Roisin stood close, her breath mingling with his as he whispered, "Roisin... we can't."
A sly smile played on her lips, a seductive curve that made Ezra swallow hard. His eyes shimmered with a mix of longing and admiration, and she could see the battle he was fighting within himself.
The more they met behind these hidden doors, the more she became addicted to him. The sloppy, wet kisses they shared left her desperate for more, her heart yearning for the heated moments to repeat, again and again. In her mind, she had already claimed him as hers.
"Shhh," she hushed him softly, her arms sliding around his neck, pulling him closer. His scent, the depth of his green eyes, and that smile of his—it all felt intoxicating, as if she could lose herself in him forever.
Their faces were mere inches apart now, and she felt his rough, large hands move over the smooth fabric of her satin red dress, gripping her waist tightly. He pulled her into him, his lips crashing down onto hers in a fierce kiss.
"Fuck it, Roisin," he breathed against her lips as his tongue met hers in a heated dance. She smiled into the kiss, savoring every second.
She wished it could always be like this, always with Ezra. Every time their lips touched, the world seemed to fade away. Time stood still, her heart skipped a beat, and she felt utterly weak in his arms. Nothing else mattered—the loud noises from their families, the singing and laughing that echoed just beyond the kitchen doors—none of it could pull her away from him.
Ezra's kisses were like black holes, drawing her in until she lost all sense of gravity, making her feel utterly lost in him. She bit his lower lip playfully, teasing him further.
"Have you seen Ezra?" The voice of Ate Elizabeth pierced through the fog of desire. Her footsteps grew louder, nearing the door.
Ezra was still deep in their kiss, oblivious to the approaching danger. They would be caught if they didn't stop this madness.
She reluctantly pushed him away, her breath ragged as she whispered, "Someone's coming, Ezi—"
But before she could finish, he silenced her with another kiss, then quickly grabbed her by the waist, pulling her along as they dashed up the hallway. The adrenaline coursed through her veins, the thrill of nearly being caught adding to the excitement.
Once inside her room, Ezra locked the door with urgency. He looked at her for a brief moment, his eyes burning with intensity, before his lips found hers again. His hands traced the curve of her back, then moved to draw slow, tantalizing circles at her waist.
They made out for several more minutes before finally pulling away, their breaths coming in heavy gasps. An awkward silence settled between them as they caught their breath. Roisin tried to break it with a sweet call of his name.
"Ezi," she murmured, her voice soft.
His expression was cold, but it only made her smile. It was always the same reaction, every time.
He stood, straightening his clothes with a calm demeanor. He was always like this—his smiles were for everyone else, his kindness extended to everyone but her.
But Roisin couldn't blame him. She had forced him into this. Ezra had always been her obsession, a fixation that had dug itself deep into her soul, making it impossible for her to let him go.
And if this was the only way she could keep him close, so be it.
"Let's stop this, Roisin," he said, his voice flat and emotionless.
"Is it not enough?" she teased, her tone playful yet tinged with something darker. "Do you want to go all the way?"
Sometimes, she felt the sting of his treatment, but she knew it was her own doing. These were the consequences of having him in this way.
The room was dark, but she could see his face grow even darker with anger.
"I'm tired of this. I don't even love you," he spat out.
The words cut deep, but Roisin maintained her composure. "What you say doesn't matter to me, Ezi. You love Pauline, don't you? Just bear with me a little longer until I'm done with you," she replied with a wicked smile. He looked at her with disgust, shaking his head before walking out the door.
As soon as he was gone, her legs shook, and she felt the tears threatening to spill, but she forced herself to smile instead.
The truth was, she never planned to keep Ezra forever. They had made a deal—three months of this, and then it would be over. Only one month and three weeks left, and she would let him go, free to love Pauline completely, even though she knew the truth about her.
A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Savi, Mommy said to come down," her stepsister Abigail called out from the other side, her voice distracted as she texted on her latest iPhone.
Roisin opened the door, meeting her sister’s disinterested gaze. Abigail gave her a glance before turning to leave, but Roisin grabbed her arm, forcing her to face her. She gave Abigail an icy glare before walking past her, leaving her fuming.
"Bitch!" Abigail hissed, but Roisin just smiled, feeling a small victory in putting her sister in her place.
Downstairs, Roisin joined her father and his friends—Tito Jaq, Tito Wendel, Tito Hunter, and Tito Ren—as they chatted and drank whiskey. Ezra was nowhere to be seen, but Ate Elizabeth was there with Tita Ellie, Ezra's mother, along with Tita Coreen, Tita Mina, and Tita Rosenda, Abigail's mom.
"Oh, Savi, my unica hija! Come here!" her father called out with a smile. Roisin approached, greeting them all with respect.
"She's grown into such a beautiful young lady, Vice!" Tito Jaq remarked, pride evident in his voice.
Roisin smiled politely as the adults praised her, but her mind was elsewhere. She knew the dynamics of these gatherings all too well—old friends and family, everyone with their secrets, everyone playing their parts.
"So, Savi, any boys? Boyfriends?" Tito Wendel asked with a grin.
"No boys until 38, Savi," her father grumbled, eliciting laughter from the group.
Roisin merely bowed her head, smiling softly. She could hear laughter coming from outside, and soon her brothers, Salas and Sage, entered with their friends, including Wade, her best friend and almost twin, born on the same day as her.
Wade rushed to her, enveloping her in a tight hug. "Sav, you're home," he murmured, his embrace calming her in a way nothing else could.
But even as she smiled and exchanged pleasantries, her thoughts kept drifting back to Ezra. Their secret was still safe, but how much longer could they keep it that way?
