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S I X T Y - T W O
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
MercyCrownThank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.☺️
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CRAVE S I X T Y - T H R E E
ARABELLA. My heart drops, and I slowly remove my hand from his. "What?" There’s a sad look on his face as he speaks. "I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner, but I was hoping it wouldn’t have to come to that." "Why? Why do you have to leave?" His mother and brother were just here, and it didn’t go well, so why’d he want to go back home? Alex licks his lips, the wheels in his eyes turning as he explains. "It’s um… it’s my mom." My interest piques at the mention of her, and I lift a brow as I listen to the rest of his words. "She’s sick. And I want to be there for her and Kaleb." "Why didn’t she tell you when she was here?" I ask, and he lets out a sad chuckle as he removes his gaze. "It’s my mother. I haven’t known what’s going on in her life for the past four years. I wouldn’t know about this either if Kaleb didn’t tell me." My heart breaks for him at the pain that’s unmistakable in his voice, and knowing how much he must be hurting, I push my need aside and shift closer to him
CRAVE S I X T Y - F O U R
ARABELLA. A soft sigh leaves my lips, my eyes fluttering when I feel a hand on my face. I open them, the morning light hitting my eyes at first, and I resist the urge to groan as I squint, then the blurry image before me slowly becomes clear. Alexander is staring at me. With a smile on his face and my heart starts beating faster in my chest. "Good morning." He chuckles as he looks down at me. My head is out of his chest, and there’s a small space between us. I’m almost rolled to the end of my side, but he has one hand secured around my waist, holding me still while the other is stroking my cheek. I shift forward. "How long have you been awake?" "Long enough to watch you grumble in your sleep." He responds, and heat creeps up my neck as I shyly giggle. "Sorry." "It’s alright. It’s adorable, and that’s not the first time. What or who were you dreaming about?" He asks as he slowly drops his hand to my chin, tipping the skin so he’s staring directly into my eyes, giving me no chance t
CRAVE S I X T Y - F I V E
ARABELLA. I wish I could say Alexander came back sooner, as he promised. Or the weeks he’s been absent go so smoothly. At first, it was effortless. He texted when he got to Florida. He sent pictures, and we video-called almost every single day throughout the first week. Then the second week is when things started to change. He’d text once every two days, reply late, and there were no pictures or videos. And the third week, the current one, we’re on the fourth day, and there’s still no text from Alexander. A sigh slips through my lips as I stare at the last message I sent him. ME: Is everything okay? When he got there at first, he told me her condition wasn’t all bad, but now, I know nothing because he’s kept me out of the loop. I don’t know if he’s not responding because something else happened or he just simply doesn’t want to. I secretly pray it isn’t the latter as I drop my phone, trying to ignore the sharp sting in my chest at the realization that there’s still no response fr
CRAVE S I X T Y - S I X
ALEXANDER. It clicks when she appears in my view, her jet-black hair bouncing with each step she takes, her heels clicking against the floor and almost making an annoying noise over the jazz music that’s playing. Her lips are pressed into a thin line as she rounds the table and drops her bag gently to the floor before she shifts the chair back and settles on it. She throws her hair over her shoulder with a finger and meets my eyes. “Alexander.” She calls the name like she’s quite fond of it, letting it roll off her tongue casually, and I finally remove my gaze from her to stare at Zack, who’s still standing next to me. "Excuse me." He clears his throat before he takes several steps back and crosses over to the next empty table. I drop my eyes back on her, and they unintentionally roll down her form, taking in the dark blue formal dress she’s in. "Are we going to spend the time with you analyzing me?" She chuckles with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, and I frown when I meet her eyes
CRAVE S I X T Y - S E V E N
