★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★Rachel was complaining about Ezra, and how he’s taking Benny on a week trip out of the city. Without her. She’s upset because she can’t do anything, if she goes to court Ezra will win. He knows the best lawyers, and it also doesn’t help that one of the best divorce lawyers is Lincoln. Our older brother. I listened as much as I could while the heat was trying to melt me. God, I’m gonna need another shower. Why the fuck is it so hot here? And Colton’s house has no air conditioning. It has fans. But what good will those do for me?“- I’m so frustrated. Can’t he just talk to me? What is wrong with him?”I sighed. “Rachel, I am stranded in this town for the next few months. I cannot be the buffer between you and Ezra. Talk to my father, he might be able to help. Or here’s an idea, Rachel give him some space. Ezra is feeling hurt and vengeful right now. The only reason he’s trying to think rationally is because you two have Benny. Let him take Benny for the br
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥As expected sending my brother and sister to get Vanessa didn’t go as well as it should. The whole day i did my work, i was thrown by a wild horse into a mud pit for the pigs. This is what happens when your family invests in every thing. We have a chicken coup, pigs pen, horse barn, cows, bulls, dogs, people. Like fuck. And the crops. The crops as well. Which leads to insects, and a million more problems. Let me tell you right now i am exhausted, but i love it. This is a day’s work. A slow day at that. I returned home soaked in mud, and smelling rank when my brother ross road up in a horse. The sun had set long ago, and i was fucking tired, and hungry. I’d skipped lunch for good reasons. The reasons all being that i had too much to do i couldn’t take a moment to eat. What the hell was ross doing here anyways?His house isn’t close to mine.“You won’t believe the ass on your guest.”I would have dropped my jaw if i wasn’t trying to avoid getting mud into my mou
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★No mainstream channels, and he turned me down? The nerve. To even say I’m the girl guys fuck before they find their missus right. I am so fucking pissed off. I could seduce him. I could totally fucking do it, I haven’t even tried. He doesn’t know. I would have made his night. Instead, I’m here watching the local news while he eats his dinner. I sighed, I shouldn’t even be upset. He’s nothing special, but his comment irks me. Why the fuck did he say that? That’s not a compliment at all, it’s a fucking insult to me. Like I’m Missus wrong?I glanced around the room. He’s not wrong, actually, if you consider my boundaries and the sort of shit I’m into, I’m not for the faint of heart. I picked up my phone and went through my company group chat. The people on my floor were discussing the latest cases. God these are so intense. Trafficking, the mayor’s daughter was taken last night. Holy damn, that’s fucked up. They have to find her before she’s moved out of
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I wasn’t sure how long I was there in the bathroom stall, trying to calm myself down as my brain was going haywire. My heart was beating so fast, and I was crying. Eventually, I was able to reel it in and step out of the stall. I turned on the tap and splashed some water on my face. I looked at myself in the mirror. Taking in my clothes, my body language, and the sadness I could see in my eyes. I need to put on a good poker face. The stall next to the one I’d been in popped open, and a girl walked out. Tall, beautiful dark skin, black curly hair, brown eyes, busty, and dressed in a floral dress. She reminded me of me if only I were taller. “You okay, honey?”Had she heard me crying? She must have. She came towards the sink to wash her hands and I shook my head.“No, I’m having a crappy day.”She offered me a sympathetic smile. “Anything I can do?”“I don’t suppose you know where I can get wasted?”She grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Honey I
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★Riding the bicycle back to the farm late at night, with my eyes fuzzy was not a good idea. I had to paddle slowly. I’ve walked down the busy manhanttan streets while drunk off my ass before. I made it hope in under two hours from the club, and i only got hit on four times, and pepper sprayed two guys. I do not recommend going home by foot or alone when drunk, and i do not recommend riding a bicycle down a hiker trail in the middle of the night. It is unsafe. I have to keep my speed slow to avoid death.I came across Colton, he was tugging the body of a sheep. How much cattle do they own?Colton spotted me in the dark, his eyes glowing like bright lights. “What the.... are you out of your mind?” He tossed the sheep onto a pile of dead sheeps. From the gasoline, and the matches on the ground i think he’s planning to burn them. He’s dug a hole so they don’t to the trees, and dry twigs and set the entire forest ablaze.“Oh my god, cowboy!” I turned, lifting m
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I looked at colton over and over again. His strong arms, muscular back, firm ass in his boxers, the taste of mint in my mouth, his handsome features, his shirt on my body. What in god’s name? Why am i in... this is the room he gave me so it’s not an accident that he ended up sleeping here. I can see his trousers on the floor next to the bed. And his shoes. My skirt, shirt, underwear.... what the hell happened? Not that i would complain, but I’d like to remember him if i fucked him. He’s a good catch- for a sex partner. All his nonsense about finding true love gives me an ick. It’s always the handsome ones that have the dumbest ideals. He stirred gently. The sun wasn’t up yet. From the clock, i could tell it was 4 AM. Colton opened his eyes one at a time, taking in my form. He rolled onto his back and sat up. Taking his time to look over the room.“Fuck, i was so tired yesterday i fell asleep in the wrong room.” he grumbles out and i sit there frozen b
