FAITHI glanced up and there he was. Blaze.Standing on the first-floor balcony, leaning casually against the railing, a cup of coffee in his hand. His eyes were locked on us, his gaze sharp, intense, unyielding.I narrowed my eyes at him, giving him a look that I hoped screamed, ‘Don’t you have work to do?’Blaze took a slow sip of his coffee, his eyes never leaving mine, his expression calm, composed, and annoyingly arrogant. ‘Nope. Not going anywhere.’I rolled my eyes. ‘Seriously?’ I knew he was jealous. That was obvious. But did he have to watch us like a hawk?Blaze’s eyes flicked to Austin for a second, his jaw tightening, his grip on the coffee cup firm, almost too tight. ‘Yes. I do.’I fought the urge to stick my tongue out at him. I mean, seriously, didn’t he have a company to run? A meeting to attend? Blaze’s lips curled into a faint smirk, his eyes glinting with amusement. ‘Nope. Watching you is way more fun.’I gave him a flat look. ‘You’re ridiculous.’He tilted his hea
FAITHI lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the shadows shifting across the room as the moonlight filtered through the curtains. Sleep was a distant thought, completely out of reach, no matter how hard I tried to will it to come.My mind was too busy. Too loud. Too tangled in thoughts I didn’t want to confront.Blaze.His name floated through my mind, his face following right behind it. His intense eyes, his sharp jawline, his infuriating smirk that seemed to make my heart race for no good reason.I sighed, turning onto my side, hugging the pillow closer. What was I supposed to do with him?He liked me. He admitted that much. But of course, it had to be complicated. Because Blaze Weston didn’t do commitment. He didn’t do love. He didn’t do futures.All he wanted was… physical attraction. A casual relationship. A fling.I closed my eyes, my chest tightening. He liked me, but he didn’t want me. Not the way I wanted him to. Not the way I had dreamed about.And there was no future here. N
FAITHI made my way downstairs, and there Blaze was, waiting by the door, his arms crossed, his posture relaxed but commanding. His eyes flicked to me as I approached, a small smile playing on his lips.“Ready?” he asked, his voice calm, his eyes warm.I nodded, my chest tightening. “Yeah. Let’s go.”He turned and walked toward the garage, his strides long and purposeful. I followed behind, my heart racing with anticipation.When we reached the garage, Blaze paused, his hand hovering over the keys. “I’ll take the SUV. It’s more comfortable, and you’ll be warm.”I scrunched my nose, crossing my arms. “No. I want the convertible.”Blaze blinked, his eyes widening. “The convertible? At this hour?”I grinned, feeling a playful spark ignite within me. “Yeah. It’s more fun that way. Besides, I’ve never ridden in one before.”Blaze’s jaw tightened, his brows furrowing. “It’ll be windy. And cold. You’ll catch a cold.”I pouted, my eyes widening as I gave him my best pleading look. “Please? I
FAITHI stood by the window, my fingers grazing the cold glass as I stared outside, my mind miles away.Two weeks. It had been two weeks since that night. Two weeks since I saw him.My dad.I let out a slow breath, my chest tightening at the memory. He looked different—older, thinner, almost… broken.I shook my head, trying to push the thought away, but it clung to me, haunting me every night since then. I thought I could just forget about it, forget about him, forget about everything he did. But… I couldn’t.Not when he looked like that. Not when he looked like he had already lost everything.A small, bitter smile tugged at my lips. Serves him right. After everything he did to me, to my mom… he deserved to lose everything.But… even though I knew that, even though I felt that… I still couldn’t get him out of my head.Why? Why did I care? Why was I even thinking about him?I closed my eyes, leaning my forehead against the cold glass. I thought I hated him. I thought I never wanted to
FAITHBlaze blinked, clearly not expecting that. “What?”I sighed, turning back to the mirror, my shoulders slumping. “Look at me. I’ve gotten fatter.”A small chuckle escaped his lips, his eyes softening. “No, you have not.”I glared at him through the mirror, my lips turning downward. “Of course I’m fat. Look, I’m four months pregnant. Of course, I look bigger.”Blaze’s expression softened even more, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Yes, so what if you’re a little bigger? You’re still pretty.”I spun around, my arms flying to my hips as I glared at him. “Who said I’m not pretty? Did you just say I’m not pretty?”Blaze’s eyes widened, his mouth falling open. “What? No! That’s not what I meant.”I narrowed my eyes, my lips pressing together. “So you think I’m fat and ugly now?”Blaze looked like he was having a mini-heart attack. “No! I never said that!”I crossed my arms, lifting my chin. “Then why did you feel the need to tell me I’m still pretty? Huh? What, did you expect me to t
FAITHThe alley was dark and narrow, shadows dancing along the cracked brick walls. Trash littered the ground—crumpled newspapers, empty bottles, and cigarette butts scattered like forgotten memories.A damp, musty scent hung in the air, mixed with the faint, nauseating stench of rotting garbage.The buildings on either side were old and crumbling, their facades smeared with graffiti, their windows shattered and boarded up. I could hear faint whispers echoing from somewhere, voices muffled by the thick walls, fading in and out like ghosts haunting the ruins.The air was cold, biting, swirling around me as I walked, my shoulders tensing involuntarily. It was dark, the kind of darkness that swallowed you whole, where shadows blurred into each other, hiding whatever lurked within. My heart raced, my pulse echoing in my ears, my feet moving quickly, carefully, over the cracked pavement.I could feel Blaze behind me, his presence solid and reassuring, his footsteps steady, his body close