ALEXANDER. "Thank you," I mumble to the man in front of the car before I slam the door shut, with one hand holding my jacket over my shoulder and the other gripping my phone. I drag in several breaths as I make my way toward the front door, and I’m digging my keys out of my pants pocket when the door suddenly opens. I lift my head, my hand slipping out of my pocket, and I scowl when I see Kaleb with a huge grin spattered on his face. "I thought I told you not to wait up," I utter, and his grin drops as he steps to the side for me to walk inside. "I believe the words you’re looking for are thank and you." I hear him shut the door, then the sound of his footsteps following me as I weakly make my way to the sofa in the living room. I drop my jacket by my side and throw my head against the cushion, my eyes screwing shut as a low groan escapes my mouth. "You okay?" Comes Kaleb’s voice, and I open one eye when I feel his presence near. He’s standing right in front of me with his hands ins
CRAVE S I X T Y - E I G H T
ARABELLA.It takes everything in me not to sigh repeatedly as I drag my feet down the stairs with my bag hanging off the hook of my fingers. Going to school is the last thing I want to do, but I also refuse to stay in that bed and continually cry like my heart is telling me to do. I can’t keep crying every single day anytime I think of him. It’s pathetic. It’s not like he went away completely– we’re just miles apart, and it’s hardly been a month. I can’t keep acting like I am. Though, I’d have had an easier time accepting that if I knew what he was doing still. Being away but being in touch is what kept me together for the first two weeks, but being away and out of touch is getting to me. It’s draining me bit by bit, and all I want to do is sit on my bed all day and stare at the screen of my phone, hoping it’d lit up within seconds. But that isn’t an option either. Not a healthy one, at least. I still have a future and a dream to pursue– wasting my time away over waiting for Alexander
CRAVE S I X T Y - N I N E
ALEXANDER. "Oh, you look handsome." I remove my hand from the collar of my shirt, my eyes sliding across the room to the doorway, and Kaleb is perched against it with his arms crossed over his chest and a small smile masking his lips. "I’m not dressing to look good." I tear my eyes away from him to grab the dark blue suit jacket that sits on my bed, and I hear him chuckle as I throw the jacket over my shoulder. "So, when are you getting back tonight?" He asks as I fix the two buttons, and I let out an exasperated sigh. "I don’t know. And I’d rather prefer not to leave at all." "It’s not a good business deal?" He queries from his side, and I don’t respond as I pull out the bedside drawer and grab my phone. Another one of her pictures sits on it; she isn’t smiling in this one, which is perfect for the situation I’ve gotten myself into. I reluctantly close the drawer and throw my phone into my front pocket before I head toward the door. "You might want to lose a few steams if it’s an
CRAVE S E V E N T Y
ARABELLA. My heart pounds in my chest, and my hands won’t stop shaking, tears filling the corners of my eyes as I continue to gape at the name across my screen. "Stop," I whisper to Dex before he drives out of his place without removing my eyes from the phone. "Did you say something?" I hear him mutter beside me, and I give a small bob of my head, a tear dropping to my screen and rolling across the first two letters of his name. He’s calling me. He’s actually reaching out after weeks of no contact from him, and why am I just glaring at my phone, watching it buzz without hurriedly picking up the way I’ve always practiced? "Arabella?" Dex calls at the same time the ringing ends, and I let out a shaky breath, swiping my hand across my cheek before I drop my phone in my hand and turn my head sideways to him. "I can’t leave with you," I state simply, my heart still racing so fast even after the call ended, and Dex raises his brow. "I thought we—" I push my phone in his face without let
Latest chapter
CRAVE NOTE
Hellooo Loves, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it? I apologize for the late update but thank you so much for being patient with me.We’ve now come to the end of Arabella’s and Alexander’s story but as seen, Dex’s and Veronica’s isn’t over yet. There’ll be a short book attached to this one for Dex’s and Veronica’s story. Then after their story is done, we’ll have bonus chapters on Alex and Ara, where we’ll get to know about their lives after high school. This will not be now, though because I’ll be completing my other book—My Stepbrother—in June along with writing my new book.In case some people don’t know yet, I have a new book on the app. It’s titled My Best Friend’s Girl and you can check it out if you’re interested. The characters are new to me, and I’m sure many of you would enjoy the journey as much as I’m enjoying writing it.Anyway, I’ll be writing My Best Friend’s Girl and completing My Stepbrother in June so bonus chapters with DexVeronica’s short book won’t be happening then.
