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10. First time?

Author: Anne Joyce
last update Last Updated: 2025-01-03 07:00:11
DAMON

She found me.

Sera suddenly appeared in the shadows of the garage door, her body photographed in the dim lamplight, wearing slightly oversized dark blue pajamas. Her eyes were sharp, sparkling with a curiosity she couldn't hide.

“Damon.”

I didn't have to wait long to find out what she wanted, but I wanted to tease her. “Are you looking for something?”

“Where have you been all day?” Sera asked, her voice firm, though slightly guarded.

She approached, her steps unhurried, but full of confidence. Her face was slightly pale, but always beautiful in that crowd of shadows.

I shrugged, taking another drag from my half-empty cigarette. “To my old place,” I replied shortly, ”to take care of some things.”

She stood there, her eyes fixed on me, it was obvious she wanted to know more, even though she tried to hide it. I could feel the tension starting to build.

Then, without saying much, Sera stepped forward and decided to sit beside me, on the cool car hood. Her body was a bit stiff, as if
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  • The Heiress and the Four Brothers   107. I lost the one person I never thought I’d lose

    CAL“It’s always like that, isn’t it? The higher you go, the quieter it gets.”I watched her for a few seconds. The night wind was starting to cut through my coat, but somehow it felt grounding instead of cold. I let out a slow breath, eyes lowering to the metal cup in my hands, now cooling fast.Sera was still staring at the view below, though I could feel her gaze drifting to me every now and then.“Sera,” I said at last.She turned toward me calmly, as if she’d been waiting for me to speak.“There’s a reason I brought you up here.”“Okay,” she murmured. “I’m listening.”I lowered my eyes, thumb brushing the rim of the cup. “I’ve been … seeing a therapist. For the last two years. Because I wasn’t well.”She didn’t look surprised. If anything, her expression softened like she’d been expecting me to say it.I let out a dry, crooked smile. “You already knew, didn’t you?”A small nod.“Who told you?”“No one,” she answered honestly. “I just … assumed. A few times, maybe.” A pause. “Are

  • The Heiress and the Four Brothers   106. You just have to start caring differently

    CAL“Stop trying to be the flawless hero. She doesn’t need that. She needs Callum. The man with scars, not the shadow with a shield.”“What am I supposed to do then?”“Let her see the cracks too. Not all at once, just enough so you’re not alone in there. You just have to start caring differently.”I remember staring at the floor when Dr. White said that. My hands clenched in my lap, trying to understand what those words even meant.Care differently. As if it were that simple.She didn’t know that every time I tried to pull away from Sera, my body felt as if it were losing its compass. And every time I got close—every time I looked directly into her eyes—everything I’d buried clawed its way back to the surface: the water, the screams, and the hand I couldn’t save.Two days after that session, I was here.The Blackwood Tower basement was quiet, lit only by the reflection of neon lights on concrete walls. I had just closed the small notebook on my lap when I saw her step out of the eleva

  • The Heiress and the Four Brothers   105. I paint better when you’re around

    SERAI woke up slowly, still half-dreaming, still wanting to stay adrift. For a few seconds, I couldn’t remember where I was. Then my eyes found something too beautiful to make sense of: Beck sitting on the floor, resting his chin on the edge of the couch, looking at me like he needed to make sure I was real.His hair was a mess, a smear of dry paint marked his neck, and a faint blue line streaked across his cheek. He looked like someone completely unaware of how distractingly beautiful he was—and maybe that was exactly what made him so.“Am I in heaven or something?” I mumbled, dazed.He let out a soft chuckle. “Pretty close.”I stretched lazily, noticing my laptop still open on the coffee table and a thin blanket draped over my legs. “What time is it?”“Almost sunset,” he said, brushing a thumb along my cheek. “You passed out in the middle of your world domination plan, by the way.”I groaned. “And you just let me sleep?”“You looked peaceful,” he said gently. His gaze lingered on m

  • The Heiress and the Four Brothers   104. I missed you

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  • The Heiress and the Four Brothers   102. You know what really hurts?

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