Chapter\u00a0520\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nothing\u00a0could\u00a0have\u00a0prepared\u00a0me\u00a0for\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
Gavin\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0the\u00a0fuck\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0mean\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0hanging\u00a0out\u00a0with\u00a0Lukas\u00a0Merriweather\u00a0again??\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0pouring\u00a0into\u00a0Taylor\u2019s\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0stood\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0desk\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0villa\u00a0office.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0made\u00a0sure\u00a0that\u00a0jerk\u00a0stayed\u00a0away\u00a0from her.\u201d\u00a05<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0before\u00a0Rachel\u00a0returned\u00a0and\u00a0you\u00a0dropped\u00a0Judy\u00a0like\u00a0old\u00a0meat,\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0said,\u00a0folding\u00a0his\u00a0arms\u00a0across\u00a0his\u00a0chest.\u00a0\u201cShe\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0you\u00a0care\u00a0anymore,\u00a0so\u00a0they\u00a0became\u00a0friends\u00a0again.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0staying\u00a0pretty\u00a0late\u00a0after\u00a0school\u00a0hours\u00a0this\u00a0past\u00a0week,\u00a0studying\u00a0for\u00a0finals.\u00a0I\u00a0think\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0studying\u00a0together.\u00a0I\u00a0see\u00a0his\u00a0car\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0lot\u00a0often.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0clenched\u00a0my\u00a0fists,\u00a0my\u00a0growing\u00a0aggravation\u00a0mixed\u00a0with\u00a0something\u00a0else\u00a0bubbled\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0pit\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0stomach.<\/p>\n
But\u00a0I\u00a0also knew\u00a0Taylor\u00a0was\u00a0right;\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0consumed\u00a0all\u00a0my\u00a0time\u00a0lately with\u00a0Rachel,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0regain\u00a0the\u00a0friendship\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0lost over\u00a0the\u00a0years,\u00a0meant\u00a0my\u00a0attention\u00a0to\u00a0Judy\u00a0had\u00a0dwindled.\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0remember\u00a0the\u00a0last\u00a0time\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0her\u2026\u00a0held\u00a0her\u2026\u00a0tasted<\/p>\n
her.\u00a05\u00a0<\/p>\n
My\u00a0wolf\u00a0was\u00a0growing\u00a0more\u00a0aggravated\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0second,\u00a0not\u00a0having\u00a0her\u00a0near\u00a0was\u00a0messing\u00a0with him\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0way\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0describe\u00a0or\u00a0begin\u00a0to\u00a0understand.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0pissed\u00a0me\u00a0off\u00a0that\u00a0as\u00a0of\u00a0right\u00a0now,\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0right\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0Lukas\u00a0to\u00a0stay\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0Judy.\u00a01<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t\u00a0forget,\u00a0you\u00a0have\u00a0the\u00a0meeting\u00a0tonight\u00a0at the\u00a0Grand\u00a0Casino\u00a0Hotel,\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0reminded\u00a0me,\u00a0glancing\u00a0at his\u00a0watch.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0hours,\u00a0so\u00a0you\u00a0should\u00a0be\u00a0more\u00a0focused\u00a0on\u00a0that.\u201d<\/p>\n
This\u00a0meeting\u00a0was\u00a0an\u00a0important\u00a0business\u00a0deal\u00a0that\u00a0could\u00a0enhance\u00a0my\u00a0company.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0planned\u00a0out\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0T\u00a0these\u00a0last\u00a0few\u00a0months,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u00a0all\u00a0boiled\u00a0down\u00a0to this\u00a0moment.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0initially\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0Judy\u00a0as\u00a0my\u00a0plus\u00a0one,\u00a0but\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel\u00a0back,\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0only\u00a0right\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0her\u00a0instead.\u00a010\u00a0<\/p>\n
As\u00a0the\u00a0evening\u00a0neared and\u00a0I\u00a0finished\u00a0putting\u00a0my\u00a0tie\u00a0on\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0evening,\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0a\u00a0presence\u00a0behind\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0turned to\u00a0see\u00a0Rachel\u00a0standing\u00a0before\u00a0me,\u00a0wearing\u00a0a\u00a0shimmering\u00a0red\u00a0dress,\u00a0her\u00a0dark\u00a0curls\u00a0crowning\u00a0her\u00a0face,\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0large\u00a0eyes\u00a0peeking\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0through\u00a0her\u00a0lashes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She\u00a0was\u00a0gorgeous,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0give\u00a0her\u00a0that,\u00a0though\u00a0my\u00a0body\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0reaction\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0as\u00a0it\u00a0once\u00a0did.\u00a0My\u00a0wolf\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0unconvinced\u00a0of\u00a0her,\u00a0which\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0surprising.\u00a04\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0look\u00a0lovely,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0corners\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0lips\u00a0tipped\u00a0up into\u00a0a\u00a0smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot so\u00a0bad yourself,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0looking\u00a0me\u00a0up\u00a0and\u00a0down,\u00a0almost\u00a0suggestively.<\/p>\n
These\u00a0last\u00a0few\u00a0weeks\u00a0have\u00a0been\u00a0odd,\u00a0to\u00a0say\u00a0the least.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0living\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0guest\u00a0bedroom,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0pretty\u00a0much\u00a0been playing<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0520<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
