Gavin\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
When\u00a0I\u00a0got to\u00a0the\u00a0mansion,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0expecting\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0guests.\u00a0I\u00a0scowled\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0Judy who\u00a0looked\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0deer\u00a0caught\u00a0in\u00a0the<\/p>\n
headlights.\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0hear\u00a0her\u00a0heart\u00a0pounding against\u00a0her\u00a0chest\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0breathing\u00a0picked\u00a0up,\u00a0like\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0caught\u00a0red\u00a0handed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho\u00a0gave\u00a0you\u00a0permission\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0party\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0mansion,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0folding\u00a0my arms\u00a0across my\u00a0chest.\u00a0Of\u00a0course,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0really<\/p>\n
upset,\u00a0but\u00a0seeing her\u00a0squirm\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0too\u00a0much\u00a0fun.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0here,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0ask\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0join\u00a0me\u00a0for\u00a0dinner tomorrow<\/p>\n
evening.\u00a0I\u00a0also\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0check\u00a0on\u00a0Irene\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0while\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0at\u00a0it\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0figured\u00a0I\u2019d\u00a0stop\u00a0by\u00a0instead\u00a0of\u00a0calling.\u00a0Though I\u00a0was\u00a0here<\/p>\n
earlier\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0day\u00a0to\u00a0drop\u00a0Judy\u00a0off,\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0stay\u00a0long,\u00a0nor\u00a0did\u00a0I really\u00a0come\u00a0inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cA\u00a0party?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0asked,\u00a0raising\u00a0her\u00a0brows\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0Tabby and\u00a0Shirley.\u00a0\u201cThis\u00a0is\u00a0hardly\u00a0a\u00a0party.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0realized\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0one\u00a0person\u00a0missing\u00a0from\u00a0this\u00a0get\u00a0together;\u00a0well,\u00a0technically\u00a0two,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0figured\u00a0Nan\u00a0was\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0mate\u00a0Chester<\/p>\n
in\u00a0his\u00a0room.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s Irene?\u201d<\/p>\n
They\u00a0all\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0one\u00a0another and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0practically\u00a0smell\u00a0the\u00a0tension\u00a0radiating\u00a0off\u00a0them.\u00a0it\u00a0immediately\u00a0put\u00a0me\u00a0on\u00a0alert.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably asleep,\u201d\u00a0Judy\u00a0settled on.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0could\u00a0tell immediately\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0lying;\u00a0not\u00a0only\u00a0could\u00a0I\u00a0smell\u00a0the\u00a0lie, but\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0obvious\u00a0tells.\u00a0Like\u00a0the\u00a0way\u00a0she\u00a0tugged\u00a0at\u00a0her<\/p>\n
fingers or\u00a0subtly\u00a0licked\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0lip.\u00a0I\u00a0narrowed\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0say something,\u00a0but\u00a0then\u00a0I\u00a0heard\u00a0Irene\u2019s<\/p>\n
voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0asked,\u00a0walking\u00a0into the\u00a0kitchen,\u00a0Chuck\u00a0trialing\u00a0in\u00a0behind\u00a0her.\u00a0Both\u00a0of\u00a0them\u00a0looked\u00a0disheveled\u00a0and they\u00a0reeked\u00a0of\u00a0sex.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0growl\u00a0escaped\u00a0my\u00a0lips\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0glared\u00a0at\u00a0Chuck,\u00a0who\u00a0paled\u00a0immediately.\u00a0\u201cW\u2026\u00a0what\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0doing\u00a0here\u00a0at\u00a0this\u00a0hour?\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0so\u00a0late.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0is\u00a0he\u00a0doing\u00a0here\u00a0at\u00a0this\u00a0hour?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0countered,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0never\u00a0leaving\u00a0Chuck\u2019s\u00a0face.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0knew\u00a0Chuck from past\u00a0encounters;\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0competitor\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Gamma\u00a0competition\u00a0and\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0fair\u00a0fight.\u00a0If\u00a0Judy\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0won,\u00a0it<\/p>\n
would\u00a0have\u00a0been\u00a0him.\u00a0He\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0fair\u00a0gamma\u00a0under\u00a0Jeremy\u2019s\u00a0jurisdiction,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0him\u00a0personally,\u00a0which\u00a0worried\u00a0me.\u00a0The<\/p>\n
last\u00a0thing\u00a0Irene\u00a0needed\u00a0was\u00a0another\u00a0Ethan\u00a0situation.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0what\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0like\u00a0when she\u00a0was\u00a0interested\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0guy,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0like<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0were\u00a0just leaving,\u201d\u00a0Shirley\u00a0said\u00a0quickly.\u00a0\u201cRight,\u00a0Chuck?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUh\u2026\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0Irene,\u00a0a\u00a0blush\u00a0tinting\u00a0his\u00a0cheeks.\u00a0\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0looked\u00a0upset\u00a0by\u00a0him\u00a0leaving,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0give\u00a0a\u00a0shit.\u00a0I\u00a0wanted\u00a0him\u00a0gone\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want him\u00a0to\u00a0come\u00a0back.\u00a0My\u00a0wolf\u00a0was<\/p>\n
