Wolf Play : || Ace x Tea ||

January 8, 2025 09:38 PM

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Beaudan had been lying on his back in the dim quiet of his room, staring at the ceiling, when Eden came in like a tempest. He’d been bracing himself for her usual mix of sisterly wisdom and comfort—kind words to soothe his aching heart, maybe a plate of fresh fruit. Instead, what greeted him was neither gentle nor edible. He sat up quickly, rolling his shoulders back, his lips parting to sassily demand where the snacks were, but the question barely left his throat before a pillow smacked him square in the face.

“What the hell?” Beau sputtered, glaring indignantly as he caught the pillow and flung it back in her direction. Eden was already pacing, her eyes sharp and fiery in a way that set his nerves on edge. Whatever had gone down in the conversations downstairs, it had clearly left her riled. Before he could press for answers, she turned to him, her tone dripping with exasperation.

“You *kissed* Hollis again? When you and the girl downstairs had a thing going on?” Eden didn’t give him time to respond before plunging ahead, her words coming fast and harsh. “God, Beau, could you *be* any dumber?”

Beau’s mouth opened, a weak protest forming, but he was too caught off guard to muster a proper defense. “I... what? How did—?”

“She told me!” Eden interrupted, folding her arms as she bore down on him like a stormcloud. “She told me that you wanted to go cliff-diving, and when she came up on the beach, there you were, practically all over Hollis. Your *ex.* Who, might I add, you swore up and down you were totally over! And now you’re standing there, shocked, like you didn’t spend months sneaking off with him and forcing me and Cal to cover for you. Oh, and don’t think we didn’t catch you two in compromising positions more times than I care to count.”

Beau’s cheeks flushed deep crimson, his body brimming with a mixture of shame and defensiveness. “Ay, Edie,” he grumbled, cutting her off with a glare. “Watch it. I happen to know way too much about you and Ty, if we’re talking compromising positions.”

Eden ignored him entirely, grabbing a fistful of his t-shirt and yanking him to his feet. “You’re not worming your way out of this, Beau,” she snapped, dragging him behind her as he offered only weak, halfhearted resistance.

Despite his irritation, he was too enamored with his sister’s sheer willpower to fight her off. She was practically a force of nature, honed by years of hockey and a fierce protective streak that he couldn’t help but admire. She hauled him into the dining room, her hand iron-strong around his wrist, and pushed him toward a chair.

“Sit down,” she barked, her voice firm but not unkind.

Beau slumped into the seat, a knot of shame and guilt sitting heavy in his chest. He glanced across the table at Adelaide, offering her what he hoped was his trademark cocky smile, but it came out more as a broken, tremulous curve of his lips. Her expression didn’t seem soften, and Beau looked away, swallowing hard as his hands trembled in his lap.

“Eden, please,” he started, his voice barely above a whisper. “You have to understand—I didn’t ask Hollis for anything. I didn’t initiate anything. I was lying on the beach, trying to enjoy the sun. He jumped, and then Dally and Adelaide jumped. *Holding hands,* by the way, if I wasn’t mistaken. I just… lost it for a minute. And then he was there. He kissed me, he got all up in my space, and I didn’t—” His voice cracked, and he inhaled sharply. “I didn’t know what to do. I was jealous.”

“You push him off, idiot,” Eden snapped, swatting his arm. “What do you think you do when someone kisses you and they’re not your situationship? You don’t just sit there and let it happen! You’re a jealous freak, Beau, but that doesn’t mean you can ruin someone else’s life because you can’t handle your own feelings.” She sighed deeply, the frustration giving way to something softer, more understanding. “She was jumping off a cliff, for crying out loud. Give her a break. I’d want to hold someone’s hand too.”

Beau’s whole body went rigid, the tension in the room tightening around him like a vice. He wanted to snap back, to defend himself, but then he caught the flicker of gentleness in Eden’s eyes. It disarmed him completely.

“People make mistakes, baby,” she said softly, her voice losing some of its sharpness. “You made a choice, and that choice hurt someone. Now you need to decide—are you going to take responsibility, or are you going to lose someone you care about?”