house.\u00a0We\u00a0have\u00a0dinner\u00a0together\u00a0and\u00a0talk\u00a0about\u00a0our\u00a0days.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0helping\u00a0out\u00a0with\u00a0pack\u00a0matters\u00a0and\u00a0keeping\u00a0herself\u00a0busy\u00a0while<\/p>\n
I\u2019m\u00a0working,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0evening,\u00a0after\u00a0dinner,\u00a0we\u00a0sit\u00a0and\u00a0talk\u00a0about\u00a0old\u00a0times.\u00a0We\u00a0catch\u00a0up\u00a0on\u00a0all\u00a0that\u00a0has\u00a0happened\u00a0since\u00a0we<\/p>\n
last\u00a0saw\u00a0one\u00a0another.\u00a0(4<\/p>\n
Our friendship\u00a0had\u00a0always\u00a0been\u00a0easy;\u00a0conversation\u00a0flows\u00a0smoothly,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0find\u00a0our\u00a0old\u00a0rhythm\u00a0comfortable.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve\u00a0appointed\u00a0Taylor\u00a0to\u00a0pick\u00a0Judy\u00a0up\u00a0from\u00a0school\u00a0and\u00a0bring\u00a0her\u00a0home\u00a0daily,\u00a0mainly\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0can\u00a0keep\u00a0track\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0make\u00a0sure\u00a0she\u2019s<\/p>\n
still\u00a0doing\u00a0well.\u00a0Taylor\u00a0provides\u00a0me\u00a0with\u00a0daily updates,\u00a0and that\u2019s\u00a0enough\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0my\u00a0mind\u00a0focused\u00a0on\u00a0the time\u00a0being.\u00a06\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0look\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0first\u00a0met\u00a0Rachel\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0pain\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0was\u00a0something\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0unsee.\u00a0I\u00a0never\u00a0meant\u00a0to\u00a0hurt<\/p>\n
her;\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0things\u00a0from\u00a0her,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0how\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0her\u00a0any\u00a0of\u00a0this.\u00a07<\/p>\n
\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0ready\u00a0to\u00a0go?\u201d\u00a0Rachel\u00a0asked,\u00a0bringing\u00a0me out\u00a0of my\u00a0thoughts.\u00a0\u201cWe\u00a0are\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0late,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0really\u00a0need\u00a0a\u00a0drink,\u201d\u00a0she<\/p>\n
teased.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded\u00a0and\u00a0offered\u00a0her\u00a0my\u00a0arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u00a0let\u2019s\u00a0go,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0the\u00a0smile\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0face\u00a0feeling\u00a0tighter\u00a0than\u00a0usual.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0driver,\u00a0Leroy,\u00a0drove\u00a0us\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0hotel;\u00a0it\u00a0was in\u00a0human\u00a0territory,\u00a0which\u00a0meant\u00a0we\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0careful\u00a0here.\u00a0Most\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0staff\u00a0and<\/p>\n
even\u00a0the\u00a0guests\u00a0were\u00a0human,\u00a0though\u00a0wolves\u00a0were\u00a0also\u00a0known\u00a0for\u00a0coming\u00a0here\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0famous\u00a0casino\u00a0after\u00a0all.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0designated\u00a0suite\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0top\u00a0floor,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0only\u00a0used\u00a0it\u00a0a\u00a0handful\u00a0of\u00a0times,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0certainly\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0planning\u00a0on\u00a0using\u00a0it<\/p>\n
tonight.\u00a03<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha\u00a0Landry,\u201d\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0the shareholders,\u00a0Ryan\u00a0Goldstein,\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0we\u00a0entered\u00a0the\u00a0restaurant\u00a0inside\u00a0the\u00a0casino.\u00a0We\u00a0shook\u00a0hands<\/p>\n
before\u00a0he\u00a0led\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0table\u00a0where\u00a0the\u00a0others\u00a0were\u00a0waiting.\u00a0\u201cThis is\u00a0the\u00a0one\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0telling\u00a0you\u00a0about.\u00a0His\u00a0business\u00a0is\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0soar\u00a0with\u00a0what\u00a0we\u00a0have\u00a0planned,\u201d\u00a0Ryan\u00a0told\u00a0the\u00a0others as\u00a0he\u00a0took\u00a0his\u00a0seat,\u00a0motioning\u00a0for\u00a0our\u00a0chairs.\u00a0\u201cThis is\u00a0Alpha\u00a0Gavin\u00a0Landry<\/p>\n
and\u00a0his\u00a0Luna\u2026\u00a0sorry,\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0get\u00a0your\u00a0name.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0mouth\u00a0went\u00a0dry.<\/p>\n
Did\u00a0he\u00a0just\u00a0say\u00a0Luna?\u00a0(6<\/p>\n
I\u00a0opened\u00a0my\u00a0mouth\u00a0to\u00a0correct\u00a0him,\u00a0but\u00a0Rachel\u2019s\u00a0words\u00a0stopped\u00a0me.\u00a0(2)<\/p>\n
\u201cRachel\u00a0Etmen,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0a\u00a0glint in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0reached\u00a0over\u00a0and\u00a0put\u00a0her\u00a0hand\u00a0on\u00a0top\u00a0of\u00a0mine,\u00a0making\u00a0my\u00a0entire\u00a0body\u00a0freeze.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0such\u00a0an\u00a0honor\u00a0to\u00a0meet\u00a0you,\u00a0gentlemen.\u201d\u00a016\u00a0<\/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 520 Chapter\u00a0520\u00a0 Nothing\u00a0could\u00a0have\u00a0prepared\u00a0me\u00a0for\u00a0it. +15\u00a0Bonus Gavin\u2019s\u00a0POV \u201cWhat\u00a0the\u00a0fuck\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0mean\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0hanging\u00a0out\u00a0with\u00a0Lukas\u00a0Merriweather\u00a0again??\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0pouring\u00a0into\u00a0Taylor\u2019s\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0stood\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0desk\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0villa\u00a0office.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0made\u00a0sure\u00a0that\u00a0jerk\u00a0stayed\u00a0away\u00a0from her.\u201d\u00a05 […]<\/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-21588","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\/21588","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=21588"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21588\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}