LOGINARIELLA I held his gaze. “I can’t survive without you,” I said again. “You won’t have to,” he replied quietly. “I’m going to be okay. I’ll come back. I have to. You and Leon are waiting for me. I won’t break that promise.” He lifted my chin gently so I had no choice but to look at him. “I just
ARIELLA I woke up to feel light kisses on my face. I opened my eyes to find Asher hovering over me, pressing soft kisses against my skin. I let out a small laugh as he brushed his lips against mine before straightening. He was already dressed. Tie in place. Hair perfectly styled. Everything about
ARIELLA When Asher is finally, fully seated inside me, the bed groans beneath our combined weight. He pulls back out just as slowly, and the friction is enough to make my head swim. He’s doing this on purpose; I can see the intent in his eyes. He’s paying me back for every stolen glance and silen
ARIELLA That did it. Asher's expression shifted, something deeper, more certain. And this time when he kissed me, I didn’t hesitate. Didn’t hold back. Didn’t think about later or tomorrow. Or anything waiting for us outside that room. I let myself go into Asher's arms. I shiver beneath his touch,
ARIELLA The moment the flash went off, both of them stirred. Leon shifted first, letting out a small, confused sound as he buried his face deeper into the pillow. But Asher.... Asher woke instantly. His hand tightened instinctively around the book on his chest, the other bracing slightly at his si
ARIELLA I couldn't believe him right now. “None of the above,” I replied quickly, turning away from his smug face and back to Leon. “Okay, listen. Dad is coming upstairs to read you a book.” “Yay!” Leon said instantly, already turning around and running out of the room. The moment he left, I le
“Ariella, listen to me,” Luca said, his tone light but sincere. “Seriously, I’m not even mad at you. I mean—okay—maybe I’m a little upset that the two of you decided to do the deed while I was next door.” I groaned, embarrassment washing over me all over again. He laughed, clearly trying to ease th
Asher's gaze flashed. "I can't be a righteous man right now, Ariella... Stop doing that." I bit my bottom lip. He hissed as I asked, "Stop doing what?" "If you continue doing that, I'm going to have to break all the promises I made to you. Break all the promises I made to your parents...." He t
I nearly felt like dying with mortification. On one side, there was the embarrassment—what we had just done, what Luca realized I had done, we had done. But on the other side, it was Asher’s life. The life I had put at risk. Just because I wanted to sleep with him. Because I wanted to get pregnant.
Because beneath the sadness in Dad's face, beneath the anger, beneath the heavy emotion… was something worse. Disappointment. That was what broke me. I had wanted a reaction—but not this one. I didn’t know what to do with this. So I stood there, frozen, unable to move, just watching him as he wal







