned on as she watches me do it.

I speak forcefully against her lips while baring my teeth .

“Gonna fucking ruin you later.”

I can feel the sexual angst pouring out of her tiny body, and it only pleases me even more to know she’s as fucking crazy as I am. I carefully release the back of her neck while keeping eye contact, turn my body, and then get up from the stool in front of her.

As I move past her, I take her hand in mine, entwining our fingers tightly before grabbing her bag off the island and making our way outside.

When we step outside of the house, it’s dark, and the air is crisp. I lock the door behind us and then place my arm around Wren’s shoulder, pulling her close to me as we stroll down the path together.

“I’m feeling like driving my favorite car tonight. Let’s go to the garage.”

She looks up at me, linking her fingers with mine with the arm that is lazily wrapped around her shoulder.

“I thought your Lambo was your favorite until we crashed."

My eyes meet hers as I respond.

“Nah. She was fucking beautiful, but not my favorite like this beast.”

She looks all around my face, puzzled.

“So, what’s your favorite?”

As we continue to walk, I smirk before lowering my mouth to hers and whispering.

“You’ll see.”

She smiles and I gently kiss her and when we enter my garage, we walk straight to my black, matte Mustang.

Wren gasps beside me as I release her.

“Holy shit. That’s hot!”

I open the door for her, and once she slides inside, I close it behind her before walking around to the driver's seat. I slam the door beside me and glance around at the black and red leather interior before my gaze lands on Wren’s glowing, smiling face.

“Wow, she’s beautiful. No wonder it’s your favorite!”

I press my key into the ignition and when she starts up with a beastly roar, Wren speaks.

“Fuck, baby, she’s more of a beast than you are!”

I look her way with an eyebrow raised, and she throws me a grin while I respond.

“We’ll fucking see about that.”

I pull out of my garage before driving through the gates.

As I am  driving us to Wren’s parents house, I quickly notice a black Mercedes following close behind us the whole way. That dirty fucking cop is following us.

I decide not to tell Wren as I swiftly divert down another road and try to get him off our tail, but she picks up on it straight away and glances my way as she speaks.

“This isn’t the way, Arlo.”

I side-eye her as I respond.

“It is today.”

I see her staring at me, but I remain silent because I don’t want to worry her. I keep an eye on my mirrors and soon realize he is no longer behind us, so I continue the journey to where we’re headed.

When we’re outside of Wren’s parents house, I park the car and cut the engine before letting out a tense breath until she lays her palm on my thigh.

“Hey, you’re not nervous, are you?”

I glance at her with a smirk.

“Fuck no. This shit has no effect on me.”

When she looks forward with a smile, I begin to wonder whether it is nerves or just that I fucking hate doing things like this. Meeting parents or getting involved with any kind of social gathering has never been at the top of my list of things to do. Yeah, I’m doing this for Wren, but I’m also hoping to get some answers on who her dad really is too.

I open the door beside me and step out before walking around to Wren’s door and helping her out by hand.

As soon as I close the door behind her, I lock up and then slip my hand down her back until it’s placed on her peachy ass, and I give it a small squeeze while we walk toward the large, white mansion.

“Your parent’s must be in good business.”

She scoffs slightly before she responds.

“I mean, my dad is a science researcher, and my mom is a personal assistant. I suppose they don’t do too badly for themselves.”

I look down at her briefly before returning my eyes to the huge house in front of us as we walk up the long driveway toward the front door. When we’re outside the door, I remove my hand from her ass, and she takes it into hers before pressing the doorbell.

We wait in silence until I see an older woman walking towards us through the glass paneling on the door, and when she opens it, she smiles widely, and I can see straight away that it’s Wren’s mom; the resemblance is as clear as day.

She smiles between us as she speaks.

“Hey guys! Thanks for coming.”

Wren lets go of my hand and leaps toward her, wrapping her arms around her, and they embrace with a tight hug.

When they break away, they both turn to me and Wren speaks with a smile.

“Mom, this is Arlo.”

She continues to smile as she quickly extends her hand to me, and I take it with a small smile.

“Nice to meet you, Arlo. I’m Hazel.”

I give a small nod but stay silent when Wren’s dad suddenly turns the corner and walks this way. As I release Hazel’s hand, I straighten myself up, keeping my eyes on him. When he hugs Wren, his eyes catch mine behind her shoulder, and when I give him a nod, he returns it in the same manner.

Wren speaks excitedly beside me.

“Thanks for inviting us!”

My eyes move to Hazel as she responds.

“Anytime! Come through to the kitchen.”

I take a brief glance around as I enter the elegant home, and as Phillip closes the door behind me, Wren takes hold of my hand again and starts to pull on it in the direction Hazel is moving and after a short distance, we’re entering a spacious, white kitchen.

“Is Lil here?”

When Phillip answers behind me, I side-eye him.

“No, she’s out tonight.”

Hazel holds her arm out, gesturing to the opposite side of the kitchen.

“Please take a seat, guys; the food is almost done.”

I shadow Wren as she moves toward a large table, admiring her ass as her hips sway in a tiny skirt. When we’re at the table, I pull out a chair for her, and she smiles brightly and flicks her curly locks behind her shoulder before sitting down as I tuck her in.

I pull out the chair beside her, take a seat and lean back, my legs spread wide with my arm resting lazily over the back of her chair.

She beams at me and rests her hand on my thigh, and I return with a small smile. When she turns around to see what her parents are doing, my dark eyes wander down her body, and the thought of her sitting there without panties on pushes all my damn buttons, through no thought of my own, but now I desire to frustrate her tonight.

I watch them bring over the food and set the dishes down in front of us. When they take their seats opposite us, Phillip sits opposite me while Hazel is across from Wren, and I stare as she pops open a bottle of vintage red wine.

Wren decides to speak up first.

“So, is Lil with Jasper?”

Hazel responds to her, still smiling.

“That’s right.”

She then moves her eyes to mine.

“She’s quite fond of your brother, Arlo.”

I give her a small nod as I stay in the same laid back position before speaking coldly.

“He’s the good one of us two.”

My blunt honesty causes Hazel’s eyes to widen a little, and I can feel Wren’s frantic eyes on me. After some uncomfortable silence, I choose to give Hazel a small smile to ease her worry, which causes her eyes to slightly soften before I speak.

“He’ll look after her.”

Wren pulls her eyes away from me and looks between her parents.

“Have you guys met him yet?”

“I have, but Phillip is yet to meet him, but Lily keeps asking him.”

When Hazel says that, Wren looks at her dad.

“You should, dad; he is a great guy.”

Phillip sighs and rests back before responding.

“I hardly find any time to do anything lately, but I plan to.”

My focus shifts to Hazel as she pours each of us a glass of wine, and as she aims for Wren’s glass, on possessive instinct, I swiftly reach out and place my hand over it, stopping her.

Hazle quickly pulls back, giving me a confused look, and I throw my gaze over at Wren beside me, who is now as white as a sheet of paper.

She stammers as she attempts to speak, not making eye contact with either of them.

“I… I don’t feel like drinking tonight.”

Hazel scrunches her face up in confusion.

“And why not? We always have wine together when we see each other.”

I sigh as I look away, realizing what I’ve done without even thinking it over. We never even discussed whether we were going to tell them about the pregnancy tonight.

I turn to look at Wren and notice she is nervous, and the silence grows brutally loud. In an attempt to settle her nerves, I place my palm on her thigh beneath the table before giving it a gentle squeeze, and she looks at me with wide eyes.

I give her a small reassuring smile, and a nod, and when she gives me one back, I glance between her parents before sitting forward.

“We’re having a baby.”

Hazel’s mouth drops open so wide, I can see her fucking tonsils, and Philip remains expressionless as his eyes shift from mine to Wren’s.

Wren now finally decides to speak.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything; we only found out today, and it’s still probably very early days.”

Hazel gasps, glee in her eyes.

“Oh my god!”

She leaps from her seat and rounds the table with a bright smile, causing Wren to stand beside me, and I watch from the corner of my eye as they embrace.

When I look at Philip across the table, he is staring at me, intensity pouring out of him when he suddenly reaches over the table with his hand.

“Congratulations.”

I can’t work out whether he is happy about it or pissed, but I accept it anyway and give him a firm handshake just as Hazel speaks beside me.

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a grandma! Did you hear that Phillip? We’re going to be grandparents!”

I watch as he slowly stands up from his chair while keeping a stare with me, and I watch from the corner of my eye as he circles the table and congratulates his daughter.

“Congratulations, baby girl.”

I hear excitement in Wren’s voice as she responds.

“Thank you, guys!”

I reach out, pick up my glass of wine, and take a long swig before staring down at the dark red liquid, lost in thought, until they all return to the table.

Hazel tucks her chair beneath her and continues to show her happiness.

“This is wonderful news and I’m so happy for the two of you! I’m sure your son will love to be a big brother, Arlo.”

I raise my eyebrows and give her a small smile before sitting forward and placing my glass on the table.

“He sure will.”

Wren returns her hand on my thigh under the table, and I can tell she has calmed down a lot as a result of their acceptance. When we all begin to eat, Hazel begins to bombard me with questions.

“So, what do you do for a living, Arlo?”

I swallow my food down, keeping my eyes low, and when I pick up my glass of wine again, bringing it to my lips, I make eye contact.

“I’m an Elite crime lord.”

Wren chokes on her food beside me, and I smirk against my glass before taking a sip of the wine, looking between Hazel and Phillip’s grave expressions.

Wren giggles nervously and squeezes my thigh under the table, warning me to cut this shit out as she speaks.

“He’s joking.”

She clears her throat before continuing.

“He’s an entrepreneur in finance.”

Hazel lets out a big giggle and waves her hand.

“Wow, you almost had me there, Arlo!”

I smirk as I return my glass to the table and my focus shifts to Phillip, who is just staring at me, either trying to figure me out or fully figured me out already, I can’t tell which of the fucking two.

While Wren is catching up with her folks and in deep conversation, I press my hand discreetly into her inner thigh and feel her clench up under my touch.

I remain convincing as I gently nudge her legs apart with my fingers before moving my hand slowly up her thigh and under her skirt, until my fingers reach her exposed pussy.

Hazel suddenly speaks, causing me to look at her.

“So, how old is Cree, Arlo?”

I give a small smile as I respond.

“He’s three; he'll be four soon.”

Wren clutches my wrist tightly with her hand when I force my fingers between her pussy lips and I continue to explore her beautiful cunt in front of her parents.

Hazel swallows her food down with a smile before she speaks again.

“Oh, wow. So he must be starting school soon?”

Wren inhales deeply into the glass of water she holds to her lips as I rub the tips of two of my fingers around her aching clit in a way that she likes, and I notice a small trembling in her legs.

I give Hazel a gentle nod.

“He will be, yeah, he is excited.”

I shift my focus to Phillip, who is gazing down at his food as he eats, completely oblivious to the fact that his innocent daughter is about to fucking come right in front of him.

When Hazel speaks yet again, I look at her.

“It’s such an amazing age! What kind of things is he interested in?”

From the corner of my eye, I see Wren set her glass down with a quivering hand, and in an attempt to calm herself, she rests her head in her palm by placing her elbow on the table.

“Trains mostly, and he is beginning to enjoy art.”

I know for certain that no matter where we are, she can’t fucking resist me, when her hand tightens even more on my wrist, her nails biting into my flesh, and she eagerly widens her legs to give me better access.

I run my fingers down her soaked slit before lightly pressing them into her pussyhole to collect more moisture before returning them to her swollen clit just as Hazel responds.

“Oh, that’s so sweet! What kinds of trains does he like?”

I rub hard and fast, bringing her to the brink of an orgasm, and when I glance her way, her eyes are closed, partly covered with her hand, and she takes her bottom lip into her mouth with her teeth.

I give Hazel a small smile as I respond.

“Vintage is his favorite, but he is generally obsessed with any train right now.”

I decide to be a bastard, and I draw my hand away from her aching pussy when I know she’s going to come, which causes her to glance at me with wide eyes.

I raise an expressionless eyebrow at her and when Hazel speaks again, I return my focus to her.

“Wow, that’s so cute. You’ll have to bring him here to meet us one day. We would love to meet him, wouldn’t we, Phillip?”

My eyes move to Phillip when he lifts his head and offers me a smile.

“Of course, now that he will be the sibling of our grandchild, we’re family.”

I observe him before giving a small nod until Hazel speaks, when Wren straightens her back in an attempt to fix herself.

“Are you okay, Wren?”

Still confused, completely and utterly turned the fuck on, and probably irritated with me, she waves her mom off lazily with her hand.

“I just felt a little nauseous, but I’m fine.”

Hazel looks at her, concerned.

“It will only get worse, darling. Do you need some more water?”

Wren shakes her head when Phillip suddenly stands, and attention is drawn to him as he looks down at me.

“What kind of drink man are you, Arlo?”

I lift my chin as I respond.

“Whiskey.”

He gives me a cunning grin before giving a head gesture toward the door.

“I have some outstanding vintage Bourbon in my office; let me show you.”

I nod slightly and sit forward, glancing at Wren beside me and she keeps a close eye on me as I push my chair out and stand. I follow closely behind Phillip until we’re entering his office, and as I take a step forward, I glance around the dark space.

When he closes the door behind us, I side-eye him as he speaks.

“Take a seat, Arlo.”

I take a careful seat in one of the leather seats as I watch him stroll over to a small drinks cabinet and that odd feeling is returning, raising all the flags, especially in this dark office which reminds me way too much of my own interior.

I observe as he pulls out a bourbon I’ve never seen before and two crystal glasses before walking my way and setting them down on the small table in front of me.

He takes a seat opposite me before he begins to pour us some of the amber liquid in each glass as he speaks.

“Shirakawa 1958.”

He places the bottle down in front of me and I lean forward, narrowing my eyes on the label.

“I paid 30k for that. Let me know what you think.”

My eyes meet him instantly and he passes a glass to me, which I take before he holds his up.

“What are we celebrating?”

He raises an eyebrow with a smirk.

“My first grandchild, of course.”

I examine him suspiciously before giving a hesitant nod and clinking my glass with his. He watches me take a sip with a small smile on his lips, waiting for my judgment, and when it hits my tongue, it tingles my taste buds in the best ways possible, and you can tell it’s the expensive stuff.

I keep a straight face as I sit back, lazily in the chair as I respond.

“Good shit.”

He lets out a laugh before sitting back himself and crosses his ankle over his knee while we stare at each other in cold silence, trying to work one another out, until he suddenly decides to speak first.

“So, what do you really do for a living, Arlo?”

I sweep my tongue piercing across my bottom lip, thinking before I lift my drink while keeping intense eye contact, and as the glass touches my bottom lip, I speak.

“Why don’t you tell me, Ghost?”

As I study his reaction, he doesn’t seem confused, he doesn’t look surprised, and he just stares at me. I gulp the entire glass of bourbon back in one shot and hiss as it hits the pit of my stomach.

I sit forward, placing my empty glass on the table before resting my forearms on my knees and looking him in the eyes.

“Did you set me up with your fucking daughter on purpose?”

While maintaining eye contact, he takes a small sip of his drink before lowering it to his thigh and eventually speaking with a serious tone.

“When I found out you were dating my daughter, I was one call away from having you killed.”

I inhale deeply as I look away, recognizing that all my senses and thoughts were right. When he speaks again, my focus swiftly returns to him.

“I know exactly what you are, Arlo, and I never wanted that for my daughter. I have protected her from all this ever since she graced this horrific world.”

My eyebrow raises as I respond.

“So, why the fuck didn’t you?”

He lets out a long, heavy sigh and sits forward while stroking his hand over his gray stubble before speaking.

“The more I looked into you, the more I saw that my daughter was safe since you don’t kill women and we share similar values.”

I shake my head, confused.

“But you know I killed my wife. You’re not fucking stupid; you know everything.”

He gives a small nod before standing, and I watch him as he moves around a little, thinking, before he suddenly halts and side-eyes me with his back to me.

“But you don’t remember that night, do you?”

My jaw tenses and I look down as I answer flatly.

“No.”

“Your father was a wicked man, Arlo.”

I lift my head as he turns around, and I narrow my eyes on him, becoming irritated.

“Why the hell didn’t you stop all this sooner? Wren got taken and if I didn’t get there as quick as I did—”

“Yet you did.”

He squints his eyes at me as he takes another sip of his drink and I challenge him.

“You fucking tested me. You put your own daughter in harm's way for what? To see if I were up for the fucking challenge?”

He studies me briefly, then sets his empty glass down, picks up the bottle of bourbon, and while pouring us each a glass he begins.

“When I discovered that Charles was preparing to sell Wren, I waited to see how far you were willing to go to save her. I had people watching you the entire time to ensure you were where you needed to be at the right moment. If you hadn't been there, I would have killed every single one of you, and Wren would have been none the wiser because she probably believed you were dead anyway in that crash.”

I just stare at him in disbelief as he sets the bottle back down and offers me a glass, but I respond.

“Do you have any idea what type of fucking shit she went through?”

He sighs and sets the glass down in front of me because I completely ignored it, and he shrugs his shoulders.

“My daughter has chosen this way of life for you, Arlo. She knew who you were and what you do, yet she decided to be with you nonetheless. She needed to know exactly what she was getting herself into now that she had entered this world and decided to stay.”

He crouches down across from me and continues, looking me dead in the eyes.

“Your mother was the only person I’ve ever revealed my true identity to when she came to visit me, and the only reason I allowed it was because I knew Wren was in grave danger from your father. I knew Arlo; I knew exactly what he coerced you to do to your beloved wife under the influence of drugs before you ever knew you did it yourself, and I wasn’t prepared to put my daughter to the same fate.”

I just stare at him as he continues.

“I knew you weren’t prepared to let Wren go and realized everything was spiraling out of control when your father began pressuring you into an arranged marriage to Savannah Throll. You refused to give your father power and control over everything and everyone, Arlo and that’s when I recognized my daughter was in serious danger because of what happened with your wife at the hands of your father. So, I built a plan to let you kill him, but only if my daughter was safe,  and you had to be the one to save her in order to show your true love and devotion for her.”

The fact that the woman I’ve fallen madly in love with is the daughter of the most powerful Elite criminal in this country leaves me baffled, and all I can do is blink a few times, speechless.

When I snap out of my trance I shake my head as I speak.

“How the fuck has this happened?”

He raises his eyebrows and shakes his head too as he stands.

“I tried my hardest not to tell my daughters anything of this dark world that we control, but it seems she has fallen deeply in love with someone who is precisely like her father without even realizing it, and it appears Lily has done the same.”

He sighs as he takes a seat in his chair and relaxes back, scratching his beard once more while thinking before looking at me again.

“You can never tell her, Arlo. Nobody knows, and that’s how I intend to keep it. My life is absolutely off-limits, clean and you can never contact me about anything business-related, only for my daughter.”

He leans forward again as he continues.

“You do not need to contact me for business-related reasons. In the shadows, I am a ghost and I know and see everything. It must remain that way, do you understand me?”

I observe him before giving a small nod and lifting my glass up to take a long swig as he speaks again.

“You have a big problem though, and you’re not quite aware of the seriousness of it.”

My eyes meet his swiftly and he continues on.

“You have a relentless cop on your ass, Arlo.”

I sigh and look away while leaning back in my chair.

“I’ll just fucking kill him.”

From the corner of my eye he shakes his head as he speaks.

“It’s not so straightforward this time. The FBI knows he is working on an important case against you for killing your wife and father. If this cop goes missing, all eyes will be on you.”

When my eyes meet his, I shrug my shoulders, not giving a shit.

“These dirty fucking cops know not to fuck with me.”

He sighs and rests back again.

“Arlo, they want you out of the game. They intend to take you down for a very long time because of how messy things became with Charles. I’m only warning you because I won’t be able to interfere with this, as I have no say in the FBI when it gets this far. You need to act quickly but carefully.”

He leans forward once more, but this time he lays his hand on my arm and I look down at it.

“I don’t want to see my first grandchild grow up without a father.”

When I lift my eyes to him, I give a small, silent nod, and after a brief silence between us, a thought crosses my mind, and I look down into my empty glass as I speak.

“I want to ask Wren to marry me.”

When I look at him, he is already observing me, and he inhales deeply before nodding sharply.

“You have my blessing.”

He points at me with his empty glass in his hand and speaks sternly.

“But if any harm comes to my daughter, you will be held responsible, Arlo.”

My jaw tenses, and he continues while setting his glass down.

“And get this dirty cop off your fucking back! If we’re going to tie our families together, I can’t risk the FBI sniffing around my life too! Fix it, Arlo.”

When he stands, I stand too, and he extends his hand, which I take and shake firmly while he speaks.

“Look after them. I am handing her over to you now to protect and love at all costs.”

I stay silent while releasing his hand and I follow behind him as we leave his office together.

When I enter the kitchen behind him, I see Wren washing the dishes with her mom and she gives me a suspicious glance as Hazel speaks up beside her.

“You guys took your time.”

Phillip pats my back with a smile and I side-eye him as he responds.

“Yeah, well, you know me. I have to tell him all about that particular bourbon.”

I watch as he approaches Hazel and kisses her on the cheek, but my focus is soon drawn to Wren as she gives me a serious glare while wiping her hands on a towel and I smirk in an attempt to irritate her even more because I know she’s pissed off that I played around tonight.

I’m going to get my ass handed to me in the car on the way home, but I can’t fucking wait. Every single damn time Wren plays straight into my hands, her needy pussy wants me now, and she knows it.

She eventually pulls her eyes away from mine and speaks as she throws the towel down onto the counter in front of her.

