Kris’s heart soared, a grin stretching across his lips as Thalassa walked into the room with Luisa. She looked radiant in a simple yet elegant white dress, her dark hair swept to one side of her neck.While Luisa shyly went to stand beside Alden, Thalassa paused at the foot of the bed, looking down at Kris with an awkward smile. It was the first smile he had received from her that wasn’t tinged with anything negative.“How are you feeling, Kris? And don’t tell me ‘fine,’” she said, her voice gentle.“My shoulder hurts a bit, but not too much,” he admitted, just happy that she was concerned.Luisa stepped forward with Alden. “Kris, I didn’t get the chance to thank you yesterday, but I can’t express how grateful I am that you saved my life.”Kris shifted in the bed, sitting up more as he smiled. “You have nothing to thank me for, Luisa. Besides, I wasn’t the only one. Alden and your brother were all part of it.”“Yes, and I’m so grateful to both of them,” Luisa said, glancing up at Alde
Thalassa wasn’t the only one caught off guard by Luisa’s offer. Kris and Alden were equally shocked.“What?” Kris asked, wanting to confirm what he’d just heard.“Yes. Since you don’t live with your family anymore, I’d like you to stay with us for a week until your wound heals a bit more.” Luisa repeated, smiling broadly. “What do you say? Do you accept?”Thalassa had gotten even more rigid now, her face expressionless but her disbelieving eyes were fixed on Luisa who seemed oblivious.“Uh… sure, I’d like to stay with you,” Kris said, his voice still stunned as he glanced at Thalassa. “But only if she’s okay with it.”Thalassa tensed even more, realizing all eyes were now on her, especially Kris’s. His gaze was hopeful and pleading.Her lips curled into a hard smile. “Why are you asking for my permission? The house belongs to Luisa too, so she can make any decision she wants. Excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”With that, she turned and walked out of the room. Watching her leave, Kris
Kris agreed with the doctor to stay for a few more hours and leave in the evening. Luisa went ahead to prepare a room at the house, while Alden went to his apartment to grab a few things for him.When it was time, Alden drove Kris to Thalassa and Luisa's house. As they pulled up in front of the building, Kris’s heart raced.The first time he'd been here, he’d snuck in and climbed up Thalassa’s balcony after suspecting she was the woman behind the mask. But today, he was going through the front door.His shoulder ached despite the painkillers, but that was the least of his concerns.He couldn’t deny he was nervous. Thalassa clearly didn’t want him here; that much was obvious. She hadn’t even returned to the hospital after leaving in the morning. Yet, despite everything, he couldn’t shake the hope that maybe, just maybe, the few days he’d be staying here would change things between them for the better.As they reached the porch and rang the doorbell, Luisa answered with a warm smile.“C
After dinner, Alden insisted on doing the dishes along with Luisa who reluctantly agreed to let him help. Once they were done, the three of them gathered in the living room to chat for about an hour.Well, the "chat" mostly consisted of Alden and Luisa flirting, while Kris sat quietly, his mind occupied with thoughts of the woman upstairs. Thalassa hadn’t bothered to come down even once.When Luisa finally decided to call it a night, Kris headed upstairs to take a shower. Alden stayed for a bit and helped him with his bandage and sling before finally leaving the house.Hours later, Kris lay on his bed, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. No matter how hard he tried, sleep refused to come. Apart from the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about Thalassa, his shoulder was hurting like a bitch.The doctor had warned him the pain would worsen at night, but he hadn’t expected it to hurt this much. It was more agonizing than when he was first shot.He had taken two aspirin tablets, but
The next day was Saturday, which meant neither Thalassa nor Luisa had anywhere to be.Kris, still dealing with the ache in his shoulder, had only managed a few hours of sleep. Stretching carefully, his arm still secured in the sling, he got out of bed. His wound still hurt, but it wasn't as bad as it had been the previous night.In the bathroom, he brushed his teeth and washed his face before heading downstairs. Thalassa and Luisa were nowhere in sight, but the aroma of freshly brewed coffee lured him into the kitchen.Luisa was sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter, her gaze fixed on her phone as she sipped her coffee. She glanced up when she saw him."Oh, hey Kris," she greeted with a smile. "I thought you would wake up much later. How did you sleep?"Kris hesitated, his mind drifting to his late-night encounter with Thalassa. "I’ve had better nights."Though sleepless nights had become a normal for him over the last three
Thick tension hung in the air as Kris and Thalassa worked together to prepare breakfast. Thalassa kept her distance, focusing on chopping vegetables while Kris rinsed the potatoes and placed them in a bowl as instructed. "I'm done," Kris announced after a few minutes. He wished he could peel them himself, but that was impossible with one arm in a sling."You can hand them over," Thalassa said, her voice as stiff as ever.Nodding, Kris took the bowl and reached it out to her. She was so intent on avoiding their hands touching that the bowl nearly slipped from her hand. "Careful," Kris said, quickly placing his hand under hers to keep the bowl steady, feeling her tense up.The position brought them close, their breaths quickening as they stared into each other’s eyes until Thalassa cleared her throat and freed her hand from his, setting the bowl onto the counter.The rest of the cooking passed in silence, with Kris stealing glanc
