“I’m not the one hurting her,” she snapped, her eyes blazing. “You are. You and that… that woman you’ve replaced me with.”I opened my mouth to say something more, but just then, Thea tugged on the lapel of my suit jacket. “I’ll go,” she whispered in my ear. “Just for half an hour. Okay?”I looked d
AgnesThe show was a success. A huge one, in fact.I knew it would be the moment the first Luna stepped onto the runway and I heard the crowd erupting into applause as the lights caught the intricate details of the designs. The outfits were stunning, even more so because they were born from chaos—fr
The after-party was at a nearby lounge bar, the kind of place that was all dim lighting and plush seating. I sat at the edge of the group, nursing a drink as I tried to push down the pain that threatened to consume me.The other Lunas were in high spirits, their laughter filling the room as they rec
AgnesThe bouquet fell to the ground, pink and white petals scattering across the floor around my feet. I stared down at them in shock for a moment, my mind racing as the fog of alcohol slowly began to lift.What had I done?I had been cruel to Elijah, snapping at him, pushing him away when all he’d
Truthfully, I’d thought about that night more times than I cared to admit. Sometimes, late at night, when the house was quiet and I couldn’t seem to sleep for various reasons, I would let myself imagine what it would be like to sleep with him.First, it started as imagining literally sleeping with h
Agnes & ElijahAgnesGertrude’s grin was nothing short of impish as she shoved me and Elijah together. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if I had ever seen the often meek librarian’s eyes flare with such mischief behind those glasses.My heart pounded as I glanced up at Elijah, his warm body pressed agai
AgnesThe cab driver practically dumped us off in front of the estate, hardly giving Elijah time to hand him a wad of cash before he was speeding away. My cheeks were flushed, my skirt rumpled around my thighs and my lipstick smeared.We’d hardly been the pristine picture of an elegant Alpha and Lun
He feasted on me like that, right there on the floor, holding me upright with one arm. I dug my fingers into his scalp, yanking at his hair, which only elicited low, guttural moans from him that rumbled into my pelvis. “Agnes,” he murmured into me, the word sending a shudder of pleasure through my b
AgnesThe scent of garlic and tomatoes greeted us as we stepped inside the house later that evening. Elijah was already at the stove, stirring a pot of what smelled like spaghetti sauce with the white sleeves of his button-down rolled up to his elbows, exposing his muscular forearms. He looked up as
“Thea, sweetheart… We’ve talked about this before. I would love nothing more than to be your biological mother. But…” I swallowed hard. “I’ve already had you tested. You’re not my biological daughter, no matter how much I want you to be.”Her face crumpled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “But wh
AgnesThe following morning, I stood in the design department’s fabric storeroom, surrounded by endless bolts of luxurious materials. How long had I been in here? Minutes? Hours?The sketches for my new dress were complete, and the patterns were cut, but I still couldn’t decide on a color. After the
When we came together, it was like a dam breaking—intense, overwhelming, leaving me trembling in his arms. My chest heaved as I caught my breath, and Elijah held me close, his lips pressing soft kisses to my forehead, my cheeks, my lips.His touch was gentle now, a stark contrast to the ferocity of
AgnesI followed Elijah up the stairs, our fingers intertwined and our footsteps soft and quiet. The house was silent around us, save for the faint creak of the steps and the distant hum of crickets beyond the windows.But then there was my heart, pounding so hard against my ribs I thought for sure
“I’m glad,” he said softly. “You both needed something good after yesterday.”I leaned against the island, thinking about the sweet evening with Thea. “She called me her hero, you know. For coming to save her.”Elijah smiled. “Well, you were.”I shook my head. “I don’t feel like one after that incid
AgnesI rushed toward Elijah, my heart hammering in my chest. Even in the dim light of the entryway, his black eye was startlingly obvious—a dark, angry bruise circling the socket. He was slumped against the door, looking exhausted, but he straightened when he saw me, grimacing slightly from the eff
“Just like yours,” she said happily.“Just like mine.”Next came hair braiding. Thea sat on the floor between my knees as I gently worked through the tangles of her dark hair, separating strands for a French braid. My fingers moved automatically, muscle memory from years of doing my own hair. I humm
AgnesI pulled into the driveway around seven, exhausted after a long day of sewing, designing, and avoiding Maria’s knowing glances.The bathroom incident with Elijah had been the talk of the design department by lunchtime—whispers and stifled giggles following me throughout the afternoon. I’d buri