“We’re going to head home now, guys. Thanks for inviting us; we really enjoyed it.”

Hazel responds with a beaming smile looking between us both.

“Of course! We really enjoyed it too, didn’t we, Phillip?”

He places his arm around her shoulder, drawing her close as he looks down at her.

“We sure did. We will have to do it again sometime.”

When we’re all at the front door, we say our goodbyes and then me and Wren exit the house. I observe her with a sinister grin on my face as she walks ahead of me towards the car, her hands covering her arms and her tall heels clicking along the pavement.

I press the button on my keys, and she wastes no time at all opening the car door and getting inside before me. When I climb in beside her, I slam the door shut behind me and glance her way, and she turns her cute nose up in the air before turning away, looking out of the window beside her.

I raise an eyebrow at her shitty fucking attitude and sigh before inserting my key into the ignition.

It’s quiet the entire time we drive, and I occasionally look her way, but she just continues to stare out of the window the whole time. I decide to put my pride aside and sink back in my seat before finally speaking.

“Right, what’s with the fucking silent treatment?”

When she continues to ignore me, my jaw tenses with annoyance, and I become irritated as I speak again.

“Is this because I didn’t let you come in front of your parents?”

Her head snaps around quickly, and she fixes me with an evil glare while she raises her voice.

“Do you know how high my anxiety was the entire time, because you can’t act normal for five fucking minutes?”

I purse my lips together with an eye roll and look at the dark road ahead as she continues.

“What the hell were you thinking, Arlo?”

I grit my teeth as I speak.

“I was being fucking truthful. I was being myself.”

She scoffs and my eyes snap to hers as she shakes her head in disbelief.

“You couldn’t have just lied?”

I pull my head back, my brow pinched as I respond.

“I can’t fake who the fuck I am, Wren! People should take me as I fucking am or fuck off!”

She shouts at me once again.

“They are my parents!”

I glance between her and the road and clench my teeth, becoming frustrated.

“So the fuck what?”

She shakes her head slowly, glaring at me.

OceanofPDF.com

“I can’t believe you couldn’t even fucking do this one thing for me!”

“What the fuck are you talking about, Wren? Everything went fine!”

She turns away from me, clearly pissed off.

“Oh, leave me the fuck alone, Arlo.”

I clench my lips in annoyance as I observe her and then quickly round a sharp corner before driving down a dark, back road.

I see her look at me and hear concern in her voice.

“What the hell are you doing?”

I side-eye her before staring ahead again, speaking through tight teeth.

“Taking you somewhere where no one will hear your fucking screams.”

She quicky looks over at me and I can feel the panic pouring out of her as I pull up in the middle of fucking nowhere and turn the engine off.

When she speaks again, I can hear the warning tone.

“Arlo…”

I ignore her pleading, fucking voice as I swiftly unplug my seatbelt and hers too.

“What are you—”

I kneel on my chair before pouncing, grabbing her legs and pulling her around, causing her to slump against the door and a squeak to escape her. I creep across to her, hovering over her tiny body, and her chest rises and falls as I dip my face down close to hers.

I speak colding and sternly as we stare into each other's eyes.

“I know what the fuck this is all about, you filthy slut. You can play dumb with me all you want, but I know you’re not stupid; you knew exactly what you were getting yourself into when you let my big cock inside your pussy. You don’t want to change me, in your words. This is about your greedy pussy screaming for me to release it, so Wren, your desire has been fucking granted. Your cunt speaks for itself.”

I grasp my hands under her top and immediately yank it up over her head and arms until her exposed breasts bounce out. I growl against her breathless lips as I slide my hands up the sides of her thighs until her tiny skirt is bunched around her waist and I whisper.

“You’ve cock teased me all fucking night with this tiny slutty skirt, and now I want to see you come in it.”

I press my lips against hers, kissing her fiercely as I place my hand between her thighs and waste no time pressing two long fingers deep into her, which causes her to moan into my mouth.

“That’s what you fucking wanted, isn’t it, beautiful?”

She whispers breathlessly against my lips as she clings onto my jacket while I shove my fingers in and out of her dripping pussy.

“Yes, baby, please don’t stop.”

I groan with delight as I plunge my pierced tongue straight down her moaning throat and every time I dive my fingers inside her, I apply pressure on her spot, exactly like I did that day in the bathroom, hoping she’ll christen my seats by squirting on them.

I lower my head and take her hard nipple into my mouth before annihilating it with my tongue and teeth as she presses his hands into my hair. When her moans get louder, her come begins to seep out of her pussy onto my palm, and I pick up the pace until she is basically screaming for me.

“That’s it, just like that. Fucking scream for me, Wren!”

I press my thumb on her throbbing clit in hopes of pushing her even further over the brink, which works because I suddenly feel her pussy clench around my fingers and she’s coming. I aggressively rub her spot, and immediately hot come escapes her just as I fucking hoped for, all over my hand, arm, and seat as she lets out a strangled scream.

“Good fucking girl.”

I slow my rhythm with my fingers, as she comes down from her intense climax, but as I stare down at her ruined cunt, I have a wild urge to eat her out, so I dip my head, withdraw my fingers, and start eating her come-soaked pussy like a hungry beast.

When her legs threaten to close and she squirms from the overbearing stimulation, I force them wide apart with my fingers digging into her thighs, refusing to allow her to stop me.

Her hands soon find my hair and she tightly clenches them together as she flexes her hips, desperately needing more as I dive my face in, savaging every inch of her violently. When she finally comes again, my cock is so fucking hard that it could possibly burst a blood vessel from the strain.

I withdraw my come covered face from her utterly destroyed pussy and lick my lips while staring down at her in her own dazed world, panting hard. I wait patiently and when she eventually revives, her eyes find mine. She sits up and I watch her every move as she climbs into the back seats before she clutches my shirt into her hand, prompting me to follow her.

We maintain intense eye contact as I climb into the back, and before I know it, I’m on top of her, her legs grasping me tightly as I grind into her pussy and forcefully kiss her.

In no time at all, I’m nearly as naked as she is, and the car begins to become hotter, the windows steaming up and our sweaty bodies stick together as my throbbing, big cock sinks deep into her cunt over and over again.

We fuck for what feels like hours until we physically can’t do it anymore and when we’re finally done with our total fuckfest, I’m lying on my back on the backseat with one arm behind my head and the other around the bottom of her back as she is laying on top of me.

She has her head on my chest, stroking her hand up and down the side of my sweaty body as I stare into nothingness until she speaks.

“What did my dad have to say?”

I pull her into me a little more with a sigh.

“Not much.”

“He didn’t give you a hard time, did he?”

I place a gentle kiss on the top of her head before stroking her soft hair.

“Nah, it’s all good.”

We lay there in complete stillness for a while, and I think through everything that happened tonight and how my instincts were always right.

Phillip and Hazel

They sit down at the table opposite each other and Phillip sighs as he slumps back into the chair, while Hazel lifts up a glass of wine to her lips as she speaks.

“So he doesn’t actually know who the real ghost is? He believes it’s you, and you know that for a fact?”

Phillip nods to Hazel before reaching over the table, taking her hand in his, and placing it on his lips as he responds.

“Don’t worry dear, no one will ever suspect it’s you. People in this world appear to believe that men are the only ones with brains and power, when in fact the opposite is true.”

Hazel gives Phillip a loving, soft smile as he gently kisses her hand.

“I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Phillip.”

He smiles at her as he speaks softly.

“I am your husband, and if I have to convince someone that I am Ghost in order to protect my family, so be it.”

I carry Cree downstairs on my hip, a big smile on my face, until he looks up at me and speaks, his face sad.

“I haven’t seen grandma in a very long time.”

When I observe his sad expression, my face sinks. As we reach the bottom step, I sigh and look forward, and when he speaks again, I look at him.

“Could you please take me to see her today, Wren?”

I really don’t know what to say, and I feel stuck. All I know is that Arlo isn’t too happy with his mother right now, and I’m still not sure why.

I give him a small smile as I respond.

“Maybe I can ask Daddy for you.”

Before I lower him to his feet, his eyes light up, and he looks up at me with a wide smile on his face.

“You’ll do that?”

As I stroke his curly hair, my eyes soften.

“Sure.”

He shines with joy, and I offer him my hand for him to take, which he does, and we go together to the kitchen, where I know Arlo is.

As we approach the living room, I see Arlo sitting at the kitchen island, sipping his coffee and looking down at his phone in his other hand.

He has a black leather jacket on, black, ripped, tight jeans and a black snapback turned backward on his head.

I carefully pull my eyes away from him and look down at Cree before crouching down in front of him.

“Why don’t I turn something on the TV for you while I speak to Daddy?”

We both look over at Arlo, who is now looking between us both, and then I drag my eyes away from him once again and look at Cree again, offering him a little smile.

“Go on, get up on the couch, and I’ll put Paw Patrol on for you.”

He smiles at me before turning around and climbing up on the big white couch, leaving me to find the remote and scroll through the channels until I find Paw Patrol.

After that, I set the remote on the coffee table before heading to the kitchen to confront Arlo. As I proceed towards him, he keeps his focused, intense stare on me, raking down my body until I’m standing beside him, resting my forearms on the island, and looking deep into his dark eyes.

He takes in all of my facial features, waiting for me to say what I have to say, as if he already knows.

“Cree really wants to see his grandma today.”

He sighs instantly and looks away, setting his coffee cup down on the gray marble island, and I continue.

“Arlo, why hasn’t he seen her? He hasn’t seen her in weeks now, and he used to see her every weekend; he’s probably missing her.”

He stays silent and I stare at his side profile as he looks down at the dark liquid in his mug until he responds.

“I don’t trust her.”

My brows furrow with confusion.

“Why not? What has she done?”

I notice his jaw tense as he doesn't take his eyes off his coffee.

“She knew what I did all along and decided not to tell me until she was ready.”

I close my eyes for a moment and lower my head, lost in thought, until I open my eyes and lay my hand on his forearm, and he continues.

“She is more concerned about what she can gain from shit than her own flesh and blood. She knew I would kill my dad, but she believed it had to be at the perfect time. For business interests, of course.”

I gently squeeze his arm as I speak softly, and he still doesn’t look my way.

“Baby, I understand why you’re angry, but perhaps what she thought she was doing at the time was for the best.”

He now looks at me, his eyes scanning my face before locking with mine.

“You have no idea who she is or what kind of upbringing I had; I don’t even know why the fuck I’ve allowed my son to be around her when she raised me to be a cold-blooded killer.”

His words hit me hard, and they make me realize just how little I know of Arlo’s past—only what happened with Bridget, but anything beyond that, I have no idea.

I respond again softly.

“Has she tried to contact you since she was released from the hospital?”

He gives a small nod, and I continue.

“How do you know things won’t change now that she is no longer in your father’s cruel clutches? I mean, she’s always been really good with Cree, so she can’t be entirely evil. Maybe it was her way of making amends with you for the mistakes she has made in the past with you.”

I see him carefully thinking about my words, taking them in carefully until he reaches out and brings his warm palm to my cheek, causing my eyes to shut as he brushes his thumb along my bottom lip.

“You’re so pure and innocent, Wren, and you see the good in everyone, but it’s all a fucking fairytale. I wish I could tell you otherwise, baby, but that’s not reality, at least not in my world.”

I lean into his hand as I hold it with mine, then open my eyes and gaze into his.

“Arlo, not everything is evil. Please take the risk for me. He truly misses her.”

He inhales deeply and looks away before I see his slight nod.

“I’ll text her.”

I lift my hand and bring it to his face, causing him to look at me. I give him a gentle smile before leaning forward and kissing his soft lips. As we open up for each other, he slides his warm hand around the back of my neck, and butterflies flutter within me.

When we break off from the passionate kiss, we rest our brows on one another's and I whisper.

“I love you.”

He curls his fingers around my chin and plants one last kiss on my forehead before retreating and rotating his body to get off the stool.

I watch him as he walks outside to the yard, and I lean up against the island, watching what Cree is watching on TV.

“Wren?”

My eyes shift to Cree as he looks back at me over his shoulder, and when he stays silent, I approach him until I’m sitting beside him on the couch.

He fidgets a little, looking down before raising his eyes to me and speaking softly.

“Are you Daddy’s girlfriend?”

I take a deep breath and look away, and he continues.

“You were kissing—”

I gulp before returning my eyes to his, and I give him a soft smile. Just as I am about to respond, Arlo walks back inside, capturing both of our attention.

“One hour, Cree, and we’ll take you to see Grandma for the afternoon.”

Cree’s face lights up as he leaps from the couch and sprints to him. Arlo crouches down and catches him before lifting him in his arms.

“Thank you, Daddy!”

Arlo gives him a soft smile.

“No problem, but it’s just for the afternoon, okay? I’ll come and collect you later.”

Soon it’s time to drop Cree off at Arlo’s mom’s house and we head outside to get into his car. As I begin to strap Cree into his car seat, I begin to wonder why Arlo placed a large black bag in the trunk, but I don’t ask.

After a short drive, we’re outside the mansion, and Arlo cuts off the engine before looking across to me.

“I’ll be two minutes.”

I give him an uneasy nod, wondering why he doesn’t want me to come with them, and I watch as he opens his car door.

“Say bye to Wren, Cree.”

Cree shouts with excitement in his cute voice.

“Bye, Wren!”

As Arlo closes the door behind him, I cast a glance over my shoulder and give Cree a wide smile.

“Have lots of fun! I want to hear all about it later."

He smiles as he is lifted out of his car seat, and as the backdoor closes, I watch through the tinted window as Arlo carries him toward the front door.

Cree wriggles out of my arms and rushes into my mom’s knees as soon as she opens the door.

“Cree!”

Uncomfortably watching them, I slide my hands into the front pockets of my jeans.

Cree’s big, lit-up eyes look up at her as he speaks.

“I missed you!”

Her eyes soften as she responds.

“I missed you too, Cree.”

My mom then looks up at me once they are done with their reunion, and then she stands tall as we stare at each other.

“Thanks for bringing him.”

I give a slight nod before looking away, and out of the corner of my eyes, I see her look down at Cree once more.

“Cree, go inside; there’s a gift for you in the living room. I’ll meet you there, as I just need to speak to Daddy.”

I hug Cree before watching him skip inside the house, and then I straighten my shoulders before staring down at my mom.

I shrug with my hands in my pockets as I speak, my tone flat.

“What do you want?”

“I understand that what I did upset you. I can only apologize, Arlo, but I didn’t know what else to do at the time. Didn’t everything work out for the best? I mean, aren’t you happy?”

I narrow my eyes, feeling agitation swelling inside of me already.

“What the fuck am I supposed to be happy about? The fact that I murdered Bridget, or the fact that I assassinated my own father because he drugged me to do it?”

She sighs before taking a cautious step forward and placing her hand on my shoulder, resulting in me looking down at it.

“I know you’ll never get over it, Arlo. I don’t blame you, but you have a lot to look forward to now. You are now the king of New York’s deadliest criminal empire.”

When my eyes meet hers, I glare at her.

“Do you think any of that matters to me? It’s only brought me fucking misery.”

She takes her hand from my shoulder and searches my stern eyes as she responds.

“Because of your father, but he isn’t here anymore. You can now do things your way.”

I give her a cold stare, feeling fury wiping through me as I draw my face down to hers and expose my teeth to show my frustration.

“But you’re still fucking here.”

She turns her face away, folding her arms across her chest, and frowns as I continue.

“Maybe I’d be better off without both of my fucking parents because, from where I’m standing, you’re just as fucking bad as him!”

She closes her eyes as I insult her but remains silent, so I pull my angry eyes away from her and turn to return to my car.

When I get inside beside Wren, I can sense her looking at me, but I don’t look her way as I start the engine.

We remain silent while driving, and I drive with one hand on the top of the steering wheel, rubbing my slight stubble on my chin with the other until she reaches over and rests her small hand on my thigh.

I inhale deeply before placing mine over hers and curling my fingers around it as she speaks.

“Where are we going, Arlo? This isn’t the way home.”

I side-eye her, catching a glimpse of her looking at me, and then look ahead again before responding.

“You’re coming with me today; it’s about time I trained you the fuck up. You need to understand just how horrifying this world is.”

“But I’m pregnant.”

I calmly look over at her, and her face is full of concern as I speak.

“I’m not going on a killing spree today, Wren, so don’t worry. Nothing, or fucking no one, will cause you harm.”

I continue as I look at the road ahead once more.

“One day, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself protecting someone you love—even yourself. I’m not going to make the same mistake twice; I can’t fucking lose you either.”

I can feel her worried eyes on me as her fingers tighten a little more around mine.

We soon arrive at an abandoned warehouse I’m all too familiar with and I turn off the engine. I glance over at Wren, who still looks fearful and I make a head gesture to the door beside her.

“Get the fuck out; there’s nothing to be worried about. Nobody would dare hurt you while you’re with me.”

She gives a small, unsure nod before opening the door next to her, and I step out too before walking to the trunk and opening it.

Wren takes a step back as she watches me take out a large black duffel bag, just as I hear a car pull up behind us.

I sling the bag over my shoulder after closing the trunk and turn around to see Jasper stepping out of his car and Wren gasps beside me.

“Jasper?”

He closes the gap between us, and I shake his hand before patting him on the back. I stand tall and side-eye him as he smiles down at Wren before giving her a kiss on the cheek. I feel a tinge of unwanted jealousy come over me because I’m possessive as fuck, but I quickly shrug it off.

He gestures to her stomach with his hand.

“How are you doing, Wren? Congratulations, by the way!”

Her eyes swiftly swing to mine before she returns her focus to him again, a soft smile on her pretty face.

“I’m good, Jasper, and thank you.”

As I glance between them, I speak.

“Right, let's get this shit started.”

Wren’s brows furrow.

“What are we doing?”

As I turn around, I respond.

“You’ll see.”

They trail behind me until we’re entering the huge, old, abandoned building, and I walk over to an old, rusted metal table and place the bag down on it. When I unzip it, I side-eye Wren as she stands close beside me, and she lets out a gasp when she sees how filled it is with guns and targets.

I take a simple pistol out and load it with rounds before cocking it back.

“Set a couple of targets on the table, Jasp. Wren, stay with me.”

I lift up the bag and hold the gun down beside me until we’re a fair distance away from the table, with Wren closely following me. When we’re where I want to be, I toss the bag onto the floor and turn around to watch Jasper finish setting up the targets.

When he moves away and stands back, I quickly draw my gun, aim, and pull the trigger, firing bullets into each and every headshot perfectly from afar.

As I peer down at Wren when I’m finished, she drags her wide, shocked eyes from the targets to look up at me, and as she speaks, Jasper laughs while clapping his hands together.

“How the hell did you do that?”

I slowly move behind her and dip my head to respond chillingly into her ear.

“I’ve killed so many people, I’ve lost fucking count.”

I watch her close her eyes and straighten her shoulders, attempting to compose herself, and when she opens them again, I bring the gun in front of her, offering it to her.

As she just stares down at it, doing nothing, I attempt to ease her mind.

“Have you ever held one before?”

She gives a small nod before taking a long breath.

“I killed someone.”

My brows pinch in confusion before I stroll around to her front to confront her.

“What?”

She looks up at me, her big eyes searching mine, and she remains silent for a moment as we stare at one another before she finally decides to respond.

“When you were knocked unconscious in the car crash that night, I reached for your gun to protect us, and as one of the guys leaned down to peek inside the car and..."

She screws her eyes shut, turning her face away, before continuing quietly.

"I blew his face off.”

My eyebrows rise in surprise, but when I come to my senses, I take her chin into my hand and force her to look up at me before talking to her seriously.

“You did what you needed to do; do you understand me? You didn’t do anything fucking wrong. He was a threat and you knew it.”

She gives a small nod, and when I release her chin, I lift the gun, offering it to her again. When she glances down at it and cautiously takes it into her right hand, I move around her until I am behind her again, and I lean down to her ear, resting my hands on the small of her waist.

“Take it in both hands, elevate your arms, and aim it forward. Rest your finger on the trigger, focus, and pull it when your eyes and the barrel are set on the target.”

I gaze at her side profile and observe as she takes a deep breath, preparing herself, and when she fires the trigger, my eyes are drawn to the target to see where she hit.

A smirk creeps across my lips when I see she has in fact hit one of the targets; it’s not perfect, but she fucking hit it. I return my eyes to her side profile and observe as she pants ever so slightly.

“Did that turn you the fuck on?”

She smiles before turning her head and looking at my smirking lips. I move my face closer to hers and forcefully whisper against her plump lips.

“It did fucking me; you’re just as sexy with my gun as you are with my knife.”

I kiss her on the lips firmly before biting down on her bottom lip and inserting my tongue deep into her mouth with a growl in my throat, feeling extremely aroused.

When I break away and stare into her lust-filled eyes, I declare while my teeth are clenched.

“Again!”

I take a step back and observe as she shoots, practically hitting every target while aiming forward and repeating until the magazine is empty.

When she’s finished, Jasper shouts from afar.

“Fuck, she’s not bad at all!”

My focus shifts to Jasper, who has been observing us from a distance, and I give a head gesture.

“Fill a mag; it’s your turn.”

I take the gun from Wren’s hand and shove it into the back of my jeans before holding onto the top of her arm and pulling her back from where Jasper is shooting.

I stand behind her as Jasper starts, and I lean in, wrapping my hands across her stomach where our baby is growing, and she embraces me by placing her arms around mine.

I rest my chin on her shoulder while we watch, and I begin to speak.