FAITHMy heart skipped a beat, my body tensing. I opened my mouth to respond, but Blaze was already in front of me, his body blocking mine, his shoulders squared, his eyes blazing. “Back off,” he growled, his voice low, cold, and dangerous.The man’s smirk faltered, his eyes flicking to Blaze, taking in his rigid posture, his clenched fists, the fire burning in his gaze. He held up his hands in mock surrender, his lips curving into a taunting smile. “Easy, man. Just making conversation.”Blaze took a step forward, his body radiating anger. “She’s not interested. Get lost.”The man’s eyes narrowed, his shoulders tensing, but after a moment, he scoffed, turning away, his friends following. “Whatever, man. Not worth the trouble.”Blaze didn’t move until they were out of sight, his body rigid, his fists clenched at his sides. I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw was set, his eyes still blazing with anger.I touched his arm gently, my voice soft. “Blaze… it’s fine. I
FAITHTime slowed down.The bottle came hurtling toward me, the jagged glass glinting in the dim light, my father’s face twisted with rage, his eyes wild, unfocused. I stood frozen, my body locked in place, my heart pounding, my breath caught in my throat.I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. All I could do was watch as the bottle swung toward me, the room spinning around me.And then, suddenly—A shadow moved in front of me, fast and strong, blocking the blow, shielding me from the attack. I heard the sickening crunch of glass shattering, the sharp sound echoing through the room.Blaze.His back was to me, his body solid and unyielding, his shoulders squared, his arms wrapping around me, pulling me into his chest. He held me close, his heart pounding against mine, his grip firm, protective.I felt his body tense, his muscles coiled like steel, his breathing hard and fast. His head turned slightly, his eyes blazing with fury as he looked at my father. “You touch her again,” he growl
BLAZEOne moment, I was watching Faith fade before my eyes, blood pooling beneath her, and the next, I was being forced out of the operating room, my hands still stained with her blood. The cold, sterile hallway was too bright, too silent, and yet it felt like the walls were closing in on me.My shoulder throbbed with every frantic breath I took, but I barely noticed. The only thing I could hear was the sound of my own pulse roaring in my ears, the memory of Faith’s weakened voice haunting me."Blaze, I—I can’t—"My hands curled into fists as I swallowed back the suffocating terror clawing at my throat.And then I heard hurried footsteps.“Blaze!” My mother’s voice rang out before I even saw her. She rushed toward me, her expensive heels clicking sharply against the floor, her face filled with a rare look of concern. My grandfather followed close behind, his ever-imposing presence looming as he took me in. “Are the babies alright?”I nodded stiffly, my voice hoarse. “Yeah. They’re… th
BLAZEFaith was smiling as she walked toward me, her soft white dress flowing gently with the breeze, her hands cradling the small curve of her belly. The golden glow of the fairy lights strung up in the trees cast a warm halo around her, making her look almost ethereal. God, she was beautiful.I leaned against the tree, arms crossed over my chest, the corners of my lips lifting at her fond exasperation. Of course, I wouldn’t be able to stay away from her baby shower, even if I wasn’t supposed to be here. She shook her head, her eyes glimmering with amusement as she approached. “Blaze, you are so silly,” she murmured, her voice holding a teasing lilt. “You just couldn’t sit still, could you?”I opened my mouth to respond, but then—I saw it.A shadow in the distance, shifting just slightly behind the decorated hedges. The glint of metal, barely catching the light. My stomach dropped.A gun.And it was pointed directly at Faith.Everything inside me went cold.Move. Now.Instinct kick
FAITHI stood there, watching Blaze’s pouting face, his eyes narrowing in exaggerated disappointment. His lips, usually so firm, curled into a playful frown, and I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at the sight. He was always so dramatic when things didn’t go his way, like a child who didn’t get their favorite toy."You really aren’t going to include me in any part of today’s occasion, are you?" Blaze said, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe of my bedroom. His voice was mockingly hurt, but there was a glint of humor in his eyes that softened the playful accusation.I smiled at him, shaking my head. "No, that's not the intention, Blaze. But, you know, it's just... a day where I kind of wish my mom was here."The words slipped out before I could stop them, and as soon as I said them, I felt a sudden lump in my throat. The weight of missing my mom, the one person who would’ve been here, who should’ve been here, hit me harder than I’d expected.Bla
