Sammi’s POVWhen I wake up, I know Grayson is staring at me. I don’t have to open my eyes to feel the weight of his gaze, so intense, so heavy, like he’s trying to will me back to reality. The tension in my chest tightens as anxiety swirls through me. I shift under the covers, instinctively pulling them up to hide my body, even though it won’t help. I can’t escape the feeling of being exposed. He sighs quietly, and the sound makes my heart ache.“Angel,” his voice comes out so soft, so tender, that it almost breaks me right there. There’s something in the way he says it, like he’s trying to reach me, trying to pull me back from wherever I’ve drifted. I want to cry, but I can’t—I’m too stuck in this whirlwind of disbelief. Is this real? Am I even here? Or is this some dream, some strange fantasy where I’m with Grayson again? It feels fragile, like it could shatter at any second. I’m lost, somewhere deep in my mind, and maybe that’s for the best. Because if this is all a dream, I want t
Sammi POVZade clears his throat, and when I glance at him, I see something I’m not used to—remorse. His eyes are dark, shadowed by guilt. “I’m sorry,” he says, his voice low. “I’ve treated you and Grayson like the enemy. It was wrong, cruel, and there’s no defending what I did. Everything could have been resolved if I’d just spoken up. Instead, I suffocated you, pushed Grayson away, and tore apart your life.”I blink, stunned. My eyes flit around the room, noticing the tension that hangs in the air. No one’s glaring at Grayson anymore—if anything, the anger is directed at Zade. I glance at his face and notice the bruising, the black eye, the split lip. Then, I look at Grayson’s knuckles, red and swollen. They fought? I’ve never seen them fight before.“There’s a lot you don’t know,” Zade continues, his voice cracking slightly. “I thought I was protecting you, but really, I was just trying to hurt Grayson. I ignored everything I should’ve dealt with. I know you won’t understand it all
Sammi POVHis eyes hold mine with an intensity that leaves no room for doubt. “Good girl,” he murmurs, his voice low. “Now, this is how it’s going to be. I don’t care if you object, if you disagree. This is happening. Okay?”“Why ask me if I don’t get a choice?” I mutter, trying to find some semblance of control, but he just smirks.“Exactly. No choice.” He leans in, kissing me softly, but there’s a heat behind the kiss that stirs something inside me, something that I’ve been trying to bury. I watch as he steps behind me, his hands moving to the mirrors in the room, pulling away the sheets I’ve draped over them. My heart races, panic flooding my system again as the mirrors are uncovered. I haven’t looked at my reflection in weeks.My eyes widen as he exposes the glass, and I want to scream, to turn away. “Yes, I noticed,” Grayson says quietly, watching my reaction. “Now listen to the rules.”“Rules?” I say, my voice trembling. “Rules imply they can be broken, which means I don’t have
Sammi POV“Now,” he says, his voice deeper, more serious. “The final test. Look at a part of your body and tell me why you love it. Not just why it’s good enough, but why you love it.”I freeze, the weight of his words pressing down on me. Love a part of my body? My head shakes slowly, and I feel myself shutting down again.“If you don’t, you lose every orgasm you’ve earned, Angel. It’s all or nothing.” His voice is firm, but patient. He’s giving me a choice, even though it feels like the hardest thing in the world. “Speak.”I stay silent for what feels like forever, my mind battling itself.He stays quiet, waiting as I wrestle with my thoughts, the silence between us growing heavier by the second. Five minutes pass, maybe more, and it feels like an eternity, like the weight of every insecurity I’ve ever had is pressing down on me, suffocating me. But I know I have to push through it, to find something, anything.I can do this. I have to do this. Sucking in a shaky breath, I gather th
Grayson’s POVI watch as she comes undone around my fingers, her body trembling and her breath hitching with every wave of pleasure. It’s addictive, seeing her like this, vulnerable and completely immersed in the moment. Part of me wants to keep her facing the mirror, to make her watch every single orgasm as it rolls through her, to force her to see how beautiful she is in her most raw, uninhibited state. But I’m not cruel. She’s been through enough. I know she won’t enjoy this fully if I make her face herself every time. Not yet.Still, my plan is solid: every day, she’ll stand in front of that mirror and tell me something good about herself. Then, I’ll reward her, making her scream and cum around my fingers until she knows the truth—that she’s perfect, that she’s enough.For now, though, I turn her away from the mirror and lift her against me. She clings to me, her hands desperate as they tug at my shirt, her urgency making me chuckle. I feel the buttons pop off one by one, but I do
Sammi’s POVI wake up with Grayson still asleep next to me, his arm draped lazily over my waist. I carefully slip out of bed, trying not to wake him, and quietly get dressed. The room feels unusually still, and when I head downstairs, I expect to see my brothers. But the house is eerily empty.I glance around, feeling disoriented. I’m not used to sleeping this late—lately, sleep has been an elusive stranger, barely gracing me with its presence. For weeks, I’ve been battling restless nights, haunted by anxiety and confusion, but today... today I slept. It’s unsettling.Still, I know what I need to do. Grabbing my keys, I head out, slipping into the car. As I drive toward the clinic, my mind is a mess of thoughts. Grayson is back in my life, and it still feels like a dream I might wake from at any second. I hadn’t expected to see him again, not after everything. And now, I’m wearing a ring—his ring.I glance down at my hand, at the small piece of metal that symbolizes so much more than
Sammi POVI climb onto his lap, straddling him as I wrap my arms around his neck. “Gray, I never wanted what people consider a normal life. I wanted you. If that means I’m more involved in this world, then fine. I’ll take it.”His hands settle on my hips, pulling me closer. “Angel, it’s not just about being more involved. I won’t be working behind the scenes anymore. Going forward, people will know I stand beside Zade. I can’t hide it. I can’t keep pretending he’s in control.”“That’s the shift,” I whisper, and he tilts his head, confused. “I noticed Zade wasn’t as authoritative with you guys since you got back. He’s been taking orders, and I couldn’t figure out why.”Grayson nods. “It didn’t work, me hiding behind the scenes. It didn’t make him stronger. But stepping forward means anyone who even thinks of threatening you won’t live to regret it.”I roll my eyes. “You can’t just kill everyone, Gray.”“Watch me,” he growls, his hands gripping my waist. “If anyone even tries to use you
Sammi POVHe shifted slightly, adjusting so he could look at me, his expression soft but firm. “No, it isn’t. Both sides have their own beauty beneath the scars and the darkness. Do you want to know what I think this represents?” His gaze pierced through my defenses, and I could only shrug in response.“I think this piece is you coming to terms with everything,” he said softly. “I don’t think the dark side is what you were letting go of—I think it’s what you were becoming because you were pushing the light out. The good parts of yourself. The darkness took over because you were fighting against the hope.”As he spoke, the painting in front of me seemed to shift in meaning. His words began to make sense. Losing Grayson, the weight of everything he’d said, how I began to feel about myself... I was the one detaching from the good, forcing myself into the shadows.Grayson’s arms tightened around me slightly, his voice gentle but resolute. “Pain, hurt, hardship... that’s what often drives