ALTHEA
One rough hand makes it way south, and I feel my entire body tighten in anticipation. But nothing could have prepared me for the feel of his thumb sliding over my swollen bud. I let out a gasp, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip to keep a lid on the effect he’s having on my body. His forehead meets mine, just as he pulls my trapped lower lip free with a thumb on my chin. His fingers expertly part my folds, a single one probing my entrance. My eyes flutter shut. “Look at me.” No woman on earth would be able to defy that command. And he holds my gaze, his face so close his nose touches mine as he sinks one thick digit inside me. I’m drenched, and it’s like a rock into water, my walls clenching around him just like my thighs. “Oh,” I breathe. It’s invasive and intense, but so, so good. “I’m going to add another, and you’ll take it like a good girl, won’t you?” The words aren’t even fully processed as I nod frantically. “Use your words.” The command is spoken with a buttery drawl. “I’ll take it like a good girl.” And there’s pressure, pressing against me and pushing past little resistance. My stomach tightens at the first bite of discomfort, but with every slow thrust and twist of his fingers, fire ignites in my core with a force I don’t think would ever be extinguished. “Please,” I cry, oblivious to what it is I even need. But one curl of his fingers upward, and I’m certain he’s known all along. The orgasm washes through me with a force that makes my entire body shudder around him. My mind is nothing but fog, blissfully suspended on cloud 9. I feel the loss of his body heat as he pulls away, and the clink and thwap of his belt being undone has that cooled heat resurging once again. It’s true. With a man like him, we’ve probably only just begun. I don’t know how much my body can take, but I’ve never been more eager to find out anything in my life. He strips bare, till he’s standing at the side of the bed like a monster of muscle and dangerous energy. I can’t think of anything better than being on the receiving end of it all. Each hand clamps around both my knees, pulling them apart once again as he comes down over me. I didn’t see it, but the weight of his erection pressing against my stomach fills my veins with desire. And worry. Because that thing, is going to fit inside me? His hand comes down over my head, sinking into my hair, “If you need me to stop, you say so.” His hand reaches down to grasp himself. The first press of his head against me has my fingers curling into the bed sheet. He drags the large tip back and forth over my clit, till I’m certain I could come again from just that alone. And when he levels himself at my entrance, holding my gaze, damn near daring me to look away, I’m not prepared for the stretch. The burn at the size of him. My hands find his shoulders, discomfort marring my expression. He’s attentive with the way he moves, watching my face for what feels better, and what tenses me more. And it takes effort… the tightness in his jaw, and the harsh slant of his brows tells me just how much he’s intentionally holding back. With his forehead against mine, our breaths entwine. With every slide and dark exhale absorbed into my skin, the ache turns into a desperate pulse. Till I’m pushing at him because it’s all too much. I come again, into a million little fractures with a desperate cry. His grunts fill the air, as he buries his face into my neck. The sensitivity of it all leaves me feeling like I’ve been rubbed raw with sandpaper. Goodness, me.ALTHEAIt’s Tuesday morning. At least, I think it is. The sky outside is still dark, and the hallways are quiet. There’s no real way to tell what time it is without checking the clock, but I don’t bother. I just know it’s too early, and I’m already wide awake.Elise, Marcy, and I have been running around all day. We’ve found swaths of fabric in the storage halls, begged butlers to hang them, picked our outfits, tried on jewelry, tested different china patterns, and even argued about flower arrangements.I should be exhausted. My feet are killing me. My back aches. But none of that matters, because all I can think about are Asher’s words from last night.“With time, I hope everything gets easier. That I can finally say what I want to say.”They keep replaying in my head. Over and over again.And then there’s Caroline. Her voice, her laugh, the way she looked so comfortable next to him… it stings more than it should. I try to shake the image away, but it clings to me. Why is she suddenl
