ADDICTED TO THE CEO 18+

�𝐨𝐫'�

the suffocating darkness of the night. Each drop fell with a rhythm, stea

drils wrapping around everything within. The air was damp, carrying with

oppressive silence, weak and trembling. It came from the little girl curl

fell in messy strands over her tear-streaked face, the salty droplets glistening faintly un

hadows across the room. It touched the girl's delicate features, highlig

trembling as though holding herself together was the

lamming open with such force that the sound ricocheted through the room, startling the girl. She flinched, her

to life. His footsteps were slow, deliberate, each one resonating with an unspoken menace. He stopped a

not meet his eyes, keeping her head lowered, but she could feel the

he had smiled at her, his laughter a melody she had cherished. But that was a dista

of the kindness it once held. It carried an edg

er words trapped somewhere between fear and despair. The tears that threatened to fall a

el. She tensed, every muscle in her body screaming to shrink away, to disappear into th

deceptively soft. She nodded frantically, her lips trembling as she tried to fo

she forced herself to nod again. "Y-yes," she whispered

d over her once more, casting a shadow that seemed to s

athy in him after observing her panic-stricken face, wasting no more time to bring down the leather whip on her back with such force that it made h

𝐫𝐞

renched in sweat and tears. My hands clawed at my neck

ightmare clung to me

hback fel

d all, but I didn't care. My back slid down the tiled wall until I sat hunched on the floor, the water streaming over

e side, my parents and brother beamed beside me, the love in their eyes u

e locket to my chest. The sobs racked

Brother?" My voice cracked, raw

ter. I avoided the mirror, knowing the redness and scratches on my neck would only remind me of the nightma

left my apartment, locking it behind me. The bak

-

𝐨𝐭 𝐃�

erior glinting under the morning sun. Enzo sat

f the tech guys from your company. Over the last two months, h

forced my expression to remain calm, bu

y been captu

at the warehouse,

oo

orgive. And when it happened, I made sur

s had been meddling with our shipments again, and the wei

e in my chaoti

re

ang

nly thing that kept the darkness within me at bay. S

between her and that boy, Levi, gnawed at me. The pictures my men sent of him hugging her, kissing her fo

y. But for now, I stayed my hand. Levi was her best

he ashes to the wind. But the jealousy lin

-

d alcohol was overwhelming. My men greeted me with bowed

t nod before striding into the

rk as I saw him. The man was a pathetic sight-brui

, crouching to his level

from his lips, and looked

haven't been to

hair, I yanked his head ba

emanded, my voice l

d into a weak sm

fying crunch of bone echoed in the room. Blood spattered t

ce," I hissed.

above a whisper. "I won't tell you, but

ran col

sted-Enzo and my brothers-were aware of

there was

my gun and fired. The shot echoed, and

until there's nothing left,"

-

Sirena. I needed to see her, to hear her v

kery, I didn't expect th

-

re

chen, finishing a batch of chocolate chip cookies. My co-wor

ou still have

o batches,"

rrowed. "I

grabbed my arm, dragging me

I had slapped her and refused to work. Mrs

re fi

ase! She

you poor

rents' faces flashed in my mind, th

to slap me, and I braced for

I looked up to see Elliot, his d

eat your employees?

, but Elliot silenced

w," he declared. "You'r

at had just happened. Once they left, Ell

u okay,

I mumbled, avo

after your shift," he said, his

th unease. Something about him didn't sit r

had work