*Xaveir' POVMason Holiday is dead. I will skin him alive.I pace across the hall, tapping my phone in the palm of my hand as I wait for them to come home. Mom is sitting on the couch, pinching her forehead between her fingers. Just like me, she is worried ever since we got the call from Rose about what happened at the bar.Jake Gallagher is getting fired. I gave him one job and he left without informing me. If I had known that he was gone, I would have gone there myself. It's my fault I left my girls in the care of some idiot."This can't be happening, son...How did it..." Mom sighs, tears forming in her eyes. I ignore her, my mind occupied by the doors through which they are supposed to arrive.&n
*Harley's POV A thousand bells ring inside my head at the same time when I try to open my eyes. Ray of light pierces my eyelids, hurting them, and I have to take deep breaths, hoping that the raging headache would come to a standstill. Pain jitters my nerves, cramps taking over my legs like I am a sixty-year-old woman on her deathbed.Last night — I remember it as clear as day until the moment when I was held by Mason and he threw me over his shoulder like a sack. Everything after that is a script of blurry images.My ribs hurt along with my chest, torturing me and making me groan in pain. I am somehow able to snap myself awake and find a glass of water with a pill kept on the bedside table. I quickly drown them both, the coldness of the water quenching my unspoken thirst.This is worse than any hangover. I am never picking up a drink again.The medicine starts its work quickly, calming my nerves down and lessening the throbbing in my head. When my wits clear a bit, I find the courag
*Xavier’s POVsome hours ago:After the call with the Senator ends, I am left with a pounding headache. I feel like I just imagined the whole conversation. This couldn't be happening.Why would someone want to kill Harley to hurt me? How is any of this related?I am a mess of emotions as I check on Harley, tugging the sheets over her body tightly, my hands shaking as I observe her innocence in her deep sleep. She is oblivious to all this and I can't imagine having to tell her that our arrangement is the reason she is in danger.I caress her cheekbones with my knuckles, feeling numb in my heart. We have gotten closer than I had expected. This feeling is strange; it is killing me.I jerk my hand from her face as if I have been scalded. Or perhaps it is the thought that I might burn her. Perhaps I already have. I want to keep her safe and that urge — to protect her from every cruel thing in the world instills dread in me, both for myself and her. Rubbing my face frantically in my nervou
*Harley’s POVThe room smells of dust and smoke. The curtains are drawn, darkening its appearance. It holds a bed covered in white sheets in the middle, an oak closet, a beanbag, and a guitar hanging on the wall — a guitar just like Xavier's. The color of the walls is a dull grey, with paint chipping out in some places.I haven't visited this room for years. None of us has, except for the maids who used to clean it once in a while. A while passed before Dad couldn't even handle the maids being in this room so he asked them to leave it alone. Two years of being locked up, yet, the room still smells like her. She is here without being here.I walk over to the closet in slow, steady steps, my feet dragging along the sandy dust on the floor. When I reach it, I touch the cold handles, pulling them. The doors open with a creak. A puff of dust hits my face and I have to cover my mouth as I look through his clothes.There are rows of dresses and a coat hanging at the top. The bottom has her B
*Xavier’s POV"You shouldn't have done that, idiot," Thea scowls over the phone. "You made me look even worse than before to her. You know how much she hates me—""She doesn't hate you, Willows," I cut her off in a sharp tone. Hearing the 'she' with 'hate' in the same sentence irks me.She hates me too now. Again. "Yeah, and the sun rises in the west..." I can practically see her rolling her eyes as she speaks. "When will you stop sacrificing your happiness for no reason? The important thing is that she said she will accept my son. Wasn't that enough for you?""I did what I had to do, Thea. She wasn't safe with me. I can't put her in danger anymore just because she's married to me.""Xavier, this isn't healthy," the annoying lady over the phone argues. "You need her. She needs you. You two are meant for each other.""Forget it," I grunt, playing with a button of my suit as I recline in my chair. "Tell me about him. How's he doing?""The painkillers are making him sleep all the time,"
*Harley’s POV The tap on glass makes me squeeze my pillow tightly. It is the third one in the last twenty seconds and the fact that it's not coming from the door frightens me more. I pull my knees up to my chest, curling like a squirrel under the blanket as I squeeze my eyes shut.What if it's him? The man with the knife. Should I shout for Dad?I should have listened to Mom and slept in her room instead of my own.There is another tap, louder this time, and I hear something crack. I think it's the glass of my window. I slowly peek my head out of the blanket, my eyes falling on the window and I see a small crack on the glass. I used to keep the windows open, but now I prefer to keep everything securely locked after the horrifying incident."HARLEY!"The shout makes me jump from the bed when I recognize the voice. It's deep, raspy, and forcibly loud. My heart beats fast, my feet hitting the floor as I run past the window and throw open the door to my balcony.Night wind nips at my ski
*Xaveir’s POVI fucked up. I fucked up bad.I rub my forehead between two fingers, massaging hard as I remember the events of last night in flashes. My leg aches for some reason and when I try hard to remember, I see visions of me climbing a tree.A fucking tree to Harley's balcony.What the hell is wrong with me? I literally behaved like a sixteen-year-old kid who just got his first hook-up. That wasn't me. But all I wanted to do then was reach Harley. Reach her no matter how far she was. My sanity was lost when I saw her face as she stood on the balcony. All I wanted to do was take her in my arms and kiss her hard. I wanted to forget for some time that she couldn't be with me, that I had to maintain an act.I failed. I fucking failed.
