ALEXANDER The Tale-Tell Heart. I had thought that story was ridiculous when I was in school. The heart under the floor, beating, driving the madman insane… How could a dead heart beat? I got it now, though, because in my desk sat a file, one I could practically hear beating away, mocking me
BAILEE The red carpet had been intimidating, but each time I started to feel overwhelmed, Alex would pull me closer to him and move us to the next area. His warm body against mine had felt so nice that a few times, I found myself leaning into him on my own, wanting to steal his body heat. It
“Baby,” Alex said, and I flinched before I could stop myself at the name. He noticed. His smile faltered, and he looked away from me toward the band. “Normally people dance after the meal.” “Then let’s go to the bar to get a drink,” I said, placing my hand on his thigh and holding his stare as I
BAILEE The table was tense when they called for everyone to take their seats for dinner to be served, even more so when the head of the foundation recognized ‘the very generous’ Alexander Kingston as one of their largest donors. George, Helen, and Caleb were fuming from across the table at the s
I gasped as he spun me harshly until the front of my body crashed into his. “You really are more trouble than you’re worth, you know that?” Caleb spat through his clenched teeth while holding his fake smile on his face. Filled with anger, I pretended to stumble, accidentally stepping on his foo
BAILEE “How much?” I asked through my teeth as I glared at him, too angry to even blink. “Oh, Bailee,” Caleb said, pulling at a piece of my hair, and I yanked my face away. “You will never make enough to release the lien.” “How much?!” I demanded louder, yanking myself out of his arms. My che
BAILEE Alex groaned as my mouth connected with his. His fingers threaded into my hair, holding me closer as he took control. My shoulder blades were still against the wall as he leaned into me, but my hips were forward, pressed into his, and his hand slid from my hip to the top of my ass. “Mh
BAILEE“I wasn’t disgusted! I was bothered because you clearly regretted it. I could see it on your face.” My head snapped back, and I licked my lips as I shook my head. “What? No! I was just… I don’t regret it. It was nice. I just don’t think we should do it again.” He laughed, but I could see the hurt on his face as he stepped back. “Right.” “Alex,” I sighed, guilt rearing up as I watched his face harden to hide his emotions. “Let’s just go. Do you want me to take you home, or do you want to go back inside and finish the night?” He sounded exhausted, but from how he had shut himself off from me, I knew he was hiding his real feelings. I just wished I knew which ones were real. “I think it would be best for us to go home,” I said, staring at the small white button on his shirt, unable to meet his gaze. “Okay,” Alex said, turning to leave and holding his arm out for me. We still had an image to uphold, and it wouldn’t look good for either of us to leave the party in the mid
BEN Bailee gently hit his arm with the back of her hand as she walked by him to a cabinet to grab a glass, and I laughed. “It was a week ago. Where is Brinley?” I asked, looking around for my adorable niece. She would probably love to hear my news with them. “She said she had to go find her train.
BEN I wasn’t sure when I decided to return to the city. Still, I found myself pulling up to Alex’s house five hours later, my back irritated from being in the car for so long, and only one text from the manager of the rehab center checking in and asking if they could get me anything since I missed
HAVEN “Hey, have you guys seen my…” Calum said as he trailed behind the security guard who stormed past us, but he stopped in our way when he saw my face. “You’re crying?” “Not now, Calum.” He ignored her, but I didn’t want to discuss this with him. We were just co-workers, not friends. He fli
BEN My hands were sweaty, and a chill went through me. I couldn’t trust anyone. Not my parents, staff, or even Haven after her repeated lies over the past week. If she had told the truth this time, I would be in serious trouble. My staff had access to everything that controlled my life. I wou
BEN My heart twisted in my chest. After seeing her picture, I knew in my gut that Siri was mine, but Haven had lied so many times that even hearing what I had wanted to hear, I wasn’t sure I could believe it. “There wasn’t anyone else?” I repeated. If there wasn’t anyone else, then Haven hadn’t
HAVEN “That’s not possible,” I said, shaking my head back and forth. This room was too small for us to hash this out now. I felt like I couldn’t breathe with Ben so close, and his body heat made me uncomfortably warm. “Look at me, Haven,” Ben demanded, and I ripped my eyes away from the stack o
HAVEN I had resented Benjamin Evans for many things over the years, but the feeling of dread that now bubbled in my gut when I drove to work was the cherry on top. This job was finally something I had outside of my home that I had worked hard for, and that made me happy, and he made me not want t
BEN “Haven, like your old assistant Haven?” Bailee asked, and I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “The one and only,” I grumbled in response, rubbing my temples as I tried to fight the headache that was rapidly coming on. “That’s great! Did you guys talk?” Bailee asked, sounding as excited
BEN “Bailee,” I answered, tucking the envelope under my arm as I swiped my key card and opened the door to my suite. “How are you feeling?” She had another baby on the way, a boy this time, but she had been having some stress-related complications that had worried everyone around her. Granted, sh