DAXTON POV
The weight of yesterday’s mess lingers, and I can’t shake it. We’ve screwed up with Maria. Henry and I both. There was something there, a sliver of trust, and we shattered it. Hell, I know I did. It’s not just that she’s beautiful—though anyone with eyes can see that. It’s the way she carries herself, stubborn and fierce, never backing down even when the odds are against her. It’s magnetic. And I want her. Not just as some fleeting thing, not as a stepsibling—we’re way past that. I want her for myself.
I can feel it clawing at me, this desperation to fix things, but it’s not easy. Henry’s temper always complicates everything. He acts on impulse, never thinking through the consequences, and I’ve always been the one left to clean up the mess. This time, though, I’m just as invo
