LOGINFranklin didn’t understand what Drake thought wanting someone meant.
To men like Drake, wanting was possession. Control. A temporary obsession fueled by ego and challenge. But to Franklin, wanting was something else entirely, quiet, rooted, and terrifying in its permanence.
Cassie wasn’t just someone he desired.
She mattered.
And not in a way that could be explained with attraction alone. Not even with affection.
Cassie mattered because of Trista
“They are gone,” he assured her, his voice low and certain, and Cassie could not help the amazement that spread across her face as she slowly took in the quiet stretch of beach around them, the absence of staff and strangers making the entire island feel like it existed for them alone.“Let me guess,” she said, her eyes narrowing slightly with curiosity as she studied him. “You rented the whole island?”Franklin did not bother answering her question, because whatever explanation he could have given would have only distracted from what he clearly wanted in that moment, and instead, he closed the distance between them without hesitation, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that was both intense and consuming.The world around them seemed to fade into nothing as he pulled her closer, his hands moving with confidence as he deepened the kiss, and soon enough, the quiet beach under the moonlight became the setting for something far more intimate.Cassie had never imagined herself in a situati
The boat slowed as it approached the dock, the soft scrape of wood against wood barely noticeable beneath the steady hush of the ocean, and Franklin stepped out first before turning back to her, his hand reaching for Cassie’s as naturally as breathing, steadying her as she placed her foot onto the warm planks.The air wrapped around her instantly, warm and rich and alive with scents she couldn’t quite separate, something sweet, citrusy, floral, all blending together until it felt like she had stepped into a place that didn’t belong to the same world she had left behind.Lanterns flickered along the narrow path ahead, their golden glow dancing softly in the growing dusk, guiding them forward as the palms swayed overhead and hammocks drifted lazily between them, the faint rhythm of waves folding onto the shore filling the silence in a way that made everything feel slower, softer, almost unreal.“Frank…” Cassie whispered, her voice barely more than breath as her eyes moved from one detai
“Do you really think Victoria even stands a chance with Jonathan?” Cassie asked, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and leftover curiosity she hadn’t quite let go of, even as the helicopter blades roared louder above them and the ground slowly peeled away beneath their feet.Franklin’s brows pulled together, not harshly but enough to show exactly where his mind was, and he turned his head to look at her with a quiet kind of disbelief that made her feel it before he even spoke. “Are we seriously about to spend our honeymoon talking about your friends?” he asked, his tone low and edged with something that wasn’t quite annoyance but definitely wasn’t amusement either.Cassie pressed her lips together, realizing instantly that he had a point, and not just a small one either, because this wasn’t some random trip or another weekend getaway where distractions were allowed to creep in and take over.This was suppo
Frederick did not respond right away, not because he did not hear Sienna, but because he chose not to, as though her voice no longer carried the same weight it once did, as though everything she said now had to fight its way through the thick wall of disappointment that had settled inside him.He walked past her without a word and lowered himself onto the couch beside Rose, pulling the little girl gently into his arms, holding her close in a way that felt instinctive, like he was grounding himself, like he was trying to find something steady in the middle of everything that had started to feel uncertain.The tension in his face softened the moment Rose leaned into him, her small body warm and trusting, her attention still fixed on the screen in front of her, completely unaware of the storm brewing between the adults in the room, and for a brief moment, Frederick allowed himself to breathe.An invisible line had been drawn between them, the one that had been forming over the past few da
Chicago felt colder than usual, or maybe it just felt that way because everything Sienna had built her hopes on had just collapsed right in front of her, leaving behind nothing but embarrassment, frustration, and a silence that weighed heavily between her and Frederick.The perfume launch, the one she had dreamed about for years, had turned into something she could barely even stand to think about now, because instead of applause and admiration, all she could hear were criticisms, whispers, and the kind of feedback that sliced straight through her confidence.Yes, people had shown up, and the venue had been packed, buzzing with curiosity and attention, but that was where the success ended, because while guests eagerly tested the sample perfumes and smiled politely, very few of them had actually reached into their wallets, and the sales numbers made that painfully clear.Not even twenty percent of what had been projected.Frederick was not the kind of man who hid his disappointment, and
Sebastian reached over and patted both Jonathan and Evan on their backs, his expression carrying that familiar mix of amusement and provocation, like he had been waiting for the perfect moment to say exactly this.“You two are the only bachelors left in this squad,” he said, his tone light but laced with meaning, his eyes flicking between them as if measuring their reactions.“And honestly, if you don’t get married anytime soon, I’m starting to think we’ll have no choice but to leave you out of certain things, because married men tend to move differently, and you might not fit in anymore.”Evan’s jaw tightened almost immediately, his teeth pressing together as if he was holding back something sharp, while Jonathan forced a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, the kind of smile that existed more out of habit than genuine amusement.“You’re forgetting something important,” Jonathan r
Franklin froze the second Cassie asked the question, and something in his eyes shifted, like a guard dropping for half a heartbeat before snapping back into place. His voice wavered just slightly, but the words came out steady and firm.“The right question at the wrong time will always give you the
The screen glowed to life, washing Cassie’s face in pale blue light as the laptop hummed softly on the desk. Her fingers moved fast, almost on instinct, flying across the keyboard as she connected to the encrypted network Evan had slipped her access to earlier. “Okay… I’m in,” she whispered, her vo
Cassie could tell something wasn’t right. It was there in the way Franklin kept dodging her eyes, the way his voice dipped whenever she asked about Rose.Still, she refused to let him twist her emotions or push her into panic. She folded her arms and lifted her chin a little.“Fine. Don’t tell me,”
Franklin froze for a second like his brain just short-circuited. He didn’t even understand why the hell he was defending Cassie now.Maybe it was guilt, maybe it was instinct, maybe he was just tired of everyone pretending they didn’t see the obvious cracks in the story. Either way, the words had a







