Tessa's POVI woke up early the next morning feeling far better than I had the evening before, entirely refreshed to start a new day. I got out of bed with renewed vigor, determined to excel at my training today with Zane.Yesterday had been terrifying for me, and I still found it difficult to believe that somebody out there wanted me dead. If Zane hadn't been there, they would have succeeded, a thought that haunted me even now as it crossed my mind.I didn't understand why anyone would want to kill me. I had, to my knowledge, done nothing wrong. At first, I'd thought he'd been coming for Zane, but after the second knife had flown straight at me, it was clear that I was the target.While I was happy Zane had been there to save my life, it was clear I needed to take my training more seriously so I could protect myself even when I was alone.After Zane left me in the bedroom last night, Fred came to check on me and make sure I was okay. I'd appreciated his gentleness, and the little jok

Zane’s POV“I know we decided you should take a little break from Tessa, but I think you might be going about it rather too harshly,” Fred said as he entered my office after breakfast that morning.I didn’t bother to glance at him, typing away on my laptop. It was a testament to my self-control that I retained my train of thought instead of cussing him out of my office like I wanted.Instead, when I typed out a few sentences, I picked a file from the pile next to me and threw it further down my desk towards him.“The accounts I need auditing. Once you go through it yourself, you can call the accountant to get started,” I said without looking at him, ignoring his stare as I kept working on my laptop.Fred gave me a long, suffering sigh but took the documents and sat down across the desk from me to get started. I kept working, but my focus surprisingly remained intact, considering how hard I fought not to even think about that certain woman whom I shouldn’t be caring about in the very f

Zane’s POV“You might be under the illusion that you’re queen over all here, and I may allow you from time to time based on our history, but make no mistake, that is not your place here, and you do not have any right to question me on who I speak to,” I said calmly while Morgan pouted even harder and then rolled her eyes.“Jeez, I was just joking. Why are you so sensitive about this slave?” she muttered, and a fire lit in Zane’s eyes. However, he didn’t say anything to address it, so I kept silent, too.“We can discuss what you want in my office,” he said before giving Tessa a strained and apologetic smile as she left.I leaned back in my chair and leveled Morgan with a cool look, which she smiled sheepishly at.“Am I in trouble?” she teased playfully, but I wasn’t in the least bit amused.“You need to leave,” I said, and she blinked at me.“W─What?”“I said you need to─”“I heard you the first time!” she snapped, a hint of irritation on her face.“Why?” she whined, and my stare at he

Tessa’s POVAfter the guard interrupted us to get Zane’s attention, I went back to my room for a quick shower and dressed before going down for breakfast.I’d had some coffee before coming down to train with Zane but after expending all that energy, I was practically starving.I made my way down the stairs and paused at the last step, watching in confusion as a group of maids hurried down the hall, looking harried and stressed. Unsure of what was wrong and hoping it was nothing, I followed them to the kitchen. The servants I passed nodded at me, all seeming in an immense hurry as they quickly went about their business, not even pausing to spare me a glance.The scents reached me from the kitchen even before I opened the door. My mouth watered, my stomach letting out a healthy growl in anticipation of the deliciously scenting meal I was heading towards.Tara was inside, and she was the only one who looked directly at me as I entered. The others were mumbling greetings and doing their b

Zane’s POVI didn’t know what I was thinking when I pulled Tessa into me. All I knew was that it displeased me to hear her go on and on about wanting that asshole.The thought of another man being with her was activating my possessiveness. After all, I was never one to share.I wanted to change that, so I’d done the first thing I could think of, and that was to grab her so I could kiss her senselessly and wipe away all thoughts of Eric. I wanted to replace them with only me.She stiffened at first, and I wondered if she’d made a mistake until she melded into my body with a moan that I found too sexy to back away from. I growled low in my throat, my need driving me to pull her even closer to me until she was pressed flush against my body.My hands slid down her shoulders to the small of her back, a pleased little sound falling from my lips when she shivered at my touch.I slid my hands lower, down over the curve of her waist and the delicate swelling of her hips. And then, without warn