Chapter: chapter sixteenJuggling three grades had been much more difficult to manage than Hazel had anticipated. The majority of the day had been spent flitting between groups and by the time the bell sounded at three, she was well and truly exhausted. After the ruckus of children had been escorted to their parents, she dawdled back to the classroom, slumping in her chair for what felt like the first time that day. With a silent room, her thoughts drifted back to Georgie. She’d caught her attention multiple times that day; the little smile she did when she was listening during story time, her raised brows when another student, Nash, had tried to swap his lunch with her, her fingers picking at the skin around her nails as she awaited her name in roll call - it was all reminiscent of Cole. Hazel couldn’t put her finger on the reason it made her stomach twist so wildly - the thought of Cole having a child. Their relationship had been nothing more than a fleeting fling, fueled by its taboo nature and her impen
Última actualización: 2026-10-29
Chapter: chapter fifteen—By the time Hazel arrived at the school that morning, a thin layer of sweat had beaded across her forehead. She slot her bike into the rack, not bothering to lock it as she straightened herself out. The school hadn’t changed much at all since her own time there. It felt a lot smaller than it once had, tucked between the vast rolling hills and the dusty road. The faded brick buildings and tin roofs had clearly seen better days, the old wooden fence that surrounded the perimeter leaning in at certain points. Cattle grazed in the neighboring paddocks, barely lifting their heads at the clamour of children darting across the playground. Nostalgia settled over her, visions of her five year old self standing anxiously at the gate, pig tails pulled too far forward as her eyes surveyed the entire playground. She remembered Will holding her hand, his clammy palm clasping hers so tightly she thought it might break. Unable to stifle her smile, she grabbed her carry bag, throwing it over her
Última actualización: 2026-10-22
Chapter: chapter fourteenThe door slammed shut, rattling against the old hinges. Hazel remained where she was, in the old rocking chair, lathering her dry legs with lotion. Damp hair sent trickles of water droplets down her back, wetting the singlet she’d slid on after her shower. She kept her eyes down as Max sauntered into the bedroom, his frame appearing much bigger as he puffed up his chest. “Don’t ever put me in that fucking position again,” he hissed. “You came out,” she murmured, eyes still downcast on her legs. Max scoffed, stomping over to the bathroom and grinding the faucet on. “I heard his fucking voice. Did you expect me to just sit inside and look like a fucking asshole?”“I didn’t invite him over, Max.”“You also didn’t tell him to fuck off,” he bit, stripping off his clothes and tossing them by her feet. “Wash them. They fucking stink.”“I didn’t want to be rude.”“Yeah, you made that pretty clear.” The bathroom door closed with a harsh thud, leaving Hazel staring down at the practically cl
Última actualización: 2026-10-14
Chapter: chapter thirteenHazel’s gaze snapped up, her cheeks shading red as she realized how disheveled she still looked. Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a white shirt that clung to every single hard line on his torso, Cole looked a far cry from the sleepy bedhead who’d slipped from her room that morning. He ran his fingers through his hair, shimmying the Tupperware he held in his hands as if it explained exactly what he was doing there. “Mom wanted me to bring you some breakfast. She said you high-tailed it this morning without having a feed.”“That’s really sweet of her,” Hazel smiled, feeling Blue yank against the collar she held in her palm. A sharp sting radiated down her shoulder and she released him. “Blue, no!”Before she could stop him, the Rottweiler bounded up to Cole, grubby, padded paws pressing against the clean white of his shirt. “Shit, I’m sorry,” Hazel murmured, scuttling forward to tug Blue back. “I have to wash him before Max will let him inside, because he smells like the bonfire an
Última actualización: 2026-10-06
Chapter: chapter twelveIt felt like hours before the racket downstairs quieted. Hazel powered on her phone, scrolling through the relentless amount of messages she’d received overnight from Max. The familiar knot tightened in her stomach, well aware that her return would likely mean a cold shoulder. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair as she rose, nimbly shaking out the sheets and remaking the bed. The sheets twisted and curled on Cole’s side, her hands working to smooth out the pleats and folds his body had created. The scent of his cologne lingered subtly, the faintest hint to remind her that she last night hadn’t been her imagination. Sucking in a breath, she glanced down at his clothes hanging from her limbs. Dawdling over to the chair in the corner, she grabbed her clothes from the night before, shuffling into the shared bathroom to wash her face and redress. Folding his clothes, she sat them on the bed, finally sucking up the courage to leave the room. The door clicked, creaking as it o
