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
Grayson’s POVGetting Sammi to invite Willow over wasn’t entirely for her sake. Sure, it would be good for her to have a friend around, but my motives were deeper. I needed to look into everything, to figure out who the hell had been threatening her. While she spent time with Willow, I could finally start working on the situation, and I planned to do just that. As I made my way downstairs, I saw them sitting together, talking quietly. When I approached, Willow glanced up at me.“I apologize for my angry outburst earlier,” Willow began, not bothering to hide the irritation still lingering in her voice. “But to me, you were nothing but a cheating, selfish, egotistical, narcissistic bastard.”Her bluntness took me aback. Wow. I stared at her for a moment, feeling the weight of her words but knowing I deserved them based on what she saw as the truth. “Okay...” I muttered, unsure of how else to respond. I leaned down and kissed Sammi gently on the lips. “I’m going to the office to meet wit
Sammi’s POVSitting with Willow, I listen as she talks about the elderly man she’s become attached to at work. I can already see the fear etched into her face, the worry that he’s not going to make it. It’s always the same with her. No matter how much I tell her not to get too close, she does. Every time. And every time, it ends the same way—heartbreak. But I know better than to try and stop her; Willow always leads with her heart.We’ve talked for a short while about Grayson and my brothers, but when she noticed the ring on my finger, it opened up an entirely new conversation—one filled with questions I wasn’t ready to answer. The truth is, I wasn’t prepared to be proposed to. Moments before, I had technically been single, and now... everything felt surreal. Willow, on the other hand, seemed convinced that the wedding was a done deal. She had already made me promise that she’d be my maid of honor and started planning everything in her head.I tried to argue, telling her that none of
Sammi’s POVI come to feeling dazed and numb. My head is pounding, each throb sending waves of pain through my skull, and I groan involuntarily. There’s a fog settling over my thoughts, but I try to piece together what happened. Slowly, I become aware of my surroundings—the cold, hard surface beneath me. My hands are tied behind my back, the rough scrape of the rope biting into my skin.Am I still on the floor of the kitchen?No. This surface feels too gritty, like concrete, not tile. I force myself to breathe deeply, trying to stay calm, though the ache in my head makes it hard to focus. Something is terribly wrong. My mind scrambles through fragments of memory. I was tricked. It wasn’t Grayson’s father. The man lied. Whoever he was, he knew exactly what to say to get inside.I groggily blink my eyes open. The ground beneath me is uneven, littered with dirt and debris. I’m definitely not inside anymore, or if I am, there’s no roof. As my senses return, I feel the sting of grazes on m
Grayson POVI burst into the house, heart pounding, shouting Sammi’s name as I tear through every room, my panic rising with every second of silence. “Sammi!” My voice echoes through the empty space. Nothing.I reach the dining room, and that’s when I see it—a glass sitting on the table, barely touched. I freeze, staring at it, my heart racing in my chest.“Is she here?” Zade’s voice comes from behind me, but my focus is locked on the glass. I lift it, bringing it to my lips. A familiar taste hits me instantly.“He was here,” I whisper, my voice trembling with barely contained rage. The only person who drinks that is him. My father. The fact that the glass is there, untouched, feels like a deliberate taunt, like he’s mocking me. My hands shake as I put it down.Zade walks past me and into the kitchen, scanning the room. I see him bend down and pick up a shard of a broken cup. “What’s this?” Joel asks, walking in from the other room, holding up a small box.I take it from him, my stoma
Grayson’s POVI can hardly believe that my own family did this to her. The thought makes my blood boil. As I look over Sammi’s fragile form, I see the angry scrapes and cuts covering her body. Her skin is marred with bruises, and there’s a deep gash on her head that will likely need stitches. It’s hard to see her like this, knowing the pain she’s in, both physically and emotionally.“You killed him,” she whispers softly, her voice almost lost in the silence. I meet her gaze and nod, my expression hardening.“I would kill anyone for you, Angel,” I say with a fierceness that surprises even me. “You should know that by now.” My eyes shift to Zade, narrowing as I stare him down. He blanches under my gaze, his face going pale. He’s not immune to what I’m capable of either. If he ever tries to keep us apart, I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to him. Even if it means she hates me for it, I’d still find a way to be with her.“He gets it, Gray, stop glaring at him,” Joel interjects with a chu
