MasukChapter 216: The World Could Wait Savannah I went to bed frustrated, embarrassed, and honestly a little pissed.Frustrated and pissed because my very sensible fiancé apparently had too much on his mind to entertain my very insensible fantasies.And embarrassed because, annoyingly, Roman had been right. Last night wasn’t the time. Too much had happened. Too much had been revealed. Anyone with half a brain could see he had a storm turning in his head.I should’ve been mature about it. Wise. Understanding. But I wasn’t.Last night, I couldn’t be. I’d wanted him shamelessly and desperately. I’d wanted him all day and a selfish part of me didn’t care that my father might be a murderous vigilante with a deranged sidekick.It still stung that this was the second time Roman had turned me down. Both times for good reasons.But both times still hurting anyway.I drifted somewhere between awake and asleep, lying on my side of the bed and staring at the curtains swaying in the sea breeze. Every
Chapter 215: I Don't Need LoveReese The sound of the slap reached me before the sting did. A clean, sharp crack that echoed off the wooden walls of the empty courtroom. I let my head turn with it, more out of politeness than pain. I just wanted her to have her moment. To make it seem like something… out of a movie. It wasn’t like I didn’t see it coming. Penelope was predictable that way—reactive, emotional, always performing even when her whole world was catching fire.I straightened slowly, rubbing my jaw with two fingers. “There it is,” I murmured. “I was wondering when you’d get around to that.”Her chest heaved. Her face was blotched red, her eyes wet and wild—equal parts shock and heartbreak. “How can you do this to me?” she whispered, her voice cracking. “Why would you do this to me, Reese? Why?”I exhaled softly. “Penny,” I said, lifting a brow, “you just asked me two questions at once. Which one am I supposed to answer first?”The shocked look she gave me almost made me lau
Chapter 214: You Know WhyReese Finally, I get to be done with Penelope. Since we’re moving on to more important things, it’s only right I let her know exactly who sends his regards.I set a timer and waited outside the courthouse. Penny was inside, handling another one of her high-profile cases. She’s hoping this one drags the public’s eyes away from the circus she made of the last trial. Fingers crossed she’s actually wearing those panties today. If not, well—there’s always next time. That’s why I brought flowers. If she’s got it on, I’ll give her the message. If she does not, I’ll pretend the bouquet was the whole point.I checked my reflection in the rearview mirror, running my hands through my hair. Probably time for a trim. Or maybe it’s finally time to let go of the dye altogether. I’ve been blond for so long I’m not even sure I’d recognize myself without it. It’s become a part of me.Funny thing is, it started as a rebellion. Everyone in our family has black hair—father, moth
Chapter 213: Sounds Beautiful Roman I took a deep breath as I stepped onto the cool, moon-washed sand. The waves crashed in slow, rhythmic pulses—beautiful, steady, calming. Or they should have been. But tonight the sound only sharpened the chaos in my head.I’d been strung tight all day. I thought that maybe walking out here, letting the water kiss my feet, letting the night swallow me whole, would help. But my chest still felt iron-clamped. My mind still churned. My stomach still twisted with something that felt halfway between rage and sickness. I felt… bad. Really bad.I sat down on the sand, dragging a hand down my face as Paula’s voice echoed in my mind, sharp as shrapnel even over the rolling of the waves. The ocean was peaceful. The world was peaceful. But inside me? It was war.God. How did everything get so twisted so fast?All I wanted was simple. A life with Savannah. A place no one could find us—no fathers, no enemies, no ghosts clawing at our backs. A home where our k
Chapter 212: Something… FittingRoman “Did Jace send you after my fiancé?” Savannah asked, her voice sharp enough to cut bone.Paula didn’t hesitate. “No. I doubt he’d want that, considering his daughter is in love with Blackwood’s son. He loves you too much to do anything that'd hurt you.”Savannah stepped forward, jaw set. “Well, newsflash, Paula. You’re not touching him. I won't let you.”Paula laughed. “And what are you going to do? If I decide to take my sweet revenge, Savannah, what can you do to me? I mean, besides your fiancé intervening?” “Don't mess with me. If you dare me, I'll make sure whatever plan my father made with you will never amount to anything. I'll take it as far as I can, Paula. Be warned.” Paula laughed—an ugly, scraped-out sound. “Does your father know about this? Your real father. Does he know that you plan to stand in his way of getting back at The General?” “Yes,” Savannah snapped. “Uncle Jace has met Roman. And he knows Roman is a good man. Whatever y
Chapter 211: The CircleRoman I saw Savannah’s expression shift the moment Paula opened her mouth and let that confession fall like a stone in a quiet lake. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t shock. It wasn’t even disgust.She looked… proud. Happy, even.There was the faintest curl of satisfaction on her lips—small, almost invisible, but still there. And I didn’t want to question her over it. Hell, if anything, I was intrigued. Because Savannah probably only smiles like that when justice is served in a court of law… or when karma finally remembers someone’s address.But it still confused me.Why did she look satisfied hearing that her sister’s child had suffered the same fate as hers did… but didn’t look half as relieved when I killed her rapist?Strange. But I’d take this version of her—cold, sharp, grounded—over the spiraling version any day.Chloe scoffed loudly, snapping my focus to her. “Oh, please,” she said with a dramatic eye-roll. “Don’t make it sound like something important. It’s n







