Chapter 69: Challenge accepted LYRIC SPENCER POV Aunt Stephanie’s voice rang in my ears long after she left the kitchen. I stood there, my body stiff with anger, my hands curling into fists. Gavin had gone quiet beside me, his gaze heavy on my face, but I couldn’t look at him. Not when my mind was spinning. Boston. She was taking me away. Away from everything I knew, away from the life I had fought to build. Away from— I swallowed hard. Away from Gavin. No. I refused. I wouldn’t run. I wouldn’t abandon everything just because she thought it was the only way to protect me. Gavin shifted, stepping closer. His hand brushed against mine, grounding me for just a second. “Lyric,” he murmured. I pulled my phone from my pocket and typed quickly. *I’m not leaving.* He exhaled sharply, rubbing his jaw. “You think she’ll let you stay?” I hesitated before shaking my head. * She’s already decided.* Gavin’s jaw ticked. His hands clenched at h
Chapter 70: Needed to cool off." Gavin Hawkins POV "Hey, Hawkins. What did Henleys ever do to you?" A slow smile tugged at the corner of my lips. I looked down at my black Henley shirt, which was unbuttoned. I huffed a laugh, shaking my head. “Henleys didn’t do anything to me,” I muttered, but the teasing glint in her eyes told me she didn’t believe me. She took a step closer, tilting her head, waiting. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Fine. Maybe I have a personal vendetta against burnt burgers and forced bonding.” Lyric smirked, her fingers flying over h
Chapter 71: Loosen up GAVIN HAWKINS POV After our little escapade in the water, we hid behind a rock and went for a second round. This time, I made sure to wear protection. We were too caught up in the moment to think about it earlier. But right now, I didn’t care. Right now, she was in my arms, her lips still pink from my kiss, and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like running. We had a blanket covering our naked bodies, our legs tangled underneath. I could still feel myself getting hard, due to her thighs pressing against my torso. It was too late, because my desire was already taking over. Lyric gasped, smacking me in the arm. I expected her to pull away, but instead, she rolled onto me, guiding me inside her. When she settled, she sat up, starting to ride me slowly. It was the first time she was on top, so I guided her by holding her waist. Our cheeks grew redder, and she couldn’t bear to look at me. I couldn’t help but stifle a smile as I help
Chapter 72: over-the-top h@rnyTHIRD PERSON POV The smell of grilled burgers and smoky barbecue filled the backyard as Gavin and his teammates gathered around a makeshift cornhole setup. Two wooden boards sat across from each other, each with a hole near the top, ready to test their accuracy. The team had decided to hold a cornhole tournament. “You guys ready to lose?” Shawn taunted, twirling a beanbag between his fingers. Gavin smirked. “Big talk for someone who barely made it last time.” “Hey, Hawkins, don’t get too confident. I’m winning this,” Aaron added, shooting Gavin a competitive glance. Before anyone could respond, a voice cut through the conversation. “Can I join?” The group turned toward the unexpected visitor. A few of them immediately recognized him, while others exchanged confused glances. Lyric perked up, eyes widening in surprise. She waved enthusiastically. “Viktor?” Gavin and Wren said in unison. “What brings you here
Chapter 73: The idea of us THIRD PERSON POV Gavin scoffed, crossing his arms as he leaned back against his seat. "Wow. No hesitation? Not even a second to think about it?" Aaron smirked. "Dude, you have 'silent but deadly' written all over you." Carter nodded, grinning. "Yeah, like if someone pissed you off bad enough, you wouldn’t even yell. You’d just stare at them and then—boom, they disappear." He mimed an explosion with his hands. Andrew whistled, shaking his head in mock fear. "Remind me never to get on your bad side." Gavin rolled his eyes but couldn't help the amused twitch of his lips. "Good to know where I stand with you all." Lyric was already typing on her phone. When the robotic voice read out her response, the group burst into laughter. "It's because you're scary when you're mad. You don't talk, you just… exist ominously." Gavin glanced at her with a knowing smirk. "Ominously, huh?" She simply shrugged, her smirk deepening.
