CHARLOTTE“Take ‘em off. Shoes aren’t allowed.”As I climbed down the stairs, I heard Taide’s voice, most likely talking to one of the numerous guards stationed at the house.They really weren’t joking.It felt like every time I looked out a window, I saw a man dressed in a pressed suit, a pair of d
I felt like there was more that could have been said, but I didn’t push him. Instead, I leaned back into the couch and ruminated on his words. That was when something else struck me. “Isn’t Sean your dad’s enforcer’s son?”Taide’s smile widened even more as he replied, “He is. Eventually, we all bec
CHARLOTTE“I hate bowling.”I grumbled as I sat down next to Taide.He laughed a little, but his eyes didn’t drift from where Reigh and Madeline were still engaged in a seemingly tense game. Taide and I both seemed to be terrible at bowling given our string of losses, so after being knocked out of
CHARLOTTEThe moment King Auric stepped out, the tension in the room dissipated into nothing.Reigh moved from his spot near Taide and I, and crossed the room to where Caeson stood with Madeline. With furrowed brows, he paused, scanning Caeson from head to toe. Then he lifted a hand, like he was abo
CHARLOTTE“Where’d you get all this?” I signed, eyeing my sister’s new array of toys and gifts with both curiosity and worry.Da’ana excitedly picked up the dolls and dresses to show them to me, not seeming to read the expression on my face. “I have a new… friend,” she spoke. She sounded a lot more
CHARLOTTE“You’re getting lazy,” I commented and snatched an apple from the bowl on the table. Reigh smirked, but he didn’t give me any more of a reaction than that. Instead, he continued to slice apples and lay them out on a separate plate. I fought the urge to toss the apple at his head and let
“It’s a full moon.” I looked up, but he was still strumming his guitar. Taide’s hand on my hair instantly stopped moving. “And what about it?” he asked slowly. Something in his tone told me it would be better if Reigh didn’t carry on with this topic of conversation. But he did. Reigh looked off
I watched with fascination as their wolves circled and rubbed against each other, like some animal form of greeting before taking off into the woods.I watched them run until I couldn’t see them anymore. And even then, the cool breeze didn’t tamper down the heat that rose in my chest.I was aware o
He hadn’t even raised his voice, yet despite the distance, his words carried like he had just whispered them in my ear. Seductive and bitter. My damnation. “But you made it too easy, Harlot. You almost ruined the fun.” Harlot. It was the first time I had heard him call me that in months. All
But then again, what made me think I knew what strange was for Reigh? Yesterday had taught me that I really didn’t know anything about the brothers I had given my heart to. Caeson pulled away from the small crowd, ever the individualist. Always the grand tormentor. He refused to let me walk
No. It fucking burned. “I’d say I’ll miss you, Charlotte,” he continued, only loud enough for me to hear, “but I never lie.” No, he didn’t. Except when he did. “Go home, Charlotte,” he said with finality, pulling away from me. His words were soft, but his eyes were not. I could see the w
They were there to see me off. To remind me never to show my face on their turf again. But I refused to let myself be bossed around by the same people who had taken it upon themselves to ruin my life. Fuck the Deviltree. Fuck their elite group of preppy rich kids who had only made it this f
PRESENT DAY CHARLOTTE Whoever said a person’s world couldn’t go up in flames in the blink of an eye deserved an award. It was the best lie ever told. I stood alone, even though I was surrounded—by the same people who had set out to destroy me ever since I showed up at this school two years a
I started pacing the room, my mind racing through the words I’d planned to say. I knew I had to be strong, I had to tell her the truth, even if it was going to hurt her. “Madeline,” I said, my voice rough. “Sit down.” Her brows furrowed in confusion, but she did as I asked. She perched on the edge
24 HOURS BEFORE JUNIOR YEAR GRADUATION REIGH I arrived at the clinic with a weight on my chest, one I hadn’t been able to shake since the night before. The door clicked shut behind me as I stepped inside, and I had to remind myself to breathe. The lobby was empty, save for a flickering TV mo
Vance’s expression didn’t change, but I saw his jaw tighten, just a little. He was listening. I could tell he understood what that meant. He didn’t need me to spell it out. He knew what our father was capable of. Vance’s father, Bernard, had worked for ours for as long as I could remember. And Vanc
48 HOURS BEFORE JUNIOR YEAR GRADUATION REIGH I slammed the door shut behind me, the sharp thud echoing in the quiet morning air. I didn’t wait to see Caeson drive off. It was like we were all just going through the motions, pretending we weren’t about to destroy the one thing that mattered m