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~Avery~ I turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door, leading the way into the new apartment with my mom and the twins following close behind. The place was spacious, just right for all of them. Divah, my help, had assured me it was safe and comfortable, and I had fallen in love with it the moment I walked in. It would serve as a perfect sanctuary for my mom and the twins until I got things sorted out. I was surprised to see that Jane, my new friend from Blue Moon Pack, tagged along with my family. Jane was reliable; I had put her to the test in various ways, and she had shown herself to be trustworthy. She had been recommended to me by my mother's friend whom we hid in her house then. When we had first met, she had just lost her job and had volunteered to look after Julian and Julia while Mom and I were at work. "Welcome home!" I exclaimed with enthusiasm as I turned around to face them. But Mom just stared at me blankly. I had put on dark shades to hide the brui
~King~ Our bags were whisked away to our rooms by servants as the King of Kram guided us into his grand party. It was a sight to behold, filled with men and women dressed in royal attire, oozing with regal charm. Avery and I felt somewhat out of place in our English clothes, but no one seemed to pay much attention to us. As we strolled through the gathering, all heads turned to acknowledge the king's presence with respect. King Omar made his way to the grandest table, where everyone bowed in reverence. King Omar took his seat at the head of the table, while I sat beside him. Avery chose a seat far away, opposite me, between two handsome young men with charming smiles. It irked me. Had she taken offence at my introduction of her as a business partner to Omar? But I doubt that. "You seem quite distracted," Omar observed, his words drawing my attention away from where I was initially focused. "Do I?" I replied, trying to focus on him. The king had decided to tell me a
~Avery~ King wasn't saving me from the men when he suggested I retire for the night. I was truly enjoying the company of the men I was sandwiched between. I learned that they were princes. But in truth, I was tired and needed to rest. Besides, staying there all night just to avoid being alone with King wasn't a viable option. Not after the intense gazes he had been casting my way all through dinner. And the way my body reacted to his scrutiny worried me the most. No matter how much I tried to deny it or caution myself, I knew deep down that I still wanted him. But that didn't mean I was going to give in to him because things were very complicated now, and the lives of my two precious children were now involved. As we walked side by side, heading back to our various rooms, I walked mechanically beside him, making a conscious effort to keep a safe distance between us. I also tried to occupy my mind with other thoughts that didn't involve his power and strength— in bed. But those
~King~ Fuck Avery. My body ached, and my blood sang with the most unbearable frustration I had ever experienced. I still couldn't shake off the memory of last night and how it had ended. Avery had flat-out refused to have sex with me, even though her body language had been screaming out objections as she pushed me away. No woman had ever done that. No woman had ever rejected me. My phone rang for the second time, prompting me to toss aside the blanket, finally abandoning any hope of sleep. Reaching for the cell phone on the nightstand, I slid out of bed and slipped into my slippers. I shuffled over to the big bay window, throwing the curtains open to let the morning light flood in. Kram's morning sky was clear as crystal. I cracked open the window, and the exotic blooms from the palace gardens drifted in, mingling with the heavy fragrance of lilies that perfumed the room. It was over a few hours since she kicked me out of her room, still, I couldn't get my mind off
~Avery~ The morning sunlight spilled over the breakfast table, nestled in a courtyard surrounded by vibrant flowers. I savoured the crisp autumn breeze that danced around us, loving the serene atmosphere. I had come out and been escorted to this place exactly at 7:30 a.m., not wanting to meet King on arrival. I wanted to be seated when he came, and I achieved that feat. As soon as the King of Kram joined me, my eyes caught sight of him emerging from the direction of our suites, with Regina clinging to his arm as if her very existence depended on it. I quickly averted my gaze and willed my heart to return to normal. When had Regina arrived? If I had allowed myself to fall for King's temptation last night, how would I face this morning, seeing him at breakfast with her by his side? "I trust you had a good night's rest, Mrs. Bells?" King Omar inquired once he settled into his seat. A smile adorned my lips as a servant poured coffee into my mug. "I did, Your Majesty. My nig
~Avery~ "Let me make sure I understand this. You allowed him to make out with you, and after getting rock-hard, you kicked him out of your room?" Jane stifled a laugh beside me as we rode back to my place in the car. We had just left the hospital where we checked on Julian, and now we were recounting the whole ordeal in Kram. Mom insisted I go home, freshen up, and rest while she stayed with the twins at the hospital.I grimaced. Hearing it out loud was worse than it was in my mind. "I didn't know what else to do," I defended. "He has a fiancée. What does that make me if I went ahead to sleep with him?" I had left Kram earlier than planned, relieved that we closed the deal, but I couldn't bear being in the same space with Regina and King anymore. I hadn't spoken to him since the incident with Regina. Soon, King wouldn't need me in Silverpine, and I wouldn't have to tell him about Julian and Julia. I was already counting down the days until I could leave. "What would have happened
~King~ My eyes fluttered open, and I sucked in a deep breath almost as if the dream I just had was real, my gaze meeting the harsh glow of the hospital room’s overhead light, nearly blinding me. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to shake off the remnants of the dream where I struggled underwater, fighting to stay afloat and catch my breath."Ah, you're awake," Kristopher's voice said beside me.I turned my head to find him nestled on the only velvet couch in the room. His left hand was still in a cast, but he looked fine. The last thing I remembered was coming back from Avery's place, feeling drained, and then the sudden struggle for air. I had had an asthma attack. It's been ages since I ever had an attack because I was always cautious of my health. I wasn't entirely surprised that this happened because it would have been a miracle if it didn't happen after all that smoking out of frustration.When I heard Regina's self-confession about setting Avery up five years ago and threateni
~Avery~ "Ava, it's hard to believe I'm saying this, but if you're feeling this way, you have to talk to him. He deserves to know about the twins, especially now that he knows the real reason you left. We can't keep pretending they are mine. Even the blind could see the resemblance. How long do you plan to take them out in disguise?" Jane asked as she deftly poured the batter into the cupcake moulds. I sighed, feeling the tension knotting my temples. "He is going to hate me," I muttered, bracing for the coming headache. The past week had been a whirlwind of chaos at work, having to go to the hospital every day from work. And King had grown cold towards me. There was this palpable chill lingering in the air between us. It felt like he was watching my every move, because each time I looked up, he was watching me silently. He spoke to me only when necessary and never even brought up any talk about us anymore. Most of the time, he looked almost... furious, and I couldn't hel