MasukMy heart doesn't just drop.It crashes.Ashley.Of course it's her.One of his sister's little friends. Leather pants, a halter top that shows just how desperate she is, and the kind of smug smile that makes me want to rip out her hair strand by strand.Heat climbs up my neck.Rage. Embarrassment. S
"Final boarding call for Flight 238..."I finish the last sip of my mimosa, sling my Gucci diaper bag over one shoulder, smooth the fabric of my dress with a flick of my wrist, and reach for Cameron with the kind of ease that only comes from knowing no one else is going to carry the weight for you.
Christine(August 2025 — 9 months after I left)"I have to ask," Evelina says, her voice soft but unwavering as she shifts Cameron in her arms, rocking him like she's done it a million times. "Are you sure about this? Going back to him?"I lift my mimosa and take a measured sip, letting the citrus b
"You wouldn't love me if I wasn't.""I assure you I would."Carol turns back to me, her voice softening. "Honey, anytime you need help with the babies, you call us. Day or night. Nothing's more important than family."Relief settles heavy in my chest, dragging the rest of me down with it."Thank you
As I ruffle Niko's hair while he sits beside me, a soft knock echoes through the room, followed by the quiet creak of the door swinging open."Mind if we come in?" Carol's voice floats gently through the doorway.Niko lifts his head, quickly wiping away the evidence that he'd been crying."Hey, Mom.
AlyssaAt the hospital, the nurses whisk my babies away for the routine tests that should've been done as soon as they were born.Still, my chest tightens when they're rolled out of the room.I know it's standard. Necessary—especially considering the way they made their grand entrance on the floor o
AlyssaAfter we came home, Zuri woke up just long enough to drink a warm cup of milk and drift back off to sleep with a few poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends.Now, she's curled up in her bed, wrapped around the stuffed giraffe she picked out at the zoo—her soft snores a whisper through the baby mon
Alyssa After we finish singing happy birthday and help Zuri blow out the candle on her second personal birthday cake, the entire room erupts into cheers. Bikers hoot and clap. My best friends cheer like drunk bridesmaids. Even Niko's parents, who I honestly didn't expect to come, are here, smilin
And that’s something we both need to accept, whether we want to or not.Alyssa's holding her daughter, pointing at a snow leopard as it leaps across a rock ledge. She's smiling—genuinely. The kind of soft, easy smile that tells me she's safe and happy and what happened between us didn't permanently
WarIt's been two fucking weeks since I've seen her.Touched her.Heard her voice.They've sent texts. A shitload of them. Mostly her. A few from King—dry updates, clipped check-ins, the occasional, "She asked if your ass is still breathing."I never answered.Couldn't find the will to.The wounds f







