Zayne's POV Zayne sat hunched in the far corner of the large, barren room, his back pressed against the cold cement wall. The dim light overhead flickered faintly, casting erratic shadows on the unadorned gray walls. The air smelled faintly of damp concrete and old sweat. The only furniture in the room—a small, round table and two wooden chairs—sat near the door, like a cruel joke of hospitality.For the past three days, his captors had been relentless in their vigilance. The men guarding him rotated in pairs every twelve hours, their shifts as regular as clockwork. Zayne had counted fourteen different faces so far, each one more intimidating than the last. Not once had he seen a repeat. It was maddening to realize how methodical they were, making it nearly impossible to track patterns or exploit weaknesses.His wrists and ankles were bound securely with heavy locks and thick chains, leaving him no option for physical resistance. Every attempt to shift positions resulted in the cold
The heavy metal door clanged shut, and Zayne's shoulders tensed as the muffled voices of his earlier captors faded. He exhaled a shaky breath but had little time to compose himself before the door swung open again.Tucson was the first to stride in, his boots thudding against the concrete floor. He ran a hand through his greasy hair and sneered, "Ugh, it's the brat again. Why do I always get stuck with this crap job?"Behind him, Morris entered, his presence immediately commanding more respect. He was a tall, dark-skinned man, standing just over six feet. His broad frame filled the doorway, his bright green eyes contrasting starkly against his ebony skin. He was a stark contrast to Tucson's rough edges, but there was no kindness in his expression.Zayne kept his head down, his small frame curled in the corner as if trembling in fear. He buried his face against his knees, letting out soft sobs that echoed faintly in the empty room.Tucson barked a laugh, the sound loud and grating. "Fi
Tucson growled, his face twisted in rage as he tried to push himself up. But Zayne didn't give him the chance. His hands moved with trembling speed as he slammed another pin into one of Tucson's pressure points, his breathing ragged and shallow.The man's limbs went limp almost instantly. Tucson groaned, his eyes blazing with fury as he lay immobilized, his muscles betraying him. And not less than a few seconds, he collapsed.Zayne stood over them both, his chest heaving, his legs feeling like jelly. Sweat dripped from his temples, stinging his eyes, but he didn't wipe it away. His hands were trembling, his fingers still tingling from the adrenaline surging through him."Idiots," he muttered, his voice steady but laced with quiet anger.He dropped to his knees and began rifling through their pockets, his fingers fumbling in his haste. The cold press of metal against his skin told him he'd found a set of keys, and the smooth glass of a phone soon followed. His heart was still hammering
I sat on the edge of Zayne's bed, my fingers curled lightly around his small hand. The warmth of his skin was reassuring, a reminder that he was here, safe, and alive. My eyes drifted to his face—soft, peaceful, a stark contrast to the pale, exhausted look he'd worn when we found him. Now, his chest rose and fell in steady rhythm, the color slowly returning to his cheeks.Five days. Five long, agonizing days since he collapsed in my arms at the police station. Five days he had spent unconscious, his body fighting to recover from starvation and the sheer strain of his ordeal.My thumb brushed against the back of his hand, and I swallowed the lump rising in my throat. He hadn't eaten for nearly five days during the abduction, yet he found the strength to free himself, to outsmart those monsters, and to drive to safety. It was extraordinary, a feat beyond anything I could have imagined for a boy his age.And yet, my chest tightened painfully. He was nine. A child. My child.I closed my e
Rominic's POVThe air in the room grew heavy with Lavender's mortification as her face turned a deep shade of crimson, the flush creeping down her neck. She stared at me, wide-eyed, before shifting her gaze to Zayne.Our son sat propped against the headboard, pale and fragile but very much awake, his winter gray eyes fixed on us with a mixture of disbelief and disgust. I could see the faint tremble in his body, likely from exhaustion, but his expression was laser-focused on his grievance: he had been forced to witness his parents kissing.The look on his face was enough to break the tension. I let out a soft chuckle, amused by the sheer absurdity of the moment. He wasn't disgusted by the kiss itself—it wasn't like we hadn't been affectionate in front of the children before—but he clearly hated that he had to be the one to see it now.Zayne's gaze shifted from Lavender to me, and this time it was sharper, more pointed. He wasn't just annoyed anymore—he was glaring. My smirk widened as
Lavender's POVI sat at the corner table of the smoothie bar, one leg crossed over the other, sipping leisurely from my Chocolate-Covered Cherry Smoothie. The thick, rich flavor of chocolate swirled with tangy cherry lingered on my tongue as I half-listened to Gael's voice, which had been droning on for the past ten minutes about his latest date."…And then she has the audacity to talk down to the waiter like he's beneath her!" Gael exclaimed, his steel-blue eyes widening with exaggerated disbelief. He leaned forward, his alabaster skin catching the soft afternoon light filtering through the windows. His blonde hair, styled effortlessly, only added to his charm, and his voice carried a lilt that could make even the dullest topics sound vaguely enticing.But Gael wasn't my type.Sitting across from him, I allowed myself a subtle smirk. Sure, he was a man blessed with a near-flawless appearance, abs included, but his constant skirt-chasing rendered any allure completely null. Not to men
I smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "He's back in school," I said, "but honestly, I'm worried. There's something he's not telling me. Rominic knows what it is, but…" I trailed off, my smile slipping.Mentally, I couldn't help but dwell on the search for the mastermind behind the abduction. Days of effort had yielded nothing—no clues, no leads. The frustration was like a weight pressing against my chest. What kind of person could target a child like that? And more importantly, what wrong did Rominic commit to them?Elias offered me a reassuring smile. "Everything will work out, Lavender," he said, his voice steady and calming.Ferris snorted softly, pulling a blue handkerchief from his pocket to wipe Jewels's mouth, which was smeared with muffin crumbs. "She's just jealous," he said, smirking at me. "Her kids are keeping secrets from her and telling Rominic instead."I narrowed my eyes at him, heat rushing to my cheeks. "How does that have anything to do with som
Lavender's POVI sat curled on the plush armchair in the living room, the soft hum of background music barely registering in my ears. My phone was in my hand, the screen glowing with an all-too-familiar face staring back at me. The article on Apollo was everywhere, plastered across every major news outlet.I scrolled through it begrudgingly, my thumb moving slower than I wanted it to. Why am I even reading this? I thought bitterly, glaring at his perfectly curated image.Apollo Dean Stine. Even his name sounded ridiculous. The man wore charm like armor, his bright silver eyes twinkling with a cheerfulness I could only describe as infuriating. They had a strange quality to them, shifting colors subtly with different lighting. People always gushed about how unique and mesmerizing they were, but to me, they were nothing short of absurd."Who in the world has stupid eyes like that?" I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.I scrolled further, my eyes catching on his recent look. He'd
Lavender stood in the dimly lit living room, her nerves fraying with every passing second. The soft glow of the overhead light bathed the space in warm hues, but it did little to soothe the tension crackling in the air. Rominic was pacing, his creamy blonde hair disheveled, winter-gray eyes stormy as they pinned her in place. He wasn't speaking yet, but his silence was worse than yelling. It was the kind of silence that suffocated, pressing down on her chest like an unseen weight.She laughed nervously, the sound brittle as it broke the stillness. "It's not what you're thinking," she said, her voice softer than she intended. "I swear, Rominic, it's not.”His eyes flickered, sharp and unyielding, and she could feel his temper bubbling just beneath the surface. The faint ticking of his wall clock was the only other sound in the room, an infuriating reminder of how slowly time seemed to move in moments like these.Lavender inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself. Her cinnamon-brown hair
Apollo's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, sharp and unrelenting. "You alone could've prevented everything, but you chose not to. That's exactly why I despised you. None of you deserve him.""True," I whispered, my voice trembling but steady enough to hold the weight of my resolve. "I don't deserve him." I lifted my gaze to meet his, my expression calm despite the storm raging inside me. A soft, bitter smile curved my lips. "But neither does he deserve me."For a moment, Apollo's sneer faltered, his sharp retort caught in his throat. I turned away before he could recover, the silence between us broken only by the muffled sounds from outside and the deafening beat of my own heart.The room was still thick with the lingering stench of sweat and mildew, but somehow, the suffocating weight of the earlier confrontation had begun to lift. The muffled groans and rhythmic thumping from the other side of the door persisted, but I could almost tune them out now. Apollo leaned back agains
"Useless," I muttered, shaking my head and leaning further into the armrest of the sofa. The fabric felt damp, and I shifted again, trying to touch as little of it as possible.Apollo leaned back against the wall, his legs stretched out and his arms crossed over his chest. He looked as though he were perfectly comfortable, but I knew better. He thrived on tension, and this situation was no different. A heavy silence settled between us, but it was far from peaceful. The noises from outside—the cries, the moans, the unmistakable sound of a furniture slamming against a wall—filled the void like an unwelcome guest."You've changed," Apollo finally said, his voice cutting through the cacophony. I turned to him, my expression flat and unimpressed. "What?" "What you did out there…" he trailed off, his tone strangely contemplative, though the familiar edge of derision lingered."I don't see anything wrong with seducing my husband," I replied sharply, emphasizing the word ‘husband' with veno
