All Chapters of Unbound Desires: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

PROLOGUESOFIEI stood in the penthouse suite on the 124th floor, staring at James Alexander Reed, a man I barely knew, who now held the title of my husband.Just hours ago, I was a jilted bride.One signature. One decision. And my future didn’t belong to me anymore. It belonged to a stranger.He was tall. Imposing. The kind of man who stepped into a room and silenced it before saying a word. His green eyes didn’t just look at me. They stripped something away. My pulse thudded. Too fast. Too loud.Is it fear? Fascination? God... both.The way he held himself, like nothing could touch him, should’ve made me want to run. It didn’t. I felt steadier somehow. Which made no sense.There was something buried deep in him. Controlled. Restrained. You had to really look to catch it. But I was looking. And I didn’t know why, but that quiet control made me feel safer than I should’ve felt.Then it hit me.All of it.The exhaustion. The disappointment. The sick twist of disbelief that curled low an

SOFIEMy phone rang just as I headed toward the subway. My heart lifted.“Hey, Claire Bear.”“Hey, SoSo!” Her voice bubbled with energy. “I’m on my way to help you get ready for the big day tomorrow. I’m staying over.”Laughter slipped out before I could stop it. “Can’t wait to see you.”By the time I got home, Claire had somehow transformed my apartment into something special. Not quite a bridal suite, but close. Thoughtful. Soft. The dress hung near the window like it had always belonged there, silk and lace catching the afternoon light in a way that made me pause.The lavender candles she lit blended with the scent of freshly pressed linens, clean and floral and slightly too perfect.I stepped closer, fingers grazing the fabric. The pearlescent sheen felt smooth, expensive, weightless.Outside, the city kept humming. Horns in the distance. Someone shouting three stories down. Tires skimming pavement.It was all still there. Loud and alive and familiar. And somehow, that grounded me

SOFIE The room was too quiet. Too still. Something was wrong.My chest squeezed tight, like something inside had been wound too far. Claire had gone to find Andrew. She should’ve been back by now.I stared at the door, willing her to walk through it. Each second dragged longer than the last. Hope thudded under my skin, sharp and stubborn.Then the knob turned.I stood up too fast. Relief almost hit me. Almost. But it never made it all the way.Because Claire stepped in. And the look on her face stopped everything.Pale. Wide-eyed. Her lips parted like she wanted to speak, but nothing came out. My breath stuck in my throat.“Claire.” My voice was small. “What is it? Is Andrew okay?”She didn’t answer right away. Her eyes were glassy, brimming, and locked on mine. She didn’t have to say a word.I already knew.A sick twist pulled low in my stomach.Please no. Please don’t say it. Don’t let this be what it feels like.“I talked to Mark,” she said quietly. “Andrew called him.”My knees wo

SOFIEThe soaked fabric of my wedding dress pulled at my legs with every step. Rain slid down my face, mixing with the tears I had stopped trying to hide. After a while, I couldn’t tell where the weather ended and I began.Each drop landed like it knew me. Like it had something to say. The fabric clung tighter, heavy with water and whatever grief had stitched itself into the seams.Somewhere close, a car door shut hard.I looked up.A man stepped out, tall and still in the drizzle. Water beaded on his shoulders, rolled down the lines of his suit. He moved like the rain didn’t touch him. People on the sidewalk slowed. A few stared. I couldn’t seem to do anything except watch him come closer.His steps were slow, cautious, like he already knew I was hanging on by a thread. His expression stayed unreadable, but something in his eyes caught me. They were focused and steady. It didn’t feel invasive. It felt quiet.He stopped just in front of me, far enough to leave space, close enough that

JAMESWe ate quietly, but something unsettled stirred beneath the surface. The energy between us felt too polite, too careful. Like we were both afraid of the moment, afraid of saying the wrong thing.I watched her lift her fork to her lips, her movements slow and neat. My fingers drifted around the base of my glass, tracing the condensation without thinking.The food was good. Warm. Comforting. I had already said so a couple of times, probably too many. But no matter how many compliments I offered, they felt shallow next to what I actually wanted to say.I glanced at Sofie. She offered a small smile, hesitant and shy, like she wasn’t sure if she was allowed to give it. Something about it caught me off guard.My chest tightened. A breath hitched in my throat. Just say it. Stop holding back and say what’s real.“You know,” I began, quieter than I meant to, “it’s kind of nice, talking like this. Actually talking.”She looked up. Met my eyes. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t look a