CRAVE EIGHTY - FIVE
GRADUATION DAY.~TWO MONTHS LATER~ARABELLA."Is Alex not coming?" Ashley asks me again after Sinclair leaves to attend an urgent business, and I frown as I take my phone out of my purse. The last texts I’ve sent him stare back at me with no response and I chew my cheek. "I don’t know. He isn’t responding.""Are you sure he’s okay?" He should be. We spoke last night before I went to bed and I saw his bike in front of his house this morning, but I’ve heard nothing from him. Could he be bummed that he isn’t graduating with me? But that was his choice.After Alexander returned from Florida, he told me he had a change of mind. The small life he wanted to live once was no longer his dream and after seeing his mother struggle and fight for her life, he now wants to be a doctor. He studied hard for the little time he had left till we took the exams. Maybe even more than me. He had no time to be with me and I understood. I’m happy he has a dream he’s pursuing and when the results came out, he
CRAVE EIGHTY - FOUR
ARABELLA.We walk back into the house with our intertwined fingers and I pass Alexander a smile when Dex sees him calling out his name from the sofa."That’s you?" Dex stands from the couch and strides toward us. His hands are in his pockets and his gaze is on Alex, who pushes out his other hand, refusing to let me go. "Hey, dude."Dex looks at the outstretched hand, and his face hardens. "Are you back now after almost breaking my best friend’s heart?" He throws the question at Alex, who looks down at me before tightening his hand against mine. When he looks away, I try to meet Dex’s eyes, but he’s too busy glaring at Alex. The tension in the air rises as Alex’s hand stays in the air while Dex looks like he’s just two seconds away from punching him."You should know I’d never intentionally do that. They were stuff back at my home that needed to be taken care of and there was no avoid—"Dex’s face suddenly breaks in a smile and before Alex can finish, he slaps a hand on his shoulder. "
CRAVE E I G H T Y - T H R E E
ALEXANDER. I continue to pace down the hallway, my heart drumming in my chest with each second that ticks by, and no one coming out of that room. My gaze turns on Kaleb, who’s nervously tapping his feet against the floor and fidgeting in his seat, his eyes occasionally shifting from his moving hands to the door next to him. "She’ll be fine," I tell him as I slap a hand on his thigh to keep it steady before I fall into the seat next to him. He shakes his head as he turns to me. "It’s been hours and there’s been nothing. Just people moving in and out of there, and refusing to tell us anything." "That’s kind of how the surgery works." I let out a chuckle, trying to suppress the fact that I’m just as afraid as he is. Afraid the news that comes out of there wouldn’t be the one we want. "Seriously, Kaleb; she’ll be fine. Remember what she told us: we can’t get scared no matter what happens." "I’m trying." He hisses as he bends over his back and drops his clamped hands to his legs. I rem
CRAVE E I G H T Y - T W O
ARABELLA. I gaze at Alex between my legs and my head falls back on the arm of the couch with a loud moan as I feel his tongue laps at my core. "Alex…" I call out his name as I pull at the end of his curls and he hums with his lips pressed to my pussy, the vibration sending shocks through my body and I drip even more on his tongue. "Oh God," my other hand moves to my chest, and I squeeze my breast through the fabric of my dress as my eyes screw shut, my toes curling around his neck. "Oh, don’t you dare do that." I snap my eyes open when Alexander suddenly yanks my hand off my chest and also because he removes his head from my pussy, ripping away my fast-coming pleasure and I frown when I meet his eyes. He only grins down at me, as if he enjoys having me this way—frustrated and desperate for release. "Alex…" "Shh, baby." He whispers as he comes down over me, his hands slipping to my sides and I’m sure he can hear how fast my heart is beating in my chest at this close distance. "I tol