“You might find yourself in a scenario where you have to protect our baby, Cree, and even yourself one day. Whatever happens, Wren, you must never fucking hesitate. This is our way of life; now it's yours too, but I have total faith in you to be strong.”

She gives a small, silent nod as she stares ahead, and after a brief silence, she speaks.

“Cree asked if I was your girlfriend today after seeing us kissing in the kitchen.”

I turn my head and look at her from the side.

“And what did you say?”

She sighs before she responds.

“You came in from the garden right as I was going to say something, but to be honest, I didn’t know what to say. How do you tell a three-year-old about all this? I’m here to look after him one minute, then I’m in your bed and kissing you in front of him the next.”

I observe her for a beat before answering.

“You tell him the fucking truth: that we love each other.”

She now turns her head and looks all around my face.

“And the baby?”

I give a small nod.

“We’ll do it together, Wren.”

I notice her shoulders relax before she looks forward again.

“Thank you; I’d rather have you there with me than do it alone.”

As I whisper into her ear, I draw her closer to my body by wrapping my arms around her.

“I’ve got you. Cree is a smart kid, and he will fucking understand because he loves you too.”

She smiles as I firmly kiss her cheek, and I notice Jasper has finished, so I let her go and stand straight before inspecting all the holes in the targets.

When my eyes meet his, I give him a small nod of approval.

“Not bad. You definitely know how to use a gun.”

As I extend the space between me and Wren, I flick my knife out and keep eye contact with Jasper.

“Now fucking disarm me, and don’t hold back.”

He hesitates immediately, since he knows that this will be challenging for him. I take a stance, waiting for him to approach, and when he does, he comes extremely quickly. When he has closed the gap, he swings his fist at me, which I immediately avoid by bowing backward.

I sidestep swiftly and place my blade to his throat from behind, and he delivers a strike to my ribs with his elbow. He takes my wrist at his throat and swings and twists my arm until it’s forced behind my back, and I’m restricted with my knife still in my hand as he keeps a tight hold.

I let out a loud laugh and release my knife without warning. As it falls, I swiftly reach behind me with my free hand and catch it before bringing it up to his face quickly, inches away from his eye.

He laughs out loud before speaking breathlessly.

“Fuck sake, bro!”

I lower my knife, my eyes fixed on Wren’s, who has been watching with a sexy, devilish grin on her lips. I turn around and face Jasper as soon as I feel his grasp loosen on my wrist.

As we stand face-to-face at the same height, I flick my blade closed and speak while placing it back in my pocket.

“You’re not bad, bro, but we’re going to do this every fucking week until you officially disarm me.” The problem is that you’re not thinking ahead. You must be fully fucking focused on each and every potential move that some cunt will take before they even take it. When you’ve mastered that, the possibilities are endless.”

He gives a small nod before I turn around and speak sternly to Wren.

“There’s one thing you’re going to fucking do, and then we’re out of here.”

I observe her confused look before walking over to the duffel bag and stooping down to find a bulletproof vest. I remove it from the bag and strap it to my upper body before taking another pistol and inserting a single shot into the clip.

When I turn around, she’s staring at me with wide, petrified eyes and frantically shaking her head because she knows what I am about to tell her to do.

I nod a couple of times as I approach her until I’m standing directly in front of her, then grasp her wrist and place the gun in her palm.

“You’re going to shoot me and you better not fucking miss.”

She looks at me like I’m fucking insane, which I am, before she speaks quickly.

“I can’t do that, Arlo, no!”

“Yes, you fucking can, and you will!”

Jasper speaks up behind me.

“Arlo, I’m not sure that—”

I swiftly raise my hand to silence him and look deep into Wren’s scared eyes.

“You’ve fucking got this.”

I watch her swallow hard before I start moving and walking backward until I’m far enough away that I come to a halt. I point at my chest while speaking loudly, my deep voice booming through the huge empty space.

“Right fucking here. Focus, and when you’re ready, squeeze the trigger.”

I brace myself as she raises her arms slowly and hesitantly with both hands, and I can see the focus in her eyes as she concentrates.

She suddenly shoots without hesitation, and the impact knocks me back a little and takes the wind out of my body, but I quickly collect myself before looking down at the vest.

Jasper shouts in shock.

“Holy fucking shit!”

When I see a bullet wedged into my chest, the bruising pain becomes apparent, and I lift my eyes to meet hers. She exhales a long, jittery breath before lowering the gun. A big smile spreads across my face before I rush up to her and as soon as I’m close enough, I lift her around me, spinning her around and we both laugh.

I yell with a big smile on my face.

“You’re a fucking savage!”

She beams down at me before quickly dipping her head and kissing me deeply as I lower her to her feet. I slide my hands to her juicy ass and give it a squeeze as I devour her mouth, feeling a number of deep emotions, but mostly fucking pride.

Suddenly, my phone begins to ring in my pocket, and I reluctantly pull away from her while reaching for it. I look down at it and when I see the name, I know I have to take it.

“I’ve got to take this.”

I walk away while looking down at the flashing screen and as I pass Jasper, I shout to him.

“Pack this shit away, will you, bro? I’ll be a minute.”

When I get outside, I answer the call to my hacker and place the phone in my ear.

“Yeah?”

“Arlo, I’ve looked into this cop that you asked me about, and I’ve found out some interesting information.”

I raise my eyebrow as I respond.

“Tell me more.”

I take my cigarettes out of my inside pocket before biting one and lighting the end as he continues.

“James Jones is his full name. He is 40 years old and usually lives and works in Los Angeles. He recently divorced his wife and had served in the special forces known as the Green Berets, which are regarded as one of the world’s most elite special forces.”

I blow out smoke before I speak.

“Get to the good shit.”

“Well, I looked into the files that I could gain access to, and from what I’ve read here, he personally wanted to be on this case.”

I sigh as I rub my forehead with my palm.

“Anything else?”

“Well, actually, there is something interesting about him. He had a twenty-year-old daughter, his only child, but she died five months ago in New York.”

My brows raise as I lower my hand from my forehead.

“How?”

“Looking at her postmortem, she overdosed on cocaine laced with fentanyl.”

I sigh and close my eyes as I speak through clenched teeth.

“Fuck, he is out for revenge. I can’t believe the FBI would be so fucking stupid to put him in this case.”

“You laced cocaine with fentanyl?”

“Fuck no. My shit is pure, but my dad did have a shady shipment a while back, and I can only think it could have been that. He told me he was discarding it, the motherfuck.”

“Well, now you know.”

I take a big puff of my cigarette before responding.

“Thanks for letting me know. Keep me updated on anything else you find. Speak soon.”

I hang up the phone and shove it into my jacket pocket, take one last drag on my cigarette, and flick it away just as Wren and Jasper appear.

Jasper shakes my hand as he walks by, and I nod when he continues to his car; my gaze then shifts down to Wren, who is standing alongside me.

“Get your pretty ass in the car; I’ve got to make one more call, and we’ll head home.”

She nods and I watch her for a moment as she gets into my car while I take my phone again. I turn around and scroll through my contacts until I come across one of my soldiers, Dominic, then dial his number and place the phone on my ear.

He answers almost immediately.

“Arlo?”

“I need you to fucking do something for me tonight.”

“What is it?”

“I need you to grab a large amount of fucking coke and plant it in a cop's car, then anonymously tip.”

“Send me the car’s license plate number.”

“Nice one.”

I hang up the phone and send the details of the dirty pig's car before taking a deep breath. The sooner he is out of the way, the fucking better. If necessary, I’ll kill him, whether it’s on Ghosts say so or not.

When Wren and I get home, we step out of the car, and I grab her hand in mine once I’ve closed the gap between us.

“Come with me; I have a couple of things to show you.”

We walk toward my garage, and once I enter the code, we go through the door. I release her hand and walk straight to one of my cars, with her following behind me. I come to a stop at the trunk of one of my vintage cars and open it.

Before speaking, I look down at all the guns, knives, and other weapons inside.

“The door code is 669911. If you need a weapon but can’t access the arms room inside the house for whatever reason, this trunk is always open, and every gun is already loaded.”

She speaks with concern in her voice.

“Arlo, why are you doing all of this? Is there something wrong?”

My eyes meet hers as I close the trunk and I speak seriously.

“I just want you to know that you’re secure and capable of fucking protecting yourself if anything goes wrong while I’m not here.”

She gives a small, cautious nod before looking away. I observe her for a moment before placing my arm around her shoulder and heading back inside the house with her.

When we enter, I go directly to the living room, where I collapse back onto the huge white corner couch, arms sprawled across the back as I stare up at the tall, sparkling ceiling.

Wren places her hands on my shoulders before straddling my lap, and as I bring my head forward, I place my hands on her thick thighs, sliding them up to the side of her curvy body until I’m grasping her tiny waist in my hands.

My dark eyes sweep over her sexy figure, and I begin to take her waist bag off. When I’m finished, I toss it to the side before carefully unbuttoning her black blazer.

Once I’m finished, I pull it apart and over her shoulders until her pretty, black, see-through lace bra is exposed. My feral eyes take in her huge tits and pink nipples, which I can see clearly. I release her blazer and palm my hands slowly but firmly down her chest, taking in a deep breath while admiring how fucking beautiful she is.

My eyes follow my slow hands as they glide over the mounts of her tits and down to her stomach before I slip the tips of my fingers beneath her bra. I continue until I have both of my hands on both of her big breasts, giving them a tight squeeze.

I see her eyes flutter shut when I sweep my thumbs over her little stiff nipples, and I fucking love what I do to her. I push her bra over her tits and lean forward before dipping my head and sucking her nipple into my mouth, causing a gasp to escape her.

I consume it with my mouth and teeth before moving onto the next while slowly sliding her blazer down her arms. Her hands find my neck as I slide my pierced tongue up her chest before French kissing the side of her sweet-smelling neck.

I glide my palms up the curve of her back before grabbing handfuls of her long hair and pulling back on it for better access as she removes my snapback, allowing it to fall behind me.

When I’m done savaging her neck, I release her hair, and she tilts her head forward, her heavy gaze instantly falling to my lips.

I slide my hand around the side of her neck until it’s on the nape and guide her down to my lips; we then kiss passionately. Our tongues battle for dominance as I wrap my arm over the bottom of her back before hastily pulling her onto her back on the couch.

As my big body smothers her small frame, one of my hands unbuttons her pants and loosens her zip. When I press my hand into her panties, I’m blessed with a soaked pussy right away.

When I begin to stroke her aching clit, she breaks off the heated kiss and speaks breathlessly against my lips.

“What the fuck do you do to me, Arlo? I just can’t seem to get enough of you.”

I unexpectedly force my fingers into her wet pussy and press them knuckle deep before curling them, causing a moan to leave her as I respond.

“Trust me, the feeling is very fucking mutual.”

She reaches down for my belt and loosens it as I begin to penetrate her wet cunt with my fingers while she whispers.

“Fuck, I need you inside of me, baby. I need you to fuck me.”

I remove my fingers from her pussy and panties before sitting back and tugging her pants down her tanned legs. I pull my cock free before laying on her again and situating it in her snug, sloppy pussy, and I finally slide deep into her.

She lets out a satisfied moan, and I groan against her lips before baring my teeth against them.

“Such a greedy little pussy.”

As I give her a hard, deep fuck, she slips her hands beneath my shirt and slides them up the front of my tattooed body.

“Harder, baby, fuck me so much harder.”

I begin to annihilate her hungry pussy until I feel irritated and pull out of her fast, flip her onto her front, and swiftly pull her hips up. I slide my come-soaked dick back into her without warning, causing a cry to escape her, so I smack the side of her ass with my hand.

I wrap my hands around the string of her tiny panties, then pull them up her back until I’m grabbing the small of her waist while speaking through clenched teeth.

“You want rough; you fucking asked for it, and now I’m going to fuck you brutally.”

I fuck her harshly, but not hard enough to strike her cervix like I normally would. She lets out sexy, strangled screams and seems to be fucking enjoying it regardless.

After I’ve completely smashed her in and she is on the verge of her climax, I reach down and grasp the back of her hair before yanking her up until her back meets my chest.

“Now fuck my cock until you’re exploding on me, you little slut.”

I take her throat tightly with one hand and sprawl the other across her toned stomach as she begins to bounce up and down on my throbbing dick.

I fucking love her in this position, completely and utterly at my mercy, with my hand around her tiny throat and moaning right beside my ear as her big titties bounce. I’m about to fucking erupt just by watching her like his.

I turn my head and speak fiercely but quietly against her ear.

“Fucking harder, Wren; take all of me. Sink all the way down on my big, fat cock with your dripping cunt.”

When she finally explodes from the intense pleasure, she tenses around my cock, her body shakes, and she is almost paralyzed, slowing her down.

I pull her down with me, her back on top of me, and I wrap my palms behind her knees, hoisting her legs high and wide as I pound into her pussy from underneath and behind until I’m coming myself.

I speak breathlessly as my entire body tingles from the explosive sensation.

“Fuck.”

When I’m completely milked inside her, I slow down and release her legs while we both attempt to calm our breathing. As I move my hands slowly up the front of her body, feeling her soft skin, she turns her head to the side and rests it on the side of my face.

We lay there for a while until I decided to cut the silence.

“It’s a friend's birthday party next week. I want you to come with me.”

“Who's?

“You don’t know him, but he’s cool.”

“If you want me there, I’ll be there.”

I groan before speaking.

“I could stay here all day with you, but I should go get Cree now, and you should have a relaxing bubble bath or whatever you fucking girls like to do.”

She giggles as she responds.

“Are you sure?”

I slide one of my hands down to her stomach and keep it there before talking into her ear.

“I’m fucking sure.”

She rests her hand on mine for a moment before standing up off me, and as I sit up too, I watch her move around in her tiny thong, collecting all her clothing.

When she’s finished, she leans down and gently kisses my lips before smiling and looking deep into my eyes.

“See you soon.”

I remain silent as she walks away, keeping my gaze on her body until she is no longer in sight. I sink back into the couch, rubbing hands up and down my face before staring forward, becoming lost in thought.

The more intense my feelings for Wren grow, the more worried I am about losing her because of the dire world I’m trapped in. It’s a horrible fucking feeling, and sometimes I wonder why the fuck I’ve put myself back in this position, or another woman who is carrying my child, but I can’t help myself. My connection with Wren is beyond anything I have ever fucking felt or experienced.

I sigh as I sit up and stand off the couch before heading for the door.

After a long soak in Arlo’s tub and changing into an orange dress with my white sneakers and my hair in a long ponytail, I hurry downstairs to see if Arlo and Cree have returned home yet.

The front door opens just as I reach the foot of the stairs, and I stop to watch as Arlo enters with Cree in his arms.

Cree and I exchange big smiles, and as Arlo takes him towards the living room area, he motions with his head for me to follow.

I’m confused, but I follow anyway, and as we enter, Arlo sits on the couch with Cree on his knee, and I take a seat opposite nearby.

Arlo gives Cree a tender grin and Cree returns it, and I just stare between them both as Arlo begins to speak.

“Wren told me you asked her if she was my girlfriend today."

I straighten up and fidget a little, now well aware of where this is heading. Cree gives his dad a shy smile with his finger in his mouth but remains mute so Arlo continues.

“Do you know what a girlfriend is?”

Cree pauses for a moment, searching his dad’s eyes, before answering.

“Aunt Sara said it’s when you love someone lots and they are your girlfriend.”

Arlo smiles at him, and I’m in awe of both of them.

“That’s exactly what it is. You only offer your heart and love to someone who offers the same back, and this means you will love each other for the rest of your lives. Through the good and the bad times, they will love you no matter what.”

Cree gives him a small nod before he looks my way.

“So, Wren is your girlfriend?”

I give him a closed smile and then glance at Arlo as he responds, his eyes peering into the depths of my soul.

“She is, but she’s so much more than a girlfriend to me. She not only helps and looks after you, Cree, but she also helps me too.”

Cree’s eyes meet Arlo’s and I have to stop a sob from forming in my throat.

“You don’t need help, daddy! You’re big and strong!”

Arlo pulls his eyes away from me and returns to Cree as he responds, now speaking seriously.

“Even the strongest of us cannot always be strong, Cree. We try to act it out, but it only makes us weaker in the end. Having and allowing someone you love and trust into your life to help you during times of struggle is what makes you strong. Accepting love when you don’t want it makes you strong, and returning it in the darkest of times makes you invincible.”

I look down at my hands on my lap as my eyes well up with tears when I hear Cree speak.

“You love her, Daddy?”

I lift my wet eyes to see them looking at each other and Arlo gives him a soft smile.

“A lot.”

“She helps you be stronger?"

Arlo inhales deeply before nodding to him.

“Everyday.”

Cree’s eyes meet mine and I give him a soft smile while he continues to question Arlo.

“Does that mean she is my mommy now?”

My eyes meet Arlo’s quickly and he is already looking at me.

“Not exactly, Cree. Your mommy will always be your mommy, but Wren will always love, protect, and look after you.”

“Like a mommy would?”

I swallow the lump in my throat as Cree gazes up at Arlo, and Arlo takes a moment, clearly thinking about putting it into words, before he responds.

“Like a mommy would.”

Cree smiles and then quickly looks at me.

“Wren, my mommy is an angel; did you know that?”

As his big eyes glisten with excitement, I feel like I might bawl my eyes out, but I remain strong and give him a nod with a smile.

“And what a beautiful angel she is.”

I see his little mind thinking through his eyes before gazing up at Arlo again.

“I love Wren too, though, Daddy. Can we both love her?”

I felt my heart pull out of my chest when he said that and I cleared my throat as a tear fell down my cheek and I quickly wipe it away.

Arlo smiles widely and lets out a small laugh before he speaks.

“I’m not sure, but maybe we can ask her if she can deal with the both of us, shall we?”

They both look at me now and my watery eyes flick between the both of them before I smile as I respond.

“Always! I love you both so much and there's more than enough for both of you.”

Arlo raises an eyebrow.

“Enough for the three of us?”

As soon as he says that, Cree looks up at him. Arlo looks at Cree and he has a small smile on his lips as he speaks to him.

“We’re having a baby, Cree. You’re going to be a big brother.”

I observe as Cree’s eyes become bigger and he quickly looks at me as Arlo continues.

“How do you feel about that?”

Cree’s gaze moves down to my belly and his face has confusion on it as he speaks.

“She doesn’t look like she has a baby in her.”

I roll my lips inward with a smile and look down at myself before speaking.

“Tell me that in a couple of months.”

When Arlo talks, I lift my head and look at him.

“The baby will grow, Cree. It is just very small right now, but the bigger it grows, the bigger Wren’s belly will get.”

Cree’s eyes meet Arlo’s now as he speaks.

“Like Aunt Sara?”

Arlo nods.

“Just like Aunt Sara.”

“Is it a boy or a girl?”

Arlo smiles and raises his chin.

“We’re not sure yet, but what would you like? A brother or a sister?”

He scrunches his nose up before he responds.

“I don’t know. A brother that I can play with and show him all my trains!”

I let out a giggle and Arlo’s brown eyes twinkle with amusement as he looks down at him.

“Well, as soon as we know what we’re having, we will tell you right away.”

Cree gives a small nod and then he turns his focus to me.

“Why are you crying, Wren? Are you not happy?”

I sniffle with a smile and inhale deeply.

“I’m more than happy; that’s why I am crying.”

Arlo now speaks up.

“I think Wren could do it with a hug.”

Arlo motions for me to come forward, and I stand, closing the small gap between us before dropping to my knees by Arlo’s feet and they both wrap their arms around me.

It’s later in the evening and after putting Cree to bed, I stroll up the long, dark hallway towards our bedroom. When I enter, I find Arlo lying on his back on the bed, his hands behind his head, shirtless and only wearing his black, shredded jeans.

I close the door behind me and kick off my sneakers before approaching him, and his gaze wanders down my body the closer I get.

When I’m close enough, I place my hands on his bare chest and cock my leg over him before straddling his lap.

He inhales deeply before taking his hands from behind his head and pressing them up my thighs, beneath my dress, until he has his palms on my bare, curvy hips.

As I begin to speak, we lock eyes.

“So, do you think he handled the news okay?”

His eyes scan mine until he eventually nods.

“As I knew he would. You have nothing to be worried about.”

As we remain silent for a while, looking into each other's eyes, I feel driven to ask him something now that we’ve reached a higher level of our relationship.

“Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows. Good or bad.”

He sighs and glances away before speaking flatly.

“Like what?”

His gaze meets mine now, and I shrug.

“I just want to learn more about the man I’m madly in love with. Sometimes I feel like I don’t really know you at all.”

I see his mind ticking as he thinks for a moment.

“You don’t want or need to know some of the things I’ve fucking done.”

I inhale deeply before responding.

“But what if I really want to? What if I want to know more about you? Will we be together for years to come without me knowing a thing about your past?”

I see the hesitation all over his face and then he closes his eyes briefly while I continue.

“Tell me something about your youth before you became a father or fell in love. You said to me today that your childhood wasn’t the best. Tell me how."

When he opens his eyes again, I can still see his hesitation.

“You’re opening a can of worms of memories, Wren, which you might not come back from or look at me the same way again.”

As his hands move down my thighs, I take them in mine, entwining our fingers and bringing them to my lips, kissing each of them while keeping eye contact, and I speak against them.

“Nothing you say will ever change my feelings for you, my king. I promise there will be no judgments here.”

He takes a big breath before he begins.

“I started working with my dad when I was younger, in my early teens.”

I give a small nod.

“What did this work entail?”

He looks deep into my eyes before responding.

