Novels by Vivian Blackwood

“Mallory, Mallory…”Clarissa’s voice echoed somewhere above me, distant and muffled, as though she were calling from the other side of a wall. I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut and turning my face away from the bright light filtering through the windows.“…..Mallory!” she called again, louder this time. “…..Oh, thank God. Girl, get up!…..”Something gripped my arm, and before I could properly react, Clarissa was shaking me like she was trying to bring a dead person back to life.“……Girl, get the hell up! I’ve been looking for you everywhere. You scared the fuck out of me!…” “Jesus, Clarissa!” I mumbled, wincing as she roughly pulled me into a sitting position. “What the hell is wrong with you?”“What’s wrong with me?….” she repeated incredulously. “What’s wrong with you? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been searching for you?”I barely heard the rest of her words. My head felt like someone had spent the entire night hammering nails into my skull. My mouth was dry, my tongue tasted

I arched into the touch without meaning to, fingers curling against his chest. The kiss turned hungrier. His hand kneaded my breast more firmly now, rolling the soft flesh, pinching lightly at the sensitive tip until my breath hitched against his mouth. Every squeeze sent little sparks of heat straight down between my legs. I could feel how wet I was already getting, the thin material of my underwear clinging uncomfortably.He broke the kiss just long enough to drag his mouth along my jaw, then lower, nipping at the sensitive skin beneath my ear.“Christ,” he muttered against my throat, voice rough. “You’re even softer than you looked.” His hand left my breast only long enough to tug the neckline of my dress down, freeing one heavy, flushed breast to the cool air of the room. The second his bare palm closed over it again I gasped. Warm skin against warm skin. He rolled my nipple between his fingers, pinching just hard enough to make my hips shift restlessly against the sheets.I was

But on second thought, the drink I had just gulped down was hitting me harder than expected. A warm, fuzzy wave washed over me, making my head feel pleasantly light and my limbs a little heavier. Right now, the most pressing matter wasn’t playing relationship referee, it was the sudden, urgent need to pee. I took one last glance down over the terrace railing, steadying myself with both hands as the world below tilted just a fraction. As suspected, Clarissa had already reached the cabana. She was standing there in front of him, her hands gesturing animatedly as they fell into conversation. Heaven knows what she was spilling out to him. With a soft sigh, I turned around and pushed open the sliding glass doors that led from the terrace into the spacious living room area of the mansion. The air was thicker here, filled with a mix of cologne and weed . In one corner, a group of guys had taken over a large sectional sofa, controllers in hand as they battled it out in some intense video ga

“He is a total jerk. Trust me,” Clarissa said as she poured some wine into my cup. She always brought a bottle whenever she came to visit. Somehow, she had made it her personal mission to keep my glass full whenever I was having a bad day. “Don’t say that...” I responded, taking a sip of the bittersweet wine. The taste lingered on my tongue as I stared down at the glass in my hands. “I’m trying to be honest with you, but you never listen to me or take any of my advice,” she added, settling down beside me.I sighed. “...Maybe he just needs some time to get used to us again,” I said quietly. “I mean, I was the one who broke us apart. Remember?” Clarissa gave me a look. “You ended things with Jason because you claimed he cheated on you. So why do you want him back?”I lowered my eyes. “I thought he did.” My voice was barely above a whisper. “I overreacted, didn’t I?” I buried my face in my palms, letting out a frustrated groan. Clarissa sighed beside me before reaching over and ge

I stood there in the middle of the bathroom, still half-naked, my skirt hiked up around my thighs, feeling the slow aftermath of him leaving my body. Filth. That was the only word that fit.My eyes stayed fixed on him beneath the spray. He stood with his back to me, broad shoulders turned toward the water, completely at ease. Water streamed down the length of his back and disappeared beneath the suds gathering around his waist. He soaped himself with the same casual movements he might have used on any other morning, as though what had just happened between us had been nothing more than a moment of quick release. My fingers tightened around the edge of my skirt. I was still watching him, waiting for him to look at me. To acknowledge the silence stretching between us. To give me some indication that, despite everything, I hadn’t been completely foolish for letting him this close. But he didn’t. He simply tilted his head beneath the shower, letting the water wash over him. And suddenly,

“Fuck... look at you,” he muttered, watching my hands work him. “Getting my cock all messy with that pretty pussy. You want it that bad?” I nodded, still biting my lip, and squeezed him tighter, dragging my thumb over the sensitive underside just to feel him jump. I kept spreading myself open with one hand while the other stayed wrapped around his dick, offering him everything, waiting for him to take it. He didn’t hesitate. His hand closed over my pussy, thick fingers immediately sliding through the mess I’d already made of myself. He gathered the slick cream and rubbed it slowly, deliberately all over my swollen lips, coating every soft fold until I was shiny and dripping under his touch. The wet sound of it filled the bathroom as he worked me open, two fingers pressing in just enough to feel how ready I was. I watched his face the whole time, those dark, hungry eyes locked between my legs, his dick standing thick and heavy in front of me, still glistening from where I’d rubbed m