The weight of her words hit Beau like a punch to the gut. He floundered, overwhelmed and hurting, his fingers unconsciously moving to the fading bruise on his neck. He traced it absently, his mind swirling with memories, regrets, and the crushing realization of how much he’d screwed things up.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered finally, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions. “I really messed it up. I don’t know... I don’t know how to fix it.”

Eden reached out, resting a firm but comforting hand on his shoulder. “You've started by being honest, Beau. With yourself, and with her. You owe her that much. And you owe Hollis an apology too, because you know damn well you've been leading him on.”

Beau didn't move from his spot at the table, staring at his shaking hands, the way the pads of his fingertips had gone fully white with how hard he was squeezing them. This day truly couldn't get any more emotionally exhausting.

January 9, 2025 01:09 PM

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Adelaide was silent as she listened to the siblings go back and forth, eyes narrowed on Beaudan while she contemplated.

He had emphasized that her and Dallas were holding hands, like it was some capital offense she had committed. Like she had betrayed him by holding the hands of his brother who was nearly four years her junior - barely an adult, certainly not someone she had any romantic affiliation with. She liked Dallas, liked him so much that it hurt sometimes, but she had made it very clear - she though, at least - that he was like a sibling to her, someone she could rely on to make her smile and feel something that she hadn't felt in ages.

Beaudan might have loved Hollis, for all she knew. Her fingers tapped angrily against her forearm as she though. He clearly had an attraction for Hollis that she didn't have for Dallas - holding hands while jumping off a cliff was nothing compared to being pinned underneath someone, kissing them. Adelaide nearly preened with satisfaction when Eden seemed to agree with her, chastising Beaudan for his actions.

When her voice softened, Adelaide shifted her gaze to the older woman, watching as her expression melted into sympathic understanding - still angry, sure, but sympathetic in the way a sister needed to be for her brother. And Beaudan, nearly quivering under the pressure, voice breaking as he voiced an apology that was full of sincerity. It may have been to Adelaide, may have been to Eden, she wasn't sure. When Eden suggested apologizing to Hollis, Adelaide felt something within her twist - he deserved the apology, she knew, and if she wanted Beaudan to come back to her, to truly come back to her, it was necessary.

That didn't stop her heart from sinking, scenarios flooding her brain. What if he went to apologize but couldn't do it? What if Beaudan didn't want to apologize, didn't want to let go of Hollis?

She stood abruptly, hands clasping behind her back. "It's late. I should go to sleep. Eden, I hope I'll see you tomorrow."

Without waiting for a response, she exited the room, footfalls silent as she stared towards the staircase. She made her way to her room quickly, allowing the door to snik shut before the tears began to fall.

It had all just been too much.

Her father had come, still the same man she remembered from years ago. She could have gone the rest of her life without seeing him, wished that was what had occurred, but the universe seemed to want to beat her in as many ways as possible. He had been there, had pretended to love her, to miss her, had refused to allow her to go home. His presence, though fading, weighed on her like a stone, casting her deeper into the abyss she was drowning in.

Callum hated her. Despised her, most likely, as she was sure Eden would. She had never cared if others liked her before, never given them a second thought in her past - had always moved on her own, a force all to itself, silently making its way through life without a care. But now, she found herself desperate for their approval, aching for it. She knew, logically, that it was because of Beaudan - because she wanted him so badly, needed him like air, and to have Beaudan love her was to have his family love her. It was a requirement she knew she couldn't avoid. If Callum didn't like her, if Eden didn't like her, Beaudan would have no choice but to cast her aside, to move on to the next love, to one that was cherished, easier to be around.

And Beaudan. Did she want him? Did she truly want the man who had so willingly thrown her away for the embrace of familiarity? He had said it was a mistake, that he was sorry, that he didn't know what to do - but he had still done it, still wounded her so deeply that she wasn't sure she could survive in his presence.

She stifled her sobs as best she could, but the noises still escaped her in gasping bursts.

Not even an hour ago, she had decided she was done. Had decided she would leave him behind, move on with her life. But now, stuck in the same house as him, knowing he would sleep in the room next to hers and she would have to face him again tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after - she couldn't let it go. She wouldn't be able to push him away, she knew. She was the proverbial moth, drawn to the flame that continued to burn her.

