LOGINMy heart pounded out a symphony all its own, a wild and frantic rhythm that echoed in my ears as I stared into his intense, vivid blue eyes. I found myself completely paralyzed, unable to pull my gaze away from his face. I was drinking in every single detail of his features. His face was sharply chiseled, a true masterpiece of strength, perfect contours, and rugged beauty. It was the kind of face you only see on the glossy cover of a high end romance novel or belonging to a dapper leading man in a classic black and white movie. He looked almost too perfect to be real. This time, he wasn't in his rugged woods attire, he was wearing a crisp white shirt, dark blue jeans that fit him perfectly, and a well-worn leather bomber jacket that looked soft to the touch. I felt a sudden, strange wave of envy toward his clothes I was jealous of all that cotton, denim, and leather because it got to hug his gorgeous body so tightly. "Hi. I'm Ezekiel," he said. His voice was smooth and d
"You're the absolute best!" Katherine shouted over the pounding bass, her eyes already locked onto her next adventure. After she shimmied off into the center of the room with that green eyed goon, I watched her go with a sinking feeling in my chest. I glanced around the crowded, hot living room and swallowed hard again. It hit me like a ton of bricks: I didn’t know a single soul in this house other than her. I felt like an alien who had accidentally landed on a planet made entirely of college students and loud music. Eager to claim my role as an unnoticed, inconspicuous wallflower, I began to navigate through the sea of moving bodies. I made my way to a dark corner near a large bookshelf and waited for the dance to finish, hoping I could just blend into the shadows. I leaned my back against the cool wood of the wall, taking small, nervous sips of my drink. I tried to look like I was having a great time, even though I mostly felt like running back to my bedroom to unpack more
At exactly seven o'clock, a loud rumble echoed down our gravel driveway. I looked out the window to see Katherine pulling up in a shiny, black pickup truck. She looked like she had stepped straight off the cover of a magazine. Her bright blonde hair hung in long, beautiful waves over her shoulders, and her green eyes really popped thanks to the smoky brown eyeshadow she had chosen. She was dressed in tight black pants and a black glittery top that caught the light and sparkled from a mile away. I walked out to the truck, feeling a little plain in comparison. "You do know we're going to a party in the middle of the woods, right?" I asked as she rolled down the window. "Yeah," she answered, looking me up and down. "Why?" "You look red carpet ready," I said with a laugh. "I thought we were going to a cabin, not a movie premiere." She pulled down the sun visor and checked herself in the mirror, pouting her lips. "Too much?" she asked playfully. "Maybe a tad," I said, gesturi
"Um… that’s the thing," I admitted, feeling a sudden heat in my cheeks that had nothing to do with the sun. "I don’t actually know." "What!?" Katherine gasped so loudly that a seagull nearby took flight. She sat up straight, her eyes wide with shock. "You mean to tell me this gorgeous creature this literal gift from the gods was standing right there in front of you, and you didn't even find out who he is? No name? No social media? Nothing?" "Well, we talked for a few minutes, and I felt this amazing connection," I answered. I tried my best to explain it, but it was hard to put into words something I didn't really understand myself. "It was like the rest of the world just went blurry. I guess I was so caught up in the moment and the adrenaline from the mountain lion that I just didn't think to ask for his ID." Katherine leaned back on her elbows, looking at me like she was an expert on the subject. "You know what that was, don't ya?" "What?" "Chemistry," she said, nodding
"Lysandra," my mother called out from the hallway, her voice echoing against the bare walls of our new house. "Get your things ready! We're going down to the lake. Your father wants to do some fishing, and I thought we could all take a paddle boat ride together."She leaned against the doorframe, looking energized by the fresh mountain air. "C'mon, dear! It’ll be fun."I looked at the mountain of cardboard boxes surrounding me. "Can I stay and unpack?" I asked, my voice hopeful. "I really want to get my room organized so it feels like home.""No, we're all going as a family," she answered firmly, leaving no room for debate.I blew out a long, dramatic breath. "But I don't want to fish," I whined. To be honest, I wasn't interested in slimy scales or worms. I was far more interested in sitting in the quiet and reveling in the memory of the mysterious hottie I had met in the woods. My mind was still stuck on those piercing blue eyes and that effortless, powerful way he moved."Then you
"Well," he said, his lips curling into a slow, confident grin that seemed to light up the shadows of the forest. "Tell him that I do." The sheer absurdity of his comment answering my dog’s growls as if they were a formal challenge broke the tension like a glass pane shattering. We both burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the towering pines. His ice breaker had worked perfectly, momentarily pushing back the terror of the mountain lion encounter. Nevertheless, the peace was short lived. Even with my most soothing, melodic tone and a gentle, steadying touch on his collar, Max continued to growl. The low rumble vibrated through his chest, and he paced back and forth in front of me, his hackles raised like a row of jagged teeth. "Max!" I scolded, trying to sound firmer than I felt. "Knock it off, boy. Be nice." The stranger watched the dog with a curious, knowing expression. "Don't blame Max. It's not his fault," he said,"All dogs hate me. It’s their natural instinc
The three days had felt like three lifetimes.The room was a blur of shadows and pain. Zayn had been true to his word, no food, no water and Once in a while he would stop by to check on me.My throat felt like it had been scraped with glass, so dry that I couldn't even sob anymore. Every inch of my
Ezekiel's pov Seeing her sitting on the cold floor at Zayn’s feet, like a dog, like a slave made my blood turn to pure acid.I glanced at her sister, standing nearby with that smug, traitorous smirk. I wanted to tear them both apart. I wanted to paint these white marble floors red."Now, like I sa
The room went deathly silent. The sound of Ezekiel’s heavy boots clicking against the marble floor was the only thing anyone could hear. He didn't look like a man who had just been released from punishment, he looked like a storm cloud ready to burst. Ezekiel...he had come for me..Zayn’s smile d
The banquet hall was the most beautiful place I had ever seen, but to me, it felt like a golden cage. Everything about the party was expensive and grand. The room was filled with the smell of rich food and the finest wines. Above us, huge chandeliers hung from the ceiling, sparkling like thousand







