I wake up to a loud sigh and the rustling of curtains. I can’t say I’m a light sleeper, but today, even the fall of a feather seems to make me open my heavy, sleepy eyes... and I find Julian’s broad back just right there, on the balcony, with the moonlight illuminating his skin.
Standing up softly, I approach with slow steps, hoping that he will turn and greet me with his usual brilliant smile. But he doesn’t. Julian seems to be absorbed in deep thought, so much so that when I stop at the balcony door, he keeps his eyes downcast.From where I’m standing, I can see that he’s looking at his cell phone, but I don’t know what. Whatever it is, it’s giving him a reflective, strangely introspective expression.A few long moments pass while I’m observing his unshaven face and his eyes that shut a few times with restrained tears.But since he still doesn’t seem to notice me, I approach him even more and call outJulian’s words make me gasp, or maybe it’s the contrast between the heat of his body on my back and the cold of the railing against my belly.But soon, he pushes my hair away, and his lips meet the nape of my neck in a wet, indecent kiss, with his tongue flicking across my skin, making me breathe deeply again.He pulls my robe away with a swift, eager movement, showing off my bare shoulder, and quickly puts an equally seductive kiss there. I tilt my head to the side, and my gesture invites his mouth to my neck.Julian’s tongue slides across my skin, bringing me pleasurable goosebumps. He licks with his whole tongue, slowly, as if savoring my taste... then, his teeth nibble pleasurably, a light nibble that soon turns into a hickey that will surely leave its mark.Moving his hips forward and pressing the exposed erection behind me, he focuses on my shoulders again, trailing slow, wet kisses, sliding the robe down my arms until it exposes my breast
When I finally managed to fall asleep, the sun had already risen. But that was no problem for Julian... as soon as he let go of those bombastic words, he fell into a deep sleep. His strong arm remained on me, holding me in a spoon while his heavy breathing tickled the back of my neck and possibly my chest.I was anxious… my heart was fluttering and uncertain. My father didn’t react in the best possible way to my relationship with Julian, but I can’t blame him for that. In fact, I think he responded better than expected. His cold shoulder to his best friend was understandable... and I confess, I also expected him to resent me.But things have finally started to settle down, I think. Julian and Daddy seem to be on good terms, but I’m scared that the news of my pregnancy will upset this little bit of progress. No, it can end things for good. I’m not going to lie… the thought of it scares me.My father is the only family I have left.
My father somehow looks different tonight. I can see feelings shining in his brown eyes, so similar to mine, and I can swear that it’s slightly wet with tears that he refuses to shed.There’s not a hair out of place in the elegant hairstyle or a wrinkle in the extremely fancy blue suit. Although Dad and Julian have a few billion dollars in assets, they don’t show it off. Of course, there’s no denying that they live comfortably and have an extremely luxurious lifestyle, but beyond what money can buy, Father tries to enjoy the things he wants without prying eyes on what’s in his pockets. And maybe because Julian admires him so much, he also carries this light-hearted personality.That’s why it’s such a surprise to be called into a restaurant like this now. It’s not the first time Dad has taken me to places like this, but every time, it feels like a first. My nerves get rattled, and my legs feel shaky. Even now, I feel a little
Julian tenses up. His breathing becomes heavy, deep, and slow.His family has always been a sensitive and somewhat mysterious topic. We don’t talk about it, and even though I’ve grown interested in the Adams, I haven’t found the perfect moment to ask about it. I know they stopped talking for a while after I arrived in New York, but it was always a mystery why they fought and drifted apart. I thought it was because of his closeness to my father, but I’m not so sure anymore. Some questions have been on my mind for some time, but I try to avoid thinking about them.Now, my father is bringing up the subject in such a serious way that I feel insecure. Julian seems really defensive about such a simple and innocent question, and I confess that it makes me uncomfortable. I know we’ve sworn not to keep secrets from each other, but there still seem to be some truths hidden up our sleeves. I just hope this isn’t some big and scary skeleton in the c
“Which wine should I get? Maybe 2015 to prove my point? Or maybe the best Burgundy I have here? It’s a perfect occasion, after all.” My father says enthusiastically, walking over to the shelves full of expensive wines behind the kitchen island.I run my eyes all over the lounge, observing every detail of the apartment that has been my home for the last few years. And although this is still technically my place, it feels strangely nostalgic to be here. I’ve spent so much time in Julian’s that I really don’t seem to belong in this apartment with my father anymore.My gaze falls on Julian and Daddy standing together in front of the shelf, choosing the perfect wine for the end of the evening. They’re talking so passionately that I don’t even feel like I’m here. So I take my time to appreciate how they smile at each other, how they are so at ease in each other’s presence. It makes my heart feel at peace. Still, t