“Everything horrific you can imagine.”

I look at him, confused.

“Can you elaborate? What was the worst thing you ever did?”

He sighs before sounding a warning as he glances away.

“Wren…”

“Please, baby, tell me.”

When his eyes meet mine again, he takes another deep breath.

“My parents taught me when I was young that I needed to become dominant in every single aspect of my life, just like my dad was.”

I slowly nod, waiting for him to continue.

“My first time fucking was with an older woman, well, much older than me and experienced. I was only thirteen.”

My eyes widen and my mouth drops open.

“What?”

He gives a small nod before continuing.

“Once every month or so, my dad would leave me at these places and I was fucking adult women for months, but then it got worse.”

My eyebrows rise, wondering how it can get any worse than that.

“How so?”

“Most seemed down for it, but I started questioning things when they started to become a little younger and one in particular was very fucking different from the rest.”

I stay quiet, waiting for him to carry on and he takes a moment before finally letting it out.

“It seemed like I was fucking a lifeless body. She was rigid and didn’t make eye contact. I had a feeling I was doing something wrong; I didn’t even fucking come and backed away from her as I realised, maybe these women weren’t even supposed to be here, at least not some of them.”

My eyes widen again and my mouth drops open.

“Wait. What?”

His jaw tenses with irritation and he bites down on his words while looking away.

“I found out sometime later that I was fucking some women in the sex trafficking system.”

I just stare at him with absolute shock.

“Holy shit, Arlo.”

He squeezes his eyes shut, clearly disgusted.

“When I told my parents, they seemed shocked, like they never knew and they said they wouldn't take me again. It really messed me up for a long time, and the older I became, the more angry I grew because of it, and somehow I persuaded them to never take over New York’s sex trafficking system. We made a vowel there and then that the Hayes would never be known for rape or human trafficking.”

He gradually opens his eyes and looks into mine before continuing.

“Before I killed my dad, I had just discovered that he was indeed taking over it in our name, and I was so fucking enraged. You were supposed to be the first to be trafficked in our name in order to teach me a lesson.”

I just stare, unable to get any words out, but my heart throbs for him and the shit he has been through at the hands of his father.

“Now you might kind of understand why I am who I am. There’s no excuse for what I am, really, but my childhood was very different from most kids, and that’s only a tiny fraction of it. I’m disgusted that I allowed it to happen and even agreed to it just to please my parents. In the end, they got what they wanted. Regardless, I’m an insane fucking beast and I relished the feeling of it.”

My eyes soften and I speak gently.

“Arlo, you were young and naive and were just following orders from people you trusted; you didn’t know any better or even know what you were doing. You were used and abused in the same way those poor women were.”

He shakes his head, not making eye contact.

“I don’t want pity, Wren; I’m a fucking monster on the inside and out and there is no more fucking to it. I can never take away any of the shit I have done.”

I bring my hand to his face and make him look at me.

“That’s far from the truth, baby; just you not taking control of that side of the business and refusing to agree to it shows exactly who you are. You’ve made mistakes, but not all of this is your fault. Your parents should have known better and should have done better by you. They failed you, but you never failed; always remember that. What is important now is that you continue to move on from the past and better yourself, Arlo.”

His eyes search mine, studying me as we stay silent until he finally speaks again.

“I’ve never told anyone that, not even Bridge.”

My brows crease with confusion and I tilt my head to the side.

“You didn’t open up to her?”

He gives a small head shake.

“My relationship with Bridget wasn’t like ours. I kept my shit together. We spoke differently, even fucked differently and I kept my true self hidden from her a lot to please her. I didn’t want her to see the fucking monster that is inside of me. She didn’t like it, even though she knew exactly who I was. She never completely accepted my way of life, especially when Cree was born, and I didn’t blame her. She had every right to feel the way she did.”

He elevates his chin and gives my hips a gentle squeeze.

“I suppose when I met you, that part of me that I had tried to suppress for many years came out because I was in a very dark place, but I soon realised that you didn’t judge me regardless of who or what the fuck I was, the good, bad, or the ugly and it was fucking refreshing.”

I rub my hands up his bare, inked chest until they are on his neck and I dip my head, bringing my mouth close to his.

“I’d never judge you; I’m here to make you happy, no matter what, and you can always be yourself and talk to me about absolutely anything, I promise.”

He glances all around my face, taking in my features as he slides his warm hand around the side of my neck until it’s on the nape before guiding me to his lips and we open up for each other, allowing our tongues to collide.

Arlo is at work, and I am in the living room with Cree when he calls out to me.

“Wrennnnn, can you get me my green train, please?”

My eyes soften and I stand up from the couch before looking down at him.

“Would you like the TV on?”

“Yes, please! Paw Patrol!”

I give him an affectionate smile before bending down and taking the remote from the coffee table, aiming it at the big TV on the wall. I skip down the channels until I find it, then set the remote back down before heading upstairs.

When I get to his bedroom, I walk over to his bed to search for his favorite train toy, and I soon find it buried beneath his pillow. I smile before returning downstairs with it in my hand.

As I come into Cree’s view, he smiles and points his finger in the direction of the TV as he calls out to me.

“Look, Wren, it’s daddy, grandad and uncle Cash!”

My brows furrow in confusion as I proceed forward until I reach the doorway, where I come to a halt when I can see the TV. It’s security footage from outside of the house, and it’s early evening, not quite dark yet.

Arlo is standing at the end of the path that leads to the front door with his dad and Cash, but something is off. Arlo is wavering, and his posture isn’t what it should be.

He and his dad appear to be in a heated argument, and suddenly Arlo storms up the pathway, towards the house, on wavy legs. When something doesn’t look right to me and worry sets in, I glance at Cree and call out to him.

“Cree?”

He quickly looked my way.

“Yes?”

I give him a soft smile.

“Go upstairs for me, sweetie, and I’ll meet you up there to put Paw Patrol on.”

He begins to protest.

“But—”

I speak a little more firmly.

“Please.”

He gives a small, disappointed nod before jumping off the couch, and as he walks past me, I stroke his curly hair. As I return my eyes to the screen,. I can hear his little feet walking up the stairs behind me. When the camera shifts to the back of the house and I see a young, blonde woman crouching down by the pool, as if she’s de-weeding or something, I take a step forward.

My eyes stay fixed on the screen, and as soon as I see Arlo approaching with a gun in his hand, down by his side, I slap my palm over my open mouth.

She stands and faces him when he gets close, rubbing her hands down her long, pretty summer dress, but they are soon clearly arguing. He suddenly grabs her wrist and pulls her towards the house and she struggles against him, but he just keeps going until they are no longer visible and the video stops.

I stand there in utter fucking shock, staring at the blank screen. My heart is pounding in my chest and my eyes are welling up with tears as I realize what this is. As I close my eyes, I pull my phone out of the back of my jeans and shakily search for Arlo’s number.

I’m in my office with Jasper and on the phone with my hacker.

“Your plan appears to have worked, Arlo, since the cops have suspended him pending an investigation. They also appear to have finally figured out that this is revenge on his behalf, but they are having difficulty proving it right now.”

I sigh before I respond.

“Thanks for giving me a heads up.”

He takes a brief pause before responding.

“I don’t usually give advice, but Arlo, you should stay vigilant. This cop has extensive experience and training, and I’m almost positive that this will not end here.”

My jaw tenses as I speak.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect it fucking to, but now that he is off the force, I can now fucking plan ahead. Thanks anyway.”

I slam the phone down on my desk after hanging up and crash back in my chair, rubbing my palm over my mouth when Jasper suddenly speaks opposite me.

“What’s up, bro?”

My eyes meet his instantly, and I raise my eyebrow.

"It seems like dad’s secret demons are biting me in the fucking ass as always.”

He sits back in his seat before responding.

“It’ll all blow over.”

My phone starts to ring, and my eyes fly to the lit-up screen to see that it’s Wren calling. My brow furrows as I lean forward and answer the phone, holding it to my ear.

“What’s up?”

I can hear her sniffling, and my stomach churns, an uneasy feeling stirring within me that there’s something wrong with Cree or the baby.

“Wren, answer me.”

She begins to speak after a small pause.

“Something came on the TV while Cree was watching. I’m so sorry; I had no idea what it was!”

I pull my head back in confusion.

“What the fuck are you talking about, Wren?”

She sniffles again, remains silent for a moment, and responds with a quiver in her throat.

“It was a video—a video of that day, Arlo. The evening Bridget died.”

As I stare ahead, my blood starts to run cold before it turns into a raging fire, and I stand up.

“I’ll be there shortly.”

When I hang up the phone and place it in my inside pocket, Jasper speaks.

"You are good, bro.”

I grit my teeth as I storm toward the door.

“No, I’m not good! I want that fucking cop dead! Find out where the fuck he is, Jasp.”

When I finally arrive home, I walk through the front door and immediately see Wren walking down the stairs. We go towards each other, and as she gets close enough, I can see she’s been crying, which I don’t fucking like at all. As soon as she is close enough, I pull her in and wrap my arms around her while stroking her hair.

She presses her face into my chest, and I rest my lips on the top of her head.

“Did he see it all?”

She shakes her head before letting out a small sniffle.

“When it started to look strange to me, I sent him upstairs.”

She looks up at me with watery eyes, and I cup her cheeks into my palms, my eyes scanning hers.

“Did you see me do it?”

She gives a small head shake before whispering.

“No. It was the outside security cameras—the back and front. You went to the backyard with your gun and dragged her into the house.”

I close my eyes and rest my forehead on hers and she continues.

“I could see you clearly weren't sober, Arlo. You were all over the place and it appears your dad and Cash were there too.”

My eyes fly open as wrath hurls at every inch of my body, and as I release her, I grind my teeth.

“I want to fucking see it.”

I storm past her, but her small hand wraps around my arm, attempting to stop me.

“No Arlo! I don’t think that’s a good idea!”

I shrug her off, and she let’s go, clearly recognizing my rage as I  proceed to the living room. When I walk in, I grab the remote and turn on the TV, only to find it blank, as if it’s no longer there.

I throw the remote on the couch with force and a wrath of fury before taking a seat, leaning forward with my head down.

“How would it have been on TV? I don’t understand. Has someone been in here?”

My jaw is tense with irritation, and I speak agitatedly toward her.

“There are such things as fucking hackers, Wren, and I know exactly who the fuck it is.”

When I realized my words were a little too harsh, I lifted my head and looked at her, just staring at me with wide eyes.

I let out a defeated sigh before giving a head gesture.

“Come the fuck here.”

She shuffles forward on my command and when she’s close enough, I take her hips while resting back as she straddles my lap. I gaze all around her face while gently tucking her brown hair behind her ear.

“I’m sorry you had to fucking see that; it won’t happen again.”

She looks at me with concern.

“I’m just worried someone else has seen it, Arlo. What if that cop has it?”

“You don’t have to fucking worry about things like that; I’ve got this covered, I promise.”

Her shoulders relax before she speaks again.

“You’ve never seen it before?”

I blow out a big breath and rest my head back on the couch.

“When it happened, my cameras had been wiped clean; that’s why I originally thought it was a fucking robbery or hit for many years. It wasn’t until I killed my dad that my mom revealed that the footage had been kept.”

She lays her face on my chest and I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in close before kissing her cheek.

“I’ll fix this, Wren. No matter what it takes.”

After putting Cree to bed for his nap, I head down to the living room. When I notice Arlo is home early from work and is sitting in a relaxed pose on the couch, leaning on his elbow, one leg up, shirtless, I come to a stop in the doorway.

With his eyes focused on the screen of his MacBook, I wet my dry lips with my tongue as I admire him. As soon as he unexpectedly lifts his gaze and looks straight into my eyes without moving a single muscle, my breath catches in my throat.

We stare at each other, our powerful connection immediately sparking through the air, until he decides to break the silence between us.

“Are you going to stand there looking like a pretty fucking statue all day, or will I eventually get my kiss?”

My eyebrow rises, a smirk creeping across my lips as I decide to challenge him.

“Where's my kiss?”

He mimics my eyebrow raise while remaining motionless and his devilish eyes sweep me from head to toe. When he is finished analyzing my sarcastic demeanor, his black eyes collide with mine, and he elevates his chin ever so slightly before responding in an unbothered tone.

“Your hormones got you suddenly all fucked up and brazen, or are you gonna come back to reality and realize who the fuck you're talking to?”

I remain utterly still as he lifts his laptop and calmly sets it to the side of him on the couch before pointing to the floor between his legs.

“Come the fuck here.”

“When I don't react, he does by carefully standing up from the couch, and I take a slow step back with a big smile on my face, excitement swelling inside of me.”

“You don't want to play this game with me, baby; you know how it always ends for you.”

My eyes glisten when he says that and I bite my bottom lip before I respond.

“But the ending is always my favorite part.”

His lips twitch into a small, amused smirk, and he wipes his bottom lip with his thumb while glancing away. Suddenly, without warning, he pounces, and I squeak before whirling around to escape, but as per usual, he is way too fast for me and snatches my wrist, stopping me from going any further.

He pulls me into him, wrapping his strong, tattooed arms around the bottom of my back, drawing me close and I cloak mine around his neck. He smiles before tilting his face close to mine, gazing at my lips while speaking quietly.

“You're lucky I have to be gentle with you now because if I had my way, I would have bent you over this coffee table and rammed my cock so far into your cunt that you would be seeing stars.”

I take my bottom lip between my teeth again, my mind flooding with wild thoughts, before tiptoeing closer to his face.

“I miss the galaxy you used to take me to, baby, but now you take me to the furthest reaches of the universe, and it's the most beautiful place I've ever been.”

He searches deep into my eyes before gently moving his nose over mine, and our lips softly connect, delicately brushing, causing my entire body to tingle and my eyes to gradually close.

“How about that kiss?”

When he says that, he slowly takes my lower lip into his mouth, gently sucking it and dragging it back ever so slightly before releasing it. He places his warm tongue across my lips before capturing them as a soft sigh leaves me.

When I open my mouth to intensify the kiss, he slides his pierced tongue inside, and mine instantly unites with his. It doesn't take long for it to escalate into a powerful, passionate kiss, and we both become lost in it.

Butterflies fill me up as he combs the tips of his fingers through my hair and grasps the sides before carefully tilting my head back so he can slide his tongue in deeper. I sweep my palms down his strong chest, abs, and around his back, feeling as much of his warm, tattooed skin as possible.

When we eventually break off, we both open our heavy eyes and stare at each other, panting ever so slightly.

“That's exactly what I fucking needed.”

I smile at him and he places one last lingering kiss on my lips before scooping me up in his arms and carrying me over to the couch. As he crashes down onto it, I am forced to join him, and I curl up snuggly on his lap.

My eyes shift to his laptop, and the screen is now black, so I turn to look at him.

“Were you working on something?”

He calmly reaches for it and lifts it before placing it across my thighs. When he touches the sensitive mouse, the screen comes to life, and my eyes scan over a website of a real estate agent. I smile softly before resting my cheek on his shoulder and watching him scroll down the website.

“Fucking choose one.”

His bluntness makes me giggle and rub my palm against his chest.

“Don't normal people go to view them first, Arlo?”

“We’ve never been fucking normal.”

I laugh and he squeezes the side of my ass with his hand and he continues to scroll down. We spend some time looking at a few I like in the area, but the one I love the most, I insist we go and visit before we make such a big decision.

“I'll arrange it.”

I lift my head before capturing his lips softly without warning as a thank you, completely catching him off guard, and when it turns passionate, he brings his palm to the side of my head, gently sweeping his thumbs across my cheek.

As he begins to devour my mouth, losing all control, he moves with me, lowering me down until my back is on the couch and he is between my legs. His hand sneaks between us before he pops the button on my denim shorts and he lowers his hand into my panties.

A satisfied gasp escapes me as he circles my clit, breaking off the kiss, but he simply dips his head to french kiss my neck, smothering it with his pierced tongue. Extreme arousal creeps over my body as usual, and he rests back on his knees before tugging my shorts and panties roughly down my legs.

Once he has tossed them to the side, he grasps my knees and spreads my legs as wide apart as they will go before dropping his head between my thighs and devouring my pussy.

I clap my hand over my mouth, trying to suppress the big moan that wants to escape me. He isn't soft, as he uses his tongue and teeth, literally eating my pussy like it's his favorite meal, and he might never be able to have it again.

My back arches and my eyes roll to the back of my head in ecstasy while I reach down, gripping his soft hair tightly in my hand and forcing him to shove his entire face against me.

“Oh, fuck yes, Arlo, just like that.”

When he really starts working his magic on my clit, completely focusing on the end goal, my orgasm rips through me, and I scream out into my hand. He consumes me, forcing me to take the overbearing stimulation, and even if I want to close my legs, he won't let me.

I press down on his head to stop him as my body squirms and shakes, but he takes my wrists and pins them down firmly onto the couch. With his forearms on my spread inner thighs, he restricts me, making me take all he is giving me.

Destroying my pussy, he forces me to bear another crippling climax while growling against me. As he is through, he withdraws from my demolished pussy, and I gaze down at him through wide, hazy eyes.

I breathe heavily as he gives me a wicked grin before spitting on my pussy and licking his tongue all the way up my sensitive slit, filling his mouth with my come before placing a gentle kiss on my swollen clit.

“My pretty little cunt; all mine.”

I roll my eyes with a smile before he starts to creep his way up my body, placing a delicate, lingering kiss on my stomach on the way. He continues while keeping his dark eyes on mine,

and when he is looming over me, he speaks.

“When Cree wakes up from his nap, I'll take him to my mom's for the night, and you can get yourself ready.”

I slowly slide my hands up his ripped arms with a soft smile.

“Okay, baby, thank you.”

We share one last kiss before he retreats, and as I sit up, he grabs my shorts and panties from the floor before throwing them to me. When I catch them with a smile, he walks backwards with a sexy smirk on his lips and he winks.

“Get yourself looking respectable, slut.”

I stand in front of the bathroom mirror, applying my red lipstick and brushing my fingers through my long, thick, curly hair.

When he catches my attention from the corner of my eye in the doorway, I slip my feet into my tall, black, glossy heels before tugging my short, glittery green dress a little farther down my thighs.

He slowly steps forward, and when he is behind me, our eyes connect in the mirror before his greedily wander down the front of my body.

He turns his head, gazing at my side profile, before softly moving my hair behind my shoulder and dipping down until his soft, warm lips are on my neck. My eyes close instinctively, my breath hitching in my throat, before I rest my head back on his chest and he slowly moves both of his big palms up the front of my bare thighs, causing goosebumps to burst across my skin.

“Fuck, you look so goddamn good.”

He continues to move them, sliding the dress up as he goes, and when it's all the way up, he slips one hand between my thighs until he is cupping my bare pussy.

He growls against my ear, clearly pleased that I'll be completely exposed under this dress for him tonight.

“That's my good girl.”

He kisses my cheek before sliding my dress back down for me.

When I gently open my heavy eyes, he takes a step back before giving my ass a smack while making a head gesture toward the door.

“Let's get the fuck out of here. There's a car waiting outside for us.”

I raise an eyebrow with a grin before passing him, and as he prowls behind me, I can feel his feral eyes all over me.

When I've locked the door behind us, I observe Wren's ass and hips sway as she strides to the black Rolls Royce parked on my driveway with a chauffeur.

Her dress is fucking tiny, hugging her curves perfectly, and I know tonight is going to be a challenge for me, as it always is whenever I'm around her.

I open the door for her; she enters, and when I close the door behind her, I walk around to the other side to sit beside her.

She lights up with a big smile as she takes in the luxurious interior and starlit roof, something she has obviously never seen before.

“Wow, this is beautiful!”

When the car starts moving, I realize she hasn't put her seatbelt on, so I lean over her and pull on it before clipping it while keeping eye contact close to her face.

She smiles, her face glowing with flawless beauty, and places her hand on the side of my neck while glancing at my lips.

“Thank you.”

I give her a firm kiss on the lips before settling back and taking her hand in mine. As we drive for a while in silence, I stare out of the window beside me, lost in my own thoughts, and she leans in before speaking quietly in my ear.

“I've been meaning to ask you. Did you find out about the video?”

My jaw is tense as I remain motionless.

“No.”

She gives my hand a gentle squeeze before continuing.

“Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up.”

I turn my head quickly, and when our eyes meet, I speak firmly.

“Don't ever fucking apologize; I don't want to hear you say that. You can ask me whatever the fuck you want, whenever the fuck you want. Do you understand me?”

She searches my eyes, giving a small nod in approval before I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her in closer to me.

Yeah, it's pissing me off that I still haven't found that pig yet, and I'm still trying to get my hands on him, but I don't want Wren worrying about shit like that, especially whilst carrying my baby. I've got Jasper and some other soldiers working hard on it. I thought it would be a good idea to go out since, regardless of what has happened recently, we still deserve to have a good night out and spend time together. Also, I know Milo always throws a banging party.

Soon, we arrive for the birthday party of a good friend of mine, Milo Harris, whom I've known since high school. I assist her out of the car before throwing my arm over her shoulder as we enter.

As soon as we go inside, the venue is crowded, brightly colored, with a neon theme, and the music is loud, yet not loud enough for me to miss Wren's gasp.

“Oh my god! This is fucking amazing!”

“Yeah, Milo is known for his fucking crazy and over-the-top parties.”

The further we walk in, the more I see the bar area and take Wren there so I can get us both a drink. My hand travels down her back as we stand at the bar until it's on her peachy ass, and I give it a small squeeze before I speak.

“What do you want?”

