ELENAI felt the weight of his words, pressing down on my already aching heart. Twenty minutes was what it took for everything to go down. The look on Rylan's face, the disbelief, the doubt in his eyes felt like a kick to my guts. Even if it wasn't what the situation was made to look like, I had still kept things from him. I thought it was for the good but it wasn't. I realized it too late. I hurt him, I caused him this immense heartbreak. The burden of the realization weighed me down to the point that I just slumped down on the bed. I looked back at the photos laying there but before I could feel the fresh rush of hatred or anger for Mason, my eyes fell on a letter beside it.Rylan,I hope you see these for what it is. Your little wife isn't so faithful after all it seems! Mason.My jaws clenched as I tried to breathe in through my nose. I wanted to slip into the driver's seat and run over his lying ass at the first chance I would get but what I needed at the moment was t
RYLANElena was more addictive than anything I had ever come across. Every time she peered up at me with those intoxicating blue eyes I was lost a little more in them. From the moment I had sunk into her, I knew I was done for. I couldn't have stopped even if I wanted to. Honestly I didn't want to either. It was around four in the morning that we were laying in bed. I had my hands wrapped around her waist as I spooned her from behind. I was thoroughly exhausted but still not sleepy. From what I could make out listening to her uneven breathing, she wasn't sleeping either. "After I broke up with Mason...it was just too difficult for me." I had gone stiff against Elena at the mention of his name. I didn't know why she brought him up again but something heavy was settling down on my chest. The amount of emotions loaded in her voice felt like a pinch. Why did the gulp feel so painful? "I had been with that guy for so long and he just...his betrayal had shaken me." I wasn't
ELENARylan's fingers traced the length of my upper arm. I let myself enjoy the feel of his smooth muscles under my palms as I lay with my eyes closed, allowing myself a few more minutes to bask in the moment. "I know you have been awake for some time now." I unconsciously bit down on my lower lip feeling like a child who had been caught stealing candy. Peeling my eyes open, I raised myself up on my elbow and set my gaze on him. The refracted rays of the sun accentuated every feature on his strikingly handsome face. I could literally spend hours just admiring this fine specimen of a man. "Good morning!" I drawled. His responding smile was slow, almost lazy. I was a tad bit envious of his thick long lashes. "Now the morning wouldn't be that good without a kiss, would it?" He looped his hands around my waist. "I'll take a hard pass. Morning breath." I said sitting up. Kissing without brushing my teeth? Just wasn't me. His eyes slightly narrowed before he gave a sl
ELENAAlmost half an hour was spent and I was still reading the same page. Distractions came in forms. Like at the moment I was completely preoccupied by this huge distraction that walked into the room in the form of my husband. It should be illegal to look this attractive in just sweats. I was too sore from last night to entertain thoughts about this gorgeous man. I forced my eyes back to my book, determined to finish the confrontation part within the next five minutes. Well that was until he sat down right in front of me, scrolling through his phone. Damn it! He smells nice! "Glad you think so." I could feel the pure male satisfaction oozing out of him. I clenched my eyes shut, completely horrified. "Of course. I said that aloud." A deep resounding chuckle rumbled from his chest. I playfully rolled my eyes and went back to my book. I wasn't completing it anytime soon. His constant stare was making it even harder. "What?"I snapped my book shut, finally
RYLANI stole another glance of Elena sleeping peacefully with her hair sprawled all over the pillow. I didn’t know how to do this. These were probably a few last moments of her peace for a while now. However selfish or irrational it might sound, I didn’t want to break the news to her, but I had to. I sat down and gently touched her cheek. Her eyes peeled open before she flashed me a lazy smile. “Good morning.” I licked my lips, unable to offer even a tight lipped smile. “Get up.” “What happened?” She sat up with furrowed brows. “Your Dad.” Her face immediately paled a few shades. I swallowed before completing the rest of it. “He suffered another attack.” Elena gave out a shaky exhale before letting out a weak “When?” “This morning. Dean called a minute ago.” “We need to go.” I nodded. “Go change.”Elena looked worried out of her mind. Another attack after that big a surgery? She knew the possible consequences. She almost stumbled her way up to
ELENA“Dad, I can’t.” I whined. Water has always scared me. That’s precisely the reason I was twelve and still didn’t know how to swim. This summer I was going to learn, I vowed. But now as I sat by the pool with Dad, I was backpedaling pretty fast. Dad smiled. “You can, sweetheart.” I was immediately shaking my head in disagreement. He sighed before stepping into the pull. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here, aren’t I?” “But I’ll drown.” “No. You won’t.” He outstretched his hand for me to take. I took it, stepping in. “I’ll always get you.” He looked into my eyes and I believed his words more than anything in this world. We both dipped in but just as our heads were under water, I felt my grip on his hand loosening. He was drifting away and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t grasp his fingers. “Dad?” As soon as I opened my mouth to scream water filled in. So much water. I couldn’t breathe. I knew I was drowning but Dad wasn’t here. “Dad!” My eyes shut and the wate
