Month: December 2025

“Said he has an art project he wants to show you. Something about dinosaurs and spaceships.” “The classic combination.” Her smile turns wistful. “I miss him.” “We’ll be home in three days.” She nods, studying the shell in her palm. “I know. It’s just … it’s strange how quickly he became part of my life.

RAYNE Ican’t stop staring at the clouds outside the window. They look like a fluffy white carpet stretching to the horizon, bathed in golden afternoon light. It’s surreal—like I’m in a dream where everything is both beautiful and impossible. The flight attendant materializes at my side, bottle poised. “More champagne?” “Oh, no thanks.” I still

RONAN Marcus stands before my desk, hands clasped behind his back. The Christmas tree in the corner seems at odds with the conversation we’re having. I don’t even know why it’s there to begin with. Must have been my secretary’s doing. “I want every loan record Lucian King has ever touched,” I tell him. “Every

RAYNE This is it. I’ve never hated Monday as much as I do right now. I carefully slide out from under Ronan’s arm and slip into his discarded dress shirt, breathing in his scent as I grab my phone and pad barefoot toward the kitchen. Thank goodness his staff are just on-call or else I

The car pulls away from the Bergman estate, and I watch her reflection in the tinted window. She’s ethereal in the passing streetlights—gold hair tumbling loose where my fingers have already disturbed it, lips gone from my kisses. My body is still tight with the rage I felt when Vivian tried to diminish her. Nobody

RAYNE The first thing I notice when I wake is warmth—the solid heat of Ronan’s chest against my back, his arm draped possessively across my waist. For a moment, I lie perfectly still, savoring the feeling. His breath stirs my hair, slow and steady. He’s still asleep. I carefully turn to face him, studying the

RAYNE Istand frozen against the counter, frantically smoothing my borrowed pajamas while my face burns hot enough to fry an egg. My hair’s a wild mess, my lips still tingling from Ronan’s kisses. If there was ever a moment I wished the floor would open up and swallow me whole, it’s now. Like, please. A

RONAN Ifeel like absolute shit. It’s probably because I’ve had exactly zero sleep or because I’ve taken two cold showers and jerked off both times, just so I wouldn’t knock on Rayne’s door and stake my claim right there and then. I’ve never felt the lack of self-control as much as I did when I

My stomach growls loudly, interrupting my thoughts. I haven’t eaten since a sad package of cheese and crackers more than twelve hours ago. The hunger pangs had disappeared during the stress of the auction, but now they’re back with a vengeance. Ugh, perfect. After twenty more minutes of tossing and turning, I surrender. Food first,

2 RAYNE Oh my God. What just happened? Am I dreaming? Is this real life? Is HE for real? The heavy bedroom door closes with a soft click behind Ronan, leaving me alone in the most luxurious guest room I’ve ever seen. My heart hammers against my ribs so violently I’m certain he can hear