Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 11 - Chapitre 20

Alicia’s POV Mirabel looped her arm through mine, tugging me out of the library with that bubbly energy that always made everything feel lighter. I let her drag me along, my legs still unsteady from the close call with Rhys. His question echoed in my head like a warning bell, but I shoved it down deep. Telling my mind to focus on Mirabel, on the steps. On anything but the way his voice had made my skin prickle.The hallway seemed longer as we climbed the grand staircase, Mirabel’s chatter filling the silence. “Your room is right next to mine, it’s perfect for late-night raids on the kitchen. The guest room is basically a mini palace, Dad had it done up last year with all the soft lighting and that huge bathtub. You’ll feel like a queen.”I managed a small “Can’t wait,” my voice steadier than I felt. The door came into view, and Mirabel pushed it open with her free hand.“Ta-da! What do you think?”The room was stunning, it had soft blue walls, a king sized bed with fluffy white duve

Alicia’s POV The dining room glowed softly under the warm lights. Mirabel and I kept chatting—about nothing and everything—while the clink of cutlery and the scent of garlic and tomato filled the air. From the corner of my eye, I glanced at Rhys. He was on his phone, his expression unreadable. He’s probably working, I thought. Mirabel moaned as she twirled another forkful of pasta. “Dad, this is so good honestly. I can’t get enough of this meal, even after serving myself another portion. Maria deserves a raise.” Rhys smiled faintly and slipped his phone back into his pocket. “I’ll tell her. She’ll be thrilled.” I took a small bite, chewing slowly, my eyes fixed on my plate. Every time I glanced toward him, I found his gaze already on me. Each time it happened, a jolt of electricity ran down my spine. He poured wine for all three of us. “Alicia,” he said smoothly, “I hope you’re enjoying the meal. Do you need anything?” I adjusted my posture and looked straight at him. “I

Alicia’s POV We slipped back into Mirabel’s room after dinner, the hallway lights dimmed low and the house settling into that deep, quiet hush that only big rich homes can achieve. The pasta sat warm in my stomach, but the conversation at the table lingered heavier—Rhys’s gray eyes across the candles, the way he’d asked about my family like he was searching for something. I’d answered honestly, but the truth felt like a confession I hadn’t meant to give. Mirabel kicked off her flip flops and jumped onto her massive bed. “Shower first? I smell like garlic and travel.” I nodded. “You go. I’ll grab my stuff.” She disappeared into her en-suite bathroom, the door clicking shut behind her. I stood in the middle of the room for a moment—posters of indie bands on the walls, fairy lights looped around the headboard, a stack of books on her nightstand. It felt safe. Familiar. Like every sleepover we’d had in the dorm. Except now the house belonged to him. I changed into my sleep shorts and

Alicia’s POV My heart pounded loudly against my chest as Mirabel dragged me out of the library, her fingers wrapped tightly around my wrist like she hadn’t even noticed how close everything had come to falling apart just seconds ago. I could barely feel my legs as I followed her down the hallway, my mind still trapped in that room, replaying every single second over and over again. The way his hand had been on me, the way his voice had dropped, the way his strong thighs felt beneath my bum. And the way the kiss calmed and stirred everything in me. I swallowed hard, forcing the thought away before it could fully form. We shouldn’t be doing this. I had said it, I meant it. And yet my body still hadn’t caught up with that decision. “So help me Lord,” I muttered under my breath. Mirabel didn’t slow down as she pulled me along, completely unaware of the storm raging inside me. Or maybe she just didn’t care. She didn’t know. She couldn’t know. Because if she did, she wouldn’t b

Alicia’s POV Morning came fast, it felt like something I had been dragged into too soon, too abruptly, like my body had given up on sleep long before my mind ever had the chance to settle, leaving me stuck in that uncomfortable space between exhaustion and awareness, where every thought felt louder than it should, and every memory refused to stay where I tried to bury it. I stared at the ceiling for longer than I could measure, my body still, my breathing slow but uneven, as the events of the night before replayed in fragments that refused to align into something I could ignore. I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind. I forced myself up eventually, pushing the covers aside and moving toward the bathroom with slow, deliberate steps, as though moving too quickly would somehow make everything worse, my reflection catching briefly in the mirror before I looked away, because I didn’t want to see what I already felt—restless, unsettled, and far too aware of something I had no bus