CRAVE E I G H T Y - O N E
ALEXANDER. I walk into the house with my shoulders sank and Arabella is standing in the middle of the living room. She smiles when she sees me and immediately starts moving in my direction. I stretch my hands and pull her into my chest once she’s close enough, and she wraps her arms around my neck, pressing herself against me. "Hm." I moan into her neck as my hands lock around her waist and grip tight. "Are you okay?" Arabella asks against my chest and I pull back to look at her pretty face but keep my hands around her waist. She doesn’t remove hers from my neck either, and I drop my forehead on hers. "I’m so fucking sorry, baby," I whisper, and she moves one hand to my hair, threading it through my curls while the other stays on the back of my neck. "What are you sorry for? You’ve done nothing wrong." She says in a soft voice, and I push back my head to look into her eyes. I keep my eyes on her as I drop my hands to her ass and bend my legs back slightly. I lift her in my arms and
CRAVE E I G H T Y
ALEXANDER. ME: I’m on my way. I don’t get another reply and I sigh as I throw my phone back into my pocket before I turn to Mom, whose head is lifted to me. Her brows are arched when she asks, "Is everything alright?" "Just the company. Really weird stuff, and I’m not sure how they’re happening." I inform her in a tired voice, and she drops the frame in her hand to her side. "Weird stuff happens all the time with business." She chuckles and I stare at her even when I know her eyes are on me. She doesn’t question it and I stare some more before I crouch before her and grab her hands. If she’s surprised by my sudden display of affection, she definitely doesn’t show it and only gives me a questioning look as we lock gazes. "Will you be… like you know… mad? If I fail? If I’m unable to save the company?" I ask and she takes a while to answer. When she does, her voice is gentle and laced with assurance. "If that’s what you’re afraid of, then you need not be. I told you before: it’s up to
CRAVE S E V E N T Y - N I N E
ALEXANDER. My eyes widen. "Amanda?" I croak as I keep my eyes on Zack, who looks like he just got denied the biggest and most important goal of his life. "But how… How did she? How did that happen? We have more than 60% of the shares and she only got the…" "No, Alex." Zack interrupts and pushes himself off the wall he’s leaned against. He swipes a hand down his face before he crosses his hands over his chest. "She wasn’t the one. The buyer isn’t Amanda." I wiggle my brows. "I don’t understand. Are you saying…" I pause and I don’t complete the words before Zack nods, confirming the thought that comes to mind. "There’s a new buyer?" "Yeah." "Who? And how exactly did they manage to buy the company without having shares?" He sighs. "I don’t know who it is and I don’t know how they did this, but they must be really good." He lets out a dry chuckle. "Exceptionally good, because I never thought this was possible. I didn’t know…" "We have to find out who it is." "We’re in the dark. W
CRAVE S E V E N T Y - E I G H T
ALEXANDER."Hi." Sofia smiles as she adjusts her bag on her shoulder. Her brows furrow as her eyes drag down my body before she holds my gaze again. "I didn’t know you were back in Florida. What are you doing here?""Just stuff," I mutter as my eyes go to her stomach. Sofia must have noticed me staring because she drops a hand on it and I raise my gaze. "What are you doing here?""I came to meet my mom." She provides and when I stare at her, confused, she continues. "I didn’t exactly take the advice you gave.""Oh?""But I didn’t go through with the terrible plan I had either." She chuckles and I smile as I take in the happiness that radiates on her face. She looks sunny. Different from the last time I saw her, and her eyes are twinkling. "I spoke to Mom about it and it took a while, but she understood. Dad, however, didn’t. I had to leave home for a while, but I think everything should be back to normal soon.""I’m happy for you, Sofia," I tell her and she beams. "Thank you. I am. Ve
