Zachary watched his mother, her brow furrowed in worry, as she slowly stirred a bowl of cold milk and honey. His father's head rested on her thigh, his face twisted in discomfort as he tossed and turned restlessly. A damp towel was tied around his father's stomach.Zachary could see the turmoil on his mother's face — the concern for his father's well-being warring with the conflicting emotions swirling within her. To Zachary, his mother was an open book, her every thought and feeling written plainly across her features."Mom, are you sure the milk and honey will help? Shouldn't we take him to the hospital?" Serenity asked, her voice tinged with equal worry. She was straddling their father's legs, keeping him from moving too much, while Zayne did the same, though Zachary suspected his brother's motives were more for his own amusement."I've been caring for him long before you were born. I know what I'm doing," their mother replied with quiet resolve. Zachary couldn't help but quirk his
The oppressive heat was stifling, weighing heavily on my senses. As I blinked my eyes open, I could feel my pulse pounding in my eardrums, keeping time with the erratic beating of my heart. My limbs felt leaden, and there was a growing pressure in my chest and between my legs, radiating warmth.Disoriented and groggy from the heat and drowsiness, I blinked away the tears that had formed in my eyes, straining to adjust to the sounds around me. The first thing I heard was a low, guttural grunt, followed by a groan and a moan that I belatedly realized was coming from me.Confused, I shook off the remnants of sleep and focused on the situation. At first, I thought perhaps Rominic was watching pornography, but that seemed unlikely given his strong aversion to such material. His sisters and friends had tried countless times to get him interested, but he had always refused.As the fog in my mind cleared, I quickly realized that the moans were in fact my own. Someone's hand was caressing my b
I stood at the stove, quietly stirring the stew, my fingers drumming against my thigh as I hummed in an effort to tune out the man behind me. His apologies were relentless, but I refused to respond, determined to maintain my silence.My body ached, a testament to the intensity of the previous night's activity. Weak knees, a sore back, a throbbing face, and a raw throat — the discomfort was palpable. Even my most intimate area felt tender. I couldn't be certain if the sex itself was the sole cause, but one thing was clear: Rominic was utterly remorseful.He apologized profusely for forcing himself on me, for being too rough and inconsiderate. Yet, he did not express regret for the pleasure he had derived from it. The truth was, we had both thoroughly enjoyed it, but Rominic was convinced that I had hated every moment. I dared not reveal the reality, for fear that he would seize upon it as an invitation to continue his advances."I don't think it's a good idea to keep sharing a bed," Ro
Rominic took the opportunity to feed me, his face alight with delight. The children continued to smile widely at me, making me feel even more uncomfortable. To avoid their gaze, I picked up my phone and sent a message in the group chat that Ferris had added me to — the same group I had left when I cut ties with my friends. The notification of my readmission brought a rush of emotion, and I couldn't hold back the tears.The guys were overjoyed and eager to see me again. Gael even sent a video of himself doing a happy dance in response to the news. I already had a plan to host a small reunion party, but the problem was the venue. Rominic's house was like his second baby, and he would never allow me to throw a party, especially one that involved the boys, Ferris in particular. But that's what made it all the more tempting. I was determined to throw the party, whether he liked it or not. Ferris' message read, eliciting a surge of excitement within
Feeling dejected, I begrudgingly went to my room and threw myself down on the bed. I reached for Rominic's pillow and pulled it close, burying my face in the familiar scent before returning to my typing. I tried to convince myself that Rominic was not important, but the longing was palpable.Needing a distraction, I initiated a group call with the guys and we talked for a long time about the reunion I was planning to host. Gael, as always, regaled us with a series of ridiculous incidents from his life, and I found myself reeling with laughter at his tales of misadventure. Gael truly is a walking disaster and a trouble magnet.Just as I was catching my breath from the latest hilarious story, I heard Rominic's gruff voice from the doorway. Wishing the guys a wonderful day, I quickly signed out of the call and dropped my phone, turning my attention to the baby standing at the door. I folded my arms under my breasts and tilted my head, giving Rominic a sweet, playful smile.However, Romin
As I stood before them once more, I was struck by the complete absence of the anger I had anticipated. Instead, a profound sense of delight filled my heart as I gazed upon the mature female version of my husband and our children.Her winter gray eyes expanded like those of a curious cat, and her mischievous smirk melted into a genuine, warm smile. Rylee spread her arms wide, her brows wiggling playfully, and I couldn't help but laugh as I ran into her welcoming embrace. She was still as tall as I remembered, her stature commanding and imposing.Rylee shared the same striking facial features as her brother, but there was an undeniable air of badassery about her. It was evident in the way she dressed, spoke, and carried herself — her very aura exuding a sense of unapologetic confidence. From the moment I had first met her, her hair had been messily dyed to resemble the hue of freshly spilled blood or a pint of vibrant red paint splattered across her head.Rylee's appearance was a striki
I felt a gentle tugging at my dress and looked down to see my daughters, Savia and Serenity. Serenity's eyes were brimming with tears, while Savia wore a deeply concerned expression."Mom, why are those women killing our father?" Savia asked, her voice tinged with distress."Mommy, who are they?" Serene inquired, her gaze fixed on the women."Those are your aunties, and they are beating your father up because he did something mean to them. Don't worry, he'll be…" I paused mid-sentence as I heard Rominic's agonized scream, followed by a loud splash. They had thrown him into the pool. "Fine," I added, clicking my tongue. They would never simply throw him in without breaking something first. "He'll survive," I reassured the girls.Rylee let out a mocking laugh as she stood over the pool, watching Rominic sink beneath the surface without any apparent struggle. There was no way he would actually drown — Rominic was an exceptional swimmer, a skill Serenity had inherited. Unless…"Rylee, did
I moved around the kitchen with the agility of a gazelle, determined to get everything done as quickly as possible. Today was the big day, and the others would be arriving soon, but I still had some cooking left to do.Suddenly, Chef Russo returned with his daughter. My kids already loved her, and she was a talented cook too — well, except for Zachary, who seemed to have a bit of a grudge against her.Unfortunately, Chef Russo had come down with a sudden cold that morning, leaving me to battle the meal on my own. Thankfully, his daughter and Savia stepped in to assist me, along with the two maids that Rominic had called in to help. I didn't thank him directly, but I knew he understood how grateful I was for his assistance. If he didn't, that was his problem."Lavender!!!" The familiar voice of Rominic suddenly rang out, and I felt a surge of frustration wash over me. I wiped my face and signaled for the maid to watch the stove, then hurried out of the kitchen.I take back everything I