“You are not a monster,” I said firmly, pouring every ounce of love and acceptance I could muster into our bond. I knew he could feel it down that invisible thread between us, because I could feel those shadows recoil as if burned.“Audrey—”“What happened was an accident,” I interrupted. “A terribl
AudreyI looked at the invitation that had both of our names on it. The elegant script and promise of a grand New Year’s Eve celebration sounded nice. But Edwin’s reaction puzzled me. His face had gone pale, his jaw clenched tight.“Why does this bother you so much?” I asked, picking up the invitati
Edwin sighed and shrugged. “You know I always prefer to have you by my side. But I promise we can leave if it gets too ugly.”I nodded, feeling a bit relieved.“Besides,” I added with a smile, trying to lighten the mood, “we have our own Christmas to enjoy first, just the two of us.”And with that,
AudreyI jolted awake, disoriented and stiff from a night of sleeping on the floor.Blinking against the harsh morning light that was now streaming through the large round window, through which trees were dripping with melted snow and glistening icicles, I realized that we were still in the sewing r
As evening fell, we snuggled up on the couch, watching the fire dance. Edwin’s arms were warm around me, and I felt more content than I ever had. Even my summer spent with my friends in Betty’s house struggled to compare.“Audrey,” Edwin said softly, his voice rumbling in his chest. “I need to tell
AudreyAfter our little adventure in the basement, Edwin and I made our way upstairs. Over a hearty Christmas Eve breakfast of syrupy waffles, fresh fruit, and crispy bacon, Edwin looked at me curiously.“Not that I’m complaining, but... why did you do that?” he asked, a slight flush on his cheeks.
From the doorway, Hadley grinned, a cup of hot cocoa steaming between his hands. “It’s nice to finally see someone put Mr. Brooks in his place,” he chuckled.As night fell, Edwin and I settled in front of the fireplace, our work finally done. We sipped on cocoa mixed with Baileys and munched on too
AudreyAfter our training session, I was breathless but exhilarated. My muscles ached pleasantly, a reminder of the progress I had made so far. Edwin had finally taught me some basic punches, and I was eager to learn even more.“You did a good job today, Audrey,” he said, wiping sweat from his brow
“I think you’re going to change so many lives,” I said to Eliza. “Those kids are so lucky to have you.” Eliza looked down, her cheeks pink. “Thank you, Audrey. Really.” Tina piped up next. “And my LGBT counseling department is finally off the ground! ” She paused, leaning into my mother, who was
Audrey After a long flight, we finally touched down in Italy. The sunlight streaming in through the plane window was a promising golden hue, and just the sight of it made me feel like my heart was about to leap out of my chest. “I might need a nap when we get to the villa,” Edwin yawned, shaking
And as I watched, I felt a hand slip into mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond. My mother stood on my other side, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. A lump rose in my throat, and I couldn’t even speak. None of us c
Audrey Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last-minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through t
“There’s always time,” I whispered, grabbing the wrist of his free hand and pulling it close to peer at his watch. The movement caused him to topple forward, and he caught himself on his other palm, caging me against the hard wood of the vanity. “But maybe not enough time to waste right now.” Edwi
Audrey Before I could even answer his question, Edwin rushed past me and locked the door. When he turned back to me, he was grinning from ear to ear. The sight of that mischievous look on his face made my breath hitch. Once, it had been like pulling teeth to get the man to smile. And now here he
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I tore into the wrapping paper, revealing a soft red scarf. I could tell immediately that it was handmade—there were more than a few uneven stitches, and the outline was lumpy. It was far from perfect. But I loved it all the more for that. “Goddess, Edwin,” I laugh
Audrey The morning of the show was a frenzy. No, more than a frenzy. It was complete and utter chaos. I spent the entire morning from sunup to noon running endlessly from one end of the venue to the other, desperately trying to make sure every last detail was perfect. The racks were lined with c
“Uh… Yeah,” Malakai said. “Coffee would be nice.” A few minutes later, the three of us sat around the table, steaming cups of pitch black coffee in our hands. I kept it bitter, just in case Malakai was here to stir up more shit. It burned a little going down, but I sipped it anyway. Malakai look