Seven years ago, I found out that I’m a father. And I just needed to look at those big brown eyes, her features that reminded me so much of myself — of my family.But the truth is that, for a whole week, I didn’t sleep.Of course, I welcomed Angelee from the first moment. I believed in her and hugged her tightly, but there was a dark side that I didn’t want to acknowledge... I didn’t want to accept this truth.For more than thirty years, my life has been shaped by the wishes of others. My parents, Kristen... It was kind of scary to regain control. Admitting the uncertainties and fears I had at that time sounded like a sin. I didn’t allow myself to understand them.But Angelee’s words today made me realize something... That I am a human, after all.A human that made mistakes and has been blinded for too long.But I never imagined that my guilt was a burden for Angelee. In fact, I never rea
— MICHAEL O’NEIL (POV)[…] 24 years ago.ㅤ“Look at this little beauty!” Jack says with a smile that almost reaches his ears. He pats the hood of the car, his newest toy, as he would say. The yellow of the sunset paints the sky and reflects in the red of the bodywork. “This baby is fast! Faster than anything I’ve ever seen!”I cross my arms, looking at the new car. It’s long, beautiful, sporty, and visibly fast. With a single glance, even a layperson can see that this thing is fast.“Faster than Mike’s car?” Julian asks with a mischievous grin. His loud voice shows that he’s up to something. “I thought Mike’s car was the fastest.”“It is,” I say with a playful tone, winking at the nine-year-old who raises his eyebrows.“I’m telling you, my baby can easily beat Mike’s speed. I mean,
I can’t open my eyes. Every little movement seems to drain all my strength. I want to cry. I’m so desperate, so scared, but I can’t open my eyes.What’s happening?The smell of gasoline is so strong that I’m having trouble breathing. Everything is dark because I can’t open my heavy eyelids. But I can hear it... not very clearly, but it sounds familiar. I know that voice...“Of course, I’m going to get him out of here! Both of you!” Mike says urgently, and I try very hard to react, but... I feel helpless. “But Jack, you, the tree...”“You need to get him out of here NOW.” Wait, brother? His voice sounds so desperate... “Don’t you smell that? The gasoline is leaking, Michael! There’s so much gas escaping from this shit! At any moment, it could explode!”Explode? Gasoline?The words fall slowly into place, and I finally remember how much fun we were
“Jackie, Lizzie, stop running like that… you could get hurt!” I shout, putting my hands on my waist. They are laughing, hiding their smiles behind their little hands. But despite this, they go running back down the sandy beach, making my heart rise to my throat.They grow up so fast! Two years and seven months ago, they were so small in my arms, and now they’re running around our house in Nassau, their blond hair ruffling in the pleasant wind.Just as we promised, we created a little tradition in our family; every year, during our wedding anniversary, we bring the children with us. It’s the second time they’ve been here, and this time, we’ve decided to invite the people closest to us to enjoy this paradise.“This place is really wonderful!” Cathy says behind me, stroking her big belly. I look over my glasses and quickly take them off. “Seriously, I really appreciate you inviting me... I’d really go mad
As soon as the meeting is over, I feel my tense shoulders relax. My head is throbbing, a pain that has haunted me since last night when I received a call from my father.Apparently, his retirement has been announced. He will continue as chairman for another six months just to organize everything until his departure.The problem is that he still hasn’t announced a successor. The board is desperate because of the options, as none of them have the necessary qualifications to be the group’s new chairman. Of course, that’s just a sadistic strategy to get them on their toes and accept Dominic O’Neil’s desire.Apparently, my half-brother is taking victory for granted, telling everyone that he will be my father’s successor and that the group belongs to him. With the news of Father’s retirement reaching the knowledge of the media, it won’t be long before he finally names me as the new chairman.When I accepted Dominic’
The doorbell jangles, announcing my arrival. And as always, the moment people look in my direction, without interest, almost by instinct, their eyes widen, and the whispering begins. After all, I am a supermodel. My face is all over Times Square. I don’t have the luxury of privacy, of an anonymous life.Still, why am I here?My blue eyes meet the owner of this place; he’s distracted by another customer, smiling easily.My stomach twists, and I feel suddenly nervous.The whispers reach his ears, and he looks at me. It takes a few seconds for his face to show a reaction, but soon, the smile rises to his eyes, following me while I cross the coffee shop to the table at the back.I sit down and hide my face behind the menu, my cheeks burning for a reason unknown to me.Dammit, I look like a teenager. It’s not like it was the first time I’ve woken up in a man’s bed after a few drinks. And it certainly wasn’t the first time
