/1/107618/coverbig.jpg?v=41eb2a0e92b51c8738530ee40088ecc1&imageMogr2/format/webp)
elieved in onl
ne
mf
ee
legacy, passion-fell somewhere
ssfully opted out of society. One leg was tangled in her duvet, the other hanging off the edge. Her phone r
her apartment: discarded clothes on a chair, empty takeaway containers stacked with artistic
– The Duke'
tiently at the en
quinted
rolling onto her side
noffended, cont
awake, and reread the last senten
w and dangerous. 'You're mine,' he said, as if the w
y sn
said, typing
flew across
hen prove it,' she wh
e document, closed the la
d be called that-w
ive, emotionally intense words. Words that made strangers stay up until thre
elf felt n
wning, and checke
the screen m
ile. Not a d
oman whose rent was paid six months in advanc
ne
op twenty of the platform's adult romance category. N
r did not e
exactly how
room, and brushed her teeth while scrolling t
or is
male lead s
romance, this
love
oothpaste in
eflection, hair a mess, eyes dull wit
and glanced at hers
r was... un
d vaguely, if at all. Soft features, medium height, perpetually tired eyes. She dress
ed it t
required m
ce requir
espised
ruly necessary, Emily settled for loose shorts and an old T-shirt. She padded int
he decided,
. Cooking was a scam invented by peopl
rled up on the couch an
Philosoph
a new bu
ry unless it directly i
back, con
iving, Emily had never once f
were inc
was a
ips were u
red. They argued about chores, finances, em
hen you could hav
e when you co
ee
hone
mily. We ne
spine st
for a long moment, then fl
on't," sh
earing at the exact moment Em
orbell
y gr
to the universe, dragging
te smile. She thanked him, shut the door, an
e al
ith reverence, and sat down cross-legged. Chops
ne buzz
'm coming t
wallowe
enly tasted l
s not a cas
as a force
ed blouses. She believed women peaked at marriage and declined rapidly afterward.
typed
ly:
y came i
Unmarried. No stable job. Livi
y wi
urge to reply, I'
ymity wa
good match for you back
aughed.
e said,
hovered over
: I'm
dots a
van
reapp
'll be ther
laught
orr
n her chair, star
leeping in, writing when she felt like it, spendi
ryside me
eant respo
nt expec
shud
y not," sh
uptly, pacing
to be a
always a
ved most
tified most
free
as worth
topped
began
good
practi
ve men she wrote so convincingly, at the
Parker
said softly.
that Emily's carefully curated life
a man with the surname 'Vale' watched numbers climb on
y Pa
ad no
, was exactly how
/1/107618/coverbig.jpg?v=41eb2a0e92b51c8738530ee40088ecc1&imageMogr2/format/webp)