“Any non-alcoholic cocktail, baby, thank you.”

When the waitress shows up, I order our drinks when I suddenly hear Milo's voice behind me.

“Arlo, mother-fucking Hayes!”

I turn around with a small smirk on my lips, and I slap my hand into his before we embrace with a pat on the back.

“It's good to see you here! I haven't seen you in a while. How are you, my brother?”

“I've been good.”

He gives me a small nod, and when Wren turns around, his eyes immediately go to her. A big smile forms on his face before his eyes move back to mine.

“This must be Wren, right?”

I side-eye as she extends her hand gracefully, with a big beaming smile, like the beautiful, classy woman she is, and he takes it in his.

“You must be Milo?”

He offers her a slight nod, evidently taken aback by how gorgeous she is, as are all the fucking men when she's around.

Wren exudes beauty and class, and she draws a lot of male attention without even trying, but she's my fucking girl. I have to force myself not to kill people every day because of the way they look at what's mine.

“That's right, it's really nice to meet you, Wren.”

“You too, and happy birthday! You've done a great job with this place; it's amazing.”

He smiles down at her, and when I notice our drinks are served, I give hers to her while Milo speaks.

“You guys should come and join us at my table tonight.”

“I give him a nod before we follow behind him.”

We soon arrive at a large table where a few other people I don't recognize are sitting, and when I take a seat, Wren, of course, chooses to use me as a fucking chair, which I love.

We all talk for a while and me and Milo catch up when suddenly I hear a voice saying my name.

“Arlo? Wren?”

My eyes dart to Izzy, whom I haven't seen since I killed Savannah's dad, my dad, and Cash, and as she approaches us, I sigh before glancing away, dragging Wren into me a little more.

“How are you guys?”

She takes the chair beside Milo, opposite us, and my eyes meet his as Wren responds to Izzy, completely oblivious to what this girl is capable of.

“We've been good, Izzy; it's good to see you. How have you been?”

Milo looks as though he has no idea what the fuck is going on, but he can probably tell by my clenched jaw that I'm uncomfortable. We all grew up together; Izzy, Savannah, and Bridget were a few years younger, but after we all left school, Milo kept out of the criminal world and went on with his life in an honest way.

We stayed in contact regardless, and I suppose he wouldn't have known to not invite certain people. I didn't think he was still in contact with Izzy, though, and now I'm left wondering who the fuck else is going to be here tonight that I despise.

“Yeah, I'm good. Thank you, Wren.”

Her eyes move to mine, and I just stare at her, staying expressionless and silent.

“It's good to see you, Arlo.”

I completely blank her, my jaw tense as I take a long swig of my drink while keeping eye contact. I don't fucking trust her. She was fucking Cash for years, and she is Savannah's best friend after all.

She moves her eyes from mine and looks at Wren again before speaking with a smile.

“We should go and dance, Wren.”

“I don't fucking think so.”

Her eyes snap to mine when the words roll off my tongue while placing my glass down on the table, and everyone has gone entirely silent around the table.

“Come on, Arlo. What have I ever done to you and Wren?”

“Whom you fuck with, I don't trust; therefore, I don't fucking trust you either.”

“I don't speak to anyone anymore, Arlo; I've moved on with my life, and I'm just trying to get my shit together.”

Wren turns to face me since her heartstrings have clearly been torn out of her chest, and as soon as our eyes lock, she flutters her eyelashes in an innocent way, causing me to grunt and glance aside.

“I won't be long, baby, and I'll stay in your line of sight at all times.”

My possessive self tells me no, but who the fuck am I to stop her from having fun if she wants it? In reluctance, I nod, and she shifts her head to the side, smiling as she brings her mouth close to mine before whispering.

“I love you.”

She presses her tongue deep into my mouth before kissing me so aggressively that I could ruin her tight cunt right here in front of everyone if she doesn't stop.

I break off the kiss before speaking with exposed teeth against her lips, forcefully.

“Get the fuck out of here, slut, before I fuck you up.”

She smiles widely, of course; she fucking smiles; she loves to test my fucking patience. She rises up off of me and Izzy stands up too, and I stare at Wren's ass as she strolls over to the dance floor.

“What was that about, bro?”

I respond to Milo while keeping my eyes on Wren.

“It's a long fucking story.”

“You're possessive over this chick, huh? She’s got you all fucked up."

I raise my eyebrow before looking his way and taking a long sip of my drink again.

“I don't blame you, bro. She is–”

My eyes narrow on his before I slam my glass down on the table.

“We may be friends, Mil, but shut the fuck up about my girl.”

He holds his hands up with a smirk before resting back in his seat.

“I'm only a human brother, and I'm just saying, you did good.”

My jaw tenses with annoyance, and I pull my eyes away from him to look at Wren as she dances.

“She's carrying my second child.”

He responds with shock in his deep voice.

“Why didn't you tell me, bro?”

From the corner of my eye, I notice him reach over the table with his hand for a shake and I take it as he speaks.

“Fucking congratulations. I'm so pleased to hear this. You deserve to be happy after—”

I give him a small, silent nod, knowing what he is referring to, before returning my gaze to Wren, and she seems to be having a good time, her sexy body moving to the music.

After a while of talking to Milo, my eyes have been fixed on Wren the entire time, but I soon find myself at a boiling point with how many guys she needs to reject to dance with tonight.

Luckily, Wren is stern, and from a distance, I can see her standing her ground, which I admire about her. She's grown so much since I first met her. Wren oozes class and elegance, but if she is pushed, she's now strong enough to stand her ground and tell people to fuck off when needed.

Soon, her eyes collide with mine, and she mouths that she is going to the restroom. I nod and observe her every move as she passes Izzy and exits the venue to the restrooms.

I walk up the stairs, following the signs to the restrooms and when I finally pass some people and get to the top, I enter the ladies' room.

There's a small group of girls in here doing their make-up, and they all glance my way, but I ignore them as I make my way straight into a cubicle. As I release my full bladder, I begin to think about Arlo and how he hasn't killed half of the venue tonight.

Suddenly there's a firm knock on my cubicle door, and I hear the girls whispering.

My eyebrows pinch with confusion when I answer.

“Just a sec!”

Another knock as I'm wiping, and I begin to think about how there were loads of free cubicles when I entered.

“There are other free cubicles, you know!”

There's another knock as I pull my dress down my thighs and flush the toilet before I mutter under my breath, feeling irritated.

“What the fuck!”

When I unlock the door with stern eyes, I open it to see Arlo standing there, giving me an intense stare that sends a thrill up my spine. My eyes move to the girls behind him, who are just staring, clearly wondering why the hell there’s a guy in here.

Arlo drags his feral gaze away from me to glance back at them and he speaks calmly but sternly

“Get the fuck out.”

They all leave quickly without protest, and he side-eyes them until they are all gone before bringing his hungry eyes back to mine again. He steps forward, causing me to step deeper into the cubicle, not breaking eye contact once until he is completely inside with me.

When he has closed and locked the door behind him, he backs me against the cubicle wall, completely in my space. As his lips move gently over mine, he runs his fingers lightly and slowly up my bare thighs, taking my dress with them, and my body becomes consumed with desire in an instant under this stare and touch.

The further my dress moves up, he speaks quietly.

“I'm gonna fuck you hard right here, Wren, and you're gonna to scream for me, so every fucking cunt in this venue knows what I'm doing to you and that you're mine.”

My eyes flutter close, and I whisper against his lips, feeling extremely needy already.

“Is that so?”

“Then you'll head out of here with my come plastered all over your exposed pussy and thighs, leaving my scent on you so everyone can smell both of our fucking arousal.”

I bite my bottom lip as my eyes gradually open while I move my hands through his leather jacket and run my palms up his bare body.

“I think I'd like that.”

“There will be no interruptions, and if anyone enters this restroom, I will continue to smash you into oblivion until we are both fucking satisfied.”

As we stare deeply, I loosen his belt between us before dragging his zipper down.

“Then fuck me into oblivion, Arlo.”

His lips immediately crash against mine and as our tongues collide, I pry his hard, heavy cock free.

We kiss domineeringly while he raises me and I circle his waist with my legs as he presses me against the cubicle wall before slipping his hard cock straight into my moist pussy. I release a satisfied moan as soon as he enters me before we resume the ferocious kiss, and he fucks me savagely.

With my arms wrapped around his neck, he raises his hands above us and clutches the top of the cubicle before driving further into me, causing me to scream

“Fuck!”

He hisses forcefully against my swollen lips.

“Fucking louder, you little slut! Don't you dare hold back.”

The pleasure becomes too much for me, and soon I'm screaming so loudly that it's not normal. We both completely disregard the fact that others come in and out every few minutes as we get lost in what we're doing. Every time he thrusts into me, he gets deeper, his piercing stroking the inside of me as my back slides up the wall.

He licks his pierced tongue all the way up my neck to my chin with a growl while I'm coming hard, and I fling my head back towards the wall, a big scream escaping me. Before I know it, I feel him fire his hot load deep inside my pussy.

We both rest our foreheads on each other, eyes closed, and breathe deeply as he slows his rhythm until he comes to a stop. When we open our eyes, he glances at my lips before capturing them in a hard kiss and then murmuring breathlessly against them.

“I fucking love you.”

I smile before kissing his lips gently.

“I love you too.”

When he lowers me to my feet, I slide my dress down my thighs and adjust myself while he fixes himself too before taking my hand, and we both exit the restrooms together.

As we enter the dance floor again, Izzy approaches me with a big smile on her face.

“How about one more dance, Wren, and then I'll leave you two alone for the night?”

I peer up at Arlo, who looks down at me before grudgingly releasing his firm grip on my hand and strolling away. I glance at Izzy and give her a small smile before we walk deeper onto the dance floor.

We dance until I feel a warm touch travel across the bottom of my back near my ass and my brows crease, before I turn around and look up into the bright blue eyes of a stranger with blonde hair.

“Wren?”

I stare at the young guy, perplexed, not recognizing him at all.

“Can I have this dance?”

“Who are you, and how do you know my name?”

I take a seat, slumping back in the chair with a huff before shooting the rest of my drink back.

“Where the fuck did you go?”

My eyes lift to Milo’s as I set my empty glass down on the table.

“I needed a piss.”

He raises an eyebrow, and I turn to check on Wren when I notice a guy in front of her with his back to me and his hand low on her back. A firestorm of anger runs through me instantly, and I sit forward swiftly.

She glares up at him, clenching her teeth and attempting to shove his hand away, but he simply flushes her closer to him.

“What the fuck! You're dead, motherfucker!”

Milo shouts, seeming confused, from opposite me as I stand up from my chair.

“Who?”

Fury pours into me as I round the table, reaching into my pocket and flipping out my knife while rushing toward the dance floor. Wren's wide eyes meet mine as I approach from behind him, but it's too late to stop me.

I wrap my arm around his neck from behind and I place the knife firmly against his throat.

“You fucked with the wrong man's girl!”

Wren shouts in an attempt to calm me down.

“Arlo!”

“Well, hello, brother-in-law.”

My brows pinch, and then my eyes widen when he speaks, the deep voice all too familiar.

“It didn't take you long to move on from murdering my fucking sister, I see.”

My jaw tightens as I stroll around him, my sharp blade remaining on his throat the entire time and when I look into his eyes, I see that it is, in fact, Bridget's younger brother, Carter.

“Don't look so surprised, Arlo. I know I'm grown and as big as you now and could easily snap your fucking neck for what you've done, but that's what time does to a man.”

My jaw tenses; the shock I was just feeling is now replaced with the fury swelling inside of me.

“I don't give a fuck who you are; remember who the fuck you're talking to.”

He smirks, standing his ground.

“I never did fucking like you, you piece of shit. She was always way too good for you.”

His eyes move to Wren, and he smiles.

“You'll be next, sweetheart.”

Anger strikes me, and I close the small gap between us until we're nose to nose. I press the knife beneath his chin, forcing him to raise it and stare into his eyes with loathing while speaking through clenched teeth.

“Shut the fuck up, you stupid little cunt.”

“How is my nephew, anyway? You know, the kid you've deprived my family of seeing for the past three fucking years?”

Rage surges through me, and just as I am ready to beat his mother-fucking disrespectful ass, Milo steps in between us and forces us apart while raising his voice.

“What the fuck!”

I take a few steps back and close my knife, but Milo keeps his hand on Carter's chest and stares at him, puzzled.

“Who the fuck are you, and what the fuck are you doing at my party?”

Carter smiles and then glances my way.

“I'm on a date.”

He makes a head motion behind me with a sneer on his lips, and as I cast a sidelong glance over my shoulder, Savannah passes by me.

I sigh and look aside, becoming extremely irritated just at the sight of her. I purse my lips before lifting my eyes to see him bring her close, and they start making out, madly all over one another, making me feel fucking nauseous.

Before I kill them both, I grab Wren's hand, and just as I pull her away from this shitshow to take her home, Savannah speaks.

“You're not staying for the party, Arlo?”

I stop, and when I turn around to storm toward her, Wren jumps in front of me, stopping me by placing her hands on my chest.

“Let's just get out of here, baby.”

I pull my enraged stare away from Savannah’s smug face and look down at Wren's angelic face with pleading eyes, luring me in. I give her a small nod before placing my arm around her shoulder and leading her out of the party.

It's silent in the Rolls Royce on the ride home, but I know Wren probably has a thousand questions for me about what the fuck happened tonight, and to be honest, I have a lot of questions myself. What the fuck is Carter doing with Savannah?

I would have killed him there and then if it was anyone else talking to me like that, but the thought of killing another one of Cree’s family members wasn’t sitting right with me. Carter and Savannah being together raises all of my red flags; something is going down. I can feel it and I need to find out what it is.

Suddenly, my phone begins to ring in my jeans pocket, and when I pull it out, I see it's Jasper calling. I answer it and place the phone on my ear.

“Yeah?”

“Bro, one of our cameras has picked up that cop at one of the old spots. The fucker is there right now!”

When Jasper says the words, my brow raises.

“Text me which spot.”

When I end the call, I slide my phone back in my pocket and glance over at Wren, who is already looking at me.

“I'll drop you home, and then I've got to go do something real quick, but I'll be back soon.”

She gives me a hesitant nod before glancing away until I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it.

When her eyes find mine again, I speak against her hand.

“You've probably got a lot to fucking say, but we'll speak about it later, okay?”

When we enter the house, she slowly turns around to face me, and I can see by her expression that she isn't happy with what happened tonight.

I reach for her wrist and pull her into me before holding her close while searching her eyes.

OceanofPDF.com

“I'll be back soon, okay?”

“Where are you going?”

I inhale deeply before responding.

“I just need to take care of some business, that's all, but I won't be long.”

I can feel the worry radiating off of her as she purses her lips and looks away.

“Okay.”

I reach my hand beneath her long, thick hair and gently hold the nape of her neck, bringing her gaze back to mine.

“You don't have to worry about anything. I've fucking got this.”

“For how long?”

My brows furrow slightly, and we simply stare at each other before she continues.

“How long until things become worse and I lose you?”

I just look at her, unsure what to say.

“Will it always be this way? Every time we walk out the door, are our lives in danger? Our babies? Cree's?”

I close my eyes briefly and look aside.

“This is who I am, Wren.”

“Is it?”

My eyes return to hers, and she speaks softly, her huge eyes glistening with tears.

“Or is this what they made you to be?”

As I remain silent, it becomes deafening between us, and after a moment, I stand taller while releasing her.

“I'll be back soon.”

I turn away from her, but I can feel her watching me as I leave the house without saying anything else.

I'm driving to one of our abandoned sites with one hand on the wheel and with the other, I rub my palm across my face, stuck in thought, irritation swallowing me.

Yeah, I understand that she's worried since she's pregnant, but I don't know anything beyond what I've grown up with and lived around my entire life. This is who I am, and I will never change. This is my way of life, and it's not for the faint of heart.

Once we're in, there's no way out but death. Wren will get used to it; she's already made it this far. She's just a touch hormonal right now, and I'm not one of those fucks who fails to understand where a woman is coming from when it comes to hormones.

Well, I fucking hope that's the case anyway and she's not having second thoughts about us.

Now I'm prepared to go kill this fucking cop. Someone must have given him a shit tip-off because where he is now isn't a place we use anymore. When I killed my dad, I had everything moved, including drugs, firearms, money, and everything else shady we do. I wasn't taking any fucking chances.

As I pull up some distance away from the spot, I turn my headlights off since I intend to ambush him. I sit in complete darkness for a moment, releasing a deep breath before reaching over, opening the dash compartment, and pulling out a black balaclava and pistol.

I pull the balaclava down over my face before checking the clip in the gun. When I see it's full, I cock it back, reach over again, and take the spare full clip too. I open the door beside me before stepping out of the car and gently closing it behind me.

While stalking across the long, overgrown field, I spot a car parked outside of the old, broken-down structure and I come to a halt before squatting down. I track the vast area with my eyes as the full moonlight illuminates it, and I listen out for any movement.

When I can't hear anything, I keep moving carefully ahead, as slowly and quietly as possible.

I'm not stupid; I know I'm dealing with a fucking highly skilled killer here, likely far more skilled than anything I've ever been trained for.

When I'm close enough to the building, I lean back against the brick and listen again. It's still quiet, other than the crickets in the tall grass surrounding me. I sneak around the building to a known entry, and when I get there, I discreetly enter the shadowy building.

The aroma is foul and potent as I enter the corridor. Urine and dampness linger in the air, but I brush them off as I creep forward stealthily.

I pass many doors, aiming my gun fiercely, expecting a surprise attack at any moment, until I reach a large, empty expanse with huge pillars stretching as far as the moonlight allows me to see.

I dart behind a pillar when I hear a disturbance from the far end of the huge region, and it echoes around me. I crouch down before peering around the pillar when a bullet suddenly zips by me, the air of how close it was brushing across my face as I draw my head back swiftly.

My nostrils expand before I rise up, mentally calculating where it came from.

“Well, well, well, Arlo, I'll give it to you; I wasn't expecting you here.”

When he speaks, I now know he's behind me to the far left, so I lean back before responding.

“What are you doing here, cunt? You're no longer useful to the FBI anymore.”

He laughs before he responds.

“Thanks to you, and fuck them; I'm doing my own investigation.”

My eyebrow rises.

“You won't find much here; you're in the wrong fucking spot, motherfucker.”

“You're right; I am in the wrong spot. Well, I was just a moment ago, and now I am exactly where I want to be. You're here, which is even fucking better for me.”

I laugh and shake my head.

“You die tonight, pig. You're gonna wish you weren't fucking here; trust me on that.”

“Is that so, Arlo?”

As his voice echoes, I can tell he was moving when he spoke the words, so I quickly aim my gun and shoot when I see a shadow, but he hastily retreats behind a pillar.

I draw back and rest against the pillar again.

“You need to accept your fate, cop. I did warn you not to fuck with me.”

“And what about your fate?”

As he continues, my nostrils flare once more, and I pucker my lips in annoyance.

“What are the repercussions of your actions? Do you really think you can go your whole miserable life killing the loved ones of other people and not face the consequences?”

I grit my teeth as I respond.

“The person you're looking for is already fucking dead. I had nothing to do with your daughter's death.”

He clicks his tongue before responding.

“See, that's where you're wrong, Arlo. You and your father are the same person.”

My jaw tenses and rage mounts within me.

“I'm absolutely nothing like that motherfuck was.”

“No?”

“Killing your wife and killing innocent people time and time again out of greed and selfishness? No, you're right; you're not your father; you're much fucking worse!”

In my chaos, I rapidly pivot and dart towards a pillar on my left side, wanting to get closer to him.

He shoots his gun as I go along, missing every single shot, before I lean against another pillar.

“And I was told you are a highly trained killer. What a load of fucking shit!”

His deep chuckle bounces off the walls.

“If I'm so shit, why don't you come here?”

“Why don't you come here, pussy? You're the fucking professional, after all. Come and face me.”

“Your time is coming, Arlo, and if I don't finish you, someone else will. Poor Cree, Wren, and your unborn child can then live a happy life without the despair and hurt you bring them. They will be better off.”

Driven mad, I reveal myself around the corner and shoot my pistol repeatedly as he flees to another pillar. I take a confident stride forward, rapidly pressing the trigger in an attempt to strike him with a shot, and when I do, he groans.

I rest against another pillar, getting closer to him, and I can hear him panting nearby. I take the new clip from my pocket and insert it into my pistol before cocking it back as I speak breathlessly.

“Don't ever talk about my family, motherfucker.”

I'm not sure where I struck him, but I know I need to complete this fast before the feds show up here.

“How did Cree and Wren like the video of you murdering your wife, by the way?”

My face hardens as he continues.

“It won't stop here. You have made many enemies, Arlo. You're now putting your loved ones in danger, which is only what you deserve.”

My body trembles so violently that it's difficult for me to concentrate, yet I manage to speak with my jaw clenched.

“That better not have been a fucking threat to my family, you old fuck!”

“And what if it is?”

I turn the corner again as I hear him move, but this time he strikes me in the shoulder, temporarily knocking my arm back.

I dust it off and continue to fire rounds, attempting to hit him in the darkness as his shadow dashes across the vast area.

When my clip dries out, I notice him opening a back door before I sprint towards him. Once I get outside and the night air hits me, he is already in his car and speeding off.

I roar, then draw my fist back and punch the brick wall with power before laying my forehead against it and breathing heavily.

“FUCK!”

I feel a slight discomfort on my shoulder and glance down, realizing he has merely grazed it with a bullet.

When I hear police sirens in the far distance, I groan before strolling toward my car.