She had never felt something so intense, so deeply ingrained in her soul. She knew, without a shadow of doubt, that she wouldn't be able to stop herself from going back to Beaudan. Being around him soothed her in a way she didn't know was possible, softened her edges until they no longer cut. Nobody else had ever been able to make her so peaceful, so at ease with herself - nobody had been able to allow her to believe she would be fine.

She was so tired.

Her eyes started to drift shut, hiccups still jolting her body as her emotions shut down for the night. She had no tears left, no way to expend the sadness, the anger. Her mind began to quiet slowly, and she felt herself drift off into a fitful sleep.

January 9, 2025 04:25 PM

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Beau shut the door to his room with a soft click, this time locking it behind him. The earlier yearning for sibling company had all but evaporated under Eden’s harsh and biting, but painful true words, leaving him drained and restless. He paced the room in slow, agitated strides, the walls of the villa pressing in on him like a cage. Every thought seemed to lead back to the same hollow ache in his chest, the mess he’d made of everything compounding into a weight he couldn’t shake.

He glanced toward his nightstand where the familiar crutch of sleeping pills sat, their metallic sheen catching the faint moonlight through the window. Below, in the cellar, the bottles of wine waited, their promises of temporary oblivion tantalizing. He ran a hand through his messy hair, his jaw tightening as he turned away. Not tonight, he told himself. Not like this.

After what felt like an eternity of fighting for sleep that wouldn’t come, Beau finally gave up. He hadn’t even touched the bed. Instead, he peeled off his loose t-shirt, trading it for his favorite board shorts. He needed air. Space. Anything but the suffocating quiet of his room.

The villa was dark and still as he crept down the stairs, his bare feet silent against the cool stone. He left his door ajar behind him—no point in pretending he wasn’t gone when anyone could tell at a glance. The others were scattered across the sprawling house, sleeping or, in Eden’s case, most likely still stewing in righteous indignation. Her room was far enough away that she wouldn’t hear him leave, but Dallas… Beau hesitated outside his youngest brother’s door. Dallas was nothing if not curious. If he woke, Beau knew the boy would follow him, pestering him for answers Beau wasn’t ready—or willing—to give.

Outside, the air was heavy and warm, the night alive with the sound of cicadas. Their shrill chorus scraped at Beau’s nerves, and he broke into a jog, needing to outrun the tension coiling in his chest. The marble pathways of the estate quickly gave way to familiar trails, his feet finding their way without thought. The woods were a comfort, the tangled branches above offering a canopy of shadows that swallowed him whole.

When he finally emerged onto the sandy shore of a small lagoon, Beau slowed, his breath coming in steady pulls as he stared out over the water. The sand clung unpleasantly to his damp calves, but a breeze swept in from the lagoon, cool and bracing against his skin. It was the first relief he’d felt all night.

Wading into the water, he sank into its embrace, rinsing away the dust and tension alike. The gentle waves lapped at his legs, their rhythm steady and soothing, and he let out a heavy breath as the weight in his chest began to ebb. For a moment, he let himself exist in the simplicity of the moment—the water, the breeze, the stars above.

But the quiet brought his thoughts back, unbidden. The girl he loved would never forgive him. His sister was here now, but how long before she left again? Callum remained a mystery, his business dealings and personal life as inscrutable as ever. Did his brother even have someone special? And Dallas… sweet, curious Dallas, still so young but growing up fast.

Beau ducked his head beneath the water, letting it wash over him, hoping to drown the tide of heavy thoughts. When he surfaced, droplets clung to his lashes, and he raked a hand through his hair. He needed to focus on the better memories, the glimmers of light amid the shadows.

For the first time in years, Eden had hugged him. Callum had actually relaxed for a moment. Dally had found a friend. And for one fleeting moment, Beau had felt the touch of the girl he loved. Those things wouldn’t last—nothing ever did—but the certainty of having felt them once was enough to cling to.

Floating on his back, Beau stared up at the night sky, the constellations winking down at him like old friends. He whispered their names under his breath, his voice barely audible above the soft lapping of the water.

“Orion. Cassiopeia. Scorpius.”

An hour passed in the stillness of the lagoon, the water cooling as the night deepened. When he finally hauled himself onto the beach, droplets trailing down his skin, he didn’t feel ready to face the villa again, nor the mess he’d left behind. Sleep wouldn’t find him tonight—he knew that much.

