Pulling into the parking lot of Bergstein & Associates, Colton’s harsh breath swirled through the cramped confines of the car, the anxious energy forcing his fingers to knock the wheel at a furious pace. Glancing toward him, Kate attempted to lick her lips but her tongue was dry, her throat void of any moisture. Brushing her palm against his thigh, he jumped, too absorbed in his own thoughts to be aware of his surroundings. She strained a smile as apprehensive eyes darted toward her. “You okay?”
A slight nod shifted his messy bed hair, the floppy spikes falling down on his forehead. “I just wish he’d told me what this was for.”
“I’m sure it’s all routine, baby,” Kate smiled reassuringly, leaning over to place a soft kiss against his furrowed brow. “If I recall,” she murmured, one fingertip dancing along his full lower lip. “You once told me that, and I quote, ‘do I look like t
The irritated tut vibrated through the speaker, burrowing deep in Kate’s eardrum before she had the chance to pull the phone from her face. “You owe that psycho nothing,” Paloma snapped, and Kate envisioned the harsh roll of her milk-chocolate eyes. “She grew some balls and did the right thing, for once in her pathetic life. She doesn’t deserve acknowledgment, let alone a fucking thank you.”“She didn’t have to come forward, P,” Kate argued, glancing over her shoulder to ensure Colton hadn’t snuck in the front door while she’d been occupied. “Colt was looking at jail time. She did spare him a whole court case.”“No, she didn’t. The prosecutor spared him. His lawyer spared him. She just stood up and agreed to do the bare minimum and you want to send her a bunch of flowers to say thank you?” Sucking in a sharp inhale, Kate heard her breath even out as she composed her
Hello everyone!I know it's been a little while since I've updated and I apologize. My son had a nasty fall a few days ago and split his head quite badly. It's been a rough week, monitoring him and taking him to the doctor and hospital appointments he needs to attend. I have been writing where possible, and although I had planned to release a chapter tonight, it doesn't look like it will be a possibility. I'm sorry again for the delay and will definitely have the chapter up for you tomorrow.Thank you so much for your patience! It's meant a lot at this trying time.Turquoise Grace x
Sneaking into a random room, Kate blinked, her vision slowly adjusting to the darkness as Colton shut the door behind them. Callused hands clutched her waist, spinning her around to push her up against the wall; cool concrete soothing her heated skin as his mouth collided with hers, warm tongue wasting no time in claiming hers. His teeth scraped the sensitive flesh of her lower lip as his fingers gripped her thigh, lifting and bending it with ease, allowing him the space to thrust forward, the hard length of his erection pressing firmly against the junction of her hips. The stubble of his jawline scraped against her velvety skin as he trailed hot kisses down the side of her neck, lingering at the join of her shoulder, the sweet spot that had her whimpering with every nip. Following the curve of her throat, he crouched as his lips glided across the silky fabric of her dress, pausing to graze the mounds of her breasts with his teeth, indulging in the needy whimpers that shuddered bene
The engine purred, filling the silence that consumed the car interior. Since the night at Austin’s bar, it was like Kate had relapsed – back to being afraid of every bump in the night and unable to be left on her own for longer than a few minutes. The vivid nightmares returned; cool blue eyes piercing through her flailing disposition as strong hands squeezed the delicate cartilage of her throat. Colton’s husky voice derailed her train of destructive thoughts, concerned eyes narrowing in on her. “You okay?”She hummed in acknowledgment, her teeth picking at the shredded cuticles. Colton’s hand lifted, tugging her into his chest as he stroked her hair, lips tenderly brushing against the top of her head.“I’ll always be right here. He has to get through me first and I’ll fight to the death for you, Kate. I fucking swear it.”The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach expanded, her heart cinching at the
This was not the way it was supposed to turn out.Every single thing she’d done so far had only served to infuriate Preston, to elicit yet another condescending berating about all the things she’d managed to fuck up in their short span of working together. The police being called to the gym had somehow been her fault. Her stay at Colton’s being cut short had earned her an earful, regardless of the fact that Kate worked for a goddamn domestic violence organization – and one that found accommodation for victims at that. She did admit that destroying Colton’s mother’s dress had been a grave error, one triggered by her jealousy listening to the breathy moans traveling from their bedroom, Kate’s needy whimpers and Colton’s erotic grunts. She’d started looking for a distraction and lo and behold, the dress had been right there, perfectly positioned beneath her bed as if it were waiting for her. As she unboxed it, realizing exact
Kate sat at the counter, tapping her foot lightly against the metal base of the stool, black-painted nails drumming on the reactive glaze of her mug, glasses fogging up as she took a long sip of coffee. Soft music trickled from Colton’s ancient boom box, stashed precariously in the narrow corner of the countertop; his first port of call every morning. It had quickly become Kate’s favourite part of the day, hearing the hard click of the switch, followed by the grainy tunes dancing through the quiet apartment, Colton’s raspy morning voice joining in on the symphony. She smiled at the thought, flipping over the page of the newspaper as she mouthed along to the old school rock filtering through the kitchen.The front door creaked as it opened, Kate’s gaze traversing over her shoulder and smiling at the sweaty figure slipping through the entrance. His wifebeater was bunched in his fist, basketball shorts sitting low on the deep v crease of his hips, his thi
The bed squeaked as Kate shifted, one arm sleepily reaching out for the solid mass that was Colton. Her palm hit cool linen, the empty space beside her in Paloma’s small spare bed feeling gigantic. There was no lingering scent of cigarettes, no woody leather or mint from his toothpaste drifting in her direction, no soothing touch from his callused fingertips… It always took her being away from him to realize just how prominent his presence was in her life. The memories of yesterday morning came flooding back; the envelope, the photograph, Colton kicking her out again.From beside her, her cell vibrated – almost off the nightstand where she’d precariously balanced it before she fell asleep – and she jolted upright, scrambling to answer the call. She’d planned to be furious at Colton, but the lack of his presence had made her far too forgiving… already.“Hello?”“Hey, sorry I missed your
Boots thumped up the staircase, a harsh clomp that resounded in Colton’s ears – yet another set of feet that weren’t Kate’s. He’d called fuck knows how many times, each time the phone ringing out, her sweet lilt echoing through the speaker, requesting he leave a message. He had. Too many to count, desperation sinking in as he reverted from casually wanting to talk to pleading for her to return his calls. Just as his thoughts wandered to the image of Harry’s hand against her forearm burned in his mind, the door handle twisted, Colton’s eyes snapping across to watch. It turned one way and then the other, before a hard fist collided with the wood, a loud knock echoing through the apartment. Dark brows knitted together, the realization that it wasn’t Kate returning only making way for more questions.Pushing himself off the kitchen stool, he padded to the front door, bare feet scuffing against the floor. As his hand hit the co