Novel-novel oleh Luciana Rielle

GENESIS “Mija, please calm down and listen to me,” my mom said, her voice soft but firm through the phone. “Respira, mi amor. Respira hondo.”I couldn’t breathe. My heart was slamming so hard I thought it would crack my ribs. My eyes were blurry from the tears rushing down my cheeks in hot, endless streams. All I could think was: **this cannot be happening*. Not after everything. Not fter the the pain I’d clawed through to finally have peace. The happiness I’d bled for. The family. The twins. Kieran. The universe couldn’t be that cruel. It couldn’t take him from me now.“I’m on my way to the hospital,” Mom said, “but I need you to tell me, did the doctor say his reaction was to your presence? Because that’s completely ridiculous if I’m to say.”“Yes, it was ridiculous,” I choked out, wiping my face with my sleeve. “But I can’t deny the pattern. It’s right there. Every time I walk in… he crashes. Every time I leave… he stabilizes. They’re going to test it. With me in the room. Wit

GENESIS POV“I assure you, Mrs. Blackwood,” the doctor said, flipping through the chart one last time before closing it with a soft snap, “this is nothing more than the flu that’s been going around. His vitals are stable, no signs of pneumonia or secondary infection. The vomiting was most likely from the high fever and dehydration—he’s not keeping anything down, so his stomach is rebelling. We’ve given him fluids here, and as long as he stays hydrated at home, he should turn the corner in a few days.”I stared at him, arms crossed tight over my chest like I could physically hold myself together.“Are you sure that's all, he was shaking pretty bad?” I pressed.The doctor sighed exasperated, but not unkind. He leaned back against the counter in the small exam room.“High fevers in adults can cause rigors, shaking chills. It’s the body’s way of trying to raise its temperature even higher to kill the virus. The vomiting is common with sudden spikes. He’s not eating, not drinking enough, s

GENESISThe day Kieran fell ill was the worst week of my life. I was sure I was losing my mind. The first day I thought it was just a cold.“Baby please eat something,” I said, bringing the spoonful of soup to his lips.He was propped up against the headboard, skin pale and clammy, eyes half-lidded like even keeping them open took effort. He managed a weak smile, the kind that usually made my knees weak, but today it just broke my heart.“I’m fine, princess,” he rasped, voice rough and low. “You can go to work. I’ll sleep it off.”I stared at him.Go to work?Leave him like this, burning up, barely able to sit up without swaying?“How can I go to work and leave you?” My voice cracked before I could stop it. “Kieran, look at you. You can barely hold your head up.”He tried to laugh, it turned into a cough that rattled his chest.“I’ve had worse. It’s just a bug.”I shook my head, tears already stinging.“Please. Just… eat a little. For me.”I brought the spoon back to his lips again, g

GENESIS“Yeah, go ahead,” Zarina said, wiping her hands on her apron with a grin. “We’ll close up. Go get your little monsters.”I looked between them, Cady already stacking the last trays, Zarina double-checking the register and shook my head, throat suddenly tight.“What am I going to do without you guys?” I said softly.Cady rolled her eyes, but her smile was warm. “You’ll survive. You’ve survived worse than us closing shop by ourselves.”Zarina walked over and pulled me into a one handed hug. “You’re not abandoning us. You’re just being a mom. We’ve got this.”I hugged her back, then reached for Cady. She squeezed me tight before letting go.“See you tomorrow,” “Come early this timd,” Zarina called after me. “Or we’re eating your share of tomorrow’s test batch.”I laughed, waved once more, and stepped out into the late-afternoon sun.I slid into the car, started the engine, and the radio came on mid-song ,Vanessa Carlton, that old, nostalgic one.I turned it up.The windows were

GENESIS I was in the kitchen, zipping up the last lunch box, three identical ones lined up on the counter like little soldiers when Izzy’s voice hit decibel levels that should be illegal before 8 a.m.“MOMMMMMM, DASH IS YANKING ON MY PONYTAIL!”I winced, fingers freezing on the zipper.“Sweetheart,” I called over my shoulder, keeping my tone even, “you don’t need to yell. I’m right here.”“But he’s pulling it!”I turned.There they were both of them in their booster seats at the dining table, Izzy’s face flushed pink with righteous fury, ponytail half-undone, Dash looking calm and innocent with a fistful of pink elastic in his hand.“Dash, baby,” I said, walking over, “let go of your sister’s hair.”He blinked up at me with those big, green eyes that were pure Kieran when he was scheming.“She took my smiley pancake.”“No I did NOT!” Izzy shrieked, twisting to glare at him.“You did too! It was the one with the biggest smile!”“It was MY smiley face!”I sighed, the kind of sigh that

GENESISOne year later“Dash, look at Mommy. Look over here, sweet boy.”I crouched in front of the massive Thanksgiving tree (yes, we kept the Christmas tree up year-round now because Daisy insisted it was “the family tree”), camera raised, trying and failing to get the perfect shot.Dashiell gave me his signature calm, soulful stare, big green eyes blinking slowly, while Isabella (Izzy) was… being Izzy.She was currently latched onto the back of Kieran’s head like a feral baby monkey, chubby fists buried deep in his hair, yanking with gleeful determination. Kieran, on his knees in front of the tree, still in his black sweater and jeans was trying (and failing) to negotiate with a one-year-old terrorist.“Izzy, baby girl, Daddy needs his scalp to stay attached,” he pleaded, voice half in pain, that girl had a strong grip. “Let go, princess. Please.”Isabella giggled high, wicked instead and tugged harder.It was clear who she took after.“Mtelle!” she squealed at her cousin, who sat