Chapter 74: I let go Third POVThe sharp crack of twigs breaking underfoot shattered the tense silence.Gavin turned sharply, eyes locking onto Viktor, who stood a few feet away, hands stuffed into his pockets. His expression was unreadable, but his dark eyes held something close to understanding.Gavin barely hesitated. He rushed toward Viktor, grabbing the collar of his shirt with desperate urgency. His voice was low, strained."You can sign, can't you? You were watching us. What did she say?"Viktor remained silent, his gaze steady, unreadable.Gavin's grip tightened for a moment before he let go, running a shaky hand through his hair. His frustration was mounting, but he tried again, softer this time, almost pleading."What did Lyric say?"Still, Viktor said nothing.Gavin’s jaw ticked, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. His patience was wearing thin. Without another word, he turned to follow after her.Just as he took his first step, Viktor's deep voice rang out, cutti
Chapter 75: LYRIC SPENCER POV Oh, how it felt to die at the hands of someone you worshipped. I let go. Suddenly, air rushed into my lungs, breathing life back into me. Something warm, fleshy—soft—pressed against my lips. My chest heaved, and my eyes flew open. "Are you okay?" Gavin’s voice was laced with concern as he sat beside me on the bed, his face scrunched in worry. The dim torchlight from his phone cast flickering shadows across the room. "Are you okay?!" he asked again, his hands cupping my face. His eyes glistened with the remnants of unshed tears. Before I could register what had happened, he pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly against his chest. His voice was a whisper against my neck. "I thought I was going to lose you. Were you having a nightmare? You couldn't breathe... you kept gasping." I blinked, still disoriented, unable to piece together the fragments of my dream. But in that moment, I knew one thing—I liked being held b
Chapter 76: Hopeless romantic LYRIC SPENCER POV After eating, we drank champagne and talked. Gavin leaned back against the couch, swirling the golden liquid in his glass. "What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done?" I smirked and typed on my phone, then let the robotic voice answer for me. "Pee at Wren's slumber party in the sixth grade and blame it on Bubbles." He nearly choked on his drink. "Who the hell is Bubbles?" I typed again, amused by his reaction. "Wren's cat at the time. I woke up in the middle of the night and found out Millie convinced me to blame the cat." "Who's Millie?" His brows furrowed as he turned to face me fully. I hesitated before typing. "It's Emilia. We used to be childhood friends. Then, one day, she stopped talking to me. She even asked Wren to do the same. When Wren refused, Emilia cut both of us out of her life." His expression softened with curiosity. "What happened between you two?" "I don't know, honestly.
Chapter 88: Breaking up with you Lyric POV "A lady back there asked if I could give her a drink since she's 'lack toast and tell her aunt,'" Viktor said over the counter, his eyes crinkling with amusement. I stared at him blankly, barely registering his laughter. "She meant lactose intolerant," he added, letting out a deep chuckle. I didn’t laugh. I wasn’t in the mood for jokes. My mind was too preoccupied with my fight with Gavin yesterday. What did he mean by what he said? Shaking off my thoughts, I left the counter to prepare the order Viktor handed me. My body moved on autopilot, my mind still trapped in yesterday’s argument. Then suddenly—pain. Hot coffee spilled over my hand, scalding my skin. The cup hit the floor with a shatter, but I didn’t scream. I didn’t even flinch. I only stared at the mess, the burning sensation barely registering through the numbness inside me. "Lyric, are you hurt?" Viktor’s voice was tight with concern as he hurr
Chapter 87: Who gave you that title? LYRIC SPENCER POV My hands trembled as I sat on the bleachers, clutching the edge of my phone like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. The crowd was still buzzing with energy after the win, but my focus was gone. I didn’t hear the cheers. I didn’t see the flashing lights. I couldn’t feel anything but the weight in my chest. He saw. I knew it the moment I looked up and saw Gavin’s face on the ice. The way his expression fell. The way his shoulders dropped like the air had been knocked out of him. He saw Viktor kiss me. And he thought I let it happen. I swallowed hard, trying not to cry, but the tears blurred everything—my screen, the rink, the people. I wanted to go to him, explain, scream if I had to, but I couldn't even speak. All I had was this goddamn phone, and I couldn’t get close enough in time. I tried to follow him after the ceremony, but the crowd was too thick, and he disappeared before I cou
Chapter 86: A nobody GAVIN HAWKINS POV I couldn’t move. The roar of the crowd faded into a low, muffled hum—like someone stuffed cotton in my ears. Everyone around me was cheering, celebrating, soaking in the win, but all I could hear was the pounding of my heart and the static in my head. Because on that giant screen… I saw her. Lyric. Smiling. Laughing. And Viktor… kissing her like he had the damn right. No. No. No. My throat tightened like it was closing up. My gloves suddenly felt like they weighed a hundred pounds. My chest ached, like someone had slammed a hockey stick straight into it. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t do anything but stare. She didn’t push him away. She didn’t even look surprised. I wanted to believe it was a mistake. That Viktor forced it. That it was out of nowhere. That she didn’t mean to let it happen. But none of it mattered. Because it still happened. And I felt so goddamn stupi
