a's

door shut

hest heaving with shallow breaths. The air's loaded with the smell of lavender soap and

y knuckles go pale. My reflection shows wild eye

ns in my thoughts, s

it up from an

ess. The sound of champagn

my eyes

ed to shed

how them th

ys an afterthought and never quite enough-it all comes tumbling do

stomach as I try to muffle a sob with my hand. My shoulders are trembling. My t

ng there, quaking and barely keeping myself

rozen i

ng up next to me. I catch my breath and feel m

re me, silently off

here's a part of me that holds back, but I still re

ng up because I can'

of cedar and some dark notes-spicy, dude-like, and not what I'm used to. I take a deep

blink a couple of times to s

raig

I go ahea

le at the fig

s a man who looks li

m. He has a sharp jawline, straight nose, and full li

t me, calm and

st time in my l

rlooked and tole

so near that I can sense his warmth surrounding me, and I see the con

ly go out now.

lets me do

along, and suddenly I feel his heat, his powerful arms h

's got me in his arms, super gentle but also making sure I'

losed my ey

ecure in

, but as soon as I figured out wh

ddenly, feelin

ean to, sorry

in his gaze. "You don't ha

up my neck. I don't wait f

on my

va

****

ene'

his room is off the charts-gold chandeliers shine warmly over the polished marble, as laughter and gentle conversatio

is supposed to be perfect and I have

't stop thinking

mi

ust looking around. He looks like he's looking for someone. My stomach knots up while I watch h

t who he's tr

ey must

thing, the one everyone overlooked, but somehow she finds her way into places she shouldn't be. I had a feeling this would happen- The fool is da

ver time. My heels tap gently on the marble floor while I maintain a calm look a

voice and a touch of playful amus

is thoughts are off somewhere else, and for a frustra

closer to me. I say in a friendly tone, "Why d

pau

d, not even long enough to take it in, b

bout keeping him in check and getting him back on track, but I see him looking back at the hal

mfortable again. Damien now seems fa

self hold

s to st

o to reac

ooking super graceful with her red lips turned up in a che

ell her softly, my words

ht face, but I can

ing to be an

tion. A quiet word to the right ear. An instruction would be given.

rtlessly, with just a li

her dad is ca

e, she'l

dn't she

om, and the door will c

comes next with

ed frown as she calls out, 'Father?'

cond g

ano

osphere

oon. She'll make a face at the strong odour, instinct kicking in before she even th

won't

nerves are going

n, making it tough to inhale and rough on her throat. She'll try

the party

t get hear

gives

oying the fizz on my tongue while kee

ize she's gone when i