Luna POV“Babes, give me my trousers, please,” Justin’s voice cuts through the silence, sharp and casual, as if nothing is wrong, as if he didn’t spend last night doing God knows what. There's no way he was working.I sigh, walking across the room, grabbing his trousers from the chair. But as I lift them, something falls out—a small, crumpled packet. My stomach twists as I pick it up, my eyes locking onto the empty condom wrapper. A cold wave of dread crashes over me. I shouldn’t care, not after everything that’s happened, not after what I’ve gone through with my stalker. But I do care. I care too much.“What’s this?” I ask, holding it up, my voice low but steady, my gaze never leaving his face. I see it immediately—the flicker of humour, the hesitation before he speaks. He’s about to lie. I know it.“Don’t do that, Justin. Don’t fucking lie,” I say, my voice growing sharper.He leans against the doorframe, sighing as if this is just a minor inconvenience. “An empty condom wrapper,” h
Dante POVAfter talking with Lucy and sending out a few messages, I finally crash into bed. It’s been over twenty-four hours since I last slept, and everything about my life has shifted since Luna entered it. My routine used to be consistent—work nights, keep the women here safe, try to protect those on the street, handle the business. But now, it feels like I’m chasing shadows, digging through Luna’s past, trying to piece together the puzzle of who she really is.Tonight has been especially long. I’ve been chasing dead ends, trying to find out the truth about her mother’s death and who her father is. It’s like she never existed—no record of her birth, no trace of her past. According to the system, Luna—or Lena—was never born. It’s as if she vanished before she even had a chance to live. In some twisted way, it’s a good thing for her, but it makes my job harder. She clearly went to great lengths to disappear. That means those from her past won't find her easily.What’s more unsettling
Dante POVDriving over, I feel the weight of everything that’s been happening lately press down on me, but I push it aside. I just need to see her, to talk to her, to make sure she knows I’m not giving up. When I get to her apartment, I walk straight to her door and knock. I wait, but there’s no response. After a few moments, I knock again, this time calling out, “Luna, it’s me.”I hear movement inside, but nothing happens. No footsteps approaching, no voice, just silence. I sigh and pull out the key, trying to unlock the door, but the key doesn’t fit. A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth as I lean my forehead against the door. Of course, she’s running. She’s trying to shut me out.But she’s not escaping that easily.I walk around the side of the apartment, trying to catch a glimpse through the windows, but the curtains are drawn. Luna never used to close the curtains, not like this. She’s definitely shutting me out. Frustration simmers beneath the surface, but I force myself to wal
Luna POVI can feel his gaze burning into me, and I hate it. I hate the way he’s looking at me right now, as if he’s already won—like he’s always had control. I should have known he was waiting outside, waiting for the exact moment I opened the door, and now here he is, standing right in front of me.“I’d be lying if I said no,” Dante replies, his voice calm but with an underlying edge that sends a shiver down my spine.I want to tell him to leave, to demand it, but before the words can even form, he steps closer, invading what little space was left between us. His gaze locks onto mine, and I feel trapped. If I just focus on his eyes, I can pretend—pretend that it’s my stalker, not Dante standing here. It’s easier to deal with him as a faceless fantasy, not as the man who I hate with every part of me.“You need to stop running from me, Luna,” his voice is soft, but the command is there, thick and forceful. “I’m not letting you disappear. Not anymore.”My entire body goes rigid. He doe
Luna POV“Good girl,” he murmurs, his voice shifting into that deep, seductive tone that made my skin tingle months ago. “Now, fucking strip.” A shiver runs down my spine, and before I can stop myself, my hands move. My clothes fall to the floor one by one, the sensation of vulnerability washing over me as I stand there, naked, with Dante—no, my stalker—watching me. As the last piece of clothing hits the ground, he grips my hand, pulling me over to the bed. He sits down, yanking me over his knee, my body trembling as the familiar sense of control slips away. “You’ve been bad, little deer,” he growls, his hand slamming down hard on my ass. I whimper, the sting sharp and immediate. “Changing the locks on the door,” he continues, spanking me again. The sting lingers, heat radiating from my skin. I bite back a whimper as he strikes again. “Closing the curtains, hiding from me so I can't see you sleep,” he growls, each word punctuated by the sharp crack of his hand against my flesh. I
Dante POV As soon as I get back to the club, exhaustion pulls me toward my apartment. I barely manage to strip off my jacket before collapsing onto the bed, desperate for sleep. I need to be up during the day tomorrow. I need to watch for Justin around Luna. But just as I begin to drift off, a knock at the door pulls me back. Groaning, I stumble over to the door, swinging it open to find Callum standing there, his face serious. “Now what?” I mutter, annoyed. “It’s during the day. What could possibly be wrong during the day?” Callum steps past me without hesitation, sitting down and placing a file on the table. “We found something you might want to know—didn’t think it could wait.” I grab the papers from the file, irritation giving way to curiosity. As soon as I see the picture, I freeze. The woman in the photo isn’t Luna, but the resemblance is unmistakable. “The age was wrong,” Callum explains. “Luna’s mother wasn’t twenty-one when she had her—she was seventeen. That’s why we di
Dante POVI shift, rising above her, my body hovering over hers, feeling her breathless heat. My lips crash against hers in a fierce, bruising kiss as I thrust myself into her in one swift motion. Her back arches beneath me, her hands clawing at my shoulders, digging into my skin as I fuck her harder, faster, deeper. Her moans are muffled against my mouth as I claim her, my tongue exploring her mouth, matching the rhythm of my hips as we both race toward the edge of madness. Her nails rake down my back, sending a flash of pain that only heightens my pleasure. I growl against her lips, the primal need to possess her completely consuming every rational thought. Her body responds to every movement, her hips meeting mine with an urgency that drives me wild. I can feel her pulse against me, her heart hammering in sync with mine, as if our bodies are communicating in a language only we understand. Grasping her chin, I tilt her head back, staring down at her, but her eyes are still closed.
