Chapter\u00a0531<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0matters,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said sharply.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0opened\u00a0my\u00a0mouth\u00a0to\u00a0say\u00a0something,\u00a0but\u00a0no\u00a0words\u00a0came\u00a0out.<\/p>\n
What\u00a0the\u00a0hell\u00a0does\u00a0he\u00a0mean\u00a0by\u00a0\u201cIt\u00a0matters\u201c?<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s\u00a0Matt?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0changing\u00a0the\u00a0subject.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0Friday,\u00a0we\u00a0have\u00a0tutoring\u00a0today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taylor\u00a0sighed\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0nodded\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0put\u00a0the\u00a0car\u00a0in\u00a0drive.<\/p>\n
\u201cGavin\u00a0said\u00a0that\u00a0you\u00a0can\u00a0start\u00a0tutoring\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0Villa\u00a0again,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0told\u00a0me,\u00a0much\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0surprise.\u00a0\u201cIn\u00a0fact,\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0even\u00a0wanting\u00a0to\u00a0talk\u00a0to\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart\u00a0started\u00a0to\u00a0beat\u00a0rapidly\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0chest\u00a0at\u00a0his\u00a0words.<\/p>\n
Gavin\u00a0wanted\u00a0to speak with\u00a0me?\u00a0About\u00a0what?<\/p>\n
Gavin\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0face\u00a0Judy\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0last\u00a0few\u00a0days,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0wanting\u00a0to\u00a0speak\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0for\u00a0some\u00a0time\u00a0now.\u00a0I\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0ask\u00a0her\u00a0about\u00a0the other\u00a0night.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0so\u00a0sure I\u00a0was\u00a0with\u00a0her;\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0literally\u00a0taste\u00a0her\u00a0on my\u00a0tongue\u00a0and\u00a0though\u00a0Rache\u2019s\u00a0scent\u00a0was\u00a0strong\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0room,\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0still\u00a0smell\u00a0the\u00a0lingering\u00a0scent\u00a0of\u00a0Judy.<\/p>\n
Though\u00a0it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0Judy,\u00a0I woke\u00a0up next\u00a0to\u00a0that\u00a0morning,\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0Rachel.<\/p>\n
Since\u00a0that\u00a0night,\u00a0Rachel\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0extra\u00a0clingy.\u00a0The\u00a0only\u00a0solitude\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0was\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0at\u00a0work,\u00a0and\u00a0even\u00a0then,\u00a0she\u00a0still\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0interrupt\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0my\u00a0receptionist\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0her\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0busy\u00a0on\u00a0countless\u00a0occasions,\u00a0but\u00a0she puts\u00a0up\u00a0a\u00a0fight\u00a0every\u00a0time\u00a0and\u00a0causes\u00a0a\u00a0scene,\u00a0which\u00a0I\u00a0can\u2019t have\u00a0in my\u00a0business.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0head\u00a0was\u00a0pounding when\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0knock\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0office\u00a0door,\u00a0my\u00a0home\u00a0office.\u00a0I didn\u2019t\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0ask\u00a0who\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0smell\u00a0Taylor\u2019s\u00a0scent\u00a0approaching.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome\u00a0in,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0murmured,\u00a0rubbing\u00a0my\u00a0temple\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0fingers,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0soothe\u00a0away\u00a0the\u00a0dull\u00a0ache.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Taylor\u00a0entered,\u00a0his\u00a0face\u00a0looking\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0downcast\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0shut\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0behind\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
\u201cJudy\u00a0is\u00a0with\u00a0Matt\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0parlor,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0announced.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded,\u00a0pleased\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0back\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0Villa.\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0wanting\u00a0her\u00a0back\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0villa for\u00a0quite\u00a0some\u00a0time.\u00a0Both\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0better\u00a0with her\u00a0nearby,\u00a0so\u00a0we\u00a0can\u00a0keep\u00a0an\u00a0eye\u00a0on\u00a0her,\u00a0but\u00a0with\u00a0me\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0figure\u00a0out\u00a0my\u00a0placement\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel,\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0better\u00a0if\u00a0Judy\u00a0kept\u00a0her\u00a0distance\u00a0this\u00a0past\u00a0month.<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0531<\/p>\n
+30\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
Despite\u00a0Rachel\u2019s\u00a0betrayal\u00a0and\u00a0lies\u00a0years\u00a0ago,\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0dismiss\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0a\u00a0friend\u00a0to\u00a0me\u00a0and\u00a0did\u00a0help\u00a0me\u00a0out\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0when\u00a0it\u00a0came\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0sister.\u00a0Even\u00a0if\u00a0her\u00a0actions\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0always\u00a0genuine.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0back\u00a0now,\u00a0wanting\u00a0to\u00a0make\u00a0amends for\u00a0what\u00a0she<\/p>\n
had\u00a0done\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0I\u00a0owed\u00a0it\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0give\u00a0her\u00a0that\u00a0chance.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0Taylor,\u00a0who\u00a0remained\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0doorway,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0downcast.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0him,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0narrowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0is\u00a0it?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0him\u00a0after\u00a0a moment\u00a0of\u00a0long\u00a0silence.<\/p>\n
