The cool air from the air conditioner welcomed me as I stepped out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around me. My hair was still damp from the shower and the air felt cold against my skin. The tension from the long day at the hospital clung to me like a second skin, but the warm water had helped wash away some of the exhaustion. For now, at least. After the shower, I expected to have a few minutes to myself, but as I walked into the room, I found Lucas sprawled across the bed, his head propped up on one hand as he stared at the ceiling. He was lost in his thoughts and didn't even notice me. I paused mid-step, raising an eyebrow at him. “Really?” I asked, shaking my head in mock exasperation. He turned his head toward me, a lazy grin spreading across his face when he looked at me. “What? Just getting comfortable. Long day, you know? And I don't mind the view.” I rolled my eyes, heading toward where my bag was thrown in the corner. “You’re in my bed, Lucas. I am pretty sure, C
The kiss lingered on my lips even as I pulled away, my breath still unsteady. I wasn’t sure what it meant—what we meant anymore. Things had been so complicated, so full of unspoken emotions between Lucas and me. But right now, in that moment, I didn’t want to analyze it. I just wanted to feel it, but I couldn't, because I felt like it was morally wrong to even think about him. My dad was in the hospital, I was in London to look after him, to make things better between us and not to kiss guys and get laid. It should have been the last thing in my mind. However, I wanted to know what was was going on inside Lucas' head. Did he feel the difference in the kiss too? “Can I say something to you, Katherine?” he questioned but I didn't answer. I kept looking down at the street. I wasn't ready for that. “Not now, it is not a good time, Lucas.” I glanced at him after a few minutes passed, but he didn’t say anything. His eyes held mine, intense and searching, but for once, he didn’t push
The silence lingered between us, thick and heavy. I could feel Lucas breathing next to me, each rise and fall of his chest matching my own. My heart was still racing, despite the quiet that had settled over us. His question hung in the air, unanswered. What did he want to tell me? I shifted slightly on the bed, turning my head to look at him. His profile was just visible in the dim light, the soft shadows of the night playing across his face. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew they were staring up at the ceiling, just as mine had been moments ago. I didn’t want to break the silence, but I needed to know. “Lucas,” I whispered, my voice barely breaking through the stillness. “What did you want to tell me?” For a moment, I thought he wasn’t going to answer. His chest rose and fell in a slow, measured rhythm as if he were carefully weighing his words before speaking. He wanted them to mean something more. He wanted me to understand them. So, when he finally did, his voice was low,
The room felt impossibly quiet after I’d said those words. My heart pounded as if it might break free from my chest. The air between Lucas and me was thick with anticipation, with all the things we hadn’t said and the things we didn’t need to say. My skin tingled, every inch of me acutely aware of him, of the closeness of our bodies, the gravity pulling us together. Lucas blinked, his eyes wide for a second, as though he was processing my request. But then a slow smile crept across his lips, mischievous and full of heat, the Lucas I had come to know so well. He shifted, pulling away just slightly to give me space as his hands moved down to the hem of his shirt. “Anything for you, little wolf,” he murmured, his voice low and rough around the edges. “But make demands from me, don't request. I am a slave of your love, do what you want with me.” “T-take off your shirt and show me your body.” I ordered, trying to be more intimidating. “I want to see you without clothes.” He smirked,
The air between us felt electric, crackling with a tension I couldn’t name but didn’t want to stop. My heart raced, not just from the closeness, but from the control I held over him in that moment. Lucas was at my mercy, just the thought of that made me wet. His hands, warm and calloused, traced a path down my sides, each touch sending shivers through me. I could feel the heat of him, the way his body responded to mine, and it made me dizzy. The soft rise and fall of his chest under my fingers felt like an unspoken plea, his submission to me so obvious it filled the room. “Look at me, Lucas,” I commanded softly, my voice steady, even though inside, I was on fire. He lifted his head, eyes dark with desire, and it hit me then—how much power I had over him, how much he wanted me. “I’m yours, Kat,” he whispered, his voice strained, filled with raw needs. His words stoked the fire inside me, a sense of dominance I hadn’t known I possessed. But it wasn’t just the power that made me trem
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the warmth surrounding me. The weight of an arm draped over my waist, the steady rise and fall of a chest against my back. For a moment, I didn’t move, letting the reality of where I was, who I was with, sink in. Lucas. The memory of the night before hit me all at once. The way his hands had touched me, the way his eyes never left mine, full of that burning intensity I could still feel on my skin. I swallowed hard, trying to shake off the sensations that now lingered like ghosts, haunting my every thought, making me smile. I opened my eyes, staring at the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, but I wasn’t ready to face him. I wasn’t ready to confront what had happened between us, or worse—what it meant for our future. And my place in the family. My heart raced with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. “Uhh... You awake?” I felt him shift behind me, his body moving closer, pulling me into him. “Yeah, I just wok
