JAXON"What do we know about him now?" I demanded from Duncan, sauntering past him and heading into my study while he shut the door behind us. I was trying to be discreet with work as much as I could. Peach insisted I had to properly heal before going back to work and it wouldn't be that much of a nice morning if she found out that I discarded her warnings of not setting a foot in the study and that was the reason I snuck out of bed before she could wake up.But then, I would lose my mind if I continued prancing around the house without doing anything. I was a workaholic by default. It was only a matter of time before I went back to work. I just had to get her to see the reasons with me."We can't find him, boss." Duncan knew the repercussions of what he was saying and that was the reason he kept his voice really low. I halted in my tracks and spun around, tucking my hands into the pockets of my sweatpants and then, I shot him a scrutinizing gaze, watching him shift uncomfortably on

ASHLEY"So, you have fixed everything now?" I asked Riley, a little smile playing on my lips as I descended the staircase. I tucked my hand in the pocket of my shorts, grinning from ear to ear."Yes, ma'am. We got another editor to replace her." She answered, trails of relief hanging in her voice. I mouthed a 'yes' fist pumping the air. Dahlia was a talented writer and I have been dying to publish her work since I went through it. I didn't want her to think we were unserious or that we didn't share in her happiness about publishing her first book. She was an asset, one I would do anything to keep. No kidding, but the girl's got magic in her hands."Now that's what I am talking about!" I chirped, skipping off the stairs."Have you spoken to Dahlia?" I asked."Yes, ma'am. I called her this morning to let her know we have started working on her book and her presence would be needed at the firm." She told me and I nodded my head vigorously, as though she could see me."Thank you so much,

ASHLEYMy heels were long gone. My feet paddled softly against the cold floor of the hallways that led to where he was taking me. I glanced at him, just like I had been doing since we left the rooftop. His quietness bothered me a lot. I didn't know which was more bugging. The fact that he had been quiet forever or the fact that I couldn't read him and I didn't know what was going on in his head. I think it had to be the two. My eyes darted away from his face to our entwined hands and I squeezed them softly, assuring him without words that I was here with him. He countered every one of my hopes to utter a word when he stopped in front of an onyx-black door that radiated regality. He detached our intertwined hands, wrapping his arms around me and tugging me closer, and then he planted a soft kiss on my lips. He attached his forehead to mine, breathing softly."We could go back, you know…" His voice trailed and a frown automatically made its way to my face. If I wanted to turn back bef

JAXONThe air that filled the room reeked of toxicity, tasting like an acidic element that was enough to gut one's intestines out. I could feel it on my skin and my tongue. Breathing it in, even. But just like all times, it barely gained any ounce of reaction from me. The rancid and pungent smell of the dried blood that was scattered across the fading walls in stripes seemed like any other normal smell to me.I had grown to find it fascinating.But what, however, was beginning to get on my nerves was the lack of cooperation from the man tied upside down a few feet away from me. The familiar black material of his black tee that he was wearing the day we grabbed him at Micah's hideout had been adorned with several holes that were a result of the bloody pocket knife which I was tossing up and down in my hands. The blood that dotted off his body dropped to the floor like tiny raindrops and beneath him, was a pool of his blood which I had taken upon myself to drain out of him if he didn't

ASHLEY"Baby, you alright in there?!" I yelled out to the man in the bathroom. He had been in there for a while and I knew he wasn't just bathing. He kept the shower running as a decoy, so he could use that time to clear his head. I had been out of the bathroom over ten minutes ago and I was almost done with my skincare routine while he was still hiding in there from God knows what."Yes, Peach. I am fine!" He yelled back and my reflection in the mirror grew red in my cheeks. It beats me how badly he had me wrapped around his fingers because the slightest thing he did earned a shitload of reaction from me. No, it wasn't the first time I was hearing him speak, but he had a way of sounding different every damn time. Before I could stop myself, I was grinning from ear to ear in no time. A sugary giggle emitted from me as I dabbed a generous amount of serum on my face, massaging it into my skin."Come on out, you know you will always look good to me, even if you are covered in soap," I