BLAZEI was pouting.Not just pouting—full-on sulking.Elbows propped on my desk, fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood, I let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back against my chair, glaring at the laptop screen like it had personally offended me.The numbers on the project proposal meant nothing to me right now. The reports waiting for my review? Useless. The dozens of unread emails? Ignored.Because all I could think about was her.Faith.And the baby shower.And the absurd, utterly ridiculous fact that I wasn’t allowed to be there.It was my children. My girlfriend. And yet, I was supposed to just sit back and let everyone else celebrate without me? Where was the fairness in that?!I scowled and ran a hand through my hair in frustration, just as the door to my office swung open.Jared walked in, as casual as ever, holding a file under one arm and a cup of coffee in the other. His sharp eyes flicked toward me, immediately narrowing in suspicion. He knew me too wel
FAITHAs I lay back on my bed, still on the call with Mia and Reagan, a gentle knock came from my door."Come in," I called out and sat up, expecting one of the housemaids.Instead, it was Blaze.He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him, his sharp, assessing eyes landing on me before softening just slightly. Without a word, he walked over, slipping his arms around my waist from behind. His chin rested against my shoulder as he buried his face in my neck, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine.I tried to focus on the call, clearing my throat. "Listen, you guys can't come," I said, my voice firm. "They won’t allow it."Blaze hummed, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss against my neck. "What are you talking about?" he murmured against my skin.I bit my lip, trying to ignore the way his lips were brushing dangerously close to a sensitive spot. "My friends… they want to come over to plan my baby shower.""So invite them," he said casually.I scoffed. "Are you kidding? Your mom,
FAITHFour months had passed, and yet, it still felt surreal—the life growing inside me, the late-night whispers, the stolen moments behind closed doors. But here we were, sitting at the long dining table, surrounded by family, acting like nothing had changed.The clinking of utensils and the occasional rustle of newspapers were the only sounds filling the silence. Breakfasts at the Weston estate were always like this—structured, quiet, disciplined. No unnecessary chatter. Everyone ate with precision, absorbed in their own thoughts.I sipped my juice, eyes darting toward Blaze, who sat across from me, seemingly unbothered, but I knew better. His fingers tapped rhythmically against his coffee cup, a habit I had come to recognize whenever he was deep in thought.Then, Grandfather cleared his throat. A simple gesture, yet it was enough to command everyone’s attention.“I’ve heard something about you two,” he started, his deep voice measured. He placed his utensils down with a quiet clink
FAITHThe city at night was different. The same streets I walked every day, the same buildings, the same sky—but they all looked softer now, bathed in golden lamplight and the occasional neon glow. I never realized how beautiful our city was, never took the time to simply breathe it in. Life had always been a rush, a never-ending list of tasks. But tonight? Tonight, I was finally just here.Blaze walked beside me, his hands tucked into the pocket of his hoodie, his expression thoughtful as he took in our surroundings. "Strange," he murmured."What is?" I asked, glancing up at him."I’ve only ever seen these streets from my car window. Never like this." He exhaled, almost amused. "It felt like a different world. A distant one."I smiled. "Isn’t it weird? We’ve lived here our whole lives, yet we’re seeing it properly for the first time. It’s funny how different we are... and yet, still the same."Blaze hummed in agreement before sighing dramatically. "Even so, I stand by the fact that s
FAITHThe sun was setting as we pulled up to the DIY Jewelry Making shop. I could already feel the excitement bubbling up inside me. I’d always wanted to try my hand at making jewelry, and now that I was finally here, I was practically bouncing in my seat. Blaze, on the other hand, looked calm as ever, but I could see the slight curiosity in his eyes.“So,” I said, turning to him with a grin, “we’re really doing this. Jewelry making. How do you feel about getting creative with some shiny things?”He glanced at me, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I’m just here to keep you company, Faith. But I have to admit, I’m curious to see how this goes.”I beamed at him, feeling giddy. "I’m so excited! I’ve always wanted to do this. Imagine, I could make us matching necklaces, or better yet, something with a personal touch. It’ll be fun, I promise."We got out of the car and made our way inside. The moment we entered the store, I was greeted by the sweet scent of lavender and van
FAITHThe lunch was nothing short of delightful—surprisingly so, considering I had dragged Blaze out of his busy schedule for an impromptu date. But there we were, sitting across from each other at a cozy little bistro, the dim lighting setting the perfect mood for some easy conversation.Blaze leaned back in his chair, watching me with an amused glint in his eyes. “You know, you look incredibly beautiful when you’re eating.”I raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at my lips. “Is that so?” I teased. “Do you always compliment people while they’re stuffing their faces?”He shrugged, the corner of his mouth lifting in that way that made me melt. “Only when I’m looking at someone as stunning as you.”I felt a warm flush creep up my neck, but I wasn’t about to let him have the upper hand. “Well, I guess I’m just lucky, huh? Getting compliments while eating? That must be some kind of record.”Blaze’s grin widened, and I swear I saw a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Oh, trust me, you’ve