Tempted By My Ex’s Brother-In-Law - Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Aria’s POV
Delilah and Jace both went pale in a second.
Just moments ago, they were still acting all high and mighty. Yet now they looked like two kids who just got caught doing something they shouldn’t have.
“And where’s your big brother anyway?” Zane asked. “He really doesn’t give a shit about you two ruining his company and his pack, does he?”
“My brother’s busy,” Delilah gritted through her teeth.
Zane let out a sharp laugh. “Well awesome. Then I’ll just go ahead and take away his precious little thing.”
He wrapped an arm around my waist and steered me to the door.
I glanced back at the shredded contract on the floor one last time. A sudden wave of regret washed over me. What a waste. I had poured so much into that project, only to have it blown up like this.
We went back to the banquet hall, where the guests were still gathered. Zane raised his voice to the crowd, “Party’s over! Go home now. Apex and I are no longer in business.”
Gasps and shocked murmurs spread through the crowd.
“What happened? We thought the project was a done deal!” one guest said in disbelief.
“That you will have to ask your awesome new VP,” Zane replied with a mocking smile. “Later guys.”
We left the buzzing hall and headed to the hotel exit. That’s when we heard a sharp clack of heels. Then Delilah’s voice shrieked from behind. “This isn’t over, Aria Collins!”
I turned around to look at her. Her once flawless makeup was now smudged with sweat, her hair a bit messy, and that pretty face of hers was twisted with anger.
“What more do you want? The project’s already dead, thanks to you,” I said coldly.
“I’m the Red Stone’s heiress you bitch! You made the wrong choice going up against me,” she snarled. “Just wait. You fuck with my life. I fuck with yours. Everything you love, everything you care about, I’ll fucking take it all away.”
I frowned.
In my opinion she’d already wrecked my life.
My job, my reputation… even Grayson wasn’t done speaking to me anymore.
What else could she possibly do?
“Be my guest,” I said flatly and turned away.
Reporters’ cameras flashed wildly as I followed Zane into his car. His sport car roared back to life and he asked, “So, Miss Collins, anywhere you’d like to go?”
I seriously don’t know.
But after everything that had happened today, I felt like I was finally… free. I didn’t want to think about anything. I didn’t want to care. Just want to have some fun.
I leaned back in the seat and smiled at him. “I don’t know. I just want to get the hell out of here. Away from all these people. Maybe relax for once. Got anything in mind?”
He flashed that charming grin. “You’re asking the right guy. Buckle up, babe.”
He slammed the gas, and the car shot forward like a rocket. I gasped, gripping the seat as we sped away, leaving the reporters in the dust.
I had no clue where he was taking me. The drive was long, and somewhere along the way, I must’ve dozed off.
When I woke up, someone was shaking me gently.
“Aria, hey—wake up.”
I groaned, blinking up at Zane’s face. He was leaning over me, smirking. “Time to wake up, Sleeping Beauty. We’re here.”
“Where’s here?” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes as I turned to look outside the window.
And then I froze.
God it’s the ocean.
We were by the sea. Waves crashed in the dark, and I could hear the tide roaring nearby. A massive cruise ship sat docked in the harbor, glowing with bright lights and pulsing music. It looked like a full-blown party was happening onboard.
“W-what the hell is this?” I stammered, shocked.
“You said you wanted to relax,” Zane said, unbuckling my seatbelt. “A friend of mine’s boat was passing through here. So I figured we’d hitch a ride.”
Before I could fully process that, he was pulling me out of the car and dragging me to that ship. No, that thing was no ship, more like a mansion on water. It had to be five or six stories high!
“Wait, where are we?” I asked urgently just before we boarded.
As far as I knew, the Red Stone Pack wasn’t anywhere near the coast. Which meant we were not even on Grayson’s territory anymore?
Zane threw an arm over my shoulders, looking completely chill and relaxed. “Does it matter? All you need to know is I’m taking you somewhere fun.”
“But I can’t just disappear. I should at least tell someone about this. Like my grandma or May?”
“Relax. I won’t borrow you too long. Just promise me—when you’re with me, I get your full attention. No distractions.” He held out his hand. “Now give me your phone.”
If he wasn’t Zane, I’d probably think I was being kidnapped right now.
After hesitating for a second, I handed him my phone like he asked.
Right then, it started to ring.
And on the screen, it said: Alpha Grayson.
My heart nearly stopped.
Zane let out a whistle. “Well, well, look who finally sobered up. Can you imagine what he wants to say to you?”
“I—I don’t know,” I stammered, panicking. “Don’t pick up.”
“Why not? He can’t bite you through the phone.”
The ringtone kept going, and the air felt like it was getting thinner around me. I could practically feel those cold gray eyes staring through the screen, pressing down on me.