ZadeI knew if I waited, things would go wrong, which is why I proposed to Izzy sooner than I had planned. Good job I did as if I hadn't. I was meant to be proposing right now, which isn't ideal.The room is buzzing with controlled chaos. Nurses move efficiently around us, murmuring instructions and checking monitors. Izzy lies in the hospital bed, her face flushed, hair damp with sweat, and hands clutching mine like a lifeline. Her grip is strong—stronger than I ever expected—but I welcome the pain. It’s grounding me, keeping me in the moment when I feel like I might lose my mind.“Zade, breathe,” Izzy groans, her voice strained as another contraction overtakes her. “You’re supposed to remind me to breathe, not forget how to do it yourself.”I snap out of my daze, nodding quickly. “Right. Breathe, Izzy. Deep breaths.” I mimic the motion, inhaling and exhaling like I’m teaching her something she hasn’t been doing perfectly for hours.She glares at me between breaths, sweat beading on
IzzyI can’t help but smile at Zade as he drives, his hands steady on the wheel, his profile glowing in the soft morning light. Time has slipped by so quickly. It feels like only yesterday we were grappling with fears and uncertainty, and now here we are. Zade has been by my side so much more than I ever expected. He still works, but not nearly as much as he did before. Somehow, he’s found a balance, and it’s brought us closer in ways I didn’t think possible.While he’s working, I spend most of my time at home with Sammi and baby Emmerson. It’s been heartwarming to watch Sammi and Grayson navigate parenthood together, their bond strengthening with every passing day. Watching their joy gives me hope—hope that Zade and I can have something just as beautiful with our baby.Zade has been going to counseling regularly, and I see pieces of the real him emerging more and more each week. The man beneath the armor he built to survive, to lead the mafia, to bury his pain—that man is someone ext
Zade POVI lose myself in her, time slipping away as I drink her in, the salty-sweet flavor of her flooding my senses. She collapses into the bed eventually, her body limp, a satisfied sigh escaping her lips. Even now, her walls quiver, her body still coming down as I lick the last remnants of her release.When I finally pull away, I move up her body and kiss her with a desperate need, our lips crashing together in a possessive claim. I’m hard again, painfully so, but there’s no rush. Tonight, there’s no clock ticking down, no interruptions, just us.“Alright,” I say, standing to strip the last of my clothes, my eyes devouring her sprawled form. “Let’s keep going.”She whimpers, weak from the relentless pleasure, and reaches for me, her hands trembling as they find my shoulders. “Zade,” she murmurs, but I’m nowhere near done.Izzy tastes like heaven, pure and raw, a flavor I never want to forget. My lips return to her swollen clit, teasing and tormenting her again. Her body jerks as s
ZadeAs I help Izzy into my car, her radiant smile reminds me just how much I’ve been neglecting her. I’ve been so consumed with making sure Grayson is home with Sammi and the baby that I’ve failed the one person who needed me most—her. The guilt eats at me as I start the engine, and I steal glances at her, soaking in her beauty, her strength, her unwavering patience with me.She pulls something from her bag and holds it out to me—a scan image. My heart twists as I take it, running my fingers over the black-and-white lines that outline our baby.“I’m sorry I missed it,” I whisper, the weight of regret heavy in my voice.Her smile is soft, understanding. “It’s fine. You were working and making sure Grayson was home for Sammi and the baby.” Her words are kind, but they cut deep. Missing this moment wasn’t fine, and I can’t let it happen again.When we arrive, I park and immediately step out, going to her side and lifting her into my arms. She laughs lightly, her arms wrapping around my
