Nox’s P.O.V. I crumbled the paper in my fist, imaging it as the throat of whoever the fuck broke into my house. They had gone too far with this one. Bringing my mother into it was the final nail in the coffin. She was murdered, torn limb from limb by a bunch of bloodthirsty rogues. It had taken m
My mother planted a kiss on each our foreheads before shoving us inside. I looked to her, panic clawing at my chest, for some kind of explanation. She didn’t give me one, instead turning to Lilac to cup her face. “Keep him safe for me, Lilac.” She spoke. In the throes of my growing terror, I swo
Nox’s P.O.V. That night was a ghost, a shadow that constantly loomed over my shoulder. Over time it became easy to ignore, but something had changed. It was no longer content with hovering over me, slithering into my peripheral whenever I thought it had finally disappeared for good. Now, it stood
At the end of it, something had snapped inside of Lilac. Perhaps it was already damaged, a hairline crack you couldn’t see with the naked eye. That match was the final blow, shattering her into a million pieces. I could feel each and every one biting into my skin, whispering, screaming, and crying
Funny how she gifted it to Lilac before she died. A firm hand snared the back of my shirt, yanking me into my seat. I turned my head so quickly the tendons in my neck popped. My father’s reddened face was pivoted my way, his eyes bloodshot with fury. I couldn’t bring myself to give a shit, not wh
Lilac’s P.O.V. Fuck, Riley Crawford sure knows how to pack a punch. Or should I say kick? I’d only had the pleasure of feeling her particular brand of magic a handful of times, but none had been as agonizing as what happened in the arena. She was creative, I’ll give her that. I still had no name f
Half an hour after they left, I managed to pry my eyes open. The first thing I did was inspect my wrist, but the only thing there was a sliver of a scar. How odd… I didn’t feel any different. Not that I could tell, anyway. All of my troubles drifted into the background when my father appeared in
Lilac’s P.O.V. He wanted to…he wanted to—Haha! Oh, how rich. I dropped my head against the pillow and laughed, uncaring how painful it was. My ribcage ached with each breath I forced out, but the look on Nox’s face made it worth my while. “You—you want to know why I murdered that piece of shit n
Kalix froze. In fact, I was pretty sure we all froze. “My wife is pregnant?” “Yes.” Natasha nodded. “With my baby?” “No, the mailman’s.” She snorted, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Who else would it be?” “I’m going to be a father?” A giggle bubbled past her lips. “That’s typically what happe
I recognized the look on Kalix’s face whenever his sister and Shayla were in the same room. The mixture of awe, terror, and bliss was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. We had everything we could’ve ever wanted and would do anything to keep it that away. “Where’s Natasha and Hakeem?” Shayla aske
Nox’s P.O.V. Six Years Later “You no good cheater!” I heard my mate belt from across the backyard. Her father’s boisterous laugh followed, drawing my eyes. The two of them stood in the stand pit off to the side of the pool and were currently hitting a volleyball back and forth. Jada and Brinley w
I threaded my arm through his and patted his hand. “Well, now you can focus on other things.” A gleam of nervousness filled his eyes. “So, is everything ready for tonight?” Shayla often mentioned how flustered she’d get by Kalix’s smooth charm, but she was the only one who failed to see how nervou
Mom beamed, tears blossoming in her eyes as she threw her arms around our shoulders. We clung to her side chuckling when Jada raced forward to blot her make-up with a microfiber cloth. “I’m sorry, I’m just so happy. I never thought I’d get to see this moment. Goddess, I’m so grateful. I’ve got both
Lilac’s P.O.V. Three Years Later “This itches.” I grunted, picking at the lace clinging to my rear. “Mark my words, I’m going to have a rash on my ass by the end of the night.” “No scratching!” Shayla smacked my hand away, a playful grin curling at her lips. Since disappearing on a little trip w
“Your aura has never been brighter.” She murmured quietly in my ear, a bright smile warming her face. A few minutes later, Diego called our names and invited us onto the stage. I laced my arm through Nox’s and followed his lead. No less than six cameras were stationed on us, each one set at a diff
The tension faded from her shoulders as she nodded. “Thank you for being there for me. I never meant to put you in a spot. Anyway, you came here for a reason, right? Don’t let my tears chase you off.” “You sure?” I paused, “It’s not exactly a light topic.” “None of our conversations this past wee
Lilac’s P.O.V. One Week Later “How have you been?” Natasha turned from where she sat on the balcony and smiled softly. Pain lingered behind the action. I should know considering I’d made that same expression a time or two. She motioned me forward, gesturing to the chair beside her. I sat down fo