JUNO VOSS One year later – Saturday, 8:47 a.m. Amangiri Resort, Utah (Zoe picked the most dramatic red-rock desert backdrop known to man, because of course she did)“Where the hell is my tie?” Rhett bellowed, half-naked except for dress pants and one sock, tearing through the suite like a very handsome tornado.I was trying to zip myself into a floor-length emerald silk dress while simultaneously hopping on one foot looking for Sage’s missing chartreuse patent-leather flat. Rowan’s left Oxford had apparently achieved sentience and was hiding under the bed with Rhett’s tie. What was it doing there? Only God knows.Our phones were exploding.Cassie: MOM WHERE ARE YOU Ruby: Aunt Zoe is going to murder you Nina: If you're not here in one second, I will kill you both myself“We are SO late,” I hissed, finally locating the shoe wedged behind the minibar. “The ceremony started fifteen minutes ago!”This was entirely our fault.Last night had been the rehearsal dinner, then the after-pa

JUNO VOSS Santa Ynez Valley – Halloween nightThe ranch looked like something out of a Tim Burton movie.Orange string lights dripped from every beam of the barn, jack-o’-lanterns lined the entire quarter-mile driveway (Rowan and Sage had carved half of them, so about thirty percent were just angry triangles with teeth), and Rhett had somehow rigged Emmanuel’s pen with fake cobwebs and a motion-activated speaker that bleated “BOO” every time the goat moved. Emmanuel was taking it personally.Inside the house it smelled like cinnamon, chili, and hehe, family.Cassie (four months pregnant and currently built like a very cute beach ball) was planted on the couch in a black cat onesie with a skeleton baby painted across her belly. She had a mixing bowl of fun-size Snickers balanced on top of said belly and was working her way through it like it was her job.“Stop judging me,” she mumbled around a mouthful of chocolate. “Your grandchild is hungry.”Levi, dressed as a very reluctant Gomez

Two months later, late night in the master bedroom of the Voss ranch house“Ahhh, yes, yes, right there,” Juno moaned, the sound ragged and raw as Rhett eased out of her until only the fat, swollen tip of his cock remained, teasing her entrance.Then he rolled his hips in slow, wicked circles, dragging that thick mushroom head through her slick, sensitive folds, smacking her dripping pussy with every deliberate pass.Thwack. Thwack.The wet slap of hot flesh on soaked flesh filled the room. Juno’s mouth fell open on a silent scream, pleasure and the sweetest sting crashing together.“Oh God…”“Look at you,” Rhett rasped, voice gravel and smoke, “already about to come just from me spanking this greedy little cunt.”He lifted his hand and brought it down again (sharp, perfect), the impact landing right on her clit with a filthy, wet squelch. When he raised his palm, it glistened under the low amber lamp, coated in her arousal and the cum he’d already pumped into her once tonight.He he

JUNO VOSS“…You should have seen the way Mom and Dad kicked his butt. It was so amazing,” Rowan bragged to Cassie and Levi, who had come over for dinner.Cassie and Levi shared an amused look. When Cassie turned back to me, her eyes flickered to the bandage on my head and then to the sling on my arm. Even though she already knew what had happened, she still looked deeply worried.I reached over and placed my hand on top of hers, silently telling her I was fine and she didn’t need to fret.“So what about the guy, the ranchlord? What’s going to happen to him?” Levi asked as he reached for more lasagna. At the rate he was going, the dish would be gone before anyone else wanted seconds. I didn’t mind, though; everyone else still had half a plate left, and it actually made me happy to see him enjoying my cooking so much.“Well,” Rhett began, “I called the sheriff this morning when we figured out it wasn’t anyone we knew personally. Then I called again once we were sure it was Dale. The sher

RHETT VOSSMy body went stiff the second that comment popped up, but Juno’s hand slid across my back, slow and steady, keeping me from losing my shit on a live feed. I glanced at the username: "RanchLord".Juno’s eyes stayed locked on the screen. The chat had already scrolled past it because hundreds of people were firing questions, but we both knew this wasn’t the last we’d hear from him. If he was the one who messed with Emmanuel’s pen, he wouldn’t be able to resist coming back for more.“How can you say that, RanchLord?” Juno asked softly, adding just the tiniest sniffle for effect. “If you really follow our page, you know we love this ranch more than anything. We’re honest ranchers. We would never put our animals or our family in danger.”God, I love this woman. I married a damn genius.The chat exploded.Who is this RanchLord? What kind of name is RanchLord? How dare you talk to Juno and Rhett like that! I watch every stream and the way they treat their animals is incredible

JUNO VOSSSanta Ynez Valley – Thursday morning, livestream setup“We’re doing a livestream!” “We’re doing a livestream!” Sage and Rowan sang in perfect together behind us as Rhett and I walked to the spot where we always set up the camera tripod. Usually we only went live on Mondays and Saturdays, but today had an ulterior motive.“Okay, remind me again how this livestream is going to help us figure out who tampered with Emmanuel’s pen,” Rhett said, watching me fumble with the phone stand. My left arm was still in a sling, so I was slower than usual.I didn’t turn around. “We’ve already ruled out the kids and every single ranch hand. That leaves someone on the outside who doesn’t like us or wants to hurt the business. If we go live and people see the bandage on my head and the sling, they’re going to ask questions. When they ask…”Rhett stepped in to finish setting the phone because my one good hand wasn’t cutting it. “....we tell the truth. The culprit is probably a follower, or a