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44|Open Wound
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
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Save Him 45|Unholy Thoughts
The chat exploded for another day.No one knew what went down between the big boss and the girl from the office support area. After all, the blinds were closed for a large part of their meeting. So all they could do was speculate.And speculate they did.The longer Natalie remained mum, the more ridiculous the gossip and theories became.Someone suggested her brother had died, and Levi had come to the third floor to break the news to her.A few people didn't buy this, though, insisting that wasn't the case at all. It turned out Natalie had embezzled company funds to pay for her brother's treatment. Levi, being so kind-hearted, had given her the option to resign quietly.Natalie siphoning money from Chassis seemed to be the most plausible story, and it held steady for a few hours until someone claiming to be in the know came up with the juiciest explanation. Natalie and the big boss were in a secret relationship, and the fight in the meeting room was their first lovers' quarrel.Natali
Save Him 46|Welcome To The Taylors
Leaving Rock Union was a nightmare.Traffic lights were out for a few blocks, causing cars to move at a snail pace for over an hour. At some point, they came to a complete standstill, and with nothing else to do, Natalie cranked up the volume, Emily lowered the roof of her car, and they sang along and danced to the music, their arms in the air.A red Jeep pulled up beside them, and two guys around their age stuck out their heads through the passenger window and blew kisses at them.Natalie and Emily flirted right back, and just for those few minutes, they were like any normal kid their age, happy and carefree.Then a slow jam came on, something about misunderstandings and running away. Natalie melted in her seat and sighed, thinking about Levi.Was he still at the office, working hard?What did he actually do?Attend a bunch of meetings, then maybe play golf and go on dates?The thought of him going on dates with a woman who wasn't her upset Natalie deeply."Are you okay, kiddo?" Emil
Save Him 47|Hurricane Levi
Levi's reign of terror began when one of the devs from the R&D team picked up a bug during a beta run of the new game, causing a crash to desktop seconds into startup.The devs tried to sort it out themselves in the basement. But by the time the news of the bug hit the tenth floor, they were already swimming up shit creek with no solution in sight.An unexpected bug and an incompetent team of developers were the perfect outlets for Levi's rage, which had been brewing quietly since his confrontation with Natalie.He grabbed his laptop, raced to the basement and announced everyone would work through the night if they had to. Nobody was allowed to so much as scratch themselves until there was a fix in place.He took up residence in one of the meeting pods and joined the fray.Angela came in a couple of times to check on him, leaving behind a cup of coffee each time. By the time he looked up from his screen, there were six or so lined up on the table and two unopened sandwich packs.He ya
Save Him 48|Home
Natalie had barely turned her key in the lock when the front door burst open, and her siblings ran out, squealing their joy, "Nat, you're home!""I told you not to wait up for me!" she scolded them but still allowed them to smother her with hugs and kisses before they turned their attention to Emily.Both fell in love with her friend instantly, but for very different reasons.Amber liked Emily's weird sense of humour, and she couldn't stop gushing her gratitude—and relief— that Natalie had someone looking out for her back in the big bad city.Jamie had hearts in his eyes every time he looked at her friend, and Natalie was pretty sure it had very little to do with the collection of past game copies of Speed Freak—all signed by the lead developer—she'd brought him.After a few minutes of catching up, Amber ushered them to the back of the house, where a modest breakfast spread awaited them in the kitchen.Natalie and Emily were ravenous since the last meal they had was at the first bus st
Save Him 49|Like June
Sparrow Beach was so small it took tourists a little over an hour to cover it in its entirety, and that's how long it took Natalie to show Emily around."So why is it called Sparrow Beach? I haven't seen a single sparrow since I've been here?" Emily asked as they paused in the town square, and she snapped photos of the statues of the founding fathers.Natalie shrugged. She'd spent twenty-four years of her life here but couldn't remember seeing sparrows either. There were lots of gulls, though. "I suppose it sounded better than Gull Beach?"The sun beat down on them hard as they walked around the square, sipping their lemonade. Natalie fanned herself with her hand to drive away the unyielding heat. The humid weather all year round was probably the only thing she didn't miss about this place.She took her friend to Long Street next, the longest road in town and the only way to get in or out. It was also home to the grocery store, pharmacy, butchery, barbershop, pub, coffee shop, bakery
Save Him 50|Gave Up Gracefully
Natalie stopped at the pharmacy to fill out her script before she joined Emily at Joe's. She found her playing pool with Casey, surprised they were getting along like old friends."Looks like you guys have met," she said as she placed their drinks at a nearby table.Casey lost interest in the game as soon as he saw her. He rushed to her side and caressed her cheek. "Natalie Taylor, how I've missed you.""Casey Landon, it's always good to see you!" Natalie touched his hand gently and smiled.A light flashed in their direction, and they turned to see Emily taking photos."God, Em. I'm starting to feel like I'm at the zoo here. How many pictures have you taken so far?""Not nearly enough! Now cuddle closer!" she instructed them, and Casey was only too happy to do her bidding and pose for a couple more photos.Natalie pulled away from Casey when her phone chimed incessantly with notifications, immediately wishing the world would open and swallow her up when she looked through the messages
