I trail the pink ribbon behind me as I walk down the hallway. Tiger bounces around behind me, trying to pounce on it, and it makes me laugh. I scoop him up when I get to the stairs and carry him down before putting him back on his feet to chase the ribbon again.“I figured you’d show up.” Margaret smiles as she uses the spatula to lift the cookies off the tray and put them on the cooling rack. I go for one, and she warns me like a mother hen, “Careful.”“I love when you make cookies. It makes the house smell wonderful and gives it a homey feeling.” That’s not here much anymore, and I’m not sure if it’s ever going to come back.I’m actually starting to hate this place more and more every day. I don’t know if it’s out of resentment because I’ve been kept here alone, or because it’s missing the magic of my mother.“You’ve been moping around, so I had to do something.” She points at one of the cookies, letting me know it’s okay to pick up.I take a bite and think that last week I would ha
I gasp and go to my feet when I see the prison on the screen. A huge chunk of it is burnt to ash and has crumbled to the ground. My nose burns as tears start to fall down my cheeks. I don’t want to believe it, but he must be here to deliver the bad news.“My dad?”“I’m sorry, baby.” He pulls me into him and wraps me in his arms.Sobs wrack my body, and I don’t know how long I cry while he holds me. I can’t stop the tears from falling as Marco leads me over to the bed and helps me lie down. I can only pray that Yusef is okay, because I don’t think I could bear losing them both.Soon exhaustion takes me, and I’m swept into sleep.I jerk awake, not knowing how much time has passed, but it’s night again. I sit up and let out a gasp when I see Marco sitting in a chair next to my bed.“Am I in some kind of danger?” I ask as I look around the room.“No, but I enjoy watching you.” A smile pulls at his lips and for the first time, he makes me feel uneasy.When I try to pull the blanket over my
I take a step forward, ready to feel a bullet hit me, when out of the corner of my eye I see movement.“She’ll be a useful toy to sit at my feet while I’m the one that rules,” he hisses.“Never,” I seethe, and then the gun goes off.Phoenix screams, but I don’t feel any pain as I look down and see I’m unharmed. I turn around and she reaches for me, checking me over to see where the bullet hit.“He missed?” she asks in disbelief.We both look back to see Marco in a pile on the floor with a bullet between his eyes. Then out of the corner of my eye, I see a woman step into view holding a gun.“Margaret!” Phoenix shouts and rushes to her. The older woman holds her steady as she looks at me.“Is this him?” she asks, and Phoenix glances between us and then nods.“Get her to safety,” Margaret says as she looks out the window. “I don’t know how much time you have.”“No, we can’t leave you,” Phoenix says, pulling her hand.“There’s no time, child,” Margaret says.“Phoenix.” I draw her attentio
One week later…Standing in front of the mirror, I hold my locket between my two fingers. I take a moment to remember my mom, and my eyes water knowing she would have loved to be here today. It’s days like this that I miss her most of all. What girl doesn't want their mom beside them on their wedding day?“You're breathtaking, honey,” Margaret says as she comes to stand behind me. “You look so much like your mother.” I blink rapidly, trying not to cry and ruin the makeup Margaret put on me. I turn around to face her.“Thank you for being here. You’ve really been an amazing stand-in mom for me over the years.” I lose the battle, a few tears escaping.“Oh honey.” She pulls me in for a hug. “You're the daughter I never had and one day soon I’m sure you’ll make me a grandma.”“Yes.” I nod. I love the idea of our kids calling her "Grandma.”“Now, let's get you cleaned up.” Margaret grabs a tissue and pats my cheeks with it to stop my makeup from running.“My turn?” Dad asks, stepping into
“We’re not to that part yet,” Margaret says and clears her throat.We break the kiss, and Margaret begins to read the vows. I stare into Yusef’s eyes knowing every vow he says to me he will always keep. I will do the same because I love him with every part of my heart.“I’m so happy there isn’t a reception,” I tell Yusef after Margaret announces us as husband and wife.He’s been killing me this past week because he wanted to wait until we were married before we went all the way. Not that we didn’t get to do other things, thankfully. But he said he wanted it official the first time he was fully inside me.He takes my hand and leads me back toward our room while Margaret and my dad go meet Sean and Tessa to finalize the details. Yusef lifts me off my feet when we get to the door and carries me over the threshold and into the bedroom.“Did you do as I told you?” He places me on my feet, and I nod.“Always,” I answer as he slips his fingers under the thin straps that hold up my wedding dr
We’ve decided to take an overnight trip to the mainland for a mini getaway. Leo and Margaret are staying with the kids, although at this point there’s not really a time they aren’t with the kids. Some people would think that four boys is a lot to handle, but one look from either of their grandparents, and it’s game over.We rented a small cabin on the water, and it faces out onto the crystal blue ocean. It’s almost as nice as the view from our island, but it’s good to have a change of scenery. Especially before Phoenix gives birth. She’s only got a few weeks left, and this was our last chance for her to travel.When I step out onto the deck, I see her in the distance walking over to the young kids selling haupia by the beach. They’re carting around a little stand with wheels, and it looks like something our boys would do. That’s probably what made her go over there in the first place.As I watch her from behind, I see she’s wearing her bikini top and a wrap around her waist. She’s so
