★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★Balancing the tray carefully, making sure I didn't spill anything.. The broth smelled rich, the steam curling into the air, and I was grateful that my dad had walked me through making something decent.When I reached the knob to Colton's room, I nudged the door open with my hip, stepping inside. The storm outside made the room dim, the only light coming from the bedside lamp I had turned on earlier. The rain drummed softly against the window, the occasional rumble of thunder in the distance.Colton was still out cold. Well, not exactly. He seems like he's unconscious, but I can tell a part of him is still fighting off that sleep. What a dumbass. I say that sweetly though. I think a guy like him needs a stubborn girl to tell him what to do. He was lying on his back, his breathing deep and steady, his face slack with exhaustion. His damp hair clung slightly to his forehead, and even in sleep, I could see the tension in his shoulders—like his body had forg
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 There's pain, lightness, there are things I can't describe about myself in this moment. Because I was sinking. Not into sleep—sleep was something I welcomed. This was different. A deep, aching exhaustion that ran through my bones, making my limbs feel heavy and useless. My skin burned with fever, my head a foggy mess, and yet, my thoughts wouldn’t stop running.How the hell did I get to this point?I’d worked hard before. Harder than this, even. I’d gone days without proper rest, waking before the sun and collapsing into bed long after it had set. It wasn’t new. It wasn’t anything I hadn’t done before.So why did it feel like my body was giving up on me now?I let out a slow, shuddering breath, my throat dry and tight. My muscles still ached from the day’s work, and I could feel the heat radiating off my own skin. My head pounded, my stomach twisted, but it was the exhaustion that weighed me down the most.I knew when it started.The moment I saw the storm ro
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 The rain hadn’t let up.I lay still, listening to the rhythmic drumming against the roof, the occasional gust of wind rattling the windows. It was that steady kind of downpour that blanketed everything in a quiet hum, making the world feel smaller, cozier.I turned my head slightly, eyes landing on the clock glowing on the nightstand. 5:58 AM.Normally, I’d already be out of bed, pulling on my boots, shrugging into a jacket, plopping my hat on, and heading outside before the sun had even fully risen. There was always something that needed doing on the ranch—animals to feed, fences to check, tasks that didn’t care if I was sick or exhausted.But today was different.Because for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t the first one up.And I wasn’t alone.Or at least, I hadn’t been.The bed beside me was empty, the sheets cool where Vanessa had been curled up against me just hours ago. A small crease in the pillow was the only evidence that she’d been there at al
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★Colton’s arm around me was warm, his body heavy with exhaustion as he breathed evenly against my shoulder. I had spent last night, and this morning taking care of him, making sure he ate, took his medicine, and actually rested for once in his life. He was always the one looking after everyone else, but I could tell this time had hit him hard.He was sick, drained, and barely hanging on before I forced him to let go and rest.I was just beginning to feel like things had settled, like I could relax for a moment, when my phone rang.I tensed, glancing toward the coffee table where my phone buzzed. I carefully reached over, making sure not to wake Colton as I picked it up.The name on the screen made my stomach drop.Dr. Reeves.Something about the sight of it, about the late hour and the still-pouring rain outside, sent a shiver down my spine.I swallowed hard before carefully untangling myself from Colton’s hold, slipping out from beneath his arm. His brows
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★Abel arrived fifteen minutes later, his clothes soaked through from the relentless rain, and a large bag slung over his shoulder. His drenched appearance made me think of my father, how he would look when something serious had him worried—shaky hands, furrowed brow, and an anxious, hurried step. I barely had time to open the door before he stepped inside, water dripping from his hair and the edges of his jacket.“Where is he?” Abel asked, his voice low but urgent, scanning the interior.I nodded toward the living room. “He’s sleeping, thank God. I told you not to rush. It’s dangerous.”Abel followed me into the living room, eyes immediately falling on Colton, who was still asleep on the couch. He let out a heavy sigh as he looked at him, the concern clear in his expression. “My poor son. He works too hard. And after all the issues with Samson... I worry I may have given him too much responsibility.”His words gave me pause. I hadn’t heard much about Samso
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I woke up again to the sound of rain—still pouring, steady and relentless like the weight pressing down on my chest. Being sick just isn’t for me. I feel like I’ve been run over by a damn truck. Everything hurts. My head, my limbs, even the inside of my eyes when I blink too fast. I’m exhausted just existing. Just being. Laying here and doing nothing is supposed to be restful, right? But it’s not. Not when I’m used to motion. Not when I’m used to moving until my muscles scream for me to stop.The dull throb in my temple pulses with the storm, and when I sit up, I hear it more clearly—the rain smacking the windows, the occasional gust of wind rattling the old wooden frames, and voices. Not loud. Just enough for my brain to register that I wasn’t alone.I scanned the room slowly, and there she was—Vanessa—sitting on the floor with her back pressed against the couch I’d been knocked out on. Her legs stretched in front of her, one bent lazily at the knee. She was w
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 Vanessa was absolutely determined to keep me here. She guarded me like a hawk, like she had been assigned the role of my personal bodyguard and took it way too seriously. Every time I so much as shifted in my seat or tried to act like I wasn’t completely wrecked from this illness, her eyes would snap to me like twin laser beams.And when the power finally shut off—just a soft click and hum followed by an eerie silence—I let out a groan loud enough to shake the windows. Okay, maybe not that loud, but loud enough to get her attention.She looked over her shoulder at me and lifted her hand... flipping me off.Charming.At this point, she’d checked my temperature twice, handed me three different types of water (tap, filtered, and one from her own bag that she swore “had vitamins”), and followed me upstairs just to make sure I wasn’t sneaking off to do something suspicious—like, oh, I don’t know, use my phone without her noticing. She didn’t say anything about it di
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I was disappointed by the news I’d gotten. Frustrated. Drained. It was like every lead we chased only circled us right back to the starting line, like some cruel loop we couldn’t escape. The more we uncovered, the more tangled everything became. And now, with Oliver’s call settling heavily on my chest and Abel still silent, I couldn’t stop thinking about Darcy’s blood staining the floor, about the message she died trying to deliver.It was all too much.I glanced over at Colton. He was lying back, his head tilted toward the ceiling, one arm draped lazily over his stomach. His eyes were half-closed, fever still riding him, but he looked better—less pale than this morning. There was a softness to his expression now, a certain peace he only seemed to wear when he wasn’t trying to carry the weight of the entire world on his shoulders.Maybe I could give him something else to focus on. Maybe I could give myself a break from everything, too. Just for a few minu
★。\|/。★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