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★“You’re following the sheep?” Colton looked at me, searching for the second head that I must have grown to be talking like this.“Yep, I believe there’s something you overlooked that’s causing your cattle to die. I can find it if I see the sheep’s daily routine.”“What is wrong with you? No really, were you hit on the head as a baby?” I rolled my eyes at his dramatic comment. “There is nothing wrong with me. I’m not crazy. I’m trying to help.” I explained to this ungrateful bitch.“I... I really need to know what is wrong with you. How do you have a career? What do you make in a month?”“Thirty grand.” I don’t like the surprised look that was on his face. “What you thought I didn’t have a career? That I was some spoiled rich girl from the city.”“Yes. You drive to a town without doing prior research, you don’t like packs, and you seem to think flaunting around in a stranger’s house nude is acceptable.”“Oh my god, you fucking prude,” I yell and the peopl
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥I tapped on my notes with a pen as two of the members of the pack explained that our tomatoes which were supposed to be ripe by now had somehow perished, I was going to lose my mind. How did that happen? Someone is lying but I can’t call them out on it because I don’t want to accuse an innocent person. “Just, go tell Samson this. I’m going to check the rest of the crops.”“Yes sir. We’re sorry.”As they hurried off, I scratched my head as I tried to figure out what to do. This is tiring. The cattle, the crops, something is happening here that I can’t put together. I went around the crop fields, checking on each batch. We used to plant by the season but when high demand came in and my mother was gifted a stone by a witch, she decided we could plant whenever we wanted and sell to as many companies as we could find.The stone allowed each crop to grow in a manner that made them almost one of a kind. It’s still in the soil so nothing should be affecting it, unless.
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★The first touch startled me.I hadn’t even heard Colton move, but suddenly, his hands were on my shoulders, firm and sure, kneading away the tension I hadn’t even realized was there."Relax, darlin’," he murmured, his voice a deep rumble behind me.I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. My body hurt. The fire, the smoke, the shift—it had all caught up to me. I could feel the ache deep in my muscles, settling in like a storm about to roll in.Colton seemed to sense it too."You’re gonna have a headache soon," he said, his hands never stopping their slow, methodical movements. "Take these before it gets worse."I glanced at the painkillers he placed on the table next to me, along with a bottle of water. I’d finished the one I was drinking. I didn’t tell him that I was resting just fine until he slammed the door when he came in. That I was still nervous from the whole ordeal.For a second, I considered arguing. I didn’t like taking things if I coul
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I should’ve been upstairs.I should’ve been checking on her. She feels what I feel. Her reaction told me what I needed to know.It had taken every ounce of self-control I had not to follow Vanessa up those stairs, not to wait outside her room just to make sure she was okay. But instead, I was standing in the middle of what used to be Darcy’s greenhouse, staring at the charred remains of what looked like a goddamn crime scene.The fire had gutted the place. What once was a carefully cultivated garden and lab, full of Darcy’s experiments and rare plants, was now reduced to ashes and twisted metal. The glass panels had shattered from the heat, some sections melted down completely. Blackened wood and debris caved in where the roof used to be, smoke still curling weakly from the edges, as if the fire had barely been put out in time.If Vanessa hadn’t gotten Darcy out...I swallowed hard. I didn’t like thinking about the what-ifs.Ross stood beside me, arms crossed,
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I should’ve been upstairs.I should’ve been checking on her. She feels what i feel. Her reaction told me what i needed to know.It had taken every ounce of self-control I had not to follow Vanessa up those stairs, not to wait outside her room just to make sure she was really okay. But instead, I was standing in the middle of what used to be Darcy’s greenhouse, staring at the charred remains of what looked like a goddamn crime scene.The fire had gutted the place. What once was a carefully cultivated garden and lab, full of Darcy’s experiments and rare plants, was now reduced to ashes and twisted metal. The glass panels had shattered from the heat, some sections melted down completely. Blackened wood and debris caved in where the roof used to be, smoke still curling weakly from the edges, as if the fire had barely been put out in time.If Vanessa hadn’t gotten Darcy out...I swallowed hard. I didn’t like thinking about the what-ifs.Ross stood beside me, arms cr
