And somehow, that was enough to bring a seasoned police officer to a complete standstill—as if time itself had decided to pause. Officer Lucas Reed was making his routine morning patrol through a quiet Portland neighborhood, the kind where residents exchanged polite nods and dogs barked lazily behind white fences. The air was crisp, the…
From the hallway, Colton emerged. He was shirtless, holding a half-empty beer, looking for all the world like a king surveying his kingdom. He leaned against the doorframe, a smirk curling the corner of his mouth. “Well,” he drawled, his voice thick with casual malice. “Would you look at that? The polite little family is back.” My…
My heart performed a sickening slow-motion roll in my chest. Honolulu? I haven’t left King County in two years. I sank to the linoleum floor, the cold seep of the tiles biting through my leggings. “No,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “What… what are the charges?” “Multiple first-class tickets, three suites at a five-star oceanfront resort, and…
“Hardly,” Samantha replied, her voice rising, clearly emboldened by the alcohol and the adoration of her clique. She gestured toward me with her flute, that perfectly manicured finger pointing like a loaded gun. “Ladies and gentlemen, look closely. This is the Clingy Old Fat Pig we’re stuck with for the rest of our lives.” The laughter that…
I stepped out, the cool Idaho air biting at my skin. Usually, Koda would be a blur of fur and muscle, sprinting toward the porch in a jubilant explosion of energy. Tonight, he refused to step past the bumper. He stood frozen, his hackles rising in a stiff ridge along his spine. He wasn’t looking at the…
I had expected… something. A banner, maybe. A hug. A hesitant smile. I was wearing my dress blues, the fabric stiff and immaculate, medals pinned perfectly to my chest. They caught the dull light, gleaming gold and silver, but Frank—my father—didn’t look at them. He looked at the empty space where my legs used to be,…
I sat up so fast the blood rushed from my head. “Are you sure?” “I know Lorraine when I see her. It’s freezing out here, man.” I didn’t say goodbye. I hung up, scrambled out of bed, and threw on a hoodie. My wife, Violet, woke up as I was tearing through the closet. “What’s wrong?” she mumbled,…
The heart monitor beeped—thump-thump, thump-thump—the sound of a small heart fighting for a space in a world that felt increasingly hostile. I placed a trembling hand over the swell of my belly, whispered a silent promise of protection, and closed my eyes. I didn’t expect the sanctuary of my hospital room to be breached. I…
“You humiliated me, Elena!” Julian’s voice boomed, echoing off the white tiles. He cornered me against the reception desk, his shadow looming over me. “Julian, please,” I whispered, my hand instinctively moving to shield my belly. “Keep your voice down. There are patients. We can talk about this at home.” “At home? So you can…
Maria, my sister by two years, was the bride. She looked ethereal in silk and lace, though if you looked closely, her smile was pinned onto her face with sheer will, holding her fragile composure together. Beside her stood Gerald Whitaker—her new husband—grinning with the smug satisfaction of a man who had just acquired a trophy…