But for now, the stars were enough. Alone, under their steady gaze, Beau let himself breathe.

January 9, 2025 08:50 PM

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Adelaide woke to a splitting headache, squinting her eyes against the offensive morning light. Her skull throbbed, and she felt a lingering sense of exhaustion that she knew wouldn't leave her for the day. With a groan, she rose, clumsily padding to the closet.

She took a cold shower, relishing in the way it soothed her burning face, before towelling off and dressing for the day - a short sleeved shirt with jeans, this time, since she planned to leave the villa at some point. She threw her hair into a loose ponytail before sleepily making her way to the kitchen. Callum greeted her with a grimace, silent as he prepared his coffee and departed.

She didn't have the willpower to examine his response to her presence, didn't care to analyze how he had looked at her with a mild hint of disdain before exiting the room. Just like she didn't have the willpower to speak to Hollis, who flounced into the kitchen with a jovial grin on his face. Adelaide refused to acknowledge his presence, to give him the satisfaction of seeing her puffy eyes, still swollen from her outburst the night before.

As he rummaged around the kitchen, Hollis hummed a tune that grated on her nerves with every note. Her skin felt tight, blood rushing beneath it as she struggled to remain calm. Why was he in such a good mood? And why did he keep coming into the house - didn't he have a perfectly good place of his own? His humming continued, her anger roiling beneath her skin, and she nearly broke when he decided to speak to her.

"Good morning, Adelaide! It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" His tone was chipper, the happiness matching the grin he sent her. Adelaide slammed the cupboard door with more force than she had intented, the bang echoing through the kitchen. Hollis flinched slightly, but his mask did not break. Instead, he resumed his insolent humming, the noise causing Adelaide's eye to twitch as she willed her coffee to brew faster.

Just as it had finished, as she was making her way to exit the kitchen, he spoke once more, the words causing her hand to shake so violently she spilled coffee on the floor.

"Did Beau speak to you last night?"

Her waning resolve wavered, desperately trying to cling together, before it snapped. She whirled around, contents of her cup sloshing dangerously against the edge. "What?"

"I mean," Hollis continued, seemingly oblivious to her rising rage, "you're both living under the same roof - I was just curious if you'd had time to chat, since he wasn't too keen on speaking to me last night."

Her mouth fell open, refusing to shut as she gaped at the boy before her, his smile falling slightly as he turned to her with worry in his eyes. He was concerned about Beaudan speaking to her? Not even that, he was concerned that Beaudan hadn't spoken to him, and was trying to glean information from her like they were friends.

She wouldn't allow it.

Instead, she slapped a smile onto her face, coolly responding, "Yes, we did talk a bit last night, but with Eden's arrival, it was a very exhausting day. Is that all, or did you have something important to ask?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dallas approaching, sleepy but concerned as he caught the tail end of her sentence. She held the hand out at her side slightly, urging him to stop, while she watched hollis with narrowed eyes.

"No, no, that's all, really I guess. Just trying to gauge his mood - I was going to go wake him, but I didn't want to if he was still upset."

Dallas listened, eyes widening as he stifled a laugh. Adelaide nearly broke into laughter herself, the conversation obscene even to her ears. Hollis was asking her about Beaudan. Hollis was asking her about Beaudan as if they were friends, pals, as if he hadn't kissed Beaudan in front of her on the beach not even twenty-four hours ago.

"I think that's a great idea, Hollis. Really, you should go now and wake him before he gets up himself."

Hollis nodded, falling into his thoughts as he grabbed the steaming tea he had been preparing before walking out of the kitchen. He muttered a polite "excuse me" as he slipped by her, a quick good morning to Dallas, before he was off, up the stairs to wake Beaudan.

As soon as he disappeared, Adelaide let out a snicker, covering her mouth as Dallas doubled over with a wheeze.

"Did he really just-"

"There's no way he asked you-"

The two spoke at the same time before bursting into laughter again. Dallas approached Adelaide, and the two used each other for support as they regained their composure slowly.

When Eden walked into the kitchen, she looked between the two of them with a quirked brow before shaking her head and grabbing a teabag from the cupboard. Adelaide and Dallas shared a few more snickers before she decided to head outside, waving goodbye to the sibling as she departed.

