LOGINYULIA“Why the long face? Someone stole your cat?” Adeline quipped, eyeing me over the rim of her paper coffee cup.I pouted. “No.”“Then what is it?” she probed.“Kendrick texted me yesterday that he had to catch an emergency flight this morning.” I frowned at my phone. “I've called him twice and sent a couple of messages, but he hasn't answered.”“Hmmm.” She smirked knowingly. “So you're worried.”“Of course!” I whisper-yelled, mindful of the other students scattered around the university café.Adeline laughed. “Relax… He probably hasn't landed yet, or he's still in the meeting. You know what his job is like.”“I know.” I stared at my untouched latte. “I just wish he'd let me know he got there safely.”“He will.”“I hope so.”She reached across the table and lightly nudged my arm. “He hasn't given you a reason to doubt him, has he?”“No.”“Then stop overthinking.”I sighed, peering at her. “Is it bad that I miss him this much?”Adeline burst into laughter. “Yes!”I rolled my eyes. “
KENDRICK“You couldn't even wait for me to tell you I made it back?”Her voice was the first thing that softened the edge of my day. I hadn’t realized how tightly I’d been holding everything together until she picked up, and suddenly I wasn’t thinking about reports, logs, or the endless noise of work anymore—just her.I could hear her grin even through the phone. I let out a quiet chuckle. “Jude already told me.”Her laugh followed instantly, light and familiar. “Of course he did.”“He called five minutes ago.”“So that's why you're calling?”“Partly.”“And the other reason?”“I miss you,” I replied without hesitating.There was a small pause on her end, like she hadn’t expected me to say it that directly. Then her voice softened in a way that always got under my skin. “I miss you too.”Silence settled between us, but it wasn’t empty. It was comfortable. Familiar. The kind that didn’t need filling.“Any updates?” she asked quietly.I exhaled softly before I even answered. “Nothing ye
YULIABy the time Adeline and I left the apartment, the sun was beginning to sink over London, painting the sky in streaks of orange and soft pink. A cool evening breeze made me zip up my jacket as we walked toward the car waiting outside. Jude greeted us with a polite nod before opening the rear door. I still wasn't completely used to having someone drive me everywhere, and judging by the amused look Adeline sent my way, neither was she.“Your chariot awaits, Mi lady,” she teased.I rolled my eyes as I climbed inside. “Don't start.”“Oh, I'm absolutely starting.”I laughed despite myself, and the drive to Bella Roma passed with easy conversation.The restaurant was already buzzing when we arrived. Warm lights hung from the ceiling, soft Italian music drifted through the room, and the scent of garlic, basil, and freshly baked bread filled the air. Jude escorted us to the entrance before quietly stepping back outside.“I'll be right here when you're ready to leave, Miss Adley.”“Thank
YULIAThe weekend didn’t feel like something that ended. It felt like something I was still inside of.Even when I was back in my room at university, even when the campus noise started bleeding into my thoughts again, there was still Kendrick in the back of my mind. His voice. His hands. The way he looked at me made me feel like I was the only thing in the room that mattered.I kept catching myself smiling for no reason, then immediately stopping like I’d done something wrong. Because now there was something else underneath it all.That message.Enjoying your weekend?It should’ve been easy to ignore. Easy to laugh off. But it wasn’t. It sat in my chest like a weight I couldn’t shake. I turned my phone over on my desk for the fifth time, like maybe if I stopped looking at it, it would stop existing. It didn’t work.I exhaled slowly and leaned back in my chair.Friday had felt perfect. Too perfect, maybe. Like everything had finally settled into place. Kendrick and I had spent the nigh
KENDRICKOne moment, Yulia was smiling, curled against my side in front of the fireplace. Next, her brows drew together, and a small frown appeared on her face.I sat up slightly. “What's wrong?”Before she could answer, the phone lit up again. This time, she went still. I watched her face go into shock as she stared at the screen.Something tightened in my chest. “What is it?” “I think…” Her voice came out small. “I think you should see this.” Slowly, she turned the phone toward me. I took the phone from her hand.The sender was an unknown number. First, it was a text: Enjoying your weekend? Then, another text. This time, a photograph.My jaw clenched instantly.It was a photo of her in a dimly lit restaurant, leaning in toward me. The angle was off, making it look more intimate than it actually was. Close enough to be dangerous if someone wanted it to be.Yulia looked up at me fast, like she was searching for my reaction more than the image itself.“What if they post it?” she whisp
YULIA“You’ve missed me that much, huh?” I teased as Kendrick closed the door behind us and immediately started kissing my face.“So much,” he grunted, trailing kisses along my jaw.“I missed you too.” I smiled when he finally pulled back enough to look at me. “But I’m hungry, so feed me. Now.” I pointed a warning finger at him as I pulled him toward the dining room.He laughed. “Alright, let me feed you.” Before I could take another step, he tugged me back against him and settled his hands on my waist. “Then I can have you for dessert.”His gaze swept slowly over me, hunger flickering in his eyes. “You look beautiful, Peaches.”Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Thank you,” I murmured.A satisfied smile tugged at his lips as he guided me toward the dining room. The weekend already felt better just because I was with him. After dinner, we settled in the living room, on the floor as we got comfortable. Kendrick pulled my shirt over my head and I pulled his off, and then his hands were on my w
KENDRICKTwo days.The words echoed in my head long after William ended the sentence.Beside me, Yulia looked completely stunned, clutching her phone tightly while panic flickered across her face.“What?” she asked. “Why are you coming back so soon?”Her father sighed over the line. “An important c
YULIA“Hey,” I said, propping my head on my elbow to look Kendrick over and wondering if I would ever get used to the way my heart sped up whenever he was near me. I eyed him as he sat at the edge of his king-sized bed, typing on his phone.“Hey?” he asked with a smirk of his own and a cocked eyeb
YULIAThe room stayed quiet for exactly three seconds after Kendrick spoke. Three.Then Damon lost his mind. “Oh, this is insane,” he whistled, looking between us like he was witnessing live television. “He said that with his full chest too.”“Damon,” Victor warned, already laughing.“No, because w
KENDRICK“You say things like that too easily,” she muttered under her breath, arms folded like she was protecting herself from something she couldn’t name.I knew what she meant. I also knew she was right, but I didn’t care enough to stop.“I think plenty,” I told her. “I just don’t always stop my







