Mag-log in~KimberlyBy the time we slammed down our third round of tequila shots, the liquid fire was burning away the dull, heavy ache in my chest, replacing it with a loose, humming buzz. I closed my eyes for a second, letting the bass sink deep into my ribs."Who knew I would jam you in a club?" a smooth, familiar voice suddenly drew right beside me, cutting through the thumping music.I turned my head and groaned, rubbing my temple. "Marcus? Do you just keep following me around or what?""Marcel," he corrected effortlessly, a lazy, amused smirk playing on his lips as he leaned one elbow against the bar. "Not Marcus."I frowned, the alcohol making my brow furrow as I looked him up and down. "You lied to me earlier.""Nah," he said, his dark eyes fixing onto mine with an easy, unbothered calm. "I just didn't want you judging me based on the kind of man I am before you even got to know me."Before I could reply, Katya gasped softly from my right, her hand landing sharply on my forearm. Her e
~KatyaI was straddling Niklaus on the velvet couch, tracing the edge of his jaw with my lips while his dark eyes burned into mine. His hands were pinned at his sides, a breathless groan escaping his throat as I leaned down to kiss him right when the sharp, violent chime of the doorbell shattered the quiet.Niklaus shifted beneath me, a low growl of annoyance rumbling in his chest. "Tell me you didn't order delivery right now."I let out a soft chuckle, pressing a lingering kiss to his cheek before reluctantly untangling myself from him. I grabbed the plush knit blanket from the back of the sofa, wrapping it securely around my bare shoulders as I stood up."That must be Kimberley," I said, smoothing down my messy hair as I hurried towards the door.Niklaus leaned back against the cushions, resting his arm over his eyes with a heavy sigh. "She has impeccable timing.""Be nice," I called back over my shoulder, pulling the latch open. "She sounded completely wrecked on the phone."I pu
~KimberlyTears finally spilled over, hot and blinding, as I stumbled down the third floor corridor toward the elevator. Every step felt heavy, like dragging weight through deep water. I pressed the call button with a trembling hand, leaning my forehead against the doors as silent, chest heaving sobs wracked my body. The memory of his voice, “We’re not dating, are we?” echoed in my head, tearing through whatever strength I had left.When the elevator doors slid open on the ground floor, I tried to wipe my face quickly, but there was no hiding the redness of my eyes or the ragged shape of my breathing. "Have a lovely afternoon, miss," a voice called out smoothly from behind the desk.I paused, turning my head slightly.The receptionist was leaning back in her chair, a small, knowing smirk resting on her face. Her eyes flicked deliberately from my tear streaked face down to my disheveled appearance, and then back up with a subtle, mocking gleam.She knew. She had known the exact mome
~KimberlyThe car glided smoothly up the grand, marble paved driveway of the Grand Horizon Hotel, coming to a soft stop right in front of the sweeping glass entrance. Valets in crisp uniforms stood ready, but Marcus kept the engine idling, idling in the quiet bubble of the luxury car.I reached for the door handle, eager to put some distance between myself and everything that had happened today, but Marcus reached over and held out a small, glossy piece of cardstock. A fresh business card.I looked at it, then up at him, raising an eyebrow. "I don't need it," I said flatly, keeping my hands glued to Ray's folder. "I don't wanna tear it into pieces again."He just chuckled softly, a low, easy sound that lacked any of the pressure from before. He nudged the card a little closer to my lap."Chill, love," he said smoothly, his dark eyes looking right into mine with a sudden, warm seriousness. "You might need it. If you have any problem, you can always call me. I've got you, Kim."A tire
~Kimberly"Get off me!" I shrieked, bringing my foot up with all the strength I had left and driving my heel hard into his knee.George let out a sharp grunt of pain, his balance buckling for a split second as he stumbled backward, clutching his leg with a curse in his mouth.That single second was all I needed.I didn't think, just moved. I lunged past him toward the bedroom door, tearing it open and racing down the hallway toward the front entrance. My lungs burned, tears stinging the edges of my eyes as I shoved the front screen door open and burst out onto the sunlit street, clutching Ray's certificate tightly against my chest.I didn't stop running until I hit the main road, my heart hammering like a trapped bird against my ribs. Breathing hard, my hands shaking violently, I pulled my phone out of my bag with trembling fingers.My thumbs blurred across the screen, searching for the only person whose name kept echoing through my head in the dark.My finger hovered right over Damon
~KimberlyI pulled my gaze away from his sharp profile and stared stubbornly out the passenger window, but it was useless. He was dangerously hot, the kind of effortless, distracting good looks that made it impossible to even glance in his direction without my pulse doing a sudden jump.Halfway through the drive, the quiet hum of the air conditioner was broken as he turned down the music just a notch."I'm Marcus, by the way," he said softly, his voice smooth and laced with an infuriating amount of confidence. "Since we're sharing a small space for the next fifteen minutes, I figured you should at least know who's driving."I kept my eyes locked on the passing trees, gripping the strap of my bag a little tighter. "I'm pretty sure we established a strict no small talk rule before I even opened this door."A low, quiet laugh escaped him, and I could feel his eyes briefly flicking over to me before returning to the road."You really don't wanna talk to me?" he asked, a subtle, flirting







