The Billionaire Unexpected Heir

chapter 3

Nicole's POV

Few weeks had passed and the tension in the penthouse was suffocating. It had been building for days, a quiet storm swirling between Zane and me, and I could feel it choking the life out of this marriage-or whatever this was. I was tired.

The walls between us were impenetrable, but I was done. I couldn’t stay quiet anymore. I couldn’t keep pretending that everything was fine when every time I looked at him, it felt like I was staring at a stranger.

That evening, as we sat across from each other at the dinner table, the silence stretched on, thick and heavy. I couldn’t take it anymore. I put my fork down with a loud clink, making Zane look up from his plate, his eyes cool and indifferent.

"Why are we doing this?" I blurted out, my voice shaky but firm. "This-this marriage. We don’t even talk to each other. It’s like you’re not even here. I don’t even know you, Zane."

He narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable. "You agreed to this," he said, his voice low, almost dismissive. "This was your choice."

"Was it?" My heart raced, frustration boiling up inside me. "You made it sound like it was my only option. Save the business or let it die. I didn’t even have time to think about it, let alone process it."

His jaw tightened. "You knew the deal. There’s no room for emotions here, Nicole."

"Then why did you ask me to marry you?" I shot back, unable to hold back the words anymore. "If this is just business, then why-"

"Enough," he interrupted, his voice suddenly sharp. "I don’t have time for this right now."

I stood up abruptly, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. "Well, maybe *I* don’t have time for this either," I snapped. "I can’t keep living like this. With you-like this."

I could see his frustration growing, his normally composed demeanor cracking, but instead of backing down, he leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. "What do you want from me, Nicole? A fairy tale? I don’t do fairy tales."

I stepped closer to him, my fists clenched at my sides. "I want you to feel something! I want you to care!"

The words were out before I could stop them, and there was a moment-just a moment-where everything seemed to freeze. Zane’s gaze dropped to my lips, and my breath caught in my throat.

He was so close, his body heat radiating toward me, a storm of emotions flickering in his eyes. The anger, the frustration-it was all there, and yet something else simmered beneath the surface. His gaze burned into mine, a silent challenge, a question he refused to voice.

“Why do you always look at me like that?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the beating of my heart.

His eyes darkened, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “Like what?”

“Like I’m the reason for all your misery,” I replied, my voice trembling. I hated how small it sounded, but I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Zane didn’t answer right away. Instead, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with a grip firm enough to command attention but not enough to hurt.

He pulled me closer until there was no space left between us. His lips crashed against mine, silencing the whirlwind of emotions that had been building between us for weeks.

My mind screamed at me to push him away, to demand answers instead of giving in to the heat that consumed us, but my body betrayed me.

The kiss was rough, almost punishing, as if he was trying to say everything he refused to put into words. I responded instinctively, a wave of heat rushing through me as his hands slid to my waist, pulling me flush against him.

“Zane…” I tried to protest, but his name came out as a breathless murmur against his lips.

“Don’t,” he growled, his voice low and filled with frustration. “Don’t say my name like that.”

“Like what?” I challenged, even as my knees weakened under the intensity of his touch. “Like I mean something to you?”

His hands tightened on my waist, and for a fleeting moment, vulnerability flashed in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, his voice thick with something I couldn’t name.

Before I could argue, he lifted me up, and I wrapped my legs around him as he carried me up the stairs while trailing kisses down my neck before I knew it-we were suddenly in the bedroom.

I didn’t know how we got there, but the world around us faded until there was nothing but him-the weight of his body pressing against mine, his lips tracing a searing path down my neck.

The anger between us turned into something deeper-something raw. His hands moved with an urgency that made my pulse race, his touch branding my skin like fire.

The intensity was suffocating as we tore at each other’s clothes, desperate and frantic.

His fingers brushed against my collarbone before he yanked my top over my head, his eyes darkening as they roamed over me, drinking in every inch of exposed skin.

“Zane…” I tried to speak, but my voice broke into a soft gasp when his lips found the hollow of my throat.

His teeth grazed my skin, just enough to make me shiver, before his tongue soothed the spot. There was no tenderness, no soft whispers of affection-just an overwhelming passion that stole the breath from my lungs.

