Lucas POVI slip away from Alissia, the cool midday air clinging to my skin as I leave her sitting on that bench, her mind clearly spinning from our conversation. She has no idea what she’s getting into. That much is obvious from the way her eyes widened when I explained what happens during a real murder—the mess, the loss of control. She probably thought it was like in the movies, neat and clean. But it’s not. Death is chaos.The way her expression changed when I told her about the bodily fluids—that was when I knew. She thinks it’s simple. She thinks I walk in, shoot someone, and it’s over. But it’s never that easy. Murder is an art, and like any masterpiece, it requires time, patience, and precision. In a way, it’s a lot like stalking. Not the person necessarily, but the location, the details. Everything has to be perfect.She probably doesn’t realize how much planning goes into each kill. You don’t just grab a gun and take someone out. That’s amateur work. No, you have to get insi
Alissia POVWhen I get back, the apartment is empty. Jenni’s not home, and honestly, that’s good. I need the quiet, the space, the time to process everything that’s happened. I need to type it all out while it’s still fresh in my mind, while the adrenaline is still buzzing in my veins.I open my laptop and begin typing, my fingers moving quickly over the keys. My mind is racing, replaying everything—the guy I just met, how he spoke, the way he moved, the sharpness in his eyes, and the cold edge to his voice.I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t hot. He was... really hot.I pause for a second, letting the image of him fill my mind. He was tall, with a broad, muscular build, a rugged face shadowed by a thick beard that somehow made him look even more dangerous. Tattoos peeked out from under the sleeves of his leather jacket, crawling up his neck and down his arms, like stories inked into his skin. And those eyes—dark, intense, like they could see right through me. His whole presence screame
Alissia POVMy heart pounds in my chest as I make my way to the door, hesitating for just a second before pulling it open.A man stands there, his face impassive, holding out a box.“Yes?” I whisper, feeling the uneasy twist in my stomach.“Boss said you need to wear this tonight,” he says, handing me the box without another word. Before I can ask anything else, he turns and walks away, leaving me in the doorway holding the box.Boss? Tonight? My mind reels. He must mean the guy I met this morning—the one I’ve been calling Jackson. I glance back at my laptop, wondering if the stalker hacker had anything to do with this, but it seems quiet.Great, I think, sighing. Now he’s giving me gifts.I walk back inside, placing the box on the tab
Alissia POVWhen I walk through the door, Jenni’s waiting for me, arms crossed and eyes full of curiosity.“You’re alive,” she teases with a slight laugh, her eyebrows raising.I groan, tired of the same reaction every time I return from one of these insane meetings. “Yes, and I’ve got all fingers and toes still attached,” I reply, wiggling my fingers at her for effect.“Are you sure they’re real and not just randoms playing pretend to get your attention?” she asks, a more serious note in her voice this time.I hadn’t considered that, but something about the way these men carry themselves, the chilling confidence, tells me they aren’t pretending. “I’m sure they’re not playing pretend. There’s no way they’re faking that.”She nods slowly, eyeing me cautiously. “I was reading your work,” she says, pointing to my laptop screen.My stomach drops, and I wince. “About that,” I say, walking over to close the file on the lapt
Alissia POVAs I stand back and take in the full picture in the mirror, I barely recognize myself. I look like someone else—someone bolder, darker.What am I getting myself into?“Woah,” Jenni’s voice snaps me back to reality. She stares at me, eyes wide. “Goddamn, Alissia, he’s dressing you up like the main meal. I’m just putting it out there.”I groan and roll my eyes at her comment.“You think I’m joking? Guarantee he’s planning to eat you, not dinner,” she smirks, clearly enjoying herself.“I don’t even know if we’re having food,” I mutter, still unsure of what tonight even entails. The dress doesn’t exactly scream ‘Don lesson.’ Maybe it’s a formal event? Or is this part of
Demitri POVI should’ve chosen the dress. Axel warned me not to get too involved, but the one they picked? It’s damn close to what I would have selected. Maybe I should’ve told them no slit, make sure it covers her shoulders—something a bit less revealing. But here we are, and she’s sitting there with the dress hugging her curves, the slit revealing just enough of her legs to make it impossible to concentrate.I try to focus on tonight’s business, but the way she’s seated, both her legs are showing in a way that has my attention splitting in two. Axel catches my eye in the rearview mirror, giving me a knowing smirk, as if he can sense the internal battle I’m facing.There are a few reasons for tonight. First, I want her to feel what it’s like for the characte