Driving home, I'm outraged because the fucker got away.

What the fuck is wrong with me? He was right there in front of me. How the fuck did I not kill him? I feel like I am off my fucking game, or maybe I underestimated him.

When I arrive at my house, I get out of the car and close the door behind me before strolling up the lengthy path.

I enter the front door with my hand over the wound on my shoulder, my blood trickling through my fingers. The house is dark, motionless, and peaceful as I make my way upstairs to my bathroom to retrieve a first-aid kit.

When I enter the bedroom, Wren is lying on her side on the bed, wearing one of my t-shirts, which appears enormous on her tiny frame. She's listening to her beats while staring at her phone, and as I draw her attention, she sits up swiftly before dragging her beats off her head.

Her gaze shifts to my bloodied hand on my shoulder, and when her startled eyes reach mine again quickly, my jaw tenses before I walk into the bathroom.

I reach up and open a cupboard as I stand at the bathroom counter, grabbing the box and placing it in front of me.

While opening the box, I cast a sidelong glance at her as she enters and carefully steps towards me. I start taking everything out of the box that I'll need to stitch the graze until she squeezes in front of me, climbing up onto the counter, and I remain motionless between her thighs.

She offers me an affectionate smile before beginning to unbutton my shirt. When she's finished, she softly stretches it over my shoulders. We maintain eye contact as she slides it down my arms until it lands at my feet.

She takes her gaze away from mine and takes a good look at the wound, and I watch her every move as she sighs before starting to prepare things.

“How did you do this?”

She doesn't look at me, still prepping, and I remain silent, my jaw tensing as I glance away.

“You're not going to tell me, no?”

Both of us look at each other now, and I speak firmly.

“What the fuck does it matter? I got shot; end of fucking story.”

Her eyebrows raise before she looks down at everything again.

“It matters to me, Arlo.”

“That fucking cop; happy?”

She ignores my nasty demeanor and tears open an antiseptic wipe without looking at me.

“Did you kill him?”

I speak through clenched teeth, looking aside.

“No.”

When she places the wipe on my wound, I hiss and sharply glare down at her.

She has a smirk across her lips as she continues to wipe around it.

“Surely you're used to pain by now. I know I sure am.”

Her mischievous eyes meet mine, and I raise an eyebrow.

“Yeah, well, it could have been a lot fucking worse for you. You're lucky I didn't get to the point where I officially fucking broke you as planned.”

She still has a small smile on her lips as she gazes at the wound again. Once she's finished cleaning it, she looks down at the first-aid box again.

“So, what happens now?”

I ignore her, and when she raises her hand to sew it, I grab her wrist before speaking sternly.

“I don't fucking think so.”

She lifts her eyebrow as she responds.

“I'm not completely useless, Arlo. I know what I'm doing.”

We exchange serious stares before I release her wrist and turn my face away.

When she begins, I let out a low growl and close my eyes.

“You didn't answer me, baby. What happens now?”

“What always happens... We wait, and when the opportunity arises again, I'll fucking kill him.”

I stare down at her as she concentrates, and she remains mute, but I know she wants to question shit.

“Just spit out what you need to fucking say, Wren.”

She inhales deeply, still stitching as she begins.

“Bridget's brother. What he said about Cree.”

“What about it?”

Her eyes meet mine as she pauses.

“Why did you stop them from seeing him?”

I sigh and look away.

“When Bridge died, they blamed me and my way of life, and they fought me in court for custody of Cree. Unfortunately for them, I had the best attorney in the fucking city, but it got messy.”

“And after? They didn't get any rights at all?”

I shake my head before raising my chin.

“I won him completely, but I did give them the opportunity to fucking see him, and they did at first, but the contact fizzled out over time, and he hasn't seen them for around two years now.”

Her eyebrows raise before she returns her focus to the last part of the wound.

“That surprises me.”

“It is what the fuck it is. They had a choice; they fucked it, and now they can fuck off.”

“It's just a shame, that's all.”

I stay silent as she cuts the thread.

“And why was he with Savannah? Do you think it's a set-up or genuine?”

I grit my teeth.

“Nothing is fucking genuine where that snakey bitch is concerned.”

When she remains silent once more, I decide to press her to reveal what she said before I left tonight.

“What was that about before I left tonight?”

She ties the stitch as she responds gently.

“I'm just worried about you, that's all.”

“So, you're not leaving me?”

Her eyes met mine quickly, her brows creased and she paused from what she was doing.

“What?”

I look away, my jaw tense.

“You just need to tell me, Wren, so I can prepare for my fucking sanity.”

She reaches out and brings her warm palm to my face, causing me to look down at her.

“You're serious?”

I just stare at her and she looks deep into my eyes, reaching into my fucking soul.

“I love you more than anything or anyone, Arlo. I would never fucking leave you. Just because I worry about you and this world, it scares me but that doesn't mean I'm going to get up and leave you, baby. I know exactly what this is, and I'm willing to spend eternity with you, for better or worse, because you're worth it.”

I just gaze at her, my heart filling a little more with love whenever she says sappy shit like this. She gives me a closed smile when I don’t respond before she wraps a bandage around my arm.

As soon as she is finished, I surround her with my hands on either side of the counter, bringing my face close to hers, and my gaze falls on her pink, full lips.

“So, why won't you fucking marry me?”

Her eyes search mine before she responds quietly.

“I didn't say I wouldn't marry you.”

“No, you just didn't answer at all.”

She straightens up in a defensive stance and her pretty little nose scrunches up.

“I didn't think you were serious.”

I seize her throat without warning, tilting her head back as I stand tall again, and I speak with gritted teeth close to her face.

“I'm deadly, fucking serious. I've never been so serious and sure about anything in my entire life.”

I quickly wrap my other arm around her lower back, my palm remaining on her throat, and draw her closer to my body.

She breathes heavily against my lips, desire filling her big brown eyes from the closeness of our bodies.

“You're fucking everything to me, Wren. You keep me sane in this fucked-up life. You're my solitude, my soul mate, and I need you by my side for the rest of my days.

My eyes drop to her parted lip before I continue.

“You and Cree give me a reason to live. You feed my dark fucking soul with your light on a daily basis, and I didn't realize how much I needed that until you came into my life. You're the only person I've met who has ever possessed the power to make me surrender all that I know for you in an instant. I'd fall at your feet, Wren; that's how much I fucking cherish you.”

I notice her eyes getting all glassy with tears, and her bottom lip trembles ever so slightly.

“Of course, I'll marry you.”

My eyes soften, and I press my lips against hers while murmuring.

“Shhh… That part comes when I place a pretty ring on your finger. I just wanted to know if you're definitely in this with me. Your silence got me a little fucked up.”

I rest my brow against hers with my eyes closed and slowly move my hand to the side of her neck, my thumb gently sweeping down her jaw.

“I'm going to give you everything you've ever wanted, Wren. I'm going to give you the fucking world, just as you deserve.”

She sniffles before responding with a whisper.

“I already have the world right here in front of me. You're all I've ever wanted. You say that you need me, but I don't think you realize just how much I need you, and that's what scares me the most.”

She moves her hands to my neck and wraps her arms around it, her fingers pressing into my hair.

“I can't ever lose you, Arlo.”

She softly brushes her lips against mine as she continues.

“My light would die inside because it only shines brightly for you.”

When she gently kisses my lips, I kiss her back, capturing her soft lips with mine before pressing my tongue deep into her mouth. A soft moan escapes her as hers collides with mine, and I press my hands up her thick thighs until I'm gripping her juicy ass into my palms and lifting her around me.

As we continue to consume each other's mouths, I carry her to the bedroom and sit on the bed, dragging her down with me as I lie back.

As she grinds her needy pussy down onto my solid cock, I grasp her curvy, sexy hips, and she reaches between us before flicking open my button on my jeans and sliding the zipper down.

I grab a handful of her hair and yank it back, leading her to break off the kiss and I ravage her delicate neck with my tongue and teeth.

She slips her hand into my boxers, releasing my leaking dick, and I release her hair before grasping the t-shirt she is wearing into my hands and rapidly pulling it up her body until it's off and she is entirely exposed to me.

As she continues to twist her hips and shove her tongue deep into my mouth, her huge tits slide up and down my bare chest until she positions my cock at her damp entrance.

While she lowers her snug cunt onto me, a delighted gasp escapes her against my lips until I am deep inside of her.

I rise on my elbow to observe her bounce on my cock when she sits back. When she gets going, she moans loudly and throws her head back, utterly consumed by desire, which is always a beautiful sight.

I glide my palm down her throat and chest before grasping her tit tightly as it bounces in my hand.

I admire her at work, but as she gets faster and faster, I tighten my grasp on her throat, causing her to lift her head forward and gaze down at me, disrupting her pace.

“Nice and fucking slow, beautiful. I want you to take your time with both of us.”

She takes her time with her grind. Raising up and sliding back down slowly as we keep steady eye contact.

I drift my palm down her chest again, relishing how good she looks and feels riding my cock while continuing to move it down her body.

“That's it, just like that.”

After some time, I rise onto my hands, and she strokes her palms down my tattooed chest before tilting her head and kissing me tenderly. She lays her forehead on mine, her eyes closed, her brows pinched, and her lips parted slightly, letting forth gasps and moans.

I squeeze my palm against her throat again, and she opens her heavy eyes to stare into mine, and I speak through clenched teeth.

“Faster.”

She raises her head and rests her hands on my shoulders before bouncing up and down again while I keep my hand on her throat. My dark gaze wanders all over her perfect body, and I firmly grip her bouncing breast again in my palm.

“Harder.”

She slams her soaked pussy down onto my cock with greater power and pace, causing her moans to intensify, and I start to lose all control. I roll her onto her back without warning, my dick still buried deep inside of her, before I hover over her, and I press my hand around her throat again, pinning her firmly to the bed.

I flex my hips, fucking her deep and slow, and her legs part wider as I press further into her soaked pussy.

“You love me fucking you slow, don't you, my little slut? You like me making love to you.”

She bites her bottom lip, her eyes peering up at me, before tilting her head back and answering breathlessly.

“I fucking love it.”

Her come drips all down my fucking balls, and I can't help but get more feisty after a while of sweet lovemaking.

I grab her face, squeezing her cheeks, making her look at me.

“Now I'm going to fuck you exactly how I fucking love it.”

I grasp her wrists and raise them above her head before locking them in place with one hand wrapped around both of them.

I dip my head and lick my pierced tongue around her firm nipple as I boost my pace and bury my cock far into her juicy cunt.

When I bite it and she hisses, I drag it back with my teeth with a growl in my throat, enjoying causing her suffering while giving her pleasure at the same time. When I release it, I move on to the next one and repeat the process.

I bring my mouth to the side of her neck and bite down, burying my teeth into her skin, causing her to moan and accept it like my fucking good girl. I reach down, placing the tips of my fingers between her already parted pussy lips until they are touching her throbbing clit.

I slam myself into her, driving deep into her, my balls smacking against her ass, and she begins to scream for me.

“That's it, baby. Fucking scream for me and let me hear exactly what I fucking do to you.”

“I'm going to... I'm going to..."

When I feel her pussy clench down and pulse around my cock, her legs tighten and quake around me and I continue to bang her through the highest points of her orgasm until it's time for me to surrender to ecstasy.

As soon as I come, I press my forehead against hers and let out a beastly growl, my entire body tingling from the sensation.

My rhythm slows, and my body becomes slack while I pant into the crook of her neck and we both battle to control our irregular breathing. I roll onto my back, bringing her with me, and she lies beside me, close to my body, with her cheek on my chest.

After a while of silence between us, I prop up on my elbow, forcing her to lay back and I gaze down at her.

“Did you contact the doctor I referred you to?”

She smiles before giving me a small nod.

“We have an appointment next week, and they are going to scan me, so you better clear your busy schedule!”

My brow rises, a small smirk on my lips, before I glance down at her stomach, my palm slowly moving across it.

“I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

She lays her hand on mine, and I return my eyes to hers.

“I think you're going to give me a daughter.”

Her eyes soften as I continue.

“She'll look just as beautiful as you. Big brown eyes, sun-kissed skin, and dark, thick hair.”

She smiles widely as she responds.

“You'll have trouble on your hands.”

“Many lives will be fucking lost.”

As she giggles, I just stare at her, feeling completely in love with her, before tilting my head down, and we kiss passionately with her palm on the side of my neck.

It's late in the morning, and I'm in my office, waiting for Jasper, while I stare down at the small, black box in my fingers, sweeping my piercing across my lips, deep in thought.

When I hear a knock, I sit forward as I answer.

“Yeah?”

I stand as he walks in, reaching over to grasp his hand in mine before we both take a seat.

“That cop has apparently fled back to LA, Arlo.”

I give a small nod before responding.

“I know. I've got our soldiers working over there to catch him and bring him fucking back, but that's not why you're here. I need you to do something for me today.”

He rests back in the chair, glancing at me suspiciously before giving me a small nod to continue.

“I'm worried about Wren's safety right now, so I need you personally to take her shopping for me today.”

His brows raise.

“What for?”

“I've arranged for my mom to go get Cree for the day, and she'll drop him back later tonight when I text her, but Wren thinks he is staying there for the night. I want you to take her to this dress shop downtown.”

I slide a business card with the address and my Platinum credit card across the desk with my fingers, and he leans over to take it.

He looks down at it as he speaks.

“Why?”

“The assistants there are expecting her arrival and will give her whatever the fuck she wants. Make sure she doesn't hold back from spending shit on my card, and preferably sway her to pick a white dress. I've texted her, telling her we're going out tonight to an Elite Ball event, and she knows you're going to take her into the city to find something to wear.”

He eyes me suspiciously again before raising his chin.

“What fucking event?”

I sigh before placing the ring box on the desk and opening it. His mouth drops open and he leans forward to take a good look at it.

“You're fucking proposing?”

I raise an eyebrow before resting back in my chair again.

“Don't you dare tell her shit.”

He makes a zip motion over his lips before he speaks with a wide smile.

"Congratulations, brother; I'm so fucking pleased for you.”

I give a small nod before making a head gesture toward the door.

“Now get going and make sure she enjoys herself today; I've got a ton of shit to do.”

He nods before standing, and I watch as he walks toward the door and exits.

I close the front door behind me and walk down the long path toward Jasper's car. When I get inside, I close the door behind me and offer Jasper a big smile.

“Hey, Jasp, How are you?”

“I'm good, thanks, and you?”

“Yeah, I'm okay.”

He gives me a smile before driving through the gates.

“Sorry, you're having to do all this. I don't understand why Arlo just didn't let me go on my own.”

“It's cool, Wren. He just wants to see you safe in the city. It's busy there, you know?”

I sigh as I rest back in the seat and glance at the road ahead.

“I guess so.”

After a short drive, we park the car before making our way to a dress shop, weaving through the traffic of busy people walking in every direction. As soon as we enter, I look around in amazement at how classy and beautiful it is.

I suddenly feel underdressed until I see a shop assistant come forward with a big, welcoming smile.

“Hey, you must be Wren?”

I shake her hand with a smile and give a small nod.

“So, a big event tonight? Do you have anything in mind?:

I give a small head shake as I respond.

“I don't have a clue on style, but I'm feeling a nice bright color, such as white or pale pink.”

“Perfect! Would you like a drink before we get started?”

“Sure! I'll just have iced water, please.”

She clicks her fingers at another assistant, who hurries toward us.

“Can you please fetch Wren some iced water?”

The assistant nods with a smile before hurrying away again.

“Okay, let's get started. We have a fantastic range of dresses in white or pale pink that will look fabulous on you.”

Jasper takes a seat on the plush couches as I pick out a couple that I like before making my way to the changing rooms.

The assistant helps me into the pale pink dress first before opening the curtain, allowing me to step out and look at myself in the large mirror.

I see Jasper observing me from afar, and I turn around to face him.

“What do you think?”

His eyes hesitantly wander down my body, as if he doesn't really want to look, but he doesn't want to be rude and ignore me at the same time.

“Try the white one on; I think it'll look better.”

I give a small nod before staring at myself in the mirror again, running my hands down the front.

“Okay, let's see what the white one looks like!”

We return to the changing rooms, and again, the assistant helps me into the dress before tightening the back for me.

When she draws the curtains open once more, I gaze at myself in the mirror, and I think I much prefer this one. It’s white silk, off the shoulder, that hugs my waist like a bandage but has a long and flared bottom.

“Much better. Arlo would appreciate that one.”

I laugh and shake my head before turning around and checking the back.

“I think this is perfect, but I feel like I'm getting married.”

“Ignore those thoughts. It looks great on you.”

The assistant, who is standing behind me with a beaming smile, joins in on praising me.

“He isn't wrong, Wren. You look stunning.”

I turn to face the front again with a smile on my face.

“Okay, how much is it?”

She takes the price tag from the back into her hand before responding.

“This one is $9,640.”

My eyes bulge and my jaw hangs low.

“Oh no, I couldn't possibly.”

“You're getting the dress, Wren.”

I look at Jasper sharply, and he stands calmly before walking toward me. When he is standing in front of me, he gives the shop assistant a head gesture to leave us alone for a moment.

When she is gone, he speaks quietly.

“Arlo has given me strict instructions that you can have whatever you want, no matter the price.”

“But there's much cheaper stuff here that will look just as good.”

He smirks while responding.

“Arlo sent you here because he knew the fucking prices were high.”

Still feeling that it’s too much money, I continue to protest.

“But it's just one night; I might never wear it again.”

He lays his hands on my shoulders and looks at me at eye level.

“Put your pride aside, Wren, and let him spoil you. This isn't going to make him fucking bankrupt, trust me.”

I let out a defeated sigh as I glance away. When he removes his hands from my shoulders, I look up at him and reluctantly give a small nod of acceptance.

He smiles widely before looking back at the assistant again.

“She'll take this one.”

After entering my car and closing the door behind me, I pause for a while, feeling frustrated and fatigued from the day's shady Elite meetings. I reach for the engagement ring box in my pocket, which has been there all day, reminding me how huge tonight will be for the three of us.

When I open it, I gaze down and observe it sparkle against the light before closing it again with a slight smile on my lips. I reach over to get my suit jacket before placing it in the inside pocket and then pulling my phone out of my sweatpants to text Wren.

“Are you home yet?”

“Not yet; we're just about to leave, though.”

“Did you find anything nice?”

“I did, and I'm sure you'll love it.”

“Yeah, fucking love ripping it off you later.”

“Lol. Oh, don't do that; it wasn't cheap.”

I smirk before I respond.

"Good. It'll be worth destroying it to get it off your sexy body. All that cash was well spent.”

After that, I slip my phone back into my pocket and drive home to get ready for tonight.

When I finally arrive home, the sun is setting, and there's no sign of Jasper's car. When I’ve opened the car door, I step out calmly before closing it behind me. I stroll up the path, my keys jingling in my hand, and when I reach the front door, I enter the key. While pushing the door open and entering, a text message suddenly came through on my phone again.

Once I'm fully inside and ready to close the door behind me, I dig deep into my sweatpants pocket to retrieve it.

My eyes scan across the screen, reading Wren's text.

“Today has been perfect, baby. Thank you. I love you so much x”

Smiling, I swipe my thumb across the screen to unlock it so I can text back.

Suddenly, I sense someone near me, and as I’m ready to turn around, a gloved hand slaps over my mouth from behind, followed by a powerful, sharp puncture to the side of my neck.

I resist the cunt, whipping my knife from my sleeve, but I can feel my body weakening rapidly, and before I know it, I'm on my knees, my eyes close, and I fall onto my front with a thud.

Jasper and I are caught in New York traffic as the sun sets. I continuously check my phone, realizing that Arlo has yet to respond to my text, which is rare for him. As my anxiety grows, I sigh and sink back in my seat, and Jasper notices right away.

He gives me a sidelong glance before returning his attention to the road ahead, driving slowly.

“What's up?”

I shake my head before responding.

“I just have a feeling that things are strange right now. I'm constantly worried about Arlo; his mental health is in such a good place, but I can tell he's worried about me as well.”

He glances my way again.

“It'll be okay, Wren. Arlo always fixes things and comes out on top.”

I glance at him, my head resting comfortably on the seat, before I respond softly.

“Has it always been this way?”

He gives a nod before looking forward again.

“Arlo has always been this way of life for as long as I can remember. After all, he was taught by our father, and while I despised that man, I can always admit that he was a nasty, vicious bastard who was feared by all. What he wasn't aware of was that while he was grooming Arlo to be far worse than him in this world, his demise and punishment would be what he created, turning on him, but it was only what he deserved.”

I observe him as I take in his words before questioning him.

“When things get this intense and worrying, shouldn't he have some sort of security around him? Isn't that part of being a boss?”

He looks at me quickly now, with an eyebrow raised.

“Wren, that isn't Arlo. Yes, bosses may do that in other cities, but when it comes to Arlo, he takes matters into his own hands like a real man when it gets personal. There's no stopping him; he's a ruthless and brave motherfucker, and people should know better. He would be offended to even suggest it. Yeah, he might get his soldiers embroiled when it's a war, but never for personal matters.”

I let out another sigh before I respond.

“Sometimes I feel like I know him completely at home, but I don't have a clue who he is to the outside world.”

“That isn't always a bad thing; in fact, it should make you feel special because, believe me, no one in the Elite world sees Arlo as 'in love', and it's more than what his mom got with our dad. Arlo is a good man to those he loves—maybe not to the outside world, but he loves fiercely, and I admire him as my big brother.”

