LOGINKaty povI heard Lucian’s car in the parking lot before I heard his key in the door.He was back after informing me that Elias and he had gone to confront Margaret and convince her to drop the custody charges against Nova. He said that was the safest method that if she did, Nova would not have to be dragged through court houses to prove that she is capable of raising her own daughter. I had been sitting on the couch for the better part of an hour, Nova's situation turning itself over in my head like a problem I couldn't put down.I can still remember the look on Nova’s face when she asked me if she is that useless…that she can't even protect her own daughter.It breaks my heart that she is going through such a difficult phase. I had hoped that she would finally move past everything after she accepted Elias.With Margaret coming back to drag her back to hell, who knows when she will move on with her life and live freely without thinking that someone is coming to take Aria from her.
Nova povThe envelope was sitting on my dining table when I came back from dropping Aria at the nursery.The first thing that came to my mind was that someone sneaked into my house.Otherwise why would a letter appear not in my mail box but in my house. At first, I panicked and moved closer to examine the elephant in the roomIt was plain white and official looking.It also had my name typed neatly on the front with a return address I didn't recognise.I stood there for a moment looking at it the way you look at something that feels wrong before you can explain why. Then I picked it up and opened it.I read it once then I sat down and read it again.The words weren't complicated. Legal language has a way of dressing simple things in complicated clothes but the meaning underneath was clear enough. Margaret was petitioning the court for formal grandparental visitation rights to one Aria Davis, minor child. She was citing concern for the child's welfare and stability. She was citing h
Katy"She what?" Nova snapped, shooting to her feet so fast her chair scraped against the floor.We were in her apartment after I dropped Aria back to her. Aria was asleep in her room, completely unbothered by the world."Lower your voice." I said, reaching up and pulling her back down by the wrist. "You'll wake the girl.""I can't lower my voice." Nova said, though she did drop it to a furious whisper. "Not when that old hag wants to take away my child. She followed you? With men? While Aria was in the car?" She sakes and I nodded. But wait a minute… “ Why do I smell disappointment?” I asked. “ I am disappointed in her. I mean, I know she doesn't like us but pulling such a stunt could have gone wrong.” Nova replied. "It didn't though." I pointed out. Nova turned to look at me. “ You didn't think about telling me?” Nova asked, looking at me dead in the face. "You were out of the city." I said. "There was nothing you could have done from there. Besides, Lucian handled it." I r
EliasThe short vacation was worth it.I finally got the answer I had been yearning for. Nova agreed to give us a chance. She didn't talk about mating or the future or any of the bigger things and I wasn't going to push her toward them. We would get there. I was certain of that now in a way I hadn't been before she kissed me on that beach.Coming back to the city, my head was still full of the sound of the sea and the way she had looked in that green dress.I wanted nothing more than to find Lucian and make him sit through every detail of the last two days whether he wanted to or not.Well, he never makes me rest after he found Katy so why should I? Then his message came through before I could carry out my plan. “ Come to my office as soon as you see this.”That tone already said everything. Those words drained every trace of the coast right out of me.So, I did as instructed. I drove straight to his office after dropping Nova home. I found him behind his desk with Victor standing
KatyAria fell asleep after we arrived at the house. I sat very still on the sofa so I wouldn't wake her with her small warm weight against me.Her breathing was a slow and even rhythm of a child who had no idea what had happened not long ago and had no business knowing.Lucian came and sat beside me, his arm coming around my shoulders.We stayed like that in the quiet apartment without saying much.After a while I reached for my phone."Don't." Lucian said as if he knew what I wanted to do with it. I looked at him with a questioning gaze. "She is with Elias. If you tell her about Margaret, she will be back here immediately.”He said. “ Aria is now safe with us. Whatever happened today stays between us until she gets back." Lucian added. "She deserves to know that Margaret came after Aria." I said quietly.Nova is my friend and the last thing I want is her thinking that I kept things from her, especially something as delicate as Aria's safety. "She deserves two days." He replied
Katy"Is that car following us?"I asked no one in particular since it was just me and Aria in the car. She was safely strapped into the car seat behind me, happily chewing on the ear of a stuffed rabbit.She was completely unbothered by the world.I checked the rearview mirror again and saw it. It was w black car with tinted windows. It had been behind me since I turned out of the supermarket parking lot fifteen minutes ago. I hadn't thought much of it at first. City traffic was city traffic but after taking two turns and it was still there, sitting three cars back, I got alarmedI took another turn and the black car followed.My grip tightened on the steering wheel. Now, I was alarmed. "Okay." I said quietly, more to myself than to Aria.I reached for my phone and called Lucian and he picked up on the second ring. "Hey…" He started. "Someone is following me." I cut him off, keeping my voice low and even. I didn't want Aria to pick up on anything.Even if she is months old, I hea
Katy POVHow did I feel being referred to Mrs Thorne? "Strange," I admitted. “ It feels surreal.”"You'll get used to it." Lucian replied, his thumb tracing my lower lip.It's a gesture that was becoming dangerously familiar. "Now that you're officially mine, can I take liberties with you? Since
Katy's POVThe car ride to Lucian's office was torture.Its not because of anything he did, quite the opposite. He had been completely absorbed in the documents spread across his lap since we got in the car His brow furrowed in concentration as he made notes in the margins. I should have been loo
His mouth moved to my jaw, my neck, finding that spot just below my ear that made me gasp. His hands slid higher on my thighs, getting dangerously close to—"Lucian," I gasped."Say it again." His teeth scraped against my pulse point. "Say my name like that again.""Lucian," I repeated, and my voic
Katy POVMy head was pounding.That was the first thing I registered as consciousness slowly dragged me back to the waking world. The second thing was that the sheets beneath me were far too soft to be Nova's guest bed.My eyes flew open.Unfamiliar ceiling, unfamiliar room, unfamiliar everything.