“No. Why would it bother me?” Thalassa replied curtly, crossing her arms tighter across her chest, but not before Kris noticed her hardened nipples slightly poking against her tank top.Heat rushed down his body, settling in his dick, but he made no effort to hide the evidence of his desire for her.He leaned in slightly, his eyes glinting with amusement. “If it doesn't bother you, then why are your cheeks so flushed? And why is your breathing a little heavier than usual?”Thalassa scowled, taking a step back. “It’s all in your head because you think too highly of yourself.”“Mm-hmm,” Kris hummed. “If that’s true, then you won’t have any trouble helping me with this bandage, right?”She rolled her eyes, her irritation clear, but there was something else in her gaze—something that made his heart race.“Your tricks aren’t going to work on me, Kris.”“No tricks,” Kris smiled as he waved the bandage and sling. “Just asking f
The ringing of his phone jolted Kris awake. Groaning, he shifted slightly and picked it up from the nightstand. He froze when he saw the caller ID—it was his mother.Kris stared at the phone for several seconds before tossing it onto the bed beside him, unanswered. It rang again, but he simply watched until it stopped.Then he sank back into his pillow with a sigh. He knew he would have to speak to his mother sooner or later.Remembering the day of the Fashion Awards show, when he accused her of being behind the sabotage, guilt twisted his stomach.She had been telling the truth that she had nothing to do with it, and yet he’d refused to believe her and said all those horrible things to her.He owed her a big apology for assuming the worst, but he would do it later. Right now, his focus was solely on winning Thalassa back.Remembering their conversation last night, guilt consumed him. He had seen the pain mixed with anger in her eyes. The pain he had caused. God, he had so much to ma
“What do you have to say for yourself, young man?” Kris demanded when Gendry remained silent for several seconds. “Did you say those things about my daughter?”Regret flashed across Gendry’s face as he nodded. “Yes.”Kris’s jaw clenched. “So you really did mean to make a fool of my daughter after all.”“No!” Gendry’s response was immediate, his voice sharp. “That was never my intention.”“Then why did my daughter hear you saying those things about her?”Gendry hesitated. “Because I..." He swallowed hard, as if he found it hard to admit his next words. “Because I felt humiliated. I was hurt that Tessa thought so little of me after I’d gone out of my way to show her how much I liked her.”Blowing out a heavy breath, he ran a hand over his face, then dragged it through his hair. “Yes, I know what I did was wrong, but back then, I thought that if we arrived separately, people would ask questions. I thought she would tell them she sent me away for being a lowlife, and I’d become the laughi
Tension crackled in the air like an overcharged high-voltage wire waiting to snap as Tessa waited for her brother to say something.Her brother, who was most certainly not capable of doing what Gendry had accused him of.When seconds passed and he still hadn’t spoken, her heart began to sink. She shifted her stance, positioning herself so she could look him straight in the eyes.“What is he saying, Alex?” she repeated, her voice laced with urgency. “Tell me he’s wrong. He’s wrong, isn’t he? You didn’t say any of those things to him. He’s lying, right?”The longer Alex kept his silence, the more her heart plummeted, and the faster her patience wore thin. Finally, the wire snapped.“Alex!” she bit out, smacking him hard on the chest. “Answer me, damn it!”Her voice rang out louder than she intended, the sharp sound echoing back at her like a taunt. She searched her brother’s face, but his expression remained frustratingly impassive.Just seconds later, the dining hall doors swung open,
Stiffening , Gendry let out a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was to deal with this control freak.He turned his head to glance at Alex for a second before looking away again, keeping his gaze fixed on the sky. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.Alex stepped closer, standing beside him, his posture rigid. “Whatever game you’re playing this time, it won’t work,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Stay away from my sister.”A mirthless chuckle escaped Gendry. He turned his head slightly, just enough to glance at Alex. “Isn’t Tessa old enough to decide the people she wants around her?”“Yes, she’s old enough,” Alex admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop protecting her.”Gendry clenched his jaw, his temper flaring. Protect her? From who exactly?“From what, Alex?” he bit out, finally turning to face him fully. “From me? Because you still think I’m not good enough for her?”Alex met his glare without hesitation. “Yes,” he sai
