Becky’s pov“My dad legally adopted that baby girl?…” Grayson was still halfway through his sentence when Alexander erupted in fury. I had never seen him like this before. His eyes widened, and his jaw tightened as if the very thought of someone challenging him was an insult. His hands, which had been holding me a moment ago, dropped as if I had suddenly burned him.“My baby… adoption? Are you out of your mind? Am I insane to do such a thing? No! It’s you who must be insane. Probably the four walls of a prison cell are what you deserve!”Grayson visibly shrank under the weight of Alexander’s words. He knew the kind of man Alexander was, calm and calculating until his patience ran out. And when it did, the results were always explosive. Without saying a word, Grayson disappeared into the house. Moments later, we could hear his muffled voice as he made a phone call.“Dad, how did you adopt that little baby?” His tone was low, almost as if he feared the answer. It meant that they too had
Katherine’s POVFive days after my 18th birthday, I got the best gift of my life. My uncle broke his leg. I know, it makes me sound like a total asshole. I’m not happy he got hurt, of course. But I am happy my parents decided to leave for a week to go help him. Even better? They don’t trust me to stay home alone yet. So, they asked Bryant to watch over me. And guess what? He said yes.Bryant, my dad’s best friend, is single, for now. He’s practically family, but not quite. He’s been in my life for as long as I can remember. He was there for every scraped knee, every bad day, every school project I needed help with. He’s always been my protector, my rock. But over the past few years, things have changed or will I say I have changed? The truth is, I started having feelings for him.It started when I began noticing things about him that I hadn’t before. Like the way his black hair shines in the sun or how those piercing blue eyes of his seem to see right through me. Or the dimple in his
Bryant’s pov I'm not sure how I was supposed to survive the week with Kathrine acting like that. When Samson invited me to his house to look after his daughter, I had a feeling it wasn't the best plan. I should have declined, maybe come up with some excuse, but the chance to spend so much time alone with Kathrine was too tempting. I agreed, and now here I was in my best friend's bedroom, desperately trying to distance myself from my attraction to his daughter so I could head downstairs. I had never thought of Kathrine inappropriately until recently, but now my mind was filled with those thoughts. I couldn’t escape the images of us together—her beautiful lips, the way my body craved hers. It was driving me to distraction. I had always cared for her and wanted to protect her, but my feelings had intensified to an overwhelming possessiveness that surprised me. Still, I knew it could never happen; she was my best friend's daughter, and that made her off-limits. I had to learn to live wi
Kathrine’s pov I couldn't believe I had burnt the chicken for our dinner! This was supposed to be my chance to show Bryant that I was mature, capable, and the perfect wife material. Although getting married to Bryant was a perfect and imaginary thought. Instead, I had proven I couldn’t even handle a simple dinner. But I wasn’t going to let it ruin the evening. Bryant had suggested we cook together tomorrow or even more, which only meant more time with him in close quarters. Besides, the guy had just delivered the pizza and I had already picked out a scary movie for us to watch minutes later. As we settled down to eat, I could barely manage a slice, too excited about spending the evening with him. Once he had had his fill, I made popcorn and tugged him toward the couch.“This movie is supposed to be terrifying,” I said, snuggling close to the bowl of popcorn. “I’m way too scared to watch it alone. I'm grateful you are around.”We started the film, but my attention kept drifting to
Kathrine’s povI slid the tip of my finger between his lips, but before I could go further, he grabbed my wrist. My heart raced at the intense look in his eyes and the firm grip he had on me. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled my finger into his mouth, groaning softly as if savoring the taste of me. His tongue swirled around it, sliding up and down, sending shivers through my body. One by one, he treated the rest of my fingers the same way, each motion drawing me deeper into the moment.I was soaked, my shorts clinging to me as the heat between us grew unbearable. The sensation of his hot mouth on my fingers, the sight of him enjoying every second, and the hard press of his cock against me was almost too much. I’d never felt so turned on. Before my last finger left his mouth, I leaned in and kissed him, letting our tongues tangle as we cleaned the taste of me from my finger.I cupped his face, pulling him closer, opening my mouth to him. The scent and taste of myself on him sent
Bryant's POVWhat in the world just happened? I watched Kathrine’s figure disappear up the stairs, completely stunned. Where did this bold, defiant side of her come from? Earlier, she’d been all giggles and sweetness, but now she was cutting me off mid-sentence and storming off, to go pleasure herself, of all things.Part of me was completely turned on. The other part? Well, it wanted to teach her a lesson, maybe gag her, maybe spank her—hell, that part of me was also turned on. The thought of taking her over my knee had me on the edge, my need practically unbearable.I tried to stop myself from imagining what she was doing upstairs right now, but it was impossible. And that little foot stomp she did before walking off? Damn. I’d never wanted someone so badly in my life. The memory of her sweet taste still lingered on my tongue, and I couldn’t shake the image of how perfect she’d felt when I’d had her in my hands.When she started touching herself on my lap earlier, I thought I was go