Última actualización: 2026-10-06
Chapter: chapter elevenInky skin pinned Hazel against the heat of his chest, his breath slow and shallow. “So much for keeping your hands to yourself,” Hazel scoffed, her fingers cinching around his wrist in a feeble attempt to release his grasp on her waist. “I tried,” he grumbled, his nose nuzzling further into her hair. “I can’t control what I do in my sleep.”“You’re awake now,” Hazel huffed.“But you’re so warm.”The echo of a door creaking open from somewhere down the hall, Kelsey’s sugary voice drifting down the hallway as she called for Cole halted Hazel’s urge to push him away.“You’re being summoned.”“She’s not gonna look in here,” Cole murmured sleepily, far too casual for Hazel’s liking. Rolling her eyes, she tugged at his wrist. “And if she does? This doesn’t look good, Cole.”“She’ll get over it.”“Yeah, I’m not talking about her,” Hazel bristled. Cole groaned, finally releasing her from his grasp. Dark eyes followed her as she scrambled away, tugging the sheets high up to her neck. “What
Última actualización: 2026-09-29
Chapter: S E V E N T Y - T H R E EThree weeks. The doctors had kept Zoe imprisoned in the clinical cell for almost three damn weeks. Every night, Jon curled beside her in the bed – no wider than a damn king single – while her limbs tangled around his, his chest used as a pillow. She’d gradually gotten stronger, more confident in her walks around the ward, but every time she’d asked to go home, Dr. Hawkins had insisted she stay for just a little bit longer. The way the doctor pinched his fingers together, his beady eyes squinting as he said it, Jon wondered whether the good doc was doing it just to torture him. He plastered on a fake smile anyway, wheeling around to see disappointment cloud Zoe’s features as he tried in vain to convince her it would all be okay soon.The stoic charade had fallen apart the minute Dr. Hawkins had signed the discharge papers, Jon muttering a victorious “thank fuck, asshole” before slinging Zoe’s duffel over his shoulder and hoisting her into his arms. He cradled her out of the ward, her g
Última actualización: 2026-08-18
Chapter: S E V E N T Y - T W OBy the time Evan arrived the next morning, Jon found it almost impossible to untangle himself from the web of Zoe’s limbs. Her head rested lazily against his chest, the warmth of her breath heating the patch of skin beneath the dark gray fabric of his shirt, and leaving her seemed like an unbearable task. Guilt trickled down into his gut, the knowledge that he was buried beneath the weight of the woman he loved, while Booker was locked up in county jail, arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. The thought forced him up, his thick legs swinging out of the bed. Blue eyes stared up at him anxiously, the pillow cinched precariously against her abdomen as she lifted herself up. Jon shook his head, pressing his lips against her forehead as he urged her to lay back down. Hyper-aware of Evan’s uncomfortable shifting from the plastic chair beside Zoe’s bed; Jon hovered by the shell of her ear, his heated murmur rasping from his throat. “I have to go and see him, baby, but I’ll be back before y
Última actualización: 2026-08-17
Chapter: S E V E N T Y - O N EJon winced, the concrete mattress pushing against his spine irritatingly. Shuffling his hips, he leaned back, stuffing his hand in the pocket of his sweats to remove some of the bulk digging into his hip bones. Tossing his phone, keys and cigarettes onto the clinical nightstand, he adjusted himself to keep himself as close to Zoe as possible. She sighed sleepily, her eyes still closed, mouth parted as soft breaths rippled her chest. Wiping his lips with the back of his hand, he let his head fall back, the anxiety he’d tried to bury bubbling to the surface in the stillness of Zoe’s dark room. Getting caught had never scared him before. It was something he avoided, took precautions to prevent, but fuck, if he got caught and sent away, it was what he deserved. Now though, well now, it was the worst fucking thing that could happen. Leaving Zoe after every fucking thing they’d been through might actually kill him. He fucking prayed there was no root or whatever Booker had said, but he was