After a while of navigating the traffic, it's almost dark, and we're finally pulling up to the house. Jasper keeps the engine running, and as I unclip my seatbelt, I look over at him.

“Are you not stopping in?”

“Nah, I'll leave you two lovebirds to get ready and have a good night.”

I smile, and he hands me a credit card, which I take with confusion on my face.

“Give this to Arlo for me, please.”

I give a nod in return, feeling a little excited about tonight, and then reach for my dress from the backseat.

“Thanks for today, Jasp; it's been fun!”

He gives me a wink with a smile before I exit the car and close the door behind me.

I stroll carefully up the path, waving at Jasper as he drives away before proceeding to the front door. I toss my dress over my shoulder, and when I reach the door, I notice it's slightly open, which immediately alerts my senses.

I carefully push it open with my palm, but when I smell a strong gasoline odor, I freeze and don't go any further. My eyes become wider as soon as I hear a man shouting in the house, a voice I don't seem to recognize from afar.

My heart is pounding in my chest, and I begin to suspect that something is seriously wrong. I back up a few steps and place my dress on the floor by the entrance before slowly making my way around the side of the massive mansion.

While ducking under the windows as I pass by them, the voice becomes considerably louder after reaching the backyard. My chest rises and falls with each breath as I rest against the wall beside the wide patio doors.

I try to slow my erratic breathing before carefully peering into the window to see if I can see anything. I notice movement in the dining room and push my face closer to the glass, squinting my eyes to see better. When I spot that cop with a baseball bat by his side, my gaze moves until I see Arlo tied to a chair, who appears unrecognizable.

My gut shifts, and my eyes flood with heartbreak and tears as I observe his battered and bloodied face. I withdraw quickly, trying to think fast in my frantic mind.

When I suddenly hear a loud thud followed by a groan, I peer into the window once more to see the cop take the bat and smack it so hard into Arlo's knee that my toes curl and my eyes clamp tightly shut.

I recoil and lean against the brick wall again, trying to breathe through the panic, but wrath quickly takes the place of fear, and I rush around the side of the house, my nostrils flared.

Ducking low once again, I want to find a weapon in the garage. When I finally get to the front of the house, I sprint toward the garage and enter the code with shaking hands.

As soon as it opens for me, I dash toward the car Arlo said to go to and open the trunk, which reveals all the weapons inside.

I quickly pull my phone out of my back pocket and swipe up my contacts until I land on Jasper. I press the call button and place the phone on my ear, holding it in place with my shoulder as I pick up the pistol, pulling the clip from the bottom.

When it rings, it feels like he is taking forever to answer, and I become frustrated.

“Fucking pick up!”

Suddenly he answers, and I exhale a big breath.

“Wren?”

“Jasper, you need to come back now!”

“What's wrong? Why do you sound like that?”

“That cop has Arlo tied to a chair, and he is being beaten badly!”

“What!?”

“The house is doused in gasoline! Please hurry!”

A tear rolls down my eye, and my stomach is in knots.

“He's going to kill him, Jasp!”

“I'm stuck in traffic quite far away, but I'm leaving my car right now and running to you! Don't enter the fucking house, Wren, whatever you do!”

He hangs up the phone, and I shove the clip back into the gun before cocking it back and wiping the tears from my face. I close the trunk, shove the phone into my back pocket again, and make my way outside.

I continue the path around until I'm at the back of the house again, and I peek into the window.

“You and your pathetic business killed my fucking daughter!”

When the cop shouts, my brows pinch, not knowing what the hell he is talking about. He points the baseball bat in Arlo's face, swaying back and forth before continuing.

“You should die. After everything you've fucking done, it should have been you buried, not her!”

I can sense he is drunk, which only gives me confidence in this situation and I don't hear Arlo speak a word, but he is definitely still awake because of his head movements.

“This is your karma, Arlo!”

When he raises the bat again, my heart crashes, and I swiftly slide the door open and scream while aiming my gun.

“DON'T!”

He turns his head and looks straight at me while I notice Arlo lifting his head.

“Put the bat down, and I won't shoot you.”

I take more hesitant steps forward, and he gazes at me before laughing and swinging the bat down his side.

“You're not going to do that, sweetheart.”

I narrow my watery eyes and aim my gun more before speaking through gritted teeth.

“Try me.”

My body is trembling, but if I have to kill a cop to save the love of my fucking life, there's no doubt in my mind that I will do it.

“You should get out of here; the place is covered in gasoline.”

“I'll give you the count of three.”

He cocks his head to the side, studying me as he continues to sway.

“I'm willing to die tonight to be with my daughter. Are you willing to die when you have so much to live for?”

I stare at him, and when I blink, tears cascade down my cheeks.

“One..”

“I mean, you are pregnant. Why the fuck would you die for this piece of shit?”

Arlo's words about never hesitating start to resound in my mind, and I squeeze the trigger without warning. I watch a bullet sink into his upper arm, causing him to drop the bat instantly with a groan, and he slaps his palm straight over the wound.

He puffs hard through gritted teeth before staring at me and narrowing his eyes. Without warning, he takes a gun out of the back of his pants and aims it at me.

“Not her.”

My eyes move to Arlo when he speaks breathlessly, and he lifts his head to glare up at the cop.

‘Not fucking her.”

The cop stares at me, completely ignoring Arlo, and he laughs.

“Wow, you're his fucking weakness. Maybe they were right and we should have killed you, but the plan is the plan now.”

He digs into his pants pocket and suddenly flips out a gas lighter.

“Me and Arlo die tonight. It's up to you if you're coming with us.”

My teary eyes move to the burning flame before they shift to Arlo.

“As soon as you shoot and kill me, Wren, this gas lighter will hit the ground.”

Arlo stares deeply into my eyes as if urging me not to hesitate, no matter the consequence, but I'm so afraid of losing him that I don't know what to do.

“You know what that means, don't you?”

I feel fury inside as my focus shifts to him, and I scream at him.

“Fuck you! I'm fucking pregnant! You can't do this! You're a cop!”

“He is a waste of space and poison! His time has come, and he needs to be sent back to hell!”

“He is the father of my unborn child, and what about his son? Hasn't he had enough heartbreak?”

He stares deep into my eyes, anger and resentment building inside of them.

“You'll be fucking next if he lives! I'm doing you a fucking favor!”

He immediately points the gun at Arlo's head, and I scream as I unleash a round of bullets into his body without hesitating.

Everything moves in slow motion, and I watch in horror as his bullet narrowly misses Arlo's head as he dodges. My focus shifts to the gas lighter soaring through the air, where the impact of the gunshots forces the cop to fly backwards and fall to the ground.

My wide eyes follow the lighter, and as I hear it strike the floor in the far corner of the room, I begin to think it will not ignite anything until suddenly, waves of flames crawl up the walls, rapidly climbing to the towering ceiling. In my chaos and panic, I sprint forward towards Arlo while dropping the pistol.

As soon as I get to him, I crouch down in front of him and shout in a state of fright.

“Where's your knife?”

He's dazed, perhaps from a concussion, and I lightly slap his face with my fingertips.

“Baby please! Where is your knife?”

He suddenly focuses and speaks, his head swaying side to side.

“Sweatpants.”

I swiftly reach inside his pocket, feeling for it and pulling it out. I flick out the blade and begin to cut through the rope around his wrists, feeling the heat rising in the area around us and the smoke filling my nostrils.

I hastily move onto his ankles, and when he is free, I stand and grasp his arm, trying to pull him up. He roars as he tries to stand, but it's clear that his knee has been damaged and his body is broken.

“Lean on me, baby; I'm going to get you out of here.”

He hobbles as I slowly stroll forward with him, trying to bring him to the door while his heavy torso rests on my back to steady him. Everywhere I look, there are raging flames, and I start coughing from the black smoke filling the space, but as I approach closer to the exit, I start to feel hopeful that I might be able to get us out.

Suddenly, I hear a window shatter behind us and a zip through the air before Arlo presses even further into me with a loud groan.

He instantly collapses to the ground on his back, and I notice that his mouth is oozing with blood.

My broad, panicked eyes scan him, confused about the impact, until I discover he's been shot in the back somehow and the bullet has come out the front.

I drop to my knees alongside him, my teary, startled eyes assessing him before grabbing his wrist and pulling him, urgently attempting to drag him across the floor.

“You need to get up, baby! You need to get up!”

When he just stares at me without moving a muscle or even attempting to move, I shake my head frantically because I can see he has given up, and tears gush down my cheeks as I scream at him.

“Don't you fucking dare!’

When I crawl closer to him and grab his shirt into my hands, he calmly brings his cold, bloodied palm to my face, delicately sweeping my hair away before moving it around the back of my neck. He gently pulls me down to his face, and my tears fall onto his battered skin.

His eyes scan my features before he speaks breathlessly.

“You are so fucking beautiful, and I'm so proud to call you mine.”

My eyes soften as we search each other's for a moment as he continues calmly.

“This is how it ends for me, baby.”

I sob, my wet eyes closing as I rest my brow against his, and I whisper.

“Please don't say that. Please.”

“You're going to be an amazing fucking mom to our kids.”

I shake my head against his forehead.

“You need to get up, please; I can't lose you.”

He begins to speak through a wheeze, and blood fills his mouth.

“Just know that I love you, Cree, and our baby with every part of me, and I am grateful for everything and to have you both in my life. You've made it entirely in the time that I've known you, and I never deserved to gain such an angel. You made me fucking complete again, Wren, and you mean absolutely everything to me.”

I just stare into his eyes, completely oblivious to the mayhem going on around us, while he, too, wells up.

“You need to let me go and fucking live for you and Cree.”

I sob again, my heart shattering in my chest.

“I can't; if you die, I die. I love you so much, Arlo.”

I start wheezing from the strong smoke inhalation, and I can feel the heat begin to get closer and touch my skin. He presses on my neck, causing our lips to collide, and as our connection flows through me, we linger.

I bring my hand to his face before I whisper against his lips.

“We're in this together.”

He shakes his head gently before responding calmly, staring deep into my eyes.

“Not this time, beautiful, but we will be again one day, I promise.”

Suddenly, I feel a strong arm around my midsection from behind, and I'm being pulled back. I scream, trying to get back to him, as I lose my grasp and his touch leaves my skin.

“I'll come back for him, Wren!”

“No! Please no!”

I struggle against him; Arlo's eyes are fixed on mine as he remains unmoving, and I reach out for him, desperate not to leave him. I kick, scream and shout in an attempt to let me go, but he won't.

The next thing I know, he is completely out of my vision, and I'm being brought to the front of the house. When Jasper finally releases me a fair distance away from the house, I drop to my knees and cough.

He rests his hand on my back, and when I've gathered my breath, I peer up to see smoke and flames pouring out of every single window within the mansion.

“I'm going back in!”

I take several deep breaths as I watch him race towards the house, but every entry is engulfed in an inferno. Tears stream down my face, hope leaving me as every second passes by.

Hearing sirens in the distance, Jasper tries frantically to get around the side of the house to get to the rear, but it's hopeless. He urgently paces up and down, pulling at his hair, feeling helpless, and I let out an intense sob before pressing my forehead on the concrete.

I find myself crying hysterically. I feel like I'm bleeding on the inside because I know he is gone. I wail as I pound the ground with my fist, my chest tightening as I gasp for air.

After being examined, I sit in the back of the ambulance with the door wide open, staring at the smoldering ashes of the mansion where I used to live with Arlo and Cree.

Firefighters spray their hoses to put out what's left of the blaze, while ambulances and police cars' lights flicker red and blue off the rumble.

I'm in paralysis, like if I'm in a nightmare from which I'll never awaken. Inside and out, I'm absolutely numb, and my heart is completely shattered.

My swollen eyes wander until they land on Arlo's untouched car.

I draw a deep breath, take off the oxygen mask, and stand on shaky legs before stepping down from the ambulance. I stroll over to the car, and when it's within reach, I tug on the door handle, and it clicks open. I step down into the driver's seat before closing it behind me.

Once inside, I inhale deeply, his delicious scent immediately enveloping me and I relax back, placing my hands on the steering wheel.

My eyes well up again as I move them up and down, desperate for his aroma to be all over me, and I glance around until I notice one of his suit jackets on the passenger seat. I gently reach over and pick it up before bringing it to my body and pressing my face into it before inhaling deeply.

As soon as I smell him, I begin to sob into it once again. After gathering myself, I decide to reach inside the arms, put it on, and hug it around my body in an attempt to feel close to him, but it will never be enough.

Suddenly, I feel something hard in the inside pocket, and my brows furrow slightly before I reach inside. My fingers clasp a box, and I pull it out. Noticing  it's a ring box, my eyes widen, and I slowly open it.

I clap my palm over my mouth as tears cascade from my eyes when I see a gorgeous, sparking engagement ring within. It's a ruby heart encircled by white diamonds, and the white diamonds are bordered by black diamonds. When I notice some etching inside the box, I move it closer so my damp eyes can read what it says.

“Black for my darkness. White for your light. Red symbolizes our blood, which shall eternally unite.”

My heart is throbbing in my chest, crushing me, and I carefully extract the ring from the box before positioning it and sliding it onto my finger.

I kiss it, lingering on my lips, before whispering.

“Always, Arlo. I'll always be yours.”

One week later…

The room is bright—a touch too bright—as I slowly open my eyes with tiredness. The light reflects off the white walls, and I feel warm arms engulf me and hug me from behind.

I snuggle back into the warm skin and sigh, enjoying the sensation. A light kiss is given to my cheek as I sense movement, and I grin as I lean into his soft, warm lips before raising my hand and placing it on his cheek.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

As I roll onto my back, Arlo smiles broadly, his eyes scanning my face as he looks down at me. I return his smile as he slowly lowers his head before placing my lips on his, and my eyes close as I slide my hand up the side of his tattooed neck.

He shifts, moving between my naked legs, bringing the white, thin sheet over his head and covering us with a big, gorgeous smile on his face.

I giggle as he hovers above me, softly bringing his big hand to my throat before stroking his palm down my chest and observing the movement.

My skin tingles where his hand goes, and as his dark eyes meet mine, he smirks with a gleam in them.

“You are so fucking beautiful, and I'm so proud to call you mine.”

My face falls instantly at his familiar words and his smile dissolves while he stares at me solemnly, tears welling up in his eyes.

“You need to let me go.”

As tears fall down his face, they turn scarlet with blood and trickle onto my skin beneath him.

Panic sets in, tears fill my eyes, and I start to breathe erratically.

“This is how it ends for me, baby.”

When his face begins to melt before my eyes, I scream.

I sit up, my eyes wide open as I gasp for oxygen, sweat glistening on my skin, and my heart pounding against my chest. When I realize he isn't actually here and that it was just a nightmare, a tear slips from my eye and runs down my cheek.

The room is dark—so dark that I can only see the light shining through the cracks of the door and the curtains. I flop back onto the bed and stare up into the blackness, seeking to calm my racing heart and rapid breathing.

As my chest aches, I roll onto my side, tears streaming from my eyes, feeling yet another day of emptiness. A little knock comes on the door, and I hastily wipe my tears away before answering.

“Come in.”

The door handle is pushed down, and the light from the hallway temporarily blinds my sensitive eyes, but as they focus, I spot Cree strolling in. As he rubs his eyes and approaches the bed, I lift my head, a soft smile creeping across my lips.

“Hey baby, sleep well?”

He starts climbing the bed, and I reach over to assist him until he is lying alongside me, facing me.

We exchange glances while he remains silent, and I gently stroke his curly brown hair.

“What's wrong?”

“I miss Daddy.”

I fight back tears, my heart crumbling, but I put on a brave face and speak softly.

“Me too, sweetheart, but remember what I said: he will always be with us.”

“I want him here. I want a cuddle.”

A sob rises in my throat, but I force it back down before extending my arm.

“Come here; I'll give you a cuddle for him.”

He wriggles over to me, burrows his face in my chest, and I lock my arms around him, bringing him close and kissing the top of his head before I speak with trembling lips.

“Everything is going to be okay, Cree; I promise.”

After some time together, I spot Sara in the doorway with a glass of orange juice. Her eyes soften as she evaluates us, and she smiles briefly before entering the room and placing the drink on the bedside table.

“Cree, sweetie, your breakfast is ready at the dining room table.”

As he sits up, he glances down at me before kissing my cheek softly, and I close my eyes. When he withdraws, I open my eyes to see him leap out of bed and leave the room. Sara takes a seat on the bed and speaks gently while I cautiously sit up and lay my back against the headboard.

“How are you feeling today?”

I sigh, looking away, before I respond coldly.

“The same as every day.”

I notice from the corner of my eye that she gives a small nod.

“I'm going to take Cree to my mom's, and then we'll go to your scan together.”

I look at her now.

“You don't have to do that, Sara.”

She gives me a small smile before reaching over and taking my hand in hers.

“I want to be there for you, Wren. It's what Arlo would have wanted.”

I can sense the sadness in her eyes when I gaze into them, but she knows how to put on a brave face for me. I'm sure she's feeling lost without her little brother, and it's killing her too because they were so close.

I glance away again before I well up and respond quietly.

“Okay, thank you.”

She gives my hand a squeeze before standing.

“Get yourself ready, and I'll be back soon.”

I give her a small nod and watch her walk out of the room.

When she closes the door behind her, I groan and throw the sheets back, feeling absolutely deflated because I don't have the energy to do this today, but I know I need this scan.

This will be the first time I've left the house since that night; I've spent the majority of the time in bed unless I'm with Cree. I can't face the world right now; I'm getting colder by the day. The darkness is engulfing me, extinguishing my light with each passing day.

I came to stay here with Cree because he needs as many people around him as he can get right now, and to be honest, I do too, even if I don't want to completely engage with them. Being around his family gives me a sense of comfort I can't explain.

It makes me feel close to him even though I know I'll never be close to him in my dreams, which are now nightmares. My mom is begging me to return home after believing Arlo simply died in a house fire, but I can't and I won't.

I want to stay here until I'm strong enough to stand on my own. I get out of bed and walk to the ensuite bathroom, lifting my nightdress up my body as I do. When I enter, I reach inside and turn the shower on before removing the rest of my clothing.

I catch a glimpse of myself in the large mirror, which causes me to stop to observe myself while I stand to the side and notice a rising bump. It's only small, and someone who wouldn't know I was pregnant would definitely mistake it for gas, but I can still see it growing.

I close my eyes and rub my hand along the tiny bump, always feeling grateful that even if he isn't here with me anymore, I will always be privileged to have a part of him growing inside of me.

I gently open my eyes and stare at myself in the mirror again. My eyes are still puffy from crying every day, and there's a tinge of gray under my eyes from not getting enough sleep. My skin, which Arlo would call sun-kissed, has turned pallid and dry; I no longer recognize myself.

I pull my gaze away from myself before stepping under the warm water, and as soon as it touches my skin, I toss my head back and let it flow down my face and hair.

Placing my hands on the wall in front of me, I drop my head forward, my eyes closed, hoping that the water will wash away the sorrow that has settled inside my suffering soul and restore my humanity.

My engagement ring glistens in the light as I cautiously lift my head and open my eyes, catching my attention. I stand up straight before staring down at it for a few moments, submerged in my own thoughts, before flipping my hand around and gazing at my palm.

The ‘A’ that will be forever engraved on my skin is bright red from the heat of the water, and I smile as I carefully trace the tip of my fingers over it, neatly tracing the letter.

Sara and I are driving to the scan, and the car has been silent the entire time while I gaze out of the window beside me. This should have been a day I spent with him; it was something special for us, and now I'm left to face it alone. In my gloomy paralysis, I don't realize that the car has stopped and we've arrived until Sara calls my name.

“Wren?”

I slowly draw my eyes to her and she gives me a soft smile.

“Are you ready?”

I give a small, wordless nod before unclipping my seatbelt and stepping out of the car. When we enter the private hospital, we're taken to the room where the doctor is. A male doctor approaches us with his hand extended out as the door closes behind us.

“Hey, you must be Wren?”

I don't take his hand and give him a small nod before glancing away.

“It's nice to meet you, Doctor; I'm Sara Hayes, the sister-in-law.”

I cover the tops of my arms with my hands when I notice the doctor looking down at me from the corner of my eye.

“Wren, can you pop up onto the bed for me, and I'll scan you to make sure everything is okay?”

I avoid making eye contact and gently advance until the bed is within reach, and I lie down on it. I gaze around as he gets everything ready, and Sara sits beside me.

“Okay, please lift your shirt up for me, Wren, and this gel will be cold.”

Not saying anything, I lift my shirt over my belly, and he applies the gel, followed by a device. I stare at the screen as it comes to life, blurring about a little until he stops and focuses. In a trance, my eyes fixate on my baby that is growing inside of me, which is a lot bigger than I anticipated.

I can see its tiny legs and feet, as well as certain facial features, and I feel a warm sensation inside. As I continue to watch, my eyes tear up, but I can't bring myself to be excited. This is no longer an exciting day; my entire mind and body are fucked.

“You're 14 weeks pregnant, Wren, and everything looks absolutely fine.”

My teary eyes widen, and they shift to him in an instant.

“14 weeks?”

He gives a small smile, and Sara gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, but I am absolutely shocked that I'm that far gone already.

“But I hardly have a bump.”

“It's absolutely normal for first-time mom's not to show as quickly as a mom who have two plus.”

I just stare at him before returning my eyes back to the screen, and he speaks again.

“Would you like to know the gender?”

I don't take my eyes off the screen, but I feel myself hesitating, and I don't know why. As he waits patiently for me to answer, in the end, I give a small nod in agreement, and he moves around a bit, focusing on the screen, until he looks my way.

