ECSTASY | CRIME PRINCE SERIES | BOOK 0.5 FIRST EDITION

|𝟑𝟓.| 𝗔 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁 ♤

Aria

The next few days are spent giving more attention to the business and the White Palace project especially considering the final pitch is only a few weeks away and the launch in about a month or so. Rhea flew in a few days ago and we're currently working at our Los Angeles branch. To say she looked like a mess when she first arrived is an understatement. I suggest she could take over my role, perhaps she was not ready. I don't believe everyone can even succeed let alone try.

Although I was beyond impressed. Not only did Rhea try but she also in fact succeeded. Besides the mess she looked, the dark eye bags and the disheveled hair along with her cramped hand. She still managed to run the company without my presence and look good while doing it. I gave her a few days off when she arrived so she could explore the outlets of Los Angeles. She better have hooked up with someone or else the cause of that mini vacation was very useless.

On pressing matters, I hope to remember never to make Simarae my assistant again. She offered and I accepted thinking that we'd get along because we're best friends but she is not what I expected. The way Marae and I do things often clash more than they should and I've sent her on countless useless errands just to get her away for a little while. Did she come back and yell at me for exactly forty-five minutes on end? Yes, yes she did.

It seems worth it though. I know how Marae works now.

Looking out to the city from my window, I'm reminded of my office back home. This one is pretty much the same but I can't see the view as clearly as I did before. The traffic of L. A is as clear as day getting more frequent by the hour, I don't expect it to clear up any soon. I'm unable to do any work currently and my mind keeps wandering off to different places and things. Not to mention the pain in my thighs that throbs now and then.

"One more," Ash said. He ignored the constant whines of disapproval, the whispers of breath that I let out. "I can't. It's too much, I can't" it seemed like music to his ears, I moved further up the bed hoping to get away only to be trapped by my arms and legs. He reassured me, telling me I could do it, that I could take him over and over again. "That's it...good girl...one more time." By then tears gathered in my eyes as I tried to recall if I even remembered my name. I don't think I did, I don't think I remember what anything was. No matter how many times he said "just one more" he kept repeating it like a canary, till the sun eventually went up.

I'm disturbed by the sound of clanking shoes on the tile floor. I spin my chair around, expecting
Marae or Rhea. Instead, I meet his gaze with his hazel brown eyes of Vincent, the knowing eyes as if he knows what I was thinking about. I remove the pen I was biting as I watch him lean against the doorframe. I clear my throat and he walks over to my desk leaning over to meet my face at a closer range. I hope I appear unfazed, perfectly normal but my flushed cheeks and dilated pupils say otherwise.

"I don't think you'd want to share your thoughts at the moment?" he states more than questions. Vincent is a terrifyingly handsome man, it seems those are the only men I'm surrounded by nowadays. I believe Ash would fuck those thoughts right out of me if he knew. I shake my head and he chuckles, taking a seat from across me I have only to believe that he's here to make sure I'm safe. Seeing as Dorian is injured from a mission but so is he.

"Vince, what are you doing here? You were shot in the shoulder."

"Please. Surely you don't believe a bullet can stop me or any of our men, Ash is ruthless pain to him is like ecstasy. You should know that I believe."

"Trust me, I do." And it's the truth, Ash shot or stabbed or in any type of pain would get up after what seemed like ten minutes of rest. Then he'd seduce me and later on blame it on the adrenaline, or the pain. I smirk and once again that knowing gaze sets on Vincent's face. I falter for a moment.