I stare at her, my chest filling with warmth and affection.“You know what? If you like it here, we could come back anytime you want. We can even come and stay the night at one of the cabins nearby. The views there are even more amazing than this.”“Really? You’d take me there?”“Of course. We can g
[AVA]I can’t believe he’s the same Brian who used to treat me like a child. But then again, it shouldn’t have been surprising. I was of the same age as his daughter. He probably thought of me as one.But I’m glad we were able to move past that. Glad that he accepted my affection for him and didn’t
I blink, surprised by the bluntness of his statement. But I love it. I love it when he’s direct. When he tells me what he wants. When he lets me know that I turn him on, that I make him lose control. That I make him crazy with desire.I bite my lower lip and look up at him through my lashes.“Then f
[BRIAN]“Dad, it’s not fair,” Kian says, irritatedI exchange a look with Mason, my brother, who sits across the room on the couch. He looks amused as hell, probably wondering how long will I last at this. Or that if I would last at all. He knows Kian is my weakness. He knows that sooner or later, I
What the fuck just happened?He cursed.He yelled.I can’t process all of this.He was always so obedient. Even when his mom was here, he’d rarely curse, never yell. Did his teachers change his mindset or is this some kind of peer pressure at school? Am I not being a good dad?“This is bullshit,” he
[AVA]“You did what?” I blink and try to clear my vision.Unless I’m not in some sort of cryptic dream or having a hallucination and Kian is actually here, at my door, uninvited and completely out of the blues. However, the longer I stare, the clearer he becomes, and I realize that I am not dreaming
My heart clenches, hearing the sincerity in his voice.I can see how badly he wants to prove to Brian that he can take care of himself. That he knows how to be safe. That he’s ready to explore the world on his own.But I know Brian, and I know he won’t easily budge. He’s too scared, too stubborn and
BRIAN]By the time I make it to Ava’s place, Kian is already asleep in the guest bedroom.I sit on the bed for a while, watching him soundly sleep and snore, before deciding against waking him up and heading out of the room instead.It’s no use getting him up right now. It’s late and he looks tired.
“Someone has been threatening Ava?” He stands up so fast it almost makes me dizzy. “Who the fuck would do that? And why? What did she do?”“Your guess is as good as mine,” I say, shaking my head and running a hand through my hair, already tired of this whole messed-up situation. “I don’t know why sh
[BRIAN]Brooke leads me to her apartment next door—apparently, that’s her name, as she told me before she allowed me to follow her.She opens the door and steps inside. But just as I take a step in, a big, fluffy thing barks and growls at me from inside.Alright. One thing about me: I’m not very con
[BRIAN]When I pull up at Ava’s old address, I have only one goal in mind.To find Max and get the hell out.Why? Because this place always gave me the creeps. Not only is it the most notorious part of the city, but it’s also slightly dangerous.When Dean and his family went bankrupt years ago, I di
He walks back to the couch, and for the first time, I notice a camera that’s already been set up.My stomach tightens.He grabs the camera stand with one hand and drags it closer to where I am. Adjusting the angle, he makes sure it focuses directly on me. Then he straightens, his gaze locking onto m
[AVA]I might have lost consciousness because the next time I open my eyes, the bright lights make me wince and squeeze them shut again.“Ah…” I whimper, only then realizing my ankle is badly bruised.“You’re awake.”A deep male voice rings in my ears, and I look up—only to find the same staff guy w
[AVA]Once Brian leaves, I sink back onto the couch, my fingers dialing Max’s number again.Maybe if he picks up, I can convince him to drop by on his own, and Brian wouldn’t have to go.But every call goes unanswered. And the more I try to convince myself it’s no big deal—that Max is just being him
I run my fingers through his wet hair. “Because I can’t stop thinking about what happens next. About who’s behind this. About how this doesn’t just affect me but everyone around me.”“You don’t have to figure everything out right this second, Ava.”“I know,” I whisper, but knowing and believing are
[AVA]I finally feel a little better—enough to let Brian freshen up after his long flight.He kisses me on the forehead and promises to join me soon.Maybe he knows that if I’m left alone, my mind will start spiraling again, drowning me in guilt. And once that happens, I won’t be able to focus on an
I unlock the door and pull the door open, only to find his familiar handsome face looking back at me.He’s dressed in a white shirt and blue denim jeans, and I don’t think he could look any better.I know, I know. I probably sound like some horny bitch, but I don’t care. It’s Brian. And being horny