ALTHEAI don’t say a word.I just turn around and walk back the way I came, heart pounding so hard I’m sure it echoes down the halls. My throat feels tight. Like someone stuffed cotton down it. I don’t react. I don’t get angry. I just walk.When I get back to the common room, Elise and Marcy are still working on their embroidery. I don’t mention what I saw. I sit with them. I thread my needle and make small, shaky stitches. Golden vines on a pale blue napkin. It looks nothing like what it’s supposed to, but I keep going.We work in silence, then soft conversation, then silence again. The hours stretch. The fire dies down. At some point, Elise yawns and rubs her eyes.“We should sleep,” she says.“Yeah,” Marcy agrees, folding her cloth.I nod. My legs ache when I stand.We all wish each other good night and slip into our rooms. Mine feels colder than before. Maybe because I’m noticing it more now. I change into a fresh nightgown and crawl under the blankets. I pull them up to my chin a
ALTHEAI can’t sit still.My bare feet pace the soft rug, back and forth, back and forth, until I’m sure I’ve worn a line through it. I should lie down. Rest. Maybe change into something warmer. But my body won’t listen. Every time I close my eyes, I hear the sirens again. I see the shadows curling in the halls. I feel that awful twist in my chest, the kind that screams that something is wrong.I wrap my robe tighter and move to the window, pressing my fingers to the cold glass. The sky is still dark, but the fires have gone out. There’s no more smoke. No screams. Just silence.Too much silence.I haven’t seen Aaron since he led me toward the safe room. Since he said those strange words about the rebels, not being his people. I need to talk to him. I need to understand what happened, and why it felt like the world was ending last night.Where is he?A knock at the door jolts me. My head snaps toward it, heart pounding.Then it opens—“Miss Althea?”I gasp and rush forward as soon as I
Many decades ago…It’s been days since I was saved from Luca. I still can’t believe it happened. One second I was in that dark alley behind the bar, struggling against his disgusting hands and slurred threats, and the next… he was gone. The stranger had come out of nowhere—tall, quiet, with eyes so dark they didn’t even reflect light. He didn’t say a word. Just grabbed Luca, slammed him against the wall like he weighed nothing, and then… vanished. Like a shadow.I didn’t get to thank him. I didn’t even get his name.Luca hasn’t come back to work since. I’m not surprised. Part of me wonders if he’s hiding out of fear or shame. The other part of me doesn’t care. I’m just relieved he’s gone. I thought maybe now, I could go back to pretending I’m invisible again. Go back to my quiet life—work, home, sleep, repeat.But of course, life never stays quiet for long.Today started out normal. I woke up before the sun rose, swept the floors, fed the shop cats, and opened the bakery on time. Mrs.
ALTHEAThe stairs are cold under my feet. I clutch my robe tight to my chest, too dizzy to put it on properly. I almost throw it over my head anyway, but something tells me I’ll trip if I try that now. Not with how shaky my legs feel. Not with the way my heart is pounding like it’s trying to tear itself out of my ribs.I keep going, one step at a time. The cold air bites at my skin, and my throat is still dry. But as the soft golden glow of the safe room comes into view, I finally feel a little steadier. My feet move faster. I take the last step in a small leap.That’s when I see him.Asher.He’s standing tall, easy to spot among the guards who hover close to the open safe room door. Even now, his shirt is neatly tucked into his suit pants, though his sleeves are pushed back slightly, and his collar is undone. His hair’s a little messy, probably from running. But somehow, he still looks calm. Strong.“Am I the last?” I ask, dragging my robe on properly as I walk toward him.His eyes f
ALTHEAIt takes two hours to read through the packet. Another full hour just to digest everything it says. My head hurts by the end of it, and I’m not even halfway through making a plan. There are so many rules. So many little things to remember, details to think about, decisions to make.Lady Ivanna said she’d be around to help if we need her. But something about the way she said it makes me think asking questions might make her think we’re not good enough to handle it ourselves. So, I won’t be asking.We’re on our own.One of the first problems is the flowers. We can’t use black flowers, they’re considered ominous. Red flowers are off-limits too because they mean secrecy. Green ones are a no because they’re linked to envy. That alone cuts out half the ideas I had in my head.The wine has to be imported. The food needs to be luxurious. Here, luxury isn’t considered showing off, it’s expected. A statement. If it isn’t good enough, the guests might leave unimpressed. And that could rui