★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I was still reeling from colton’s answer to my last question. I was the... i surprised him. He’s mesmerized? I’ve been hit on before. Quite alot. I’ve heard every line in the book. Somehow when colton says something it sounds different. Is that just me? Am i wired in a weird way?My heart wasn’t beating normally anymore.I could still feel the ghost of his words in the space between us. The weight of them. The way he had looked at me, as though trying to cement his words into my brain.He’d said it so easily, like it wasn’t a big deal. Like he didn’t just drop a bomb in my chest.I sucked in a slow breath, trying to ignore the way my palms felt too warm.Colton leaned back slightly, his golden eyes still locked on mine. He wasn’t done.“My turn again,” he repeated, his voice smooth, calm—like he wasn’t watching me fall apart in real time.I kept my back straight, refusing to let him see how much that answer had shaken me.He tilted his head slightly, stud
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 The moment she walked away, the room felt colder.I sat there, staring at the empty space she left behind, the faint scent of wine and vanilla lingering in the air. Must be a shampoo or something. I should’ve expected it—Vanessa never stayed in one place for too long. She was always on the move, always running from something, even if she wouldn’t admit it. And yet, the way she talked about leaving to her brother… it hit me like a damn gut punch. I had been bringing over the wine, feeling so fucking happy for being there for her and then i get that. She’ll be gone in a month. I knew she would.Of course, she would.She wasn’t mine to keep. We weren’t linked in a mated bond. Hell, i think even if we were she would reject me. But the realization settled in my chest like a heavy weight, making it harder to breathe.I ran a hand down my face, exhaling sharply before dragging myself up from the couch. My limbs felt heavy, my head a mess. I wanted another drink, so
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★It had been three days.Three long days of quiet breakfasts, polite conversation, and Colton being… busy. I'm not unreasonable. I know why he's busy. I know why he's out right after breakfast, and back for dinner. He was around, sure, but not in the same way. No teasing glances. No pushing my buttons just to see how I’d react. Just a casual, distant version of himself that had left me feeling weirdly restless.It wasn’t like I wanted his attention. I wasn’t that girl. But after everything that had happened between us—the staring, the almost too-intimate questions, the kiss—I had expected something.Instead, I got short encounters. Breakfast, dinner, and then he was gone.And now, as I sat curled up on his couch, my laptop open on my lap, I found myself staring at the blank document where my next blog post was supposed to be. I should’ve been writing about something—anything—but all I could think about was how I had too much free time, too much quiet, and
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★After packing, and concluding on everything that I needed. I went downstairs with my things. Feeling tired already. I placed my packed bag by the couch, stretching my arms as I took a slow breath. The anticipation was starting to settle in, mixing with the quiet of the house. Colton would be here soon, and for the first time in days, I felt like I had something to look forward to. Something that wasn’t tangled in stress or the weight of my thoughts.Just a night away. Sure I'm thinking of this as a romantic moment for us both, but …. I'm also thinking of this as a chance to feed the extrovert in me. Being indoors is making me crazy. I sat down, pulling my knees up onto the couch. I tried to distract myself by scrolling through my phone, but my eyes felt heavy, and the silence made it harder to stay awake. A short nap wouldn’t hurt. Just a few minutes.I laid my head back, letting the quiet pull me under.Then—BANG.The front door slammed, rattling the
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 The sun was setting, painting the sky in deep shades of orange and gold as I rode along the edge of the field, keeping an eye on the cattle. They should’ve been heading back to their pens by now, but they were restless—skittish in a way that made everything twice as damn hard as it needed to be. And I knew exactly why. Samson was in a mood. I could feel it in the way he was riding, his grip too tight on the reins, his movements too sharp. The cattle could feel it too. They weren’t dumb—they knew when something was off. And right now, my brother’s shit mood was making them nervous, which meant they weren’t cooperating like they should.Which was making my job ten times harder. I sighed, rolling my shoulders as I guided my horse toward a stray calf that had wandered off. A sharp whistle had one of the ranch dogs springing into action, nudging the calf back into line. It should’ve been that simple for the rest of the herd, but instead, I had to deal with this
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 The road narrowed the deeper I drove into the forest, the truck’s headlights cutting through the thick darkness. The trees loomed taller here, their branches stretching like outstretched arms, blocking out the moon. It had always felt different in this part of the farm—quieter, untouched. Like the world forgot it existed.And maybe that’s why I came here.Out in the open, under the stars, the pack would be gathered—drinking, laughing, celebrating the rare event. Falling stars. A night of wishes and whispered promises. A night meant for lovers.I tightened my grip on the wheel.That wasn’t why I was here.I always came alone. Always preferred it that way.Until now.Until her.The thought settled like a weight in my chest, but I ignored it, focusing on the road ahead.By the time I reached the end of the trail, where the trees grew too dense for the truck to pass, my pulse had settled into something steady. I killed the engine, the sudden silence thick and press
