Chapter\u00a0704<\/p>\n
Taylor\u00a0lett\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0later,\u00a0not\u00a0lingering\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0bathroom,\u00a0which\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0grateful\u00a0for.<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0I\u00a0finished\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0shower,\u00a0I\u00a0stepped\u00a0out\u00a0and\u00a0wrapped\u00a0a\u00a0towel\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0waist.\u00a0The\u00a0clothes\u00a0Taylor\u00a0grabbed\u00a0for\u00a0me\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0anything\u00a0special,\u00a0but\u00a0they\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0be.\u00a01<\/p>\n
I\u00a0brushed\u00a0out\u00a0my\u00a0hair\u00a0using\u00a0the\u00a0brush\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0counter\u00a0and\u00a0took\u00a0another\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0myself\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0mirror.\u00a0Though\u00a0the\u00a0blood\u00a0was\u00a0gone,\u00a0I\u00a0still\u00a0looked\u00a0unrecognizable.\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0dark\u00a0circles\u00a0under\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0slept\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0time.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0guess\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
With\u00a0everything\u00a0that\u00a0happened\u00a0since\u00a0the\u00a0party\u00a0yesterday,\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0to\u00a0myself\u00a0to\u00a0just\u00a0rest.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0go\u00a0since\u00a0yesterday,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0stopped\u00a0moving.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0fucking\u00a0exhausted.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0quickly\u00a0got\u00a0dressed\u00a0after\u00a0the\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0body\u00a0dried.\u00a0The\u00a0bloodied\u00a0clothes were\u00a0gone,\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0Taylor\u00a0had\u00a0taken\u00a0them.\u00a0When\u00a0I\u00a0stepped\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0bathroom,\u00a0the\u00a0scent\u00a0of\u00a0Ethan\u00a0only\u00a0slightly\u00a0lingered.<\/p>\n
His\u00a0body\u00a0was\u00a0gone,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0blood\u00a0that\u00a0stained\u00a0the\u00a0ground\u00a0was\u00a0no\u00a0more.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0relieved\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0that.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0eyes\u00a0shifted\u00a0to\u00a0Judy,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0lying\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0hospital bed,\u00a0a\u00a0bandage\u00a0covering\u00a0her\u00a0wrist\u00a0and\u00a0an\u00a0IV\u00a0drip in\u00a0her\u00a0other\u00a0wrist.<\/p>\n
Elizabeth\u00a0was\u00a0giving\u00a0her\u00a0an\u00a0ultrasound\u00a0and\u00a0saying\u00a0something\u00a0that\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0registering\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0head\u00a0because\u00a0all I\u00a0could\u00a0think\u00a0about\u00a0was\u00a0how\u00a0beautiful\u00a0my\u00a0mate\u00a0was.\u00a0Judy\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0on\u00a0me\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0approached\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
Elizabeth\u00a0finally\u00a0noticed\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe\u00a0baby\u00a0is\u00a0okay,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0assured\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cA\u00a0strong\u00a0heartbeat.\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0nothing\u00a0to\u00a0worry\u00a0about.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded,\u00a0relieved\u00a0to\u00a0hear\u00a0that.\u00a0My\u00a0eyes\u00a0never\u00a0left\u00a0Judy\u2019s.\u00a0Elizabeth\u00a0cleared\u00a0her\u00a0throat\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0turned\u00a0off\u00a0the\u00a0machine.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll\u00a0let\u00a0you\u00a0two\u00a0rest,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0me\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0stood.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ll\u00a0come\u00a0to\u00a0check\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0later.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without\u00a0another\u00a0word,\u00a0Elizabeth\u00a0left.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey\u2026\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0slowly\u00a0approaching the\u00a0bed\u00a0like\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0a\u00a0wild\u00a0animal.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey,\u201d\u00a0Judy replied,\u00a0her\u00a0voice\u00a0coming\u00a0out\u00a0barely\u00a0above\u00a0a\u00a0whisper.\u00a0You\u00a0look\u00a0exhausted.\u00a0Have\u00a0you\u00a0slept\u00a0at\u00a0all?\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0shook\u00a0my\u00a0head,\u00a0beads\u00a0of\u00a0water\u00a0from\u00a0my\u00a0shoulder\u00a0dripping\u00a0onto\u00a0my\u00a0forehead.\u00a0I\u00a0wiped\u00a0it\u00a0away\u00a0and\u00a0gave\u00a0her\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0shrug.\u00a03\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0need\u00a0the\u00a0sleep,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone\u00a0needs\u00a0sleep,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0retorted.\u00a0\u201cEven\u00a0someone\u00a0as\u00a0powerful\u00a0as\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0reached\u00a0my\u00a0hand\u00a0out\u00a0to\u00a0touch her,\u00a0but\u00a0hesitated;\u00a0did\u00a0she\u00a0want\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0touch\u00a0her?\u00a0Would\u00a0she\u00a0recoil\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0me\u00a0after\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0done\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0her?\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0handle\u00a0it\u00a0if\u00a0she\u00a0flinched\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0my\u00a0touch.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0my\u00a0hesitant,\u00a0outstretched\u00a0hand,\u00a0and\u00a0tears\u00a0filled\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0broke\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0into\u00a0a\u00a0million\u00a0pieces.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0blocking\u00a0me?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0whispered.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0furrowed\u00a0my\u00a0brows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0feel\u00a0you,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cshe\u00a0said,\u00a0wiping\u00a0away\u00a0her\u00a0tears\u00a0that\u00a0spilled\u00a0onto\u00a0her\u00a0cheeks.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0feel\u00a0you\u00a0since\u00a0I\u00a0woke\u00a0up\u00a0this\u00a0morning,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0hate\u00a0it\u2026\u201d\u00a0Her\u00a0heart\u00a0broke\u00a0at\u00a0that\u00a0last\u00a0part.