If the morning was any indication of how the day was going to go, she was surely in for a treat.

Once outside, she pulled her phone out, bringing up a map of the nearby town. It was quaint, a few shops and cafes littering the main street - definitely larger than she had imagined, but not so large that she would need to wear a scarf and sunglasses to disguise herself. She could deal with the few people that would recognize her.

Once Beaudan had been... woken up, she would ask if anybody cared to join her. He had already voiced his distaste for the town, so she was sure he would choose to stay home. Dallas would most likely come with her, though, and if she was lucky, she could convince Eden to join them for an hour or two.

She wouldn't get Callum to like her overnight, but she could at least warm him up by befriending his sibling. Phase one of her plan was set into action - now all she had to do was wait.

January 10, 2025 08:02 PM

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Beaudan hadn’t returned to the villa all night, choosing instead to wander the beaches, paths, and hidden jetties scattered around the property. In the quiet solitude of his late night journey, he finally confronted more of the emotions he’d avoided for far too long. The moonlit waves whispered quiet comforts to him, each tide rising and falling like the echoes of memories that refused to be forgotten. And in those hours, one truth crystallized: no matter how far he strayed, no matter how old he got, he would always be homesick for Valenrow.

The sprawling halls, the towering turrets, the faded rugs beneath his childhood memories—Valenrow wasn’t just a place to Beau; it was a piece of him, a promise of belonging in a world that had grown increasingly unkind. He missed it more than ever. And yet, even as he acknowledged this longing, the weight of what he’d lost there threatened to drown him all over again.

He slipped back into the house just as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. Every step felt heavy, as though the very air resisted his presence. The villa, for all its grandeur, seemed suffocating now. He detoured through the kitchen, snagging a glass of water and Eden’s hidden stash of chocolate-dipped strawberries. It was petty, perhaps, but it felt good to take something for himself, however small. He didn’t bother retreating to his own room; the whitewashed walls, curated frescoes, and carefully selected décor felt like a mockery of his current crumbling state.

Instead, Beau found himself drawn to the farthest corner of the villa—to a room he had never dared to enter before: his grandfather’s. Alistair Morcant’s private sanctuary was the stuff of legend among the family, a place shrouded in both reverence and mystery, as well as stories told to him by Eden and Cal. Beau hesitated briefly at the locked door, but then his hand moved on its own, picking the lock with practiced ease. What did it matter now? He wouldn’t be coming back here, not if he could help it. Not with everything that had happened to him here.

The scent hit him first—pipe smoke tinged with Alistair’s signature cologne, spicy and earthy, grounding. The room was startlingly similar to Valenrow, and Beau’s tense shoulders eased as familiarity washed over him. It wasn’t right, though. Books and maps, dusty brandy glasses and packs of tobacco were scattered everywhere, a surprising disarray that made him pause. Alistair had been many things, but disorganized wasn’t one of them. Beau could almost hear his mother’s voice teasing that Callum’s obsessive neatness came straight from their grandfather.

Beau’s fingers brushed over the edges of a worn book, but he couldn’t bring himself to delve into the mess. Not right now. Instead, he drifted toward the attatched bathroom, where something caught his eye—a massive porcelain bathtub, gleaming even in the dim morning light. Beside it, an ancient record player stood proudly, a stack of albums tucked neatly underneath. His lips quirked into the faintest smile.

Stripping off his salt-crusted board shorts, Beau set the water to steaming and grabbed a bottle of bubble bath. The heady scents of lavender and cedar filled the room, mingling with the sharp tang of soap. He rifled through the records absently until a familiar name stopped him cold: Tchaikovsky. His grandfather’s favorite. The old man had claimed the composer’s music was good for the mind and soul, often playing it during the chaotic puzzle-solving competitions of their childhood.

He placed the record on the turntable with care, and soon the first mournful strains of *The Maid of Orleans* crackled to life. The music, haunting and raw, drew memories to the surface faster than he could suppress them. Alistair’s gravelly laugh, the scratch of his pen on paper, the smell of woodsmoke in the sitting room at Valenrow. Beau sank into the water, letting it envelop him, tipping his head back as steam swirled around him.

