Chapter 3

• Joey was wearing a red bondage bikini with a garter belt that barely covered her curves as she sat provocatively on the edge of the plush bed.
• Her makeup was a work of art, with smoky eyes and bold matte red lipstick that demanded attention.
• Her hair was artfully messed into an updo that gave off a sense of wild abandon.
• Draped around her neck was an extremely expensive choker necklace, adding an air of luxury to her look.
• Her feet were accented with black stilettos, their red soles hinting at a daring personality.
• As Dane entered the room, Joey rose from her seated position.
• Her eyes glinted with desire yet held a trace of fear as they roamed over his well-defined chest muscles.
• A surge of fear prickled through her when she met his gaze that brewed with a stormy sea of anger and malice.
• Her breath caught in anticipation as Dane prowled towards her, his lips curling into an ominous smirk.
• "Sir…" Joey's voice wavered, breaking off into a gasp when Dane unexpectedly splashed whiskey on her.
• Then he threw her on the bed, coming down on her like a wild beast unleashed.
• A terrified scream tore from her throat which was quickly muffled with her hands when he shot her a deadly stare.
• Dane pushed aside her skimpy lace underwear with one hand while his other hand worked quickly to unbutton his pants.
• His teeth found purchase in the tender hollow of her shoulder, grazing against it mercilessly and drawing another agonized scream from Joey's lips.
• A harsh slap from Dane sent stars dancing before her eyes as she uselessly struggled against his iron grip.
• With ruthless disregard for her fear and pain, he quickly undressed himself before tearing away at what remained of Joey's lingerie, an obstacle hindering his movements.
• Dane had no patience for such nuisances nor did he care for the terror-stricken girl beneath him.
• He flipped Joey over with brute force, his arousal evident.
• With a harsh thrust, he broke into her, shattering her defenses without any mercy.
• This night, the silence was shattered by Joey's heart-wrenching screams as she fell prey to the beast that was Dane.
• ~MEANWHILE~
• A secret agent was stationed in a certain hospital to keep an eye on a certain breathtaking mixed-race girl with blonde hair and green eyes.
• The young lady extended her hand to check the time on her watch, which showed it was two o'clock in the morning.
• Her shift at the hospital had just ended, and she was sitting with a couple of other female coworkers while they chatted nonstop about various topics related to the hospital and other issues.
• Her eyes could barely stay open as she sat there and listened quietly without saying a word.
• Her eyes were just beginning to close when one of her coworkers suddenly grabbed her hand to examine the ring that was on her ring finger.
• It was her engagement ring from the love of her life, Lincoln Blake, serving as the official symbol of their love.
• "It looks quite nice even though it's pretty simple," one of her colleagues commented.
• "How can you possibly call this simple? Even if we sold you, you wouldn't bring in even half of what we'd need for the ring. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were jealous of her based on your comment," another person shot back.
• Scarlett withdrew her hand from her coworker in a way that was both kind and polite, but she didn't pay attention to the nonsense they were discussing.
• She never paid attention to women's gossip. She was more self-aware than she should be.
• Scarlett had a solid understanding of the future responsibilities that would be placed on her shoulders and she was prepared to take on those challenges.
• Though she hated the attention that was going to be on her. Being married into a well-known family in the field of economics was a public affair.
• Many women had dreams about him, but she had him.
• This was a responsibility that society had placed on her, and she had to fulfill it.
• People were already keeping a close eye on her because she was Scarlett Wovers, daughter of the state capital. And the attention would only increase once she was married.
• Scarlett's thoughts drifted to her soon-to-be husband.
• His personality was demanding, cold, and didn't forgive mistakes.
• 'Living with his coldness and possessive personality will be the most challenging part of it all,' she sighed internally.
• Her phone buzzed just then, indicating an incoming message.
• "Five minutes." The message read.
• Then she got to her feet, grabbed her bag, and stuffed it full of her personal belongings.
• With that, she walked toward the exit quietly without looking at her coworkers, making her way outside the hospital's walls.
• Scarlett waited on the sidewalk while keeping her expensive watch that adorned her wrist in view until Lincoln's sleek black Audi finally pulled up in front of her after a little delay.
• "Hey babe, how was work today? Don't tell me you were being a workaholic again," Lincoln said with a smirk as Scarlett climbed into the passenger seat.
