when your fate

-

flutter of eyelids, the fuzzy fade-in of consciousness, snatches of conversation d

, that's

gonizing detail from last night surged back like a tidal wave-Chase's voice, his grip, Al

't in

e curtains were drawn back, letting in the soft morning light, which glinted off th

ught me here. The idea made something in me cle

ache in my chest. It wasn't just mental. It was physical-l

I was still wearing. Alex's? Maybe.

uld stop them. I wanted to scream. Loud.

coul

laugh it off, prete

es in my face

e wall, to feel something diffe

coul

Chase said that once. That I di

e our outsides, yet all the

, but I could also feel my chest burning p

ily, my back resting against the soft white headboard of the bed, my eyes fixed on the wh

n doorkno

s torso was bare, droplets of water trailing down hard lines

he was carved just to ruin me.

s eyes

ce was sharp, clipped, a pre

nking my gaze away. "

He looked like he wanted to

airs when you're ready," and turne

sn't kind either. Cold. Controlled. Like ever

un slightly. I waited until the dizzines

d staircase. Everything whispered wealth. I

I possibly

om, I bumped into a girl around my age, dressed in a crisp white

are the

brown hair and large brown eyes-

Alex asked me to meet him downstai

brow furrowing. And you are?."

said, grimacing as the events of last nig

twitched into a tight, mocki

nd possessive fl

, you're one of those charity cases he picks up

I just need to know where the dining room

to a low intimate hiss."I know your type. You think just because h

onal. Too personal. Still I kept my face blank. I would

n leaned in. "And maybe skip the pancakes. He prefers them th

art t

ay without

a billionaire magazine-huge table, ridicu

ough his phone like he hadn't just

pulent trap, until he glanced up. His eyes, keen and unsett

back before I could stop myself.,

ker of something unreadable

The words were barely a

e stood, walked over, and pul

ommand hung

eave." I tried agai

lly, his voice a low rumb

ing with him felt like try

en us, thick and charge

s brushed a strand of hair from my

ry nerve end

fully constructed walls into disarray.It wasn't the way

d, voice lower now. Not

ou're asking

s eyes and then they drop

dent. He was trying not to show som

not h

exed. "I d

el again. Like he hated h

he pancake was absurdly good. I tried not to rea

ced. Of

is face-something smug and soft and

t, it vanished. replace

said sudden

caught off guard by

king yo

me whiplash, but I

e that probably cost more than my future.

t empty. Just full of all the

*

stopped, I jolted awa

w he knew. The realization slid down my spine, cold and

st, desperate to escape the enclose

't loo

age as my father. He had wavy brown hair mixed with some distinguished grey, a tall, built body covered in a very expensive suit. He was very handsome,

ss in his voice. "I have something to tell you. Promise m

That was practical

e said, giving us a bored look, hi

s twitch at the corner of his

from me. My mind reele

d," He added, looking

ut, my voice raw and breaking

olled in like he belonged there, utterly u

here. He should hav

ce deep, deferential, addr

d. Now that they were both together, I could clearly see the resemblance. Alex was th

MY ALLEGED FATHER-I

rin that mirrored Alex's, making my blood run cold. "Lily, meet you

tore from our throats in a shocked, horrified echo

him. He lo

he looked just as trapped as I felt. But