“We need to talk, sweetheart.” “Talk about what?” I questioned, staring at Caspian to figure out what he told dad. “What were you guys talking about?” “Your dad will tell you that,” Caspian said standing up. “It's important you listen to your dad and try to understand.” “Understand what?” Lucas questioned, a little harsher and a little louder than anyone should speak in a hospital. “Calm down, Lucas.” Caspian walked towards us, and I turned to face dad. He pulled a pillow from the side to put it behind his back. “I need to talk to Kat, alone. So, if you two don't mind.” “Yeah, of course,” Caspian agreed but Lucas didn't. He groaned and added. “No, we can't leave her alone with him.” “Leave,” She said, keeping her eyes fixed on the man on the bed. “He is my dad; I will be fine.” “Come on,” Caspian took the reluctant Lucas out of the room and that made me question what happened before I came to the room. The quiet hum of the hospital room settled around us after
The sting of the slap still tingled on my hand, a pulse of heat that almost matched the rapid beat of my heart. I watched Harry stumble back, his face twisted in shock, and for the first time, I felt an ounce of power over him—a rare satisfaction that made me want to do it all over again. He straightened, his gaze flickering between me and my father, and I knew he was scrambling to regain control. His face shifted from shock to anger, a bitter sneer forming on his lips. “You are not going to tell her anything, Robert? You need to control her,” he hissed, his eyes sharp and accusatory as they darted back to my father.Dad looked at him, his expression softening with something I hadn’t seen from him in a long time—a quiet but determined resolve. “Harry, please leave us. I told her.” As those words left his mouth, I could see the change in Harry's expression. “She knows that it was you who made me send those texts.” Harry’s face twisted, and for a moment, I thought he might argue. Bu
“She wouldn't play with Dad like that, would she?” His question made me uncomfortable because Mom was doing exactly that. She was with Derek because of his money and she claimed he knew that too and was fine with it, but I didn't know if I could pass that information to Leo or not. Whatever agreement they had was between them, and I believed it wasn't my place to share that with his sons. Thus, I hid the truth but didn't tell him lies about Mom either. “I don't know her enough to comment about that. She hasn't been around much and you know she dated a lot of men between my Dad and yours.” “Still, she's your mother,” Leo tried to pull out any information, it was understandable that he was worried about Derek. “You must know something.” “I know that she's not the most responsible person on the planet, and didn't care about her daughter for years,” I said, remembering how I wanted to leave with her when Dad and her divorced. “Apart from that, she's just a stranger to me. I guarant
“Leo likes Kat's friend, and we just had a little disagreement about it,” Derek explained to Mom while she came to stand behind him. He was still sitting on the stool idly tracing a pattern on the marble top while trying to gather his thoughts. He looked older that morning, weighed down by the events that took place the night before. His brows were furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes were fixed somewhere far beyond the kitchen. “Oh! you didn't tell me about him?” Mom turned to look at Leo with curled lips. “Wait, is he the guy you've been texting recently.” Leo looked away, embarrassed. “And you told me it was someone from the class.”“You knew about it, yet didn't tell me anything?” Derek said suddenly and his voice carried that heavy, parental mix of frustration and concern. Though he didn't sound angry. “You should have told me earlier.”“I wasn't sure about it myself. Besides, I thought he was someone Kat was interested in,” she said, turning to look at me. “I
“Actually, Dad, I like Diego.” “No, you don't!” Derek almost laughed as he said those words. “You are too young to understand love.” “I'm an adult, and I'm talking about liking him and not being in love with him.” Leo walked to give Caspian a side hug and stood by his side instead of looking at Derek while he spoke. “I can do what I want.”“You don't have my permission to date some random guy you picked from the roads.” The kitchen felt like a pressure cooker, the air around us suddenly became too thick for comfort. I could feel it—the tension that hung between everyone, and how each breath sounded heavier than the last.I was standing by the island, pretending to look at the coffee mugs lined up on the shelf, but my mind was a swirl of thoughts. I could feel the shift, the quiet unease. Something was wrong, and it wasn’t just the way Derek responded to Leo, but something else was going on. I didn't know what it was, but I could feel it in my bones. The moment had been creeping u
