All Chapters of Under the Mistletoe: He Chose My Brother : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

REVA Opening my eyes, I realized it was night again. The room was dark, with the only light coming from the resort's garden lanterns, which filtered through the curtains. My body ached as I shifted, limbs heavy, mouth dry as I blinked away the pain in my eyes. Hours had passed while I remained in the same position, only getting up to relieve myself four or five times throughout the day. I hadn't dared touch food, just a sip of water in the morning, and my throat burned. It was raw and shredded from hours of crying, and even breathing was painful. Pushing myself up slowly, my head pounded, and I felt dizzy. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I reached across the sheets. It was instinct or memory, but there was no warmth, only the cold that had curled up inside me. Nikolai hadn’t come to the suite. He hadn't come after me. He had felt no need to explain, and the silence was more painful than the truth. My gaze shifted to my lap and the hand that rested on it, and another wave of agony

REVA Opening my eyes, everything was blurry for a moment, and I wondered where I was. The ceiling above me, as well as the walls, were unfamiliar, and the warm, muted lighting made it difficult to tell what was going on. Panic fluttered through my chest as I sat up too quickly, and just then it hit me… the memories… Nikolai… Hunter, his cruel words, the run, and the rush of the wind, fraught with the scent of the water. There was a brief moment of peace before everything exploded, and I shot up, looking around frantically, my heart pounding. But a sharp pain shot through my skull and stopped me cold. My head felt like it would split in half, and the bitter taste of wine, whiskey, and something else I couldn’t name lingered on my tongue, making me want to gag. I could also feel the heavy residue of alcohol in my system, or exhaustion; I couldn’t tell which one, as I had not been too drunk when I went to confront Nikolai and Hunter. But in the haze of all that, I couldn’t help not

REVA Levi’s smile grew wider as he nodded. “Okay.” I turned to leave, but something stopped me. I had been too preoccupied with my downward spiral that I hadn’t taken a moment to acknowledge what he had done. Turning to face him again, I spoke quietly. “Thank you.” My eyes met his once more. “For saving my life.” His smile disappeared at my words, replaced by something more solemn. “You’re welcome,” he said after a beat. “I’m just glad I was there on time.” His words settled heavily in the room, and for a moment, I wanted to ask him how he had managed to be there at the right moment. But the words refused to come as the image of the dark water flashed through my mind. So I forced a tight little smile and mumbled, “Have a good day,” realizing I had no idea what time it was. He wished me a good day too. However, as soon as I stepped into the hallway, a sinking feeling settled in; I had no idea where in the resort this side was. Just then, a staff member passed by, and I

REVA Exhaling, I stood there for a moment, still staring at the dress and the shoes before picking up the bouquet again with a soft inhale. My pulse raced so wildly I almost laughed, but then panic set in. I couldn’t show up looking like this. My hair was a mess, my nails were chipped from everything that happened, and I hadn’t even thought about what to do with my face. I needed help. Fast. The resort was enormous, practically a self-contained paradise. I remembered reading that it had a shopping promenade, high-end boutiques, a spa, and a salon where guests could either come in or request in-suite service. I scrambled for the pamphlet that came with the welcome package, rifling through drawers and flipping through brochures and maps, but of course, I couldn’t find it. “Come on…” I muttered, tossing another booklet aside before giving up and grabbing the phone. I called the front desk, breathless. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Belkov.” God, the reminder! “How may we assist you?” “H

REVA Opening my eyes, my body still hummed with the aftermath of my vigorous encounter with Levi, and my face lit up at the sight of him watching me. He was propped up on one elbow, messy hair falling over his forehead, and a ridiculously charming smile stretching across his face, mirroring mine. Leaning in, he kissed my nose, and I fought back a blush. We were still tangled on the rug, bodies damp with sweat, and the air felt thick and charged. My hair, which I just had done this morning, was a tangled halo. But I didn’t care. If I could muster the energy, I'd do it all over again, every second of it. Levi was... amazing. I shifted, feeling a tender ache between my thighs, and sighed with satisfaction. I was a mess when I arrived and had no recollection of how I had even made it to his door. But I had no regrets. The fire that had torn me apart was finally extinguished. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked softly, and he didn’t respond right away. Instead, he lea