MAXINEWe left the bed and settled down on the ground. Zel and I sat cross-legged on the floor of my room, leaning in close so we could whisper without being overheard by the guards. My heart raced in my chest as we talked, each word spoken in low tones. Our heads were almost touched by our closeness.I could feel the heaviness of what we were about to attempt pressing down on me. But, there was the feeling of anticipation that rushed through my veins. We had to make this work.“So, how does this teleportation thing work?”Zel glanced at the door before she spoke. “Teleportation is tricky,” she said. “It’s not like I can just snap my fingers and we’re out of here. There needs to be a connection between where we are and where we’re going. Do you still have that stress ball?”I remembered the stress ball she had given me the last time I was in her room. I nodded. “Yes, it's in the drawer,” I replied.“Good,” she said, “As I told you before, I need an object that I can attach my magic to
MAXINEZel turned to the door with a smile. As she left, she gave me a small nod. As the door closed and it was locked, I quickly reached into my pocket and felt the smooth surface of a small coin.It was warm to the touch. I could feel the energy of Zel’s magic on it. I curled my fingers around it. We had a plan now, a real one that might work.I sat on the edge of the bed, turning the coin over in my hand. We could get out of this mansion and away from Ronan's rule. If we could just find a way to get to Liam's allies, he might have a fighting chance to take back what belongs to him.Still, I couldn’t help but think about how big of a risk this was. If Ronan found out before we could execute it or if any of his guards suspected, it could end badly for all of us. Ronan would lock us up in a real cell.I took a deep breath and slipped the coin back into my pocket. “One step at a time,” I said to myself. “We can do it, we will do this. We have to.”The guard returned to check on me a fe
MAXINERonan’s eyes darkened. There was a mix of desire and vulnerability in his eyes. He looked like he wasn’t entirely sure if he could trust me. This new shift wasn't something he expected.But he was drawn to it and me. I could see the conflict in his eyes. There was a part of him that wanted to stay guarded and protect himself. He was warring with the part of himself that wanted to believe in this new possibility: this part of me that wanted him.I leaned in even closer, closing the distance between us. My lips were just mere inches away from his. “I’m here, Ronan,” I said quietly, almost pleading. “I’m not going anywhere, not if you don’t want me to.”He hesitated. His breath caught in his throat and his gaze dropped to my lips before they flicked back up to my eyes. “Maxine…” he started but I cut him off, pressing a finger to his lips.“Shh,” I whispered, my heart racing. “Just feel.”And then I leaned in and kissed him. It was soft and slow and I think this was the first tim
MAXINEThat morning, before breakfast, a guard came to take me out. I told him to inform Ronan that I wanted to see him and Ronan had given permission. It was as expected. The guard seemed stunned by my dress choice. Ronan must have picked out my clothes after all but he would be pleased to see me dressed in them.The guard took me to Ronan's study. He was already surrounded by papers, his brow furrowed. The door was open wide so, I knocked lightly on the doorframe. He looked up and a small smile grew on his face."Good morning," I said softly, stepping inside."Good morning," he replied, his eyes sweeping over me. I saw the pleasure in his eyes as he took in what I was wearing. “You look pretty.”“Thank you,” I smiled, moving closer to his desk. “I thought I’d join you for breakfast if you’re not too busy.”He blinked, clearly taken aback by the offer. “Breakfast?” he repeated.I nodded, leaning against the edge of his desk. I was close enough that he could smell the soft hint of per
MAXINEOne evening, we sat by the fireplace in his study, cuddled closely together. My back was pressed to Ronan's chest and we looked into the fire. “Maxine,” he began.I turned my head to look at him but my heart skipped a beat. There was something in the way he called my name. “What is it?” I asked.“This thing going on between us…” he trailed for some reason.“What about us?” I pushed for answers.He hesitated. “I think I want more,” he admitted. “I want you, Maxine. I want you.”For a moment, I felt something but I pushed it down. I turned to face him and leaned closer, letting my lips brush his ear, “Then take me, Ronan.”He kissed me. He was hard and desperate. I let myself melt into him and let myself forget everything but this moment and this feeling. Because for now, that was all I could afford to think about.It was all that I had now and I needed to make him fall hard.RONANI watched Maxine as she moved around the room. It was the next day. I was in her room and I had b
MAXINEIt was funny how easily Ronan was coming around to trusting me. He was still wary and I could see it in his eyes. I could see it when he looked at me. He was fighting against his better judgment, trying to decide if he should let his guard down.It’s exactly where I wanted him to be: standing on the edge, unsure if he should jump or hold back. Today, I decided to take things a step further. If I was going to make Ronan fall hopelessly, I had to show him the side of me that he couldn’t resist.I had to show him that I was soft, caring, and thoughtful. It was the side of me that would make him believe that I was the one person who could soothe the darkness that was in him. I knew exactly how to do it.I started my plan early the next morning. The sun was just beginning to rise but Ronan was already up, working in his study, as he often did. The man never seemed to rest.He was always focused on something. It was like he was always planning his next big move and he needed to work.
MAXINEI noticed the ones he stared at more while we walked through the garden. I knew the ones he would like. I carried it over to where he sat and handed it gently to him.He looked up, startled by my presence. “Maxine,” he said, “Once again. What are you doing here?”“I thought you might like these,” I said, gesturing to the flowers. “I’ve seen you looking at them differently when we walk through the garden.”He glanced at the flowers and then back at me, a smile on his lips. “You’re full of surprises today,” he said, putting down the book and picking up the flowers.“I like keeping you on your toes,” I replied with a grin.He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. “You’re doing a good job of it.” He said but then, there was a sad look on his face. “These were my mother's favorite flowers.”He'd never talked about his mother. It was always his father showing him brutality. I wanted to hear more about the woman who had birthed these two men.“Tell me about her,” I said, quietly, slidi
LIAMThey returned me to my cell on the ground. A day or so after the incident involving Maxine, guards entered my room and I was escorted back in chains.I thought it was going to go back to staying there until someone wanted to talk or gloat. I kept my distance from Kris and Varis. Nothing was going to change the fact that they had betrayed me.However, once again, they came to take me out for a walk. The outside world was a huge difference from the suffocating days in my cell. I listened to the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of the birds.I walked slowly, letting my eyes scan every detail and every person. I just wasn't expecting to see her out here as well. But, there she was.Maxine.She was in the garden with him. Ronan. Why was I always finding them? Were they taking me on a walk to see this?My stomach tightened and I took a few steps back, finding a tall oak tree to hide behind. From there, I watched. Kris and Varis stayed back, giving me curious looks after they not