The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Gillian fought with every ounce of her strength, her mind desperately screaming.

“Mara, you fool, if you don’t show up soon, Yannick is really going to defile me!” Where on earth had Mara taken Percival to? If Mara did not arrive shortly, the aromatherapy candle would burn down to the stash of drugs, and even she would not be able to control herself! “Yannick, letgo! My dad is right outside. Aren't you afraid of getting caught?” Gillian clung desperately to her body, protecting her most vulnerable parts.

Yannick, driven mad with desire, paid no heed to such an impotent threat.

“Oh, how perfect, let your father witness just how slutty his daughter can be. With all the guests outside, you'll have no choice but to marry me, and you'll be Mrs. Boyd whether you like it or not!” As Yannick spoke, he pinned Gillian’s hands to the bed, his hands roaming her body to satisfy his vile cravings.

When he first pursued Gillian, the belle of Sea City, he had been humiliated, and to this day, he was still mocked by his circle of friends.

To make matters worse, in their efforts to arrange Gillian’s marriage to Percival, the Boyd family had stirred up trouble with Vivienne, a force to be reckoned with. They had been stripped of their dignity, and his grandmother had even lost her hand, which had not been reattached yet! And to add insult to injury, reattaching a hand and medical treatment for his grandmother’s back would cost a staggering 800 billion! He thought the Boyd family had gone mad. Why spend so much on someone nearing the end of their life? But his opinion did not matter; he had to follow the | plans.

Yet all this was because of Gillian, and today, he was determined to have her submit to him completely.

Gillian could not afford to care about dignity or propriety now. If Yannick had his way, she would be left without a shred of hope.

“Help, somebody, help me! Please, anyone!” Her cries for help seemed only to excite Yannick further, his movements becoming more forceful.

Finally, her pleas reached the ears of someone outside the door.

Percival, however, remained unmoved.

Knowing that Yannick could not be allowed to have his way with Gillian or the entire plan would be ruined, Mara rushed to knock on the door, yelling, “Open the door! Yannick! Open the door! Percival is here, you animal! Let go of Gillian!” Hearing Mara’s voice, Gillian was finally relieved. Had Mara clater, she might not be able to hold on.

Mara kept knocking while Percival leaned casually against the wall, fiddling with his earpiece.

“Mr. Wolf, it’s ungentlemanly to enjoy the show from the sidelines,” Vivienne said as she secured the ropes, holding tools in her hands, looking at the “Morning Glory” glued to the yacht.

This particular setup would not blow the entire ship to pieces, just enough to damage the stern significantly.

But it was sufficient to cause a malfunction, and coupled with an explosion at the bow deck, it would leave the vessel rudderless, with a compromised hull.

The end would be as romantic and heroic as the Titanic’s demise.

Vivienne’s mind played the iconic line, “You jump, | jump,” an exquisitely beautiful declaration of love.

She imagined herself and Percival on the ship’s bow, spreading their wings to fly, and could not help but chuckle at the thought.

Percival knocked on his earpiece with a code: Vivienne, stay focused and stay safe.

“These little bombs are just the beginning,” Vivienne muttered, banishing the distracting thoughts from her mind.

If she and Mr. Wolf had been on Titanic, they would have ensured their story did not end in regret but was imbued with eternal grace.

Vivienne finished setting the last of the “Morning Glory,” removed the rope anchors, and climbed back onto the deck.

Meanwhile...

Anna had also completed her task, standing triumphantly on the deck.

“Captain Wolf, mission complete. No trace of new explosives found.” Percival tapped his earpiece and then felt a faint vibration from the detector in his pocket.

He paused and looked at the device, which had gone silent again.

Scanning the area, the most likely location was, surprisingly, Gillian’s stateroom.

His eyes darkening, he kicked Gillian’s door in, sending Yannick, who had been about to confront the intruder, sprawling to the floor.

Yannick spat out blood, lunging at Percival, “Damn you, you've ruined my good time!” Percival had no tfor a brawl, landing a punch squarely on Yannick’s nose, knocking him out cold.

“Mr. Ellington, you've finally come... If you had not, | would have...” Gillian sat on the bed, draping the sheets around her, partially concealing her bruised body.

She was a picture of both vulnerability and inadvertent seduction.

Percival did not spare her a glance, scouring the room.

Mara and Gillian were puzzled by his actions and clueless about what he was after.

Gillian signaled Mara with her eyes, indicating that she should drag the unconscious Yannick out.

Mara nodded, grabbed Yannick by the leg, and hauled him out, closing the door behind her.

Percival had broken the lock with his kick, meaning no one would need to break it down later.

The scene would be even more shocking.

Mara kicked Yannick in disgust. “Looks like a monkey but heavy as a pig!” The original plan had been for Mara to cause a scene once Percival barged in, which would definitely attract a crowd. Then, Mara would lead them to the room Gillian was in so everyone could see the erotic scene of Percival and Gillian.

Nonetheless, this would do as well. Mara dragged Yannick away, buying a bit more time.

Back in the room, Gillian knelt on the bed, her once modest gown lying on the floor. Her legs bore the marks of Yannick’s rough handling, a pitiful sight.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

Yet, an underlying hint of something darker stirred the most primal desires.

“Mr. Ellington, thank heavens for you; | was at my wit’s end.” Gillian’s eyes brimmed with tears as her bathrobe threatened to slip off her trembling frame.

Percival's gaze deepened as he looked at the bed beneath Gillian. It was the only place left unsearched.

He stepped forward and lifted the blanket.

Gillian’s heart leaped with joy, and she instantly released her grip, collapsing onto the bed and filling the air with an irresistible aroma.

The scent in the room was warm and enveloping, flushing Gillian’s cheeks an even deeper shade of pink.

“Mr. Ellington...” Meanwhile, Mara had left Yannick amid the bustling ballroom and shouted to Patrick, “Mr. Patrick, it's terrible! Gillian’s been harassed, she almost got...” Patrick froze for a second, but no matter how furious he was, this was his darling daughter. He hurried toward the guest wing.

The rest of the crowd, eager for the drama, surged towards the commotion like a tidal wave.

Patrick had just arrived when he saw a figure flying out and crashing against the wall.

Squinting, he realized it was Gillian! “Gillian!” He exclaimed, racing to her side.