“Your safety is more important than a graduation ceremony,” Edwin said, a bit coldly—as if the words pained him and he was trying to quell his own anguish. “You have to get out of here. I won’t take no for an answer.”Red hot fury burst through me at that. I stormed up to him with what little streng
AudreyThe journey to Edwin’s summer cottage was utterly silent as Charles drove. I stared out the window the entire time, watching the city give way to suburbs, then to rolling countryside, and finally to dense forest.When we finally arrived, I was surprised by how different the place looked from
Before I could protest further, he was steering me toward the back door. I grumbled angrily, but didn’t put up much of a fight. Deep down, I knew he was right. If I could only shift, then perhaps I could uncover the rest of my abilities. Including healing.The cold air hit me like a slap as we stepp
Audrey & EdwinAudrey’s POVEdwin’s scent was both comforting and tormenting as I tossed and turned in bed that night. The sheets felt too tight, the blanket too heavy, the ceiling too low.No matter how hard I tried to sleep, it was useless. I was exhausted, but it didn’t matter. My mind wouldn’t s
“It’s okay,” he murmured, stroking my hair. “Edwin will come back for you, I promise. Everything will be okay. He always has a plan, even if it means letting himself feel pain for others’ sakes. And when it comes to you…” He swallowed hard. “He’ll figure it out. For you.”The thought was comforting,
EdwinI didn’t even wait for the sun to rise before I was storming into my father’s study. I knew he was awake, anyway—the bastard hardly ever slept.My father didn’t look up from the papers he was poring over as I flung the door open with a crash.“Mind yourself, Edwin,” he said, adjusting his wire
I recoiled as if I’d been slapped. Blood… So much blood…“That was an accident,” I managed around the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat.My father scoffed. “An accident,” he echoed. “How convenient; the boy was leaps and bounds more talented in the ring than you ever were. He was set to bec
AudreyEdwin whirled around, his eyes widening as he saw Peter and me standing in the doorway. Without hesitation, I ran to him, throwing my arms around his waist. He held me tight, confusion radiating through our bond.“Audrey? What are you doing here?”I looked up at him, my eyes shimmering with t
“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