LOGINElowen The grand ballroom of the Grand Horizon Hotel buzzed with low, refined chatter and the soft, swelling melody of a live string quartet. Crystal chandeliers glittered overhead, casting a golden hue over the polished floors, but all I could focus on was the suffocating tension radiating from the body beside me. Zephyr and I were seated at one of the prime tables near the front of the stage. On paper, we looked like the picture of high-society elegance—me in liquid black silk, him in his tailored suit. But under the table, the space between us vibrated with a dangerous, unspoken strain. Up on the lit stage, Mirabelle stood behind the podium, glowing under the spotlights. She wore an emerald velvet dress that screamed royalty, a micro-drop diamond necklace sparkling against her skin. Her smile was breathtaking, radiating warmth, grace, and authority. "I look around this room tonight," Mirabelle’s smooth, amplified voice echoed through the speakers, "and I see the true heart of o
"Stop the car here."Zephyr slowed the vehicle slightly, his dark brows drawing together in pure confusion as he glanced over at me. "Why?""I want to get out here," I insisted, gesturing toward the well-lit pavement about a block away from the towering, illuminated glass facade of the Grand Horizon Hotel."Why?" he repeated, his tone sharpening with genuine surprise.I stood my ground, my hands clutching my black clutch purse tightly against my lap. I looked him dead in the eye. "Isn't it obvious that I don't want anyone to see me arriving with you."Zephyr stared at me for a long, silent beat, the soft glow of the dashboard lights illuminating the sharp angle of his jaw. "You're serious, aren't you?"He asked as if astonished. He must be thinking, yeah, everyone in my shoes would love to be known as someone who knows Zephyr Knox. Well, I'm not everyone. "Dead serious," I glared at him.He let out a short, incredulous breath, pulled the car over to the curb, and shifted into park.
Elowen I grabbed my most expensive, fancy black clutch purse from the bed, checked my dark red lipstick one final time, and clicked my heels against the floorboards as I walked out of my bedroom. I opened the front door of the apartment and stepped out into the hallway, expecting to find him leaning against the wall in his usual slouch. Instead, my breath choked right in my throat. Zephyr was standing near the elevator, completely dressed in a tailored black suit. Holy shit. I stopped dead in my tracks, my fingers tightening on my purse as my eyes involuntarily raked over him. The sharp, immaculate cut of the dark fabric clung perfectly to his broad shoulders, tapering down to his narrow waist and long, athletic legs. He wore a crisp white dress shirt underneath, the top button left recklessly undone without a tie, giving him a dangerous, aristocratic edge that felt utterly lethal. His dark hair was styled loosely, a few soft strands falling over his forehead, and his sharp ja
Elowen Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I smoothed down the sleek, cool fabric over my hips and let out a soft breath. It was Saturday evening, and the apartment had been unnaturally quiet all day. I hadn't seen a single trace of Zephyr since I woke up in the morning. The only proof that he even existed in my universe was the memory of him hearing him come through the front door late afternoon—slamming his bedroom door shut so hard the frame practically rattled on its hinges—and the lingering, terrifying memory of what had happened in the kitchen last night. I leaned closer to the glass, tracing the faint dark circles under my eyes, and shook my head in utter disbelief. Why the hell did I always sleep so peacefully whenever he was in bed with me? I had notice it the first time but I brushed it off. It made absolutely zero sense. I was prone to chaotic, restless nights, constantly tossing and turning or waking up from stupid, vivid nightmares that left my chest heavy
Zephyr Elowen slammed her glass down on the bedside table, her face contorted in sheer shock. But because she was so hyper-fixated on the ridiculous sight of me standing in her room, she didn't bother ensuring the glass was stable. The heavy crystal base wobbled dangerously, tipped over, and sent a mini tidal wave of cold water splashing right over the edge, soaking a massive section of her crisp white mattress and duvet. I looked at the growing dark stain, then slowly shifted my gaze back to her, raising an eyebrow with a long, deliberate sigh. "Look what you've done," I murmured, gesturing lazily toward the bed. Elowen didn't even glance at the mess. She snapped her eyes back to mine, the glare she shot me was so sharp and blinding it could have melted steel. I stood there with my bare arms crossed over my chest, genuinely amused by the sheer intensity of anger burning through her small frame. She looked like a furious, emerald-clad kitten trying to pick a fight with a grizzl
Zephyr "You could have just handed me the bag," she said quietly, her voice low and steady, though her eyes flicked away from mine. "You didn't have to add the insult." Another strange, uncomfortable knot tightened in my gut at her tone, but I didn't offer an apology. I didn't say a single word. I just turned away from her, stepping past the living room and heading straight into her bedroom. "Zephyr!" she called out furiously from behind me. "Don't you dare touch any of my scented shampoos! Do not use my expensive conditioner! And stay the hell away from my body wash!" I ignored her, closing her bedroom door behind me with a soft click. The second the door shut, the chaos of the apartment faded, replaced by the quiet sanctuary of her room. I stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath. Her room smelled incredible. It didn't smell like the harsh, sterile cleaning products of the main apartment, nor did it smell like the heavy, metallic scent of my hockey gear. It smelled di
ElowenI didn’t even have the luxury to react before his hot mouth came down on mine. My eyes widened. How did things get to this point?In the next second, my back was pressed against the cold wall as his tall, muscular frame trapped me.I tried to push him away, but his grip on my neck tightened.
ElowenThe stupid thing was that I could still hear the annoying sound of his laughter five minutes later. In my head.I pushed through a crowd of dancing people and headed straight for the kitchen.My face was still burning. No. Burning wasn’t the right word. I was mortified. I grabbed the first
There are exactly three things a girl expects to find when she accidentally opens the wrong bedroom door at a graduation party. A sleeping drunk. A couple making out. Or a bathroom. What she does not expect to find is a half-dressed stranger staring back at her after she’s interrupted his m
Zephyr In spite of my best intentions to avoid adhering to my mother, here I was in her fucking car on our way to meeting my “new family.” “You could at least try not to look like a fucking criminal for one day.” My mother’s voice sliced through the car like broken glass. I kept my eyes on