Última actualización: 2026-08-04
Chapter: S E V E N T YForcing open heavy lids, Zoe lazily trailed her gaze across the empty, darkened hospital room. Beneath her cheek, Jon’s firm chest rose steadily, his soft breath releasing slowly. Lifting a hand to rub her bleary vision, he startled awake beneath her.“What are you doing up?” he mumbled, rolling his neck from side to side against the crinkly pillow. Zoe’s eyes trailed down his body, noticing the fresh gray sweats and black long-sleeved tee clinging to his muscles. Her lips parted and he smiled. “Lia brought me in some new clothes. I even took a shower,” he winked. “Didn’t think it was fair to sleep next to you when I’ve been wearing the same clothes for three days.”“Ew,” Zoe giggled, wincing at the pain that shot through her abdomen. “Why didn’t you shower?”“You were sedated. I didn’t want to leave, even for a second,” he whispered, shifting his body to face her, his fingers tucking the loose waves of hair behind her ear. “I wanted to make sure I was here when you woke up.”The warm
Última actualización: 2026-07-30
Chapter: S I X T Y - N I N ECraning her into bed as if she were a child, Jon tucked the chocolate waves behind her ear and smiled. Zoe shuffled aside, patting the squeaking mattress beside her. Slowly slinking in beside her, he tentatively wrapped an arm behind her neck, trying to miss the large plaster that covered almost the entirety of the back of her head. His fingers danced against the starchy blue hospital gown, dark eyes drifting to the wound hidden behind the fabric.“Does it hurt?” he murmured.Her eyelids grew heavy, the urge to sleep suddenly growing overwhelming. It was as if her body had been in survival mode, and only now that she was close enough to hear Jon’s slow breaths, to feel the warmth radiating off his olive skin, did her body release. “Mmm,” she acknowledged, pressing her lips together tightly. “Not too bad though.”“I really am s-”Zoe silenced him, pressing her dry, chapped lips to his. “Stop saying sorry.”His jaw clenched, the left corner of his mouth lifting in a half-smile as he wat
Última actualización: 2026-07-27
Chapter: S I X T Y - E I G H T“Ugh, this tastes like ass.”A husky laugh echoed through the quiet room. “It’s not that bad, man.”Heavy lids covered her eyes. Zoe strained to decipher the fuzzy voices echoing in her ears. Her throat was raw and dry as she struggled to swallow. Dull pain ached at the back of her head and her abdomen and as she twitched her arm, she felt the weakness coursing through her muscles.“This is honestly the worst fucking coffee I’ve ever tasted. How can you say it’s not that bad?”Evan.Straining against the heaviness of her eyelids, Zoe cracked open her eyes. The light streaming in from the window, as well as the harsh fluorescents overhead, stung, a coarse grittiness burying itself against her sclera almost forcing them closed again. Disoriented, she squinted, lifting a weary arm to shield her eyes. A pinching pain shot across the back of her hand causing a weak squeak to escape her. A shuffle of footsteps resounded beside her before concerned, brown eyes stared down at her.“Thank fuck
Última actualización: 2026-07-24
Chapter: O N E H U N D R E D & T W E N T Y The hot water beat down on Kate’s tired body, doing little to ease the aches and pains of her exhausted muscles and absolutely nothing to diffuse the mental depletion she felt. Perpetually fatigued was now her permanent state of being, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She hurried to work the shampoo through her now shoulder-length brown hair, keeping one eye on the baby monitor that flashed on the vanity. She closed her eyes momentarily, silently praying that everyone stayed asleep for just five more minutes. Bubbles tingled across her pink chipped toenails - a reminder from her and Paloma’s last day out alone, sans kids. She stifled a giggle, remembering how Colton had phoned her, asking her a million questions while squeals echoed in the background. Upon her return, he had met her at the door, black tee covered in spit-up and mashed banana while exhausted eyes stared at her gratefully. The click of the bathroom door dragged her from her thoughts, squinting eye
Última actualización: 2021-08-13