Chapter 85: Sugar town Third person POV “Gavin is back,” Aaron asserted, stepping into the room with urgency in his voice. “Where was he?” someone asked, confusion etched on their face. “Family emergency,” Aaron paused. “He forgot his phone at home, and it was switched off.” “That bigot,” Coach Fedelin cursed under his breath, shaking his head. He turned to Lyric, his expression softening. “Sorry to bother you. We’ll leave now.” Lyric offered him a tight, polite smile, though her mind was already spinning. She wondered how Gavin was doing. What kind of family emergency could make him leave his phone behind? And if his phone was really off... why did he reply to her text? Her eyes narrowed. Why was Gavin lying? A voice broke into her thoughts. “I saw Coach leaving. Is Gavin okay?” someone asked. Lyric nodded and signed, > “Okay. That’s great.” --- In the locker room, Gavin sat on the bench, already dre
Chapter 84 Third Person POV Finally, it was Friday—the day of the long-awaited match. Foreigners and out-of-town visitors filled the town stadium, eager for the game to begin. The scent of grilled hot dogs and burgers filled the air as vendors lined up their stands, taking advantage of the large crowd. Inside the locker room, the coach gathered his players for a final pep talk. The team was fully dressed in their uniforms and hockey gear, ready to take on their opponents. However, as they huddled together, the coach quickly realized someone was missing. "Where is Gavin?" he asked, his voice laced with irritation. The players exchanged confused glances, searching each other’s faces for an answer. "Shawn, you're closest to him. Where is he?" the coach pressed, narrowing his eyes at the player. Shawn hesitated before answering, his voice uncertain. "I don't know, sir. He hasn’t been picking up my calls or responding to my messages." The coach’s express
Chapter 83: Out of the game GAVIN HAWKINS POV The cold evening wind breezed past me, sending a shiver down my spine. I had driven over two towns to reach the Baby Dragon Casino, the location Allesio had assigned me to. The plan was simple: deliver over ten grams of methamphetamine. It was the most sought-after drug of the month, going for over a thousand dollars per 1.5 grams. I pulled over a few blocks from the casino, scanning the area for anything unexpected. By that, I meant the police. This place was notorious for drug dealing, thanks to its location by the famous casino. Politicians, celebrities, and the elite stopped here, not just for high-stakes games but also for a quick fix. Allesio was one of the biggest dealers in town. I was just the messenger. The deal was to dress decently—not enough to raise suspicion, but just enough to blend in while standing out slightly. With tight security and police dogs patrolling the area, the risk was high. I hoppe
Chapter 82: Just some guy > I signed before lowering my hands. Viktor smiled, slipping his phone back into his pocket. “She thinks she’s unlucky. Says I’m too overbearing.” > I teased, raising an eyebrow. "Hey!" He placed a hand on his chest, feigning offense. "I’m just helpful. It’s not my fault people don’t know how to take care of themselves." I rolled my eyes and turned away, stepping toward the main street. The town was quieter now, with most businesses closed for the evening. A few groups of people wandered around, probably visitors in town for tomorrow’s hockey game. Viktor easily fell into step beside me. “Are you walking home alone?” I nodded. "I’ll walk with you," he said casually, shoving his hands into his pockets. > "I know." His voice was light, but his steps remained firm. "But I want to." I didn’t argue. It had been a long day, and honestly, I di
Chapter 81: Gorgeous It was a little hotter than expected in the middle of January. The café was getting fewer and fewer customers during this time. People in Velmont didn’t drink much coffee in winter since snow rarely fell in town. The last time it snowed was at my sixth birthday party. I only remembered because Mama had kept the photos at home. I had clocked out of my shift earlier that day. It had taken a lot of convincing to get both Gavin and my aunt to let me work. The head chef, Sasha, was at the grill, her face red from the heat. She was also washing dishes in the back, her movements sharp with frustration. Then Michael stepped in. He stood by the threshold of the double doors, scanning the room like a hawk. "You, with the ugly hairband." I froze, pointing at my nose in question. "Yes, you," he clarified. Self-conscious, I touched the hairband resting atop my head. My mother had given it to me. It was beige and outdated, but I loved it.
Chapter 80: I pity her Gavin Hawkins’ POV I would like to say everything was going according to my plan. But it wasn’t. Lyric was never meant to be part of my life, and it would take me a year to realize it. Because if something wasn’t yours, it would hurt you until you realized it. --- I pulled my Jeep into the driveway of Alessio’s house, gripping my keys tightly as I made my way to the door. Lyric and her aunt were safer in my house than they were anywhere in Velmont, but that didn’t mean Alessio couldn’t still harm them. I wasn’t going to let that happen. Running a hand through my hair, I tried to ignore the weight of the steel tucked into my jeans. I pressed the doorbell. A sharp voice erupted from the speaker beside the gate. "Who is it?" "Gavin Hawkins. I'm here to see your boss, Alessio," I spoke into the intercom. The response was immediate and laced with hostility. "My boss says he doesn’t know a Gavin Hawkins. Leave be