LOGINShare
Chapter thirty-seven
Last Updated:
2025-05-09 20:54:03
Related chapters
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY chapter one
AmiriamAs Amiriam pulled up to James's residence, she scowled and studied the unfamiliar car ahead. It was a gaudy, red BMW, but she couldn't put a model name to it for the life of her. Her favorite six-year-old squirmed in the back seat, reminding her. Looking in the rearview mirror, she mashed her SUV into park and focused on matters more urgent. Like preventing urine from dripping onto her leather seats."Do you need to go pee?" she asked James. She was his nanny for a couple of years, and it truly was the greatest job in the world. He had a sticky mop of dark, curly hair on his head, and two dimples that made him able to get away with murder. Most of the time, at least.With a quick motion of his head, James unfastened his seat belt and scooted over toward the back passenger door as if his pants were afire.That's what you get for not going while we were still at my sister's house, Amiriam had to think about saying, but she kept quiet. It made no difference how many times she ins
Last Updated : 2025-04-12RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter Two
LukeThe water from the hot tub still hadn't completely dried in his hair as he smoothed it, holding the polished leather steering wheel in front of him. The GPS bellowed through the Bluetooth speaker, telling him to turn left."Thanks again today. I had fun," the blonde purred in the passenger seat.Brushing her off, Luke readjusted his aviators to shield the scorching sun and activated his blinker. Ever since the nanny had burst in on them, he'd been…irked. Not enough to deny a second orgasm in the hot tub, no. But irked enough to send her packing minutes after they'd completed it.He was an ass. So sue him.With a quick glance to his right, his nostrils flared. The nanny hadn't been lying. He didn't know this girl's name. They'd met on an app with one intention. He'd asked her if she was DTF. She'd agreed. He'd picked her up. They'd done their thing. Now, he was driving her home.Simple. Transactional. And numb. Though he'd never verbalize it."So…," the blonde began, twisting her
Last Updated : 2025-04-12RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter three
Amiriam"Amiriam," James grumbled, stretching out her name. His eyes were screwed shut as she slathered sunscreen all over his dashing little face. He'd be quite the stud when he grew up. She was careful to cover his cheekbones and the tops of his ears so they could shield themselves from the brutal sun."No ifs, ands, or buts, mister," she answered, working the lotion in and inspecting her handiwork before smiling in contentment."Perfect. Do you remember the four-wheeler rules?"Rolling his eyes, he started quoting them. "If I can't see you, you can't see me. Wear a helmet always. Don't go faster than you're comfortable. Don't break any bones. Don't tell Mom or Dad."Laughing, Amiriam draped her arm across his neck and playfully noogied him before nudging him toward the equipment on her parents' property."And have fun!" she added before turning to her sister, Rita. "Where's Frank?""He's getting the oil changed on Taffy in the garage. He'll be out soon," Rita had said. Taffy was Ri
Last Updated : 2025-04-12RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter Four
Amiriam"James," Amiriam unbuckled the belt buckle from across his unconscious body in her back seat. "Wake up, James." She lightly shook him, trying to rouse the kid out of sleep.They'd spent the whole evening at her parents' place on the four-wheelers having the time of their lives before heading back home. He'd been asleep before she'd even backed out of her parents' driveway.Glaring down at the weary little boy, Amiriam threw in the towel and picked him up. His arms around her neck and his legs on either side of her hips, she locked the lock button on her key fob and entered.The same bright red BMW was sitting outside, but she shook off the horde of butterflies that invaded her stomach and opened the front door. Her legs were throbbing while she took James up to the bedroom.She slipped off his shoes and pulled up the cotton bed clothes over his chin before tucking him in like a burrito man and pecking his forehead. He sighed, and rolled onto his side into the fetal position.Li
Last Updated : 2025-04-12RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter Five
LukeRing in pocket, Luke knocked on Stacy's door and stood waiting for her to open up. He rubbed his face, damning the small coffee he'd had before dropping by, and now wishing he'd ordered an extra-large. He'd need all the caffeine he could get to make it through today. He'd slept badly last night after speaking with Amiriam. It had shone a giant spotlight on all the holes in his plan and stripped some of the numbness that usually surrounded him. Leaving him feeling raw. And vulnerable.He didn't like those feelings. Actually, he didn't like feeling much of anything, period. He'd been working in the early hours of the morning to get his armor back online. He was going to need it if he was going to make it through the day.He'd been woken up by a call from his lovely old Dad at seven in the morning. The phone was ringing across the room, and he'd ignored it for about five minutes before he'd finally given up and rummaged through his discarded jeans to locate his phone."Hey," he answ
Last Updated : 2025-04-12RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY chapter Six
Luke Stacy: You're not coming to pick me up? Luke groaned in frustration. Read the last message,Stacy! Luke: Sorry, babe. I cannot go pick you up. But as I said before, I can order an Uber for you. Stacy: How would your parents view that?! Luke: I have already told you. We need to talk first so they don't come home while you are on your way over. It makes sense, right? A few minutes passed as Luke stripped in his bathroom and turned on the hot water. He had to shower, and he didn't have time for Stacy's brand of crazy. If he wasn't in such a hurry, he'd call the whole thing off and go out and find himself another girl to marry. But his father was coming back tonight, and he wanted him to assume that they'd been dating a respectable length of time before he proposed to her. Luckily, his father had spent the previous two months down at their Bahamian summer house, so he wasn't aware that Stacy and Luke had just met seven days earlier. It can't possibly make that much of a d
