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T H I R T Y
publish date:
2026-05-17 20:56:50
Latest chapter
Dangerous T H I R T Y - O N E
The cab rumbled through the streets of Zoe’s childhood, simultaneously familiar and foreign, unchanged and changed. Resting her head against the cool window, Zoe caught a glimpse of the playground she and her siblings had frequented as kids. New equipment adorned the fresh soft fall, a new bloom of flowers encasing the perimeter, yet the same old memories lingered in the monkey bars where her brother had fallen and broken his arm, in the swing where Zoe had spent countless hours pushing her sister after losing Rock, Paper, Scissors, by the bench their mother had perched on, watching her children roam wild and free. Brighton Heights was Zoe’s home. It was where she’d grown up, slowly molding her into the woman she was today.But as the cab came to a halt outside of her childhood home, Zoe realized it wasn’t the home she’d remembered. The cobblestone pathway – trendy in her youth – was replaced with sleek, black pavers, a new porch added to the front of the house with plush deck chairs
Dangerous T H I R T Y
Newport’s cityscape blurred by in the windows, the air inside the car was thick with silence, although it wasn’t empty. It was filled with uncertainty, panic and words discarded before they reached the tongue. Jon grasped her hand beneath his, holding it against the stick as he smoothly shifted gears. His palm was clammy, thumb lifting to pick at a callous on his finger. The estimated time of arrival displayed on the map lighting up the car screen had started at an hour and twenty-one minutes, the number rapidly dwindling with every mile Jon put behind them with a press of his foot on the pedal.Zoe wanted to speak – the absence of sound growing unbearable – but she didn’t know what to say. Dark glasses covered Jon’s eyes, but the way he gnawed the inside of his cheek told Zoe he was feeling just as anxious as she was. Instead, she opted to study the shape of his face, the crooked bulge on his nose, the way his top lip dipped together to meet in the center. The longer she stared, the
Dangerous T W E N T Y - N I N E
Threads of sunlight nudged through the thin crevices of the hefty drapery, warming slivers of Jon’s face. He stifled a yawn, outstretching his arms before the pain in his abdomen halted him. Rubbing a hand over his groggy face, he mumbled a quiet good morning, gingerly rolling to his side to kiss Zoe. As his hand swept across the empty bed, dark eyes snapped open, heart skipping a beat as he scanned the room. The bathroom door was wide open, the balcony door sealed shut and no sign of Zoe. An unfamiliar pit knotted his stomach as he scrambled from the bed, lunging towards his phone. Shaky hands scrolled through the contacts, finding her name and repeatedly tapping the call button. Raking his fingers over the crown of his head, black eyes darted around the room, praying to whoever was listening that she’d pop out from a doorway, or shimmy out from beneath the sheets.The ringing taunted him, and as her sweet voice rang through the phone, he felt his muscles relax.“Hey, you’ve reached-
Dangerous T W E N T Y - E I G H T
Deep vibrations echoed through the still room, a rhythmic reverberation bouncing off the padded curtains as the light of Jon’s phone flashed brightly from his discarded jacket by the front door. It died out after a moment, but the startle had already awoken Jon. As he threw his legs off the side of the bed, a sharp pain jolted from his stomach. He hissed through gritted teeth, falling back helplessly against the headboard.“Are you okay?” Zoe whispered sleepily, eyes groggily cracking open to peek at him.“I’m good,” he smiled. The bed moved beneath him, the warmth of her body dismantling the chill that nipped at his arms as she curled up beside him. Her breath was hot against his skin, sending his heart thudding in his chest. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”“You didn’t.”He could tell she was lying from the sleepy thickness of her voice. The urge to kiss her overwhelmed him. Clenching his teeth together, he dipped his head low, nudging at her cheek and forcing her lips to his. She oblig
Dangerous T W E N T Y - S E V E N
Jon flinched at her frenzy, grasping her palms between his. “Don’t worry about me. Just double check you’re good.”She shook her head, struggling to release her hands from his grip. “Jon, that’s not a small amount of blood.”“I’m fine, Zoe.” The words were cold, detached.Hesitantly, she brought her hands to his face, the air rushing from his lungs in a heavy breath as his eyes fluttered closed. She kissed the corner of his mouth gently. “Did I do something wrong?”Warm, earthy eyes snapped open, softening beneath her timid expression, his head shifting firmly from side to side. “What? No! God, no, Zoe. I’m pissed at myself for putting you in that situation, for risking losing you.”Comprehension swirled in her mind, recognizing that what had occurred could very well have something to do with his job, with the ‘warning’ she’d been given. In the heat of the moment, and the shock of the aftermath, she hadn’t given it much thought. Her mouth popped open, questions brimming behind her tee
Dangerous T W E N T Y - S I X
The boat docked far too quickly, the two hour dinner over in what felt like a matter of minutes. Heavy legs and a floaty lightheadedness told Zoe she was tipsy, a consequence of one too many espresso martinis. Jon’s arm slung over her shoulders, her head resting contentedly against his pec as her heels clicked against the sea-stained wood. Slipping her hand beneath his shirt, she trailed intricate patterns along his sacrum, dipping into the dimples in the small of his back.Longing pools of chocolate stared down at her, deep and warm, and something unfamiliar flickered behind them. Zoe sensed this type of affection was unknown to him, and whenever she initiated it, it gave him pause. The alcohol coursing through her veins encouraged her to be bolder, and as they reached the car, she lifted on her tiptoes and kissed him. Breaking away, she lifted a manicured hand, caressing the unshaven lines of his jaw, feeling his face sink into her touch. He smiled, leaning against the cool metal of
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