The next day, the walls of my room feel like they’re closing in on me. I decide I need a change of scenery and grab my books, heading to the nearby park. The fresh air and open space might help clear my mind and give me a fresh perspective on my studies.The park is a welcome escape from the confines of my room. I find a quiet spot under a large tree, its branches providing just enough shade. The sound of birds chirping and the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze create a soothing backdrop. I spread out my books and notebooks, ready to tackle my history reading.I take my headphones out and plaster them on my ears to drown out the sund of the world. I take a deep breath in and start on my work.I’m halfway through a particularly dense chapter when I see footsteps approaching. I looking up, and frown at the face looking at back at me. I’ts Liam walking toward me. He’s wearing his usual confident smile, but there&r
I stare at Liam after he dropped that bomb. He has the nerve to close his eyes and settle into a comfortable position on the blanket, I’m left with the weight of his words. The sun filters through the leaves of the tree above us, casting patterns on the ground. I try to refocus on my history textbook, but the words blur together as I replay Liam’s confession in my mind.Did he really just say that he likes me and wants to be with me? The mere thought of it sends my heart racing again.
"This is not the way home," I say, looking at Liam, who is driving away from our neighborhood."I know," he says simply and keeps on driving."You said we were going home," I state, and he nods. "Then why are we pulling into a coffee shop parking lot?" I ask when the car comes to a stop."Because we're going to get some food first," he says, opening the door. He gets out, walks to my side of the car, and then opens the door."I don't want to have coffee with you," I say, taking my book bag and getting out of the car. He swiftly takes the bag from me and then starts walking away.I stand there for a moment, watching him stride towards the entrance of the coffee shop with my bag slung over his shoulder. There's a stubborn set to his jaw, a look I’ve come to recognize over the years. Sighing, I follow him, my feet dragging as I go.Inside, the air is cool, and the rich aroma of coffee beans fills the space. It's cozy, with warm lighting and plush chairs that invite you to stay a while. L
"What?" he says, bringing the question back to me. I raise my brows at him in question, and he smiles this devastatingly beautiful smile at me. I place my coffee down because my heart skips so hard I can feel my hand start to shake."Why are you staring at me like that?" I ask, and his face gets serious."I'm taking in your beauty," he says, and I immediately roll my eyes at him."Don't roll your eyes at me" He says looking me in my eyes"Seriously, Liam?" I scoff, trying to mask the fluttering sensation in my chest. "You're ridiculous.""I'm serious," he insists, leaning forward, his eyes locking onto mine. "You're breathtaking." hE says his voice low. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, unsure of how to respond. His words, as sweet as they are, make me feel exposed like he's seeing straight through the walls I've built around myself. Why is he saying these things? I'm not ugly but I'm not breathtaking. "Stop it," I mutter, taking a sip of my drink to avoid his gaze."Stop what?" he
I step into the dimly lit warehouse, the familiar scent of dust and gasoline hitting my nose. The place is quiet, save for the faint hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Jar is already there, his broad frame leaning against a stack of crates, arms crossed and eyes sharp. He’s always early, always ready.“Liam,” Jar greets with a nod. His voice is low, steady. Reliable, just like him.“Jar,” I reply, walking over to him. I set down the duffel bag I’m carrying and unzip it, revealing neatly packaged bundles. “Everything set for tonight?”He nods again. “Runners are ready. Just waiting on the product.”I pull out a few bundles, handing them to Jar. He inspects them briefly before tucking them away in his own bag. “You sure they can handle this load?” I ask, looking him in the eye.“They’re solid,” Jar reassures me. “We’ve vetted them thoroughly. No weak links.”I nod, trusting his judgment. Jar’s been with me long enough to know what’s at stake. “Good. Let’s get this moving.”One by o
I burst through the front door, my breath coming in quick gasps. The house is dark as usual and I head straight upstairs. I slam my bedroom door behind me. The familiar surroundings of my room provide a small comfort, but my mind is still reeling from today's events.I collapse onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. "What just happened?" I whisper to myself. My heart is still pounding, and I can feel the flush embarrassment on my cheeks.Liam had took me out—well, it wasn’t really a date, was it? We just went to a coffee shop. But the way he looked at me, the things he said... it felt like a date. My thoughts are mixed in confusion, and I struggle to make sense of it all. Liam is with Presley, right? He shouldn't be saying those things to me.I sit up and hug my knees to my chest. I try to shake off the memory of his intense gaze, the way his voice dropped when he called me breathtaking. No one has ever looked at me like that before, let alone someone like Liam.I reach for my phone