The bath was meant to soothe, but as the warmth seeped into his bones, it stripped away his defenses. His mind began to wander, unbidden. Hollis would be fine without him. Eden would slip back to LA, back to her picture-perfect life with Ty, and their future blonde beautiful babies. Callum had his work, his numbers, his deals—he didn’t need a brother who couldn’t keep himself together. And Dallas? He was young, resilient. He’d recover.

Beau let himself slide lower into the water, the urge to simply disappear tugging at him like the current of the sea. It would be so easy.

Then his eyes landed on the portrait hanging above the bed, visible through the bathroom doorway. His breath caught. It was the whole family, frozen in happier times. Laughter, smiles, hugs. And there, tucked into the corner, was Kennedy. The blonde cousin who had been more like a sister, Edie’s best friend. His only cousin. The only other girl Morcant.

Her absence was a wound that never healed. He’d been the one tasked with watching her that day. He’d failed. Why had she gone swimming alone? If he’d just—

“Stop,” he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut against the flood of guilt.

When he opened them again, the portrait still loomed, and the memories wouldn’t relent. He thought of the golden retrievers they used to have, their soggy paws and unwavering loyalty. Kennedy had loved those dogs. They’d stopped replacing them that year. Why hadn’t they gotten more? The thought stuck with him, grounding him in its simplicity. A promise, then. Once they were back in the States, he’d get a dog. Maybe two.
--
The grandfather clock in the entryway chimed, breaking the spell. How long had he been here? The water was cold now, the music long since faded into silence. Beyond the walls, the villa was waking. Voices carried faintly, laughter mingling with the morning breeze.

Beau ducked his head under the water one last time, the coolness jolting him. He surfaced with a sharp breath. They could laugh. They could move on. He didn’t have to join them. Not yet. He hummed softly along to the music still gently spilling from the record player, trying to be left alone. But he knew he wouldn't be for long. Someone would find him. But until then, he was going to stay, quiet, and alone.

January 11, 2025 06:48 PM

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"Where is he?"

Hollis' voice cut through her thoughts, breaking the peaceful spell she had been under as she basked in the morning light. She had been planning her day, the shops she would wander, the cafes to visit. It had been nice - a break from the chaos she was quickly growing used to.

And it had been too quickly shattered for her liking.

"What?" The word was sharp, her impatience with Hollis rising every second she was in his presence.

"Beau. You said he was in his room, but he's not. Where is he?"

Adelaide laughed, the sound bitter even to her ears. "How should I know, Hollis? You're the one that's been kissing him."

His footsteps, which had been approaching with growing fervor, halted at her statement. She heard the sharp intake of breath, felt the tension pull tighter between them as he failed to respond.

"That's what I thought," she murmured. "I'll find him. Go away."

She stood, turning to face him as she made her way past. His mouth was open, gaping without a thought to fill it, and his eyes looked rather desperate. Regardless, he allowed her to pass without another words, much to her relief. She had rapidly lost her ability to wait out the torrent that was Hollis on her emotions - the less she dealt with him, the better.

Shouldering the door open, she huffed as she began her search. Her first thought was the kitchen - maybe Hollis had simply missed him, maybe Beaudan had snuck past in an effort to avoid him as she so wished to do. The kitchen was empty, though, its former occupants dispersed somewhere in the house. With a sigh, she trudged up the stairs, aiming to check his room next. The door was open, lights off, and no sign that Beaudan had even been in it the night before. Frowning, she closed the door softly as she contemplated his whereabouts.

He could have left - decided he had had enough emotional turmoil, taken off in the night. But Eden was here, and no matter what duress he was under, she knew he wouldn't be able to depart while his beloved sister was still in the house. As she was about to turn and check the cars, to see if he had left with one of them, she heard the faintest hum of music, off in the distant house that she had yet to explore. Curious, she began to creep towards it, the sound of Tchaikovsky reaching her ears. She wasn't sure of the song, had never been a fan of his, but pushed forward nonetheless, drawn to the melodic tune.

In the far recess of the house, she found a door cracked open. Pushing it gently, she took in the large room, elegant in its appearance and smelling of tobacco. Something else whispered at the back of her mind, a scent she knew but couldn't place as she ventured further into the uncharted room.