ELENAI was awake lying on my side. Rylan wasn’t sleeping either, figured from his uneven breathing. There was at least a foot distance between us. I knew he was hurting too but I was too fucking lost to be there for him. Lost under the weight of everything and there was no one I could blame for anything. It was all on me. The guilt was slowly suffocating me. “Talk to me.” I stiffened, not realizing that I was holding my breath. I let it out when his fingers gently weaved through my hair. “Look at me, Love.” I did. Rylan’s soft command compelled me to turn around. Those warm brown orbs always did comfort me. “I can’t see you like this. And there’s very little I can do if you shut me out like this.” His voice held a certain helplessness that I wouldn’t have ever expected from him. He had always been so composed, so in control. Staring at him, I felt this tightness in my chest. Another beat of silence passed between us before I scooted closer to him. Rylan w
ELENAIt’s beautiful! I wondered to myself. I didn’t realize the words had come out loud. “If this amazes you, let me show you another property. It's a ten minutes' ride from here.” “I don’t want to see another property. This is everything I could ask for.” “You like it?” Rylan had been standing silently until now. We had been to two more properties before this and every time he had been quietly staring at my face, trying to read my thoughts. My head whips around to face him. “Did you see the library?” “That property has more amenities than this one.” The agent pressed. Rylan looked from his face to mine. “Want to take a look?” “Do you?” I asked. He surely did have his preferences and I wasn’t sure this one appealed to him as much as it did to me. He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I’m fine with whatever you want, Love.” “Well, let’s see. This one has a waterfall, a swimming pool, a huge ass lawn for our kids to play, an outdoor kitchen
ELENA“Mom, I’m hungry!” Alex said in a sing-song manner while hopping into the kitchen. He was six now, the dreadful age and he wasn’t the most agreeable kid either. He was fussy with almost everything except for food. He loved food, all types of it and I counted it as a blessing. “Well, sit down. Dinner’s ready.” I brought the tray in and set it on the table. Aiden ruffled Alex’s hair while passing his chair before taking a seat. Normally we would have dinner together but today it was past time. So I served them two plates. Alex dived in the very second. “I go upstairs and bring Ava here for dinner.” I said before pointedly looking at Aiden. “Don’t bring that up.” Only after he offered a curt nod, I went down the hall towards Ava’s room. The door was locked as expected. I knocked. “I don’t wanna talk to anyone.” Ava’s muffled voice came through. “Not even me?” Took some seconds before the door finally opened. There she stood with a long face.
RYLANThe door to my office creaked open and my pouting wife came into view. “I miss you.” Fuck. I really needed to work. Elena was in thirty-eighth week of her pregnancy. Even after Stacey was always at Elena’s heels, I had been working from home for a month. That way I could keep from stressing my ass off. I made a split second decision and logged off. Some things at work needed my attention but my wife came first. “Come here.” She flashed me a huge grin before walking inside. I watched as she slowly lowered herself on the couch. I did too, pulling her closer so that her weight was resting on me. She had been really clingy throughout the pregnancy and I wasn't complaining. In fact we had some great sex owing to her increased levels of horniness. I was a happy man. “I want a boy.” Elena said gently caressing her bump. Only last night she wanted a girl. I, on the other hand, was rooting for a boy. Another daughter would be too much work. As it is the t
ELENAIt’s beautiful! I wondered to myself. I didn’t realize the words had come out loud. “If this amazes you, let me show you another property. It's a ten minutes' ride from here.” “I don’t want to see another property. This is everything I could ask for.” “You like it?” Rylan had been standing silently until now. We had been to two more properties before this and every time he had been quietly staring at my face, trying to read my thoughts. My head whips around to face him. “Did you see the library?” “That property has more amenities than this one.” The agent pressed. Rylan looked from his face to mine. “Want to take a look?” “Do you?” I asked. He surely did have his preferences and I wasn’t sure this one appealed to him as much as it did to me. He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I’m fine with whatever you want, Love.” “Well, let’s see. This one has a waterfall, a swimming pool, a huge ass lawn for our kids to play, an outdoor kitchen