Kathrine’s POVBryant was so damn stubborn. I could tell he wanted more last night. The way his muscles tensed as he held himself back while I was going down on him said it all. I couldn’t stop wondering what he’d do if he let himself go completely. And I was determined to find out. He couldn’t fight his feelings for me forever, even though he seemed to be trying his hardest.This morning, I woke up and found a note he left for me in the fridge:"Kathrine, I think it’s best if I stayed away today. Maybe some time apart will help clear both our heads. I wish things could be different between us, more than you’ll ever know, but you’re off-limits to me. I can’t make you mine, no matter how much I want to.Bryant.”I groaned in frustration as I read it. Stubborn, stubborn man! Now I had the whole day to kill before I could see him again. I thought things would’ve ended after I used his shirt to get off, but Bryant was stronger than I’d expected. Then, after last night, I really thought he
Kathrine's POVKelvin nodded a quick "yes" to let Bryant know he understood. I watched as Bryant flicked his hand in disgust, his voice low and commanding but full of anger."Get the fuck out, and don't ever think about contacting Kathrine again. If you do, you'll have me to deal with."Kelvin audibly gulped before bolting out the front door, leaving an almost tangible tension in the room. I stayed where I was, hovering just behind Bryant, my heart thudding in my chest. I hoped he wouldn’t be angry with me. I didn’t want him to think I’d encouraged Kelvin or God forbid, brought him over to make Bryant jealous. I wasn’t going to lie to myself, though. Seeing Bryant’s reaction had stirred something in me. The way he’d stood there, protective and possessive, sent a rush through my body I couldn’t ignore. But I’d never intentionally play him like that."Bryant..." I started, my voice hesitant.He spun around to face me, cutting me off mid-sentence. His intense blue eyes locked onto mine,
Kathrine’s POVI felt so dizzy I might have collapsed if I hadn’t been sandwiched between Henry and Noah, their strong bodies holding me up. The kitten, tired of being squished, had climbed onto my shoulder, her tiny claws pricking my skin.Was this real? Had I slipped into some alternate reality? Maybe the almond milk my mom gave me had sent me into a coma, and this was all just a dream. Because who in the world gives their girlfriend a house for her nineteenth birthday?But it wasn’t the price tag or the extravagance of the gift that hit me the hardest. It was the understanding.Henry and Noah knew. They knew that for the past three and a half years, my life had been nothing but temporary, unstable, unreliable, and downright terrifying. When I lost my dad, I lost my home, my safety, my security. I’d followed my mom from one boyfriend’s place to another, always feeling like an unwanted third wheel, always at the mercy of strangers. I thought I’d built up a tough shell, that I was str
Kathrine’s POVI wasn’t expecting any more gifts from the Robert brothers. They’d already spoiled me with flowers, a fancy stainless steel water bottle, an incredible dinner on the gazebo, and those stunning rings. I couldn’t stop twisting the rings on my finger, just to remind myself this was real. This wasn’t some scene from one of my romance novels—this was my life.But when they drove me out to the waterfall, I almost melted. It was such a sweet, romantic gesture, taking me back to where it all kind of began. Okay, technically, it started at the Professor’s house, but our first real date was here, at the swimming hole under the man-made waterfall. That was the moment I started to believe I could actually be with both of them.When we arrived, there was a blanket laid out on the grass, scattered with rose petals. A vase of fresh flowers sat beside a white box tied with a big red bow. They sat facing me, their eyes full of anticipation, like they were waiting for something huge. It
Henry’s povI woke up before the sun even started to rise, the sky still dark over the mountains. Kathrine was curled up next to me, our legs tangled together with Noah’s. My brother was on the other side of her, holding her close while she faced me. At some point during the night, we’d kicked off the blankets, but the three of us together kept the bed warm and cozy.When Noah and I planned her late birthday dinner, we never imagined it would end the way it did, with the most incredible, unforgettable night of my life. Maybe even our lives. I reached for her hand in the dark, my fingers brushing over the ring she now wore. She’d accepted it. She’d accepted us.Kathrine stirred, stretching with a soft groan. “Oh my God,” she mumbled, her voice still heavy with sleep. She threw a leg over mine and sighed. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus. No, make that two buses.”I smiled, brushing her hair back from her face. Even in the dim light, I could see how beautiful she looked. “I’m sorry,
