Vance's POV

I had just promised Nadia a fresh tart and it really did seem like a way to move on.


It would be a disaster if news about how I visited Talia everyday spread. I don't think I'd ever not feel embarrassed if Nadia knew how many times I wanted the thought of seeing Talia again. How many times I touched myself on Talia's grave,fantasizing it was her doing it to me.

How I already had an unhealthy obsession with her and always dashed out of the palace like I was in such a hurry, sometimes even neglecting important duties, just to be with Nadia before the sin got too hot.

A silly little scare yesterday brought me to my senses.


I had just finished speaking to Talia in what I thought to be my mind, apparently, it was quite voluminous, silly me went ahead to imagine that the echoes were in my head and not the cemetery.

Rustling leaves and falling branches brought me back to my senses as I quickly put together what was left of my consciousness and stood up to face whoever it was.


The squirrel jumped out of the tree it was taking shelter and dashed on my face. I fought it off immediately, but only after sustaining a few scratches.

It obviously is something I would not relate even if my life depended on it, but it really taught me something.

I raced out like a mad man, but only after promising Talia that even though I knew I had to chill out with the visits and unspeakable things I did with her in her death, I'd never forget her.

Ridden with guilt, I kinda already made up my mind to fix things up with Nadia so I could at least move on.

She must be surprised that I asked no questions about her and Landon, while I have my suspicions, I'm honestly in no place to question or even judge her. I'm going to let that, whether it happened or not, slide and move on.

'It's been almost six months." I said to her, I knew we were both busy in our heads, and overthinking is the one thing that I didn't want to have her do.

'Yeah. Six very rough months." She responded finally. 'In retrospect, it does feel like I've been with six different people."

I gave a long throaty laugh that took more than three conscious efforts to stop. Something about how she said it was absurdly humorous. Sad stuff was she's actually quite correct.

'I know right." That was my dry response. I was doing all the talking to myself in my head.

'Is there anything I could do to keep helping you get better?" Nadia asked. It was a pretty innocent question, but something about it just didn't seem right with me.

The fact that I was the one spearheading everything doesn't mean that I accept to carry all the guilt for how our marriage turned out. I mean, she has a fair share in it too. She had days where she'd storm out and angry and crawl back in when she pleased.

And now, it's me who needs to be worked on. Who needs assistance and help, pretty rich. I kept still and did not say a word.

'Babe?" She called out to me.

I then reasoned that maybe I was making things weird and taking it farther than I was supposed to. Worse case scenario, I could flip it back on her.

'Yeah, yeah." I was lost for words because I didn't initially plan on replying. 'Let's just see how it goes." I said finally.

'I can work with that." She replied and put her head back in position.

I could take this as a sign to back out and keep being the mad Alpha I was almost turning to, or as the distraction I actually need to take my mind off…off her. I'd rather the latter.

'I miss this. I miss you, I miss us." Nadia said in one breath, snuggling closer.

'If you come any closer, you'd be inside me." I joked with her.

'Who said I didn't want that?" Nadia whined. 'I'd just rather it the other way round though." Her index finger traveled lightly down my stomach.

'As much as I want to turn you upside down and fill you with my seed, I'd also love to take it slow, this time around. We aren't rushing, are we?" I asked her.

She seemed content enough with my reason and stopped tracing imaginary patterns from my neck to the upper part of my boxer. I enjoyed it, but I actually wanted to take things slower this time around. We had all the time in the world. I didn't want to be done with it and started asking myself ‘what next?'.

'Slow it is then. Slow burn." She said resignedly. 'Am I the only one who feels like we need to get busier?" Nadia continued after what I think would be less than a minute.

'Yeah.