ELENAI was awake lying on my side. Rylan wasn’t sleeping either, figured from his uneven breathing. There was at least a foot distance between us. I knew he was hurting too but I was too fucking lost to be there for him. Lost under the weight of everything and there was no one I could blame for anything. It was all on me. The guilt was slowly suffocating me. “Talk to me.” I stiffened, not realizing that I was holding my breath. I let it out when his fingers gently weaved through my hair. “Look at me, Love.” I did. Rylan’s soft command compelled me to turn around. Those warm brown orbs always did comfort me. “I can’t see you like this. And there’s very little I can do if you shut me out like this.” His voice held a certain helplessness that I wouldn’t have ever expected from him. He had always been so composed, so in control. Staring at him, I felt this tightness in my chest. Another beat of silence passed between us before I scooted closer to him. Rylan w
ELENA“Dad, I can’t.” I whined. Water has always scared me. That’s precisely the reason I was twelve and still didn’t know how to swim. This summer I was going to learn, I vowed. But now as I sat by the pool with Dad, I was backpedaling pretty fast. Dad smiled. “You can, sweetheart.” I was immediately shaking my head in disagreement. He sighed before stepping into the pull. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here, aren’t I?” “But I’ll drown.” “No. You won’t.” He outstretched his hand for me to take. I took it, stepping in. “I’ll always get you.” He looked into my eyes and I believed his words more than anything in this world. We both dipped in but just as our heads were under water, I felt my grip on his hand loosening. He was drifting away and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t grasp his fingers. “Dad?” As soon as I opened my mouth to scream water filled in. So much water. I couldn’t breathe. I knew I was drowning but Dad wasn’t here. “Dad!” My eyes shut and the wate
RYLANI stole another glance of Elena sleeping peacefully with her hair sprawled all over the pillow. I didn’t know how to do this. These were probably a few last moments of her peace for a while now. However selfish or irrational it might sound, I didn’t want to break the news to her, but I had to. I sat down and gently touched her cheek. Her eyes peeled open before she flashed me a lazy smile. “Good morning.” I licked my lips, unable to offer even a tight lipped smile. “Get up.” “What happened?” She sat up with furrowed brows. “Your Dad.” Her face immediately paled a few shades. I swallowed before completing the rest of it. “He suffered another attack.” Elena gave out a shaky exhale before letting out a weak “When?” “This morning. Dean called a minute ago.” “We need to go.” I nodded. “Go change.”Elena looked worried out of her mind. Another attack after that big a surgery? She knew the possible consequences. She almost stumbled her way up to
ELENAAlmost half an hour was spent and I was still reading the same page. Distractions came in forms. Like at the moment I was completely preoccupied by this huge distraction that walked into the room in the form of my husband. It should be illegal to look this attractive in just sweats. I was too sore from last night to entertain thoughts about this gorgeous man. I forced my eyes back to my book, determined to finish the confrontation part within the next five minutes. Well that was until he sat down right in front of me, scrolling through his phone. Damn it! He smells nice! "Glad you think so." I could feel the pure male satisfaction oozing out of him. I clenched my eyes shut, completely horrified. "Of course. I said that aloud." A deep resounding chuckle rumbled from his chest. I playfully rolled my eyes and went back to my book. I wasn't completing it anytime soon. His constant stare was making it even harder. "What?"I snapped my book shut, finally
ELENARylan's fingers traced the length of my upper arm. I let myself enjoy the feel of his smooth muscles under my palms as I lay with my eyes closed, allowing myself a few more minutes to bask in the moment. "I know you have been awake for some time now." I unconsciously bit down on my lower lip feeling like a child who had been caught stealing candy. Peeling my eyes open, I raised myself up on my elbow and set my gaze on him. The refracted rays of the sun accentuated every feature on his strikingly handsome face. I could literally spend hours just admiring this fine specimen of a man. "Good morning!" I drawled. His responding smile was slow, almost lazy. I was a tad bit envious of his thick long lashes. "Now the morning wouldn't be that good without a kiss, would it?" He looped his hands around my waist. "I'll take a hard pass. Morning breath." I said sitting up. Kissing without brushing my teeth? Just wasn't me. His eyes slightly narrowed before he gave a sl
RYLANElena was more addictive than anything I had ever come across. Every time she peered up at me with those intoxicating blue eyes I was lost a little more in them. From the moment I had sunk into her, I knew I was done for. I couldn't have stopped even if I wanted to. Honestly I didn't want to either. It was around four in the morning that we were laying in bed. I had my hands wrapped around her waist as I spooned her from behind. I was thoroughly exhausted but still not sleepy. From what I could make out listening to her uneven breathing, she wasn't sleeping either. "After I broke up with Mason...it was just too difficult for me." I had gone stiff against Elena at the mention of his name. I didn't know why she brought him up again but something heavy was settling down on my chest. The amount of emotions loaded in her voice felt like a pinch. Why did the gulp feel so painful? "I had been with that guy for so long and he just...his betrayal had shaken me." I wasn't