MYLESA loud scream echoed through the room, jolting me awake as my eyes snapped open. My panicked, dazed gaze scanned the blurry room, struggling to understand where I was and why it felt so different from my own. And what was the firm hardness pressing into my back...?"OMG, they look like lovebirds," said a light, feminine voice."Aww, sorry, Mila, your crush is obviously your brother's boyfriend.""Shut up and just take pictures. Tristan can't lie his way out of this one," the familiar voice huffed.Then giggling. They sounded distant. An arm wrapped around my frame, the hardness pressing further into my back, warmth enveloping me. I sighed, my drowsy gaze drifting closed again. It felt right... so right..."Oh my God, Mila! Mila! Did you see that?"Wait... Mila... Tristan's sister... birthday... cellar... room. Giggling. Giggling in the room. My lids snapped open, eyes widening at the sight of three girls at the door, one with her camera out."What... What are you..." I stopped w
TRISTANAll it took for Myles to reluctantly agree to accompany us to the rink was Mila giving him that puppy-dog look. He had a soft spot for her, and Mila, ever the opportunist, milked it.Mum surprisingly tagged along, and they all sat in the back seat with Myles, while Al and I listened to their cackles filling the car. Our trips were never this lively. I knew what had changed.At the rink, I realized Mila wasn’t there for me. So, I stood aside with Al, who kept giving me comforting pats on the shoulder as we watched Myles push Mila around.Once or twice, he gave me a wave. The rest of the time, when Mila sat on the pew, trying not to choke on her ice cream, Myles rode her wheelchair.Mum, always exuding class and sophistication, tucked her glasses in and let herself go as Myles wheeled her around the rink."Your father wouldn’t believe this," Al murmured, a crack of amusement in his once stoic face. "Myles just stole all his favorite women."I grumbled in response, knowing that
“… After a session that has lasted so long, I found a couple of gray hairs,” Coach Daniel groaned.There was a rumble of chuckles from the hockey team in the bathroom, most stifling their laughter, but what they couldn’t stifle was the excitement in their eyes.We all had a clue why Coach Daniel had gathered us.“D-Day is next Friday, suckers!” he howled.In the next moment, the dressing room was a chaotic frenzy—boys beating their chests, chanting words I couldn’t make out, diving in all directions with handshakes, pats, and hugs.D-Day. Friday. Twelve days away.Twelve days until my dreams of being picked for the national team could come true. Maybe even another scholarship for college.And the deal with Tristan would finally come to an end.It was something to be thrilled about. Finally, I wouldn’t have to endure his stupid presence. Ha—three wins.Three wins, right?The day before yesterday, I’d walked into my home to find his father sitting on the sofa. I’d been so confused I sto
EROSEros watched her apply her lipstick, scanning the room for something. Then she turned to him, catching him fighting a smile. Jade glowered playfully at him. "You took it, didn’t you?" He dodged her eyes, shrugging. "I don’t know what you’re talking about." She chuckled, the sound soothing his senses. "I can’t believe you. You can’t keep hoarding all my things, you kleptomaniac." She should watch him more carefully. He had a special place for her things—hidden with his guns. A bottle of her shampoo, a comb, her hoodie, hairpins, and, most recently, her body spray. Creepy? Maybe. But he’d do anything to keep a piece of her when she wasn’t around. Even though she’d started spending more time with him lately, it still wasn’t enough. Every time he watched her drive away, a large part of himself went with her. "Fine then," Jade huffed, grabbing his body spray. "I’ll just use yours." He didn’t want her to leave—not just for the night, but permanently. An idea had been nagg
Mum rarely got angry—angry in a way that forced her to lash out. So seeing her shake with rage, her eyes burning with hate as each second passed, was new to me.“Liar!” she screamed at Diego. “You’ve ruined my life—every inch of it! And now, the one thing of Harold’s I have left... You son of a bitch!”I had sensed it all along. Every time he brought her flowers or pretended to help with her shopping, the alarm bells in my head rang. Diego was up to something. So fucking predictable.But the shame on his face dissolved. The real man stood there now, without his mask.“I ruined your life?” he growled, his voice rising with every word. “Are you fucking kidding me, you ungrateful bitch?”“Oh, shut up, Diego. Just shut up!” Mum screamed, her voice trembling as she finally let loose. I flinched. She’d always let him get away with everything. I guess she drew the line at the house.Diego’s face twisted with sick, angry amusement, as though he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.“You know
JADE"Did you see that guy?" The girls whispered in the locker room. "The red-haired guy that sticks with Tristan everywhere? Oh God, what happened to him?"I paused midway through shutting my locker, my book hugged tightly to my chest. Red hair? They had to be talking about Eros. What happened to him? Could that be why he wasn’t picking up my calls? I’d assumed he wasn’t at school—I hadn’t seen him anywhere—and trust me, with that fiery hair, Eros wasn’t exactly hard to spot."I thought it was just a slight limp at first," another voice chimed in, more animated than the first. "Then Mrs. Lydia made him unzip his face mask and, oh my God—"Oh her God, what? My grip on the locker door tightened. What did she mean, "oh my God"?"I bet Tristan did that to him. Maybe they got into a fight," the first voice guessed, already changing the subject. "Hey, are you going to eat this—"I slammed my locker shut with a bang, sending every pair of eyes in the room my way. My heart pounded as I stepp
