LOGINCallieThe Carter house felt unusually quiet when we returned from the beach. The night outside pressed against the windows, a dark reminder that Mary’s schemes didn’t sleep, that the whispers and judgment were never far away. Inside, though, I felt something steadier, stronger—the bond Grayson and I had reinforced on the beach.We settled in the living room, the soft glow of a single lamp throwing long shadows across the polished wood floor. Grayson’s presence was a solid wall beside me, arms casually draped over the back of the couch. “We can’t just wait for her to make the next move,” I said finally, voice firmer than I’d expected. “Mary thrives on reaction. She wants us to be defensive, scared, reacting to her. We have to take control.”Grayson’s eyes darkened. He nodded slowly, a small smile brushing his lips, one that promised both reassurance and shared cunning. “Exactly. We can’t let her dictate the game. We have faced her before, but this… this is her escalation. She thinks
CallieThe drive to the beach felt like an escape, a fragile thread pulling me away from judgment, whispers, and the lingering weight of Mary’s schemes. The windows were slightly cracked, letting in the scent of salt and sea mixed with the faint musk of Grayson’s cologne, grounding me even as my heart raced. My fingers intertwined with his on the center console, his thumb brushing over mine in that possessive way that always made me shiver.“Are you okay?” he asked. “I… I think so,” I admitted, pressing my forehead lightly against his shoulder. “Today was… intense. Everywhere we went, I felt like we were under a microscope. And now… I just… I need you.”His hand came up to cradle my cheek, thumb sweeping across my skin. “I know,” he murmured. “I can feel everything you are holding in. The fear, the stress… the frustration. Honestly, you don’t have to carry it alone.”I swallowed hard, letting the knot of tension in my chest tremble loose as I let myself lean fully into him, pressing
CallieThe park was deceptively quiet that afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled patterns across the walking paths, but every cheerful note of children playing or joggers passing felt distant, like it belonged to someone else’s world. I walked slowly, one hand brushing along the fence lining the park, my other hand tightly gripping Grayson’s.“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked, voice low. Even with him beside me, I felt exposed—like walking through a minefield in plain sight.Grayson’s fingers tightened around mine. “We can’t hide forever,” he murmured. His eyes scanned the edges of the park, sharp and vigilant, as if he could anticipate every danger before it arrived. “We will face it head-on.”I nodded, though my stomach churned. Mary’s words, her threats, and the whispers she’d already set in motion had turned what should have been a simple afternoon walk into an exercise in tension. Every sideways glance, passing couple or group of friends seemed
CallieAt night, I lingered outside Grayson’s bedroom, hesitation and longing warring inside me. Mary’s words, her threats, and the weight of small-town judgment still clung like shadows, but there was something stronger pulling me forward: him.Grayson emerged from the bathroom, his presence filling the room instantly. The familiar scent of him—clean, warm, intoxicating—hit me before I even realized I was holding my breath. His eyes swept over me, sharp, intense, possessive, but softened when they fully landed on my face. Relief flickered there, mingling with desire in a way that made my heart thrum violently.“You are still here,” he murmured. “I… I needed to be,” I admitted, voice trembling. “After today… after Mary… after everything—I need you.”He crossed the room in confident strides, closing the distance until there was no space left to hide. Every step seemed to draw me further into him, further from the fear and doubt that had been gnawing at me all day. His warmth pressed a
Callie The Carter house smelled like faint pine and polished wood, a comforting scent that should have felt like home. Instead, it pressed down on me, thick with unease. I’d returned that evening after what felt like a lifetime apart from Grayson, and the warmth of our reunion still clung to me like a protective coat. Yet, even as I stepped into the living room, I sensed a shadow lingering. Mary was there. She didn’t greet me with a smile or even a glance. She stood in the corner, phone in hand, lips pressed into a thin, calculated line. “Callie,” she said, voice deceptively sweet. “You are back early.” I felt my pulse tighten. The sweet veneer of her tone didn’t mask the intention behind it. Mary always had an angle, always had an audience she was carefully curating. And right now, I could feel the danger of being in her line of fire. “Hi,” I managed, keeping my voice steady. My fingers twitched at my sides, remembering Grayson’s hand on mine earlier, the way he made the wor
CallieI didn’t know how I’d ended up back at the Carter house, but somehow, the pull of his presence had been too strong to resist. Every fiber of me had screamed to stay away—to hide, to lick my wounds in solitude—but my body and heart had betrayed me. The memory of our meeting in town, the quiet tension, the unspoken promises, had left a hunger in me I couldn’t ignore.Grayson’s door opened before I even reached it. His eyes found mine immediately, sharp and alert, scanning for any sign of hesitation or doubt. But when they landed fully on me, the tension softened just a fraction. Relief. Desire. Something that mirrored exactly what I felt.“You came back,” he said. “I… I had to,” I admitted, voice shaking. “I can’t… not after today.”He closed the door behind me, the click echoing like a promise. Slowly, deliberately, he crossed the room, leaving no space between us. I felt his warmth settle over me, the familiar scent pulling me into a state of trembling anticipation.“Callie,”