Alissia POVThe meal went… well? I’m not entirely sure. Twice, Demitri’s hand gripped my dress, covering my exposed thigh as if the sight of my skin was too much for him to bear. The second time, he held it so tightly, his fist clenched in the fabric like it physically hurt him to let me be exposed.Why does he care so much? If he didn’t want my leg on display, maybe he should’ve chosen a different dress? Now, it’s just the two of us left at the table, and he turns toward me, his sharp eyes catching mine.“Each day my work changes,” he begins, his voice steady but intense. “There may be days where you cannot join me, and days where you can be with me all day. I have a question, Alissia. What is your limit?”I blink. Limits again? Every man I’ve met so far asks me about limits. “I have no limits,” I say, the words leaving my mouth without hesit
Alissia POV“Thank you for the dress,” I say, looking up at him as we move, “but why?”He spins me around until my back is pressed against his chest, his breath warm on the back of my neck. “You want to portray the female character, right?” His voice is smooth, controlled. I nod, waiting for more. “How do you know how the female character feels? You don’t. The gift of the dress was meant to give you that same feeling—help you experience what your character would.”So this was all part of the research? His explanation makes sense in theory, but something still feels off. His eyes flick across the room, like he’s having a silent conversation with someone.I can’t shake the feeling that this dance isn’t just for me—it’s part of something larger, something calculated. He turns me and pulls my body closer to his, our movements fluid, but there’s a tension beneath it. His hand slides down my back, keeping me tight against him.Then his gaze shifts again. This time, I catch the moment he giv
Alissia POVLeaning in, I press my lips against his, feeling the heat between us ignite instantly. Lucas’s hands slide along my bare thighs, fingers digging into my flesh as he pulls me closer. His mouth moves urgently against mine, and his tongue slides past my lips, claiming my mouth as I grind against him, drawing a low groan from his throat. The scent of him—woodsy with a hint of metal—fills my senses, deepening my craving.My fingers fumble to unfasten his trousers, feeling the heat and strength under my touch. Without hesitation, he grabs the waistband of my underwear, tearing them away with a swift pull. I whimper in anticipation, my hand wrapping around his hard length, feeling the pulse of need between us as I stroke him slowly.He holds my hips, lifting me just enough so I’m kneeling over him. Then, lowe
AlissiaI woke up with a slight ache from my toe and hobbled out to find Blake and Lucas, who were comfortably lounging around. They told me Demitri’s busy working, so I settled in with ice on my foot. When Demitri came back, he had my laptop.Saying a quick thanks I fire up my laptop. It feels great to have it back; I need to dive back into my story and make some serious changes. Hours slip by as I get lost in my writing, adjusting each scene with renewed inspiration, aware of the occasional glances from both Blake and Lucas. They’re watching me; I can practically feel their eyes on me.“Food’s here,” Blake announces, breaking my focus. I stretch and close the laptop, realizing how much time has flown by.“I’ll take some down to grumpy,” I say, grabbing two plates and standing up, a bit wobbly on my injured foot.Blake smirks. “You sure you can manage?”I roll my e
DemitriI stand, gathering my things. “Alright, you two stay here with her,” I say, already moving toward the door.Lucas straightens, arms crossed. “Excuse me?”I stop, barely glancing back. “What? I’ve got things to handle. Just stay here, keep an eye on her.”He doesn’t budge. “I thought we agreed to work on this together, not with you throwing orders around and expecting us to nod along.”I grit my teeth, realizing quickly that this whole “working together” idea is going to be more complicated than I’d hoped. “Fine,” I say, trying to rein in my tone. “Could you please stay here with her and make sure she doesn’t get any ideas, like raiding this place for a gun?”Blake smirks. “She won’t find them. Never mind been clever enough to crack the safe.”I glare at him. “How long have you been in my system?&r