Father daughter moment *Harley’s POVJust like Mom said, I find him at our private home bar in the hall. He is pouring himself another glass of drink. He has already had three in the last ten minutes without looking anywhere but ahead where more bottles of expensive wine sit on the shelves.As he is about to drown down another, I walk up to him, my feet pacing slowly across the hall. Even if he hears my footsteps, he doesn't show it on his face. I take a seat on the stool beside him, my feet hanging in the air."Dad..." I touch his shoulder with one hand while with the other, I gently take the glass away from him.He narrows his eyebrows, giving me a studying loo
The sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the backyard where the Everest family had gathered for Ivy's sixth birthday. The air buzzed with the joyful chatter of friends and family who had been witness to Ivy's journey from a tiny, cooing infant to the lively, spirited child she had become.In the midst of the celebration, Ivy darted around the garden, her laughter echoing through the air. Her curly hair bounced with each step, and her eyes sparkled with the innocence of childhood. Every now and then, she would steal a glance at her parents, her source of love and security.Seated at a beautifully adorned table, Xaveir and Harley marveled at the scene. It seemed like just yesterday when they held their fragile newborn for the first time. Now, Ivy was a whirlwind of energy, a testament to the love that surrounded her.As the evening unfolded, friends and family shared anecdotes and memories, each contributing to the rich tapestry of Ivy's life. Aunt Rose, who had onc
*Xaveir’d POV "Ice chips?""No.""You sure?"The moment Harley glares at me, I bite my tongue and have to swallow a chip myself as I take a seat near her bed. My wife has her arms crossed over her chest, grimacing every other second when she gets a contraction. Her hospital gown is blue with tiny white dots as their only design and Harley’s belly is huge, my baby kicking her every time she tries to move a little."It's been nine hours!" Harley frowns, unfolding her arms and letting them drop to her sides. "Why is she not out yet?"I place the cup of ice chips on the table nearby and touch her hand, lifting it to my lips to kiss. "Don't worry, honey. Maybe the baby loves you a little too much.""Uhhhgg..." Harley grunts, jerking my hand away from hers and grabbing her stomach with both hands, her eyes squeezing shut as she takes deep breaths when another contraction hits. "I hate this, Xaveir. Please do this for me."I remain quiet, not able to think of anything to say to that. Gettin
*Harley’s POV Xaveir: You're late. I'm coming in. You aren't allowed to see the bride. Xaveir: Fuck those rules...I want to see you. No can do. Vaughn: Xaveir Fine. After the wedding, you're mine. Get that? I do Xaveir: Good. Now get your pretty ass out here. I'm waiting. Will do I smile at the phone screen like a giddy teenager getting a love text from her crush. Xaveir’s texts never fail to raise the butterflies in my stomach. Every word is like a little spin to my heart. I put the phone on the table near me and glance at my reflection in the floor-length mirror of the dressing room. This wedding gown is even more gorgeous than the last one. The material is soft and feels like butter under my fingertips. The neckline has a net pattern stitched like flowers and the gown hugs my figure, accentuating my curves. I chose it myself this time and this is the gown of my real wedding. My hair is in a half-up-do with pearl clips keeping it in place. The make-up artist did my face we
*Haley’s POV Xaveir's office desk has three framed photos. One is of him and Bel on their graduation day with their arms around each other as they smile at the camera, their graduation caps half-sliding from their heads. I remember that picture because I was the one holding the camera.The second one is of our family — me, him, Doris, and Rose. It was taken a month after he returned from the hospital. We wanted to have a moment to ourselves. In the picture, we are all dressed fashionably and sitting on the sofa in the hall, Doris in between me and Rose while Xaveir stands behind us as we all smile at the camera.The third one, and the one he keeps at the front, is of him and me. It's a selfie we took while getting ready for a party. He is holding me to his side, both of us smiling at the phone in his outstretched hand. We didn't think the picture would come out that good but it did and it's Xaveir’s favorite.I trace a finger over the wooden frame holding the picture, feeling overwhe