MYLES Days blurred together like smoke drifting out of a chimney, dissolving amongst the clouds. Before I knew it, like a punch to the gut, it was just two days until D-day. It was overwhelming—juggling exams, practice, and everything unraveling at home. I coped the only way I knew how: shutting down my brain. But even that wasn’t foolproof because the thought of him—of Tristan—always managed to creep in, knocking me completely off balance. It felt like he was avoiding me. Since the day he handed me the gear, he’d stayed out of sight. No calls. No texts. Not a single invitation to come over. I kept telling myself it was for the best, that maybe he couldn’t even wait for D-day to cut ties completely. Yet, when I saw him Tuesday, standing in front of a computer with the principal by the ICT lab, my chest tightened. He noticed me. His eyes locked on mine, and for a moment, everything seemed to halt. Then he smiled—warm, disarming, and utterly confusing. It knocked my thoughts into
MYLESI felt the cold air hit my naked arm as I was yanked out of the bus. When I groaned, they let me go. We'd been riding for an hour, and my legs were cramped up. "Are you okay?" said that gruff voice, just before the bag was pulled off my head. "Yeah," I answered reluctantly, wondering what the hell was going on. For men that had snatched me up against my will, it was as though they were concerned for my well-being. The gruff man leads the way, and I follow. It was not that surprising that we were before El Refugio. The pounding music that usually greeted me was nonexistent; replaced by soft piano notes. Why did that... My brows knit. Why did that reek of Tristan? I raised my head, catching him at the top of the stairs, leaning against the rail with his eyes stuck on me although he had company. I sighed. Of course. He's in a black dress shirt and suit pants that did so much justice to that body. I feel my throat go scorched; even the faint dark circles around his eyes
Hiiii. Blue Haze here. When I started this book, I had no clue where it would drag me — or how deep I’d fall with it. The fact that my first step into this chaos found even a shred of success? Still shocking. But none of it would’ve meant anything without every single one of you. The story isn’t over. There will be a Book Two — and no, I still don’t know if Myles is breathing or rotting (but if you’ve made it this far with me😏, you know hope is a dangerous thing). Thank you for the likes, the comments, and the Gems — they were the only reason I kept going when the story got too...loud. --- BOOK 2 SYNOPSIS Tristan Medici has two goals: burn his uncle’s empire to ash and stand once more on the rooftop where his entire world bled out dead. He was close. Too close. Until the news came — a revelation so impossible, so gutting, it made him want to rip apart the only person he’s ever truly loved. But that was then — when life still held a little innocence...high school. This is no
"...breaking news tonight from St. Augustine Hospital regarding the tragic death of the only son of a local worker. Authorities have confirmed that Astor, 19, fell from the rooftop of this very hospital late last night in what officials are calling an apparent suicide....”More ramblings from the reporter on TV, words I can barely register. I feel like a husk, a husk full of nothingness... as though my soul had been snapped into two.El Refugio is a kaleidoscope of colors; I can barely see the Boss through bloodshot eyes. He shouldn’t be standing this close to me, knowing what I could do.But it seemed as though he understood, for he had his goons surround my chair, while Al sits beside me, watching closely.It was Al who’d broken the news, the first person I saw after I revived in that white, empty room that contained only a bed and the drip attached to my wrist.Ripping it out didn’t hurt as much as it should. The excess bleeding didn’t kill me. Ripping off the soft wallpaper and po
MYLES What more do you have to lose before you realise it isn't meant to be...Myles... your mum is gone... her heart failed and...'...You should have left me there, why do you have to bring me out...''I'm sorry.''...What are you doing...''Retribution.'I'm at the center of her ward, shoulders slumped, staring at the empty hospital bed as if she might still be here, and all I needed to do was just wait and soon I'll be hearing her voice...Carino, are you okay, Carino...But... she's gone.I knew it before the mayor said it. The way he had clenched at the wheel, his voice when he cursed, hollow and weak, with every word he dropped, it lost meaning.I should have sensed it sooner though, when Diego dropped all of those cryptic words before he pulled the trigger on his own self. It was all because of this.Retribution."Sir," the nurse beside me breaks the silence, the pity in her eyes looking at me frozen on the floor, "You need to get treated."I looked back at the bed, feeling m