Last Updated : 2025-04-20RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY chapter seven
AmiriamJames and Amiriam were reclining in the family room, playing Go Fish, when the sound of a slamming door jolted them. Amiriam's head snapped toward the foyer, and the following silence was almost palpable."What the hell?" Amiriam muttered to herself."What was that?" James said in a shaking voice. He was used to screaming and slamming doors when his parents were home, but with them on vacation, it had been fairly quiet. Except when Luke was particularly stupid, of course.Sliding her arm around James's tiny neck, Amiriam clapped him in a quick hug before pulling out her phone."Alright, here. Play fifty-two card picks and see how fast you can get them all. Keep timing yourself until you post your best time. I'll go pick out, okay?"With the quarterback's arm, James threw all fifty-two cards into the air until they rained down on him. Having made sure that the cards had made a complete mess in the family room, he started the timer and dove over the ottoman, picking up the cards
Last Updated : 2025-04-20RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY chapter Eight
Amiriam Sometimes Amiriam begrudged the unfairness of life. Jackson Oden had risen early and was spending the day at the golf course with a group of colleagues, while Mrs. Oden was off to the spa to rest from her trip the day before. Flying in a private plane after a few months at the beach was exhausting, it seemed. Neither of them had bothered to say goodbye to their wee boy, James. In fact, neither of them had even stopped in to see Amiriam. Luckily, she had planned on spending her day sunbathing next to the pool while James had his private swimming lessons. Still, her heart ached at the thought that his parents were not around to cheer him on. He was left with her—the nanny. And nothing that all the people cheering for you could do would ever come close to having your mom or dad in the stands. She grabbed her phone and sent a quick text to her parents. Mom & Dad Group Text: Love you guys. Thanks for being such good parents. Within seconds, her phone buzzed. Mom & Dad Grou
Last Updated : 2025-04-20
Latest chapter
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter thirty-seven
Jackson sprang to his feet, chair grating on marble as though protesting his abrupt surplus of vigor. "Impossible! " His voice clanged through the dining room like a cracked bell, reverberating off carved paneling and crystal chandeliers. Forks trembled in the hands of guests; a silver tureen tipped over, its scented steam curling into the air. Jackson walked the length of the long table, the hem of his tuxedo rubbing against fine china. His face was a turmoil of outrage and disbelief.He gave a curt nod to no one in particular, then spun on his heel and pushed through the French doors, which shuddered on their hinges behind him with a force that spilled wine from broken pieces on the floor. For a moment, that was the only sound. Then James—a boy of six with wide, frightened eyes—scurried beneath the tablecloth, pressing himself flat against the polished stone. His breath came in short, shallow gasps, and beads of sweat marked his hairline despite the cool wind from the open doors.He
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter thirty-six
The old dining hall fell silent as Jackson’s final words faded into candlelit shadows. Before the bell’s echo had fully died, Luke rose from his place at the head of the table. He cleared his throat, and the soft rustle of silk hushed the assembled guests."If I may," Luke began, lifting his glass toward Amiriam. His tone was steady, earnest. "When Amiriam first arrived back at Oden Manor, I worried the life I once knew was over—my world would feel smaller without her light. But these past weeks, watching her grace and strength weave into our family, I’ve realized how much I needed her presence."He paused, scanning the room with warm eyes that settled on Amiriam like a beacon. "Amiriam, your compassion has mended old wounds, and your courage reminds us all what it means to stand for family. I’m proud to call you one of us, and happier than words can say that you’ve chosen to stay. To Amiriam—welcome home."Glasses chimed, applause rippling through the hall. Amiriam’s cheeks warmed wi
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter thirty-five
Throwback, Late AfternoonThe sky glowed in rose and lavender as the chauffeur’s sleek black sedan wound up Oden Manor’s curved drive. Amiriam inhaled the mingled scents of freshly trimmed hedges and brine-laced sea air drifting in from the shore. Her heart fluttered with anticipation—tonight’s dinner would be her first formal event since the gala, and she longed to prove she truly belonged here.The driver—face shadowed beneath his cap—stepped down and offered his gloved hand. Amiriam clicked her heels on the cobblestones and accepted it, her emerald-chiffon gown stirring in the breeze. Delicate ruffles mirrored the manicured greens beyond the gates; pearls graced her collarbone, and her hair was swept into a soft chignon. She felt both vulnerable and radiant.A footman pushed open the iron gates, their ornate scrollwork framing the scene like a painting. Beyond them, the pale stone manor rose, turrets entwined in ivy, lanterns flaring along the drive in warm pools of light. Amiriam
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter thirty- four
