I spent the last three years taking every chance I could to work from home, but now; it just doesn’t feel the same. Marina doesn’t understand where my head is at. She can’t wrap her head around my decision to step in as CEO. But the entire time she was in a coma, I was using my resources to try and track down the people responsible for the desecration of our pack. My pack. Utilizing those resources takes connections and money. Both of which I didn’t have without my pack. My office at Wood Industries sits on the top floor of a fifty-story building. The floor to ceiling windows allows light to flood in, touching every square inch of the room. Every time I’m back here, I’m reminded of how I’m literally on top of the world. Some days, even the clouds sit at eye level with me. Lately, my mind is stuck on Rosalind. What she’s doing... Where she’s at... Who she’s with.... Ever since that day in the hospital, I’ve grown more possessive. I need to know the answers to all those qu
“Your labs all look to be improving,” I listened to the steady beating of my patient’s heart through a stethoscope, “I think it’s safe to say we will be able to send you home tomorrow.” The woman looked so relieved at the news, warming my heart. I’ll never understand how my mother could look down on my position. Every day I come here excited to be making a difference in the world. Sure, my father’s groundbreaking drug trials are making massive changes in the world, but it has just never felt the same to me. Walking out to the nurse's station, I don’t even get a word out before I hear the dreamy sighs and giggles of my coworkers. Lifting my eyes from my clipboard, I see the reason standing with an awkward smile on his face and a bouquet of white roses. “James,” I furrowed my brows, “What are you doing here?” The whispers around me intensified as did the horrified looks. I’d just addressed my husband by his name and not some endearment as well as not being excited to see him.
I feel as if I’m in a trance staring into James’ eyes. Like the tiny flecks of gold are locking me in some sort of chokehold. I’ve lost the ability to speak or even breathe properly. Where his thumb rests against my chin is so warm and inviting. His words from only a moment ago seemed like the first real truth that I’ve gotten from him. “Please, Rosalind. I’m not a man who begs, but for you; I will,” his voice was thick like honey. “Okay.” He opened his mouth in shock as his eyes widened before moving down to my lips. I felt my breath hitch in my throat and a surge of something foreign sparked between us. But no matter how much I wanted this to work; I wasn’t going to make it easy. “I want to lay some ground rules,” I swallowed hard, breaking whatever hold he had on me only a few moments ago. “Let’s discuss over lunch,” he reached behind me, his chest pressing against mine before swiping the roses he’d just brought into the trash. James quirked a smile as he pulled
My mind was still stuck on whatever had just happened. I couldn’t think beyond the look that I’d just seen in James’ eyes. I quickly scooped up a bite of food, trying to buy my brain to catch up. “Let me guess,” James’ lips curled slightly, “No more white roses?” I stifled laughter, “That is definitely rule number one,” but my mood was short lived, “I suppose I should give you my real number one and give you the opportunity to walk away now.” “Marina isn’t going anywhere,” James pinned me under a frustrated glare. My lips pulled into a frown and my heart began racing, “Who is she to you, James?” “Who or what she is doesn’t matter. Why is it that you can’t accept that?” he sounded exasperated. I closed my eyes, feeling the all-too-familiar sting of tears burning my eyes, “It matters because I’m your wife. I didn’t marry you so that I could share you with someone else.” “We married each other for our own reasons,” he gritted his teeth, making the muscle in his jaw tighten. Ho
“Do I have to?” At this point, I simply felt defeated. James had once again lured me in by exploiting my weakness... Which just so happened to be the man himself. I don’t know why or how I turn into a fumbling mess of a woman whenever he’s around. I’ve never had that issue around men before. Not even Shawn. But James has this aura about him. It’s as if he demands your attention, and you don’t have the ability to deny it. It was something that I learned to love about him over the years. When he walked into a room, he had your attention. When he spoke, you had no choice but to listen. That’s how I continuously get lost when I’m around him. James’ voice is thick and velvety, and it’s as if my brain short circuits when it hits my ears. “When was the last time you’ve taken a vacation?” Shawn’s brow arched at the same time his lips curled into a lopsided grin. “What does that have to do with anything?” He rolled his eyes, “Just answer the question, Rosie.” Shawn still
I stared at the text on my phone from James, sipping wine straight from the bottle. “We need to talk,” I repeated the words under my breath, “I’m tired of talking, James Wood,” I took another large swig from the bottle, sitting it harshly on the counter. The thing I’ve learned about James is he loves to talk when it’s trying to convince me to stay in our loveless marriage, but the second I start asking the hard questions; he shuts down. He doesn’t want to talk anymore. He wants to make demands, and old Rosa would have fallen at his feet at the opportunity to show him that I was all in. “Years,” I spoke through gritted teeth to an empty, “Three years I spent falling at your feet. And for what?” I raised my voice at the ceiling.I paced the living room of my condo gripping the wine by the neck of the bottle. I’d switched from my scrubs to fluffy pajama pants and a tank top, which had quickly become my essential nighttime routine now that I wasn’t living with James. For three year
My sleep was plagued by images of her. And it was a fucking tragedy that I’d never actually seen my wife’s body. I tried to imagine what she looked like standing in front of her mirror, wine spilled all over her chest. The thought of running my tongue along the curves of her breasts crossed my mind more times than I could count as I lay staring at my ceiling. I don’t know what the hell is happening. When Rosa agreed to go to lunch with me, I thought things would be awkward, but she squashed that feeling almost instantly. The ease at which she joked with me and held a conversation was admirable considering I couldn’t conjure up an actual sentence. Ever since that day in the hospital, I haven’t known how to act around her. And now, I’m more certain than ever she holds the key to bringing Onyx back. The moment our lips touched; my body came alive. Her taste was intoxicating, and I could feel the walls that held Onyx prisoner bowing and bending in my mind. When she admitted
The moment the sun hit my face as I stepped from the plane; I knew I’d made the right decision. It’s been so long since I’ve taken a vacation, and never have I visited Bali. The breeze is warm and carries the scent of the ocean. The soft sound of waves is so alluring and wraps around you like a cashmere blanket. Something about it is just putting my mind at ease. It’s like an instant weight was lifted from my shoulders. “Just wait until you see our place,” Chris elbowed me in the side, wagging his brows. The boys loaded up the car that was awaiting us at the tarmac. They’d opted for a jeep-like vehicle with no windows or doors. The sides were open, allowing the warm breeze to lash against our skin as we drove towards the villa. “Is that a smile, Rosie?” Shawn lifted his glasses, winking at me while driving. “My smile is not that rare,” I shook my head, feeling my cheeks flush from embarrassment. Have I really been that obviously miserable as of late? Chris’ hands gripped