*You first.*I shut my eyes. I think of my mum, Tristan, and Jade, wishing I’d actually spent my time with them instead of hiding away like a maniac. Maybe in another life…Another bang. I stay still, waiting for the pain to hit, but once again, it doesn’t. I’m still on the floor, brows knitting in confusion, listening to grunts, fists slamming hard against skin, muscle, and bone—then curses. One voice sounded like…Diego?I opened my eyes, and there he was—my stepfather, right on top of Connor. The gun was out of reach beside them, and Diego’s fists slammed hard against Connor’s face. It hit me then—Diego was a burly man, something I never really noticed before.Did he come to save me? Pigs couldn’t fly though, so I had to be dreaming…“Get off me, swine,” Connor struggled, but either Diego’s sudden rage was overpowering, or Connor was too dazed from all the beating.The gunfire outside resumed.“I told you,” Diego roared into Connor’s face, “I told you I was gonna get you if you dou
MYLESNo way out…The only window is barricaded with iron rods, ones I had desperately tried to pull down. But the air from the window gave me a clue as to where we really are — the salty scent of the ocean brushing past my nose.There’s nowhere to run to; the walls are thick. It’s been hours since I was left here, without anyone coming to check on me. Every time I hear footsteps, my heart skips, waiting for the lock to shift, but there’s nothing — just the sound of their footsteps retreating.I’m still groggy, so after hours of pacing, I’m seated at the far end of the room, watching the door, waiting for the last step I’d hear before it all goes blank.I wrap my arms around my knees, shutting my eyes. Mum… Was she okay? Hopefully, the mayor was there and wouldn’t let Diego move her.Perhaps she’d be alright… Perhaps I should think of myself and not Tristan. But I can’t stop — can’t stop wondering if staying away was the right choice. And now, like everything that involved me, he was
DOMENICO"Nico... Nico, what the hell are you doing? You know this won't work."Nico felt the cold chill run down his spine as the voice filtered into his ears, trying to infiltrate his numb senses."What do you know, brother?" he muttered, watching the smoke swirl up to the ceiling. "This isn't politics where you seduce your way into things."Nico stared at the city from his window. In Viktor's background, he could pick up the faint noise of traffic and his own car blazing down the road. He didn't need to be told he was being tracked.So predictable."Nico...""I can't get the memories out of my head." His voice was quiet, eyes on the light far away. "You used to drive so fast to get me out of trouble, arriving just seconds before I got my head blown off."Nico rubbed at his eyes, the silence on the other end of the line too loud. It settled — the ghost of another time, memories he couldn't even reach.He let out a small chuckle. "The bar fights, we used to do it together. Remember w
TRISTAN "Where the hell is the Boss?!" I growled, slamming my fist against the thick glass demarcation. "You fucking tell me where the Boss is right now!" But the goon keeping watch only took a long look in my direction, shook his head, and walked out the door. My throbbing fists clenched against the glass. This… all of this was frustrating. Being dragged here, Nico ignoring me, throwing me into this compartment that felt like a damn asylum… and worst of all, not knowing how Myles was faring. All of it fueled my pacing, my yelling—despite knowing no one could hear me. There was a telephone on the wall at my side, the only way to communicate with the outside. But in my rage and fear, I couldn’t think clearly. I’d tried pleading once, but the goons had looked straight through me, as if I were a ghost, before stepping out. There was no way to escape. This place didn’t even have windows. Punching the glass was useless—my knuckles had already begun to bleed. I raked my finge
TRISTANThe phone pressed to my ear wasn’t mine, but from it seeped my uncle’s voice. He sounded strange—void—and with every word he spilled, it dawned on me why there were three goons behind me, pressing a gun to the back of my head. "Follow them peacefully," the boss ordered. My brows hardened and knit together, my eyes narrowing at the florist, who kept giving us nervous glances, but not once did she reach for the phone to call the police. They had warned her… or she understood the atmosphere’s language and realized it was better to stay out of it. "Cut it out, Uncle," I gritted out, the flowers hanging loosely in my hold. "Can we do this later? After I take Myles to the hospital?" There was silence for seconds before his voice came on again. "Look back at the car, Tristan. Do you really think you're in a spot to negotiate right now?" What did he mean by—? Myles was staring at me, his jaw set, his eyes soft yet unreadable. Beside him, Jade was climbing out, her hand
EROSWhat was there to look at? Nothing interesting at all. Just his father strolling out of his brother's apartment, expression sullen and knuckles dripping blood that wasn't his.Guess there was a limit to the incompetency love makes you take. Sometimes you just get to hit your favorite things even when it hurts you.He was curious what his reaction would be when he found that thing dead.On the fence shrouded by tall trees, Eros watched his father wipe the blood off his hands. Then, flinging the hanky behind him, he turned to two of the goons, barking out orders.Eros pulled his hoodie up, eyes still a little drowsy from his escapade at Tristan's condo. He waited... patiently... any moment now.The old man's eyes scanned the house one last time. Then his phone rang, and he slipped into the car with his men, and the car sped off.Eros smiled... this was it.With a couple of moves, face mask set in place and the smooth, cold steel against him, he dropped down to the floor, still shro