Dante POVI climb off the bed and throw on my trousers, storming out to my car. I open the trunk, grabbing the rope and duct tape I always have stashed in there. I’m done playing games. Marching back into the apartment, I see her eyes widen in fear as I approach the bed. “You’re coming with me,” I say, my voice cold and determined. “Whether you like it or not. I’m done with your idea of what I do.” She fights me, thrashing wildly, but it’s no use. Her screams are loud but I ignore them as well. I bind her wrists behind her back, securing the ropes tightly before tying her ankles together. Her protests are loud and desperate, but I’m beyond caring. I wrap her body in my shirt, covering her as much as I can. “Dante, this is insane! I’m bleeding, you can’t just take me like this!” she screams, her voice raw with terror. I rip a piece of duct tape from the roll and slap it over her mouth, silencing her. I gather my things, lifting her into my arms, and carry her out to the car, tossin
Jace POVAs the waves of pleasure slowly subside, our bodies remain tangled, our breaths uneven, heavy with the remnants of what we just shared. My fingers trace over her cheek, brushing damp strands of hair from her face, and I shift just enough to look at her. Her lips are parted, her pupils still blown wide, the aftershocks making her shudder beneath me.“How was that?” My voice is quiet, teasing, but laced with something deeper, something I’m not ready to acknowledge.A lazy, satisfied smile spreads across her lips as she blinks up at me, still lost in the haze. “Everything I wanted…” Her voice is soft, drowsy, and she buries her face against my chest, sighing in contentment.I exhale slowly, reaching up to unhook the restraints, my hands careful as I rub gentle circles over her wrists where the cuffs have left faint marks. She doesn’t move much, her body spent, boneless, completely relaxed against me.
Jace POVHer hands remain bound behind her, wrists secured in the soft leather restraints as my fingers continue their slow, deliberate exploration of her skin. Every inch of her is hypersensitive, every touch making her shudder beneath me. My lips follow the path my hands create, dragging heat in their wake as I kiss my way down her body, my tongue teasing the delicate curve of her hip. I have no concrete plan, only the intention of pushing her deeper into subspace, giving her mind the escape it craves.I bite down on the soft flesh of her inner thigh, and she gasps, her hips jerking instinctively toward me. The sound is addictive, a quiet plea wrapped in pleasure. Reaching behind her, I unfasten the restraints only to secure them above her head, forcing her arms up and keeping her open for me. Her breath is uneven, her body trembling with anticipation, and when my mouth moves lower, when my tongue strokes over her, she lets out a strangled moan that
Serena POVI hit the bag over and over, each impact sending a shockwave through my body. My breaths come in ragged gasps. I don’t even know what I’m angry at anymore, Dale, his father, Jace, myself. It all blends together in one endless scream inside my head.“Fuck you,” I hiss under my breath, but I don’t even know who I’m saying it to.Jace watches me, silent. He doesn’t try to stop me. He doesn’t try to tell me to slow down. He just lets me burn it off.When my arms shake and my legs feel weak, I finally stop. My breath is ragged, sweat clinging to my skin, and I brace myself against the bag, pressing my forehead to the cool surface.Jace steps closer, his voice quieter now. “Feel better?”I don’t answer right away. My body still feels like it’s running on high voltage, but the energy is different now. The desperation, the unbearable itch, it’s dulled.&l
Serena POVThe bedroom walls feel like they’re closing in on me, suffocating, even when Jace is there. He’s been letting me out, but only when he’s around, like he doesn’t trust me. Maybe he’s right not to. I don’t even trust myself right now.My skin crawls, my body restless, my thoughts moving too fast for me to catch. One second, I feel like I need to run, to escape, to do something—anything—but then it shifts, and I crash, exhaustion pressing me down like a weight.I hate this. I hate feeling like I’m not in control. It's been a week, I thought by now I would be fine, but I'm not.I pace back and forth across the room, my hands shaking as I rake them through my hair. Jace is sitting in the chair near the door, watching me with that same patient expression he’s had since all of this started. Like he’s waiting for me to snap.“Stop looking at me like that,&rd