Amiriam pressed the ivory envelope to her palm as she climbed the steps of her childhood home, her heart drumming a staccato of hope and apprehension. The invitation—ivory cardstock edged with silver filigree—had arrived that morning, carried by a stately butler whose formal nod lent the moment a ritualistic gravity. She watched him retreat down the drive as rain began to patter against the window panes, and for the first time since her return, possibility trembled in her chest. In her old bedroom, Amiriam smoothed the card before tucking it into her satin clutch. At the top, elegant script read: > The Oden Family requests the pleasure of your company this evening to welcome home AMiriam Swenson 7:00 p.m. Dinner and dancing to follow A small note in the corner added: “Black-tie.” She drew a steadying breath and dialed Rita. For weeks they had rifled through boutiques, slipping into gowns and discarding every style that whispered “nanny” or “charity gala” instead of “heir’s welc
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter thirty-three
Amiriam "Yup. I'm getting divorced.""But, you love him.""Yup.""And he proposed."There's this huge, silly grin that spreads across Amiriam's face, and she looks down at her hand resting on the kitchen counter. "Yup.""And you said, 'Yes.'""Sure did.""And you're moving out?" Christiana questions.Amiriam nods, tearing her eyes off her left hand that's sporting the ring of her dreams and back at her sister. "Right again, my friend."Are you moving back to live in his parents' home?""Nope. We're actually going to go apartment hunting for the meantime. I think it'll be our home base, and then the rest of the time, we'll be traveling the world and helping those who are less fortunate than us."Gah! It sounds so wonderful when she says it like that!“You’re serious,” Christiana replies, inspecting Amiriam like she’s been captured by a body snatcher, and she’s not her real sister anymore.“Yup. Dead serious.”“And you’re okay with this?”Laughing, Amiriam walks around the counter and
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter thirty two
Amiriam felt the low vibration of Luke's voice humming in her ear, and she opened her eyes. He'd spent the night—in her apartment. An apartment that she was positive they'd left within a day. Indeed, her confused mind was still convinced that she was dreaming."Yah?" she croaked, holding the sheet over her mouth to protect him from a nasty morning breath.Luke grinned, yanked the sheet off, and pecked her on the lips. The action dispelled any fear that it would disturb him. "I want to ask you something.""And what's that?" Amiriam answered, still with a husky voice from sleep."I see how much you love James, and I see how much it killed you to be separated from him all these past months. My dad told me that he offered the job to you when he stopped by a week or so back. You've said yes already, haven't you?""I haven't decided yet," Amiriam admitted, weighing the pros and cons. "I've been thinking about it a lot, though.". I miss James crazy, but I also understand that things will nev
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter Thirty-one
Amiriam failed to appear. Not the day after Mr. Oden's unexpected visit, nor the following day. She'd given up hope when she crawled into her frayed pajamas on Sunday night with the intention of surviving another lonely night of ice cream and Netflix. She'd told her family that she wasn't feeling well. Generally, they met Sunday evenings for dinner and cards, but she was not in the mood tonight. She'd rather spend her night wallowing in self-pity.She was such a sad case.Grabbing a spoon and a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream, she watched as the front door creaked to a persistent knock. Her heart fluttered in her chest before she convinced herself it was just the FedEx man. Because, you know, he usually came on Sunday nights. She rolled her eyes and tiptoed to the door, not allowing herself to get her hopes up. Peering through the peephole, the spoon dropped from her fingers and clattered on the floor."Amiriam?"Luke's deep voice boomed through the thick door as she leaned agai
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter Thirty
Amiriam remained with Christiana. It was the only sensible thing to do with all the time they were spending together. And since Amiriam had also been kicked out of the Oden house a few days previously, it was a welcome relief. Frank and Rita were wonderful and did the dirty work for her, carting off her stuff so she didn't have to.The next few sentences just went by, and a massive chunk of Amiriam hated how Luke hadn't even bothered to reach out to her. No calls. No texts. Zero. Her stomach turned at the mere thought, and her eyes ached from all the crying they had done over a guy who obviously never did care about her. Elaine, mother of one of Christiana's classmates a year previously and who conveniently happened to be a divorce attorney, was fantastic and had all the paperwork drawn up as quickly as possible before agreeing to drop everything off at Luke's. As long as Amiriam never had to lay eyes on him, she didn't particularly care how he took the papers. She just wanted this li
RECKLESS DESIRES: THE ODEN LEGACY Chapter Twenty-nine
And storming off after, Amiriam had just been able to grab purse and keys when she slammed the front door behind her and got behind the wheel. Luckily she'd left her car at Oden's instead of home. She'd go back for the rest of it later. Or maybe she'd have Rita do it. Anyway, she was repaying her for all that kitty litter she'd cleaned up after her for years. Her fingers fumbled over her cell phone as she punched in her sister's number and waited for it to ring. As it did ring, she jammed her car into reverse and backed out of the Oden's driveway."Hey, Amiriam! Back from your honeymoon?" Christiana's voice was altogether too perky for Amiriam's grouchy demeanor.With a sniff, Amiriam growled, "Do you know any lawyers?"Christiana hesitated, her previous cheerfulness lost. "What?""Lawyers. Do you know any? Or maybe I should call Rita. She had to get one when the whole Frank fiasco occurred, didn't she? Yeah, I should really call––""Amiriam. What is going on?""I'm getting divorced."
