MasukRhea POV“You feel that? You see how veiny it is and how hard it is? It means a man wants to be fucked.”Dorian's words echoed through my mind like a ghost I couldn't escape. I would never forget them. Back when I was still shy, inexperienced, and terrified of almost everything he did to my body, he'd said those words to me in that low, commanding voice of his. Back then, I'd been too naive to understand to fully understand what he really meant.But I understood now.So, putting Dorian's logic together, didn't that also mean Kale wanted to have sex with me? Like, right now?My eyes widened a little at the thought.Meanwhile, Kale continued kissing me, completely unaware of the war going on inside my head. His mouth was warm against mine, and the way he desperately kissed me made my stomach flip.Then he started rocking his hips against me.It was subtle at first, just a slight shift and a little pressure, but when you've been fucked as many times as I had, your brain learns to pi
Rhea POV“Make a wish.”Kale didn't look at the candle. He kept his eyes on mine for a few more seconds before finally closing them, his expression turning serious as he made his wish.I waited, watching the little flame dance between us, expecting him to lean forward and blow it out.But instead, he opened his eyes and leaned toward me.Before I could even react, his lips met mine in a soft, kiss, catching me completely off guard. My eyes widened for a second, and I almost forgot I was still holding a cake between us.When he finally pulled back, he stayed close, his blue eyes searching my face as he spoke in a quiet voice.“I don't need to make a wish,” he murmured, his warm breath brushing against my lips and sending a shiver through me. “Because everything I've ever wanted is already right here.”Before I could even process his words, he closed the tiny distance between us and kissed me again, his lips pressing against mine with so much desperation that I barely had time to react
Rhea POVThe moment Kale's eyes met mine, I felt my stomach twist. There was so much pain in his gaze, and he looked so exhausted and broken that my first instinct was to turn around and walk right back into the room.But I couldn't keep running away from him.I'd lashed out at him a few days ago, yes, but I'd also apologized, and he'd held me and comforted me even after everything I'd put him through. As messed up as things had been between us lately, that didn't mean we were enemies. I mean, we were literally dating, and he was still the same Kale I'd known for years.So why did facing him suddenly feel so difficult?“Hey...” I murmured, forcing myself to walk toward him. My legs felt heavier with every step, and by the time I stopped in front of him, I was already struggling to figure out what to say. “You're... you're still here?”Kale didn't answer. He just stared at me, his blue eyes fixed on my face, and the longer he remained silent, the more uncomfortable I became. I wanted
Rhea POV“Is it true? Are things difficult for you at the estate?”I hesitated, unsure of how much to tell her. Mom had only just started recovering, and the last thing I wanted was for her to worry herself sick over me. She'd already been through enough, and I couldn't bear the thought of her health taking another hit because of something I told her.“I haven't started working under her yet,” I explained, reaching across the bed to gently squeeze her pale hand. “Not until tomorrow. But yeah, from what I've heard, she's really strict.”Mom's brows pulled together as she looked at me, her worry becoming even more obvious. I hated seeing that expression on her face, especially when I couldn't exactly tell her that being around Vivienne was the least of my problems. There was so much she didn't know, and I wanted to keep it that way for now, at least until she was strong enough to worry about something other than her own recovery.“But there's nothing your daughter can't handle, right
Rhea POV“I should get going now.” His voice was quiet and flat, missing the warmth I was so used to hearing from him.He didn't look at me again, keeping his gaze on Mom instead. “Thank you for having me, Mrs. Hayes. Please get some rest.”My chest tightened at how distant he sounded. He wasn't even looking at me, and somehow, that hurt more than if he'd looked me in the eye and told me he was upset.Mom seemed to notice it too. Her face fell as she watched him prepare to leave.“Kale, wait...” she said, trying to push herself up on the bed.But her body couldn't manage it. A sharp hiss escaped her lips, and she sank back against the pillows with a shaky breath.For a moment, she closed her eyes, trying to recover before giving him a small, sad smile.“Okay... get home safely, dear.” Kale gave Mom a small, almost automatic smile that didn’t reach his tired eyes before slowly getting to his feet. He looked so exhausted that I wondered how he’d managed to stay here all morning without
Rhea POVWhen I arrived at the hospital, I left my bike at the rack and hurried inside. My footsteps echoed against the sterile white floors as I made my way toward Mom's room. Her door was slightly ajar, with a warm strip of light spilling into the quiet hallway, and I could hear faint voices coming from inside."Aren't you tired? You've been here all morning..."My steps slowed as I reached the doorway.It was Mom's weak, barely audible voice. At first, I assumed she was talking to Kenzie since she'd texted me earlier to say she would be stopping by the hospital to help out today.“I don't mind,” a voice answered, and my chest tightened. It wasn't Kenzie. It was a male voice, soft and familiar, one I knew all too well.“Besides, it's not like I'm doing that much,” Kale continued. “Rhea is the one working herself to the bone. The least I can do is sit here and keep you company.”Kale.My heart clenched painfully. What was he doing here?I stood frozen outside the door, my hand hove
Dorian POVMy fists were clenched tightly in my pocket until I was back in my chamber and finally collapsed into the couch. What was I pissed about this time? I tried to regulate the storm swirling inside me, but my mind wouldn’t stop replaying what I had seen.Her. In his arms.The way she kissed
Kale POVThe majority of the dinner passed in a boring blur. Questions were asked, but they were mostly surface level, generic ones. She asked most of them, and I gave short, clipped replies.Honestly, she wasn’t bad company. She wasn’t pushy or giggly like I had assumed most high ranking girls wou
Dorian POVWith how foolish Damian acted at times, I sometimes forgot there was a reason I had chosen him as my beta. Yes, his father had been beta before him, but the responsibility still fell on the new Alpha to choose his own. I had picked someone I trusted. Someone who could keep up with my rec
Dorian POV Splash! I emptied a bucket of ice-cold water over the bastard’s head. He had the actual fucking audacity to fall unconscious and I hadn’t even started shit with him yet. As soon as the water soaked down his back, straight into the open wound where the blood was still fresh and stick







