The next morning I wake up groggy and tired. It's not a surprise that I had no sleep at all. I had endless dreams about... Liam.
Dreams about him being naked and me being.... Naked. I turn onto my back sighing, This sucks. I shouldn't be having these dreams. I brush my hand over my chest feeling like I am someone else.Why am I thinking of him and me like that? I groan turning onto my side. I close my eyes praying that sleep comes quickly. I need to rest. I've been working too hard and barely sleeping. I slow my breathing down and leg my body go of all the tension gripping me. I start to drift off into sleep slowly. I smile when I feel the familiar feel of sleep takeover my body. My mind shuts down and for a split second I completely shut down. I'm woken violently when I hear a bang from outside my door. I open my eyes and almost cry at the intrusion. I'll never rest!Two days later I walk through the school entrance and feel someone link their arm with mine. I look at the arm and then I look at the owner of the arm.My heart sinks into my stomach when I see who it is."Presley?"I say and she smiles at me. I look at her terrified because Presley doesn't like me. And the fact that she's smiling at me makes me very weary. What does she want?"Yes." She says and she keeps smiling at me."How are you today?" She asks and I stare at her not sure what to say that, I wish she would cut to the chase."Good!" I sat finally and she starts walking towards the lockers."I have a favour to ask you." She says and I shake my head no. I already know I don't want to give her any favours. I don't have anything to do with her. I want to be let alone. I have enough shit to deal with."I don't think I can't help you with anything." I say trying to take my arm away but she holds on a little tig
I march through the crowded halls, my mind racing with a mix of frustration and anxiety. How could Tamrin make this about me? She knows Presley doesn't like me. I bet she hates the fact that Tamrin hates the fact that she's being strong armed into inviting me. She should have asked me about this first.I finally spot Tamrin by her locker, chatting animatedly with Sadie. As I approach, Sadie waves enthusiastically. "Hey, Celeste!"I manage a weak smile. "Hey, Sadie. Can we talk for a second?"Sadie nods, looking from me to Tamrin. She raises her brows at me in question. Tamrin looks at me, her expression puzzled. "What's up?"I don't waste any time. "Why was Presley harassing me about her party? I say not in the mood to explain any further because she knows exactly what I'm on about."Tamrin's eyes widen. "Oh, I was going to tell you! I just...I thought it might be fun. And Presley isn't that bad once you get to know her." She says
We're in Tamrin's car on our way to Presley's party.I tried so hard to get out of this and failed miserably. Sadie and Tamrin wouldn't take on for an answer so here I am in the backseet hoping the world ends. I could have been getting some work done right now or better yet. I could have been sleeping."Where is this party anyway?" I ask after a silent 20-minute ride."At some house," Sadie says looking back at me."Is it at Presley's house?"I ask looking for more clarity. What does she mean it's at some house? Who's house is it?"No, it's her boyfriend's house. Apparently, he has a mansion on the beach." Tamrin says and I suddenly find it hard to breathe, blink or swallow. We're going to where Liam is? I've been ignoring him and his endless texts for a week now."So, Liam is having a party and we're going?"I ask and the fear in my voice unsettles me."Would you relax. He won't kill us and sell us for parts. Other people from school are going to be there." Sadie says a look of concer
"Hy, kid" A voice says behind me and I gasp in surprise at the sound.I turn and see Liam standing at the door.The truth is I ran away from the party, We walked into to this house and I lost all sense of reality. Between the loud music, cheering and people making in every corner. I was drowning in sensation overload. So I found the first and headed outside.So here I am in Lia's backyard, lounging on his lawn chair. I can't really see anything beyond the green lawn in front of me because its so dark but I can hear the ocean ahead of me I bet the view during the day is incredible.The quiet is calming, compared to the chaos in the house.I meant it when I said I hate parties. I've never had fun with too many people around, let alone drunk people.And the fact that I don't drink makes it worse. I can see, and hear everything in normal volume while other people are drugged out of their minds. And are screamimg at the top of their
"Does Presley know that?" I ask and he stands up looking down at me. He sighs putting his hand in his pockets. "I don't think that's any of your business," He says and I sigh. "Oka," I say getting up too. He takes two steps towards me, forcing me to look up at him. For a moment I'm intimidated by his sheer size. I take in a deep breath trying to get as much oxygen as I can get to remain sane. How is it possible for one man to be this tall and this wide? My face is his belly, while my whole body is not even half the size of his. I should take step back. I say in my head but nothing happens. My legs don't move. He looks down at me. I see his eyes drift from my eyes to my lips. I let out the breath I had been holding and let out another one. His cologne hits my nostrils and I close my eyes. I don't know why but I feel like I need to do it. I feel his breath on the skin on my neck and I gasp softly. Why is he doing this to me? And Why am I not moving away? I feel him place a so
