Nobela ni Joy raphael

“Right now?” I asked, my gaze flickering from Marcus to Reid, whose expression was plain and unreadable.“Yes,” he paused, then added. “That's if I'm not interrupting something.”“Um.. no. It's fine.” I squeezed my way past Reid to stand directly in front of Marcus. Something about the way I stood in-between them made me feel uncomfortable. It was as if I was invisible, both of them glaring at each other—daring the other to back down. I cleared my throat loudly, trying to break the tension. “So, you wanted to talk to me, Marcus?”“Alone.” He sneered.I turned to Reid, waiting for him to leave, but he didn't move. “Reid, please can you give us a minute?”He tore his eyes away from Marcus—his expression softening the moment they landed on me—and smiled. “Sure thing, babe.” There it was—that word again. I pushed the fluttering feeling rising in my chest to the back of my mind, scuttling to the side for him to pass.Halfway through the door, he turned around and placed a kiss on my chee

When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was that I wasn't alone. The smell of omelets and waffles wafted from the kitchen—comforting yet unsettling. Unsettling because someone was in my apartment. In my kitchen.My body snapped to high alert. I gently threw back the covers and sat up. A sharp pain pierced my skull, forcing me to rub my temples.What the f*ck happened last night? Everything was a blur, but I remembered drinking— this had to be the aftermath.Steadying myself, I slipped my feet into my soft, bunny-eared slippers and tiptoed across the sunlit floorboards. Peeking into the kitchen, I froze.A half-naked man—his back to me—stood at the sink, rinsing something under the tap. On the countertop stove beside him, bacon sizzled in a pan. Chopped vegetables were piled nearby. He reached up for something in the cupboard and hissed, yanking his hand back.His muscles tensed, arms and back flexing like a sculpture come to life. I tried to look away, but my gaze locked on him. Eve

The silence of my apartment wrapped around me like a thin, brittle shell.I sat on the edge of my bed, still dressed, my hands trembling faintly in my lap. The room was dark except for the soft glow of the streetlamp outside, casting thin stripes of light across the floor. I hadn't even bothered to shower or change after the bodyguard dropped me off—I just came inside, locked the door, and collapsed here.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it. Reid collapsed on his knees, bloodied. Adam's knife on my throat. Klaus, calm as ice, like none of it mattered.I exhaled shakily and ran a hand through my hair. I should try to sleep. But how could I? A soft knock jolted me upright.I froze.Another knock, firmer this time, followed by a soft, familiar voice.“It's me, Reid.”In an instant, I was on my feet and at the door, opening it for him. I didn't realize I'd been worried sick about him until I flung the door open and threw myself at him.“Oh, thank goodness you're okay.”“Did I wake You?

The moment Adam flicked his fingers, his men lunged.Reid didn’t hesitate—he shoved me aside, sending me stumbling against the bar. My hands grasped at the counter, my vision swimming from the alcohol, but I forced myself to focus. The first attacker swung for Reid’s jaw. Reid ducked, sharp and controlled, and drove his fist into the guy’s ribs. A sickening crack echoed through the now-silent club. The man staggered back, gasping for air, but Reid didn’t stop—he pivoted and slammed his elbow into the next attacker’s throat, dropping him instantly.Another man rushed from behind, but Reid twisted, caught his wrist, and drove a knee into his stomach. The man crumpled with a grunt, but Reid didn’t spare him a glance before turning to the next threat.Adam stood smirking, watching it all unfold.A chair scraped from behind me as another man charged for Reid with a broken bottle. Reid was faster. He sidestepped, letting the man fall forward before grabbing him by the neck and, with a sick

“...that's crazy. I always got irritated by my siblings, but sadly, they passed away. Now I’ll do anything to hear their nagging.” I traced a finger along the rim of my untouched glass.“Oh... I'm sorry for your loss,” Adam said, downing his drink in one go.His sixth glass, and he still looked perfectly sober. I was getting tired of the small talk, but Adam didn’t seem to notice. At least he was more of a talker.“So.. is it still a touchy subject? Do you wanna talk about it?”I rubbed the nape of my neck, shaking my head slightly. “Yeah, I'd appreciate it if we skipped that. Speaking of which, I couldn’t help but notice your necklace—it looks… unique.”“it is.” He ran his fingers over the ring. “A family heirloom? Passed from your grandma to your mom, then to your future wife?”He tipped his head back and laughed. “You're the first person to think that. It's rare for someone not to recognize what this ring stands for.” He gestured for the bartender to refill his glass, his gaze sha

TWENTY-FIVE The deep bass of music pulsed through the air, reaching us even as we parked across the street from the club. I turned to Reid, giving him a skeptical look.“Here? May I ask why?”“Two words,” he said, stepping out of the car and flexing his injured arm, counting off on his fingers. “Information. Fun.” I hesitated before getting out, my discomfort growing. I had never been to a club before—let alone with someone I was struggling to trust.“You know, when you said, ‘I know somewhere we can go’—especially in that tone—a club wasn't exactly on my list of guesses.”“It ain't that bad. You'll see.”I followed him across the road toward the club. A massive neon sign glowed from the rooftop, reading Lustra Lounge in elegant, golden letters. My brows shot up as I took in the upscale exterior.“Hold up, I thought you had to be invited to get into boujee clubs like these,” I said, stopping in my tracks.Reid smirked. “You forget who you're walking with. I can bring whoever I want