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.
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 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 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
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
“Good evening. I’m here for Mr. Joel Asante. Is he around?” Thalassa said to the lady at the front desk of the Astoria Hotel.She felt so tense that she didn’t realize she was tapping her fingers loudly on the desk until a woman standing beside her hissed and glared at her.Flashing an apologetic smile, Thalassa brought her gaze back to the receptionist who was done checking the appointment.“Yes, he is. And he’s expecting you. Suite 13. Take the elevator to the seventh floor and turn to your left.”“Thank you.” Thalassa said as she turned to go, her unease increasing with every step she took towards the elevator.Why did she feel like something was amiss?She had been sent to meet this Joel Asante by her mother in law, Linda Miller. Linda Miller had never liked Thalassa since she began dating her son, Kris Miller, and the dislike had increased even more since Kris and Thalassa got married a year ago.So today when her mother in law had called her and told her to deliver some document
Tears streamed down Thalassa’s face as one of the officers stepped behind her and took her hands, placing her wrists in cuffs. She stared pleadingly at Kris, hoping he would realize his mistake and save her from this humiliation, but he merely stared at her with nothing but coldness as she was led out of the room.As if this humiliation wasn’t enough, when they got outside, several reporters instantly rushed towards her, flashing cameras as they came.“Thalassa, is it really true that you married Kris Miller all for his money?”“How do you feel after your theft was discovered?”Thalassa had never felt this humiliated in her life, with people staring at her and reporters asking all sorts of questions as she was led into the police car.“Wait! Please, this is a mistake. I’m innocent. You’ve got to believe me,” she pleaded with the police officer who led her into the holding cell.The officer laughed as he locked the gate to the cell. “That’s what they all say. You really should’ve thoug
Thalassa’s hands shook as her eyes repeatedly ran over the bold words: DIVORCE AGREEMENT.Agreement? She certainly didn’t remember sitting down to talk about anything. This surely had to be a mistake.She turned her panicked eyes to the lawyer. “Is this a joke?”“I don’t remember ‘comedian’ being in my job description, Miss Thompson,” the lawyer said, sounding offended.“Then what is this?” Thalassa demanded, her voice louder than she intended, laden with frustration.The lawyer’s nostrils flared as he looked around at the people staring at them. “It’s exactly what you’re looking at, Miss Thompson. Kris wants a divorce.”Thalassa noted how he kept referring to her by her maiden name, as if she and Kris were already divorced.The lawyer took a step closer. “Look, don’t make this complicated. You’re lucky to be walking away with just a divorce. You could’ve spent several years rotting in jail. You should be thankful to Kris that he convinced his mother to drop the charges.”Just like th
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
"Where have you been, Missy?" That was the first thing Maya asked as soon as Tessa walked into the villa's living area. Tessa had prepared for the question. "In my room," she answered casually. Since she'd gone straight to Gendry's room, her door had still been locked, so Maya wouldn't have been able to enter. Maya tilted her head. "And you didn't hear me when I came knocking?" Tessa shrugged. "I was taking a nap." "Must have been a very deep nap because I called your phone as well," Maya revealed, eyeing her suspiciously. "You didn't hear it either?" Bringing her phone up, Tessa turned on the screen and noticed two missed calls from Maya in her notifications. She thought she had vaguely heard a phone ringing, but it had seemed like a dream compared to the very real reality of Gendry doing things to her insides with his cock. "No, I didn't hear it." "Hmm." Maya hummed, studying her. "Why does your face look so red? And your lips look a bit swollen. Are you okay?" Tessa shif
When Tessa entered the house, only a few guests were lingering about. Gendry was nowhere in sight, so he had probably gone to his room-which was perfect. Making her way down the corridor that led to her and Gendry's room, she knocked on his door immediately, looking back to ensure that no one was watching her. The door opened after a few seconds. Gendry stared at her with an unreadable expression before stepping back to allow her entry. Entering, Tessa closed the door behind her and jammed her hand on her hip. "What was that outside, Gendry? Why did you react that way toward Kevin?" Gendry gave her a bored look. "I told you. I thought he was harassing you." "You had no reason to think that," Tessa pointed out. "He and I were just having a conversation." "Yes, a very intimate conversation, it seems," Gendry said, his tone edged with sarcasm. Tessa stared at him. "You do realize that there were people watching us, right? Everyone is probably suspecting it now. You acted like you