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CHAPTER TWENTY
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2024-10-29 19:42:56ZOEY
I groaned as the morning light invaded my room, wishing I could catch a few more winks. The dull routine of these days left me easily bored.
The absence of Theodore’s incessant nagging and Emma’s infectious smile made the silence more noticeable. But there was Yelena – my saving grace in this gloomy place. Her laughter, a melody against the silence, kept my spirit from withering completely.
Reluctantly, I dragged myself out of bed, the luxurious sheets clinging to me like unwanted promises and made my way to the bathroom. The prospect of another day within these suffocating walls made me long for a change.
Filling the tub, I sank into the tepid water, letting the heat seep into my tired bones. As I soaked in the tub, I reflected on how rarely I’d seen Alexei since my arrival. The isolation was getting to me, and today, I decided to break free from the boredom.
With a spark of excitement, I dried off and
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ZOEYMy fingers dug into the skin, the pain grounding me as my heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. Alexei's retreating figure, broad and sun-kissed, receded into the twilight, each step a hammer blow to my already bruised ego."Shakily" doesn't begin to describe the way my body betrayed me. My legs trembled, the ground beneath them suddenly unsteady. My breath, shallow and ragged, hitched in my throat like a sob I refused to let out.The kiss, oh God, the kiss. It was a supernova, a collision of galaxies that left me breathless and dizzy in its wake.No one, not the awkward boys in school or the drunken fools at parties, had ever kissed me like that. Alexei's lips, rough yet tender, had claimed mine with a possessive hunger that sent shivers down my spine. His hands, calloused yet somehow gentle, had cupped my face, tilting it up to meet the storm of his desire.And
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