As the pressure in the terminal continued to drop, the physical world seemed to warp. The sound of the wind wasn't just a roar; it was a rhythmic thumping that synced with the frantic beat of Willa’s heart. Every time the red numbers on the digital display flickered, a sharp, electric hum vibrated through the metal vending machine against her spine. Jaxson’s weight was a crushing anchor. He was so close she could see the silver flecks in his eyes—eyes that had once looked down at her from a mahogany desk while he signed the papers that evicted her family from their estate. Back then, he had been a titan of industry, cold and untouchable. Now, he was a man fighting for breath, his expensive silk tie loosened, his sleeves rolled up to reveal forearms corded with tension. "You're shaking, Willa," he murmured, his voice cutting through the vacuum. He wasn't mocking her; it was an observation, a calculation. He adjusted his grip, his fingers splaying across her ribs, feeling the frantic
Last Updated : 2026-01-28 Read more