Portraits hung along the walls, framed by bookcases and shelves filled with antique trinkets that had seen better days - now dust-coated and weary, Adelaide could see the grandeure they once held. As she moved forth, the smell of lavender and cedar enticed her, willing her to follow it - to another door. Wary, she halted for a moment, unsure if she should proceed. After a moment of deliberation, though, she softly stepped forward, steps muted by the plush carpet under her feet.

The door was open, and as she peered in, she was relieved to see Beaudan - weary lines etched across his face, but he was still here. "Beau," she breathed with a relieved sigh. She stepped into the room quickly, paying no mind to what he was doing until -

The scent of lavender and cedar came from the quickly diminishing bubbles, scantily covering Beaudan's submerged form. A flush rose to her cheeks, hands flying to cover her eyes as she let out a pathetic squeak. "Sorry, sorry, I just- we didn't know where you were and-"

At the sound of a faint laugh, she peeked through her fingers to look at him. He was looking at her now, a small smile playing on his lips as she stuttered against her words. Spite rose in her, and she dropped her hands with a huff, placing them on her hips instead. She allowed her eyes to rove over his sumberged form - it was nothing she hadn't seen before, after all.

Despite this, she couldn't help the flutter that kicked in her stomach at his form, chiseled to perfection and laden with muscle. She could see the tan lines on his skin, the way his hips curved, pointing towards-

No, no. She wasn't thinking like that anymore. Wasn't allowed to see Beaudan like that, as beautiful as he was. Her eyes snapped back to his face, mouth curved into a frown as she stared at him with a fire she hadn't felt until very recently.

"Hollis is looking for you. As wonderful as your bath looks, I recommend you come grace the rest of the household with your presence, even for a moment."

She was grateful that her voice did not waver, did not betray the emotion she felt welling up as she stood in the doorway. She should leave, should turn and depart before her feelings got the upper hand, but she couldn't frozen to the spot as she looked at the boy before her.

"I should go," she murmured, despite her body's unwillingness to cooperate. She was rooted to the spot, though, waiting for Beaudan to say something, anything else, to beg her to stay, tell her to go. She couldn't decide what she wanted.

She needed him to decide for her, and it pained her to no end.

January 11, 2025 07:54 PM

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The squeak of the door broke through Beau’s tenuous peace, his face twisting in irritation. This was supposed to be *his* moment of quiet, a bubble of stillness he rarely allowed himself, and now it was about to be invaded. He stayed still, save for his dark eyes flicking toward the entrance, hoping it was one of his brothers. They’d likely spare him any fuss, ignoring that he was soaking in a bath he probably wasn’t supposed to be using. He prayed it wasn’t Eden, who would undoubtedly shriek and flounce out, accusing him of some egregious breach of propriety.

But Hollis? Hollis was a whole other story. If it *was* him, Beau’s next move would be to grab one of the fluffy towels beside the tub and cover himself in record time to avoid a knowing grin and the inevitable teasing that would follow.

It wasn’t any of them.

The figure who stepped into the room was Adelaide.

Beau tensed, his irritation giving way to surprise as he watched her cross the threshold. Her sweet, concerned voice softly said his name, and for a moment, he was taken aback by the relief that shone in her eyes. People had been looking for him. Worrying about him. The realization gnawed at the darker parts of his mind, the ones that told him no one would care if he slipped away unnoticed.

It took him a second to process it, and by then, her cheeks flushed as she registered the situation. He was in the bath. She stood there, embarrassed but trying to play it cool, her gaze darting everywhere but at him.

The soft laugh that escaped his lips was involuntary, his amusement twined with a flicker of something deeper, more intimate. "What’s the matter, Addie?" he teased, tipping his head to the side. "You’ve seen me like this before."

Her initial fluster melted away, replaced by a different look entirely. Her gaze lingered longer this time—down his shoulders, across his chest, and lower. Beau’s lips curled into a smirk. She might have tried to bury whatever had once been between them, but in this moment, it was clear she hadn’t forgotten.

Good.

The thought was a strange sort of balm to his bruised ego. Maybe she hadn’t been so quick to move on, to replace him with someone safer, steadier. Maybe he still had some claim to the warmth that had once burned between them.

