Between Silence and storm

pte

ia

the dimly lit hallway. Ariana, dressed in formal even

So muc

, threatening to consume her from the insi

past hour pla

birthday celebration, her stepmother, Cynth

omething I need to

's nothing for us to talk about. The moment you drove my mother

d her irritation with a pitiful sigh. "Your f

read creeping into her gut.

ul man. The only way out is for you to ask your grandfather for help. No matter w

ound it

r gran

had severed all ties wi

ced her father while her mother was pregna

letting her mother walk out into a s

had the audacit

eg him for anything. My father is nothing but a selfi

she turne

d, a sharp voice c

to help, don't blame me

unusual fragrance filled the

reath. But it was too late-sh

w weak, her v

mn

figure grabbing her arm, a

th, Ariana kicked her attacker h

flooding her veins as she fo

ruthless, but she had underesti

, Ariana pressed herself against the

eps. V

her! If she escap

nt

breath

she reached for the nearest

ea

rise, it wa

she slipped inside and

was pit

idea wher

and before she could steady

A

d on some

some

rning cheek, sending a wave of

lt so

tively, touching the so

as a

away, but the overwhelming heat consumin

rms and legs wrapping around him as if

d, Dwayne

a deep slumber, but the sudden weight pr

rubbing against him in a way that sent a

se, laced with irr

ace against his chest, her fing

away, but his intoxicated b

essed

er-light kiss lande

ire bod

fire flickered t

en, dark and predat

that had just been provoked, his shar

e flipped them over, pinn

was low,

do you think

in

n overwhelming, searing heat. Her body felt weak, heavy. A suf

st it, forcing h

l-defined jawline. The high bridge of his nose. Lips that were perfectly sculpted yet

oment, Ariana fo

ogged mind unable to pro

ty came cra

gments of last night. The setup. Her desp

now-

ic surged thr

n is...

e in bed with her? Or worse..

t enough to peek underneath. The sight of two dishe

s back up, her face

do? What sho

't related by blood, but Dwayne was still considered her uncle

up with an answer, the

py hum esca

ched in terror. Her

rong, tanned arm wrapped around her wa

nearly

, solid, burning hot against her feverish skin.

ry his arm away, but it was li

he's to

temples as she waited-praying

ng the chance, Ariana mustered all her strength and wriggled free. She s

s she dressed, he

trousers too forcefully

h

raight into somethin

w

winced, staggering back-only to

e's c

muscula

she snapped her gaze upward

old, razor-

rcing. Un

in the room se

egs gave out, and she collapsed

it all wrong!" she bl

stared down at her, unreadable, assessing. Th

ur clot

her feet. She hurried to finish dressin

t and swung his legs o

he sa

n on the

w tigh

grabbed his shirt off the floor and slip

really happene

ulse erratic. "I... I was drugged last night. I had no

then stammered

around t

ened instantly. "D

ipped-like a blade sli

throat

hough not related by blood, the Rickshaws had treated her a

r mother

th her father. They had even tried to take Ariana awa

ith her grandfather or stay with t

se her

e had been abandone

nt her. But she never thought Dwayne wou

her chest. She lowered h

he said quietly. "I was drugge

clenched a

t it ever happened. Consider it like-like gett

promise, nobody will know. Jus

remaine

his silence

then turned on her h

e could take

ough the air, low and dangerous

eady rimmed with red, flickered with h

, is there an

gized. Would he still

this on purpose. If she had known it was him in that room last ni

had lost some

if... what if last night had been his first time too? No one would e

, frustration flic

to kneel and beg

saw the dissatisfaction written all over her face

set y

d on her tongue, but sh

th hers years ago. She had no

her head. "

ion turned ice-c

d against you? You really don't

clenched a

odged in her throat, maki

ned away d

can

turned on her heel and sil

the handle, his voice cu

to take th

fr

assed before re

about the con

face fl

minder," she snapped.

en. She couldn't af

response, she yanked o

on the doorway for a be

ic

closed be

long strides, he made

unning water f

-the lingering b

is reflection in the mirror. Red,

ight's images flash

pt up hi

e cursed under his breath an

ly, Ariana fina

peeled off her cl

s. Eve

covered her waist, and eve

ran down

woman in your past life? You beas

applied ointment to her

hed her hands and reached

he could

k, k

tient rapping

out. I know yo

ia's

e, stripped away to reveal

the pill bottle before she silen

d to the door, a

thia stormed in, her ex

ou last night

crossing her arms la

's jaw

ana to be drugged and thrown into the bed of a powerful busin

w, Ariana

she had also infuriated the businessman,

ned in h

he would rip Ar

tilted her head. "Oh, righ

a stif

ice dripping with mock sweetness. "I wonder... do you think he'

face drain

hissed. "Impossible! They haven't care

smirked

e doorframe and t

house and see for ourselves? Le

linted wit

ia fa

go, they had made one thing clear-if she ever ret

r the Rickshaws, they w

uld des

n't let Ariana off

gleam flickere

and invite him to dinner. If he agrees, I'll b

ning wa

d, then Ariana's

ake sure she ended up in a str

tightened ar

in

ed the ca