ELOISE “Why did you do that? We can’t get married. It wasn’t part of the deal,” I said, closing my eyes and leaning back in the car’s backseat as we headed to the airport. “I had no choice,” he replied, his voice filled with resignation. “Has he done something to you? Something so bad that you’re...” He paused, not finishing his sentence. “This isn’t like you.” “You must have a father, too, right? I heard he’s still strong and active.” “Yes, I do. We have our differences, but it’s not like this. Your dad sounds like he’s threatening you, and you’re...” he trailed off. “I’m afraid of him,” I finished for him. “If that’s what you noticed, then yes.” Frustrated, I exhaled and opened my eyes. “I don’t want to talk about it here.” Adam glanced at the cab driver and nodded. “We’ll talk about this when we get back.” “I just want to go home, rest, and then we can talk,” I added. Adam nodded in agreement, not saying anything more. Three hours ago, before we left my dad’s estate, Adam h

ADAM Damn it. Eloise’s phone was dead silent, and every text she ignored drove me crazy. I felt my possessive side creeping in, bringing up dark thoughts, and my usual response was to fuck—aggressively and mercilessly. Now that she had been showing signs of wanting to go further, my urge to bring her to her knees intensified. One of her colleagues told me she went out with Chase. I knew I couldn’t demand explanations, but something just didn’t feel right. I tried calling her again, but it went to voicemail. Why was she with Chase? Why wasn’t she answering? I was thinking about driving to her place when someone rang my doorbell. It was my brother. Carter barged in, and he gave me a knowing look. To my surprise, he wasn’t alone—he had brought someone unexpected with him: Adrianna Meyer, or should I say, Adrianna Jackson, my ex and, unfortunately, my arch nemesis’s current wife. “She insisted on coming,” Carter explained. I forced a tight-lipped smile and asked, my brows furrowe

ELOISE I had another sip of my coffee, and it warmed me up. “You probably know me better than anyone else. You probably know what my dad is doing that I just can’t figure out. How about we start with that?” I suggested, my gaze unwavering. “Your father,” he began, “is a man with layers, just like you.” “Like me?” “You possess qualities I typically avoid, yet I’m undeniably drawn to you.” I blushed. “This isn’t about me.” He released a sigh. “Your father hides his intentions well, but I have some ideas—something I’ve observed when we talked to him. For example, it doesn’t matter who you marry, whether it’s the baron or someone else.” I frowned. He was right. Dad would’ve insisted, but he didn’t. Rather, he let me go. “Why do you think so?” “Your dad needs him because they’re partners in crime. That freaking baron handles the Cunningham businesses, so if you marry him, the viscount won’t have to try hiding his agenda. Especially to you.” I shook my head. “I still don’t get what

ELOISE I woke up just before my morning alarm. Lying with my eyes closed, I grinned into my pillow and thought back to the events of last night. I knew it wasn’t something to be thrilled about, but maybe because I was being shallow. The things Adam said were dangerous; even the way he’d jerked off in front of me promised unknown possibilities for me—if not for him. It would definitely change my life, and even though our deal was done and we would go our separate ways, I doubted I would ever forget about him. Thinking about that alone left an indescribable ache in my chest. The truth was, I was afraid to fall hard. I fell hard once before, and it took me years to move on. But I wanted something more to happen with Adam. With a condition, of course, and it was good not to be alone anymore. He offered to help me escape from my father’s plan and discover what he was doing with Callum in exchange for my submission. It sounded simple, considering what he would give me in return. But to

ELOISE The exchange of kisses between us started gradually unfolding like the slow unwrapping of my rich favorite candy: chocolate and strawberry with a hint of mint. Being in his office with his employees just on the other side of the glass walls made everything around us feel exhilarating and risky. Each experience I shared with Adam was like nothing I've ever had before. Heck, I’d never even done this before. The strength of our connection became undeniable, and I felt what he was feeling right now mirrored my own. Our tongues engaged in a playful dance, sleek, wet, and sensual that it already left me breathless. Next thing I knew, he was on top of me, and I was on his desk, with my legs spread. Slowly, his hand slid beneath my skirt, venturing deep until it reached my panties. I instinctively grabbed his hand, attempting to halt his advances. “Your secretary is right outside that wall.” I glanced towards the door. “He won’t hear or see us. In fact, no one will,” he muttered,