Chapter: O N E H U N D R E D & N I N E T E E N Colton’s wide eyes stared back at Kate, as she panted through yet another excruciating contraction; her entire pelvis spreading apart to allow their baby to enter the world. The floral tones of Bernadette’s perfume wafted through the room as she returned, snapping on a pair of blue latex gloves, a stack of blue sheets tucked under her arm. Another woman trudged behind, not clearly as enthused as Bernadette, sanitizing her hands before sliding on her own pair of gloves. Snapping her gum, she made her way over to the machine beside Kate’s bed, mature hazel eyes peering over square glasses to scan the paper slowly rolling from the machine.“Okay, Kate,” Bernadette chirped from the end of the bed, her short hair curled eloquently atop her head. Kate took in the swirls of brown, ebbing and flowing across her crown as she pushed through another surge of pain. “Kate,” Bernadette smiled, patting Kate’s bare leg to garner her atten
Última actualización: 2021-08-07
Chapter: O N E H U N D R E D & E I G H T E E N Shivering as she swept the blankets off her bloated body, Kate groaned, awkwardly clambering from the bed, one hand attempting to massage her lower back as she waddled to the bathroom. The sun had begun to rise, its rays just starting to seep through the small crack of their curtain. It bounced off Colton’s watch face, illuminating a soft glowy spot on the roof. She cast a glance over her shoulder, unable to help the smile that grew across her face at Colton’s muffled snores, his bare torso exposed with one inked hand resting atop it. His wedding ring glistened ever so slightly in the dewy dawn light. She’d always assumed married life would feel no different and for the first few weeks, aside from the bubbling excitement that they’d actually gone through with it, it hadn’t, but as the weeks turned to months, Kate grew to understand exactly why people did it. Knowing that Colton had wholeheartedly committed himself to her for the rest of his life was an
Última actualización: 2021-08-02
Chapter: O N E H U N D R E D & S E V E N T E E NThe car jounced down the dirt road, wheels spinning stray flecks of gravel through the air. The sky was almost pitch black now, a thick blanket filled with tiny stars that glinted brightly against the navy backdrop. The woods, still filled with the unsettling presence of flashlights, seemed eerier in the rearview, the few police cars that remained at the cottage shining from the glow of the kitchen light emanating from the window. Kate tugged at the threads of Colton’s sweatshirt, pulling the fabric over her mouth as she buried herself into the passenger seat. The radio announcer's voice drifted through the otherwise silent interior, talking about a new song being released by a popular female artist. Kate tried to focus on what he was saying, to push away the intrusive thoughts that were swirling through her mind, but his words turned into a mish-mash of nonsense, garbled sounds that made no sense to her. From her peripheral, she caught Colton m’s hand resting gently aga
Última actualización: 2021-07-28
Chapter: O N E H U N D R E D & S I X T E E N“Colton!”Her own voice rang in her ears, the sharp whistle of a gunshot pulsing deep in the chambers of her mind as all other noises diffused, dulling down to an almost non-existent whine. Colton’s body crumpled to the floor, the rifle discharging as it hit the scuffed floorboards; another loud pop burrowing into her eardrums. Attempting to stand, she clutched her stomach, huffing as she brought herself to her feet, watching in horror as a small team of officers, dressed in dark S.W.A.T vests, approached, their movements slow and controlled, methodically assessing the scene before them.“Kate!”Sandy’s voice cut through the mind-numbing noise, the warmth of her hand resting on Kate’s shoulder, preventing her from moving forward. Tearing away from her grasp, Kate stumbled forward, tripping over Preston’s extended leg and careening to the floor. She stuck out her hands, her wrists taking the brunt of the impact as s
Última actualización: 2021-07-24
Chapter: O N E H U N D R E D & F I F T E E N Tucking her knees into her chest - as far as her pregnant stomach would allow - Kate covered her ears, consciously inhaling and exhaling through pursed lips in an attempt to steady her erratic heart. Somewhere in the lounge room, she heard Colton shuffling about, the harsh rake of the curtain rings sliding along the thick wooden rods, shading them from the view of the outside. He continued grumbling over the phone, the string of expletives showing no signs of easing as his heavy footsteps clunked past her, growing muffled in the weathered carpet as he retreated into the bedroom. Cabinet doors banged open, the clang and clatter of objects dispersing as he rifled through them before forcefully slamming them shut with an irritated grunt. The anxiety coursing through her triggered the baby, its tiny limbs poking and prodding her stomach as she strove to calm herself down.“You better have someone here soon, Sandy,” Colton spat in the background, the sound of ano
Última actualización: 2021-07-20
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