LOGINLucas’s POV As we finally pull up to my parents’ house, the entire place is buzzing. Lights on, cars lined up, voices echoing faintly through the walls, and it already feels like one of those nights where everything is about to unfold whether we’re ready or not.I step out of the car, glancing over at Emily and Stephanie as they follow behind me, and the moment we walk inside, I clock the room.Clover’s here with Zade right by her side and, of course, Bennett and Terrence aren’t too far behind. Still in position, still alert… but I can already tell their presence is starting to ease up. Give it another week or two, maybe a month, and they won’t be needed like this anymore. Not unless something else blows up, which, knowing our lives lately, isn’t exactly impossible.I shut that thought down immediately.The second I step further into the house, my attention locks onto my mom.She looks… off.Sad.Clover’s beside her, gently patting her hand, trying to comfort her, and that alone tell
Clover’s POVI wake up the next morning with a deep sigh of relief.For once… I can breathe.Number one... Daisy’s little scheme? Done and over. Everybody’s been caught, and I don’t have to keep looking over my shoulder every five seconds.Number two... Zade.I glance over at him, still knocked out beside me, lightly snoring like he doesn’t have a care in the world.And yeah… according to everything from the evidence, timelines, all of it, he didn’t cheat, but he still chose her in that moment over me.And that?That still pisses me off.That’s why I’ve been letting him work hard. Letting him prove himself. Letting him spin the block until I feel like it’s enough.I shift slightly, watching him.He looks… peaceful, very handsome, and calm.Too calm.I reach out and run my finger down his face, tracing his features. He really is beautiful.I lean in and press a soft kiss to his lips.He groans. “Mmm…”I laugh quietly. “I’m gonna use the bathroom, okay? Can you release me from your stee
Daisy’s POVI sigh as I sit in this damn jail holding area… just waiting.And it’s not like on TV. Not even close.There’s no little bed, no bench, no private space with a toilet tucked in the corner. None of that.I’m handcuffed to a chair in what looks like a crowded, run-down waiting room, surrounded by women I don’t know, and don’t want to know.There are so many of them.Some look strung out. Some look like they’ve been on the streets for years. A few look like they came from money and just got caught up in something stupid. One woman looks like she got the hell beat out of her.It’s chaos.And it smells like it too.I shift uncomfortably, rubbing my belly. I need to get out of here.The woman next to me leans over, eyeing me.“So… what you in for, prego?” she asks. “You kill your boyfriend or something?”I roll my eyes and turn away as much as I can, ignoring her.She laughs. “First baby, huh? Well, I got five.”I still don’t respond.I’m not about to sit here and have a convers
Zade’s POVAs I take my wife, and yes, she’s still my wife, legal separation or not, into this local eatery, I can’t help but feel a little lighter. It’s not some five-star spot, but it’s nice, comfortable, and familiar. The kind of place where you don’t have to pretend.They recognize the Smith name, so we don’t even wait. We’re seated immediately.We order quickly, and just as the server walks off, my phone starts ringing.I frown, glancing at the screen. “It’s your brother.”Clover shrugs, already reaching for her drink. “Go ahead. Pick it up.”I answer. “What’s going on, Luke?”He exhales on the other end. “Your brother Dustin’s at my office.”I sit up straighter. “Why is Dustin at your office?”“Well,” Lucas says, “Detective Torres contacted him. Daisy told them he might be the father of her baby and it's a fifty-fifty chance he might not be. He’s not handling it well.”I close my eyes for a second and shake my head. “Yeah… I figured he wouldn’t. He’s always been in love with her
Lucas’s POVI wake up early the next morning back in my own bed.The only reason we stayed at my parents’ house was to watch Daisy and to see how she’d move, how she’d react. But after her little midnight escape? Yeah… that plan went out the window real quick.So we came home last night and waited for Daisy updates.And now my phone is blowing up like a damn emergency hotline.I sigh, rolling over, pulling Emily closer before pressing a kiss to her lips. She stirs, looking soft as hell in the morning light.God, she’s beautiful.I lean down, whispering in her ear, “Wake up. It’s another beautiful day being next to me.”She scrunches her nose. “Yes… and your breath is disgusting.”I grin and blow a little extra in her face.“Lucas, gross!”I laugh, kiss her cheek, and roll out of bed. “Alright, alright.”I head straight to the bathroom, handle my business, and grab my toothbrush because she wasn’t lying because my breath stinks.By the time I’m stepping into the shower, I hear the bath
Zade’s POVAs I roll over, I realize we’re still at Grandma Lola’s house, and that’s exactly how it’s going to stay for now. I meant what I said. I’m not leaving my wife again. Not for anything.I’ll go home, grab clothes, make sure I’ve got what I need, but Clover? She’s my home. Period.The shower’s already running.I smirk to myself. Of course she got up before me. She knows I wouldn’t let her take a long, peaceful shower without me joining in.I walk to the bathroom door and try the handle.Locked.“Fuck,” I mutter.I grab some joggers and a T-shirt and head out into the hallway, rushing to the shared bathroom. I handle my business quick, wash up, and head back to the room.Right as I step inside, Clover walks out of the bathroom.And damn.She’s wrapped in a robe, but it’s open just enough. Lace bra, high-cut panties, her pregnant belly on full display… glowing.She looks like temptation itself.I pause, just watching her as she rubs oil into her skin.“Jesus…” I mutter under my
Clover’s POVAs my security team and I pull up to the Smith house, I’m immediately let in at the gate.That alone shocks me.Normally, unless I’m with Zade, they give me a hard time every single time I come here. Kid you not, when I used to come in an Uber just to meet Zade, they would make me sit
Janine’s POV continued I stared at the floor.“This is who I am,” I whispered.“Janine Smith… formerly known as Sheena.”I waited.I expected anger.Disgust.Maybe even the sound of my husband telling me he couldn’t do this anymore.Instead…I heard him clear his throat.“Janine.”My body stiffen
Janine’s POVI sat there staring at my oldest son and my husband, fear clawing its way up my throat.For the first time in years, I felt completely exposed.My palms were sweating, my heart racing so hard it almost hurt. I knew what I had to do. I had carried this secret long enough, and the weight
Zade’s POV continuedWe walk out of the office together.As we approach the elevator, I notice both security guards sitting at their posts.Terrence is busy flirting with the secretary.But Bennett is staring directly at us.Specifically at our hands.I tighten my grip on Clover’s fingers.“So,” I







