Snow’s Point of View:

I made my way downstairs, clutching the new phone in my hand, my nerves a mix of excitement and unease.

My father had given it to me as a gift—something that still felt strange, almost surreal.

Part of me wondered if it was his way of making up for lost time, or cause of the lie. I wanted to thank him, maybe even have an honest conversation.

But as I reached the landing, my steps slowed, and I stopped, my heart doing a strange flip in my chest.

There, lounging in one of the living room armchairs, was Kingston Grey.

His legs were spread wide, relaxed yet commanding, his shirt unbuttoned enough to reveal the beginning of dark tattoos on his chest.

The designs twisted and turned along his skin, mesmerizing patterns that drew the eye. And his gaze... it was locked onto me with that same piercing intensity, a smirk tugging at his lips as if he’d been waiting just for this moment.

“Hello, my little bunny,” he said, his voice low and smooth, his smirk widening when he saw my reaction.

My heart dropped, and I stared at him, feeling a rush of heat spread through my cheeks. I rubbed my eyes quickly, half-wondering if I was still dreaming. There’s no way he could actually be here, right? But the rich, mocking laugh that escaped his lips confirmed that this was real.

“Looking for your family?” he asked, his voice softening, almost teasing.

I managed a slow nod, too stunned to speak. The words seemed to stick in my throat, my mind reeling from the fact that he was here, in my house, looking far too comfortable.

Before I could even begin to process it, I heard footsteps and glanced over to see my father walking into the room. He looked at me, and his face softened into a rare smile.

“Snow,” he said, his voice warm as he held out his arms. I managed to shake off some of my confusion and walked over, giving him a quick hug.

But my eyes kept drifting back to Kingston, unable to tear myself away from his relaxed, knowing gaze.

Dad noticed my look and cleared his throat. “I believe you’ve already met Grey?” His tone was casual, but I could sense an edge beneath it, a layer of tension that he was trying to hide.

Again, I nodded, still feeling slightly off-balance. “Yes... we met.”

My father seemed to take that as enough and gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder. “Good. Now, go find your brothers, Snow. I have a meeting with Mr. Grey here.”

I hesitated, feeling an odd mix of relief and reluctance. As much as I wanted to escape, part of me wanted to stay, to understand why Kingston was here, sitting in my living room as if he owned the place. But my father’s tone left no room for argument.

“Alright,” I said softly, taking a step back. I clutched the phone in my hand, reminding myself of the reason I’d come downstairs in the first place. “Thank you, Dad... for the phone.”

He gave a faint smile, though his attention was already shifting back to Kingston. “You’re welcome, Snow.”

As I turned to leave, I heard Kingston’s voice again, a playful note in his tone. “Goodbye, little bunny,” he said, his smirk only deepening.

I resisted the urge to look back, but the words stayed with me, echoing in my mind.

There was something infuriatingly charming about him, something that made my pulse quicken in ways I didn’t understand.

Why would a man like him be so... good-looking? I found myself wondering, though the thought irritated me even more.

I walked down the hall, trying to shake off the encounter, but I couldn’t get his image out of my mind.

The tattoos, the smirk, the way he looked at me as if he knew exactly how much he was affecting me. And then there was the way he called me “little bunny,” like he knew me better than I knew myself.

“Get it together, Snow,” I mumbled to myself, clutching the phone tighter as I headed toward the back of the house. I needed to find my brothers, to clear my head and focus on something—anything—that didn’t involve Kingston Grey.

But as much as I tried, I had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time he’d make me feel this way.