Novels by Alice May

CHAPTER TWELVE ELLIS POVThe morning sun cut a sharp line across the mattress, waking me slowly.I was face down, my cheek pressed against the familiar, steady rise and fall of Alex's chest. The air in the room was cool, but the sheets tangled around my hips kept the warmth trapped between us.For the first time all week, the heavy ache in my shoulders had dissolved into the mattress.Alex's heartbeat picked up under my ear.It didn't speed up gently,it spiked, hard and sudden.Above me, his breath caught.The easy warmth that usually rolled off him vanished instantly, replaced by a rigid, freezing stillness.I kept my eyes shut, pretending to sleep as his arm began to slide out from under me.He moved slowly and gently.I let out a soft, low grunt and rolled onto my side to give him space, keeping my eyes heavy and closed.The mattress shifted as his weight left it.Through lowered lashes, I watched him s

CHAPTER ELEVEN ELLIS POVI stared at the message delivered twenty minutes ago. I set the phone down, only to pick it up again a second later. Still no response. I kept staring ahead until the walls started to blur together, sitting there in the quiet as the evening light slowly faded from the room.I paced back and forth between the couch and the window, checking the street every time a car drove by. After some time, I just stood off to the side of the glass, watching the traffic pass, unable to sit still.Then, my phone buzzed on the table.I grabbed it so fast I nearly dropped it, catching it against my chest. Three dots danced on the screen indicating that he's typing.“On my way”I set the phone down on the counter. For a second, I just stood there, staring at nothing. I dragged a hand over my face and let out a long sigh.“He actually said yes.” I glanced back at the screen like the message might magically change if I looked too long. I wasn’t ready for that answer.“Oh my

CHAPTER TENALEX POVThe sun sets outside while I sit still at my desk working. The office is quiet since everyone must have gone home hours ago,tired too.The stock closed at eighty four, down eight percent in one day.I have gone over the numbers more than ten times today, weighing every suggestion and still, nothing feels right.My mind drifts back to yesterday’s interview. Every word had been carefully crafted by the PR team. They protected the company, but they still feel off and I can’t shake this feeling off.A knock at the door makes jolt be back.My mother stands in the doorway dolled up in a blue designer button down gown,purse over one arm and a paper bag dangling from the other hand.“How did you even find your way up here?” I ask, a little taken aback. Mom has never been great with directions.I half expected her to get lost before she made it this far."The security man helps me." She wa

CHAPTER NINE ALEX POV I was a few minutes away from Velles when the traffic stopped completely. The road was packed with red lights everywhere. Orange cones had funneled two lanes into one, and a detour sign redirected half the cars down a side street but it didn’t help. Everyone was stuck. I turned the music up and tapped my fingers against the wheel while watching the red brake lights ahead. Ellis email from earlier flashed through my mind. I have replayed the conversation a hundred times already, and I still wasn’t ready. A horn blares behind me and I jump slightly to realise the line has moved. Velles is easy to get from the street.The building was all white with black glass.The windows went all the way up and inside, a strip of original brick ran along one wall, rough against all that clean white space. I parked in the visitor lot and went in. The lobby

CHAPTER EIGHTELLIS POVI stare at the name displayed on my phone and my heartbeat races.I set my coffee down the second cup today and let it go to voicemail. took three seconds of silence before it starts ringing again and I finally press the answer button"Ellis." Her voice cuts through the speaker coldly. Exactly as I remember."Mother."I answered "I saw the news,your father needs you to come home tonight.”Of course she did. Not how are you,not are you alright. Just straight to the point."I can't,I have a lot to do…”" Do not make me stress myself,Ellis"she cuts in sharply and the line goes dead.I sit there,the phone still pressed to my ear in the silence.Home, she wants me home.The place I have not stepped foot in for two years. The place I swore I would never go back to.I should refuse and ignore her completely.But if I don't show up, she will do wh

CHAPTER SEVENELLIS POVI stare at the wall clock as a car passes outside, the sound fading as it moves down the street.A few minutes later, another car goes by,then the street goes silent again.I pick up my phone,open the browser and type "Hawthorne Group" into the search bar.My hand stills over the screen for a second before I press enter and let the results load.BREAKING NEWS: Hawthorne Group CEO Accused of Design TheftThe phone almost slips from my hand. I tap the first link.Two columns of sketches fill the screen. Almost identical designs,mine on the left with the Velles logo and Alex's company on the right.I scroll back up and look at them again.These are not stolen. These are samples from our meetings.We worked on it together.Someone took it and twisted the narration beautifully.I checked the time,3:23 AM.No messages and no call from Alex since yesterday.I drop back on