I stepped back like his hand was fire. Like even the thought of him touching me made my skin crawl. I looked at him, no longer bothering to hide the tears pooling in my eyes. “You didn’t do it for my good,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Don’t stand there and feed me that lie again.” I stepped fo
Where Silence ScreamsRHEA’S POV I stood behind the couch, watching the exchange, my heart clenching in my chest. Sekani had always been bright and sensitive. He was loyal to a fault. And today, I could see that his heart was hurting in ways he didn’t yet understand, seeing the tension between Y
I was going to do everything I could to help them bridge that gap. Their bond could be salvaged. But as for Miles and me? I don’t think there’s anything left to save. *** MILES' POV The car ride was suffocating. The silence was just loud as hell and every second felt like a damn hour. My eyes k
A Moment Too Late.RHEA’S POV I tucked Sekani into bed, gently brushing his curls back and planting a soft kiss on his forehead. He mumbled something in his sleep, clutching his stuffed lion tighter. My chest squeezed. I watched him for a moment longer, letting the calm of his sleeping face soothe
Miles chuckled too, and something about his smile looked like he was holding onto every word like it was precious. “He loves purple grapes,” I continued, resting my arms on the table. "He doesn't even eat the green or red. Just purple. He says they’re the ‘grape-iest.’” I did air quotes with a q
The Boy, the Rain, and the Truth MILES' POV I stood there in the dark, staring at the door she slammed in my face. For a moment, I didn’t move. I just stood there burning. My emotions spun through me like a broken compass: frustration, guilt, confusion… but above all, anger. Sharp, bitter anger.
"How was your night, Mummy?" he asked. I kissed his forehead softly. “I slept well too, baby.” I gave him a gentle smile, trying to ease the tension building in my chest. “What do you want for breakfast? I’ll make it myself.” Distraction. Classic Mummy move. I knew the conversation was coming, the
Held Between Breath and Silence Rhea's POV "Get me dry towels, warm blankets, and a heating pad, quickly!" I snapped, barely keeping the panic out of my voice as we carried Miles' semi-conscious body into the house and the guest room on the ground floor. My pulse thundered in my ears, and my jaw
I chuckled. “I would be honored, Captain Bad.” He suddenly leaned in, voice dropping into that adorable secret-sharing tone. “Can I ask you something?” “Anything.” His eyes flicked around before landing on me. “Do you ride a horse?” I blinked. “A bike, yeah. Horse? Not really. Want to try one?”
Two more tries later, he got it. The claw finally clutched the plush dragon like destiny itself had intervened and dropped it into the chute. Sekani screamed like he'd just won a million bucks. “WE GOT IT!” I bent down and pulled the prize out, handing it to him with a grin. “For the Champion of t
Wild Dreams and Small Victories MILES’ POV The next morning, we strolled into the arcade just after a heavy breakfast that Sekani nearly inhaled. Sekani was hyper and excited. The boy was all wired up and jittery with excitement. He had begged we hit the arcade before heading back to the hotel roo
“Good game,” he added, giving Sekani a nod. “We’ll get going now. Bye, Captain.” “Bye, Jill. Bye, Mr. Wellington,” Sekani called out as they walked away. I waited until they were out of earshot, then turned to Sekani with a smirk. “Captain Bad?” He puffed out his chest proudly. “Coach said
Team Sekani MILES’ POV Taking Sekani to his game was the highlight of my day. We weren’t exactly on the same page yet, but I could tell, he was glad I came. He didn’t say it outright, but it was in his eyes, in the way he kept glancing over from the field like he wanted to be sure I was still t
“You sure? It’s on our way. I insist,” I said. She gave a small, polite smile. “Miles… you two need time,” she said softly, already typing something into her phone. “I don’t want to interfere.” I watched her fingers dance across the screen. She didn’t even look up. She was lying to my face. She do
Bruises Beneath the Skin MILES’ POV Holmes eased the car to a stop in front of Rhea’s house. The sun was just beginning to peek through the early morning clouds, casting long shadows across the driveway. Rhea was standing on the porch with Sekani at her side. His suitcase was already packed and
Where We StandRHEA'S POVFive days later. “Mummy! Grandma took me to an ice cream shop!” Sekani announced the moment I stepped into the hospital room.The sound of his excited voice was the first thing that hit me, followed by the cool scent of antiseptics and the soft hum of machines. I smil
A Soft Place to Fall RHEA’S POV I stood by the doorway of Pa Dennis ward, my heart pounding with uncertainty. I wasn’t sure what kind of reception awaited me. Would Ma Lisa lash out again? Would she say more things that would leave me shattered? I sucked in a deep breath. Ma Lisa turned at the so