The next morning, I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, my eyes red from a sleepless night. I splash cold water on my face, hoping to wash away the confusion and guilt that had kept me awake. But the questions and emotions linger, just as intense as before.As I walk to school, I rehearse my lines. I can’t tell Tamrin the truth—I can’t tell anyone. The risk is too high, the potential fallout too severe. By the time I reach the front steps of the school, I have my story straight."Hey, Celeste!" Tamrin’s voice was bright and cheerful, a stark contrast to my somber mood. "How was your night? Did you get any studying done?"I force a smile. "Yeah, I managed to get some work done. All boring shit" I say and cringe at my words. That sounds like I 'm saying too much.Tamrin raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "I can tellYou look like you’ve been up all night. ."I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Yeah I was, I guess. You know how it is with school and all." I say ly
The next day, the sun is shining brightly as we step onto the soft, warm sand of the beach. The sound of waves crashing against the shore and the laughter of others fill the air. For a moment, I let myself relax, hoping the sea breeze wash away my worries.Tamrin is already setting up our spot, laying down towels and unpacking a cooler filled with snacks and drinks. Sadie is busy applying sunscreen, her excitement palpable."Come on, Celeste! The water looks amazing!" Sadie calls out, her eyes cheery.I force a smile and follow them to the shoreline. The cool water hits at my feet, and I take a deep breath, trying to let go of the confusion inside me. For a few minutes, I manage to enjoy the feeling of the waves and the warmth of the sun on my skin.We spend the morning swimming, laughing, and trying to build the perfect sandcastle. It's a welcome distraction, and for a while, I almost forget about the tangled mess of emotions I've been carrying.As we take a break, lounging on our to
I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.Maybe it’s the look on Nathan’s face—tight jaw, unreadable eyes, the kind of expression that makes it clear he knows something the rest of us don’t. Maybe it’s the way Tamrin has been acting, the way she flinches at everything and refuses to answer when I ask about Celeste.Or maybe it’s just the fact that Celeste isn’t here, and no one seems to have a real answer for why.So yeah, I might be crazy for chasing down Nathan Miller in the middle of a crowded hallway, calling his name like I’ve lost my damn mind. But I don’t care.He looks back at me when I call him, but he doesn’t stop walking. He just slows down slightly, like he’s debating whether I’m worth his tim
Trevor thinks he’s won.He leans against the desk, arms crossed, his mouth curled into that smug smile that makes my skin crawl. He thinks he has me right where he wants me. Weak. Hopeless. Dependent on his mercy.But he doesn’t know me at all.I keep my breathing steady, my expression blank, as I listen to Liam’s voice crackle through the phone. He knows. He knows I’m missing. And if Nathan spoke to Tamrin, it means they’re looking for me.That thought should terrify me—Trevor will hurt them if they get too close—but instead, it gives me hope.I knew Liam would come for me.The question
The second I step onto my front lawn, I see it.Another damn box.
I know something is wrong with Tamrin.She hasn’t said a word all period, hasn’t even pretended to listen when Presley started complaining about her nails breaking during warm-ups. And when I asked her about Trevor—just casually, just to see her reaction—she practically bit my head off before storming off.That’s not normal.Tamrin was obsessed with Trevor. Just last week, she couldn’t shut up about him. And now she won’t even say his name.And then there’s Celeste.She’s not here.Celeste hasn't missed school in a long time and I didn't think she would. And if she was sick, our homeroom teacher would have announced in the morning.
I lean against the fence, hands in my pockets, watching as Tamrin walks into the schoolyard. She moves like a ghost, like she’s here, but not really. She’s trying to act normal—shoulders squared, head up—but I see the cracks in the performance.Her fingers grip the straps of her book bag so tight her knuckles turn white. Every time someone brushes past her, she flinches, catches herself, then forces that mask back on.Guilt. Fear.I recognize it. I’ve seen it in men who know they’ve done something they can’t undo.She knows.And that means I know.Trevor has her wrapped around his finger. Maybe he threatened her, maybe he promised her safety if she stayed quiet. Either way, she’s playing along.I clench my jaw and force myself to breathe through my nose. I want to grab her right now, demand answers, shake her until she tells me where Celeste is.But Trevor is counting on that.
I wake up gasping. My sheets are drenched in sweat, my body shaking so hard my teeth chatter. The room is dark, but I swear I can still see it—the blood, the bodies, Celeste’s terrified eyes disappearing into that box.I squeeze my eyes shut, but it doesn’t help. The images are burned into my mind, playing on repeat, a nightmare that won’t end just because I’ve woken up.Celeste is gone.And I helped make it happen.My stomach twists violently, and I barely make it to the bathroom before I’m throwing up. My whole body convulses as if trying to rid itself of the horror, but it’s useless. No amount of dry heaving will erase what I did.I kneel there on the cold tile, breathing heavily, gripping the s
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