It took a year before we could really enjoy some time alone on a honeymoon, but I have to say that it was really worth the wait. Julian made sure that our first day in Nassau, at our new beach home, was special and unforgettable.First, he invited me on a yacht ride. Going down to the deck was itself a memorable experience. This place is simply breathtaking, and the private beach is so beautiful that I couldn’t help but imagine my daughters playing in the sand. The thought made my chest warm. I already consider this place a second home.To my surprise, Julian prepared a wonderful breakfast while the 65-foot yacht cruised along the coast with everything you could wish for — fruit, bread, juices, coffee, and ending the tour with a glass of wine in one of the cabins. Fortunately, the sound of the sea drowned out my moans enough for us to enjoy some sex on the high seas.After the tour, it was lunchtime, and Julian took us to Paradise Island. He chose a luxuri
They say the Bahamas are paradise on earth, and I couldn’t find a better word to describe this place. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my life.As soon as we arrived at Nassau airport, a car was waiting for us. The weather is really nice here, even though it’s winter. Although I like snow, it’s nice to feel the warm weather enveloping my skin... I wish the girls were here… the cold makes them so sensitive.Thinking about them makes me feel a bit down. My heart squeezes, and I try to think that it’s only for two days and that soon they’ll be in my arms again, but still, I miss them. It’s an almost unbearable feeling. I wonder how they’re doing, if they miss us, and if they’re crying right now...But I know that Julian and I need this. It’s the opportunity to enjoy a real honeymoon, which we haven’t had before. Some would think that it’s a shame to celebrate it after so long, with the
— ANGELEE ADAMS (POV)ㅤ“How are you feeling?” Julian asks for the first time since we got on the plane. The trip to the Bahamas doesn’t take long, about three hours, but we’re reaching our destination soon.“I’m fine,” I say, taking Julian’s hand in mine. I stroke the white-gold ring on his finger, but I’m still lost in thought.“You seem to have a lot on your mind.” He says, studying my face.“A little.” I give a nervous smile and shrug. I thought I’d be scared to see Laura, to hear the words she said to me that day, but I didn’t.”“What’s bothering you, then?” Julian’s question makes me raise my eyes again.“More than being afraid of Laura, I was afraid of losing the people I love again,” I confess, noticing that his gaze softens. “Losing you, our daughters... I couldn’t bear it.”&ldquo
— ANGELEE ADAMS (POV)ㅤㅤFor the past seven months, I’ve wondered what happened to Laura.What happened after she left by the stairs? What happened to her twisted mind?I knew that she had been temporarily arrested for trespassing and assault, but Julian and my father tried hard to keep the details away from me. Perhaps that’s why the subject never really seemed a closure to me.Unfortunately, as much as I fought against it and didn’t want to admit it, for the last seven months, that day has tormented me.When I held my daughters in my arms for the first time, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t let Laura get to me. And I really tried to deny it, to convince myself that it was enough just to let go and focus on my family — but I couldn’t, and I hate myself for being weak to that extent.Finding out that Laura would spend her time in a mental institution wasn’t really a surprise. I knew there was s
— JULIAN ADAMS (POV)[...] Seven months later.ㅤㅤI sigh deeply, massaging the top of my nose. Ever since I heard the verdict of Laura’s trial, I’ve been feeling uneasy.Many months have passed, and I still remember how I felt when I saw the building security cameras… and how I threw up, feeling stupid, weak, and furious.I’ve never felt so impotent in my entire life.But what really put me out of sleep was what happened the day Angelee woke up in the hospital... when Laura also decided to break into the J’O Tech building. I still get chills remembering that night.It’s been a long time since Laura was fired, but for some reason, her credentials worked. In the end, we really had to restructure the entire I.T. department, which resulted in a mass layoff that only didn’t make it into the media because of damage control.Laura got crazy when she knew that her plan to harm Angelee and my
My eyes take a while to adjust to the brightness, but slowly, the blur goes away. I move my hands, feeling a weight on one of them.I blink a few times heavily, looking down carefully because I still feel a little dizzy, and see that Julian is sitting in an armchair next to the bed, holding my hand.He senses my movements and slowly opens his eyes, looking directly at me, taking a few moments for him to understand that I’m wide awake. When reality hits him hard, Julian’s eyes widen and glisten with tears.He doesn’t say a single word, just leans in, taking my hand in both of his, enveloping it in his warm palms, something I’ve really missed over the last two weeks. He rests his forehead on our hands, his tense shoulders immediately relaxing.“You really scared us, you know?” Julian grumbles, then looks up. I can see the deep, dark circles under his eyes. “You’ve been unconscious for two whole days!”Sudde