Chapter 180
Chapter 181
VENUS
Morning found me soft.
Z (59)
For once, the city outside didn’t wake me with horns and sirens, but with the slow rustle of sheets and the scent of coffee drifting through the penthouse. I blinked into the spill of golden light cutting through the curtains, half-expecting to see the storm in Aaron’s eyes still lingering from last night.
But instead, he was there, sitting at the edge of the bed with a tray balanced in his hands. Eggs, fruit sliced with surgical precision, coffee black for him, tea pale and sweet for me. And, as always now, my vitamins in a neat line beside the plate, like jewels instead of pills.
“You’re spoiling me,” I murmured, voice still heavy with sleep.
His mouth curved, faintly. “Good. You should get used to it p>
I sat up against the pillows, tugging the blanket closer around me as he set the tray on my lap. His eyes lingered, shadow and warmth tangled together, as if memorizing every movement I made. Like even the way I buttered toast might matter in some ledger he was keeping.
He didn’t eat. He watched me.
“You have to stop hovering,” I teased lightly, sipping my tea.
His hand slid against my thigh beneath the blanket, heat searing through cotton. “Hovering is a weak word, princess. I’m guarding p>
“Guarding me from scrambled eggs p>
His eyes flickered-something sharp and unreadable. “Guarding you from everything p>
I laughed softly, even though the sound trembled. The dread from last night hadn’t left. It was a coil still sitting in my stomach, a shadow in my chest. But I swallowed it down again, let his intensity steady me.
We finished breakfast together-me eating and him making sure I did. When the tray was pushed aside, he stretched out next to me, pulling me against his chest. His hand rested against my stomach automatically, as if claiming the lives there as much as me.
It was one of those rare moments when the world felt still. No meetings, no family politics, no ghosts of Dorian or Sabine’s tears echoing from last night. Just us, a bed, and silence.
I was almost asleep again when his phone buzzed against the nightstand. Once, twice. Then it rang, Loud. Insistent.
Aaron didn’t move at first. His jaw tightened against my hair. Only when it kept ringing did he reach for it, thumb sliding across the screen.
“Connor.” His voice was clipped.
20:46 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 181
Z、(59)
The sound that came through wasn’t Connor’s usual smooth confidence-it was frantic and fractured. I could hear it even pressed against Aaron’s chest.
“Aaron, it’s Sabine. She went for a run this morning and she hasn’t come back. I checked the cameras-” Connor’s breath was harsh, uneven. “Masked men. They grabbed her. Threw her into a car. She’s gone, Aaron p>
The tray in my lap might as well have fallen through the mattress.
Gone.
The word tore through me like glass.
Aaron sat up, the whole bed shifting with the force of his body moving. His voice dropped to a tone I’d only heard a handful of times-controlled fury. “Where p>
“Downtown. Near the river trail. They were fast, professional. We can’t track the plates. She’s just-” Connor’s voice broke. “She’s gone p>
I pressed a hand to my stomach, my heart a pounding mess against my ribs.
Aaron’s silence was worse than any curse. I could feel the storm building in him, see it in the stillness of his shoulders, the cut of his profile against the light.
“I’ll be there.” He ended the call without another word.
The room felt like it tilted, the walls closing in. “Aaron p>
His eyes snapped to me. Not cruel. Not careless. But absolute.
“Don’t.” The command in his voice silenced me instantly. He swung out of bed, already reaching for his clothes.
I pushed the blanket back, rising too. “She’s my family p>
“And I’m going to bring her back.” He was pulling on his shirt, his movements sharp, efficient. “But you- He strode back to me, catching my chin between his fingers, forcing my gaze up to meet his. “You’re staying here p>
My throat closed. “Aaron p>
“No.” The word cracked like a whip. His eyes burned down into mine. “You promised me you’d put them first.” His hand slid against my stomach, pressing lightly as if to remind me of the vow I’d made by carrying his children. “That means staying out of this p>
“I can help p>
“You help by breathing.” His voice roughened, fire and fear colliding. “You help by staying alive p>
Tears stung at the edges of my eyes, but I swallowed them back. “I can’t just sit here knowing she’s p>
20:47 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 181
“You will.” His grip softened just enough to turn the order into something darker. “For me, Venus. Promise
me p>
I couldn’t speak. My chest was too tight.
“Promise me p>
I nodded finally, brokenly. “I promise p>
59
His exhale was sharp, shaky, like he didn’t believe me but needed the words anyway. He kissed my forehead, fierce, almost bruising. Then he was gone, pulling on his jacket, grabbing his keys.
At the door, he paused. Looked back at me one last time. “The guards stay. No one comes in. No one goes out. If anyone so much as breathes near you, they’ll answer to me. Do you understand p>
I nodded again, voice gone.
And then he was gone.
The penthouse door slammed shut, leaving only silence behind.
The silence stretched long after he left, pressing harder than the quiet car ride from last night.
I sat there on the bed, staring at the tray, the empty glass, the vitamins lined up like lifelines. My body was still warm from his, but the space beside me felt like a cliff edge now.
Sabine.
Taken.
The dread that had been clawing at me for days bloomed full, choking, undeniable. My chest ached with it, my body screaming to run after him, to fight, to do something.
But I stayed.
For him. For them. For the lives under my heart that had no voice but mine.
I stayed.
And every second of staying felt like being torn apart.
Because I was reminded of how vulnerable I was a few months ago when Martha drugged me and Dain and Billy took me. Then Gerald p>
What if-
“No Venus. No don’t think the worst. She’ll be fine. Aaron and Connor will find her p>
I tried to calm myself. For my babies. For Aaron.
20:47 Wed, Jan 14 p>
Chapter 181
I couldn’t.
irshadabbasi81
Added a post. You interacted with th…
My phone rang. The tune filling the living room
I checked the caller ID and it was an unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello again my dearest Venus p>
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.