GENEVIEVE“W elcome home.”Dad smiles as he steps into the living room. He does not even need me or the crutches anymore. He only needed some physical rehabilitation, but zero mental.In ten days, he was able to walk, talk, and when Daniel and Knox came to visit, he even scolded them for cases they almost lost a few days before his accident.He remembers everything.The doctor said it is because he did not have severe damage to his brain, which is why he was able to make a fast recovery.And just like that, I have my dad back.I still can not believe it as we walk together into our home. Even though he’s wearing his shirt and pants, he does not fill them like before. He’s lost weight and often appears wary, as if there is something heavy perching on his shoulders. So I massage those shoulders, hopping now and then because Dad is really tall.His critical gaze roams over the place, taking in every nook and every surface as if he’s searching for something.Or someone.I stop my hopping
“What are you doing here? Dad’s upstairs and you have to leave before he wakes up. He asked me if there is something he should know about and he even said something smells different. No idea why he has that sensitive nose, but he does, and I nearly lost it and he knows, Dan. He knows something’s wrong, because he’s Dad. He knows things and I can not lie to him. I can not do this—”“Hey. Deep breaths.”I inhale, then exhale harshly, staring at him from beneath my eyelashes. “I…I am scared. I am scared of making him mad or losing him after I have finally got him back. It is a miracle that he’s home and has recovered so fast, and I can not…I can not think of losing him.”“You will not. I’ll make sure of it.”“Really?”“Have I ever made a promise and not kept it?”“No, you have not.”“Then trust me one final time.”“Are you…going to talk to him?”“It is about time I do. I waited for him to recover, but I need to be the one who tells him before he goes back to battling with Susan and finds
DANIELhe splash of water is loud, but it is not louder than Genevieve’s shriek.It is the first time I have heard that sound from her. The terror in it tears through my chest and clashes against my bones.Fuck.I do not want her scared, terrified, or any of the negative emotions she’s written on her list.But now this has happened, and in hindsight, I should not have touched her when King was around. Even if he was napping, because he’s a fucking hyena and if he’s suspecting something, he will not sleep. He’ll be roaming and digging around like a fucking lunatic until he gets what he wants.But I couldn’t stop it. And it is not for lack of trying.I gave her the space she demanded, even though I hated it, because it was the right thing to do. I wasn’t going to drag her into my mess or give her hope that does not exist.However, every day I spent without her was absolute fucking hell. Concentration? Zero. Sleep? Nonexistent.And it is not about her body or how perfect she feels in my
KREWPeople spend their entire lives avoiding crime—or try to.Not me.I knew that I would do it one day. That at some point, the crazy genes, as my father and his bitch of wife called them, would catch up to me and I would snap.That is why I chose law. It definitely wasn’t out of a warped sense of justice. I just had to learn law to get around it and apply self-restraint so that I did not end up murdering someone accidentally.Or intentionally.It is been easier with Ginny around, because I have someone to focus on, someone not to get caught for. I had to raise her, to be the parent my own parents weren’t. I had to be the person who protected her from the world.But I couldn’t protect her from my motherfucking friend.Ex-friend because I am going to blow his brains out in about five minutes.I always knew I would kill. I just did not know it’d be the man I considered a fucking brother.Dan and I did not start our friendship the conventional way. We were rivals for way too long, then
“Oh my God, Dan.” Her voice is brittle, chin trembling as she reaches a hand out for him.“Genevieve, come here. Now.” I do not usually order her this harshly, and she knows that, too, because she startles, her hand falling to her side.Dan nods at her and waits until she comes to me while he uses the wall for support to remain standing.Ginny keeps staring at him, but I pull her inside and slam the door in his face.Her gaze is shifty and she’s clinking her nails manically. Kids avoid their parents’ gazes when they’ve done something wrong, but Ginny has never been like that. She tells me headon about her wrongdoings. She only ever avoids eye contact when she’s in pain and does not want to show it.Because it’d hurt me, too, and she’s said she never wants to be the source of my pain.Until that fucker Dan played with her mind.“I am sorry, Dad.”“What are you sorry for?”“Hurting you. I did not mean to, I did not want to, but it is not like I could choose, you know?”“This is not your
The complexities and difficulties of love also underscore its uniqueness and value. Love is not a one-size-fits-all emotion; it's a highly personalized experience that varies from one relationship to another. Each relationship comes with its own set of trials and tribulations, but these challenges can be the very catalysts for profound connection and personal growth.One of the most remarkable aspects of love is its ability to evolve and mature over time. As a relationship weathers storms and navigates the ups and downs of life, it can deepen and become more profound. The difficulties faced together can serve as the building blocks of resilience, forming a bond that can withstand even the harshest of trials.Moreover, love has the power to teach us valuable life lessons. It teaches us patience and the importance of compromise. It encourages us to let go of our ego and prioritize the happiness and well-being of our partner. Love fosters empathy, as we learn to see the world through the
He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me to the edge. My fingers splay out on his shoulders and then I am kissing him again because I love it. I love how his tongue toys with mine and how he nibbles on my lips, letting me know who’s in control.And he is, because I completely let go and I still feel powerful as fuck. He makes me feel it with the way he worships my body, the way his hands are all over my breasts, my waist, and my thighs as if he can never get enough of me.He makes me feel powerful by wanting me with a ferociousness that turns him animalistic, and I get off on that.I get off on how he wants me, not caring about the consequences or what the world thinks of us.While he’s still kissing me, he frees his cock and lifts me slightly off the table so he can drive inside me.“Oh, God,” I mumble against his lips, my eyelids slowly closing.“No. Look at me while I fuck you, wife.”I open my eyes and our gazes lock as he thrusts into me slow and long and deep. So deep that h
DANIELknew something was wrong the moment I saw Genevieve sneaking up behind a car.Then came King’s fucking loud voice, because he does not know how to stay quiet.Then Aspen’s full-body shudder as she barely remains upright.But the only person I care about is the girl who’s standing in front of them, her mouth falling open and her nails clinking against each other fast, as if she’s on a mission to injure herself.I step to her side, holding her elbow because she’s on the verge of something, and it is not something good.Her gaze slides to mine and it is a myriad of confused, muted colors as she gulps. “Dan…they said…Dad…called her my mother. It is not true, right?”I tighten my jaw, then glare at King, who’s clenching his fists because he knows he fucked up. He couldn’t just keep quiet. No, he had to make a scene and have her find out this way.He hasn’t been subtle at all since he woke up from the coma. Even I could see that his animosity toward Aspen was uncalled for. She hit ba