He pinned me against the wall, his body pressing into mine with an unexpected force. His hands slid down to my waist, then lower, gripping my hips as if to anchor himself.

I arched against him, my hands tangling in his hair, pulling him closer, needing more. His lips left a blazing trail down my neck, his stubble scraping against my skin in a way that was both rough and intoxicating.

“Is this what you want?” he demanded hoarsely, his breath hot against my ear as he hovered above me.

His voice was a low growl, thick with frustration and desire. His hands tightened on my waist, his fingers digging into my skin as if daring me to answer.

His eyes burned into mine, a mixture of anger and something darker. I felt exposed under his gaze, vulnerable in a way I hadn’t expected. “I don’t know,” I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. My chest heaved as I struggled to find my footing in the storm he was unleashing. “I don’t know what I want anymore.”

Zane let out a low, almost feral sound, his lips crashing against mine again before I could say more.

The kiss was punishing, a battle of wills, and yet I couldn’t pull away. His hands slid up my sides, his thumbs brushing over sensitive skin, sending shivers down my spine. My body arched into him as his touch ignited a fire I hadn’t realized I was capable of feeling.

He lifted me effortlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist as he carried me to the bed.

The back of my knees hit the edge, and we tumbled onto the mattress in a tangle of limbs. His hands found my thighs, sliding up with deliberate slowness, his calloused fingers leaving trails of heat in their wake.

“You’re driving me insane,” he muttered against my skin, his lips brushing over my collarbone. He nipped at the spot just below my shoulder, then soothed it with his tongue, a sharp contrast that left me breathless.

My hands roamed over his back, feeling the tension in his muscles, the restrained power beneath his skin.

“f**k, Zane…” I mumbled, his name slipping from my lips, a broken whisper that seemed to spur him on. He leaned back for just a moment, his gaze sweeping over me, and the raw intensity in his eyes made my stomach tighten.

“Say you want this,” he said, his voice low and commanding. “Say you want me.”

I couldn’t answer, not with words. Instead, I pulled him back to me, Immediately Zane’s hands roamed over my body with a precision that left me trembling, his touch both demanding and deliberate.

His fingers brushed over my ribcage before sliding higher, cupping my breasts through the thin lace of my bra. He paused for a moment, his eyes meeting mine, a storm of desire brewing within them.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, his voice rough and filled with something I couldn’t quite name. He tugged the straps of my bra down slowly, exposing me to his gaze. His thumbs brushed over my n*****s, teasing them to hardened peaks, and I gasped at the sensation.

His mouth followed, warm and insistent as his lips wrapped around one n****e while his hand teased the other.

The flick of his tongue sent a jolt of pleasure straight through me, and my hands tightened in his hair, urging him closer. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he sucked gently, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin before he pulled back slightly, his breath hot against my flushed skin.

“Zane…” I breathed his name, my voice a mixture of need and desperation. My body arched into his touch, every nerve ending alight with sensation.

His other hand began its descent, sliding down the curve of my waist, his fingers leaving a trail of fire as they moved lower. When he reached the waistband of my underwear, he paused, his gaze locking onto mine. There was a question in his eyes, a silent request for permission.

I gave him a small nod, my chest heaving as anticipation coiled tightly within me. He hooked his fingers into the fabric, sliding it down my thighs and tossing it aside without breaking eye contact.

His touch was warm against the sensitive skin of my inner thigh, his fingers tracing slow, deliberate circles that left me trembling.

“You’re already so wet,” he murmured, his voice thick with desire as his fingers moved closer to my center. “Is this what you wanted?”

“Yes,” I whispered, the word barely audible as I gripped the sheets beneath me, my body aching for more.

His fingers slid through my slick folds, teasing me with light, feathery touches that had me writhing beneath him. He found my most sensitive spot and circled it with just enough pressure to drive me wild. My hips bucked involuntarily, seeking more, but he held me in place, his free hand gripping my hip with firm control.

“Stay still,” he commanded softly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He slid one finger inside me, his movements slow and deliberate as he stretched me.

My head fell back against the pillows, a moan escaping my lips as he added another finger, his pace quickening slightly.

