Nicola Taylor “Wait, don’t. Stop.” I groaned, hating how much I loved the sensation I was feeling but knowing I had to tell him to stop. “What happened?” His hot breath on my inner thigh made goosebumps rise all over my body. “Don’t do this.” I felt my face heating up. “Why not?” he asked as he
“Mrs. Kinsley, can you take Arabella out to the park or something?” Cole asked, looking annoyed and angry. “But I want to play with Gammy and Grandpa!” Bella pouted, stomping her feet unhappily. “They’ll be here when you come back, don’t worry. Come on,” Mrs. Kinsley said as she picked Bella up an
Nicola Taylor I dressed quickly for work as soon as Cole kicked his in-laws out of the house. Too many things were said and revealed, but I didn’t have time to think about it. I had to leave for school with Bella. Thankfully, when I came out of my room dressed and ready with my bag, Mrs. Kinsley ha
Nicola Taylor I put Bella to sleep, realizing that the conversation between Cole and Mrs. Kinsley was going to take quite some time. I wondered if I had made a mistake marrying Cole so easily and if my life would have been better if I had stayed alone. I thought back to the time when I had dreams—
Nicola Taylor I won't lie—I was in a better place mentally than I had been during my last confrontation with Cole. For now, things had been sailing smoothly. I took Arabella to work, we came back home, I did my work, hung out in my room, ate my food, interacted with Cole and Bella, and we played ga
I knocked on the door and Cole's voice called out, “Come in.” I opened the door and stepped inside, finding him engrossed in paperwork. He looked up, surprised to see me. “Nicola, everything okay?” It’s not like we hadn’t talked to each other but to be honest, all of our conversations have been ce
Nicola Taylor I changed into my third outfit, a flowery sundress that left my shoulders bare and my legs feeling light. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting my hair and applying some blush. Despite the soft, feminine look I’d put together, I felt a storm brewing inside me. Subconscio
“Cole please,” I begged as my small hands covered his big ones as I tried to stop him but somehow that just fueled his lust more as he started pulling the straps of my dress down. “Daddy, uncle is here!” I heard a cheery voice making me push Cole away before I fixed my dress, but my red face gave
Nicola Taylor The night was a restless blur. Aaron’s small, trembling body pressed against mine as he cried himself to sleep, his tears soaking through my shirt. I stayed with him, stroking his hair and whispering soft reassurances until his breathing evened out. Even then, I couldn’t bring myself
Nicola Taylor As I sat on Emma’s worn but cozy couch, “I think I should head home now,” I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us. “I miss my kids, and I can’t keep running away. If I stay away much longer, Cole might do something drastic to track me down.” The thought made my stomach ch
Cole Harrington “Where is she?” my mom screamed, her voice cutting through the thick tension in the room as her glare landed on Courtney. Courtney shrank back, but she didn’t respond, her face pale and drawn. My mother had never been a fan of Courtney—not openly hostile, but certainly not warm. S
Nicola Taylor Her apartment was modest but surprisingly clean. A small living room with a sagging couch and mismatched furniture opened into a kitchenette. A door to the left likely led to her bedroom, and there was a pile of laundry in one corner. The faint smell of lavender hung in the air, mixi
“So, what’s going on?” she asked, her tone flat, as if she had asked this question to a thousand strangers and didn’t expect much of an answer. I froze, not sure if I wanted to spill my thoughts to a complete stranger. But something in her gaze—apathetic yet steady—made me falter. My walls were alr
Nicola Taylor The cab came to a screeching halt outside a small café, its warm yellow lights spilling out onto the darkened street like a lifeline. I thanked the driver, handed him a crumpled bill from the cash in my back pocket, and stepped out, realizing with a jolt of panic that I had left my p
Nicola Taylor I stood there, numb, watching the scene unfold in front of me. It was as though time had frozen, and in that moment, the weight of the truth crashed down on me. For six long years, I had loved Cole with every part of me. I had given him my heart, my trust, my soul. Yet, standing there
Nicola TaylorI woke up in a frantic state, my heart pounding as I blinked against the harsh hospital lights. The room was quiet, painfully so, and the sterile smell of antiseptic filled my senses. My head throbbed as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. The clock on the wall read midnight.Fou
Cole HarringtonI couldn’t believe what was happening. I was holding her—her. The woman I thought I had lost forever. The woman who, at one point, had been my everything.Courtney trembled in my arms, her sobs muffled against my chest. My fingers curled instinctively around her shoulders, pulling he