Areston thinks he can shield me from his past, but what he doesn't realize is I'm already part of it.
The darkness that haunts him? It's the same one that's been chasing me for years.
I've given him everything-my body, my heart, my soul-and still, it's not enough. He craves control, and needs to protect me, but I'm done playing the delicate wife. I'm done being kept in the dark while he fights battles that belong to both of us.
He's mine, and I'll burn the world down to keep him just like he would do for me.
But our secrets are dangerous. Our demons are circling, and if we're not careful, they'll tear us apart from the inside.
We've been through hell together, but this is different. This time, it's not about surviving-it's about whether we can trust each other enough to fight for what we have.
He's the love of my life, the man I'm addicted to, but in the end, will our love be enough to save us from ourselves?
This explosive finale to The Scent Trilogy-where passion, obsession, and unrelenting loyalty collide, and no one walks away unscathed.
Trigger Warnings:
Consensual Non-Consent (CNC)
Graphic Sexual Content
Violence
Psychological Manipulation
Obsession/Stalking
Toxic Relationships
Dubious Consent
Abuse (Emotional/Physical)
Kidnapping/Captivity
Mental Illness
Anarchistic Themes
Murder/Death
Substance Abuse
Self-Harm/Suicidal Ideation
Childhood Trauma/Abuse
Torture
Sexual Degradation
Blood/Violence in Sexual Context
Power Imbalance/Authority Kink
"Here's a paracetamol. And I'll need to check your temperature." I forced the words from my vocal chords and handed him both.
Mr. Lawson took the glass of water and drank, still in front of me. Unconsciously, my eyes darted to his Adam's apple, bobbing up and down as he swallowed. A drop of water traveled from his lips down to his chin. As if mesmerized, I followed the wet trail, looking away when it reached past his washboard abs. My mouth going through drought. At this point, I'll catch his fever. I stepped back, feeling hot.
"Take a nap first. I'll cook some soup. Your temperature?" I asked.
Mr. Lawson glanced at the beeping thermometer, then turned it off, "40°C."
"40?!" I asked incredulous.
"I'm that hot." He turned his back to me and went to bed, going under his thick duvet of grey and black.
***
Managing a family business, floundering in secret debts, and studying for a degree had been the main course of Sinclair's life since that fateful tragedy. Surviving was what she's aimed for ever since.
But will she survive the increasingly irresistible pull of her new boss, Mr. Lawson?
***
Mature Content.
Please do point out errors. It'll make editing much easier. (If I find the will to edit, that is. *wink*)
|| intense gratitude from this point forward ||