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u00a0baby\u00a0girl,\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0stress\u00a0you\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0out\u2026\u00a0if\u00a0you\u00a0only\u00a0knew\u00a0the\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0things\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0feeling\u00a0today\u2026\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0stressed\u00a0me\u00a0out\u00a0not being\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0feel\u00a0my\u00a0mate\u2026\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0whispered.<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0704<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0blocking\u00a0me\u00a0too\u2026\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her,\u00a0not\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0justified\u00a0or\u00a0anything.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0every\u00a0right\u00a0to\u00a0block\u00a0me\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0fear\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0feeling\u00a0towards\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0distract\u00a0you\u2026\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0shifting\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0lap.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnblock\u00a0me,\u00a0Judy,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0before\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0stop\u00a0myself.\u00a0I\u00a0stepped\u00a0closer\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0cupping\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0hands\u00a0and\u00a0making\u00a0her\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0ran\u00a0my\u00a0thumbs\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0cheeks\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0into\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0I\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0feel\u00a0everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suddenly,\u00a0the\u00a0shield\u00a0lifted,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0feel\u00a0all\u00a0her\u00a0emotions\u00a0again.\u00a0They\u00a0poured\u00a0into\u00a0me\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0my\u00a0own.\u00a0I\u00a0realized\u00a0at\u00a0that\u00a0moment\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0wrong;\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0not\u00a0afraid\u00a0of\u00a0me.\u00a0Out of\u00a0all\u00a0the\u00a0notions\u00a0she was\u00a0feeling\u00a0at\u00a0that\u00a0moment,\u00a0fear\u00a0of\u00a0me\u00a0was\u00a0not\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0them.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0felt\u00a0safe\u00a0and\u00a0protected\u00a0in my\u00a0presence;\u00a0she\u00a0felt\u00a0a\u00a0sense\u00a0of\u00a0comfort\u00a0and\u00a0love\u2026she\u00a0felt\u00a0passion\u00a0and\u00a0worry\u2026\u00a0but\u00a0mostly,\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0feeling\u00a0hurt\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0blocking\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0unblocked\u00a0her\u00a0as\u00a0well\u00a0so\u00a0she\u00a0could\u00a0feel\u00a0how\u00a0much\u00a0I\u00a0truly\u00a0love\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0do\u00a0anything\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0our\u00a0pup\u00a0safe.\u00a0She\u00a0sucked\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0sharp\u00a0breath\u00a0as\u00a0my\u00a0emotions\u00a0poured\u00a0into\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0eyes\u00a0filled\u00a0with\u00a0even\u00a0more\u00a0touch,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0closed\u00a0her\u00a0eyes,\u00a0soaking\u00a0in\u00a0everything\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0giving\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cKiss\u00a0me\u2026\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0whispered.\u00a0(1)<\/p>\n
She\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0me\u00a0twice.\u00a0Without\u00a0another\u00a0word\u00a0spoken\u00a0between\u00a0us,\u00a0I\u00a0closed\u00a0the\u00a0gap\u00a0and\u00a0kissed\u00a0my\u00a0mate\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0my\u00a0entire\u00a0life\u00a0depended\u00a0on\u00a0it\u2026\u00a0because\u00a0it\u00a0did.\u00a0Judy\u00a0Montague\u00a0was\u00a0my life,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0never\u00a0let\u00a0her\u00a0forget\u00a0that.<\/p>\n
8\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ruby is a master of holiday romance and slow-burn love stories that warm the heart like a crackling fire. Her novels weave festive magic with lingering glances and tender moments, drawing readers into cozy worlds where love unfolds one snowflake at a time. Off the page, she\u2019s baking cookies and dreaming under twinkling lights.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 704 Chapter\u00a0704 Taylor\u00a0lett\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0later,\u00a0not\u00a0lingering\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0bathroom,\u00a0which\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0grateful\u00a0for. Once\u00a0I\u00a0finished\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0shower,\u00a0I\u00a0stepped\u00a0out\u00a0and\u00a0wrapped\u00a0a\u00a0towel\u00a0around\u00a0my\u00a0waist.\u00a0The\u00a0clothes\u00a0Taylor\u00a0grabbed\u00a0for\u00a0me\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0anything\u00a0special,\u00a0but\u00a0they\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0be.\u00a01 I\u00a0brushed\u00a0out\u00a0my\u00a0hair\u00a0using\u00a0the\u00a0brush\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0counter\u00a0and\u00a0took\u00a0another\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0myself\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0mirror.\u00a0Though\u00a0the\u00a0blood\u00a0was\u00a0gone,\u00a0I\u00a0still\u00a0looked\u00a0unrecognizable.\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0dark\u00a0circles\u00a0under\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0slept\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0time. I\u00a0guess\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t. With\u00a0everything\u00a0that\u00a0happened\u00a0since\u00a0the\u00a0party\u00a0yesterday,\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0to\u00a0myself\u00a0to\u00a0just\u00a0rest.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0go\u00a0since\u00a0yesterday,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0stopped\u00a0moving.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0fucking\u00a0exhausted. […]<\/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-21773","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\/21773","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=21773"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21773\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}