I can barely breathe from the overstimulation of my little situation with Liam. Aand now I’m behind the wheel, navigating the dark, winding roads with a car full of giggling friends. Tamrin is in the front seat, slumped against the window, her hair covering her face. Sadie is in the back, sprawled across the seats, murmuringabout how amazing the party was. Presley is the only one who seems somewhat awake, occasionally chiming in with a drowsy laugh. I don't know why she didn't r
An hour later.My phone vibrates next to me waking me u. I look towards the window and see that it's still dark outside. Who could be calling me right now?I lie back down and reach for my phone. I answer without looking at the name. It might be Tamrin."I'm outside your house." Liam says and my eyes shot open at the sound of his voice. "All thoughts of sleep absolutely gone. "We need to talk." He says making me sit up."No we don't." I say and he laughs."Yes we do." He says and then he pauses for a long time. My mind is screaming at me to end the call but once again I can't bring myself to act. I'm stuck and it feels like he's controlling me. "Come to the back, I'm waiting for you in the garden." He says and I groan. He's not listening to me."I can't come out there. It's late." I say but I get out of bed. I put my slippers on and look out of the window."I know it's late but we have t
Liam's lips are inches away from mine, and I'm frozen in place, unsure of what to do. His hand is still on my neck, and I can feel his heartbeat through his fingertips. My mind is racing with thoughts of Presley, Tamrin, and the complicated web I'm about to weave.What would they say to me if they found out what I'm doing right now? I know what Presley would say."Liam, we can't do this," I whisper, but my voice lacks conviction. I want to do this, I know I shouldn't have these feelings but being here with him..."Why not?" he asks softly, his breath warm against my face. "I know you want to." He says and I blink a few times trying to find my words but I can't.Before I can respond, he closes the distance and kisses me. It's gentle at first, his lips barely brushing against mine, but then he deepens the kiss, and I find myself kissing him back. His other hand moves to my waist, pulling me closer. For a moment, everything else fades away&mdas
The night is thick with shadows, and I stay hidden in plain sight, leaning casually against a streetlamp with a cigarette in hand. I’ve been watching her for over a month now. Celeste. She’s Liam’s weakness, though I doubt she even realizes it. She’s always surrounded by people, especially that annoying shadow of his—Nathan. Liam’s brother never leaves her side, like some overprotective lapdog. It’s irritating, but not unexpected. Liam plays his cards close, and Nathan is just another pawn in his meticulous game.Still, every pawn has its limits.Celeste is standing at the curb now, laughing at something Nathan said. The sound is soft, light, so painfully out of place in a world like ours. She has no idea the storm she’s standing in the middle of. She’s oblivious, a delicate flower in the middle of a battlefield. And I’ll admit—there’s something almost amusing about it.But it’s not am
The office feels too small, like the walls are closing in on me. I can’t sit still. Every step I take feels like I’m walking a tightrope, my mind racing with possibilities, each one darker than the last. Travis sits on the worn leather couch in the corner, his expression unreadable. He’s calm, the way he always is, but I know him well enough to see the tension in his jaw.“Liam,” he says, his voice measured. “You need to breathe. This isn’t helping.”I ignore him, my boots thudding against the floor as I pace. “How does this happen, Travis? A clean pickup. No cops. No outside eyes. And yet my product is gone, my guy’s in the hospital, and there’s a message waiting for me like it’s a damn game.”Travis leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re not going to figure it out by pacing holes into the floor. Sit down. Let’s think this through.”I st
The warehouse feels suffocating. The air is thick with tension, and every sound—footsteps, whispers, the scrape of crates being moved—grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. My fists are clenched so tightly my knuckles ache. Every cell in my body is screaming for release, for violence, for something to break.I sit at the edge of the makeshift desk, staring at nothing, replaying Eric’s words over and over in my head. They’re coming for more. They’re going to take everything from you. My empire is being chipped away, and all I can think about is how much I want to make whoever did this pay.A shuffle of hesitant footsteps behind me pulls me from my thoughts. I don’t turn around. “What?” I snap, my voice low but sharp enough to cut through the room.The kid—barely old enough to shave, one of the newer runners—steps forward. He’s holding a clipboard, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. &ldq