Taylor\u00a0finally\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0me, and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0see\u00a0the\u00a0uncertainty\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0eyes,\u00a0like\u00a0he\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0let\u00a0a low\u00a0warning\u00a0growl\u00a0escape\u00a0my\u00a0lips\u00a0as\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0fought\u00a0to\u00a0surge\u00a0forward\u00a0and\u00a0rip\u00a0the\u00a0information\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0his\u00a0throat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0saw\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0Lukas\u00a0Merriweather\u00a0hugging\u00a0earlier,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0murmured.\u00a0\u201cIt\u00a0looked\u2026\u00a0intimate.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0realize\u00a0how\u00a0hard I\u00a0was\u00a0clutching\u00a0the\u00a0pen\u00a0in my hand\u00a0until\u00a0it\u00a0shattered\u00a0and\u00a0ink\u00a0spilled\u00a0everywhere\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0desk.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0cursed\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0grabbed\u00a0a\u00a0paper\u00a0towel\u00a0to\u00a0clean\u00a0the\u00a0mess,\u00a0but\u00a0the\u00a0damage\u00a0was\u00a0done.\u00a0The\u00a0paperwork\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0ruined,\u00a0and\u00a0now\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0ink\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0clothes\u00a0and\u00a0hands.<\/p>\n
Taylor\u00a0rushed\u00a0to\u00a0help\u00a0me\u00a0clean\u00a0the\u00a0mess,\u00a0his\u00a0face\u00a0had\u00a0gone\u00a0pale\u00a0because\u00a0he\u00a0knew\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0like\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0like\u00a0this.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0want\u00a0him\u00a0gone,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0through\u00a0my\u00a0teeth.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0want Lukas\u00a0off\u00a0my\u00a0territory.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe\u00a0school\u00a0is\u00a0public\u00a0domain,\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0told\u00a0him.\u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0staying\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0dorms,\u00a0which\u00a0means\u00a0you\u00a0have\u00a0no\u00a0say.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen\u00a0reach\u00a0out\u00a0to\u00a0Mica\u00a0and\u00a0order\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0send\u00a0Lukas\u00a0home,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0filled\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0fiery\u00a0vengeance.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0want\u00a0him\u00a0gone.\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0him\u00a0anywhere\u00a0near\u00a0her\u2026\u00a0understood?\u201d\u00a0(1<\/p>\n
There\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0of\u00a0hesitation,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u00a0pissed\u00a0me\u00a0off\u00a0even\u00a0more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0temper\u00a0rising\u00a0as\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0grew\u00a0more\u00a0restless\u00a0and\u00a0pissed\u00a0off.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0just\u00a0that\u2026\u00a0Judy\u00a0seems\u00a0to\u00a0like\u00a0him,\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0murmured.\u00a0\u201cIf\u00a0you\u00a0send\u00a0him\u00a0away,\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0she\u2019ll\u00a0ever\u00a0forgive\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0heart\u00a0pinged\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0thought.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0right;\u00a0Judy\u00a0would\u00a0never\u00a0forgive\u00a0me.\u00a0Plus,\u00a0what\u00a0right\u00a0did\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0her\u00a0she\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0hang\u00a0out\u00a0with\u00a0this\u00a0guy\u00a0when\u00a0all\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0doing\u00a0this\u00a0past\u00a0month\u00a0was\u00a0spending\u00a0my\u00a0time\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel?\u00a0Trying\u00a0to\u00a0sort\u00a0through\u00a0my\u00a0own\u00a0goddamn\u00a0feelings.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stood\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0speak\u00a0with\u00a0her,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0walked\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0desk.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0wait\u00a0for\u00a0Taylor\u00a0to\u00a0say\u00a0anything\u00a0else\u00a0before\u00a0I\u00a0left\u00a0my\u00a0office.\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0hear\u00a0Judy\u00a0and\u00a0Matt\u00a0giggling\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0back\u00a0parlor,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0started\u00a0to\u00a0beat\u00a0faster\u00a0the\u00a0closer\u00a0I\u00a0got.<\/p>\n
Just\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0reached\u00a0the\u00a0archway\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0parlor,\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0a\u00a0hand wrap\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0bicep.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u00a0Gavin\u00a0baby,\u00a0there\u00a0you\u00a0are,\u201d\u00a0Rachel\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0body\u00a0pressed\u00a0close\u00a0to\u00a0mina,\u00a0d\u2014\u2013<\/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 531 Chapter\u00a0531 \u201cIt\u00a0matters,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said sharply. I\u00a0opened\u00a0my\u00a0mouth\u00a0to\u00a0say\u00a0something,\u00a0but\u00a0no\u00a0words\u00a0came\u00a0out. What\u00a0the\u00a0hell\u00a0does\u00a0he\u00a0mean\u00a0by\u00a0\u201cIt\u00a0matters\u201c? \u201cWhere\u2019s\u00a0Matt?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0changing\u00a0the\u00a0subject.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0Friday,\u00a0we\u00a0have\u00a0tutoring\u00a0today.\u201d […]<\/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-21599","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\/21599","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=21599"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21599\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}