Forbidden Heat

** Back to the present **

I woke up in bed. I was in my nightgown and my body felt stiff. The maids probably changed me when I came back late last night. Too much went on yesterday with Zak and the shock of meeting his arranged-date, Annie, made me forget that I had something to tell Zak.

I grabbed my mobile phone and dialed Zak via my favorite speed dial. He picked up almost immediately as if he’d been waiting for my call. I just love Zak.

“Hey! How about going on a cruise with me this weekend?” I asked with over-the-top excitement, intentionally leaving out all the caveats.

“…with your old man and his new fiancé?” Zak answered back with a knowing laugh. Fuck, he caught on fast. There’s no way I’m going on a cruise as a third wheeler and no way I’m going to enjoy my time with big-boob Angela.

“Please…who knows? His fiancé might fall for your charms and back away from Lucien,” I teased.

“Hell no. I don’t like fucking bitches with fake boobs. I’ve had enough of that in the industry,” Zak replied. How did he know though?

“Why do you think she’s got fake boobs? You know her?” I asked curiously.

rich and your father is trying hard to marry you off,” Zak explained. He is so full of gossip. The amount of intel he has on people in

and come on a cruise with me. Please?” I pleaded in my cute voice.

with a blindfold on. Not a bad

you! Have I mentioned it lately?...I love you!” I said and hung

me. Knowing Zak, he

…

I’m going on the cruise with her. I would have volunteered anyways even if she didn’t ask. I found out about the cruise already through one of my maids who always loves to gossip with maids from Lucien’s mansion. The perks of living next door, indeed. Letting Natalia go on a cruise with Angela and an unsuspecting Lucien is a dangerous idea. Angela is anything but nice and

the promising candidates, the elders chose her to marry Lucien is proof enough that she will hurt Natalia somehow. This arranged nuptial is not purely for simple business gains; it was designed to use Angela to hurt Natalia specifically as well. I’m going to

…

the apocalypse, I mean the cruise, has arrived. I’m packed and well prepared mentally and physical for this battle, I mean cruise. Running a last-minute check on my mental checklist of my packing list: sunscreen, bikini, towel, camera… Seem like I’ve got everything on the list. I head down from my bedroom to the living room downstairs to meet up with Lucien and

boy in the place of his uncle, who seems to be tired from a long week of stressful work. Peering

and thankful that he’s here with us. Leave it to Zak to save my day…or in this case my weekend. Wearing a loose white shirt with sleeves folded up to show his