LOGINLAURA That evening, Juniper showed up at my bedroom door with several bags in her hand and a bright knowing smile. “Girls’ night,” she announced, pushing past me into my room. “Xavier’s going to be busy all evening long and there’s no one else here anyway, so I figured you could use some company.” She pulled out face masks, beauty supplies and sparkling wine from one of the bags—clearly this had been planned. “Did Xavier put you up to this?” I asked suspiciously. “Nope. This was all me.” Juniper grinned. “Though he did seem relieved when I told him I wasn’t going back to my place just yet. I think he feels guilty that he has to get back to it just as we arrived.” It all still felt weird—surreal was more of the word for it. Just a moment, I was being dragged out of this very place in a rush and didn’t even have a room and then suddenly, I was back with a clay mask on my face and grape wine in my glass. And for the first time in forever, I had a real friend. Someone who
LAURA I watched the city blur past, the calm soundtrack filling my ears, and I felt a surge of relief when Xavier said we’d go back. I wasn’t sure if he’d just noticed on the spot or if he’d been planning it from the moment he rescued me, but either way, I was grateful. I hadn’t felt safe in that place for a second—it all reminded me too much of Alexie and Jennifer, of the torment they’d put me through from the very moment I was taken. I knew the bad dreams wouldn’t just vanish, but never would I have thought that I’d become so paranoid. Every shift, every little sound, made my heart rate spike, sweat dribbling down the back of my neck. But the moment Xavier mentioned returning to the penthouse, back to the bustling city and away from that dark, isolated nightmare, it felt like sunlight bloomed inside my chest. The SUV finally rolled into the estate, and Laura and Lucas could barely contain themselves. They practically tumbled out of the vehicle. “Home sweet home! Wooo-hooo
XAVIER The silence lasted for maybe three seconds then in a blaze of barely concealed excitement— “Really?!” Her voice came out louder than she meant it to. I could tell by the slight way her expression shifted afterward, like she was embarrassed at how much she’d given away. I crossed the room. My hand found her face, my palm soft against her cheek, thumb brushing along the edge of it— and she leaned into it like I was her safe haven. “Really,” I said. “Pack your things. We leave in an hour.” Her smile came slow. It started somewhere in her eyes, moved down, and by the time it reached her mouth it was the brightest, most genuine thing I’d seen all morning. I thought about every security concern Marcus had outlined—every clause, every unconfirmed threat—and if I could set it all aside all over just to see that smile again, I would. An hour and forty minutes later, we were loading into the SUV. The twins had claimed the back seat the way twins always did—without a si
XAVIER As I continued digging into my food, I couldn’t help but watch Laura closely from across the dining table. I’d always had a habit of just staring, observing, reading body language, and by far, she was the main object of my attention. She was laughing at something Lucas said. It was a small laugh—the kind that slipped out before you had the chance to decide whether to let it out or not—and it lasted maybe two seconds before she dropped her gaze back down to her plate. “Hmm,” I murmured, twisting my fork in my hand, barely paying attention to the contents of my plate anymore. Laura seemed…different. My eyes narrowed as I continued analyzing everything she did from behind my coffee cup, breaking eye contact now and again so I wouldn’t come off as obvious. She was struggling. That much was evident. She had her hair down, she’d put on a clean overall, she was sitting up straight and engaging when someone spoke to her—doing everything a person does when they want
LAURA I woke up to sunlight filtering through the blinds. I groaned, turning my head to avoid the soft rays, still wanting a few more minutes of sleep. But the moment my eyes landed on who lay in front of me…my breath caught. Xavier, sleeping right next to me. I almost forgot I wasn’t alone. Any remaining traces of sleep vanished instantly. My gaze drifted over his sharp features, now softened by the morning light. His full, arched lips were slightly parted as he took slow, steady breaths, his broad chest rising and falling. I’d never really noticed how long his eyelashes were until now. Xavier really was handsome—pale skin, perfect features, the perfect body. Every girl’s dream guy. And somehow… he ended up with me. And just like that, everything came rushing back. Heat crawled up my neck, my hands flying to my mouth in shock as flashes from last night flooded my mind. Every touch, every movement, every word—the softness, the wildness… all of it returning tenfol
LAURA His hand slid slowly between us, touching me in ways that made stars explode behind my eyelids, and just when I thought I couldn’t get enough—I cried out. This was more of a scream of pleasure than a moan. The sound is muffled against his shoulder, my body responding to him in ways I’d never experienced before. “That’s it,” he murmured encouragingly, his fingers gliding over my thighs with practiced ease. “Let go for me, Laura. I want to feel you.” I was trembling now, my whole body wound tight around him like a spring, climbing toward pressure I could feel building but couldn’t quite name. Xavier’s other hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing across my lips as he watched my expressions change in satisfaction. I could tell that he was learning what I liked and what drove me wild. “Look at me,” he commanded softly. “Keep your eyes on me and only me.” I forced my eyes open, meeting his dark gaze, and the intensity there was almost too much to bear. He was watching
XAVIER “Right this way sir,” the chauffeur gestured to the elevator and I gave him a slight nod before entering.When the metal doors shifted to a close, I released a breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding.Tonight, I was meeting with the heads of the other families in Chicago at the China tw
LAURAI blinked slowly as I took in the view through the floor-to-ceiling window of the living room.It was early in the morning, the sun was just beginning to stretch across the sky, pale gold bleeding into blues. I wrapped my robe tighter around me and held onto the coffee I had made for myself.
LAURA“Laura, please.” He reached for my arm and I jerked away. “You don’t understand what this will do to us, to Jennifer. She’s your sister—”“Foster sister, you mean.” I said coldly. “And she made it very clear that she wants nothing to do with me.”“Because you stole her life!” Alex’s voice ros
XAVIER“Where did Laura go?” I asked when I was done with my call. Juniper rolled her eyes and Lucas pointed towards the bathroom.“She didn’t seem okay, you might want to go check up on her.”I sighed, following his directions to the closest bathroom down the hallway. “Hey Laura, you in there? Lu







