AudreyMy heart was pounding in my chest as I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my graduation cap for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. I groaned miserably, quickly becoming frustrated with the damn thing; the tassel kept swinging into my face, no matter how I positioned it.“Dam
We took our seats, and I scanned the crowd, quickly spotting Edwin and Avis. They beamed at me, and I felt a sense of relief upon seeing their faces—but also a hint of disappointment.My mother wasn’t here today. Not that I expected her to be—she was still in the hospital—but… still.The ceremony be
AudreyEdwin’s hand was warm in mine as he led me away from the crowd of graduates and toward a more secluded area. My heart was still racing from the excitement of the ceremony, my diploma clutched in my other hand.I still couldn’t believe that it was over. My time at Grayspring… This was the end.
I stiffened, reaching out to take my mate’s arm.“Don’t listen to—” I began down the bond, but Edwin didn’t hear me.“She’s not your daughter,” Edwin replied quickly, his voice deceivingly calm. “And I’ll gladly hurt you if you lay a finger on her. So go ahead.” He stretched his arms out, nearly blo
AudreyEdwin kicked the door open—or at least, that’s what I thought he did, but my eyes were covered by his tie—with his boot, sending it crashing against the wall so hard I thought it might break something.I gasped, clutching my mate tightly. “Edwin, what are you—”Before I could finish, I felt m
I felt my mate’s shoulders slump somewhat with relief. He wrapped his arms around my waist and tugged me close, dipping his head to press a gentle kiss to my lips. Already, I was aching to feel him again when we pulled apart, thinking about that day in the archives.“I meant what I said, you know,”
AudreyThe moon shone through the curtains, pale blue shafts of light pooling across the sheets. Edwin and I lay in a tangled heap, breathless and warm against one another’s bare skin.With one last sigh, I finally splintered and cracked on my mate. We reached our peak together, the sound of my name
We settled back into bed after that, Edwin pulling the soft goose down blanket up over us. For a while, we just lay there in comfortable silence, my head resting on his chest as I listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.Finally, Edwin spoke, his voice rumbling in his chest beneath my ear. “S
“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