Leah Rex lowers himself gingerly onto the stool and slumps against the back, while I get a glass of water and place it into his trembling hands. He drinks it in one go, a few drops of water spilling from the corners of his mouth. Using the back of his hand, he wipes them away roughly. He’s out of breath and tips his head back as he recovers and regains control of his breath. I’m reluctant to leave him, but it only takes a few moments to go into the utility room to pull out the giant first aid kit I only stocked yesterday. He’s attempting to stand when I come back out. What the hell? I curse under my breath and race around in front of him before he can fall flat on his handsome face. He’s still unsteady on his feet. I can’t help but notice how small and delicate my hands look on his broad, muscular shoulders as I gently urge him back on the seat. His expression is strained, and I can see the pinch of pain around his eyes. He’s pale and drawn, and if he stood up now, I’d bet he’d keel

Rex “What the fuck were you thinking?” My father growls out as I walk up the driveway to meet him. He glances quickly towards the windows, checking to see whether Leah is watching, before gesturing for me to go back in the direction I came, away from the house. “Sorry, Rex, I had to tell him. You know what he’s like.” Cooper holds his hands up in surrender when I glare at him. I’m annoyed, but I know deep down that I’m more annoyed at myself. This has been coming since I returned home a couple of months ago. My parents were going to find out. Eventually. I should have been man enough to discuss it with them before now. “Don’t look at him like that. He’s in enough trouble for hiding this already.” Dad looks at Cooper over his shoulder and a blast of his alpha aura has the two of us gritting our teeth. Cooper fights the urge to submit, barely, but I give in and tilt my head because he’s right. He’s making a point. Dad may have handed over his position to Cooper, but experience and st

Leah “Well, that was an unmitigated disaster,” I say brightly, turning to face Hayley and Zoe, who glances at me warily before I dissolve into hysterical laughter. I thought brunch would be a fun way to catch up. That’s before I hit my sisters with the list of chores that I have lined up for them for the rest of the day. So much for that idea. “Oh, I don’t know. I found it kind of… enlightening,” says Zoe as she wraps her arms around me in a big hug. “So that’s Rex? I never got to meet him at the wedding.” She hums approvingly. I doubt there’s a woman on the planet who wouldn’t. “Yeah, he wasn’t feeling well,” Hayley answers, and I store it away for later. Rex has already told me the truth, but she told me before that he was managing some work situation for Cooper. More lies. Between these half-truths and the mysteriously healed scratches on Rex’s arms, my mind is trying to conjure all kinds of explanations. None of which makes any sense. “It looks like you’re getting on great,” Zo

Leah My head’s spinning, and I feel like my heart is going to burst right out of my chest. Rex’s kisses are intoxicating. He’s not just taking control, he’s demanding it with every pass of his lips and nip of his teeth. It’s hard and rough, all our pent-up desire unleashed, and it’s perfect. He grips the back of my head in one hand and presses even closer, pinning me against the wall with every inch of his firm body. I’m left under no illusions about how many inches he has. Something long, thick, and very hard is pressing into my hip, but I need it somewhere else. I’m already wet and my pussy is crying out for attention. I press forward, desperate to get some pressure where I need it most. “Fuck, baby,” Rex moans, allowing me to breathe for a split second before devouring my lips again. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this kind of passion before, either in myself or from someone else. I’m clawing at his back, hands shoved up underneath his t-shirt and my palms tingling from the skin-to

Leah In the gathering dusk, the drive through the secluded forest surrounding the lodge is eerie. It’s always quiet on this road. The only traffic on this isolated stretch being the people coming and going from the lodge itself or the small log cabins built into the surrounding hills. I’m not sure whether they belong to the Jones Group or to those living in them, but they all seem to be inhabited by Jones’ employees. As I take the last turn, I blink and do a double-take at the massive cast iron gates with a large private property sign in the distance. I’ve never seen them before. Crawling to a stop in front of them, I’m surprised to find the gate chained shut across the driveway. I can see where they are normally rolled back and well hidden by the densely packed trees and overgrown hedges, but tonight, they’re obstructing the only vehicular access to the lodge. Well, that’s put a spanner in the works for the Agatha Christie-style investigative work I had planned. A mere metal barri