JOY I recognised his face immediately when he stalked toward me and, shocking as it was, I remembered his voice better—the same raspy tone that had me going weak on my knees and that English accent. I felt pain and anger hammering in my chest as I stared at him. I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a time when I couldn't differentiate between reality and imagination, which I had to take therapy for. But standing here, I hoped the man in front of me was nothing more than a figment of my imagination or some late, late hallucination. I’d known how much Vince had changed over the years. I’d seen him change with my own eyes . . . on sheets of papers, advertisements, social media and news. He was more handsome now with a perfectly trimmed scruffy beard. His aura was stronger and his voice deeper. His physique was broader and his gaze fiercer. But some things about him remained the same—his devilish charm, his wicked smirk, and the ambition

JOY I didn't want to get into his car, make myself look weak, but Aubrey had a point. Rather than going home with a random stranger, I would’ve prefer to go home with a stranger I trusted, no matter how bad his reputation. A part of me knew him—the real him—and that part was sure he would never hurt me. And here I thought I had trust issues. My legs trembled as I inhaled Vincent's earthy aroma lingering inside the car. The smell was too strong. Too addictive. He walked to my side, hauled the door open, and bent in, his face just inches away from mine. His attention was focused on buckling the seatbelt around me, but I completely glued mine on him. My breath hitched, my heart just seconds away from lurching out. Goddamnit! He was beautiful. He looked up at me with the same power he had before, the one that could steal millions of hearts. I had missed those silvery eyes and his long lashes that fanned his cheeks when he bl

JOY I had no idea what got into me, but the idea of spending the day with Vincent didn't seem entirely bad . . . at least, not at first. I watched him intently as his hand went up, ruffling his hair. "What should we watch?" I asked, drumming on the table. He licked his lips and with a flick of an eye, my gaze drifted down to his plump lips. My core tightened, imagining the feel of them between my thighs. Oh my God! What the fuck am I thinking? "What would you suggest?" he asked. "Pick a genre," I said, my voice raspy. "Rom-Com," he said in a breath, and my brows quirked. "I didn't take you for a Rom-Com guy." "I love the idea of watching horror movies and having you cling to me while doing so. But I didn’t want to seem too dick-ish.” I burst out laughing at his honesty and he added, “And you didn’t seem like a woman who’s scared of a bunch of ghosts.” “I’m not,” I said, sh

VINCE I walked out of my room, scrolling through the message exchanges between me and Joyce. I couldn’t sleep after blatantly texting her I need you in the middle of the night. But I kept waiting for a reply. Maybe my message had made her panic. It ought to. I would’ve panicked as well. I shook my head, cursing myself at the back of my mind. The clattering of dishes reached my ears as I strode down the stairs. Olivia was sitting by the island while Carla, my cook, prepared breakfast. Without making eye contact with Olivia, I said, “The lawyer will be here in an hour. You can talk to him in the study.” “Will you not be there?” “No. It’s your personal matter. I’m helping you all I can but the matter ends there.” “Something about you has changed, Vi.” “I think so too.” I turned to her, my brows furrowed and a small smile tugging at my lips. Shrugging, I said, “But is the fact that I’m not open a

JOY I took the specs from him and held them before his face. “I want to see how you look.” Vincent didn’t argue as he let me slide the specs to his ears. I had seen many versions of him, but this look, the one with the office look and the specs, was becoming my favourite. I hadn’t seen him wear these on any of his interviews or photoshoots over the years, but he sure as hell looked fucking gorgeous. The square frames suited the shape of his face perfectly. I smiled and slumped back. “Didn’t like me with these?” I immediately shook my head at his words and then sighed. I didn’t want it to bother me. I didn’t want to think about Vince and his ex in the same house in the same room, but I couldn’t help it either. “About Olivia . . . What happens after she gets divorced?” I asked. “What do you mean?” He creased his brows in worry. “Would you get back to her?” He stifled a laugh and added, “Is that