Bile rose in my throat. Hearing Joseph laugh about Aimee’s trauma made my entire stomach shift and churn. I swallowed it down and snapped, “Don’t talk about her like that!” With one glance at me, he stifled his laughter. “Hey, don’t be sick in my car.” If I was sick in his car, he’d deserve it
Joseph’s dad focused his attention on his son. “Is this a joke, Joey? I’ve had a good laugh, but you better come clean before you give your mother an ulcer.” Joseph winced. “It’s no joke, Dad. Sorry.” His dad’s good humor vanished like a switch had been flipped. “We talked about this. How many t
You’ll never see your baby again. Joseph’s mother’s threat left me hollow and bereft. I felt I must be dreaming, because something so horrible couldn’t possibly happen in real life. But when I pinched the skin of my arm, I was still sitting in that dining room with Joseph and his parents, and sh
I retrieved my phone and called him. “Asher?” I asked before it even stopped ringing. “I’m almost there,” he said. I released a slow, shaky breath. “Who are you calling?” Joseph demanded, coming close to me again. I instinctively backed away. My hormones flew left and right. I thought I mi
I narrowed my eyes at Joseph over Cynthia’s head, daring him to act against me. My wolf itched under my skin, primed for action. We would protect Cynthia and her pup from any threat. Even Joseph. No, especially Joseph. Joseph didn’t move, except his eyes, which looked between Cynthia and me wi
So exhausted from my weekend, I slept through my morning alarms and didn’t roll out of bed until someone knocked at my door around noon. I thought of ignoring it, I was so comfortable under my blankets. But then I realized it might be Asher. Sighing, I wrapped my blankets around me like a cloak
He stepped closer, pressed further. “You think he likes you? Asher hates you. Do you know what his life was like before?” “Stop,” I whispered, but he just kept going. “Women, parties, glory. What is it now? Chasing after you to clean up your messes.” “Stop,” I said again, louder. This time,
“Maybe we shouldn’t see each other anymore,” I’d said. Silence followed. The air cooled and grew thick with tension. Then, voice very low, Asher replied, “What?” Suddenly he was standing, and I was too. Everything felt like a dream, distant and hazy. I couldn’t think clearly. Yet even with t
“Please.” That all sounded so good. I wanted it. I wanted everything. He stood to kick off the rest of his clothes. I watched, my mouth watering as he exposed his dick. He was so big, so hard just for me. Carefully, he moved me how he wanted me, stretching out my legs farther, and then slipped
Asher guided me back into the bedroom. As I stood near the bed, he walked behind me and slowly tugged down the zipper of my dress. His knuckles traced the newly-revealed skin inch by inch, following down the length of my spine. When the zipper had lowered as much as it could go. He spread his hand
I held my breath as Dylan threw the first punch. Asher dodged back and Dylan’s fist flew through the open air. Asher then stepped forward, ready to retaliate. Dylan backpedaled, placing a few feet between them again. In a flash, Dylan moved close again. His speed was lightning-quick. I barely even
“’Might?’” He squeezed me gently. “It will be fine. Trust me.” I did trust him, with my life and more. But… this was my brother. My brother and the love of my life were about to fight a challenge with yet unknown terms that would undoubtedly involve me and my baby. I couldn’t help but be a b
I opened my mouth to begin to explain, but the truth seemed worse than even Dylan’s worst assumptions. No, Asher isn’t the father of my baby. The father is actually a terrible person who is now in prison. But Dylan wasn’t waiting for me to figure out a softer way to explain, and Asher was no hel
On the evening of the Academy’s winter dance, I slipped into my shining purple gown and checked myself out in the bathroom mirror. Gone were the days when I could pass as not pregnant. Now, my bump was a distinctive round bulge, pressing out the front of my gown – which I had bought in the materni
“I… um…” I had no idea how to answer Dylan. Panic set in, sending my heart into overdrive. Should I admit to Asher being beside me? It was getting late at night. Surely Dylan would have follow-up questions. Like, why was Asher in my room after dark. “Oh, shit, I have to go,” Dylan said suddenly.
Asher’s words stole my breath away. For a long moment, I simply stared at him, desire coiling inside of me. He stared back, his blue eyes deep as the ocean. I swallowed thickly. I couldn’t wait to go home with him and see all of his promises in action. Nancy cleared her throat from the doorway.
The real Asher was safely behind the line of fake wolves. He glanced back at me in concern. I understood his worry. Holding this many projections was a strain. But I was done running. I was done standing back. Joseph would lose. And I would help bring him down. In the circle, Joseph started to