EllaSitting alone in my hotel room, surrounded by plush furniture and golden accents that gleamed in the soft lighting, I felt a pang of homesickness. The luxuriousness of the room was stifling in an odd way, as though constantly reminding me of my charade with a mobster.Shaking off the momentary melancholy, I decided to call Moana to calm my frayed nerves.Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I dialed her number and waited for the ring to connect. The familiar sound of her voice, warm and comforting as always, came through within moments.“Ella, my love! How was your flight? Did you make it to the hotel?”“We did,” I said, faking a sense of enthusiasm in my voice. “The place is...well, it’s something.”“Where is your fiance?” Moana asked. “I’d like to say hello, if you don’t mind.”The word ‘fiance’ made my body stiffen. I glanced at the empty space next to me, where Logan would have been if we were an actual couple. But we weren’t. He was in a room of his own, doing his own thi
EllaAs I stood in front of my bed, my eyes darted from one outfit to another where they laid sprawled out on top of the comforter.I knew that this shouldn’t have been a difficult decision. But for some reason, it was. For reasons that I never wanted to admit, I found myself actually caring about how I looked in front of Logan, and I felt like an absolute moron. But I couldn’t deny it; I wanted to look nice.As I pondered my choices, my wolf piped up in my mind, a sly undercurrent of mischief lacing her tone.“Why don’t you wear the red dress? You know how good you look in it. Especially if you’re trying to catch someone’s eye.”I grimaced. “I’m not trying to catch anyone’s eye, especially not Logan’s.”She chuckled. “Sure. Let’s just pretend for a moment that you haven’t thought about how he’d react if you got all dressed up tonight.”“Stop it. I don’t think of him in that way,” I shot back, feigning a coolness in my voice that I didn’t really feel.“Oh? And what about the kiss at t
EllaThe cool evening air was a welcome relief from the almost stuffy warmth of the opulent hotel. I hated to admit it, but I was glad that we decided to go out after all. My wolf purred happily in the back of my mind, her obsession with our fated mate having grown over the recent weeks and only made worse by our flight together.But I was happy too, although I would never have admitted to that. I liked having Logan by my side, even just as a friend to confide in. And being home was a comfort in and of itself, to be able to walk freely in my home city without the thought of being harassed or pickpocketed. For the first time in a while, I felt as though I could breathe properly.Fall leaves swirled around our feet as we walked down a cozy street lined with shops made of brick facades. Here, in my home city, it seemed as though there was a shop for everything: a hair salon, a jewelry store, an antique shop, a French cafe. And that was just to name a few; we were only walking along a tin
EllaMy cheeks were still flushed from the moment of tension between us. Logan seemed genuinely hurt and offended that I implied that I didn’t believe him, and for reasons that I didn’t want to admit, I hated seeing him like that.So, stumbling over my words, I tried to mend the conversation. “Logan, I didn’t mean to imply that you were lying about your intentions. I just... I wondered if your original plan to actually take down the mafia would ever materialize.”He looked at me, his eyes softening. “Ella, I honestly hope it will. I can’t be entirely sure, but I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen. We have a contract, remember?”My eyes met his, filled with something like relief, mixed with a lingering note of embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Logan. I really am.”He broke into a grin, shattering the intensity of the moment, and lightly punched my arm. “Hey, I’m pulling your leg. I’m not actually offended. I get it, you have every right to be wary. I am the son of a mob boss, afte
EllaThe unexpected sign on the door was like a punch to the gut—a vivid, glaring announcement that one of my favorite spots had been shut down.“CLOSED FOR BUSINESS”, it read. I felt the corners of my mouth turn downward as I stepped“Man, this sucks,” I mumbled, still unable to shake off the disappointment.Logan looked at me, his eyes reflecting a softer hue of concern. “Damn. You seem like you really liked this place.”“Yeah, I did,” I confessed, running a hand through my hair. “I know it’s silly, but they had really good food, and I came here a lot when I was younger. I wonder why they shut down all of a sudden.”He chuckled, a warm sound that instantly reminded me that not everything had to be doom and gloom just because one of my favorite restaurants had closed. I think what really struck me more than anything, though, was the fact that it just reminded me of the fact that not everything could stay the same.“Well,” Logan said, “I guess we’ll have to find somewhere else to go.
