Heaven or Hell: Loving My Twisted Billionaire novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Hannah’s POV

I struggled against the iron grip of the two men in black suits, my

heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. “Let me go!” I

shouted, twisting my body in a futile attempt to break free. “I said

stop! Where are you taking me?”

They ignored my protests completely, marching forward with

mechanical precision, their faces impassive as they practically carried

me through a wing of the mansion I hadn’t seen before. My mind

raced with terrifying possibilities. Had I somehow angered Victoria?

Was this punishment for failing to fulfill my part of the arrangement

with Finn? Or worse–was someone in the Sterling family planning to

get rid of me because I knew too much?

“Please,” I begged, my voice breaking. “At least tell me where we’re

going.”

Neither man responded, their sunglasses hiding any emotion as they

turned down another corridor and stopped in front of an ornate

wooden door. One of them knocked twice before pushing it open and

unceremoniously depositing me inside.

I stumbled forward, nearly falling, then whirled around ready to make

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a dash for freedom–but froze at the sight before me.

Instead of the dark, threatening space I’d expected, I found myself in a room that looked like it belonged in a luxury spa. The lighting was soft and amber–hued, with essential oil diffusers releasing a calming

lavender scent. Gentle instrumental music played from hidden speakers, and in the center of the room stood a professional massage

table draped in plush white linens.

“For heaven’s sake!” A woman’s voice, sharp with disapproval, cut

through the room. “I said bring her here, not drag her like a sack of

potatoes!”

I turned to see a petite woman in her fifties wearing a crisp white

uniform, her silver–streaked hair pulled back in a neat bun. She glared

at the two men with such authority that they actually took a step

back.

‘Put her down this instant,” she commanded, and the men

immediately released their grip on my arms.

She shooed them away with a dismissive wave. “Out! Mr. Sterling will

hear about this unprofessional behavior.”

The men retreated quickly, closing the door behind them. The woman

turned to me, her expression softening instantly.

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“I’m so sorry about that, Miss Lancaster. Those security men have all

the sensitivity of rhinoceroses.” She extended her hand. “I’m Lillian,

the estate’s massage therapist.”

“Massage therapist?” I echoed, rubbing my arms where the men had

gripped them. “I don’t understand. I didn’t schedule a massage.”

Lillian smiled knowingly. “No, you didn’t. Mr. Sterling did. He

mentioned you spent last night sleeping on the floor outside his door.

He thought you might appreciate some help with the inevitable

stiffness.”

I blinked in surprise, trying to process this information. Finn had

arranged this? The same man who’d threatened me with a knife,

who’d pushed me away when I tried to comfort him–he’d noticed I

slept on the hard floor and thought to do something kind for me?

“Are you sure it was Mr. Sterling who arranged this?” I asked, unable

to hide my skepticism.

“Quite sure,” Lillian replied, already busying herself with preparing oils on a small table. “He called this morning specifically requesting my services for you. Now, if you’ll disrobe to your comfort level–most clients keep their undergarments on–and lie face down on the table, we can begin.”

Chapter 24

I hesitated briefly, still surprised by this unexpected gesture from Finn. After a moment, I simply nodded and moved behind the

decorative screen to undress down to my bra and underwear.

Whatever his reasons, my sore muscles certainly wouldn’t turn down

a professional massage.

I lay face down on the massage table, adjusting the face rest so I could breathe comfortably. The linens were buttery soft against my skin, and I realized how tense my muscles had become from sleeping

on that hard floor.

Lillian’s hands were skilled and strong as she began working on my shoulders, applying firm pressure that walked the perfect line between pleasure and pain. I couldn’t help the small sigh that escaped my lips as she found a particularly tight knot.

“You’re carrying a lot of tension,” she observed. “Not just from last

night, I’d guess.”

“It’s been an… intense few days,” I replied carefully.

“I can imagine. Working with Mr. Sterling isn’t easy, even for those of

us who’ve been here for years.” Her thumbs pressed into a spot

between my shoulder blades that made me wince.

As Lillian worked her way down my back, I found myself relaxing

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Chapter 24

despite my lingering confusion about Finn’s motives.

“Mr. Sterling rarely arranges massages for others,” Lillian commented

casually as she worked on a particularly tight spot in my lower back.

“You must be special to him.”

The comment caught me off guard. Special? To Finn? The idea

seemed absurd, yet something warm unfurled in my chest at the

thought.

“I doubt that,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’m just here to…

help him adjust to his blindness.”

Lillian made a noncommittal sound. “In the three years I’ve worked

here, he’s only requested my services for someone else twice. Once for

his grandmother after her surgery, and now for you.”

Lillian’s hands moved with practiced precision across my lower back,

applying just the right pressure to each knot and tense muscle.

Growing up in the Lancaster household, I’d occasionally received

massages during stressful exam periods or after horseback riding

accidents, but this was different. The estate’s massage therapist

worked with a skill that surpassed even our family’s well–trained

staff.

6/7

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As her thumbs pressed into a particularly tight bundle of muscles just

above my hip, a wave of both pain and relief washed through me.

She worked the spot with small circular motions, gradually increasing

pressure until I felt something release–like a knot finally untangling

after being pulled tight for days.

“Oh God,” I couldn’t suppress a low, throaty moan as the tension

melted away.

And then–a masculine throat cleared somewhere in the room, the

sound carrying a distinct note of awkwardness.

I froze mid–moan, mortification washing over me in a hot wave. My

entire body tensed as if I’d been caught doing something inappropriate. My heart hammered against the massage table, and I

couldn’t bring myself to lift my head from the face rest.

The back of my neck burned with embarrassment, and I suddenly

became hyper–aware of how exposed I was in just my underwear.

“Who–who’s there?” I asked in a small voice, not daring to move an

inch.

Heaven or Hell: Loving My Twisted Billionaire