All Chapters of Shattered Vows: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Ever since that day at the market, I hadn't been the same. Restless. Uneasy. Trapped in a battle between curiosity and fear. A part of me itched to dig deeper, to uncover who I really was. But the other—the stronger, smarter part—screamed at me to leave it alone. Because what if the truth wasn't something I could live with? What if I wasn't just a victim of circumstance but something far worse? Criminals didn't settle in one place. They didn't live peaceful, quiet lives. They hid, they ran, they disappeared. But I had been here. That should mean something, shouldn't it? I had a home here, a place where I felt safe—or at least, I had before that day. Now, I wasn't so sure. The past wasn't just a shadow lurking behind me. It was catching up. I could feel it. Every time someone came to the farm, my heart pounded, my body tensed, and I had to fight the instinct to run or attack. It wasn't normal. It wasn't me—or at least, not the me I had become. Henry had recognized me. A stranger, s

The scent of warm bread and stew filled the kitchen as I sat at the small wooden table, spooning food into my mouth. It had been a long day, and nothing beat a good meal. From the living room, the low hum of a movie played-Liam's choice, obviously, since I hadn't even been consulted. Not that I cared. I glanced toward the doorway where he was lounging on the couch, eyes locked on the screen, arms crossed like he was analyzing every frame. I smirked. "Didn't take you for the romance movie type." "I'm not," he said flatly, not even sparing me a glance. "Then why are you watching it?" "Because it keeps you from talking." I rolled my eyes, about to fire back, when the front door suddenly swung open. "Well, well, well," Greg's voice rang out dramatically. "Look who decided to run off into the sunset without us!" Greg's loud voice rang through the house as he and Trevor strolled toward us, Greg throwing his arms up like he'd just survived a war. Trevor, as usual, looked more amused

Jane's eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned forward, clearly thrilled that I'd chosen dare. "Alright, let's make this interesting." Greg groaned. "Oh, here we go. Last time she said that, I ended up stuck in a tree with a stolen garden gnome." "That was one time," Jane shot back. "And you got down, didn't you?" "Yeah, after three hours and a lot of regretting my life choices." I chuckled, but Jane's attention snapped back to me. "Sara, I dare you to—" She paused for dramatic effect, letting the tension build. "—sit on Liam's lap for the next three rounds." Trevor let out a low whistle, while Greg cackled. Liam, however, looked unimpressed. "No." Jane ignored him, grinning at me. "That's the dare. Take it or forfeit." I tilted my head. "And if I forfeit?" Kim smirked. "Then you have to do a shot of hot sauce mixed with whatever alcohol we find in the kitchen." I wrinkled my nose. That sounded awful. Greg clapped his hands. "Oh, I love this game!" I glanced at Liam, who

Kim rummaged through a stack of CDs beside the stereo, flipping through them until she found the one she wanted. "This should do," she said, sliding the disc into the player. A slow, sultry beat filled the room, the bass vibrating through the air. I let it sink in, let it roll through me. If I was going to do this, I was going to own it. Liam's smirk was still there, but I didn't miss the way his fingers twitched slightly against his thigh. Oh, he was trying so hard to act unaffected. I took my time, running a hand through my hair before straddling his lap, my knees sinking into the couch on either side of him. His body tensed beneath me, but he still refused to touch me. A challenge. Fine. Let's see how long that lasts. I placed my hands on his shoulders, nails grazing his skin as I slowly rolled my hips. Not too much, just a tease. A promise. Liam's jaw ticked, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. I leaned in, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. "Still think I can't

I barely got any sleep. And no, it wasn't because of my thoughts spiraling out of control or the fact that my brain refused to shut up. No, that would have been preferable. Instead, I was forced to endure an entire night of listening to Kim moaning Liam's name like some desperate, lovesick fool.The walls were too damn thin.I tried covering my ears with a pillow. I tried blasting music in my earbuds. I even contemplated suffocating myself with my own blanket just to escape the nightmare. Kim's voice is unmistakable, the breathy moans and hushed whispers making it painfully clear what's happening in the next room. Liam isn't loud, but i knows he's there, and that knowledge alone twists something ugly in my chest.But it wasn't just them. Oh no, because apparently, last night was sex night in this house. Jane and Greg? Loud. Sophia and Trevor? Even louder. I thought they were the quiet ones, but oh no, Sophia proved me very wrong. At one point, I actually debated whether to knock on th