Logan I was eight years old. The walls of our house were cold and uninviting, filled with the scent of cigars and the persistent feeling of tension. My father’s office was the epitome of this atmosphere—a sanctuary of order and discipline. Mahogany desk, leather chair, and shelves teeming with meticulously arranged books. He sat at his desk with the stern posture that always intimidated me, his icy eyes scanning through documents on his laptop. “Dad, can we go to the fair? Matty and Greg are going with their families,” I said, barely containing my excitement. I clutched a crumpled flyer for the fair in my tiny hand, complete with pictures of cotton candy, carousels, and game booths. But my other hand was clenched nervously into a fist, my knuckles white with anticipation. Leonard’s gaze lifted from his computer and met my eager eyes. His face was like a chiseled statue, cold and unyielding. “A fair?” he sneered, as if the word itself was a blemish on his refined vocabula
EllaThe carousel slowed to a gentle stop, its enchanting melody fading away into the night air, replaced by the laughter and chatter of families and couples around us. I stepped off the platform, feeling like I had just traveled back in time to a simpler era of my life—one that I often yearned for, even now as an adult.Logan, his face glowing in the wash of colorful lights from the ride, looked like a man who had just conquered a personal demon, albeit one dressed up in the innocent colors and nostalgic sounds of a carnival game.“Well?” I asked, my eyes searching his for a trace of the boy who never got to ride a carousel. “How did you enjoy your first carousel ride, Mr. Barrett?”His grin was my answer, wide and genuine, a snapshot of pure joy that I wished I could freeze in time.“I know it’s silly, but thank you for doing that with me,” he quipped, his voice tinged with an emotion I couldn’t quite place—perhaps nostalgia, or maybe relief.I shrugged, thumbing the brass ring that
Ella“The Ferris wheel?” I asked, cocking my head at Logan.Logan nodded, a soft smile gracing his lips. “Yeah. Will you come with me?”Maybe out of the fear of getting closer to him, I blanched slightly at the prospect. “You know that’s the ride people either take their small children on or where couples go to make out, right?”I said, unable to hide a hint of blush that crept into my cheeks at the thought.Logan turned to me, his eyes mirroring the lights of the carnival. “Stop being such a downer, Ella. I promise I won’t try anything. I just want to see the city from up high. Don’t you?”Something in the way he said it—so earnest, so innocent—made me relent. “Okay,” I sighed. “Let’s go.”The cart—small, intimate, and barely large enough for the two of us—awaited as the Ferris wheel descended to greet us. Logan allowed me to step in first, a courteous gesture that both touched me and stoked the fire of conflicting emotions burning in my belly.As we ascended, the world below us shran
EllaThe reception was in full swing, the air filled with the soft sound of music, the clinking of cutlery and champagne glasses, and the pleasant murmur of guests. It was the perfect night, too; the sun had set, and the air outside had cooled to a pleasant temperature as the crickets and cicadas sang.Walking hand in hand with Logan, we approached the multi-tiered wedding cake. It was unbelievably tall, adorned with carefully piped flowers and leaves. There were two little figures at th
EllaThe reception hall was filled with the soft, warm glow of hundreds of candles, and the sound of gentle music filled the space. It really was everything that we had wanted. The wedding planner had outdone herself.“What do you think?” Logan asked, holding my hand as we meandered around the room. “Quite the party, huh?”
EllaThe doors to the chapel opened, and the soft sound of orchestral music filled my ears. This was it; this was the moment. Everything felt like it was moving so fast, and yet somehow it felt as though time was standing completely still at the same moment.I watched as the wedding planner gestured from the sidelines for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to pair up and walk through the doors, preceded by the flower girl—a family friend’s daughter, who looked absolutely precious
Ella“Are you nervous, Ella?” the makeup artist, Jenna, asked as she selected a palette of soft, natural colors that complemented my skin tone.Nervous would have been an understatement. It was the morning of my wedding; the day had finally come, after what had somehow felt like both an eternity and no time at all at the same time.
LoganI sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the little silver key in the palm of my hand.“I should just go and do it,” I whispered, more to myself than to my wolf. “Get it over with, right?”“What’s the worst that could happen?” my wolf added. “It’s
EllaAs I walked into the bridal boutique with my entourage, the little bell on the door chimed and I was immediately greeted with the scent of lavender and the smile of a bridal assistant.Daisy, Moana, Clara, and Sarah were with me; it was just a couple of days after the housewarming party, and our new house felt full to the brim with my family and Clara staying for a while. Not that I minded, though. It was fun having them here, and I was glad to have them all by my side as I tried on
LoganI was enjoying the party, watching with a smile on my face as Clara, Ella, and Sarah exchanged stories, when the sound of my phone ringing suddenly cut through the lively atmosphere.Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I felt my heart lurch in my chest. It was Hartman; I hadn’t heard from him in months. After Marina and Harry had taken off and Devon had been caught, I had paid Hartman for his help—even though our plan wound up being foiled—and that was the end of t
EllaThe months following Logan’s and my engagement was a whirlwind of change. We sold Logan’s mansion to a wealthy family from out of the area, and before I knew it, we were moving into our new home.It was a 1920s Spanish-style home, with warm stucco walls and breezy windows. The first floor was open concept, and I could already picture all of the wonderful parties we could have here. I fell in love with it immediately.
Ella“Sit down. Both of you.”Sarah and I exchanged wary glances. Her face was just as pale as mine probably was, and I felt a wrench in my stomach.“But Mr. Henderson, Sarah never—”