Izzy POVHis dark eyes burn into mine, a mixture of frustration and desire. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Izzy,” he murmurs, his voice low and hoarse.I lean in, letting my breath ghost over his lips. “Good. I want to play, Zade. And this time, I make the rules.”“You want to fuck me?” His voice is low, teasing, as his dark eyes bore into mine, a smirk playing on his lips. The sight of him, restrained and vulnerable yet brimming with raw power, ignites something primal in me. I chuckle softly, leaning in to capture his lips, grinding against him as I feel him stir beneath me.“Oh, you have no idea how much I want to fuck you,” I murmur against his lips, my voice husky with desire. Pulling back, I let a wicked smile curl on my lips. “You’re all mine now,” I whisper, my words dripping with dominance. Slowly, deliberately, I sink to my knees in front of him, maintaining eye contact as my hands glide over his thighs.His breath hitches when I reach up, my fingers wrapping around his s
IzzyIt’s been two months since we came back, and while Zade and I have grown closer, some days feel like we’re barely keeping our heads above water. The distance that came with my pregnancy has dissolved, and his promise to fuck me every day? He’s kept it. But most of the time, it’s rushed, like an obligation rather than passion.I understand why—he’s juggling too much. He practically ordered Grayson to stay home for a couple of months after Sammi had the baby, leaving him to hold everything together. Sure, his brothers are around to help, but Zade hardly leans on them. It’s as if he’s still carrying the weight of raising them, of being their protector, even now.Today was supposed to be different. It was the scan, the moment I’ve been excited about for weeks. But, at the last minute, he got a call—something urgent, something he couldn’t ignore—and I found myself in the clinic with my mum instead of him. All I got from Zade was a quick message asking how it went. No follow-up, no exc
Izzy POVThe moment Zade walks in, the tension between us hangs in the air like a storm waiting to break. We talk briefly, my voice trembling as I tell him the words that have been weighing on my heart: “I’m keeping the baby.” Relief flickers across his face, but it’s not pure joy—it’s layered with fear, uncertainty, and something I can’t quite place. He doesn’t say much after that, just pulls me into his arms, holding me close. I melt into him, exhaustion taking over as I fall asleep wrapped in his warmth.When I wake, the space beside me is empty, and the bed feels colder without him. Slowly, I sit up, rubbing my eyes. My gaze falls on Zade, seated at the foot of the bed, his back turned to me. His shoulders are tense, and his head is bowed slightly, as if the weight of the world is pressing down on him.I hesitate, unsure of what to say or how to bridge the chasm that feels like it’s grown between us. Things had been going so well before all this, and now? Now it feels like we’ve b
IzzyThe moment Grayson wraps his arms around me, I feel the weight of everything pressing down on me like a storm. For the first time in hours, there’s a flicker of safety, but it’s fragile, like glass teetering on the edge of shattering. Zade’s words still echo in my mind—angry, hurt, raw—and even though I know deep down he would never hurt me, in that moment, he didn’t feel like the man I fell in love with. He felt like someone else entirely, someone I didn’t know.The sound of the door closing behind me sends a chill through my spine. Zade has left. I should stop him, run after him, beg him to stay, but I can’t. My legs feel like lead, and my heart is a hurricane of guilt and confusion.“What’s happened?” Grayson’s voice cuts through the silence, low but laced with tension. His arms tighten around me, and for a moment, I let myself break. The tears come in uncontrollable waves, and I bury my face into his chest as though I can hide from my own mistakes.“I’m pregnant, Gray,” I cho
Zade POVEvery time I close my eyes, I see her face—tear-streaked and filled with anguish. Then the memories hit, unbidden and relentless. Blood. The screams. The bodies. My parents, mangled and lifeless. Her—my ex, so pregnant, so full of life, and then... gone. The flashbacks swallow me whole, dragging me under. My breathing becomes shallow, erratic, and I grip the edge of the table to ground myself, my knuckles white.“Zade,” a voice cuts through the storm in my mind, anchoring me back to reality. I look up to see Grayson sitting across from me, his face a mixture of concern and frustration.I can’t even muster the energy to speak. I just stare at him, then down at the untouched glass of whiskey in front of me.“Did you drink it?” he asks, his tone sharp but not unkind.I shake my head. “No. But I wanted to. God, I wanted to.”Grayson exhales, leaning back in his chair. “At least you didn’t. That’s something.” He watches me closely, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You’re drowning, Za