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★The hike was steeper than I expected. Not unbearably so, but enough that my thighs were starting to burn with each step. Colton, of course, didn’t seem fazed at all. He was ahead of me, walking like he had done this a thousand times before. Which, apparently, he had.The forest around us was alive, but not in the way I was used to. In the city, nighttime meant distant car horns, the occasional shout, the hum of life even in the late hours. But here, it was different. It was quiet—not silent, just peaceful. The chirping of insects, the rustle of leaves as some unseen creature darted through them, the distant hoot of an owl.I liked it.I wasn’t sure why that surprised me. Each time I enjoy something from this farm or the small town, I always end up shocked. Colton glanced back at me, slowing his pace a little. “You good?”I huffed out a breath, pretending I wasn’t slightly out of breath. “Yeah. Totally. Love hiking.”His lips twitched. “You sure?”“Absolu
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★The sky is alive. It's weird to say, but it’s the only way to describe it. The first batch of falling stars was beautiful, but this next one... I don’t think words can describe them.Hundreds—no, thousands—of streaks fall at once, each one a different shade this time. Silver, violet, deep blue, gold. It’s like the universe decided to spill its colors across the night, and I’m just lucky enough to be here to see it.I fumble with my phone, trying to capture it, but no camera could ever do this justice. Every time I blink, another flash of light streaks downward, another burst of color that makes my chest feel tight. It’s overwhelming in the best way. It’s like the stars have decided to become a rainbow. Beside me, Colton watches the sky with that unreadable expression of his. Not as awed as I probably look, but… softer. Contemplative. The glow from the falling stars reflects in his eyes, making them look like molten gold. He’s seen this a million times, b
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★It was buried.Like someone had wanted it to be.I’d been combing through articles for hours, the motions mechanical now, almost numb. My mind was on autopilot—just picking through keywords, cross-referencing names, digging into obscure land deals that didn’t make sense, tracking down vague, half-mentioned connections between people who seemed irrelevant at first glance. The rabbit holes I’d gone down had been endless, some of them leading nowhere. But I couldn’t stop. I had to find something. Anything besides what I found about the drug dealer. Still, I wanted more details. My eyes were aching, and my fingers were numb from tapping the keys. I was running on nothing but cold coffee and the burning need to dig deeper. I had spent the better part of the morning and afternoon chasing down leads that now felt pointless. But then… I found it.It was another old article, buried under thousands of newer headlines, hidden like someone had intentionally tucked i
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I stayed long enough to make sure they both ate. Ashley had come down minutes after I'd urged Samson to bathe and dress in something else. He didn't need my judgment and neither did she. Didn’t matter that it was just eggs, pancakes, and the last of the sausage from the freezer. I stood in that damn kitchen like a drill sergeant, arms folded, watching Samson poke at his plate like food was something foreign. Ashley sat across from him, silent, her eyes rimmed red but dry now. She wouldn’t meet my gaze. I didn’t ask her to.I didn’t ask them anything.I just waited, and eventually they started eating. Slowly. Quietly. But they ate.That was enough for now. They drank some juice and told me they'd be staying indoors for the day. Well, not Ashley. Catia was coming to take her to her place so she could be away from Samson.Once I was sure they wouldn’t go back to bed hungry, I stepped out and headed down the porch stairs. The air was already thick with humidity, t
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 The water ran hot over my shoulders, and for a while, I just stood there, letting it scald the edges of everything I didn’t want to think about. My hands braced against the tiled wall, breath slow, heavy. It didn’t do much to rinse away the ache in my chest—but it helped. Just a little.It was easy to smile around Vanessa, but away from her, my brain was starting to think again. I'd love to have my ability to think fucked out of me. When Vanessa and I have sex, I can only think about her. I do love just thinking about her. It's better than thinking about all the problems in my life. By the time I dried off, dressed, and placed my hat over damp curls, the morning had already fully settled in. Vanessa hadn’t moved from her spot in bed when I peeked into the room again—still buried in her research, sharp as ever, focused like she was stitching the world back together with a single thread. She didn’t even look up when I asked her if she'd need my truck to go into
