PLEASE DADDY: A Sinner's Diary

CLAIMED BY THE BAD BOY

ZAYLA HOLLIS (FL) - 21 YRS

ZIVEN MADDOX (ML) - 32 YRS

ZAYLA

"Archer's gone?" I hurried after Zane as he moved into the living room.

"Yes, Angel. He left earlier before you woke up."

I s*ck*d in a deep breath, and bit down on my lips. "Not even a goodbye? That's unfair, and he promised I was going to meet his sister."

"You mean Raffealla?" He asked, and jerked his head towards me.

I nodded, "Yep, I think that's her name."

His brows arched as his gaze on me narrowed with suspicion. "Seems you really had a good time with Archer, hmm?" He asked, his lips curled with a half smile as he stepped forward.

It was like when Ziven had blocked my path the other day. The look in his eyes. But Zane's was more of fake intrigue mixed with dark suspicion than Ziven's feral glare.

I equally knitted my brows, folded my arms across my chest and took a step back, "Why don't you guess?" I smiled, pretending to blush just to watch his expression.

But his smile widened, just a bit and his expression became unreadable like he could read my mind. "I don't like to guess, Angel." He stepped closer, before I could take another step back, he grabbed my arm. "Come on, tell me."

His arm moved below and wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer into him. I looked up at him and was instantly reminded of our kiss. I immediately lowered my gaze, heat spreading across my skin.

"Let me go, Zane." I struggled against him, even though knowing it was useless.

"You were telling me something just now. Go ahead, talk." He used his free hand to brush back my hair, and slowly traced my face. Fire works exploded in my stomach, sparking the heat that spread through my body.

He wasn't even doing anything. Just holding my waist against him, but my skin and body was ablaze.

I tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, gathering my thoughts.

"Yes," the corner of my lips curled. "We had a great time. He was so nice and sweet." I smiled wider, my cheeks flamed.

"You think Archer is nice and sweet?"

I know he's not, but I nodded. "Yes, very much!"

He chuckled, "He's an *ssh*l*." Then ruffled my hair before he turned to leave. Before he could take another step, I grabbed his arm, stopping him. "I'm hurt tho," I said, and pouted my lips.

He turned to me, looked at where I was holding him, then back to my face. "Why?"

"You don't tell me anything, none of you do. Wouldn't hurt to tell me I was going to get baby sitted by someone else you know?"

His gaze drank me in all over, lingered on my lips then back to my face. He dragged a slow breath like he was trying to stop himself from doing something. In the blink of an eye, his expression was back to normal. He was about to say something when the air suddenly shifted.

Ziven approached from the hallway into the living room. His steps were staggery and slow, I believe it was because of the injury.

"Ziven—" Zane urgently went towards him, "Are you good, man?" He asked, trying to help him. Ziven shoved his hands off, "I'm good, and I can walk on my own. You and Archer need to stop making it look like I'm a kid and can't help myself. It's a d*mn bullet." He ran a hand over his head, "Cazzo!"

Cazzo. Cazzo. Cazzo.

"D*mn," Zane hissed and raised both hands in the air. "You're not a kid. You can walk and it's just a bullet, we cool now?"

"Yeah, that's it." He grumbled and stepped further into the room, till he was standing in front of me.

They always woke before me, so I'd never seen their morning looks. But today I happened to wake before Ziven, and he's staring at me with the most beautiful sleepy face I'd seen. His hair is hotly messy, a scowl marred against his face and his green eyes, so dark it bordered black, muted and deceptively still.

We're not in good terms and he knows it, but since I don't want Zane to know there's something going on between us, I forced a smile. "Hey, good morning. Hope you slept well? How's your injury?"

He scoffed, venom slowly returning to his eyes. "Bad night. Yours was great, juicy wasn't it?"

My stomach plummeted. Heat flared up my neck, not the good kind, but the searing, shameful kind that felt like he’d peeled me open and exposed everything I wanted hidden. Did he know? Did he somehow know about what I did with Zarek? My pulse thundered, hot and erratic, and the urge to claw the smirk off his face almost overpowered the guilt twisting low in my gut.

I looked between him and Zane, but Zane didn't seem to interested in what we're talking. He'd already sat on the couch and was on his phone.

I swallowed hard and stared at Ziven's chilling stare, "Sorry?"

He didn't reply but stared at me a few more minutes before he brushed past me. I released all the breath I didn't know I was holding.

F*ck you, Ziven!

I robbed my neck and slowly turned around to look at Zane. He was looking at me.

"You look pale, Angel. What's the matter?" He slipped his phone into his pocket and tapped on the space beside him. My gaze traveled back to Ziven, he was already in his computer space. I looked away and went to sit with Zane.

"Where's Zarek?" I asked as I settled on the space beside him.

He tilted his head, a little bit surprised "New of you to ask of Zarek." He teased, his brow arched.

I hissed, "Shut up, Zane." My face flushed as I lightly hit his shoulder.

He laughed, his usual hearty laughter. A rich, powerful sound. "Okay. He went with Archer."

"Zarek went with Archer?"

"Yes Angel." He nodded, then noticed the frown on my face.

"What's the problem?"

"Can Zarek hit Archer?" I asked, ignoring his question.

Zane burst into a fit of laughter, rich and warm, but just for a second, barely a heartbeat—his eyes sharpened. Something darker flashed there before it was gone, masked under his usual grin. My chest tightened. I felt Ziven's gaze towards me and turned to look at him. The exchange was brief, but Zane's laughter and everything made it embarrassing.

I could've hit his head if I didn't want him to answer me. So I rein in the tiny anger. "Answer the question, and stop laughing at me, Zane."

He glanced at me, the question still funny to him. "Why would you even ask that? Why would Zarek hit Archer?"

I shook my head, "Never mind."

"And you think I'd take that for an answer?" He grabbed my shoulder to push me closer to him. "Tell me, why would you think that? Did Archer say something?"

"Well, yeah. I asked Zarek about something Archer said to me last night and he sounded a bit mad at Archer, so I don't know."

"You're worried Zarek would hit Archer?" He asked, eyeing me.

I shook my head, "Not really, I think I'm just overthinking."

"Don't worry, Archer isn't who you think he is."

I threw him a glance and ask him the question that came to my mind. "What kind of man is he, then? What kind of men are y'all?"

CLAIMED BY THE BAD BOY 2

ZAYLA

His smile, and any kind of warmth on his face was immediately wiped off. His golden brown eyes turned woody, layered and impossible to see through. Then he was staring at me, more like accessing me all over, as if his stare could read through my mind. Then he pinched his nose and looked away, his jaw clenched and unclenched.

All these, for a simple question? Now I'm more curious like never before to hear him speak. To know his reply. To know the kind of men they were.

"You're not going to ignore me now, are you?" I asked, intently watching him.

His gaze returned back to me, the sinister expression gone. All warmth, and Zane.

I wonder how they do it. Every one of them. How they're able to always be in control of their expressions and emotions.

I file it in the back of my head to learn from them.

"Italian men, Angel. We're Italian men." His deep voice drew me out of my trance and we're staring at each other