Because of Him (Read on Kindlé)

Chapter Five | Landon

I reclined on my bed, ensnared in a chaotic web of conflicting thoughts echoing through my mind. The rhythmic hum of the ceiling fan above provided little solace, unable to silence the storm of emotions churning within me.

It started with her damn attitude, followed by the tenacious inebriation that gifted me an indelible mental snapshot. Next, her lips, setting ablaze the dormant fire that had smouldered within me for years, the heat burning through my skin from a single touch.

The modest flame I'd restrained gradually swelled, fuelled by every glance she cast my way, every subtle lick of her full lips. All semblance of self-control crumbled the night I collected her and escorted her home. And now, I had obliterated the boundary I adamantly refused to traverse.

The soft breeze brushed against the beads of water lingering on my skin. Cold showers had become a futile attempt to cleanse myself of the undeniable truth—I had kissed Belle, Zoe's closest friend and a quasi-sister.

The internal turmoil escalated as I wrestled with the repercussions of that impulsive decision. I couldn't approach Belle like that. Zoe would have my head, yet the memories persisted—the way she looked at me, a charming vulnerability beneath her usual façade. Years of treating her like a sister collided with an inescapable realisation.

I had always seen Belle in a different light. Always.

Because of Him (Read on Kindlé)