*Xaveir’s POVThe first thing I notice about Noah Striker when the cops drag him to the other side of the booth is that he has grown a beard. His orange jumpsuit is fitted closely to his body, he has lost weight, and his hair has grown but it is the beard that I notice because the beard makes him look like he had been when he wore the disguise of Jake.I see a little bit of Jake in his green eyes as he takes the seat opposite me and the cops let him go, taking two steps back and standing behind him with hands behind their backs. Noah stares at me with a look of astonishment, like he can't believe that I am here to meet him.It was a difficult task to get a visit with him. I wasn't on his contact list so I had to find my way through somewhat illegally. The officer-in-charge, Jeremy Donovan, has always been a little corrupt. He was much obliged to let me in with a few dollars under the table.Noah's eyes follow my hands as I pick up the headset kept to the side and get ready to talk. He
*Harley’s POVTwo months later:"I'm happy to volunteer as the Godmother for the prettiest baby in this world.""No way! Harley knows that only I can be that. Don't you, Harley?""That's so rude! You're already a Godmother to your niece. This one's for me.""That's unfair. My niece doesn't even live here."With my palms on my cheek, I look at my best friends as they throw each other relentless comebacks. They have been at it for the last 5 minutes and 20 seconds exactly, going back and forth over who gets to be the Godmother to my unborn baby. We are at Hot Cup Brews, sitting by the round table besid
*Xaveir’s POVMy senses are somehow heightened with the long moments of unconsciousness. When the feeling of being alive starts to come back, the first thing I hear is the sound of soft breathing near my head and the feel of fingers curling around my palm — fingers that are warm and smooth. Everything else is quiet.I try to force my eyes open but it takes a lot of effort. For a second, I start to think that I will never be able to open them again but that feeling washes off when I am greeted with the sight of a plain ceiling above my head. There is an oxygen mask above my nose and it troubles me when I attempt to look around through it. I check for my arms and find both of them safe at my sides. Then I see her.She is sleeping quietly, her head lying above my hand. Her hair c
*Harley’s POVMy stare is fixed blankly on the white hospital floor as I sit with my feet above the seat. The sleeves of my shirt are pulled to my hand, my fingers keeping their hold on them tight. The place is quiet except for the sobs of Doris who has a handkerchief pressed to her nose as she sniffs hard. The waiting room has several anxious faces staring at the double doors. Each time they open and a nurse or doctor steps out, the people flick their gaze at the door, thinking that they bring news of their own.Tears on my cheeks have dried up, leaving behind stains as I wait and wait.I have been sitting here for three hours while Xaveir's body is being cut and stitched back by the surgeons in the operating room. He had a pulmonary embolism and the doctors arranged an emergency operation, telling me that his chances of survival are fifty-fifty. The entire family is here, except for my Mom and little Bel. They are at home, waiting for any news.Doris and Rose are sitting on the benc
*Harley’s POV“….We were rushed to the hospital on time. After a few tests they found out the baby was still alive and they needed to perform a surgery to take out the baby. The hospital insisted I call a sister or the mother’s patient to claim the baby, I panicked and didn’t know what to do so I called my the only other person Bella trusted more than me, my ex-girlfriend to claim the baby and then called my dad to move Bel and I to a different hospital”"LIAR!"Mom is the first one to break the silence after Xaveir finishes his story. I am startled when she pushes me toward Dad before stalking Xaveir, her knuckles white as she digs her nails into her palms."Isabelle..." Xaveir