Jace POVI head down the hall, my heartbeat picking up the closer I get to the room she’s in. When I push open the door, she’s still on the bed, legs crossed, fingers tugging at a loose thread on the blanket.She looks up, her expression unreadable. “Hey,” she murmurs.Stepping inside, I shut the door behind me. “You good?”She shrugs, glancing away. “I guess.”I walk closer, dropping into the chair beside the bed. “You ate?”She nods. “Rich made sure of it.”Of course, he did.Silence stretches between us, thick and weighted, until she finally speaks again. “Why are you here, Jace?”I meet her gaze, holding it steady. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”Standing, I watch her curl into herself, arms wrapped tight around her legs like she’s trying to disappear. She looks so damn small like this, so fucking frag
Jace POVThe exhaustion is like a weight pressing down on me, my body begging for rest, but my mind refuses to slow down. I’ve been working for hours, handling everything at the club, but it’s impossible to focus when all I can think about is her.I haven’t heard a damn thing from Rich since I left Serena with him. No updates, no messages. It’s not like I expected play-by-plays of everything happening in that room, but silence? It doesn’t sit right with me, so I need to check on her.Taking the elevator up, I roll my shoulders, trying to shake off the tension. As soon as the doors slide open, I step into my apartment, my attention immediately pulled toward the bedroom door. Then I hear it, laughter, Serena is laughing.It’s soft at first, then louder, full of something I haven’t heard in years. Pure, genuine happiness. It stops me in my tracks. My chest tightens, and for a moment, I just stand the
Serena POVRich doesn’t push, just watches as I drift back into memories.“When we were kids, we did everything together,” I say, a small smile tugging at my lips. “He’d come over, and we’d build forts out of blankets in my living room. We used to sneak out at night and go to the lake, just to sit by the water and talk. Sometimes we’d dare each other to do stupid things, like climb onto the roof of my house or steal candy from the corner store.”Rich chuckles. “He ever get caught?”I laugh, shaking my head. “No. I always did, though. He was too damn good at talking his way out of trouble.”Rich smirks. “He still is.”I nod, my smile fading slightly. “It was easy back then. He was always there, always... Jace. No complications, and no mess.”“But now?” Rich prompts.I sigh, pushing my plate away. “Now I don’t k
Serena POVRich runs a hand through his hair, sighing heavily. “Serena, he set you up. He made you the monster so you wouldn’t ever question what really happened, and if you did? He had Dale right there, feeding you those pills, keeping your head foggy enough that you’d never put the pieces together.”My stomach lurches. “The pills…” My voice trails off as realization starts to sink in.“Yeah,” Rich nods, his expression grim. “Makes me wonder how long they’ve been keeping you doped up. How long they’ve made you believe you were just crazy instead of realizing what they did to you.”I press a hand to my forehead, feeling like my skull is splitting open. “No,” I whisper, shaking my head. “I would’ve known. I would’ve remembered.”“Would you?” Rich’s voice is gentle now, but the weight behind his words i
Serena POVI wake up groggy, my body heavy, my mind wrapped in a thick fog. My limbs feel sluggish, my skin too tight, too sensitive.How long has it been? Panic creeps in as I blink around the dimly lit room, trying to piece things together. My throat is dry, my mouth like sandpaper. Something feels wrong.“Jace?” My voice cracks, barely more than a whisper. I swallow hard and try again, louder this time. “Jace!”I hear footsteps followed by the door creaking open, and Rich stands in the doorway, leaning against the frame, watching me.He lifts his hands, slow and easy, like he’s dealing with a wild animal. He steps inside, holding out a glass of water. “Easy there, trouble. Just me.”I don’t move. My heart pounds, and paranoia twists in my gut. Jace isn’t here. Where is Jace? “Where’s Jace?” I ask.Rich just smiles like I didn’t just snap at him. “Tr