*"Hollis is looking for you,"* she had said, her tone seeming devoid of emotion. *"As wonderful as your bath looks, I recommend you come grace the rest of the household with your presence, even for a moment."*

Beau leaned back into the cooling water, trailing his fingers through the last remnants of bubbles. He hummed in response, a low, noncommittal sound. He let his gaze roam now, tracing the lines of her face, the curve of her shoulders, down to where her jeans hugged her legs.

Then he tilted his head back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“They don’t want to see me anyway,” he murmured. His voice was softer now, almost resigned. “But you still found me. Maybe not by choice,” he added, his gaze returning to hers, his eyes dark and searching. “But you’re here.”

For a moment, the air between them felt charged, an unspoken question hanging there.

“The water’s cold now, pretty girl,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “Not like it was that night in the hot tub.”

Beau was pretty sure her breath hitched, but he couldn't be sure, not in this moment, but the memory was lighting her eyes just as it was flickering through his mind. That night had been the first time he’d let her past his walls, showing her the pieces of himself he’d always hidden. The night that everything between them had changed. And then he'd ruined it.

He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the edge of the tub as his smirk softened into something more genuine, more dangerous.

“Can you guess what I’m thinking about?”

January 18, 2025 11:20 PM

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"Can you guess what I'm thinking about?"

The words threw her, a sense of deja vu washing over her that she tried her best to fight. The last time he had asked that...

What was she supposed to do? Addie stood for a moment, mouth shut, as she debated. She was torn - should she leave the room, do the smart thing, let him be? Or should she do what her body screamed at her to do, begged her to do?

She had already been through so much with Beaudan, had fought for him, lost him, mourned him - all in the span of a week or two, though it felt like eternity. His betrayal still ran deep, wounding her in ways she wasn't able to comprehend.

With a sigh, she stepped further into the room, allowing her gaze to peruse his naked form once more. This time, she grinned, a sly smile that turned the corners of her lips.

"You're thinking about how much you wish the water was still warm," she began, purring the words as she knelt next to him. "That if it were still warm, perhaps you would... invite me in? I'd say yes, of course. I'll always say yes to you.

"You're thinking about how I would look in the water with you, how it would feel to be close to me." Her fingers skimmed the surface, disrupting the few bubbles that remained as she neared his skin, barely skating past it.

"About how much you wish I would strip, right here before you, and get into the water."

This time, her fingers grazed his arm, and she felt him shudder beneath her. Her grin grew, eyes finally moving to meet his as she allowed the scene to unfold.

She leaned in, nearly bridging the gap between them. Her breath puffed across his face as their noses touched, before she abruptly stood, shaking the water droplets from her skin. "It's a shame I have no plan to do so, Beaudan. Get out and come downstairs."

She whirled, exiting the room with confident steps as she left Beaudan in the bath. She had seen the brief look of confusion on his face before she turned, and she couldn't help but relish in her small victory as she made her way to the main hall. He still wanted her, she knew that before she had sought him out, but to see the desire, the need etched into his face caused her to feel high on elation as she pranced down the stairs.

If he wanted to play with her feelings, it was only fair that she did the same.

She ignored the pang in her chest, pushed away that aching feeling of wanting Beaudan as much as he wanted her. She wouldn't think about it now, couldn't allow herself to slip back so easily. He needed to fight a bit harder if he wanted her to return.

"Dallas," she called, voice echoing in the silent halls. "I need your help!"

Seconds later, the younger boy skidded around a corner, coming to a stop in front of her with a grin.

"No, wipe that look off your face," Adelaide chided, wagging a finger at him. "I've done my due diligence with boy wonder and his plaything today. We've got a mission."

Dallas' face fell slightly at her chastising, but he quickly regained him charm. "What are we doing? Bank heist? Arson? Oh, Addie, don't tell me you've committed murder!"

Adelaide laughed, smacking him lightly on the arm. "No, not nearly that exciting. Your grandfather left me a plot of the cellar. I need to go down there today, figure out why he gave me the stupid paper. As much as I love Italy, I'm growing quite tired of the company here."

Dallas huffed his agreement, motioning for her to lead the way to her room. As the two walked, she began to plan.

She either needed to leave Italy, or get Hollis to leave them alone. And Adelaide hadn't seen the city yet - she refused to part with the villa until she had experienced the culture around it, which left her with one option.

Hollis needed to hate Beaudan, and fast. The only question was how she would manage it.

January 19, 2025 01:34 PM