Simon sat back and took a sip of the whiskey. It was a poor man’s whiskey, cheap and bitter, that he had stashed away in his desk drawer. But it did the trick. He savored the slight burn as he mused over his next move. Mary, his cheating ex, was back in the picture. He thought she’d back off after what he did to her.He finished his drink, feeling the warmth spreading through his body, before he picked up his phone and dialed her number. She answered on the second ring, her voice low and soothing.“Simon, hi. It’s good to hear from you. How are you doing?”Not the greeting he had expected…“I’m good, Mary. How are you?”“I’m better now that you called.” “Yeah? Is that why you tipped off the press about Emma and I? So I would call you?”“It was either that or going to the police and filing charges for rape and assault. I went to a doctor right after the incident, and he took samples of your semen. There's more than enough for a DNA test, so I can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that y

Simon wanted to do it with Rose. There was nothing else in his life about which he was more certain. But all the self assurance he had built for himself over the past few weeks vanished. No longer was he the self-assured man who could do anything — from beating up Chad in the streets to exacting his revenge by making Mary feel the same way he did.No, he was a man in a daze. His hand slid beneath Rose’s shirt, pushing her bra aside. His fingers wrapped around her bare breast, cupping it in his palm. She moaned, a sweet, feminine sound that made his heart flutter.Her delicate flesh was too much for him to bear. Every part of her captivated him, from her delicate, firm nipple responding to his taunts to her seductive breath on his lips and the entrancing aroma of her hair. Too much disarray in his mind for him to come up with a reasonable plan. He knew nothing but the need to possess her.Still on top of him, her hips pressed against his, she started to rock back and forth over the bu

Anne's penthouse seemed still in silence. The muted echoes of her heels on the marble floor resonated through the vast space, creating an ominous rhythm that mirrored the rage pounding in her chest. Just when she thought everything was going well, her mother called. Anne had been so focused on her work and scheming that she had forgotten what pain in the ass her little sister was. Hers and Simon's betrayal would not be tolerated. Did they think she was an idiot? Fucking in her house? Did they think she'd just roll over and take it?"Simon?" Her voice sliced through the silence, carrying an edge that mirrored the sharpness of her emotions. "Simon, where are you?"The storm raging within Anne starkly contrasted with the distant hum of the city beyond the windows, which was the only response.She ventured deeper into the dark penthouse and eventually came face to face with Simon, who was sitting on the couch and appeared oblivious to what was about to happen. A file with important-look

Whitney Granger glanced up from her microscope as Simon was ushered into the sterile lab. Her sharp and calculating eyes swept over him as she adjusted her safety goggles.In spite of his unkempt appearance, he was an attractive man with an irresistible charm. He brought back a flood of memories from her youth, when she first realized that guys like him were way out of her league.Some students at her school would make fun of her all the time, claiming that when God shared sex appeal among humans, Whitney was elsewhere to get extra brain rations. She eventually grew accustomed to telling herself that smarts were more valuable than looks, even though it hurt. Science agreed with her, and they thus became her best friend."Mr. Turner," she said, her tone crisp and professional. "I trust you understand the importance of this procedure. If you could please have a seat."Simon nodded, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. The room smelled of chemicals and antiseptics, a stark contrast to

As the detective's office door swung open, Simon was escorted back inside, his footsteps echoing through the empty room. He faced Detective Cristoph, a palpable tension lingering between them."I need to be released," Simon said, his voice steady. "You can't hold me until the DNA results come back. There's no evidence tying me to any crime."Detective Cristoph leaned back, fingers steepled in front of him. His disconcerting gaze fixated on Simon. "You seem awfully confident for someone in your situation."Simon met his gaze head-on. "I'm confident because I know I'm innocent. You have nothing on me."The detective's lips curled into a sinister smile. "We'll see about that. We have a process to follow."Simon's eyes flickered with impatience. "You have no right to keep me here without evidence. I demand to be released immediately."The detective's expression remained infuriatingly composed. "We have a warrant for you."Simon exhaled sharply. "A warrant for my DNA. Which I already gave.