Save Him 51|Burn Everything Down-Part 1
Levi stopped at the shopping centre not too far from his place and wasted too many minutes trying to decide what to get Liam and Eden.He didn't know what married people liked or needed. Hell, other than Liam, all his buddies were still flying solo.Unable to decide between a pop-up toaster and a fancy kettle, he grabbed both and stopped at the toy store next. There, he knew what to get. After all, he was a big kid at heart.Ten minutes later, he was at Liam's penthouse.Dave, his pal's longtime butler, buzzed him in, almost crushing him to death with his enthusiasm as he gave him a gigantic hug. "If it isn't the young Mr Van Holt, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!""It's great to see you, too, Dave." Levi swallowed hard, forcing down the lump in his throat when bittersweet memories of all the days he'd spent at Liam's childhood home in Glen Eagles stirred to life."Come in." The older man ushered him inside and led him to the open plan living area.For a bewildering moment, Levi thoug
Save Him 52|Burn Everything Down-Part 2
"I'm sorry," Levi said when they were alone. "I thought it would be a great keepsake for him.""I appreciate the thought," Liam nodded. "But three years on, it's still so hard to look at anything that has to do with that part of my past. You must think I'm pathetic.""No, I think letting go of your first love is never easy," Levi shook his head. He knew it had almost killed his friend when he had to quit racing and take over as the CEO of Anderson Logistics."I don't regret it," Liam carried on. "I mean, I wouldn't have met Eden. I guess things happen for a reason.""Of course," Levi agreed as he grabbed his laptop and followed him to the patio.His place was a few blocks away, but from up here, the view of Green Point's hiking trail and the surrounding hills was truly unparalleled, and he took a moment to really appreciate it."So, what can I do you for?" Liam asked when they'd arranged themselves around the table in front of the sparkling lap pool.Before Levi could dive into his pr
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Save Him 214|Follow The Sun
"Something's different," Natalie murmured as she flicked her gaze through the room.Levi gave her a back hug and kissed the top of her head. "I installed shutters.""Why?""This is our second home, Nat, and I wanted you to feel safe and comfortable.""Thank you," she turned around and hugged him, resting her head on his chest. "The windows don't look as scary and frightening as they did when I first stayed over.""That was the plan. To make them look less frightening." He tapped her nose and asked, "are you hungry?""For something else.""I was hoping you'd say that!" he replied and promptly threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes as he carried her to their bedroom."You sexy brute!" Natalie scolded him. "Put me down. The housekeepers will see us!"But he paid her no mind and only set her down once they were in their room."Say it again," he commanded as he moved over her on the bed and nibbled her lower lip. "Tell me all the filthy things you want me to do to you."Natalie
Save Him 213|Precious Love
Natalie had to blink a few times at the picturesque scene before her. It was hard to believe this place, decorated splendidly in ivory and silver motifs, was the same town hall used by Sparrow Beach's residence association to host their weekly meetings."This is amazing," she whispered as she swept her gaze through the room, at all the tiny details, the little things she would never have thought of if she was left to her own devices. Cynthia and the wedding planners had done an incredible job transforming it into a venue fit for a grand wedding reception. Natalie couldn't pry her eyes away from string fairy lights draping the ceiling. But the smell of white lilies permeating the room transported her back to her balcony at The Empress the night Levi proposed to her, and she turned him down. It felt like a lifetime ago, and as she gave him a sidelong glance and caught him looking at her, she couldn't help but be glad he never gave up on her, and she had the sense to say yes on his sixth
Save Him 212|Runaway Bride
At the altar, Seth and Mark seemed to be way more nervous than Levi."Are you sure about this?" Mark asked for the hundredth time, and Levi gritted his teeth for the hundredth time."How many times should I tell you? I love Nat, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her.""Well, I'm just saying marriage is forever, you know." Mark dabbed his forehead with his handkerchief."Why are you sweating? It's not even your wedding," Seth said as he pulled out his own handkerchief and patted his face."Can I have some water?" Liam asked. "God, I need some water. What did that crazy Russian do to me last night?""You fell for his dare again," Mark tried to fill in the blanks for him. "He made you a Russian fuck bomb—that's what he called it. Still don't know what was in it. But you were a goner after you drank that shit, and we had to help Eden carry you back to your room at the B&B.""No wonder she's mad as fuck at me," Liam whispered. "Is she looking at me right now? Guys, I can feel he
Save Him 211|Heart Is At Ease