“Turn it off,” I begged, breathing hard.
“Nope. I wanna hear what he has to say.”
“Don’t—” I gasped, but it was too late. He answered the call.
There was a moment of silence. Then his voice came through, deep and icy, with a storm looming behind it:
“Where are you?”
“I—”
Zane cut in, “She’s with me.”
The silence on the other end stretched long.
I held my breath, my whole body cold. Even without seeing him, I could feel the way the temperature in that room must’ve dropped ten degrees.
“You’ll regret this, Elrod.”
Zane let out a soft chuckle. “Did you see the photos, Hart? She looked real happy with me, didn’t she? She’s never like that with you.”
I looked at Zane, pleading with my eyes for him to stop. But he didn’t. “You can kiss her farewell because she’s not coming back to you.”
“Put Aria on the phone,” Grayson demanded.
I reached out to grab the phone, but Zane pulled it away.
“No, she doesn’t want to talk to you. Go fuck yourself, Hart.”
And with that, he end the call and threw my phone right into the ocean.
“No!!!” I shrieked, lunging toward the railing, but it was too late. My phone was gone, sinking into the sea.
I spun on him, furious. “What the hell is wrong with you?! I just bought it!”
“I’ll get you a new one,” Zane said, pulling me into his arms. “He might’ve been tracking your phone. We need to be careful.”
I bit my lip, unease creeping into my chest. I could always feel Grayson’s dark emotions. And this time I could tell he was angry. Like furious.
I was starting to get scared of what would come next.
“Why did you say that to him? The part I’m not getting back to him anymore?” I frowned.
“Just something to keep him on edge. Don’t tell me you’re mad.”
I took in a deep breath. “I just…didn’t mean to cause you trouble.”
Zane laughed. “Don’t worry. Sometimes, poking the bear is the fun part. Let him stew in jealousy for a while. Come on—we’ve got a party to crash.”
He took my hand and led me to the ship.
Third Person POV – Earlier That Day
The room was pitch dark.
Only a single strip of sunlight slipped through the curtains, casting a thin beam across the messy bed and Grayson’s bare back.
He lay face down. His muscles were sharp and defined but covered with scars. Some
were fresh sex marks, but the others were more horrific. Bite marks, burns, knife or bullet wounds…anything you could imagine.
A buzzing sound echoed through the room.
The girl curled up in the corner of the bed woke up. She tiptoed across the floor littered with clothes and empty bottles and found the buzzing phone.
She checked the screen, hesitated, then brought it over.
“Alpha… uh, Alpha Grayson?”
He didn’t move. She touched his shoulder gently.
“What?” he didn’t look up. his voice was hoarse.
“Your Beta’s been calling…like 20 times already.”
“Turn it off. Then you can leave.”
She looked a bit disappointed, but she knew his rule. So she started gathering her clothes.
Then there was a knock at the door. Mrs. Jones’s voice came from the hallway. “Alpha Grayson? Sorry to disturb you, but it’s urgent.”
He sat up abruptly. Bloodshot eyes, dark circles. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. He stormed across the room and yanked the door open.
“Speak.”
Mrs. Jones quickly handed him a tablet. “The company’s stock has dropped sharply in the last hour. Because of this.”
He glanced at the headline: Apex loses Elrod partnership after chaotic press event.
Anger flashed across his eyes. He scrolled down, eyes scanning the rest of the article. Then he froze.
It was a photo.
Her. With Zane.
She was wearing a silver gown. That damn thing clung to her body so well that you could literally see everything, her slim waist, her ass, her long legs. And that low neckline exposed a great deal of her chest. Half of her breasts were in display.
Everyone fucking man in the background were staring at her. Like they wanted to jump on her any second.
And she had no idea about their lust.
Grayson could feel his inner beast waking up. Fuck. She looked radiant. Stunning. Confident. Nothing like the broken girl who’d come begging to him last time.
She was smiling. With her arm hooked through Zane’s.
She looked like she had fallen for him.
“My phone,” Grayson growled, eyes still locked on the photo.
The girl rushed over and handed it to him. He dialed her number.
She should’ve been home. He told her to go home. But she clearly defied his order. And now she’s with that man.
The line connected. But it wasn’t her voice that answered.
Instead that man told him that she didn’t want to go back to him anymore. She’s leaving.
Then the call was ended. He dialed again, but it was already powered off.
“The elders and managers are all waiting to speak to you,” Mrs. Jones said, watching his reaction carefully. “The market’s in chaos. Everyone is panicking. They really want to know where you are, and why you haven’t been out to deal with the company business—”
Grayson suddenly grabbed her by the neck. She gasped. The other girl screamed and stumbled backward in terror.
“I don’t care about anything else,” he growled. “Fine her. FIND THEM.”