Ariana Henshaw wishes her relationship with Gavin wasn’t built on lies and deception. What will happen if he finds out the real truth about her? Will their fall out be worse than she expects?From the beginning, Gavin knew Ariana’s secrets. But will she figure out all of his?--------1: Ariana.Nothing in this world makes me smile more than when I see my daughter's beautiful face. It doesn't matter what mood I’m in; the moment I see her, a sense of peace fills me. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but she’s the one thing I’ve done right in this world.I make my way across the quaint coffee shop to where she’s sitting in the corner. She clicks away on her laptop looking adorable, and I wonder if she’s nervous to start a brand-new high school next week. It’s her senior year, and I’m sure she’s finding out everything she can about Craven Cove High.I thought she should spend her last year of high school actually in school since over the years we’ve shifted between homeschooling an
The time before school starts is always my favorite time of year. Apollo is going to be a senior next week, and then he’s headed to college. This summer felt different because I knew change was coming. This was my last summer with him at home, and I’ve spent as much time as possible soaking it up.This morning we got out on the water and took the boat for a ride. I need to go into the office today, but I wanted to get coffee with Apollo before that. He told me he has plans to hang out with Jackson this afternoon, so we’re just stopping in for a quick drink before we have to go our separate ways. I made him promise to have dinner tonight with me at least three times this week, and he agreed without much of a fight. He’s such a good kid. He’s my entire world.There are a lot of wrong turns I made, especially being a single dad his entire life, but seeing him thrive and become an incredible person has been my life's joy. When I was younger, some of the guys at the country club used to tr
Two years later…“Which pajamas do you want?” I hold up the polka dots and the Star Wars and my daughter Violet giggles as she grabs for Darth Vader. “That’s my girl.” I smile as I brush through her wet curls and get her ready for bed.“Sam wasn’t coming out until he was a whole prune,” our nanny Theresa jokes, and Sam giggles in her arms.When Eris and I had the twins, we were more than overwhelmed. And while the family was always here to help at a moment's notice, we’ve all got little ones at the same time so it’s not exactly easy for any of us. Living together in our own little compound has been a blessing, but having Theresa live with us has made all the difference.Eris and I don’t have parents or grandparents to show us what to do or to step in, so after we brought the twins home from the hospital we were lost. One day we were in the grocery store together staring at the formula while the twins were screaming, and Theresa walked by. She didn’t say anything to us, but as soon as
“You look so beautiful!” Rosy squeals.She’s had the time of her life planning this wedding. It’s not a big wedding, but that didn't stop her from managing everything down to the smallest detail. I actually had fun doing it with her, which was more than I expected. I guess being in love has changed my perspective.“The dress is beautiful.”“It is, but you’re the one making it breathtaking. Where did you get your ass?” she gushes as I look over my shoulder.“One of the good things my birth parents gave me, I guess.” I shrug.“And your hips! You really fill out that dress, and Justin is going to be all over you.”I let out a laugh. “He’s always all over me.”“True.”She’s right though. I do look damn good in this dress, and I have no doubt Justin is going to end up ripping it off of me. My soon-to-be husband is more than a little possessive, yet somehow he manages to keep it under control at work. It’s one of the many things I love about him because he has no problem with me technically
I take her off my lap and place her on the bed beside me as I stand up. We’re both still completely naked, and although I came, I’m still just as hard as when I first walked in here.“Justin?” Her voice is soft as I walk to the bedroom door, determination straightening my back.“Stay,” I say to her over my shoulder as I go into the living room and get what I need. When I come back, she’s still sitting in the same spot, but she’s worrying her bottom lip, and she looks like she’s on the verge of tears.“I know this is shocking, but it’s not like we planned it,” she says, her voice close to breaking.I walk over to the side of the bed and kneel down next to it as I place the small velvet box between us. “I know that you may not be ready for this, but I came here today to put this on your finger.”“Oh my god,” she whispers as she brings her hands up to her mouth.“You’re going to marry me, Eris.” Her eyes sharpen, and she doesn’t like me ordering her, but I don’t care. “You are mine.” I p
