I pace back and forth in my room, phone pressed tightly to my ear. The ringing feels endless, but I keep waiting. Sadie always takes forever to answer, but I need her right now. My heart is buzzing, and I’m practically bursting with excitement. Finally, the ringing stops, and her voice comes through, flat and uninterested.
"Hello?"
"Sadie!" I say, trying to keep my voice from sounding too desperate. "I have a date. I need your help. Please, can you come over?"
There’s a pause, and I can practically hear her rolling her eyes on the other end. "A date, huh?" she says. "And you want my help?"
"Yes!" I say, ignoring the edge in her tone. "I need your magic touch. You’re the best at this kind of thing, Sadie. Please."
Another long pause. Then she sighs. "Fine. I’ll be there in an hour."
By the time she arrives, I’m practically vibrating with energy. The second I see her walk through the door, I let out an excited squ
I wake up with a heaviness in my chest that I can’t shake. Last night, I couldn’t stop replaying Trevor’s smug face and the way Tamrin laughed off his disgusting comment. Every instinct in me is screaming that this guy isn’t just bad news—he’s dangerous.And then there’s Tamrin. How do I even begin to help someone who doesn’t want to see the truth? It’s not like she’d listen to me. Not now. But someone has to know, someone who might have a
The second Sadie says his name—Trevor—I feel my stomach drop, like I’ve been yanked into some icy abyss. My blood feels like it’s turned to sludge, my feet rooted to the floor, frozen in place. I know who she’s talking about. I know. And I also know I can’t let her see even a flicker of recognition on my face.I take a deep, quiet breath, trying to calm the panic threatening to bubble over. Sadie is sitting across from me, her face etched with concern, and she k
I can’t believe how different tonight feels. From the moment I step out of the car, Trevor is standing there, waiting, looking sharp and giving me this heart-melting smile. He opens the car door for me like some scene out of a romance movie, and for a second, I can’t help but wonder if this is the same guy from our first date.“You look stunning,” he says, his voice soft but sincere, and I can feel my cheeks heat up.The restaurant he’s chosen this time is
Nathan is sitting across from me, his brows knitted together in that way they always are when he’s worried about me. His concern feels like a weight pressing against my chest, adding to the suffocating anxiety that’s been building since I found out about Tamrin and Trevor.I’m trying to act normal, like everything is fine, but I can feel my hands trembling in my lap. I don’t think Nathan buys it. He’s been watching me too closely for the past twenty minutes while I pr
The night started off perfectly. Trevor showed up with a dozen roses—deep red, the kind that makes you feel like you’re the most special girl in the world. He even brought my favorite iced coffee, the way I like it—extra caramel, extra cream.I was glowing. Floating. Five dates in, and Trevor had been everything I could’ve asked for. Sweet, thoughtful, affectionate. It was almost enough to make me forget the disaster of our first date. Almost.We’re sitting
I messed up.I could see it the second Tamrin’s lips pressed into a thin line, her arms folding across her chest in that way girls do when they’re deciding if they’re really mad or just annoyed. I had gotten cocky—too many questions about Celeste, too fast. Tamrin might stop talking, and I can’t have that.I force a slow smile, keeping my expression soft. “You’re mad.”Tamrin doesn’t say anything. Just stabs at the last bi
I can see it all from up here.The city stretches out beneath us, glittering under the night sky like it was made for me. The streets, the buildings, the people—they don’t know it yet, but one day, they’ll all be mine. When I take Liam’s territory, I won’t be in the shadows anymore. I’ll be the king of this whole damn city.I smirk to myself, chest swelling with anticipation. The thought sends a rush of adrenaline through me, a feeling so strong it makes me chuckle out loud.Tamrin, who’s been staring at the view in awe, turns her head toward me. “What’s so funny?”I glance at her, still smiling. She looks beautiful in the soft glow of the city lights, her expression open, innocent. She has no idea who I really am. No idea what I’m planning.I tilt my head slightly, keeping my tone light. “Just thinking.”She gives me a curious look. “About what?”
I stare at Tamrin, my throat tightening, my stomach twisting into knots so painful I feel like I might be sick. She won&rs
I sit back in the chair, stretching my legs out in front of me, trying to act as if the sight in front of me isn’t setting my body on fire.Celeste stands under the water, her back to me, the droplets sliding down her skin in glistening trails. My jaw clenches. My fingers twitch. Every instinct in me is screaming—take her, feel her, make her yours.But I don't move.Not because I don’t want to. Because I want something more.Liam’s territory. His empire. His life.That’s the real prize here.So, I'll just watch her and enjoy her beautiful skin, the curves of her body and her gorgeous pussy. It's the most beau
The sunlight burns my eyes the second we step outside. I wince, squinting hard as I try to adjust, but it’s too much, too fast. After hours—or was it days?—of nothing but darkness, the brightness feels like an assault. The air is thick, humid, carrying the scent of salt and earth, and for a second, I forget I’m walking beside a monster.The yard is massive, overgrown with trees and flowers, a wild, untamed jungle wrapped around a nightmare. It should feel peaceful, but nothing about this place feels safe. Every step I take, I’m hyper-aware of Trevor at my side, his grip firm on my arm, guiding me like I might run.Maybe I should.But where would I go?My mind is fogged, my body weak, but I force myself t
There’s nothing quite like this moment. The anticipation. The thrill. The satisfaction of seeing her exactly where s
The box in front of me is open, and the smell of blood is thick in the air.My me
My back is screaming, my knee feels like someone took a knife to it, and my arms are stiff from being stuck in the same p
I don’t know how many hours have passed. The walls of this room feel like they’re closing in on me. No windows, just a single door that’s been locked since they threw me in here. My body aches from sitting on the hard floor, and my throat is raw from screaming at no one.And then, finally, the door creaks open.Trevor walks in like he owns the world.Something inside me snaps.I lunge at him before I can think, before I can feel the terror crawling under my skin. I’m screaming, my fists pounding against his chest, his arms, his face—anywhere I can reach.He doesn’t flinch.He doesn’t stumble.He doesn’t even try to stop me at first, just stands there while I throw everything I have at him.Then, with nothing but a flick of his wrist, he shoves me off. Effortless.I hit the floor, hard. My palms scrape against the rough wood, but I don’t care. I push up and charge at h
I step into Celeste’s house, and the first thing I notice is the silence. A thick, unnatural kind of quiet that presses against my ears. It’s wrong. All of it is wrong.I’ve been calling her for five hours. Nothing.She’s gone. I know it in my gut. Trevor took her.I exhale slowly through my nose, grounding myself before my anger can swallow me whole.The men I put here to watch her—gone. Haven’t checked in. Haven’t answered. I already know what that means. They’re dead, or they were smart enough to run. Either way, they failed me. They failed her.
My hands are shaking. My whole body is ice-cold, but my face is burning. My stomach twists so hard I feel like I’m going to t