The weatherman had predicted strong winds and heavy rain. But Natalie's big day dawned bright and sunny. The sky was as blue as the ocean behind her house, with no cloud in sight. Amber and Colleen thought it was a good omen, and Emily, not a believer of anything really, agreed with them."You are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen," Amber said for what felt like the hundredth time since Natalie had stepped into her wedding dress.They were in one of the smaller administration rooms on the chapel's grounds, and the stylists had turned it into a makeshift dressing room."What are you talking about? I'm the only bride you've ever seen!" Natalie teased, but she really was overwhelmed by all the love her sister and friends had shown her, and she was trying so hard not to cry and ruin her makeup."Just accept the compliment already," Colleen scolded her as she fussed over the hem of Natalie's dress."Yeah, Nat, you need to learn to work on accepting compliments graciously," Emily agre
Save Him 210|Cold Feet
"Is everything okay with you two?" Colleen approached him. "I'm sensing a weird vibe. Are you guys getting cold feet?""I don't know about Nat, but I'm not," Levi replied and pushed his hands in his pockets. "How was she today? I don't know…These last two weeks, she's been so calm.""And how is that a bad thing?""Because I know Nat. A wedding is a huge, life-altering event, and she doesn't do life-altering events well. Her knee-jerk reaction is to run. I'm just scared that—Never mind.""No," Colleen refused to let him leave her with half the info. "You're scared of what?""She's too calm, Leeny. The last time she was this way was when she threw you the welcome party. The very next day, she made a run for it without telling me about the twins.""That was months ago!" Colleen reminded him. "You're overthinking this. I've seen the way Nat looks at you. She's crazy about you and your babies. She won't leave you in the lurch! Besides, where would she run to? This is her home town."Right,
Save Him 209|Midnight Rendezvous
Julian and Andrei took it upon themselves to throw Levi the biggest and craziest bachelor party Sparrow Beach had ever seen.And Levi was only happy to blame Mark for everything."What did I do? I followed your 'no bachelor party' rule to the T." His best friend held up his hands as they watched Liam, Jaxon and Matthew try to outdrink each other over a beer pong game."That's exactly why it's your fault. You didn't enforce the rule hard enough," Levi replied, his attention stolen away briefly by Julian and Andrei sipping champagne from the navel of one of the three models-slash-strippers they'd flown in for the occasion.The said model was laid out on the pool table, her half-naked body out on display for everyone to see, and Levi wondered just how Joe had allowed this debauchery to carry on at his family-friendly establishment."Seriously, Mark, as my best man, how do you think Natalie will feel about all this crap?"Ten—maybe even two years ago—this was totally his scene. But now, a
Save Him 208|One Thing Right At Least
In theory, the idea of having twins had sounded fun and appealing. But the reality was far from it, as Natalie and Levi soon learned over the next few weeks.Indeed, it was double the blessing, double the fun, and double the joy. But it was also double the work, and it didn't help that the first week after they brought them home, Juno and Mars decided to go on different sleep schedules.If she and Levi didn't have a strong support system to rely on, Natalie knew they would have lost their minds in those first few weeks.Mrs Ackerman semi-moved in with them, splitting her time between the Blue Mountains and Green Point. It was nice having her around; she was a pro at the never-ending laundry of tiny-sized human clothes and the general upkeep of the house.Levi suggested hiring a nanny full time, but Natalie wasn't sold on the idea. She wanted to be hands-on and involved in the twins' upbringing."Love, it's not working," he said after one particularly difficult night. They were running
Save Him 207|Life's Little Moments
Natalie received a clean bill of health five days after the twins' arrival, and two days later, they were all finally allowed to leave the hospital.After months of being cooped up in bed and eating terrible hospital food, she couldn't get home fast enough.She couldn't stop raving about all the stuff she'd do when they got home, like taking an actual shower and sleeping in her own bed—all the things she used to take for granted before her bed rest.Zachary and Carlos picked them up, and they spent a few minutes gazing at the twins in their double infant stroller, trying to decide who they resembled the most."I really can't tell who they look like," Carlos admitted at last."Neither can we," Levi said with a smile as he covered the twins with a light blanket and turned to Natalie. "Ready to go?"She took one last look around the ward, ensuring they had all their stuff. Satisfied everything was packed away, she nodded. "Yep, let's go home."She hooked her arm around Levi's, and he pus
Save Him 206|Juno and Mars
Levi called his assistant on his way back to the hospital and cancelled all his meetings for the week."Sir," Angela said before they could hang up. "We are all thinking of you. Norah and Natalie's team are beside themselves with worry. But she's a fighter. She'll be out of the hospital in no time.""Thank you," he smiled into the phone, praying with all his heart she was right. He'd lose his mind if anything had to happen to Natalie and their twins. They'd come too far for him to lose her now, especially after everything they'd been through.After he hung up from Angela, he called Amber. She was hysterical, and it took him a long time to calm her down and assure her Natalie, and their babies were fine, and there was no need for them to drive down to Rock Union.He was immensely relieved when he found Natalie sitting up, chatting with his folks and her bestie.Now that he was back, his parents and Emily excused themselves, promising to return later to relieve him."See, I told you I'l