“You feel so good,” he muttered, his voice a low growl as he watched me. His thumb brushed against my c**t in tandem with the movement of his fingers, sending waves of pleasure crashing over me. My body tightened around him, the heat building rapidly as he pushed me closer and closer to the edge.

I was completely at his mercy, lost in the sensations he was creating. His lips returned to my breast, his teeth grazing the sensitive peak as his fingers drove me higher. My breaths came in shallow gasps, and I could feel myself spiraling out of control, the tension inside me coiling tighter and tighter.

“Zane, please,” I begged, my voice breaking as I hovered on the brink.

He didn’t stop, his movements precise and unrelenting as he drove me over the edge. My body arched off the bed, a cry tearing from my throat as the waves of pleasure crashed over me, leaving me breathless and trembling. He slowed his movements, his touch gentle now as he guided me through the aftershocks, his lips brushing against my temple.

Almost Immediately Zane's lips found mine again, his kiss fierce and consuming, leaving no doubt of what he wanted-what we both wanted. His hand cupped the back of my neck, holding me in place as he shifted his body over mine, pressing me into the mattress.

"Tell me you want this," he murmured against my lips, his voice thick with restraint, though his body trembled with the effort to hold back.

"I want this," I whispered, my voice breathless and filled with certainty.

That was all it took. Zane reached between us, guiding himself to my entrance.

The head of him teased against me, and I gasped at the sensation, my hands clutching at his shoulders. He entered me slowly, filling me inch by inch, giving me time to adjust to the stretch. The sensation was overwhelming-intense and yet perfect, as though he was made to fit me.

"Zane..." I breathed his name, my head falling back against the pillow as he buried himself fully inside me.

He stilled for a moment, his forehead pressed to mine, his breath ragged. "f**k, you feel... incredible," he said hoarsely, his voice thick with awe and need.

Then he began to move, his thrusts slow at first, each one sending shockwaves through my body. My nails dug into his back as I met his rhythm, our bodies moving together in perfect sync.

"Look at me," he commanded softly, his voice strained as he drove deeper. I opened my eyes, meeting his smoldering gaze, and the vulnerability I saw there nearly undid me.

As the pace quickened, the tension in my body coiled tighter, my breaths coming in short gasps. Zane's grip on my hips tightened, his control slipping as he gave in to the passion between us. I could feel him everywhere, consuming me completely, and it was glorious.

"I'm close," I managed to whisper, my voice trembling as the pleasure built to an almost unbearable peak.

"Me too," he growled, his thrusts becoming more desperate. His hand found mine, our fingers entwining as he pressed it to the mattress beside my head.

The final thrust sent us both spiraling over the edge together, the world shattering around us as we reached our release.

A cry tore from my throat as my body clenched around him, the waves of pleasure crashing over me with an intensity that left me trembling. Zane groaned low in his throat, his body tensing as he spilled inside me, his head dropping to the crook of my neck.

For a long moment, we stayed like that, tangled together, our breathing ragged and our bodies slick with sweat. The world felt still, the tension between us replaced by something softer, something I didn’t dare name.

***

I glanced at him, hoping-praying-for some sign that this meant something to him, but he had already turned his back to me. His shoulders were tense, his breathing steady, but I could feel the wall he was rebuilding between us. The same cold distance he always carried.

“Zane…” I started, my voice hesitant.

“What?” he said sharply, his tone clipped as if he were already regretting what had just happened.

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. “What does this mean?”

“It means nothing,” he replied after a beat, his voice so low I barely heard him. He didn’t turn around. “Go to sleep, Nicole.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stared at his back, tears stinging my eyes. “It didn’t feel like nothing,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.

***

I woke up in the middle of the night to find the bed empty, Zane gone. His side of the sheets was already cold. The hollow feeling in my chest deepened as I stared at the empty space beside me.

The passion, the fire-it had been real. But now, it felt like nothing had changed.

I got out of bed, my body still aching from the intensity of what had happened. My mind was a whirlwind of confusion.

What did this mean? Was it just a mistake? Was it something we both needed to release the tension? I couldn’t stop thinking about it, couldn’t stop feeling the burn of his touch on my skin.