ELENAAiden asked me with those big pleading eyes, the kind that made saying no feel like I was stomping on a puppy.“Can Dad come for lunch?”He was up and walking now—slowly, with a slight limp when he got tired, but up nonetheless. And somehow, even on minimal sleep and a house still reeling from
My mother’s expression softened. Just a little.And I felt my stomach sink.Because I knew that look.My mother was starting to thaw.Great. Just what I needed—another person quietly voting Team Derek.She caught me staring and arched a brow. “He’s good with him,” she murmured quietly.I pressed my
MAGGIESeven Years AgoThe wind had that sharp, early-autumn bite to it—the kind that whispered of coming frost and longer nights. I moved through the trees in silence, the familiar rustle of leaves beneath my boots soothing in its predictability. Carly and Erin were back at the cabin, patching up t
I let the silence hang for a moment, then nodded. “Set it up. I’ll go.”***They chose a neutral site. An old roadside motel two towns over—the kind of place where the front desk clerk didn’t ask questions, and the walls were thin enough to hear secrets bleed through.The stucco exterior was cracked
DEREKThe sun hadn’t even fully cleared the tree line when I was up, boots on, keys in hand. I’d barely slept—not because I was restless, but because I was… eager.Which was new.I’d never been a morning person. I wasn’t the guy who whistled while putting on a shirt or drank black coffee with a grin
MAGGIESeven Years Ago“I don’t believe this,” he murmured, eyes wide as he took a step closer. “We actually found each other.”We stood there in the clearing, surrounded by tangled branches and mist, the world narrowing down to this single moment. This stranger—this beautiful, solid, stunning stran
CASSANDRAI’d been avoiding Derek for days, ever since that damn sonogram machine showed up at Silverclaw. But now, I was ready.The next move in my plan was already in motion, and if I’d learned anything about Derek King over the years, it was that he couldn’t help but rush toward someone who looke
ELENAThe silence Derek left behind was louder than anything he'd said all night.Aiden stirred the melted remains of his ice cream with the tip of his spoon, not looking up. The happy chatter from nearby tables felt like it belonged to a different world—one where parents didn’t rush off to the side
What the hell?A rustle of silk signaled my mother’s approach. She held a flute of sparkling wine and wore an amused expression.“He’s taken to Aiden, hasn’t he?” my mother asked, her tone deceptively casual as she sipped from her glass. She nodded discreetly toward Derek.We stood slightly apart fr
DEREKThe phone buzzed on the desk beside me, cutting through the quiet of my office. I reached for it absently, expecting Joe or maybe Brock with an update. But the name on the screen made me sit up straighter.Aiden.I answered immediately. “Hey, bud.”“Hi!” His voice was bright, bubbling with ene
My parents had pulled out all the stops. White-gloved servers, silver candelabras, a string quartet in the corner playing soft music. It was the kind of dinner that only happened when my mother was trying to impress—or intimidate.I spotted the way Erin's eyes flicked over the crystal glasses, the w
ELENAThe soft hum of Dr. Voss’s voice was like a current running under my skin—steady, focused, grounding. I let myself sink into it, the earthy scent of burning herbs drifting from the brass bowl on the table beside me. My hands were clenched in my lap, but my breathing had evened out, and my mind
For the first time, I didn’t follow her.Didn’t chase.Didn’t apologize.But I didn’t forget, either.And some part of me always carried that moment—like a shard of glass pressed into the soft part of my palm.***I found Cassandra in the solarium, stretched out on the chaise in a pale silk robe tha
DEREKI remember the exact moment my father died.Not when I found out—when it happened. I didn’t know then, of course, but looking back, there was a sudden weight that settled in the air that day, like the wind itself knew something had shifted.Something in the bond between us snapped.We were out
Still, watching Aiden throw his head back in joy as he sped around the rose bushes, hair flying behind him and helmet finally strapped tight—I couldn’t deny the truth of what I’d said.Derek had done something for him today that I never could have.And it mattered.Derek stayed quiet, the gravity of
ELENAI hadn’t expected it to hit me like that.Watching Derek teach Aiden to ride his bike… I don’t know. It gutted me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. Not because it hurt, but because it was right. The way Aiden beamed up at him.The way Derek knelt beside him, patient and calm, catching him every
Still nothing.“A good friend of mine was hurt. She saved my life a long time ago, and I thought she needed me.”I paused.“But even if that’s true… I didn’t handle it right. And I want you to know—I get it. I let you down.”Aiden was quiet for a long time.Then, softly: “I think the meatballs weren