Fire In The Water Chapter Eight

Bella

I didn't want to read too much into it, but Ward was standing in my apartment. The most skittish man I knew was within reach. In my home. With my cat and his dog.

Without Wings Chapter Eight

The houses along the mountainside in Kabul all ran together, a cluster of adobe structures blending into the background. It made for the perfect hideout, in Bella’s opinion. One house was nearly indistinguishable from the next, the better for them to pretend they weren't even there. Unfortunately, the quarters were far more cramped, which was a massive downside.

Fire In The Water Chapter Seven

Ward

Though Emmett had recommended I try the Oceana Grill, I wasn't in the mood to spend most of my paycheck on one meal. Splurging was not in the near forecast, but maybe I could treat myself to something other than canned food boosted with fresh veggies. With that in mind, I headed over to the pizzeria I’d passed more times than I could count. It sat a handful of buildings down from the bakery and Bookish, hopefully giving me a buffer from temptation. There were many people I wanted to know better, but I was scared to get involved in so much as a friendship with anyone.

Fire In The Water Chapter Six

Bella

Oh, my God.

Oh, my fucking God.

Despite his request for a book, I didn't release Ward’s shirt. My fingers flexed, attempting to drag him closer. “No.”

Without Wings Chapter Seven

If the beauty of the surrounding seaside matched their moods, then everything would be fine. Instead, Bella worked through her emotional distress by kicking the shit out of the heavy bag in the training room for hours on end. The fact that the room overlooked the ocean with wall-to-wall windows didn't faze her in the slightest. Unable to fix what ailed her, it was up to Edward to comfort her when she finally crashed at the end of each day.

Fire In The Water Chapter Five

Ward

After that exchange, I was good and pissed for the rest of the day. Walking home in the rain didn't help my temperament, and I had to take Heidi out in that shit, too. Sitting on the floor of my tiny mint green bathroom, I scrubbed her fur with a towel and bit back tears. Sensing my emotions, Heidi bumped against me, pushing her head up under my chin. I wrapped my arms around her and held on.

Fire In The Water Chapter Four

Bella

One thing I enjoyed was a good mystery, and it was clear that was what I'd stumbled upon with Ward. Alice had mentioned how sweet he was, how open he acted. In such a small town, we all talked at some point throughout the week, and newcomers were hot topics. But he was not any of those things around me, and I didn't know why. When I saw him eating breakfast, I wanted to sit and chat, but instinct told me he wouldn't want that. In the park, he’d ignored me steadily until I gave up and walked off, wondering why he kept himself so insulated from other people.