“I was surprised when you disappeared,” she said, matching my pace. “At first, I thought you had simply left town. Then I figured you were in hiding.”She glanced at my uniform and chuckled. “But an usher? Come on, Emma. I know you’re capable of so much more than this.”I kept walking without acknowledging her. “I mean, it’s your life,” she continued with a shrug. “I’m in no position to tell you what choices to make. I just… I don’t know. I don’t think I like this ending.”A small laugh escaped her lips before her expression softened. “And for what it’s worth…” she added, “…what happened wasn’t your fault.”I stopped listening. “If I had been in your shoes?” she said. “I’d have done exactly the same thing.”My footsteps came to an abrupt halt. She stopped too. Slowly, I turned to face her. “Don’t you have someone else to spy on?” I asked coldly.She folded her arms with an amused smile. “Word on the street is Daniel’s getting married.” She paused just long enough to watch for my react

I leaned toward my coworker, forcing a smile. “I just need a quick bathroom break.” She nodded without looking up from the tray she was arranging.“No problem.” I slipped through the back room and stepped outside. The cool evening air hit my face immediately. I planted both hands on my hips and took a long, shaky breath, trying to slow the frantic pounding in my chest. My heart was racing so hard it felt as though everyone around me could hear it.This wasn’t supposed to happen. I had disappeared. I was supposed to be invisible. For an entire year, I had carefully built a new life under a new name. I wasn’t ready for reminders of the woman I had buried. I wasn’t ready for anyone from my past to find me.Especially not her. I glanced over my shoulder. Then to my left. Then behind the trees bordering the venue. Following people was practically part of her job. She could be anywhere. My breathing grew heavier as my imagination spiraled. What if she’d already taken pictures of me?What if

It was another shift at an ushering event, one of the many weekend jobs I had picked up to keep myself occupied. Before the guests arrived, all the ushers gathered in the back room while the supervisor assigned us to different sections of the venue. We were divided into groups, and I was paired with two other girls. Our responsibility was to serve drinks to the guests seated on the left wing of the event hall, while the remaining teams handled the center and right sections.The hall was enormous, decorated with glittering chandeliers that hung from the high ceiling. Round tables draped in white linen filled the room, each adorned with fresh flowers and golden centerpieces. Soft music played through the speakers while waiters hurried around making final preparations. It was easily one of the biggest events I had worked at.As soon as the ceremony officially began, we picked up our trays and started serving refreshments.I stopped at the first table.“Good evening,” I said politely, off

A full year had passed, and somehow I had managed to build a new life in a completely different country. Starting over from scratch had been one of the hardest things I had ever done, but looking back now, I could honestly say it wasn’t as terrible as I had imagined. It wasn’t perfect either, but it was peaceful, and after everything that had happened, peace was more than enough for me.A few months after settling in, I purchased a small apartment. It wasn’t luxurious by any means, but it was warm, comfortable, and finally felt like something that truly belonged to me. It had large windows that let in plenty of sunlight every morning, and just enough space for me to wander around whenever I found myself lost in thought. I spent many evenings standing by the window, staring out at the unfamiliar streets below, wondering how life could change so drastically in such a short amount of time.Oh, and lest I forget, I got a pet too. A tiny cream-colored poodle that I named Bella. She was ene

I was already dressed and about to call a cab when everything finally settled into place. I had boarded my flight the night before, right after selling the car. Before leaving, I decided to write letters to Clara, Adrian, and Daniel. An email would have been easier, but paper felt heavier, more final. They would have to hold the pages in their hands.I bought three envelopes and pulled out three sheets of paper.On the first one, for Adrian:Dear Adrian,I’m not really sure how to start, but I’m still in shock at how everything played out. I did enjoy the times and moments we shared. I swear I never wanted to ruin what we had, that’s exactly why I did what I did. But you shocked me too. The deeper I dug, the more it felt like your love had been a performance, or maybe a way of compensating for something else. I tried not to believe it. I really did. But the truth kept revealing itself.How do I feel about all of this? Still in disbelief. If none of it had happened, maybe we could have

There was no other response coming from him, so I just let it go. What was more important right now was looking forward to moving on without them. The phone stayed quiet. Daniel did not reply again. My phone stayed quiet. I sat on the edge of the motel bed. The vodka bottle was still half full. The cigarettes sat on the table. But for the first time in weeks, my mind felt a bit clearer.I have always wanted to get my own place, but Daniel never thought of it a good idea. In his own words, women are supposed to submit to their husbands. Stay home, be a housewife, totally rely on me. But look how things have turned out to be now. The memory made me shake my head. I drove down to Adrian’s place. The road felt familiar. The house looked quiet when I arrived. Weeds had started to germinate in front of his drive through and beside the house and fences. The grass was longer than before. No one was really home. The windows stayed dark. I’ve been here constantly, but I didn’t get in due to Cl