Share

Chapter 17:Bent By My Rival

Author: Queen jessy
last update publish date: 2026-06-03 16:37:54

Three weeks of this hell.

Three weeks of Jonah’s chaos bleeding into her space. Three weeks of pretending the taped line on the workbench still mattered. Three weeks of catching herself staring at his hands, his mouth, the way his jaw flexed when he was focused. Three weeks of going home wet and angry and touching herself in the shower while cursing his name.

Nadia was exhausted. And wired. And so fucking aware of him it made her want to scream.

It was 9pm on a Wednesday when her calibration se
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Latest chapter

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 57: Overtime With Him

    Eli stood in Rowan’s kitchen three weeks later, watching him chop vegetables like it was the most normal thing in the world. The knife moved steady. Rowan’s sleeves were rolled up, forearms flexing with each cut. Eli’s tie was already loosened, jacket somewhere on the couch. He leaned against the counter, beer bottle cold in his hand, and tried not to stare too obviously.Rowan glanced up. “You’re quiet tonight.”Eli shrugged. “Long week.” He took a sip, set the bottle down. His fingers tapped the counter once, twice, then stopped. He stepped closer instead. Rowan put the knife down. Their eyes met. Eli reached out, brushed a stray piece of onion off Rowan’s shirt. His hand lingered.Rowan caught his wrist gently. “Come here.”Eli went. Rowan pulled him in, kissing him slow. No rush this time. Just mouths moving together, hands sliding under shirts, breathing each other in. Eli’s fingers found the buttons on Rowan’s shirt, working them open one by one. Rowan’s hands slid down Eli’s ba

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 56: Overtime With Him

    Eli followed Rowan into the apartment without saying much. The door clicked shut behind them and the city noise outside faded to a low hum. Rowan’s place smelled like coffee and whatever cologne he wore that always lingered in the courtroom. Eli noticed the half-empty mug on the counter, the suit jacket thrown over the back of a chair, the way the lights were already dimmed like Rowan had planned for this.Rowan turned to face him. For a second neither of them moved. Then Rowan stepped closer, hand coming up to loosen Eli’s tie the rest of the way. His fingers brushed Eli’s throat. Eli’s breath caught. He reached out and tugged Rowan’s shirt from his trousers, palms sliding under the fabric to feel warm skin.Rowan pressed him back against the kitchen counter. Their mouths met again — deeper this time, less frantic than in the office but no less hungry. Rowan’s thigh slid between Eli’s legs, pressing up. Eli groaned into the kiss, hips rolling forward. Rowan’s hands gripped his waist,

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 55:Overtime With Him

    Eli sat at the long conference table long after the last signature had dried. The room smelled like cold coffee and expensive suits that had been worn for fourteen hours straight. Loose papers still scattered across the polished wood. Briefcases half-packed. The city lights outside the floor-to-ceiling windows flickered like they always did at this hour, indifferent to the fact that four months of war had just ended with a few pen strokes.He should have left with everyone else. Instead he stayed, tie loosened, sleeves rolled up, staring at the settlement agreement like it might rewrite itself if he looked hard enough.The door clicked open behind him.Rowan.Eli didn’t turn around right away. He heard the familiar sound of Rowan’s shoes on the carpet, the soft exhale as the other man closed the door. The room felt smaller with just the two of them in it.“You stayed,” Rowan said.Eli finally looked up. Rowan stood near the window, jacket off, shirt unbuttoned at the collar. The city

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 54:Faerie Contract

    The final note of the gathering’s music faded into the trees, and the contract dissolved like mist at dawn. Cian felt it in his bones — a quiet release, the weight of obligation lifting. No more summons. No more binding words on ancient paper. He stood alone for a moment among the glittering guests, fiddle still warm in his hands, then slipped away from the lights without a word to anyone.He walked the familiar path through the in-between forest. The trees seemed to know him now. Leaves rustled softly as he passed, as if whispering secrets to one another. Golden light bled into silver between the branches, shifting and dancing with every step. His heart beat faster the deeper he went. He wasn’t called. He was choosing.Aeron waited in the deepest glade, the one where the light pooled like liquid amber and the moss grew thick and soft. He stood near the ancient oak, cloak draped loosely over his shoulders, silver eyes catching the strange glow. When he saw Cian, something in his postu

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 53:Faerie Contract

    The final note of the evening’s performance still lingered in the air when Cian slipped away from the gathering. His fingers ached pleasantly from the strings, and his heart hadn’t quite settled. The forest path felt narrower tonight, the trees leaning in as if they knew something he didn’t. Golden light bled into silver between the branches, shifting with every step he took deeper into the in-between.He hadn’t been summoned. That was the part that made his stomach twist. He was simply walking, fiddle case slung over his shoulder, boots quiet on the moss. Part of him hoped Aeron wouldn’t be there. Another part — louder, more honest — hoped he would.Aeron was waiting in the small glade where the light pooled like liquid amber. He stood with his back to a ancient oak, cloak draped loosely over one shoulder, silver eyes catching the strange glow. When he saw Cian, something in his posture changed. Not much. Just a slight straightening of his shoulders, a slow tilt of his head.“You cam

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 52:Faerie Contract

    The last note of the fiddle hung in the air like a question no one had answered yet. Cian let the bow rest against his thigh, fingers still tingling from the strings. The forest around him felt different tonight — the trees leaned in a little closer, leaves rustling even though there was no wind. The light between the branches shifted from gold to silver and back again, as if the place itself was listening.He wiped sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. His heart was still beating hard from the music, the way it always did when he played something true. He looked up.Aeron stood just beyond the small clearing, tall and still, silver eyes fixed on him. The fae lord had come closer than usual. Close enough that Cian could see the way the strange light caught on the sharp lines of his face, the faint gleam along the edges of his cloak.Cian’s throat felt tight. He lowered the fiddle slowly, resting it on the moss-covered root beside him. “Did you like it?” he asked. His voice ca

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 46: His voice, My Addiction

    Theo sat in the dim glow of his desk lamp, the rest of the apartment dark except for the soft green light of the radio. The blackout had hit suddenly—whole blocks going quiet outside his window. He flipped the switch out of habit more than hope, keyed the mic, and sent out the call.“C Q, C Q. This

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 42: His brother's Best Man

    Callum stood on the front steps of the old estate, hands in his pockets, listening to Finn talk about the weekend schedule. The late afternoon light stretched long across the gravel drive. A black car pulled up. The door opened.Nico stepped out.Four years collapsed in a single breath. The same sh

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 2:Ruin Me, Professor

    Zoe’s heart was still slamming from what she’d just blurted out. *I’ve been wanting you since you transferred here.* The words hung between them like smoke. She wanted to crawl under the desk and die. She also wanted him to do something about it. Marcus hadn’t moved. His eyes were dark, locked on

  • Every Shade Of Desire (short story collection)   Chapter 1:Ruin me, Professor

    Zoe’s hands were shaking by the time she made it to the stairwell. The department assistant had handed over the thesis with a polite little smile, like it was nothing. Like it wasn’t her entire second year wrapped in 87 pages of her own messy heart. She leaned against the cold wall, flipped it op

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status