MATURE

Life hasn’t been kind to me. One moment, I was a carefree eighteen-year-old with dreams of a bright future. The next, I was a 28 year old lady and my world went up in flames. literally. My mom died in the fire that destroyed our home, my little sister is in a coma, and my brother’s in jail for trying to keep us afloat. My dad? He left us drowning in debt and despair.

I thought I’d hit rock bottom, but then I found myself working in a place where dreams go to die, doing things I never imagined just to survive. That’s when he walked into my life, Alex Romanov. Dangerous. Mysterious. And entirely out of my league.

He’s everything I should fear, but there’s something about him that draws me in. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me like I’m more than just another broken soul. Or the way he makes me feel alive when I thought I’d forgotten how.

But Alex has secrets, dark ones that could destroy us both. And as my past collides with his world, I’m left wondering: Can I trust the man who’s slowly stealing my heart, or will his darkness swallow me whole?

This isn’t the life I wanted, but it’s the one I’ve been given.

I leaned in slowly, not rushing, not even fully sure what I was doing until I was right there, inches away from his face. My heart was beating fast, but not from fear—just from feeling too much.


It wasn't wild. It wasn't fast. It was soft. So soft. Like a feather brushing across warm skin. Like a secret shared between hearts.


His lips were warm, still, but gentle. He didn't pull me in roughly. He didn't try to take over the moment. He just kissed me back, tenderly, carefully, like he knew how fragile this was. Like he'd been waiting for it, too.


I closed my eyes, letting the moment wrap around me like a warm blanket. It felt safe. It felt right. It felt… honest. Everything around us seemed to blur, like the world had faded into the background, leaving only the two of us. His presence enveloped me, like a shield from everything I had been through.


Chapter 177 - 177