~Rylee~ Fist clenched on the side; I want to punch all the people in this safe house, including the woman beside me. If Rain wasn’t my best friend, I might have slapped her smack dab on the back of her head. For what? Nothing really. Just to get back at her for gossiping before warning me about Sloan and Blade’s arrival. And for wearing that gleeful smile while watching four idiots thwart each other. The only thing missing is pompoms, and she’d twirl her perky ass around. She’s enjoying this testosterone overload too much. Ghost got Blade in a standing rear choke. Being two inches smaller than me, Blade dangled from Ghost’s arms like a toddler. Being half dumb like his boss and a half too small against Ghost, he relied on his speed. Blade made eye contact with me, winking, his fingers digging into Ghost’s arms. I shook my head, praying that he acts as the bigger person, figuratively. But no, he likes proving size doesn’t matter in a fight. “Fucking hell,” I whispered as Blade elbow

~Klaus~I laid awake for an entirely different reason—my heart hums, swaying as though it’s hearing a cheesy romantic song.So this is love, huh?That crazy little thing that stopped Devin and Evan from spending their Friday nights drowning in booze and girls with me. With love comes affection, cheesy lines, and all those romantic shit.Come to think of it. I haven’t gone to a party since Rylee moved in. And I did tons of lovey-dovey feats just to see Rylee smile. Even my annoyance at what Sloan said makes sense now. I’m fucking jealous of what he had with Rylee… I want her all to myself, not just because I fancy her, but because I love her.Fucking shit.I’m in love… with Rylee.And I’ve never been more terrified.Sleep somehow embraced me through these jumbled thoughts in my head, allowing my body and mind some kind of breather. I’ve been on the move since Philly, not giving my mind time to think of Rylee. I was pushing the question of why I was so pissed that she gave her virginity

~Rylee~ It doesn’t take much to leave me romantically stunned. I am a hopeless romantic, a die-hard fan of happily ever after. And marriage proposals and weddings were like icing on top of a moist chocolate cake. The words on the ceiling weren’t the only thing up there that left me speechless. As the spotlights lost their glow, a thousand lights lit up overhead, forming a mirror image of the planetarium where Klaus took me on our first official date. “Oh my God…” I parroted, lifting my trembling hands to my mouth. I was still lying on top of him, boneless, mind floating in clouds. Klaus was the first to move. He propelled himself up, cradling me on his lap like I was a child. If the cold bothered him in any way, he doesn’t show it. “Rose,” he guides my face to him, wiping my wet cheeks. As if the fairy lights and stars above us were not enough to melt my heart into puddles, warm white, yellow, and pink lights started to glow under the ice, casting an intimate glimmer against the

~Rylee~ Worry for Cali and their baby’s safety instantly replaced the joyful air between the five of us. The sun had already risen an hour ago. Seated on the couch, Ren rested her temple on Devin’s shoulder, already fast asleep. Facing them, I occupied the single couch, ankles tucked under my bum, while Klaus sat on the rug, his long legs extended in a V. His back was against my seat while I toyed with his dark curls. Evan was looking out the window of the room reserved for VIPs. It’s not the typical off-white room reeking of alcohol and disinfectant I usually see in hospitals. Paintings of different sizes cover the walls. The arts look random—still images, landscapes, cartoon characters. Looking closer, I saw Cali and Evan’s initials scribbled on them. Cali hates hospitals. It wouldn’t surprise me if this were her idea. Everyone looks exhausted. They were busy all day preparing for Klaus, and I’s engagement, and hadn’t had a wink of sleep. Ren stirs awake every five minutes, askin

~Rylee~ I blinked once... twice, pausing for a punchline, but it never came. In fact, his green eyes reflect eagerness and patience, waiting for my response. “Uhm... does this have to do anything with the mafia?” I asked, silently giving myself a pat on the back for not stuttering, when inside, I was running around like crazy, not knowing what to do. Bound by a contract or not, a wedding will happen eventually, but he is freaking asking me to marry him now. We just got engaged last night. Klaus chewed on his lower lip. The same one I’ve been biting and munching on last night while he fucks my brains out. God. This man is really turning my world into a havoc of surprises. “No... no. Like I said, what we have has nothing to do with the mafia anymore.” He pinched his eyes closed, contemplating. Those green pools met my bewildered brown ones with determination. He reached for my hand, which dropped with a thump on my lap. “I’ve never been more sure in my life, Rose. Yesterday, when I