LOGIN"Morning," he said finally, with his voice very casual and normal like we were step-siblings, which is pretty much normal.
"Morning," I replied, and my voice came out steadier than I expected, almost normal except for the slight breathlessness that I hoped he couldn't hear.He took a sip of his coffee, and his eyes never left mine, and I felt pinned there by his gaze, unable to move or look away even though I should.I should just say something casual and leave, sho“I'm sorry."He said the words and just stood there in my doorway like what he just said was something toxic, something so toxic that he knew it. Toxic like it could kill me if I breathed it in.I stared at him, at his face showing guilt and desperation and something that looked like pain. At his clothes he's in."You're sorry," I said, very flat, and emotionless, and nust repeating his words back to him."Scarlett—""Don't." My hand came up between us. "Don't say my name like that."His face crumbled slightly but I didn't care. I couldn't care, not when I could still see him through that restaurant window smiling at someone else.I stepped back from the doorway. Into my room, and he followed even though I didn't invite him, but I'd expected that.I closed the door behind him, and we just stood apart from ourselves. I was by the window, and he stood there by the door. The distance between us felt both too much and not enough.Right now, with all that going on in my mind, being with h
I couldn't stop crying.The tears just kept streaming down my face, and my chest was heaving with sobs. I didn't see this coming, me breaking apart in my car on some random side street.The image wouldn't fucking leave my mind. His eyes meeting mine through that restaurant window. The way he looked at the car, at me. The moment he knew I'd caught him.He knew now. I saw. I knew. We couldn't pretend anymore.My phone buzzed on the passenger seat.I didn't want to look. Couldn't handle it. But I looked anyway.Three texts. All from him.My hands were shaking as I picked up the phone, and opened the messages.Jax: "Scarlett'Just my name. Sent right after I drove past. Two minutes ago.Jax: "I can explain"Could he? Could he really explain what I'd just seen?Jax: "I'm coming home. We need to talk"Dread settled heavy in my stomach. I'd have to face him. I'd have to listen to whatever explanation he thought would make this okay.I couldn't stay here on this random side street crying for
I sat there alone with the engine off, just breathing, and trying to make my brain work properly.Nina had driven away minutes ago after making sure I was okay. I am not okay. But at least, I'm alone now and that was something.The silence in the car was deafening. Just me and my spinning thoughts that wouldn't fucking stop.What I knew: We were alone together in the morning. And maybe, just maybe he had to go to work, or maybe a work meeting. That wasn't a work meeting.Or maybe the meeting ended early and he ran into her, and he knew her, they knew themselves, or maybe he wanted to grab lunch and they innocently met there.The way they'd looked together. It was very comfortable, very comfortable and easy, this isn't accidental. That was planned.Or maybe it was a business lunch and it was still work, and it just looked like that from the outside.But that restaurant, that atmosphere, that intimacy, or semi-intimacy....That couldn't be work.Who was she? Colleague? Client? Friend? E
I couldn't move.I could feel Nina beside me, could feel people walking past. But I was frozen.My eyes locked on that window. On that table. On him. On them.I couldn't look away even though every instinct screamed that I should. Even though it was killing me. I just kept staring."Scarlett?" Nina's voice sounded distant. It was like a voice from underwater. "Scarlett, you okay?"I could see everything through the glass.The table near the window. It was a very good view. A view of two people sitting across from each other. Two people on a date. Jax and a lady I'd never seen before.They were positioned very close. The feel between them was so very intimate. That kind of close that happens at a two-person table when you actually want to be there. This is not work, or acquaintance or friendship.Just like he was me and wanted to make me regret looking, he started leaning forward slightly. He was so engaged in whatever the hell they were talking about. His body language was so very eas
“That was fun," Nina said as we stepped out into the afternoon sun."Really fun and good. Thanks again for sharing that."The lookbook was safely tucked in her bag now, very protected and cared for.The street ahead was busy with contagious energy. Couples strolling, and families out, the whole upscale neighborhood vibe."Want to walk around?" Nina asked. "I have time if you do."I checked my phone quickly. No texts from Jax. Nothing."Yeah, sure. Let's do it." I replied, with a very bright smile.We started walking slow. It didn't even feel like we were going anywhere, just wandering down the street lined with boutiques and cafes and galleries. Everything, every single thing in the area is very expensive and intentional.The first shop we passed had designer dresses in the window. Beautiful displays, and as if we planned it, both of us paused naturally, then smiled when we realized we both did."See how they styled it?" Nina pointed at the mannequin. "The proportions."I nodded, anal
“There she is!” she pulled me in with a quick, warm hug. “You look great.”“Thanks,” I said, hugging her back briefly. “You look very great too.”She pulled away and studied my face for a second, head tilted. “You’re really glowing. And I'm not saying it because it's nice if I do.”My heart did a little skip.If only she knew the only thing that came to my mind as she said what she said just now was the four intense rounds with my stepbrother less than twelve hours ago.I forced a small laugh and shrugged. “Am I? Must be the weather.”She grinned, obviously fine with the joke. She gestured to the table. “Come sit. You have to see this.”I pulled out the chair carefully and lowered myself into it. The moment my weight settled on the chair, a deep ache flared between my legs. The pressure on my spot made me bite the inside of my cheek to keep my face neutral.I shifted subtly, then crossed my legs at the ankle instead of the knee, trying to find an angle that didn’t scream what I’d been
"Now get out."The words hit me cold like ice water, very dismissive.I blinked up at him from his bed, still trying to process what he'd just said."What?""You heard me."He stepped back, putting distance between us, between his body and mine, and pe
My eyes opened to sunlight streaming through my curtains, it was bright and very insistent, and I immediately knew I'd slept way longer than I meant to.I reached for my phone on the nightstand and squinted at the screen, my vision still blurry from sleep.11:43 AM. Fuck.I need to pick up Miles at
More than two hours passed very quickly and I didn't even noticed until Vera checked her phone."Oh my god, it's almost eleven."Alex looked surprised. "Already?""Time flies when you're enjoying an event," Lexi said, and everyone laughed.The ballroom was still alive but different now, the energy
His finger was barely inside me. Just the tip, maybe half an inch, enough to make me crazy but nowhere near enough to help.I could feel myself trying to clench around it, trying to pull him deeper, but he held his hand completely still."Ja..ax—" His name came out desperate, in







