All Chapters of After One Reckless Night; A Secret Binds Us: Chapter 81 - Chapter 89

After a few long, quiet minutes.... minutes where neither of them moved, where his breathing slowly steadied and their hearts seemed to calm in sync, Bryce finally exhaled and pulled back just an inch.... enough to see her face.His hands lingered on her waist before he reluctantly let them slide away.He then cleared his throat. That soft, awkward kind of sound a man makes when he’s trying to get control of himself again.“I, uh.… I got something for you,” he said, the words low, almost hesitant.“You got something for me?” Kimberly repeated his words, blinking up at him.He nodded once.Then he stepped away from her, his movements slower than usual, as though leaving her warmth took effort. He walked to the small desk by the wall, where he’d dropped a matte-black gift bag earlier she hadn’t noticed it.Of course she hadn’t. She was too busy gushing over a drawing and hugging him like he was the last person on earth.Bryce picked up the bag, turned back to her, and held it out.“Here

Kimberly didn’t remember how she made it back to her room.One minute she was standing there with Bryce’s lips pressed to her neck, the next she blinked, and she was inside her bathroom, water running, steam rising, and her heart still sprinting like she’d just finished a marathon.She stepped under the warm shower, letting the water hit her face as if it could wash away the moment.It didn’t.Every time she shut her eyes, she felt it again.His breath on her skin. The warmth of his mouth, and the way her heart jumped like it was trying to escape her chest.“Oh God….” she whispered into the stream, pressing a hand over her lips.How was she supposed to sleep tonight?How was she supposed to look at him tomorrow? Or act around him?Hell, how was she supposed to breathe right now?Bryce was good at making her feel crazy things, even when he wasn't even trying. It was ridiculous how her body always reacted to him. Just hearing his voice alone could mess up her heartbeat.God.When she fi

Bryce didn’t say anything this time as they walked down the quiet hallway, their footsteps quiet against the sterile floor.His focus had narrowed completely to the room number ahead of them.413. This room had been her usual room. It was more like her own personal room from home.When they reached it, Bryce paused, not out of hesitation, but because he needed one single breath before seeing the woman he hated to see sick, lying in a hospital bed.Kimberly stepped beside him, her presence steady and grounding him all at once.Bryce lifted his hand, and pushed the door open. The soft beep of machines greeted them first. Then the sight of Nana, which broke Bryce completely.When it came to this woman, he always felt helpless, because no amount of his money could take away her illnesses, or stop her from falling sick every now and then.She looked small in the white sheets, her silver hair spread over the pillow, her breathing slow but steady. Ava sat at her bedside, eyes tired but aler

Keira kept talking, her voice turning small and worried. Nana's eyes watered a little at the tone of that voice.She felt terrible, hated that she was always worrying them, always burdening them with her illness. Hated that, somehow, it made them feel responsible for her pain. Especially Bryce.She had seen how tirelessly her grandson tried to keep her comfortable, how desperately he wished his wealth could do what it never could, heal her completely, erase the sickness, and make sure it never came back.Bryce watched the exchange quietly, something warm and steady settling in his chest. Though his heart still stung.“We'll see you soon, okay, baby?”And with that, the call with Keira had ended.Kimberly continued to smile, unaware of Nana’s gaze fixed on her, slow and deliberate, as if she were examining a cherished treasure.It was only when she lowered her phone that she became aware of those sharp, knowing eyes observing her with an unsettling level of awareness for someone who