HER MR. HARDMAN BOOK 1 (LOVE AND OBESSESSION SERIES)

Graduation day had finally arrived, and the air was charged with excitement and anticipation.As I stood in line with my cap and gown, my heart raced, and my palms grew damp. It wasn’t the prospect of leaving college that made me nervous and happy at the same time; it was the fact that I would finally get to live my life without fear, and anxiety...and without my nightmare.I had avoided him as much as possible during all those days but today, it seemed impossible to escape him. The ceremony was small, and everyone was gathered in the same place. I could feel his presence behind me, and I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head.Trying to stay composed, I glanced around, looking for a friendly face in the crowd. I spotted my best friend, Emily, and gave her a weak smile. We would finally graduate together. Emily had always been there to support me, and today was no different. She mouthed reassuring words, reminding me to stay strong as she tilted her cap and winked a

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. Perhaps, I was just imagining things, right? So I dared look back, and the figure was gone. I chuckled nervously. See? Nobody.I let out a relieved sigh, feeling a bit silly for even thinking it was Ryker in the first place. “Wow, Harper, you really need to forget about him,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head.Standing up, I convinced myself it had just been a trick of the light or my overactive imagination playing tricks on me and left the place.“Good morning, Joselito,” I greeted him with a smile as he opened the glass door for me. “Hope you’re doing well today.”Joselito returned my smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he nodded. “Morning, Harper! Another day in paradise, you know.” He said as he handed me the sealed takeout coffees. He had been working as a guard in this building for three years now.I chuckled. “Thank you. You never miss this.”“Never in these two years.” He replied with a boyish grin.As I walked towa

I excused myself casually from the group when I saw Ryker sit down in my peripheral vision. I could feel the group’s curious eyes on me.“I will call Emily,” I told them. “Be right back.”As I walked away, I released my breath slowly. I thought I’d worn my confidence on full display, but his mere presence knocked that off in a second. And it was strange how his presence still had the power to stir up a whirlwind of emotions within me.“Come on, Emily. Where on earth are you?” I muttered under my breath, my impatience growing with each passing second.I impatiently tapped my foot as the phone rang on the other end. I glanced over my shoulder and looked around me. I went behind a big tree. Hugging myself tightly, I wrapped the long coat around me as if it were a protective shield against the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me.I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing of my heart as I leaned against the tree’s rough bark. The call directed me to a voicemai

I couldn’t decide whether to feel relief or anxiety at his unexpected appearance. Silence lingered, punctuated only by the distant hum of traffic and the soft glow of streetlights. When I noticed he was still holding my arm, I pulled my arm back as if it had been burned. I saw how his jaw clenched as he watched my reaction.“What are you doing here?” I managed to whisper, my voice coming out barely audible. My heartbeat was loud.“I followed you.”“Of course, how would you be here if you didn’t follow me,” I scoffed, unable to hide my exasperation. His presence was the last thing I needed, especially after the emotional rollercoaster of the evening.His face contorted in frustration.“Just hear me out,” he practically pleaded.I crossed my arms, not budging an inch. “You lost that privilege a long time ago, Blackthorn.”His eyes darkened, and his frustration was almost desperate. “I can explain everything.”My heart wavered as I looked into his eyes. I knew he had always been an enigm

“I believe you want to talk to Emily, Mas,” Ryker said calmly, addressing Mason without looking at him. His cold eyes remained fixed on me, and despite my best efforts to appear unaffected, my nerves were doing a jittery dance in my body.“No,” Emily snapped, “I believe we have nothing to talk about, Mason.”“That reaction tells me how much you miss me, babe,” Mason smirked, walking closer to Emily.“Miss you?” a hysterical laugh followed. I was worried Emily would have an emotional breakdown. No, not in front of Mason. She was visibly upset, her cheeks flushed with anger and hurt. “Why would I miss you? Are you on earth, Mason?”“Let’s go home, Em,” I said as I tried to reach her, but Ryker blocked me.“Let them settle the situation on their own,” Ryker insisted, his voice firm, even as Emily’s loud curses pierced the air. “We have our own score to settle.”I shot him an exasperated look. “Spare me this nonsense, Blackthorn. You don’t understand what’s going on.”“I know that Emily t