CoraThe hospital’s sterile halls and beeping monitors had worn me down, but at least they were full of life and movement. I still had yet to pick up Riley from Rock’s place, and so when I returned home to my empty house, the halls around me were eerily silent. I shut the door behind me and sighed d
CoraI didn’t even think about the return flight. I just ran.One second, I was in the airport terminal, scrolling through another dozen frantic headlines about Kingston’s company falling apart, and the next, I was barreling toward the gate like my legs had decided for me.I don’t even remember grab
CoraThe hum of the plane was strangely soothing. I stared out the small oval window, watching clouds drift beneath us like ghosts.I’d told Rock I just needed a break. He was the only one I’d told because I knew he was the only person who wasn’t attached to my recent drama who would be willing and
KingstonI’ve seen empires fall over smaller betrayals.The boardroom was silent as I scanned the preliminary results from the internal investigation. A human-owned company had somehow won the bid for our most ambitious project to date and accused us of creating poison. The story had already cost us
Cora was still blinking, stunned. Finally, she turned to me.“You alright?” she asked, her voice gentle but hesitant.Despite everything—this massive betrayal—she was checking in on me. Because that’s who she was.I gave a small nod. “More annoyed than anything. Daisy loves control. She adores playi
KingstonThe knock was hard, impatient, and unmistakably aggressive.Cora and I exchanged a glance.Before I could react, the door flew open.“Seriously?” Daisy stormed inside like she owned the place, fury written across her face. “This is where you’ve been all day? Playing pretend with your other
“Mom?” he asked suddenly.“Yeah, baby?”“I think Kingston should be my dad.”I forced a soft smile. “Sweetheart… I know you like him a lot. I do too. But things aren’t always that simple.”“Why not?” he asked, turning his head to look at me. “He makes you smile more than Daddy ever did.”My throat b
Cora The hospital room was quiet except for the beep of the monitors.Kingston hadn’t left, not even once, not to make a call, not to check in with the rest of the world that I knew was demanding his attention.He stayed. For Riley. For me.I turned my head as Kingston shifted slightly in his seat.
KingstonI told myself the kiss meant nothing.It had been an accident—a stumble, a jolt, two people colliding in a cramped Ferris wheel cabin. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t real.And yet…Every time I looked at Cora, I could still feel the ghost of her mouth against mine.Soft. Warm. Too damn tempti