Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

The white lace was so tight across my ribs I could barely breathe. I stood on the small wooden platform in front of the three-way mirror, watching the seamstress pin the hem of my dress. Ten years. Ten long years I had been with Joe Carson, and in three weeks, I was finally going to be his wife. I forced a smile at my reflection, trying to ignore the strange, heavy lump sitting in the pit of my stomach."Hold still, dear," the elderly woman whispered, her cool fingers adjusting the low lace back of the gown.Suddenly, a wave of cold air hit the room as the front door opened. I didn't even have to look to know someone had walked in, but then a specific scent filled my nose. It wasn't the sweet lavender perfume the shop owner used. It was the sharp smell of rain, expensive cedar wood, and bitter tobacco.It was a scent that definitely did not belong in a bridal boutique.Then, I felt it.A large, calloused hand pressed flat against the center of my bare back.My whole body went rigid. T

My hands were shaking violently on the steering wheel as I parked my small car behind a row of bushes. The rain had started falling again, heavy drops splashing against the windshield in the dark.Ten minutes ago, my cousin Mia had called my phone. She had been driving past the edge of town when she spotted Joe's car parked outside a quiet, secluded motel called the Pine Crest."Dara, I'm so sorry," Mia had whispered over the static line. "I saw him walk inside room 104 with a blonde woman. You need to come see this for yourself."I stared at the glowing yellow light outside room 104. Every fiber of my body wanted to turn the engine back on and drive away. I wanted to pretend I never got that call. I wanted to keep believing in the ten years we had built together.Instead, I opened my car door and stepped out into the freezing rain.My sneakers soaked through instantly as I crept along the concrete walkway of the motel. My heart was pounding so hard against my ribs that it felt like i

The front door handle jiggled violently again, and the key clicked loudly in the lock.Rafael reacted in a split second. He grabbed his jeans off the floor, pulled them on, and scooped me up in his broad arms, tossing me behind the thick curtains of the large bedroom window before the heavy wooden door swung fully open."Rafael!" Joe’s angry voice boomed through the cottage living room. "Where the hell is Dara? Her car is parked outside!"I held my breath behind the dark fabric, my heart slamming wildly against my ribs as I quickly pulled on my clothes. My skin was still burning hot from Rafael’s touch, my breath coming out in fast, shallow gasps."She went back up to the main house ten minutes ago," Rafael said smoothly, his low voice calm and cool. "You just missed her because you were busy honking your horn like an idiot.""Don't give me that attitude," Joe snapped. "She wasn't in her room.""Check the kitchen, brother," Rafael sneered softly. "She looked pretty upset. Probably tir

The bright headlights of the car pinned us against the dark pine trees, casting our long shadows across the damp grass.My heart dropped into my stomach. I gasped, trying to push away from Rafael’s chest, but his heavy arm remained locked firmly around my waist, keeping me pinned against his side.The car engine idled softly in the dark. Then, the high beams clicked off, leaving only the dim yellow fog lights. The driver side door opened, and a short man in a dark jacket stepped out into the chilly night air."Rafael?" the man called out, holding a large flashlight low to the ground. "Is that you out here?"I let out a long breath I didn't realize I was holding. It wasn't Joe. It was Marcus, the local groundskeeper who looked after the family property."Yeah, it's me, Marcus," Rafael called back, his low voice calm and unbothered. "Just helping Dara look for her dropped earring near the fence."Marcus shone his flashlight toward the grass near our feet, nodding slowly. "All right then

The heavy black pickup truck was idling in the shadowy corner of the hotel's underground parking garage. The dark tinted windows hid everything inside, but as I approached, the passenger door unlocked with a sharp, heavy click.I pulled the door open and climbed in, shutting out the humid night air. The interior smelled of expensive leather, cold air conditioning, and Rafael’s distinct, intoxicating scent of cedar wood and rain.He was sitting in the driver's seat, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the dark ink sprawling across his forearms. He didn't say a single word. He just reached over, grabbed me by the back of my waist, and dragged me straight across the center console into his lap."Dara," he growled, his mouth finding the sensitive curve of my neck instantly.I didn't pull away. I threw my arms around his neck, sinking my fingers into his dark hair, pulling him closer. "Show me," I breathed against his neck. "Make me forget his fucking name."Rafael groaned, a so