Bill’s POVThe world tilts violently when I open my eyes.The air is thick with dust and smoke, curling through the wreckage, filling my lungs with something acrid. My ears are ringing so loud that I can’t hear anything else—no sirens, no voices, nothing but that high-pitched whine drilling into my
Serena’s POVCollin’s name is already tearing out of my throat before I realize I’m screaming.I run through the house, heart pounding, breath sharp and uneven. The walls blur past me as I shove open doors, check under tables, search every possible place he could be hiding.Nothing.His toys are sca
Calvin’s POVTime is slipping through my fingers.I can feel it. Every second Collin is gone is a second closer to Sterling disappearing for good.I grip the edge of my desk, staring at the screen James pulled up. The last trace of Sterling’s location blinks in red—just outside the city. He’s on the
Bill’s POVSterling smirks, his grip steady on the gun, his expression calm. Too calm. His finger rests lightly on the trigger, like he has all the time in the world. He enjoys this. The fear. The tension. The power.“If I can’t win,” he says, slow and deliberate, “then neither do you.”Collin is fr
Bill’s POVCollin doesn’t let go of me.His tiny hands fist into my shirt, his small body pressed so tight against mine it’s like he’s trying to disappear inside me. His breath is uneven, shaky, catching on little silent sobs. Every few seconds, I feel him tremble, his body still reacting even thoug
Calvin’s POVThe steady beep of a heart monitor pulls me out of the thick, foggy darkness. My body feels heavy, my limbs sluggish. There’s a dull ache in my ribs, a sharp pain in my side, and a slow throbbing in my head. For a second, I don’t remember where I am.Then it all comes back.The explosio
Stevie’s POVI don’t know if I want to kiss him or kill him.Probably both.Calvin Lancaster has a death wish, and he drags me down with him every single time. I should be furious. I am furious. But my hands are already on his chest, fingers pressing into his skin, tracing over the steady rise and f
Serena’s POVI stand in the doorway of our bedroom, watching Bill move carefully, peeling his shirt off like every muscle in his body aches. The bruises are worse than I thought—deep purples and sickening reds blooming across his ribs, stretching over his side like reminders of how close we came to
Sunset Barbecue & Forever LoveSerena’s POVThere’s something about a perfect summer evening that makes me feel like we’ve done something right.The sun is just starting to set, casting that golden glow over our backyard, and the smell of barbecue fills the air. Kids’ laughter rings through the spac
The Sleepover from HellBill’s POVI don’t know how I got roped into this.One minute, I was minding my business, thinking about kicking back with a beer and watching the Lakers game. The next?I’m hosting a damn sleepover.Collin—our sweet, energetic, too-smart-for-his-own-good son—managed to convi
When Serena Got DrunkBill’s POVIt started out as a normal night.Just me, Serena, and a rare moment of freedom—no kids, no responsibilities, and no reason to be in bed by 10 p.m.I should’ve known it was going to get wild when she ordered her first margarita and said, “I deserve this.”By the thir
The Twins’ First Birthday BashSerena’s POVI told myself we were going to keep it simple.Something small, just close family and friends, maybe a cake, a few balloons, and a couple of presents. Nothing over the top.But I should’ve known better.Because the moment Calvin found out we were celebrati
The Worst Date Ever (And the Best Night After)Serena’s POVTonight was supposed to be perfect.A night just for us—no kids, no work stress, no last-minute interruptions. Just Bill and me, dressed up, out on the town, basking in the kind of luxury we rarely get to indulge in anymore. A night where w
Couples Therapy (Because Why Not?)Bill’s POVI have done a lot of things for my wife.I have sat through terrible rom-com marathons. I have held her purse in the middle of crowded shopping malls. I have eaten kale.But this?This might be the worst.Because somehow, someway, I have let Serena drag
When Serena Got JealousSerena’s POVI am not the jealous type.I am not the kind of woman who gets territorial, who glares at waitresses for being too friendly, or who overanalyzes every interaction Bill has with another woman.But this?This is different.Because Bill’s new assistant is young, fli
The Great Twin EscapeBill’s POVThere are few things in life more terrifying than waking up in the middle of the night to an eerie, unnatural silence.That’s what does it—the silence.When you’re the parent of three kids, you develop a sixth sense about these things. Normal nights come with backgro
Teaching Collin About LoveSerena’s POVIt starts at bedtime.Collin is curled up under his dinosaur blanket, his stuffed triceratops tucked beneath his arm, when he suddenly tilts his head and asks, “Mommy, how do you know when you love someone?”I pause, his question catching me off guard.From wh