close\u00a0to\u00a0losing\u00a0control\u00a0but\u00a0then\u00a0in\u00a0an\u00a0instant,\u00a0Judy\u00a0put\u00a0her\u00a0hand\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0back,\u00a0her\u00a0touch\u00a0immediately\u00a0soothing\u00a0him\u00a0back\u00a0into\u00a0my<\/p>\n
control.\u00a0Nobody\u00a0has\u00a0ever\u00a0had\u00a0that\u00a0type\u00a0of\u00a0effect\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0before\u00a0and\u00a0it\u00a0startled\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0whipped\u00a0around\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0her,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes<\/p>\n
wide for\u00a0a moment,\u00a0which\u00a0seemed\u00a0to\u00a0jolt\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
1\/4<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0501<\/p>\n
+20\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
She\u00a0looked\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0moment,\u00a0suddenly\u00a0the\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0faded\u00a0away.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0was\u00a0good\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0you\u00a0again,\u00a0Judy,\u201d\u00a0Chuck\u00a0said,\u00a0breaking\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0barrier\u00a0Judy\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0created\u00a0with\u00a0just\u00a0one\u00a0touch\u00a0and\u00a0one<\/p>\n
look.<\/p>\n
Judy\u00a0blinked,\u00a0coming\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0reality\u00a0as\u00a0well\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0smiled\u00a0at\u00a0Chuck.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0was\u00a0good\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0you\u00a0too,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0replied.<\/p>\n
Shirley\u00a0and\u00a0Tabby\u00a0both\u00a0gave\u00a0her\u00a0hugs;\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0growl\u00a0escaped\u00a0me when\u00a0Chuck\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0give\u00a0her\u00a0a\u00a0hug\u00a0as\u00a0well;\u00a0a\u00a0growl\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t<\/p>\n
suppress.\u00a0It\u00a0made\u00a0him\u00a0stand\u00a0down\u00a0and\u00a0rethink\u00a0his\u00a0next\u00a0move.<\/p>\n
After\u00a0another\u00a0round\u00a0of\u00a0goodbyes,\u00a0they\u00a0finally\u00a0left.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0Irene.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0having\u00a0you\u00a0stay\u00a0here\u00a0for\u00a0you\u00a0to\u00a0invite\u00a0men\u00a0over,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0scolded,\u00a0folding my\u00a0arms\u00a0over\u00a0my chest.\u00a0\u201cUntil\u00a0I\u00a0can find\u00a0a\u00a0family\u00a0to\u00a0adopt\u00a0that\u00a0baby,\u00a0you\u00a0are\u00a0responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0invite him\u00a0over,\u00a0Dad,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0rolling\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cAnd\u00a0no\u00a0offence,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0am\u00a0an adult.\u00a0I\u00a0can\u00a0spend\u00a0time\u00a0with\u00a0whoever\u00a0I\u00a0want.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0need\u00a0to take\u00a0some\u00a0time\u00a0for\u00a0yourself.\u00a0You\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0put\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0ringer\u00a0with\u00a0Ethan,\u00a0and\u00a0I don\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0that\u00a0happen\u00a0again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0makes\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0it\u00a0would\u00a0happen\u00a0again?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0asked.\u00a0\u201cChuck\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0great\u00a0guy\u00a0and-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0him,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0cutting\u00a0off\u00a0her\u00a0words.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0know\u00a0nothing\u00a0about\u00a0him\u00a0or\u00a0what\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0capable\u00a0of,\u00a0Irene.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0spoken\u00a0to\u00a0him\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0times.\u00a0We met at\u00a0the\u00a0competition\u2026\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0told\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cYou should\u00a0be\u00a0happy\u00a0that\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0gamma\u00a0and\u00a0can\u00a0properly\u00a0protect\u00a0me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0trust\u00a0anyone I\u2019ve\u00a0barely\u00a0met\u2026\u00a0especially\u00a0not\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0think\u00a0maybe\u00a0we\u00a0should\u00a0just\u00a0end\u00a0the\u00a0conversation\u00a0here,\u201d\u00a0Judy\u00a0suggested,\u00a0stepping\u00a0between us,\u00a0her\u00a0stance\u00a0almost\u00a0protective.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0day,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0all\u00a0tired.\u201d<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0nodded\u00a0in\u00a0agreement.<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0relenting.<\/p>\n
After\u00a0another\u00a0beat\u00a0of\u00a0silence,\u00a0Irene\u00a0said\u00a0goodnight\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0went\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0room.\u00a0I\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0Judy, my\u00a0eyes\u00a0narrowed.<\/p>\n
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 501 Gavin\u2019s\u00a0POV When\u00a0I\u00a0got to\u00a0the\u00a0mansion,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0expecting\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0guests.\u00a0I\u00a0scowled\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0Judy who\u00a0looked\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0deer\u00a0caught\u00a0in\u00a0the headlights.\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0hear\u00a0her\u00a0heart\u00a0pounding against\u00a0her\u00a0chest\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0breathing\u00a0picked\u00a0up,\u00a0like\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0caught\u00a0red\u00a0handed. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21569\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}