LOGINNina The warm summer breeze brushed across my skin as I stood on the patio, clutching my robe tightly around my body. Laughter and splashes echoed up from the pool below, where our friends were already gathered for our big end-of-summer party. I should have been down there too, soaking up the ve
“What... what do you mean?” He braced his hands on the doorframe, leaning in closer with a heavy sigh. “I mean, by the time I caught up to them this morning, I only saw them long enough to get that photo before they were boarding a speedboat and taking off. Hell, I’m still not even totally sure wh
Nina My breath caught in my throat as I pulled open the front door expecting to see excited party guests, only to be immediately met with the sight of Luke’s grim expression. His brow was furrowed in a deep frown, his lips pressed into a tight line—clear signs that something was very wrong. “Luk
Nina I huffed out a breath as I hoisted the oversized cardboard box higher in my arms, carefully navigating my way through the living room. Strings of fairy lights poked out haphazardly from the top, and I could feel the weight of glass jars and other assorted decor inside shifting precariously wi
Then, at the last possible second, the scout seemed to find an extra burst of speed. He surged forward, hurtling between two towering oak trees and vanishing into the cover of the forest beyond. “Dammit!” I slammed my palms against the rough bark of the nearest trunk, powerless to do anything but
Enzo The crunch of leaves and snap of twigs echoed through the trees as Matt and I tore after the Schreiber scout. Our breaths came in ragged gasps, the hot summer air burning our lungs. Overhead, a little red bird chirped and flitted through the green canopy of trees; Daphne. But even she wasn’
Nina The atmosphere in the room was still charged as we all retreated to the office, leaving the captive burglar alone but securely bound. Once the door was securely closed behind us, I felt the knot of apprehension in my stomach ease up ever so slightly. “Okay,” Enzo began, running his hand thr
We hugged tightly, our hearts pounding in a unified rhythm that drowned out the world around us. It felt as though the culmination of all our hopes, fears, and indecisions had led to this perfect moment—two souls united, committed, and excited about the challenge ahead. We were going to be parents
Nina Enzo’s eyes widened, a glimmer of something that looked like hope lighting them up as he processed my words. Before I even uttered my decision, he seemed to realize what I was about to say. “You want to keep the baby?” he blurted out. “Yes,” I breathed with a slight chuckle, my eyes locke
Nina My hands trembled as I slammed the door behind me, locking it in a desperate attempt to keep the world—and the enigmatic shadow entity—at bay. Leaning against the cool, wooden surface of the door, I struggled to catch my breath, my heart pounding like a drum inside my chest. I closed my eye