“It's a girl.”

I let out a sob instantly and place my palms over my face before feeling Sara wrap her arm around my shoulder and pull me into her.

“He said it would be a girl... He said…”

I can't get the words out anymore; I am crushed and broken that he will never meet our daughter.

Staring at myself in the mirror, I smooth my hands down the front of my black, simple dress. I really don't want to do it today; it's Arlo's memorial, but I know I have to be there for Cree, just as Arlo would want.

I place the black fascinator on my head, the delicate netting covering half of my face, when I suddenly hear people talking outside of the bedroom door and I listen out when I notice Jasper and Sara chatting quietly.

“I'm really worried about her, Jasp. She's not talking, she's not eating properly, and she barely leaves the bedroom unless it's to engage with Cree.”

“Give her time, Sar. She's grieving and it's a lot to take in.”

“I'm worried she might never recover from this.”

“She will. She's strong and hopefully, after today, we can all find some closure.”

When I don't answer the door after there's a knock, it opens, and Jasper steps in before closing it behind him. He's dressed in a tight suit similar to what Arlo used to wear, and because he looks so much like him, I quickly turn away.

“How's it going?”

I side-eye him, giving a silent nod and after some awkward silence, I sense he can't or doesn't know how to handle this situation, so I express something that has been weighing diligently on my mind.

“Where is Savannah?”

I can sense he is now the top dog in New York, and he should have this handled already.

“I'm working on it; it seems like she is either in hiding or being heavily protected.”

“Then bring me Izzy.”

I glance up at him, and he looks confused at me.

“What?”

“She'll know.”

“No, what you said about bringing her to you?”

I stand taller before responding.

“I want her dead if she doesn't tell me. It's obvious that Savannah had something to do with Arlo being shot.”

“You're pregnant.”

I glare up at him and grit my teeth as I respond.

“I don't give a fuck right now. What I want is justice for Arlo! It's everything I want! In fact, I can't stop thinking about it!”

“What Arlo would have wanted would be for you to look after Cree and become stronger for the baby.”

I raise my voice, becoming irritated.

“Don't tell me what he would have wanted! He is not here anymore!”

My eyes fill with tears as I continue.

“If that bitch hadn't done what she did, I would have gotten him out of that burning building, and he would still be here today! She must pay for what the fuck she has done!”

“I'm working on it, Wren.”

I clench my teeth and turn away until he reaches the short distance between us and lays a palm on my shoulder, at which point I flinch.

“Today is about saying goodbye to Arlo.”

My eyes close, and tears cascade down my cheeks.

“No memorial will ever make me say goodbye to him.”

He suddenly pulls me into him, trying to comfort me by stroking my hair.

“In time, this will get easier for us all. It's not a goodbye; you're right, I worded that wrong; it's  simply, I'll see you again soon.”

I move away from him and wipe the tears from my face, and as I pass him, I speak coldly.

“Let's just get this done.”

I step out of the car as soon as we enter the cemetery, observing the hundreds of people here and the area flooded with black suits and dresses. I don't recognize anyone here, and while I continue to glance around slowly, Cree's tiny hand slips into mine.

I gaze down at him and give him a sweet smile before going ahead until we reach the place where he will be laid to rest. Cree stands in front of me, holding Sara's hand in his other, with Jasper beside her and Carmella alongside me.

I plainly stare ahead, and it's completely silent until the priest starts talking, but I feel like I'm in a state of stupor, and everything he says is a blur. I feel like I can't cry even if I wanted to because I'm hollow inside, hypnotized and traumatized by all that has happened, and I fear I'll never be the same again.

My eyes follow him as they lower his body into the dirt until I feel Carmella place her hand into mine. I slowly turn my head to face her, and she looks at me with watery lenses.

We lock eyes for a time, and I realize we haven't spoken a word to each other since Arlo's death. After a brief moment, we both return our focus to the burial at the exact same time.

Later that evening I am sitting at Sara's dining room table, moving my food around with my fork, staring into nothingness. I'm here alone since Sara thought it would be a good idea to give me space while I eat, and I might eat more, which isn't working.

Suddenly I hear footsteps approaching the room, and I lift my eyes to see Carmella, Jasper, and a man enter.

I straighten my back as they all take a seat around the table opposite me.

“Wren, my name is Will Lewis.”

I just stare at him while he takes paperwork from his briefcase and places it on the table as I cast a glance at Carmella, who is already staring at me, before returning my attention to him.

“I'm Arlo's attorney.”

Again, I just stare and stay silent before he continues.

“We have some things to talk about. Around two to three weeks before Arlo's death, he visited me and put a will in place.”

My brows crease ever so slightly.

“He has put your name and Cree's name on all the assets that belonged to him.”

As shock hits me, my eyes shift to Carmella, who blinks at me blankly.

“All his money, businesses, and everything now belongs to you.”

My eyes dart back to him, and I manage to speak.

“But how? Why?”

He simply shrugs his shoulders.

“I don't ask those questions, unfortunately, and Arlo wasn't the type of man to tell me how or why.”

He starts pulling documents from the folders and laying them down in front of me, and I gaze down at it all.

“You just need to sign here, here, and here. If you need to read through it and drop it by another day at my office, that's absolutely fine.”

He then pulls out a set of keys and places them in front of me.

“Arlo also bought a house around the same time.”

My eyes snap to his, and I look at him confused.

“What?”

He places another piece of paper in front of me, and I read over it swiftly. When I see that he has bought the house we were supposed to view together, my eyes widen before I shake my head with puzzlement and look at Carmella.

“Why would he do all this?”

“When Bridget was carrying Cree, Arlo did the same thing. He presumably wanted you and the baby to be secure in a scenario in which something ever happened to him. It's just who he was.”

I blink a few times before gazing down at it all again until the attorney speaks again.

“I think it is best that you go over all this. It's a lot to take in. Please stay in touch when you have those signed.”

“Wait…”

He pauses when I stop him and he looks at me.

“Can you change my name for me?”

“To?”

“Wren Hayes.”

He gives a small nod before gesturing to the paperwork with his hand.

“When you drop the papers off , we will sort that out then.”

I nod before looking down and continuing to scan the documents as he stands up and exits the house. I can feel Jasper and Carmella's eyes all over me, but at first, I'm too shocked to speak.

When I gather my bearings, I lift my head and look at Jasper.

“What does this mean for the business?”

He lifts his chin as he folds his arms over his chest while relaxing his back.

“It means you own it.”

“But…”

My eyes meet Carmella’s quickly when she says the word.

“You can leave that to us. You're pregnant, and you're in no state to be involved in the business.”

I raise an eyebrow as I lean back in my chair and Jasper speaks opposite me..

“Carmella is right.”

I continue to stare at Carmella as I challenge her.

“What if I want to be involved?”

“It's not an option.”

I grind my teeth with annoyance and I glance away as she continues.

“Move into your new house with Cree and get ready for the baby. You don't need to worry about things like this; they're under control. The Elites would never take you seriously while you're pregnant, and you'll constantly be in danger.”

I feel coldness run through me, and I respond while not looking her way.

“And what if I just don't give you fuck all?”

My eyes flick to her, but she just stares at me expressionless before I lean forward and calmly place my hands on the table.

“I don't think either of you are in a position to tell me what to do after hearing this.”

She sighs before resting back in her chair.

“You won't last five minutes.”

I raise an eyebrow as I speak firmly.

“Train me.”

Her eyes dart to Jasper, and I see from the corner of my eye that he is rubbing his palm over his mouth, reluctant to accept my suggestion. When her eyes swiftly return to mine, she raises an eyebrow in return and leans forward.

“We have an Elite meeting in two weeks, and you are welcome to attend to see for yourself how much you will not fit in.”

I purse my lips together before looking away, feeling irritated by her tone, and I hear her get up and leave. When it's just me and Jasper, I glance at him, and he is just staring at me.

“What?”

He leans forward, resting his arm on the table, and looks me dead in the eyes.

“Are you certain you want to go through with this? You have no understanding of what it's like, and I don't want to see you hurt because you're vengeful and unable to think rationally.”

I raise my chin in defiance and respond calmly.

“This is exactly what I want to do.”

He sighs and gives a small nod before standing.

“I'll be in touch; if you need me, just call me.”

I just stare as he walks away, and I find myself all alone again. Perhaps he is right; maybe I am vengeful, but who wouldn't be? I want to know everything about his life. I want to know exactly who Arlo Hayes was to the outside world, as well as what everyone is doing to bring punishment to the surface.

It’s been two weeks since Arlo’s burial and it’s the first time I will be stepping into his world. After I've done my hair and makeup, I stand in front of the mirror and scan myself with my eyes. I delicately grasp Arlo's suit jacket off the chair in front of me and slide it onto my body.

To make it look appealing, I roll up the sleeves before embracing it around my body and fastening a black Gucci belt around my waist.

Knowing he will be with me the entire time at this Elite meeting gives me confidence.

I stroll over to the wardrobe and tiptoe before reaching out for the top shelf, feeling for my pistol. When I have it in my hands, I slide it into the back of my trousers and then adjust myself again. I glance at myself one more time in the mirror before exiting the bedroom.

When I descend the stairs, I notice Jasper and Carmella at the front door, waiting for me. I confidently raise my chin and pass by them on the way out the door.

The drive here was silent, but we've arrived and are making our way to the top floor of the towering building. I'm not nervous as I follow behind them; perhaps my pain and coldness have impacted me more than I thought possible.

When we finally reach a double door, Carmella pushes through it first, and I follow behind them until we're in an enormous meeting room full of seated men who all stare at us.

As we pass them all, I remain confident, and Carmella takes a seat at the head of the table with Jasper while I take a seat to the left of Jasper and another man alongside me.

When Carmella is settled, she glances around at all of the suited men before speaking.

“Gentlemen, thank you for coming here today. Of course, this is an unusual circumstance from our normal meetings.”

“What the fuck is going on, Carmella? What happens now that Arlo is dead?”

When the Elites start asking questions, I just stare ahead in a daze as I listen in.

“Me and Arlo's half-brother Jasper will be taking over the business.”

“I don't fucking think so.”

My eyes move to the man opposite me, who has a stale look on his face.

“The Hayes have made a mess of things for far too long!”

I side-eye Carmella as she calmly lays her manicured hand down on the table in front of her.

“I assure you all that this business will be stronger than ever when we're back on our feet.”

The man continues while leaning forward and stares at Carmella with evilness before speaking sternly.

“It's time to give it up, Carmella! The Hayes are fucking done.”

I just stare at him, Carmella’s agitation becoming apparent in her raised voice.

“The Hayes will never be fucking done.”

“Your son was fucked by a fucking pig, Carmella; when are you going to realize that the best Hayes in power was Charles?”

My jaw tenses, and I feel rage begin to bubble up inside of me.

“You're going to make a fucking mess just like your waste of space, son!”

When he calls Arlo exactly what that cop did, I don't hesitate and reach into my pants before drawing out my pistol, targeting it, and firing a bullet into his skull without delay.

As he dies in front of my eyes and collapses forward onto the table, blood flowing from his forehead, I hear pistols being cocked back, reverberating throughout the vast space.

I aim my gun around the room, peering into each and every one of their eyes as they aim their weapons at me, before I speak through clenched teeth.

“Who else wants to talk shit about my fucking husband?”

Suddenly, one of the elites who isn't armed raises his hand calmly, with his eyes set on mine, and they all lower their firearms. I keep my pistol pointing forward as they all take their seats, and the man relaxes back, his ankle across his knee, his eyes analyzing me, and his chin raising.

“You've got some fucking balls, girl.”

I just stare at him, remaining utterly silent, and he smirks.

“I never liked that fucking cunt. What's your name?”

I raise my chin as I respond.

“Wren Hayes.”

As he leans forward, he gives a nod before glancing around at all the men, but all eyes are on me because my gun is still drawn.

“I fucking like her!”

When he looks at me again with a big smile, I raise an eyebrow while speaking coldly.

“Good, because I am now the new boss.”

I enter Arlo's office and gaze around before closing the door behind me. I've been spending a couple of days a week here lately, trying to get a sense of the Elite world since my first meeting three weeks ago.

I take an apprehensive step forward until I'm behind the desk and take a seat gently in his supple, leather chair. As I feel small flutters, I relax and swing back and forth while caressing my bump with my hands. When we're here, it's as if she knows we're near her dad.

The last few weeks have been bizarre; one minute I didn't want to get out of bed and would cry all day, and now I'm stone cold, my emotions are dull, and I desire to venture out more.

Cree has begun school; his fourth birthday was a few days ago, and we made it as special as possible for him.

Of course, he still has his low moments, but going to school has taken his mind off things, and I'm starting to see more smiles on his face than despair.

I've been attending more Elite meetings, and Carmella is avoiding training me, but I can learn shit on my own; I don't need her approval. God knows how, but the Elites accepted me with open arms.

I've heard that some people refer to me as the Queen of Darkness, which is ironic given that Arlo used to refer to me as his lightness.

In a private meeting last week, one of the Elites mentioned Arlo as "The Skinner." Who would have guessed that the man I adored more than anything else in the world relished skinning people alive and stripping skin from their bodies?

I knew he was brutal, but I wasn't aware he had a preferred method of torturing people before putting them out of their misery. But I knew Arlo for who he truly was; underneath his cruel and hard facade, he was a gentle and compassionate beast, and he made me feel unique with how he showed me his form of twisted love.

No amount of horror stories will ever diminish how much I love that man, and, to be honest, hearing them helps me manage my grief.

I'll probably never get over him being taken from us in such a heartless and cowardly way, but his name will live on in my name, our business, everything he stood for, and our beautiful children.

There will never be anyone who can grace this earth so beautifully and wickedly as my Arlo Hayes, and he will never be forgotten for the rest of my existence.

His death has damaged me beyond repair, and I know deep down in my bleeding heart that he would not want me to be this way, but the day he was taken from me, my life and I were forever changed.

I'll never be the same again; there's no turning back. Like Arlo when Bridget died, I'll always put on a happy face for the kids, but deep within my soul, it will perish and collapse.

A knock on the door startles me out of my reverie, and I sit up, laying my palms on the desk in front of me.

“Come in.”

Dominic, my now-full-time security guard, walks in and offers me a little nod, which I return with a cold expression.

“What is it?”

“We have the girl you wanted, Mrs Hayes. Izzy.”

I raise an eyebrow and inhale deeply as I recline in my chair.

“Bring her to me.”

He offers a tiny nod before heading back out the door, and I open one of the desk drawers.

I reach for the gun inside, and then for the silencer.

I screw it onto the end of the pistol while remaining fully at ease, and then rest it on my lap while waiting for her to appear. I lean forward, my elbows on the desk, and stare at the door until she emerges, a couple of our men dragging her in by her upper arms.

They roughly release her once she's fully inside, and she stumbles forward. Her hair is over her face, her head down, and she's breathing heavily, and I just stare at her as the men go, sealing the door with them, except Dom, who stands by.

After some silence and her not looking my way, I decide to speak.

“Sit the fuck down.”

Dom moves forward when she fails to respond and remains still, but I lightly raise my hand to halt him without shifting my focus away from her, and he retreats.

“Don't make me tell you again, Izzy. Sit the fuck down.”

When she continues to disregard me, I sigh and swiftly raise my gun from my lap, releasing a bullet that penetrates her thigh. She instantly falls to the ground, screaming in agony, and I roll my eyes.

“Finally, you sat the fuck down; now how hard was that?”

I glance at Dom, who gives me an amused smirk, and I motion with my head for him to lift her and place her on the seat, which he does. He tosses her into the chair, and she clutches her thigh with her hand, blood spilling through her fingers as she breathes hard.

“Now that I have your attention.”

She finally looks me in the eyes.

“Where's that little bitch hiding?”

“I... I... I don't know.”

I grit my teeth, shaking my head, before I stand.

“See. I know you do. You've always known, Izzy. Even at that party, you knew.”

I stroll meticulously around the desk until I'm directly in front of her, then lean against it with my pistol in my hand. She peers up at me, still finding it hard to breathe.

“What happened to you, Wren? You used to be so nice.”

I raise an eyebrow at her manipulative bullshit before calmly crouching down in front of her.

“Are you really that fucking dumb that you don't know what the fuck happened to me?”

She just stares at me and I continue calmly, staring deep into her soul.

“I will burn this entire city the fuck down to find her. She fucked with the wrong one. She will die a very, very slow and painful death. Believe that.”

“You can't fight fire with fire; that's what got Arlo killed.”

My teeth grind, glancing away and I continue while I stand.

“Just give me the location, Izzy, and then I'll let you go.”

“I already told you, I don't know shit.”

I sigh, bored of her nonsense, and raise my gun again, calmly firing another shot into her other thigh. Another blood-curdling scream leaves her, and I just stare at her, not feeling an ounce of remorse.

“You're not taking this situation seriously enough, Izzy, and you will end up dying for her, which is unfortunate. Give me a fucking location!”

She pants hard, staring at me, and I cock my head to the side before raising my gun again.

“I don't know the exact location, but she's somewhere in Chicago, lying low with that Carter dude.”

I raise an eyebrow before lowering my weapon.

“See, how hard was that?”

I look at Dom, raise my chin ever so slightly, and he nods in return before leaving the room.

I walk around the desk and take a seat as two guards come in and drag her out by her arms.

Just as Dom is about to leave with them, I call out to him.

“Dom?”

He stops and glances over his shoulder.

“I want that little bitch tortured to give information; she knows more than she is letting on, but don't kill her just yet.”

“Reach out to our connections in Chicago; someone will rat Savannah out in the end.”

He gives a small nod and then exits the room, leaving me completely alone. I place the gun back in the drawer before closing it and then sinking back into the chair with a sigh.

I fiddle with my engagement ring on my finger before bringing it to my lips and whispering against it with my eyes closed.

“Not long now, baby, and they'll all pay for what they've done, I promise.”

It’s been six months since we lost Arlo, and me and Cree are finally ready for our new beginnings ahead of me due to give birth very soon. I place the key into the door of our new home with Cree on my hip and  hold the door handle in my hand as I peer down at him with a smile on my face.

“Are you excited to choose your own room?”

He gives me a cheeky smile back with a nod, and I push it down, and we enter. Cree wriggles down from my arms as I walk forward and glance around before placing him on the floor.

I smile softly as he climbs the huge, white staircase, excited to see where he can put his new furniture and toys. As I take a slow step forward, I notice a twinge of apprehension and unhappiness in my stomach as I glance around the big, empty white mansion.

It's too bright, too warm, and too welcoming. It reminds me of everything I was when Arlo was here, but not now that he isn't. That's probably why I chose it: it was bright and exquisite, but now I want everything black to reflect who I am and how I feel. It's strange how rapidly things shift in someone's mind after something so traumatic. I'm evolving into Arlo.

I slowly walk up the flight of stairs until I reach the beginning of a long corridor, where Cree peeks around a doorframe.

“Wren! Come here! I like this one!”

I smile and continue going until I reach the doorway, at which point I enter and glance around the large, empty space.

“Wow, it's perfect for you, Cree!”

“Let's look for one for you and my sister!”

He grabs my hand as he runs past me, and as he pulls me, I stumble with a laugh. We go through most of the doors until we enter the largest room in the house.

“This one should be yours! It's big!”

I place my hand in his hair, stroking his soft loose curls as I gaze around, tears welling in my eyes.

“I think you're right.”

The thought of sharing this room with Arlo and creating new memories hurts me profoundly, but I attempt to shrug it aside while inhaling deeply.

“Let's see about your sister.”

Turning around, I spot a door just opposite this one, which I enter with Cree skipping beside me.

I stop and glance around the not-to-big but not-to-small room.

“I think this will be perfect for her, and she will be close enough to me! What do you think? We could move in at the weekend.”

He smiles up at me, and my eyes soften as I kneel in front of him. We search each other's eyes, and I take his little hand in mine while speaking softly.

“We're going to have so much fun here, Cree. We're going to make many amazing memories. We three as a family.”

“You won't leave me too, will you, Wren?”

My eyes well up instantly, my heart shattering before I bring him into me, and we embrace with a tight hug.

“Never ever, baby.”

“I'll always be here for you, and just because Mommy and Daddy aren't here doesn't mean they're not watching over us and looking after us like angels do.”

He nuzzles his face into my neck as he speaks.

“I love you, Wren.”

I sigh with my eyes closed and squeeze him a little tighter.

“And I love you too, son. So much.”

Carmella

As I speak in my office, I casually reach for a bottle of whiskey and pour it over some ice in a crystal glass.

“Wren is quite the character.”

I set the bottle down and glance at him when he remains silent.

“The Elites have warmed to her immediately, and I'm not sure why, but she's somehow fit in flawlessly. Some even call her the ‘Queen of Darkness.’”

He raises an eyebrow while side-eyeing me as he slides his silver rings over his fingers before I pick up the glass carefully and approach him.

When I come to a stop in front of him, he turns to face me, his black suit immaculate, pristine, and tight as he stands tall, smoothing his tattooed hands down the front while staring down at me.

I offer him the whiskey, and he glances down before calmly taking it from my grasp. He lifts it to his lips, his brown eyes fixated on mine, glistening with darkness, and he takes a long sip.

I cock my head to the side with a small smile before he hissed as he pulls the glass away from his lips.

“It's good to have you back, but are you sure you're ready for this?”

He elevates his chin slightly before speaking with seriousness in his deep voice.

“That motherfucker kept me away from those I love for far too long. I'm more than ready to wreak fucking havoc.”

OceanofPDF.com