Demitri POVBlake considers this, and then, with a calculating gleam, he sits back, tapping his fingers against the arm of his chair. “If we rearrange the lyrics or analyze any embedded patterns, it might reveal something. I’ve got a decryption program we could run this through, see if there’s anything coded in it.”Lucas, sprawled on the couch with his legs stretched out, chuckles and shoots me an amused look. “So, let me get this straight – this month isn’t just going to be about dealing with each other, but a treasure hunt too? And let me guess, half the time we’ll be reeling her back in whenever she’s caught up in her own messes?”I smirk, glancing at the hallway toward Alissia’s room. “She’s probably holding back more than she’s letting on. If we’re going to keep her safe – and in one place – we’ll need to figure this out.”Blake crosses
DemitriWatching Lucas lounge around, casually amused by the situation, I feel the tension coil even tighter. Every part of me wants to throw them out, lock the doors, and keep Alissia to myself. But I agreed to this ridiculous arrangement, so here we are, all trying to make sense of a damn lullaby while balancing on the edge of a fragile truce.Lucas breaks my thoughts, giving me that lazy, observant look of his. “You know,” he starts, voice low and deliberate. “Have you ever considered that Alissia might have ADHD or something? I mean, think about it—she’s all about keeping control, always shifting her focus, diving into everything at full speed…”I groan, rubbing my temples. “Lucas, now’s not the time for an armchair diagnosis,” I snap. “We’ve got bigger issues&m
Lucas POVAlissia rolls her eyes. “So, what’s the big discussion? You’ve already told me my toe is fractured and that I need ice. Done, right?”Demitri narrows his eyes. “Stop acting like a brat, Alissia. I’m talking about us—this,” he gestures between the three of us. “This isn’t nothing.”She crosses her arms. “This is nothing, Demitri. It can never be anything. That’s why I keep saying I’m staying single.”He groans in frustration, rubbing his temples as if she’s giving him a headache. “You can’t keep saying you’re staying single.”“Why not?” she challenges. “You’re not willing to share unless I push you too far. You three are completely different, constantly battling each other. It won’t work. I’ll stay single.”She’s not entirely wrong, but she’s not entirely right either. I decide to speak up. “We can work through our differences, Alissia. Yeah, we’re different, but that’s what makes this interesting. I enjoy the chase, Blake thrives i
Lucas Alissia sits sulking in the back, and I can’t help but chuckle at the irony of her breaking her toe. Of all the ways to end her little game, kicking a door barefoot was a bit anticlimactic. Demitri had to carry her out of her apartment without shoes after she refused to go out and talk to him, which made it even funnier. The fact she forgot she didn't have shoes on. She had been running around and didn't notice she was barefoot. “Are you more upset over the broken toe or that your fun in tormenting us got cut short?” I ask, smirking. Her glare could melt ice. “I’m more upset that he called for backup!” She shoots a heated look at Demitri. “So much for making me choose, that changed fast.” Yeah, that threw me too. Demitri had been acting like a possessive maniac, determined
Alissia POVI’m taking a leap, hoping Lucas is telling the truth. My arms wrap around his neck as he lifts me effortlessly, our lips crashing together. I let my hands drop, unfastening his trousers with quick, urgent movements. Before I can even fully process it, his hands are on me, positioning me just right, and he thrusts into me without hesitation. The sensation of the cold metal piercings sends a jolt through my body, making me moan against his mouth. His hips slam into me, each movement rough and unrelenting. I scream, but his hand immediately covers my mouth, muffling the sound.“Shh...” He chuckles, thrusting into me harder. “Unless you want them to hear and come running.”His hips move in a steady rhythm at first, slowly building intensity, each thrust deeper than the last. His free hand snakes into my hair, tugging hard and pulling my head back, though the wall behind me prevents him from getting the angle he wants. Not satisfied, he shifts, turning us
AlissiaI can’t stop laughing as I sprint away from Demitri. Axel’s amused expression follows me as I dash past the looming warehouses. My plan is simple—hide in one, wait until Demitri starts searching the closest, then sneak back out and make a break for the road. Easy, right? Well, it would be if I wasn’t entirely lost. I’ve never even noticed this place before, and now I have no idea where I am, only that I’m running blindly.I slip into one of the warehouses, crouching by a dusty window, heart pounding. I peek out, scanning the area for any sign of Demitri. Nothing. Has he given up? Doubtful. I’m about to step out, convinced maybe I’ve shaken him, when I catch a glimpse of him entering the building next door. Crap.With a burst of adrenaline, I move quickly, ready to sprint back towards the road, but then I freeze. Blake. Standing right in my path. Double crap. I spin on my heel and take off in the opposite direction, praying there’s another exit or some kind of hidden alley I ca