I slowly nodded, drumming up the courage to say what I had to say. I couldn’t beat around the bush anymore. I couldn’t… pretend. So instead of hiding behind a wall, I decided to bite the bullet and speak my truth. I’d been put in worse situations when it came to the person standing in front of m
CHARLOTTE At the point of contact, my knees damn near gave out on me. It was soft, and gentle. Just like the feel of his lips on mine. I reveled in it. But it still didn’t stop me from noticing how rigid Taide had gone. He remained frozen and immobile. Part of me understood it; I caught him o
I couldn’t help but remember who had caused me to end up sleeping in that car that day. Why I ended up there. The party, the events that sent me running out of the house, the look of shock and horror on Vance’s face when he saw my mark, the anger and sorrow I felt after everything. It all kept com
CHARLOTTE I vaguely realized this morning that I needed to try putting myself back together after the absolute insanity that was spring break. The school would be back in session in two weeks, and it felt almost unbelievable that two weeks from now, I was expected to just slip back into my old r
Mads pulled away from him slightly to look into his eyes, about as curious concerning Sean’s destination as I was. “And why are you going to the palace?” “I bet your brother is trying to get your other brother out of a really shitty situation. And my dad wants his pound of flesh too. Your dad’s ho
CHARLOTTE I crept down the stairs and to the basement, pausing to listen to the sound of screws tightening the closer I got. I landed on the floor and immediately fixed my eyes on the person I had come here to see. Taide, bent over a dismantled, vintage-looking car as he toyed with something un
CHARLOTTETaide had his hands cinched around my waist, and as much as I loved the contact, I was desperate to jump down from the table and bolt out of the room. Reigh’s expression, for some reason, lacked all the amusement I’d initially expected to find once I turned to look at him. My cheeks were
What exactly was I really waiting for? I wanted to give in; I wanted to let go and enjoy this, enjoy him. “What if I want to take it as far as we can go?” My voice came out smaller than I wanted it to. Taide leaned down until his eyes met mine in the darkness. His gaze was heavy, forcing me to me
CHARLOTTEI had no intention of sharing visiting hours with the boys.There was no reason to put myself through that kind of torment.The moment I found out Madeline was awake, I demanded that Caeson drop me off at the care home where I had left Da’ana. I wasn’t ready to deal with my father’s case,
TAIDEThe steady beeping of Madeline’s heart monitor was the only sound in the hospital room.The rhythmic pulse filled the silence, a reminder that she was still here, still breathing, still alive.But it didn’t feel like enough. Not when she lay there motionless, her skin pale against the crisp wh
The foundation still looked solid though.I stepped onto the creaky porch, staring at the front door.This was where Charlotte grew up.I felt something tighten in my throat. She probably had good memories here, but I knew the ones she remembered most were the bad ones.I couldn’t imagine what it wa
CAESONI killed the engine of the car and leaned back in my seat, exhaling slowly.It didn’t do anything to relieve the pressure in my chest. The air in the car was thick with silence, the kind that had weight, like it could smother you if you let it.Charlotte hadn’t moved yet. She sat in the back
Like we didn’t matter.My nails dug into my palms as memories slammed into me. I could still see it—the nights he reeked of alcohol, his head lolling to the side, completely oblivious to the fact that he had two daughters who needed him to pick himself up and be… more than the person he was choosing
CHARLOTTEThe car ride was too quiet.Too damn suffocating.The weight of everything that had happened in the span of a few hours pressed down on me—Madeline, the triplets, my father. My hands trembled against my lap, and I clenched them into fists for the umpteenth time, trying to force myself to f
It was only after the shock of silence that followed that I realized I’d spoken those words out loud. Dot gasped, reaching for me instantly, pulling me into an embrace. I didn’t expect it to be as comforting as it was. And so I didn’t fight her. She guided me to the steps outside the hospital, sitt
CHARLOTTE It felt like a slap to the face. The doctor’s words hit me so hard that I lost my footing. My knees wobbled, and before I could steady myself, the plastic cup in my hand slipped through my fingers and crashed onto the tiled floor. Water splashed across my shoes, soaking into the hem of m
CHARLOTTE The reality of the situation hit me with frightening clarity. Madeline was dying. I moved before I could think, panic exploding through my chest as I ran forward and fell to my knees beside her. My hands hovered uselessly, trembling as I tried to find something, anything, to hold o