• "Ugh, it was absolutely draining," she groaned, immediately resting her head on his shoulder and letting out a long yawn.
• Her eyes were heavy and her blonde hair was a tousled mess.
• "I'm sorry, baby. I know your training program is intense but they really pack a lot in a short time," Lincoln spoke softly, gently caressing her flushed cheeks with his fingers.
• Scarlett let out a soft moan of contentment, nuzzling closer into his touch. Her eyes fluttered closed as the exhaustion washed over her and within moments, her breathing slowed into a gentle, sleeping rhythm.
• "Babe?" Lincoln called out tenderly when he felt her head growing heavier on his shoulder, but she was completely knocked out.
• A charming half-smile played across his lips before turning his focus back to the road.
• The gates to the Wovers mansion were already open, the security cameras recognizing Lincoln's car once it approached.
• He pulled into the attached garage. Then he carefully maneuvered Scarlett's sleeping form into his arms and carried her inside, not wanting to wake her.
• As soon as they entered the grand foyer, Lincoln was a bit taken aback to see Scarlett's mother waiting with a concerned expression.
• "Evening, Mrs. Wovers," he greeted politely.
• "Lincoln, dear, you got her home safe. I was worried sick with her staying so late at the office. It makes me shudder thinking something could happen to her. I don't know why she insists on this simple lifestyle with no security detail."
• "No need to worry, Ma'am. She's just completely exhausted but perfectly fine," Lincoln reassured her. "I've got people keeping tabs on her even when I can't be there myself. If for some reason I couldn't pick her up, they would've brought her home safe. If you don't mind, I'm just going to get her tucked into bed and stay with her till she wakes up."
• Mrs. Wovers nodded gratefully. "Thank you, son. This is her home too, so make yourselves comfortable."
• Lincoln murmured his thanks.
• With that, he carefully carried Scarlett up to her bedroom, gently laid her down on the bed, shrugged off his jacket and stretched out beside her.
• ~
• Dane ran his fingers through his tousled hair and pulled tightly with a grunt of frustration.
• He hated the smell that currently filled this room.
• His low grunt of annoyance jolted the exhausted Joey from her sleep.
• She shot a confused look at the clock hanging grandly on the wall, its ornate hands illuminated by the moonlight filtering through the curtains. She was taken aback to see that it was half past 3 in the dead of night.
• A mischievous grin spread across Joey's face as she took in the sight of Dane's shirtless form silhouetted against the window.
• She burrowed back into the softness of her pillow, inhaling his lingering scent on the sheets.
• Then she shifted her attention back to the man standing by the window, cradling his fourth glass of amber whiskey.
• "Sir—"
• "Get out!" Dane interrupted sharply.
• A knot of unease tightened in Joey's throat like a sudden lump that was hard to swallow.
• She was confused by the surge of anger bubbling within her. After all, hadn't she known from the start what their arrangement was about?
• She was just a temporary comfort for his nightly desires, a fleeting distraction from his lonely existence.
• Nevertheless, a stubborn part of Joey refused to give up so easily.
• Her voice trembled as she mustered the courage to speak again. "Sir," she began tentatively, "If you find yourself wanting my company once more, know that I'm ready at your beck and call."
• Joey bit down on her lower lip nervously, eyes clamped shut in anticipation. A tiny seed of hope had been planted in her heart. Perhaps his response would water it into blooming joy.
• However, her hopes were brutally crushed when his icy reply hit her like a gust of winter wind. "I don't repeat my toys! Now get out!!" The words were delivered with such detached coolness that it sent shivers down Joey's spine.
• She nodded reluctantly, disappointment etching deep lines on her face.
• Gathering up her clothes scattered carelessly across the floor, she made her silent exit.
• Hot tears welled up in her eyes and blurred her vision as she wobbled on shaky legs, still reeling from their harsh session.
• But who was really at fault here?
• The bitter taste of regret filled Joey's mouth as she acknowledged an unpleasant truth - this was simply how he operated.
• He brought women into his bed each night under no pretenses, a virgin specifically, and cast them aside like spent matches once he'd satisfied his lustful cravings.
• And yet they kept coming back to him, women like herself, despite knowing about his controlling nature and ruthless disposition.
• His violence didn't scare them away; instead, it seemed to draw them in like moths to a flame. So this question lingered heavily in Joey's mind: who was really to blame here?