AgnesI stared at my father, momentarily stunned into silence. Of all the people who could have stopped to help me, of course it had to be him. The man hadn’t been there to help me with a damn thing in seven years, and yet he’d shown up over a fucking flat tire.Recovering quickly, I straightened my
AgnesThea’s violin bow glided across the strings, her face so sweet and innocent and utterly concentrated that I found myself blinking back tears.When Elijah and I had slipped into our seats just moments before the recital began, she had spotted us immediately. The brief flash of relief in her eye
By the time we arrived home, Thea was half-asleep. Elijah carried her up to bed while I poured us each a glass of wine.We met back in the living room later, settling onto the couch with a record playing faintly in the background. For a few minutes, we just sat in silence, sipping our wine.“So,” El
AgnesThe next few days passed in a whirlwind. I threw myself into finalizing the survival bag prototype, making the last adjustments to ensure every feature worked perfectly. The panic button compartment had been the biggest challenge, requiring three complete redesigns before I was satisfied with
AgnesI insisted that I was fine and didn’t need any help, but Elijah practically carried me back to the house anyway, causing more than a few passersby to stop and stare at the scene. My face heated, although not from some kind of strange magical warmth this time. Now, I was just embarrassed.“Sit,
“You know, the first time it happened, we were being intimate,” I pointed out with a tiny smile. “And just now, I was watching you work, thinking about how attractive you are.” I felt my cheeks warm at the admission. “Maybe strong emotions trigger it?”Elijah finished bandaging my hands and looked u
AgnesI rushed to Thea, kneeling in front of her vanity. Her long, brown hair now had a jagged chunk missing from the left side.“Oh, Thea,” I said softly, brushing away the tears that streamed down her face. I was careful not to sound angry or disappointed. “Why did you cut your hair, sweetheart?”
I sprayed a thin streak of vibrant fuschia down one side of her bangs. The effect was subtle but eye-catching—just enough to make her feel special without being too dramatic for a seven-year-old.“There,” I said, stepping back to admire my work. “What do you think?”Thea stared at her reflection, to
I hated that he was making sense. And even more than that, I hated that a part of me—a much bigger part of me than I wanted to admit—was actually considering it.“What if it’s a trap?” I asked quietly. “What if he’s involved with Elemental Enterprises somehow? He could be trying to get to Thea.”“Th
AgnesI stared at the letter in my hands the entire night, reading and rereading the words until they were practically burned into my brain. By morning, the paper had taken on a slightly crumpled appearance from how many times I had folded and unfolded it.By the time the sun rose, I wasn’t sure if
Elijah, noticing the tension leaving my shoulders, offered me a soft smile. “And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t sexy as hell when you get like that.”I blushed and looked away. “Stop it…”“But I mean it,” he murmured, his voice growing husky as he leaned closer to me. His lips brushed mine ever so
AgnesElijah gently pulled me out of the banquet hall before I could say another word.We reached the nearest bathroom—a small powder room off the main hallway—and Elijah ushered me inside, locking the door behind us. Without a word, he turned on the faucet and soaked a washcloth in cold water.“Her
My hand tightened around my wine glass, and I felt a flicker of heat race through my veins, which I quickly pushed down with a big gulp of wine. It wasn’t enough, though. “Water, please,” I said abruptly to the bartender. “Extra ice.”The bartender nodded and handed me my glass. I chugged half of it
Agnes“Hold still,” I muttered around the pins that were pinched between my lips. “I’m almost done.”“But it tickles,” Thea whined.I sighed, sitting back on my heels to survey my work. The pink dress had turned out even better than I’d imagined—the fabric caught the light just so, and the purple em
Thea was already back from day camp when I arrived, sprawled on the living room floor with a coloring book and a horde of new crayons—which we’d certainly be finding under the couch for years to come. She looked up as I entered.“Mommy!” She jumped up and ran to hug me. “How was work?”“It was good,
AgnesI straightened my blouse one last time before pushing open the glass door to the design department. It had been almost a month since I’d last set foot in the office—first because of the fire, then because of everything with Thea and the house rebuild.I wasn’t nervous, exactly, but there was a
“Thank you.” I took a sip, letting the rich flavor roll over my tongue. “For everything. Not just the wine.”He smiled. “You don’t need to thank me, Agnes. None of this would have happened without you.”“That’s not true. You’re the one who went to see Olivia. You’re the one who believed her crazy st