The warehouse is buzzing when I arrive, but it’s not the usual controlled chaos. It’s tense, electric. I can feel it in the air before I even step out of the car. Men are pacing, muttering, looking over their shoulders like shadows might suddenly turn into threats. The second I walk in, the room quiets, their eyes darting toward me like they’re waiting for an explosion.I don’t blame them. I’m furious.I move through the crowd, heading straight for the back office where I know Eric, one of my most reliable runners, is waiting. He shouldn’t even be here. From what I’ve been told, he barely made it out of the ambush alive. He should be in a hospital bed, getting stitches and painkillers. Instead, he’s slumped in a chair with his arm in a makeshift sling, his face pale and slick with sweat.“Eric,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended. “Tell me everything.”He winces as he shifts in the chair, his hand trembling as he runs it through his hair. “It—it was supposed to be a simple pick-u
The Ferris wheel's gentle hum fades behind us as we step off, and for a moment, everything feels calm, like the world’s giving us a break. Celeste’s laughter hangs in the air, Tamrin and Nathan’s chatter filling the space around us as we walk toward the food court. It’s a perfect night—just the four of us, blending into the crowd, no one looking twice at us, no one questioning who we are. For once, it feels like I can breathe.Then my phone buzzes, jolting me back to reality. I glance at the screen and feel my heart drop. The name flashing there is one I’ve dreaded seeing tonight. For a second, I think about ignoring it, letting it fade, but I know that’s not an option.“Be right back,” I say, stepping away from the table. I catch Nathan’s eyes as I move off to the side, and he gives me a slight nod. He knows better than to ask, but I can see the concern in his eyes.As I answer, the voice on the other
I stand at the cotton candy stand with Presley, the smell of spun sugar in the air, debating whether to get pink or blue. Presley leans into her choice, laughing, and I almost forget how tangled everything feels these days. I turn around to scan the crowd, hoping to spot a familiar face—anything to take my mind off everything with Tamrin and Celeste. Then I see them, a cluster of faces in the distance, laughing and close. My stomach drops.Tamrin is standing with Celeste, Nathan, and Liam. And they’re not just standing around, either—they look like they’re together, sharing that easy, familiar vibe you only have when you're close. My gasp is barely audible, but Presley catches it. She turns to look where I’m staring, her eyes narrowing as she sees the group for herself.“What the…? Tamrin?” Presley says, clearly stunned, her face hardening as she takes it all in. It’s like watching something surreal unfold. I can b
I catch sight of Tamrin the second Nathan calls her over, her face cautious, her eyes bouncing between Celeste and me. I force a polite smile as she approaches, but inside, I’m grinding my teeth. Her showing up means we’re back to pretending—like everything between Celeste and me is just casual, like she’s not the only person on my mind right now. I know Celeste feels it too; the forced smile she gives Tamrin is too practiced, too stiff. The whole scene feels like a well-rehearsed lie, and I hate it.Without saying a word, I start walking toward the Ferris wheel, letting my steps make my frustration known. It’s high up there, away from prying eyes and hushed whispers, a place where maybe, for a few moments, we don’t have to act. I dig into my pocket, pull out a few crumpled bills, and pay the attendant for a cab big enough for all of us. I glance back, calling them over.They gather around, and as we settle into the cabin, it’s
The carnival’s music and laughter fill the air, but my focus is entirely on the two figures in the distance—Celeste and Liam, standing by one of the game booths, his arm just brushing hers as they both laugh. My heart pounds as I watch them, each laugh of theirs twisting something in me. Sadie’s words flood back: Maybe we judged her too harshly… Maybe we’re wrong about all of this. It feels like a thorn in my side, nagging at me as I linger on the edge of the crowd.They’re close, too close. The way Liam’s looking at her, even from here, I can feel the intensity. I can’t stop the thought from creeping in—what if they really are together? I can’t shake it, and it’s eating me alive. Suddenly, I realize I need to talk to her, to find some kind of answer in her face, some way to know the truth without jumping to conclusions. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll apologize. I push my way through the crowd, my feet carrying
The sun’s just about to dip below the horizon, casting this deep orange light over everything as we step onto the carnival grounds. It’s cool, that kind of perfect evening breeze coming off the ocean. The sound of waves rolling up the shore blends with the laughter and music around us. I glance over at Celeste and see her smiling, her hair catching the last bit of daylight, and for a moment, I feel… content. Peaceful, even.Nathan is already pulling ahead, grinning like a kid on holiday, dragging us toward the game booths. There’s a lightness to the whole scene that feels rare these days. It’s almost surreal.“Come on, Liam,” Celeste teases, looking over her shoulder at me. “Let’s see if you’re any good at carnival games or if it’s all talk.”I laugh and pull her gently toward the shooting game booth, waving a couple of tickets to the guy behind the counter. “Think you’re up for a real challenge?” I ask, raising an eyebrow as I hand her a plastic rifle.C