AudreyThe final numbers were staggering. I had to blink twice just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things, but I wasn’t. We hadn’t just met our fundraising goal for the orphanages—we had nearly doubled it in one night.I couldn’t believe it. All those weeks of planning, sleepless nights, and too-early
I blinked as the driver put the car in park and stepped out to open the door.Edwin helped me climb out onto the gravel lot, holding my hand to steady me on my aching feet. The scent of pine and earth filled the cool night air, and I took a deep breath, feeling oddly refreshed after spending the nig
AudreyThey always kept the interrogation room cold—to make the prisoners uncomfortable, and thus more likely to spill their secrets.It was too cold in here for me, but it had little to do with the temperature. I never liked being in here, having to use my Silver Star powers to root out evil. I’d r
As Peter led me down the hall, I caught one last glimpse of Edwin, his back turned to us as he faced Sophia. The door closed behind us, blocking out his rising voice before I could hear what he was saying.The break room, by contrast, was warm and quiet. I sank miserably into a chair at the small ro
AudreyJoseph clung to Eliza’s arm like a lifeline as we climbed out of the car. Eliza gently stroked his hair, and he leaned into her touch with an innocent expression in his wide brown eyes. He had taken to her quickly, as if he were a lost duckling imprinting on a stray cat.“Would you like to co
We continued on our way, picking up some more things that he might like, such as a model train set and a few board games. Edwin insisted on some dinosaur-themed throw pillows to match the stuffed toy, which made me laugh.“You know,” I mused, “I never would have expected Eliza or you to be the paren
AudreyThe bar was busier than usual for a Tuesday night. The air was filled with the low hum of conversation and the scent of alcohol and greasy bar food, some sports game or another playing on the big TV against the far wall.We managed to claim our usual corner booth, tucked away from prying eyes
The thought of that business now going under…“There has to be something we can do,” I said, already running through ideas in my head. I wasn’t going to just sit back and let this happen. “What about advertising? Getting your name out there more?”Avis shook her head, her delicate lips pressed into
“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