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I barely noticed the time passing.The world had narrowed down to my laptop screen, the dull hum of its fan, and the occasional click of my nails against the keys. Morning light had crept in slowly through the window, shifting from gray to gold while I chased paper trails and public records down digital rabbit holes. Every tab I opened spun into another, and another—property deeds, business filings, court case summaries, suspicious shell companies that seemed to tie back to a single name again and again.Alina.She was careful. Calculated. Her name was rarely listed, but the fingerprints were there—metaphorically speaking. I was stitching together something ugly. Bigger than what Colton had suspected. It wasn't just a bad deal gone personal. She was tied into something far-reaching. And worse—she was good at hiding in plain sight. I didn’t have the full picture yet, but I had the edges. And the more I found, the more certain I became: this was more than r
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I woke up warm.Not just in the way that meant the blankets were doing their job—but in the way that made my chest ache. Like a fire had settled there overnight. Slow, steady, and kind.Colton's arm was wrapped around me, his hand resting just below my ribs, his body curled into mine like he always belonged there. My cheek was pressed against the solid muscle of his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat—slow, even, completely at ease.It made me want to cry. In a good way. Maybe. This must be the good thing about having a partner. You're never truly alone. And if you want to be alone, you can. Take a moment to yourself. It works if you have someone who understands. Do I suddenly believe love strengthens and fixes everything? No. Heck, who knows if our relationship would stand the test of time. Who knows how this might end? In an affair? God I hope not. If Colton suddenly decides he's actually found his Mrs right, I'll kill them both. I nestled closer t
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I must’ve misheard her. No way she just said—Vanessa narrowed her eyes like she could feel my doubt. “I’m in love with you,” she said again, firmer this time. “I am. And when you said you wanted more than casual... well, I want that too.”My heart damn near leapt out of my throat. My wolf—usually quiet and brooding—sank somewhere warm and content like he’d finally been fed after starving.She said she loves me.I stared at her, stunned into silence for maybe the first time in my entire life. Vanessa. The girl who ran from any emotional talk as if it were fire. Who flinched at the mentions of true love, side-eyed people talking about mates and marriage, ducked out of the room when things got too real—just said she loved me. Out loud. On purpose.And she hadn’t even looked away. She stood there, her chest rising and falling like she was bracing for something, arms crossed like she needed to hold herself together. But she was still standing, still meeting my eyes
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I could have gone to my bedroom to take this call, but I didn’t want to go that far.. I stopped in the hallway, just out of earshot. I’m not the type to run from my problems. Hell, I run right into danger, that’s just who I am. But I’m avoiding the main conversation with Colton. I want to have it. I want to talk about it. I want to say, yeah, I want more than casual with you, too. I want more, I love you. I don’t know how or when I fell for you, but it kind of just happened. However, I cannot throw my whole life away. Long distance won’t work for us.... i mean, fuck, why am i even thinking about this?I brought my eyes back to my phone.The number was unfamiliar, but I answered it anyway, partly because I needed a distraction and partly because a flicker of dread told me who it might be.“Hello?” I said cautiously.There was a pause. Then a shaky inhale.“Vanessa?” a voice I hadn’t heard in days, maybe weeks, not in person, not like this. But I knew it i
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 After a moment of watching the lake, each of us silently making a plan in our heads, we decided to return home.We didn’t say much on the walk back. Vanessa kept close, her steps quiet but fast to keep up with mine. The storm had left behind a world slick with mud and the chill of lingering rain. Trees dripped steadily, and the sky overhead was still a dull sheet of grey, hanging heavy like the grief inside me.By the time we stepped back into the house, I shrugged off my damp jacket and tossed it on a hook. Vanessa followed, tugging her sleeves down her wrists like she was trying to ground herself. The house was too quiet without the family. Too hollow. The air still smelled like breakfast and loss.“Coffee?” I offered, needing something to keep my hands busy.She nodded, and we moved into the kitchen. I prepped the machine in silence, only the gurgling hum of it filling the space between us.“I was thinking…” she said eventually, leaning on the counter, “we s
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I arrived back at the farm—Colton’s house—just as the sky slipped further into gray.From the second I parked, I knew something was off. The driveway was clear. No voices floated from the porch. No creak of floorboards or clatter of kitchenware inside. It was empty.Too empty.I stepped out of the Jeep and onto the damp ground, the air thick with leftover moisture and the scent of wet wood. The storm had passed, but the rain hadn’t fully let go. It lingered in droplets that clung to the leaves and coated the windows like tears that didn’t know how to fall.Inside the house, the silence clawed at me.“Colton?” I called out, voice echoing just slightly. No response. My footsteps padded quietly over the wood floors as I walked from room to room, scanning for any sign of him.Nothing in the kitchen.Nothing in the living room, either of them.His phone wasn’t on the charger. His keys were gone.A slow panic started bubbling in my stomach.I checked the front p