Kathrine’s POVI should have done this a long time ago. Sliding behind the wheel of my new car, I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter than necessary, just to remind myself that it was real, this was real. The scent of pine-tree air freshener mixed with the sharp, chemical tang of whatever they used to polish the interior at the dealership. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it smelled like freedom. Like a fresh start.No more asking for permission. No more borrowing keys. No more waiting for some taxi driver to show up at his own pace. This was my car, and I could go anywhere I wanted, whenever I wanted.It should have been a good feeling, liberating, even but there was a dull ache gnawing at the back of my mind.My mother wasn’t speaking to me.Late last night, I’d heard her voice sharp and angry, drifting from the other end of the house. I couldn’t make out every word, but I didn’t have to. I knew exactly what the argument was about.She must have gone to Weah, her voice rising
Noah’s PovEven though Kathrine was trying to hide it, I could see she was upset. When I got to the dojo, she was already there. She had taken off her jacket, put on boxing gloves, and was hitting the heavy bag hard. She wasn’t just practicing, she was putting all her strength into every punch and kick. I could almost feel the force of her hits. Her face was red, her breath was sharp with each strike, and sweat was running down her neck.It was impressive and attractive, but also a little scary.I wouldn’t want to be that bag, but that wasn’t what worried me. It was the way she was fighting, so intense, so focused, so fierce. It was like she was fighting for her life. Or maybe she was punishing herself.After what Henry told me about her meeting with her mom, I thought it might be a mix of both. I wasn’t sure if I should stop her or let her keep going. Since we were in the dojo and she was higher-ranked than me, I felt unsure of what to do.Luckily, Clement noticed something was wrong
Kathrine’s Pov“Time to face the executioner,” I muttered under my breath as I opened the door and headed downstairs to confront my mother. My purse was slung over one shoulder, and I could hear the keys to my new car jingling inside, almost as if they were taunting me. I kept my face calm and composed, but inside, my stomach was churning with nerves. I had no idea how my mother was going to react, and I really didn’t want Henry to witness it if she completely lost it.I found her pacing back and forth between the living room and the kitchen. She had kicked off her heels by the back door and I mean kicked. One of them had flown halfway across the room. Her hair, which had been neatly tied up, was now loose and floating around her flushed face. Her pupils were tiny pinpoints, and she was shaking with anger. She was furious, and it showed in every movement.I took a deep breath, trying to detach myself from her emotional state. It wasn’t easy. Her stress and anxiety felt like invisible
Kathrine's povBuying my own car might have been a little impulsive, but I didn’t regret it. Well, not entirely. The process wasn’t exactly smooth, though. I had to visit three different dealerships before I found a salesman who actually took me seriously. The first one looked me straight in the eye and told me to come back with my parents. Can you believe that? The second one laughed in my face when I said I wasn’t interested in financing and planned to pay in cash. It was frustrating, to say the least. But at the third dealership, I finally found a guy who treated me like an adult. We talked about the pros and cons of different cars within my budget, and after some back-and-forth, I settled on a modest, older Toyota with low mileage. It wasn’t flashy, but it was reliable and affordable.I paid for the car in full and drove it off the lot, feeling a mix of pride and guilt. This was my first car, and it should’ve been a happy moment, but instead, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in
Henry’s POV“How much longer?” I barked into the phone, my patience hanging by a thread.“We’ll wrap up by Tuesday,” said Guy Wilson, the contractor I hired to handle the asbestos cleanup at the old factory. “After that, you’ve got to wait at least 48 hours for the air to clear. Honestly, with a job this big, I’d give it a full week before we run the final tests to make sure it’s safe.”I rubbed my eyes, frustration gnawing at me. A week shouldn’t feel like a lifetime, but with the chaos at home, it felt like an eternity.I always knew Kathrine’s mom wouldn’t be on board with us, but I didn’t expect her to go full attack mode. The way she tore into Kathrine was disgusting, shaming her, calling her awful names. It made me sick.That morning at breakfast, Clara dropped the bomb. “You’re grounded,” she announced, her tone dripping with superiority. “And you’re not touching your car. Got it?”Kathrine didn’t even blink. She just raised an eyebrow, squeezed a lemon into her water bottle li
Kathrine's POVThis wasn’t going to blow over. I could feel it in my bones, like the ache of a storm before it hits. The tension in the house was thick enough to cut with a knife, and I knew it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down. Unless I walked away from whatever this thing was between the Robert brothers and me, my mom and Weah would keep pushing. And I’d be the one caught in the crossfire.I was the odd one out here. The outsider. The girl who didn’t belong in the Robert’ world. And honestly, I could see why my mom was so uncomfortable. Weah, her professor boyfriend, was all about appearances. He was the kind of guy who ironed his socks and probably had a spreadsheet for his grocery list. I could practically see him breaking things off with her if I caused too much of a scene. The thought made my stomach twist.Even if I ignored my mom and Weah, this thing with the twins was a risk. A huge one. Relationships were messy enough, but with two brothers? It w