Still, in a state of shock, I absentmindedly watch as the paramedic cleans the small wounds scattered across my arms as the detective continues to ask me questions. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Landry, but do you have any idea who would want to burn your bakery down?” Detective Ashley inquires, his pen touching the pocket-sized field notebook he holds in his hand. Continuing to watch the paramedic, I shake my head, “No.” I sigh, trying to come to terms that everything that has happened this morning wasn’t a dream. “Witnesses say that you accused a male named,” He pauses, flipping a few pages forward, “Kip.” Flipping the pages back over, he regards me again. This time I turn my head and look at the detective through misty eyes. “Kip?” I sniffle, feeling like shit for blaming him in the first place. “Kip wouldn’t hurt a fly. He said something that didn’t sit right with me and in return, I accused him. It was petty, and I wanted to hurt him.” Detective Ashley nods his head, writing everything I

“Would you like another drink, ma'am?” The bartender asks me as he stands across from me behind the bar.Pushing my wine glass forward, “Yeah, one more should hit the spot.” I say quietly with a slight slur and hyper-aware that Tobias has been sitting in the corner booth for the last hour, cradling the same tumbler of whiskey on the rocks in his hand since his arrival.I’m unsure if I feel elated that he has not approached me and given me the space I require with the comfort of knowing that he has tracked me down. Or, if I feel annoyed that he hasn’t come to me, grovelling at my feet and seeking forgiveness where it is due.As the bartender slides my glass back across to me, he flings the hand towel he used to wipe the bar top with and rests his hands on his hips. “Rough day, was it?” He enquires, arching his brows.“You can say that,” I reply, picking up my glass and touching the rim to my lips. “What gave you the vibe? Me sitting here all alone sipping on wine for the past four hour

TOBIAS:Shit! God-damn it to hell! The look on Keris’ face slices through the flesh of my chest and digs deep into my heart, piercing it with enough venom to stop it from beating entirely.I hate being the cause of her pain. The reason that has her doubting herself as a beautiful, strong, and intelligent woman. She deserves more, so much more that I doubt any man can give to her. But this is a flaw of mine that I have noticed surfacing a lot recently where Keri is concerned and the truth is…I’m a fucking imbecile!And that's putting it lightly. I know the only thing running through her mind right now, are images of me sleeping with her sister. But that couldn’t be the farthest from the truth.I wouldn’t dare stick my cock in Ava. Just thinking about it makes me shudder with disgust and compels my dick to shrivel up like a dried-up prune.Believe it or not, Ava has absolutely nothing on Keri. No one I have come across does.She is one of a kind, a rare breed indeed, and it

“I don’t believe you,” Ava growls the second she gets over my shocking discovery. “You will say anything to try to throw my plans off, but I’m not going to let you. If Tobias can't have children, then why does he fuck other women with a condom on?” She continues in a snarky tone as she folds her arms in a defensive stance toward me.I raise my brows, “are you seriously asking me this question right now, Ava?” I deadpan. “Please… you seriously cannot be this stupid, but I suppose you can’t have the looks and body of a Goddess and expect to have brains too. A condom isn’t only used as a source of contraception, it’s used to protect yourself from getting a Sexually Transmitted Infection.”I stare at Ava with disbelief blazing in my eyes, and it’s evident that what Tobias had said about her using a Turkey baster is true. I don’t know what kind of crap Is lodged in her Google search engines history, but I’m confident it’s loaded with some really blonde questions that would make anyone que

I keep my eyes fixed on the winding road ahead of me, my hands grip the steering wheel tightly as my mind continues to fight me for control. I’ve been driving for what feels like an eternity, following Davis's precise instructions with unwavering determination.As I sit in the driver’s seat, the silence lingering between us is deafening.My mind suddenly goes blank, devoid of any escape plans. Which is a strange feeling, considering my usual knack for finding a way out of any situation.But I guess being abducted and trying to find solutions to how I’m going to keep the power on in my bakery for the next month isn’t the same.I think a part of me is curious to find out where Davis is taking me and who it is that he plans to introduce me to.“Take the next right and drive down the long road until you see a large yellow steel fence,” Davis instructs, looking out the window with his gaze eating up the scenery.I do as he says, slowing down as the yellow fence he described comes into view