When His Favorite Joke Walked Away Novels & Stories

He'd been assigned to the east wing patrol three weeks ago and somewhere between his terrible jokes and his complete refusal to treat me like a piece of furniture, we'd fallen into something that felt dangerously close to friendship. In a house this cold, that was worth something. "Fine," I said. "One joke." He grinned. "Why don't wolves ever use computers?" "I'm already regretting this." "Because they're afraid of the mouse." He said it with complete, committed sincerity and then looked at me expectantly. I stared at him. Then I laughed. It was undignified and genuine and completely out of my control. "That was awful," I said. "I have thirty more."

Bradley Fry, my CEO husband, loves bringing his friends home for meals the most. He claims that this makes them feel like an actual family. As they drink in the feast I've whipped up for everyone, one of Bradley's friends comments smilingly, "I knew that you were a virtuous one, Emily! Now this is how the legitimate wife should act!" My expression doesn't falter as I ask in a half-joking manner, "Oh? Does Bradley have a spoiled and pampered mistress by his side, then?" His friends are stunned by my question. A trace of panic crosses their eyes simultaneously. But Bradley just wraps an arm around my shoulders with a smile. "Don't listen to their nonsense, Emily. Who else is worthy as my

His face suddenly brightened up, the initial frown on it withered off and was instantly replaced with a broad smile. “I'm kidding.” He mumbled. Getting up hastily on his feet and walking away from the table. I sat frozen on my chair, my thoughts everywhere except in that room. What the fucking hell kind of joke was that? Had he suddenly lost his mind, or was I the only one seeing how insane this was?

A group of thugs dragged me into an alley. In a panic, I called my boyfriend thirty-nine times, only to have him decline every single call. My whole body trembled as I struggled desperately to break free. Just as they were about to strip me naked, laughter suddenly erupted around me. One by one, they removed their masks and caps. I looked up stiffly and saw that every one of them was someone close to me. My younger brother, Caleb Bennett, scoffed. "This is hilarious, sis. You should've seen the look on your face. Did you seriously think someone was stalking you?" My older brother, Adrian Bennett, teased, "How are you still this easy to scare after all these years?" My best friend, Maya Grant

"I'm just tired." That got a real laugh out of him, short and surprised, and somehow that made it worse. I didn't want him to laugh. I wanted to know who Holloway was to him and why he wanted the man coming through the back of his own house like a thief, and I couldn't ask either of those things without telling him exactly how much I'd heard. "Let me walk you out," he said. "I can walk." "I know you can. Humor an old man."

I took a deep breath before walking inside, determined to find answers. “Look who finally decided to remember us,” Justin joked, appearing almost immediately with his usual playful smile. “You disappear without warning, and then suddenly walk back in here like nothing happened.” I forced a small smile, though my attention remained on him. “I had reasons for disappearing,” I replied, watching his face carefully. “I didn't exactly leave because I wanted to.”

He wanted to go, and for her, he was willing to fight for even one more day. I watched him leave and let out a soft, empty laugh. "Goodbye." The door slammed shut. I followed him out immediately, suitcase in hand. I could not wait another day, not even another second.

He assured me. The lesson went surprisingly well; he made a few funny jokes that actually managed to make me laugh before he left. But the moment he walked out, I was alone again. Feeling restless, I got up from my bed and decided to go for a walk in the woods. Stepping out of the mansion, I could feel eyes on me, like I was being watched. But I had no interest in whatever it was.

Caleb Mercer, aren't you generous! "You walk out that door today, and I swear this wedding will have a new groom on the spot!"

When I was eight, I got into an argument with my sister Freya. She pointed at me and snapped, “You’re not even their real daughter. They got you from an orphanage.” I went crying to our parents. They held her close and nodded. “It’s true. You clung to our legs and begged us to take you home.” After that, I stopped competing with Freya for their attention or asking for presents. I did all the chores and even took the blame when Freya broke things, scared they’d send me back if I wasn’t good enough. For fifteen years, I lived with that fear. This month, I came home early for the Moonlight Festival. Outside the front door, I heard Freya laughing with our relatives. “Tessa will believe