My mind is trying to play catch up with everything he said. I don’t know if I want to throw myself at him or tell him I need time to digest this. I am still reeling with the fact that I’m pregnant, but at least I know he’s not here because of that. He really does want me, and if anyone can understand making sacrifices and tough choices for the people they love, it’s me. But words of love haven’t come out of his mouth even though his actions show it. Right now I need him, and I can’t deny that there’s more still between us.“Hard.” The one word slips past my lips, and that’s all it takes before Justin is on me.He lifts me off my feet, and his mouth crashes down on mine. I close my eyes and soak up the feeling of him pressed against me. It’s been too long, and all my emotions come crashing down at once. My heart pounds as we cling to each other, and I think maybe part of me thought I’d never kiss him again.“Kiss me back, princess.”I dig my fingers into his shoulders and open my mouth
Over the past couple of years, my business has taken me all over the globe and away from some of my favorite parts about my work. Being in the lab and working with my hands to figure out problems, streamline production, and see the success being built in front of me gives me an internal reward that being in a boardroom never did.So I should be happy that the past month I’ve thrown myself into the work, but instead I’ve been fucking miserable.As soon as Eris left me standing in her hotel room, I saw every mistake I’d made up to that point. When I went after her, it was too late. She’d left everything behind and chartered a plane off the island before even Mary knew about it.It took hours for me to get another one to follow after her, but as soon as my feet hit the ground, she was already in the air again. I didn’t know where she'd gone, and it was like she fell off the face of the earth.Topher wouldn’t give me anything, but he also didn’t fire me or tell me to fuck off. Instead, he
A month. That’s how long it’s been since I’ve set eyes on Justin. I thought the pain would get easier over time, but it hasn't, and I think it’s getting worse. I still wake in the night reaching for him, and when I do sleep, I dream about the life I thought we might have together.He used me.In all the struggles I’ve had in my life, I don’t recall that being one I had to suffer. Until him. I’d opened my heart and everything to him, and I’d never done that with anyone before. He ruined what could have been between us, and I haven't even begun to pick up the pieces yet. I’m not sure I can because he took some of me with him, and I’ll never get it back.“What are you doing?” Topher asks, jerking me out of my thoughts. I’m standing in front of his door about to knock, or at least the plan had been to knock. I knew if I didn't come to him he’d be tracking me down to my place the second he knew I was back in town.“I’m sorry.” My nose burns and tears begin to build.“Don’t fucking apologiz
The last of the storm finally passed, and it’s been two days of pure paradise. Not only did this time on the island bring forth some great ideas on how the departments can operate more efficiently, but I’ve spent every moment I could with Eris, buried inside of her.I’ve fucked her in every available storage closet in this hotel and even once on a table in the ballroom. I’ve never had this much sex before and never with the same person, and god, this is so different. It’s more than just the act of getting off, there’s a connection that’s bonding us every time we’re together. It’s dirty and hot, but it’s also so much deeper. If I really look closely at what I’m feeling, I’m afraid it will scare her off. How can someone fall in love after only a few days?The storm gave us an excuse to sneak away and be alone, but as the sun came out, I realized I didn’t want to hide any part of how I feel about Eris.Understandably she didn’t want to flaunt it at a work retreat, and I respected that. B
“Justin!” I gasp his name as he enters me, and I close my eyes.His words should scare me, and I should be pushing him away, but all I do is hold him closer. My arms and legs wrap around him instinctively, and I never want him to leave. I’ve never really thought about having a baby because I didn’t think it was something I’d have the chance to do. But from what he’s saying, he’s making it clear how far he wants to take us. This isn't some fling.“Fuck, you feel too good.” He lets out a loud groan as he steels himself.His cock is buried deep inside of me, and I’m thankful for the cover of darkness. The tears in my eyes aren't because of how far he has me stretched or the burn I feel, but because I’ve never felt so close to another person before.Justin is a big man, and he’s even bigger between his legs. But in this moment, I feel connected to him with more than just our bodies. This is different, and he makes me experience emotions I’ve never felt before. It is overwhelming, but god,
With one aggressive tug, her shorts are off, and her panties are in shreds nearby. I don’t give her time to catch her breath as I pin her to the wall and throw her legs over my shoulders. Her hands grip my hair, and she cries out as I bury my face in the soft curve of her thighs and pussy. She smells like coconut oil and tastes like sunshine. I moan as my tongue divides her lips and wiggles across her clit. My hands dig into her ass and squeeze the thick flesh as I pull her closer to my face.“Justin, oh shit, I can’t, oh shit, oh shit.”In answer, I growl and suck so the sensation is more intense. She responds by opening her legs and rocking her hips closer to my face. I’m smothered in her juices, and I decide I don’t want air in my lungs ever again because I want to die with my face buried in her cunt.Her legs shake and just when she’s begging me to keep going, I slip a thumb in her pussy. She cries out and that’s when I taste her sweet release laced with her own secret sunshine.W