My eyes fluttered open slowly, and I saw the sunlight streaming through the balcony in my bedroom. I groaned tiredly, my whole body was heavy with exhaustion from the previous night. For a brief, disoriented moment, I wondered if it had all been a dream—the party, the argument, the fight, the tension hanging so thick in the air it almost made me feel suffocation. My heart lurched as a thought shot through my mind. Caspian. ‘Is he still here?’ I questioned myself and turned my head quickly, scanning the room for any sign of him. The bed beside me was empty. No lingering warmth, no trace of his presence anywhere. I once again melted under the covers as a wave of relief washed over me. Though it mingled with a strange, inexplicable disappointment. I wasn’t sure which emotion was stronger; the relief of not being caught with him or the disappointment of not waking up in his arms. I touched my lips, remembering the way he kissed me in the tree house. His hands tenderly played with my
Caspian’s hand was warm as he took mine in his own and led me through the creeping shadows of the forest. The branches of the trees above us whispered secrets to each other. And our only companion in that dark night was the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the branches that swayed under the spell of the wind. The sounds of the birthday party faded behind us; the hum of voices and the music became a distant murmur that we couldn't hear anymore. I felt a strange sense of anticipation, like we were sneaking away to a place that existed just for the two of us. He stopped in front of a large oak that stood tall near their house. Its branches stretched in all directions, and the trunk was so wide that it would require at least seven people standing hand in hand to fully encircle it. The bark of the tree was rough and weathered, telling stories of countless seasons that had passed. A ladder was nailed into it, and it disappeared into the darkness above. Caspian’s lips curled
The music from the sound system thumped gently in the background, blending with the laughter and chatter that floated through the cool, soothing air of Lake Willow.The fairy lights strung along the trees cast a warm, golden glow across the boathouse and the surrounding clearing. Everything was perfect, in a way I hadn’t expected it to be. But then again, it wasn’t the beautiful decorations or the tasty cake that made the night special. It was the people—my brothers, my family—finally feeling like they had a place to just be.I watched Harry moving through the dance floor, surrounded by his friends, with joy in his eyes. He was laughing; his arms were flailing in a carefree rhythm that made me smile despite the fear of what Dad might do tomorrow, eating away my brain cells. If he decided to throw us out, I had to take care of my brothers and provide them with necessities. To most of their cards, Dad still had access, and he could freeze their account whenever he wanted; thankfully,
I already knew about the surprise party; Harry did too. The way Kat, Dev and others had tried to be subtle, sneaking around and exchanging knowing glances, was almost comical. Leo couldn't be sneaky, even if it cost him his life. I heard him speaking about the surprise on the phone more than once, while Harry guessed it seeing the way others interacted with each other. Both me and Harry figured it out days ago, but neither of us said a word to anyone. Pretending not to know felt easier than watching their faces fall, realizing all their hard work would go to waste. They wanted the day to be special—for us. Despite everything—the strained dinner conversations and the silences that cut sharper than words—we didn’t want to ruin it for them. We didn’t want to ruin their mood and take away the one thing they thought would make our day special. They were already going against Dad by planning the surprise. As we walked toward the boathouse, the air was still dense due to the argument
“A surprise?” I nodded my head, forcing a small smile. “Yeah, a surprise for you and Harry. Come with us and I promise you, it will be better than this.” He laughed, “Anything in this world is going to be better than this.” Dev looked down to lock eyes with Ian and, in a soft, love-filled voice, said, “I am sorry for not doing anything and letting you go through all of this; let me and the others show how much we love you.” “Y-you don't have to show me anything, I know,” Ian took a shaky breath and nodded before wrapping his arms around Dev. Just then, Caspian and Lucas appeared with Harry in tow. They were laughing about something, but when they noticed Dev and Ian, they stopped. A veil of confusion covered their faces as they tried to figure out what happened. “What’s going on?” Harry’s brow furrowed, and his eyes flickered between us. “Are you okay?” “Yeah, it was Alaric, forget about him,” Ian said, pulling away from Dev and then turned towards the others. “Did they
I saw Diego standing near the entrance with a small bag in his hand as I tried not to look at the people checking me out. He had a tense smile on his lips and looked lost, I almost laughed seeing him looking for me. He pulled his phone out and stepped to the side, hiding away from the stolen glances he received from ladies near him. He looked sharp in the blue suit he was wearing and had his hair slicked back. My phone started to ring and I realised he was calling me. I was about to pick up the call when he looked in my direction, and our eyes met, I waved my hand, and with a faint smile, he walked towards me. He had a little jump in his steps that he was trying to hide, but when he looked at me completely, his jaw was on the grass. All the nervousness due to being in an event like that and the unease from before was gone. His eyes sparkled and I felt Caspian turning towards him. “Wow,” he said, mesmerized as he looked up and down. Weirdly, with Diego, I didn't feel creeped out li