LOGINNova“That can’t be right,” Colby said in response to what I’d heard Dominic say in his study. “Are you sure you heard correctly?”I nodded nervously. Everything had happened so quickly after that: Dominic’s reaction to my dress, the start of the ball, Aaron’s arrival. This felt like the first real
NovaAaron looked around the ballroom as he entered, his gaze naturally come to rest on me. His lips parted, and his hand came to rest on his heart, like he was making sure it was still beating.“I don’t care whether or not we like him,” Colby leaned down to whisper in my ear. “That is the correct r
NovaI was paralyzed outside Dominic’s door when all of a sudden his voice sounded closer, like he was moving toward me.“Okay, great. Let’s discuss this more later. I have to get going.”I didn’t want to be caught eavesdropping, so I quickly rapped on his door as if I’d just arrived here. Dominic o
Of course Dominic scheduled everything perfectly so that my spa treatment ended a half-hour before I needed to pick up the girls and the team he sent to get me ready for the ball arrived an hour after we got back to Alpha House—just enough time for a quick snack with the girls and to hop in the show
NovaMy release was so quick and desperate that I still had fifteen minutes before the spa team arrived. The first thing I did was text Colby.Me: I’m ditching you today to take advantage of a gifted spa day instead. Will you forgive me if I invite you as my date to the Alpha’s Ball tonight?I hoppe
He smiled tightly. “You can bring anyone you’d like.”I guess that answered that. I should have known, really. His interview said he didn’t plan on having a date.Dominic checked his watch, then pulled his cuffs back down in place. “Do you want to do the spa day now or would you prefer I reschedule
NovaI felt hollow bringing Lila to school on the bus by myself. But even worse, I could tell how sad my daughter was not to have her cousin with her.“Do Aunt Susie and Emma not love us anymore?”Lila’s question was like a punch to my gut.“Of course they do, sweetie,” I reassured her quickly.“The
Nova“Lila, come here, sweetie,” I called, ushering her and my sister into the girls’ bedroom. “Susie?”“What?” she asked impatiently as I closed the bedroom door behind us, giving us a momentary reprieve from the chaos in the rest of the house. Though it occurred to me that Emma’s bed had already b
I listened intently, thinking maybe this had nothing to do with Henry after all.“I was sitting at my desk, and I thought Lila wanted to show me something from her angle across the classroom. Matthew, the boy throwing his paper, waited for me to arrive next to Lila, then aimed and made his throw. Th
NovaI pressed my forehead against the glass window of the bus on my way home from the Alpha House trying to wrap my mind around the last 48 hours.I had shared with Lila’s teacher about our restraining orders against Henry after he had tried to pick her up from school, only to find out that my daug