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I wasn’t expecting to open with Colton rushing towards me before I could even finish shifting back to my human side.Not after the way the morning started, with awkward glances and unspoken tension. Not after I’d spent the whole day trying—and failing—to push him out of my mind. Not after convincing myself that his absence in bed hadn’t meant anything- okay, I didn’t convince myself but I was going to.And yet, here he was.Standing in front of me, arms crossed, golden eyes sharp as he assessed me. His jaw was set, but there was something else beneath the rough exterior—something I couldn’t quite name.“You’re not walking back alone,” he said, his voice low and firm. The doctor had discharged me, a nice man by the name. Introduced himself to me before he rushed off to do other things.I frowned, shifting slightly on the cot I was sitting on. The medical room in Reaves’ basement smelled like antiseptic and burnt wood, a reminder of the fire that had nearly
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥 I didn’t want to let go.But I had to.Vanessa pulled the oversized shirt tighter around herself, her fingers trembling as she worked the buttons. Her hands weren’t steady—hell, she was barely holding herself up. Her knees were pressed into the dirt, her breath ragged, her throat working through another coughing fit. I clenched my fists to keep from reaching out again, from gathering her against me like I had when she stumbled out of the fire, covered in soot, blue fur shifting back to bare skin before my eyes.I had never seen a wolf like hers before. Never seen a color like that, never seen anything like her.Not that it mattered right now.I finally turned my attention to Darcy instead, kneeling beside her and pressing my fingers against her throat. She was covered in ash and debris, her face slack, lips slightly parted, but I still felt it—the faint but steady thrum of her pulse beneath my fingertips.“She’s alive,” I muttered, relief loosening something in
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥After the awkward breakfast, and seeing the woman i had slept with the night before... i decided to tackle my task for today without worrying much about the mistakes i made last night and this morning.The barn smelled like hay, leather, and the familiar musk of horses as I pulled the heavy door open. The early afternoon sun streaked through the slats in golden beams, dust swirling in the warmth. I was here to check on one of our mares, Daisy—she was due to foal in a few weeks, and I wanted to make sure she was comfortable.Ross, of course, had followed me, boots crunching against the dirt as he sauntered in like he had all the time in the world.“You know,” he started, dragging a hand through his already-messy dark hair, “I was thinkin’—Vanessa’s kinda cute. Let’s be honest, cute doesn’t cut it. She’s gorgeous.”I didn’t respond. Not because I hadn’t heard him, but because I was already expecting this conversation. Ross flirted with just about anything with a h
▄︻デ══━一 COLTON HAYES💥I stared at my phone after ending the call with Rachel, tapping my fingers against the back of it. My stomach twisted as I debated what to do.I knew I should call Ezra, check-in, and see if there was anything I could do to help. But the truth was, I already knew how that conversation would go.Ezra was done.Still, guilt pressed against my ribs. Rachel had been my best friend for years. And Benny—God, Benny was my favorite person in the world. He did not deserve to be involved in this mess. He did nothing wrong. I know the same could be said for Ezra. He’s reacting accordingly.With a sigh, I called Ezra’s number and pressed the phone to my ear.It rang twice before a tiny, excited voice answered."Aunt Nessa!"A smile broke across my face immediately. "Benny-boy!""You called me!" he giggled."Of course I did! Who else would I want to talk to?"He gasped dramatically. "Not my dad?"I laughed. "Well, maybe. But mostly you. What are you up to, huh?""I’m playing
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★I sat cross-legged on the bed, my laptop warm against my thighs, fingers hovering over the keyboard.Focus.I needed to.Breakfast had been a mess. Awkward silences stretched between bites of food, Ross flirting like nothing was weird, and Colton… watching me. His eyes had burned into me from across the table as he could see straight through my attempt to act normal. I had tried—really tried—to flirt back with Ross, to play along like I always did. But my mind was tangled in knots, and my stomach had felt too tight to eat much of anything.And then I ran.Okay, not literally. But I might as well have. A half-baked excuse about needing to write something for my blog, an awkward smile, and I was out of there before I could make a bigger fool of myself.Now, here I was, staring at a blank screen, willing myself to think about anything other than the way my chest had ached when I woke up alone.I took a deep breath, rolled my shoulders, and finally let my fin
★。\|/。★VANESSA DAVIS★。/|\。★The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the cold.The space beside me was empty. The sheets were rumpled, but the warmth was long gone. I blinked up at the ceiling, my body heavy with sleep, but my mind was already racing.He left.I should’ve expected it. Hell, I should’ve wanted it. That’s how this worked. No strings, no attachments, just a good time and a clean break. That was the rule. My rule.So why did my chest feel tight?He left his own room, before i woke up. Should i be charmed?I swallowed hard and sat up, running a hand through my hair. The room was dim, the faintest hint of morning creeping in from the edges of the curtain. I let my eyes roam over the space—his space. The scent of him still clung to the sheets, and I hated how much I noticed.Pulling the covers off, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet pressing into the hardwood floor. My clothes were scattered from the night before, a careless trail leading back to wh