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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 2021-07-20
Chapter: chapter eightLaughter rang out from the entrance of the workshop, Hazel snapping around to face the sound. The three brothers walked ahead, shoving each other as they held their stomachs from laughing so hard, their voices booming through the still autumn night. Max trailed behind, one hand shoved into the pocket of his jeans, the other attached to his phone, the screen lighting up his face. He barely glanced up as they made their way back to the bonfire.Hazel’s eyes narrowed, the tingling current of alcohol coursing through her bloodstream doing nothing to abate the irritation burning inside her. Max finally looked up, a grin spreading across his ruddy cheeks as he bounded over to her. “Ready to go?”Of course, those would be the first words out of his mouth. She shook her head, “Nope.”“We agreed to an hour, remember? An hour and then we’d head home?” He frowned, casting a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching.Folding her arms across her chest, Hazel scowled. “We also
Last Updated: 2026-09-12
Chapter: chapter sevenLeaning against the bed of Tyler’s pickup, Hazel stared at the fire crackling, casting an orange flow on the circle of people surrounding it. She scanned each face, smiling as her gaze settled on Max, beer in his hand as he chatted with Lou and her husband, Hank. This is what she’d wanted for the night. With her mother gone and her father unwell, introducing Max to Lou and Hank had felt more pivotal than she’d anticipated. Seeing them together made something twang deep in her chest, a small smile brimming against the can of pop she brought to her lips.“Not drinkin’, Haze?” Jace’s thick southern drawl, accentuated by the beer he clutched in his hand, broke through her thoughts. “That’s not like you.”Hazel laughed, covering her face as she shook her head, knowing exactly what he was hinting at. The amount of times the eldest Callahan brother had held her hair back as she threw up the alcohol she’d consumed was astounding, and as a grown adult, embarrassing. “I’m not really a big drinke
Last Updated: 2026-09-06
Chapter: chapter sixThe conversation about the bonfire had gone exactly as Hazel had expected. Max dug his heels in, rattling off a laundry list of reasons he shouldn’t have to attend – he’d be too tired from work, the boys would want to play video games with him, the smoke from the fire would make his clothes and hair stink, the bugs would drive him crazy, the smoke would make Blue’s fur smell and give them extra work to do on Saturday. Hazel had rolled her eyes, remaining silent. There was no point arguing.As Friday afternoon rolled around, her stomach twisted, Max’s irritation at topic of the night hanging heavy in the air. Standing in the bedroom, she sucked in a deep breath, tugging an oversized sweater over her head and making some small adjustments to her hair. Slipping on her boots, she opened the bedroom door, breath baited as she braced herself for Max’s reaction.His arm slung over the back of the sofa, his hand running through his floppy waves. He glanced at her from his peripheral, quickly
Last Updated: 2026-09-01
Chapter: chapter fiveThe screen door creaked, the clomp of heavy boots against the wood floors echoed through the still kitchen. Hazel set down the iron, hanging up Max’s work shirt on the rack beside her before taking one of the brown bags he had stacked in his arms. She sat it on the countertop, beginning to unpack the night’s dinner necessities. Max swept around, kissing the side of her head before sinking down into a dining chair to take off his boots.“Thanks for stopping in on the way home,” Hazel smiled, desperate to break the silence that lingered. She knew he hadn’t been happy to make the stop, even less so when he suggested getting groceries delivered and she reminded him that wasn’t a thing here. “I thought I’d have more time this afternoon, but there was so much prep to do before I start work and then cleaning out the chicken coop took a lot longer than I expected. I don’t remember it taking my dad that long.” She laughed awkwardly, watching Max rise from the table, lean muscles tensing sligh
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
Chapter: chapter fourStepping out onto the porch, the mug warm in her palms, Hazel couldn’t help but scan the pastures behind the old farmhouse. The shop came into view, a string of beat up motorcycles littered the entrance, an old car protruding from the garage, its hood open as a slew of tools lay discarded around it.Lou’s warm natter drifted dully through the haze of Hazel’s heartbeat. She took her seat in one of the Adirondack chairs, nodding politely where she felt it appropriate to, but the words weren’t registering, not fully. Instead, they floated around her, background noise, as the broad physique of Cole stepped out from the darkness of the workshop.He was taller than Hazel remembered, more rugged, as if he’d lived an entire life while she was absent. Tattoos adorned the skin of his arms, disappearing beneath the tight sleeves of his black shirt. It was snug around his shoulders, his chest, his muscles rippling beneath the fabric as he stooped down to retrieve the tennis ball from Blue’s clamp
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
Chapter: chapter threeGlancing over her shoulder, Hazel caught sight of the woman shuffling up the drive, floral cotton dress flapping behind her as she wiped her hands on her apron. There was already an abundance of flour dusting the faded pink fabric. Gray-speckled hair was tacked into a low bun, strands of brown falling around the weathered skin of her face. Crinkled coffee eyes squinted in her direction as she continued her path across the gravel.“Hello to you too, Lou,” Hazel laughed, moving to meet the woman halfway.Lou Callahan was shorter than Hazel remembered, softer around the edges now with her sun-kissed skin looking tired and worn. She held her hands on her hips, a plaid tea towel scrunched in her dusty palm. Something deep inside Hazel’s chest twinged, the subtle reminder of the age her mother never grew to be. She swallowed it down though as Lou wrapped her stocky arms around Hazel’s middle, squeezing tightly.“Your dad’s been talkin’ of you comin’ back for months,” she chuckled, wiping th
Last Updated: 2026-08-31
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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 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
Last Updated: 2026-07-24
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