You know how sometimes things don't go as planned? Well, my situation was one of those.At first, everything seemed to be going perfectly. I had managed to get under Apollo's skin so effectively that he stormed off, his face tight with fury. Victory tasted sweet—at least for a fleeting moment. With him out of the picture, Rominic was mine, entirely mine. We flirted, trading sharp smiles and lingering glances that set my skin ablaze. We kissed, his hands firm yet teasing, and for a brief while, the club's chaotic energy seemed to fade into the background. Then, as if the universe couldn't let me revel for too long, Lilith and a group of men I'd pointed out started brawling. Rominic and Phineas stepped in, practically dragging them apart before things got bloody. They saved lives; I mostly tried not to get crushed.And somehow—still baffling to me—I ended up here. In the mixed-gender restroom. With Apollo.Let me clarify: calling it a “restroom” was a cruel joke. There wasn't a toilet i
The bass-heavy music from the club reverberated through the walls as I stepped inside, the heavy scent of alcohol, sweat, and expensive cologne hitting me instantly. The lights pulsed in rhythmic patterns, casting shadows that danced across the crowded floor. Bodies moved in sync with the music, a chaotic symphony of energy and decadence.Beside me, Lilith was in her element. Her barely-there silver dress sparkled under the strobe lights, the hem so short it was a miracle it managed to cover her at all. She sauntered forward, her electric-blue eyes scanning the room with the eagerness of a predator sizing up its prey."Isn't this fun?" she chirped, her voice loud enough to cut through the music.I smirked at her. "You're certainly having the time of your life, Mrs. Zǐmò." I say, intentionally reminding her about who's she married to and the possibility of him destroying this club if any man should lay their hands on her.Lilith shot me a wink—ignoring me—before sashaying ahead, her dy
I sat cross-legged on the bed, my laptop balanced precariously on my knees as the soft hum of its fan filled the room. The faint scent of sweet peas lingered in the air from the diffuser on the nightstand, mingling with the faint aroma of vanilla shampoo from Savia and Serenity's braiding session.Lilith sprawled on her stomach on the other end of the bed, her dyed pink hair spilling over her shoulders as she kicked her legs lazily in the air. Her electric blue eyes gleamed with mischief as she rambled on and on about her latest escapade in the digital world."So, there I was," Lilith began, her voice animated, "watching this idiot try to bypass a firewall that I set up in, like, ten seconds. And guess what? The guy thought using a brute-force algorithm would work. Can you believe that? Brute force! In this times! What is he, a caveman?"Zachary, seated on the floor beside the bed, leaned forward with an intrigued expression. "Wait, what kind of firewall? Was it encrypted with—""Trip
As she scurried away, still visibly dazed, Apollo watched her go with a satisfied grin. "Too easy," he murmured under his breath as he took a seat beside Phineas."You ever get tired?" I asked with irritation.Apollo shrugged, brushing his long hair over his shoulder. "Of what? Being this irresistible? Never."Phineas snorted, picking his phone back up.Apollo leaned back in his chair, the dim light catching the faint shimmer in his silver eyes. His smirk returned, sharper now, almost taunting. "You know," he said, his tone taking on a biting edge, "you're wasting your godly features on Lavender."My grip tightened around the glass in my hand, the faint creak of the strain barely audible over the music. "Careful," I said, my voice low and firm, each word deliberate. "Lavender is my wife, and you'll show her respect."His smirk faltered for just a moment, his eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite place—was it irritation? Jealousy? But just as quickly, he scoffed, looking away
Rominic's POVThe music hit me the moment I walked into the club, a pulsing bass that vibrated through my chest and resonated with the faint buzz of the conversations around us. Strobe lights flickered in neon greens and purples, casting fragmented shadows across the packed dance floor. The air smelled of a heady mix of alcohol, sweat, and the faint sweetness of spilled cocktails.Phineas was walking ahead of me, running his fingers through his recently dyed reddish-blonde hair. He looked back with a playful grin, his sky-blue eyes gleaming under the ever-changing lights."You could have warned me you were dragging me into this circus," I muttered, adjusting my cufflinks and glancing down at my wristwatch—a Patek Philippe with a sleek platinum finish and a blue enamel dial. A gift from Lavender."It's called spontaneity, Nic," Phineas replied, his voice cheerful over the thumping beat. "And we both know Apollo couldn't shut up about it. He wouldn't have let us off the hook."My gaze d
Lavender's POVI sat curled on the plush armchair in the living room, the soft hum of background music barely registering in my ears. My phone was in my hand, the screen glowing with an all-too-familiar face staring back at me. The article on Apollo was everywhere, plastered across every major news outlet.I scrolled through it begrudgingly, my thumb moving slower than I wanted it to. Why am I even reading this? I thought bitterly, glaring at his perfectly curated image.Apollo Dean Stine. Even his name sounded ridiculous. The man wore charm like armor, his bright silver eyes twinkling with a cheerfulness I could only describe as infuriating. They had a strange quality to them, shifting colors subtly with different lighting. People always gushed about how unique and mesmerizing they were, but to me, they were nothing short of absurd."Who in the world has stupid eyes like that?" I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.I scrolled further, my eyes catching on his recent look. He'd