The next day, Gendry adjusted the cuffs of his shirt as he stood at the edge of the altar behind Jace, watching the wedding rehearsal unfold. Maya and Jace were standing in front of the altar, holding hands while the priest explained how things would go tomorrow. Jace wore a simple button-down and slacks, while Maya was in a flowy sundress.Since this was just the rehearsal only family and those who had important roles to play in the ceremony were present. That included him and Tessa, Tessa's family, Jace's parents and aunt, and one of Maya's cousins.Gendry wasn't looking at any of them. His eyes were drawn to the maid of honor. Standing on Maya's side, Tessa was quite a sight. Her hair fell in soft waves, the light fabric of her dress clinging to her just enough to taunt him with the memory of last night. God, last night.He clenched his jaw, shifting his weight as flashes of her moans, the way her body had writhed against his, consumed him for the hundredth time that day. And y
Tessa was lying flat on her back, staring at the ceiling, her fingers clenched in the sheets. It had been two hours since she told Kevin she wanted to go to bed early, and yet here she was; wide awake, tossing and turning, unable to shut off her mind.She hated that her thoughts kept circling back to the conversation with Gendry in the car. His accusations about her thinking other people just weren’t good enough. His claim that he had firsthand experience of it years ago.What the hell had he meant by that?She should be angry. His words were baseless and unfair. And yet, instead of dwelling on that, all she could think about was everything he’d done to her body this time yesterday. And again this afternoon.A frustrated groan left her lips as a familiar ache coiled between her thighs. Damn him. Damn him and his expert tongue, his manipulative fingers, his very potent d–God, she couldn’t even finish the thought without feeling heat creep up her neck. How had she turned into this pers
The tension broke when Kevin suddenly appeared beside Tessa, a broad smile on his face as he looked at her parents. Gendry and Alex finally released their handshake, and Gendry stepped back, returning to his previous spot.After a few seconds, Kevin glanced at Tessa and arched a brow, silently prompting her for a formal introduction.Tessa cleared her throat. "Uh, Mum, Dad, this is Kevin Balthazar. Kevin is..."She trailed off, and Gendry unknowingly held his breath, waiting for what she was going to say."...a very good friend," she finally completed.Kevin beamed. "I'm very honored to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Tessa has told me a lot about you." He stretched out his hand eagerly.Both Kris and Thalassa shook his hand, looking slightly amused by his enthusiasm. Then Kevin turned his attention to Alexander."I'm a huge fan of yours, Alex." His eyes widened. "I can call you that, right?"Alex smiled and nodded. "Of course. My sister's friends are my friends."Gendry snorted. Why d
Tessa’s happiness at seeing her family was unmistakable. After hugging and rocking her little sister for a bit, she moved toward her parents, who both engulfed her in a warm embrace.Gendry’s breath hitched. He’d seen Tessa wear a lot of expressions; angry, frustrated, annoyed, flushed, and pleasured, but he’d never seen her look so at peace before.It was obvious she loved and adored her parents, and she felt safe with them. Gendry wondered if there was a story there he didn’t know.“Hey, I’m feeling incredibly left out right now,” Alex said in a mock-grouchy voice.Tessa’s parents released her from their hug. She shrugged, looking at her brother.“I’m only hugging those I missed the most. I didn’t miss you much, so—”“Stop being silly and come here.”Tessa shrieked with laughter as Alex pulled her into a hug. Their bond as siblings was undeniable, their closeness evident in the easy way they teased and held each other.
Tessa’s heart caught. What he'd just told her could mean two things: that he wanted her so much that he’d set his rule aside because of her, or that she was worthless to him, which was why he was willing to sleep with her with no intention of having a relationship with her. The possibility of it being the latter stung more than she could ever admit. But why? It wasn’t like she wanted a relationship with him either. With her mood suddenly soured for reasons she couldn’t understand, she looked out the window at the buildings whirling by. “What about you?” Gendry’s voice jolted her out of her thoughts. Tessa pulled away from the window and looked at him. “What about me?” she asked, confusion in her voice. “You already know I’d never been with any man... until yesterday” “Yes. I know.” Gendry nodded. “The question is why. You’re beautiful, and you know it. It couldn’t possibly be because no man has approached you before. I know you probably have a thousand flocking around you, so wh
On the way back to the villa, the car was filled with a comfortable silence, but Tessa's mind was stuck on something she couldn't stop thinking about. It had been on her mind since morning, and she needed an answer. Before she could change her mind, she spoke. “This morning… what Jace said… what did he mean?” She saw Gendry’s hands tense around the steering wheel. “Jace said a lot of things,” he pointed out. “Yes,” Tessa agreed. “But I meant… what he said about thinking you’d lost interest in women.” Gendry briefly took his eyes off the road. “I can stop the car and show you right now that he was talking nonsense—just like I showed you a few hours ago.” Tessa’s cheeks flushed, wild images flaring through her mind at his words. “You’re evading my question.” “And you seem to have forgotten your own rules,” Gendry mused wryly. “No talking about each other’s personal lives, remember?” His voice had an edge to it, and Tessa wondered if she should drop it, but the curiosity was eati