CHARLOTTEI tried to keep myself occupied the entire day. It was the only way to keep my mind off the situations unfolding around me. The realities I’d been trying so hard to wrap my head around while avoiding them at the same time. But one thing I had to keep reminding myself of was the fact that Taide and I weren’t together. We weren’t a couple… despite recent events. What—or who—he did, was none of my business. He helped me out at a time of need. That was all it was. Probably all it ever would be. We weren’t friends either. That I knew for certain. And yet… Every time the image of the girl on his bed popped into my mind, I felt like clawing it out with silver. Burning it with wildfire so it never dared to come up again. This completed mate bond was turning me into a person I truly didn’t recognize. I wasn’t new to the concept of the triplets and their women. Hell, one of them was already engaged. They flaunted the very fact that girls flocked around them with thin reservat
CHARLOTTTEThe question was loaded as it hung in the air between us. I didn’t let myself breathe because suddenly, I felt suspended mid-air, trying desperately to find my footing. He could brush me off, give me an answer that proved just how way over my head I had gotten. He could do it, and we could put this entire thing behind us. But I was looking at a version of Taide I had never seen before. One I couldn’t predict. One who could respond to the question I had just voiced with the words I had just heard fall from his lips, as he breathed out, “You know why.” “But I don’t,” I found myself saying. “I don’t know what’s going on inside your head when you do the things you do. I don’t know why you built me this bookshelf,” I gestured to my left wall, “I don’t know why you’re here, why you feel you need to be here after… after…” “After I had sex with someone else?” I swallowed down the rest of my sentence, hearing him complete the words I couldn’t speak myself. A wave of unease ro
CHARLOTTEI lifted my hand to knock, then dropped it after a second of hesitation. I really shouldn’t have been there. After the conversation we had yesterday, the last thing I should’ve been doing was sneaking over to his room and pacing around, hoping and praying he would let me in. But there I was, doing exactly that. I’d spent last night without him, and surprisingly, I wasn’t haunted by nightmares or anything like that. But my sleep wasn’t peaceful either. Instead of resting, my mind kept circling around one thing—or rather, one person. Taide. Which was probably why I ended up outside his room again. I let out a breath to muster the courage and rapped my fist against the door before I could think better of it. It was when I’d stepped back from the door to wait for him to answer that I realized there was a likelihood he wouldn’t open it. And let’s say he did? What exactly was going to happen? I didn’t have much time to dig too deeply into my intentions because the door op
CHARLOTTEI stifled a gasp at the feel of his hands on me. Trailing down the column of my neck. Reaching down to cup one of my sensitive breasts in his large hands. The calloused digits grazing against my heated flesh. His voice, raspy and deep, as I felt it right by my ear, “Charlotte…” I let out a low moan and pressed my hips against his, eager for some friction, anything that would soothe the ache between my legs. He reached down and slid a hand into the waistline of my pajamas… The pleasure suddenly faded to nothing as my eyes flew open. I sat up with a gasp. My heart was still racing in my chest, and the heat between my legs was still very much there. I placed a hand on my chest and tried to calm my racing heart, stunned not only by what I had dreamed but also by how real everything had felt. I ran a hand through my damp hair, and it was only when I could no longer hear my pulse pounding in my ears that I realized I wasn’t the only one in my room. I jumped the next sec
CHARLOTTE At the point of contact, my knees damn near gave out on me.It was soft, and gentle. Just like the feel of his lips on mine.I reveled in it.But it still didn’t stop me from noticing how rigid Taide had gone.He remained frozen and immobile.Part of me understood it; I caught him off guard. But I was too taken by the feel of his lips on mine to stop or pull away.Right then, it felt like everything that had happened around me was leading to this exact moment.His hands hovered at my sides as though he didn’t know what to do with them, as if he was afraid that the moment he touched me, I’d flinch back and break away from this.I could feel his surprise, confusion, and reluctant restraint. But more than anything, I could feel the desire that was starting to match my own.And maybe that’s what gave me the confidence I needed.I raised my trembling hands to his face and gently cupped his jaw. My movements felt like they mostly weren’t mine, merely actions fueled by a mix of de
CHARLOTTE I vaguely realized this morning that I needed to try putting myself back together after the absolute insanity that was spring break. The school would be back in session in two weeks, and it felt almost unbelievable that two weeks from now, I was expected to just slip back into my old routine of going to and from classes most of the week. It didn’t help that normally, with resumption creeping up this closely, I’d be darting about second-hand shops in search of books and as many reading materials as I could get on discount. My eyes shifted from the carpet to my left wall, or what used to be my left wall. I didn’t really have to worry about doing that anymore, and from the piles of books stacked up on that thing, I probably wouldn’t have to worry about doing that for a while. I walked over to the bookshelf and eyed the titles on the spine before lifting my hand and running it over the wood. I rubbed my fingers together, not failing to notice that the shelf had star
CHARLOTTEI crept down the stairs and to the basement, pausing to listen to the sound of screws tightening the closer I got.I landed on the floor and immediately fixed my eyes on the person I had come here to see.Taide, bent over a dismantled, vintage-looking car as he toyed with something under the hood. His arms were lightly streaked with grease, and sweat dripped down his skin as his muscles flexed with movement.I paused to take him in for a moment, but he immediately stiffened at my presence.He always knew when I was near.I waited for him to turn around and acknowledge me, even if it was to send me away. But Taide merely resumed his tinkering, his movements more jerky and distracted now.A sad smirk crawled up my face.I drew closer to him until I was right by his side. Yet, he didn’t bother turning around. “Would be nice if you could at least look up at me.”He didn’t respond to my words. He just continued to tinker with the engine for a moment, then as though my stare burni
24 HOURS AFTER JUNIOR YEAR GRADUATION PRESENT DAY CHARLOTTE Whoever said a person’s world couldn’t go up in flames in the blink of an eye deserves an award. It’s the best lie ever told. I’m standing alone, even though I’m surrounded. By the same people who set out to destroy me ever since I showed up at this school two years ago. I swore they would never succeed. I swore to never let them. Why did I think they would let me go back home for summer break in peace? Three identical pairs of eyes watch me, stalk me, degrade me admist the small crowd. And it takes every marrow in my bones to not shiver under the intensity of the three brothers’ gazes. Once upon a time, one of them taught me what it meant to trust. To love. The other showed me friendship like I’d never known before. And the last… My eyes lift to Caeson’s gaze, nausea settling in my stomach at the venomous triumph sparkling in his cold stare. But now, all I know is pain. I’ll never let you forget wh