Chapter: Chapter 45: FerrinSomething was really bothering her. And it wasn’t the same anger or disappointment I had felt from her the night before.No, she seemed… nervous around me. Almost scared.I had never seen Willa be timid. I didn’t think she even had it in her.But whatever was causing these feelings, they were only directed at me. She had acted normally toward Rebekah and warmly toward Henry and the kids. She was a picture of sweetness and belonging.My gut clenched, imagining what could possibly have her acting so distant from me. I hated this. I needed to be close to her more than ever right now, and this is when she decided to avoid me. Frustration and even a little anger started to creep up on me. I went to the office there in my apartment and found the carafe of bourbon. I poured a glass and took a few minutes to drink it before I went back to Willa’s room.I gently turned the knob. Opening it, I found Willa standing in front of the full-length mirror in the corner of the room. I could see her fac
Last Updated: 2025-03-09
Chapter: Chapter 44: FerrinI didn’t sleep much longer after Willa left. The unease and anxiety that had been growing through the night had quickly seeped back into my bones. They had lessened for those few short hours I was able to hold her. But when she left, it was like a premonition of what would happen if I screwed everything up — if I made the wrong decision.We had gone through every single detail in Billy’s file that night. Scouring over every piece of information. We had relied heavily on Dante’s expertise, hoping he could shed better light on what we were looking over. With each passing hour, his thoughts were following the same path as Willa’s father’s. And with each passing hour, my mood soured even more. By two in the morning, Dante was so suspicious of what was going on that Damen insisted I fill him in on everything.I had reluctantly complied at the time, but Dante said this information did fill in a lot of gaps in the information. He went over everything again once he knew more of what we were l
Last Updated: 2025-03-09
Chapter: Chapter 43: WillaRebekah was right about the gazebo being a good place to escape and get some privacy away from the castle. We spent a couple hours sitting there while she told me about the people I would be meeting at my introduction dinner. She pulled up pictures from her phone to help me recognize them. By the time we were done, she had gone through over forty people of various importance, and I was feeling a little overwhelmed. But I also felt more confident about the upcoming ordeal.We decided to move on so that she could show me around the grounds a little bit more before we had to meet her family when they arrived. We were walking along the hedges when she asked me what I planned to wear to the dinner. I froze up when she asked.“Crap,” I said. “I actually have to think about that, don’t I?”She laughed softly at my mortified expression. “It’s okay. I would love to help you get ready.”“Okay,” I said with a grateful sigh of relief.“Don’t worry,” she said. “You’ll do just fine. And I highly do
Last Updated: 2025-03-09
Chapter: Chapter 42: WillaI was really getting tired of having to hide in rooms whenever Ferrin was acting like a jerk. I didn’t regret my decision to stay with him, but all this was becoming a bit suffocating. I couldn’t handle it if Ferrin suddenly started keeping things from me.I paced around the room for a while before I changed into my pajamas and tried to go to sleep. But I only ended up tossing and turning for a couple of hours. Finally, I let out a frustrated huff and threw the blankets off of me. I was still frustrated with Ferrin, and I was mad that I missed him, but I was also worried. It was the kind of worry that just sat in the peripheral. You know it’s there, but you just don’t know why.But then again, we both had a lot to worry about right now. So, I was probably just overreacting.I climbed out of bed and made my way through the joining bathroom and through to Ferrin’s bedroom. I paused a moment to breathe in his scent, which was all over the place. I quickly started to relax. I crawled unde
Last Updated: 2025-03-09
Chapter: Chapter 41: WillaNot long after Ferrin left, Miranda came in with a load of groceries to stock our little kitchen. She also gave me my phone. Apparently, one of the border guards found it in the woods where Ferrin “saved” me from the attack because it was ringing non-stop. Austin swung by and picked it up before heading back to the castle behind us.It was dead by now, so I popped it on the charger before helping Miranda make some sandwiches. I convinced her to stay and eat with me, knowing she probably hadn’t taken a break all day.“So, what are you going to do with your extra week of paid vacation,” I asked, moving on to my second sandwich after inhaling the first. I definitely must have been healing faster because I was starving.Miranda laughed. “Ferrin said you insisted he gave me a raise. Although it was entirely unnecessary.”“It was absolutely necessary. You have done so much for me since I got here,” I said bluntly, “and I can’t imagine this place would run a fraction as smoothly without you,
Last Updated: 2025-03-09
Chapter: Chapter 40: FerrinArlo was still waiting outside when I left our quarters, but his expression was a bit less jovial than it was a few moments ago.“What did you do to get Damen’s knickers in such a bunch?”“What makes you think I did anything?” I asked as he followed me. Obviously, Damen had mind-linked him as well.“He told me I better get my arse to your office to make sure you haven’ done somethin’ royally stupid,” Arlo replied.Honestly, I didn’t know what I could have done. Unless this was about last night, but all my thoughts of sending Willa away had completely passed now. Everything had been going smoothly since we returned, so I had no idea what was going on. And it was pissing me off as well.I stormed into my office to find Damen and Austin waiting, both looking particularly displeased about something.“What the hell is all this about?” I asked angrily.“You tell us,” Damen said, dropping an accordion folder on my desk dramatically.It only took an instant to recognize it, and I cursed under
Last Updated: 2025-03-07