Luna POVThe trees seem to close in around me, suffocating, and my chest tightens as I realize there’s no clear path ahead. “You’re mine, Luna,” his voice growls from behind me, sending shivers down my spine. “You always were.” No. My heart slams against my ribs, my body begging for a break, for rest, but I can’t stop. The woods are a blur now, and my mind is spinning with fear, confusion, and something darker, something primal. Something that makes me want him to catch me, even though every instinct is screaming for me to keep running. But I won’t make it much longer. I know that. Suddenly, I’m thrown to the ground, my body hitting the forest floor. A rush of adrenaline, fear, and excitement surges through me as I flip onto my back. My breath catches when I see him—the mask, the one he always wears, he's now wearing for this. His hand moves swiftly, tearing my top open, exposing my chest to the cool night air. I barely have time to react before the knife appears, slicing through
Dante’s POV: I lean back for a moment, feeling her weight against my chest, her body limp in my arms. I loosen the rope slowly, careful not to wake her. As the last loop comes free, her body collapses, and I catch her before she hits the ground. This wasn’t the fucking plan. She’s passed out in the middle of nowhere, and she picked the worst goddamn place to pull this off. I lower her onto the dirt, gently laying her down. My mind is racing, but I try to focus. I search the ground for my clothes, pulling on my trousers and shoes first. My shirt and jacket are tossed somewhere, along with hers, so I grab them both. Glancing back at her, I shake my head. She’s shit at this game—running in circles, letting my voice pull her in like she always does. Walking back over, I peer down at her. She’s a mess—we’re a fucking mess. I’m not even sure how I’m going to get her back without drawing attention, but I’ll figure it out. I always do. I crouch down and wrap my shirt around her waist, t
Dante POVOnce inside, I sit on the bed and begin untying her. I lay her on the bed and begin to pull off my shirt that I’d wrapped around her waist, then the jacket, tossing them aside. She doesn’t stir, her breathing soft and even, still deep in sleep. But her appearance is a mess—beyond a mess. Luna lies sprawled out on the bed, her wild hair tangled and full of leaves, twigs sticking out in every direction like she just crawled through the underbrush. Dirt and mud streak across her body, smeared over her arms and legs. Scratches crisscross her skin, some shallow, some deeper, a few of them oozing faint lines of blood. Her knees and elbows are scraped raw, covered in a mix of mud and grime from the forest floor. There’s even a small cut on her cheek, just below her eye, and dried blood trails down from it. She looks like she’s been through a warzone, her once pale skin now smeared with the evidence of the night’s chase. Her clothes—or what’s left of them—are torn and ragged, bare
Dante POVJustin laughs through the pain, his voice a rasping croak now. “It doesn’t matter, Dante. Brian’s coming for her. For Luna. There’s nothing you can do to stop him. He’s going to take her, just like he took all the others.” Those words rip through me like a storm. I glance at Callum, and I can see the same cold determination in his eyes. We have to make sure. There can’t be anything left unsaid. We start again. This time, it’s more brutal, more savage. Callum and I take turns breaking him down, each hit, each twist of the knife, drawing more from him. We don’t stop until Justin is a broken, bloodied mess, barely clinging to life. Finally, there’s nothing left. He’s told us everything—about Brian, about the women, about Luna. And when I’m sure, when I know there’s no more lies, I step forward one last time. I grab Justin by the hair, yanking his head back. His eyes are glassy, his body limp, but there’s still a flicker of fear in his gaze. He knows this is it. “You should
Luna POV We stand in silence, carefully picking out the twigs, leaves, and dirt from each other’s hair. Once we’ve gotten rid of everything—or at least what we can see—Dante pulls me into the shower. I watch the water as it runs down our bodies, the color shifting from clear to a muddy mix of blood and grime. The sight reminds me of the chaos we’ve just gone through. My whole body aches, every muscle reminding me of the intensity of the night. Yet, despite the pain, a small smile pulls at my lips. I wasn’t sure what would happen when I ran—I just wanted him to chase me, to claim me. I knew he would. It became more than that, though—like a game of cat and mouse, the thrill of fight or flight surging through both of us. By the end, I was spent, too exhausted to even keep my eyes open. Now, as Dante works the shampoo into my hair, a quiet moan slips from my lips. His fingers move with purpose, massaging my scalp, but his eyes—those hungry, intense eyes—stay locked on my body. The way
Luna POVBefore I can even process the idea of roaming freely, I glance at Dante and let a teasing grin tug at my lips. ”What if I want them to touch me?" I ask, biting my lip, pushing at his boundaries, testing him. His hand is around my neck in an instant, pulling me close, his grip firm but not painful. His gaze is sharp, intense. “Then I’ll make it fucking happen. Don’t test me.” His growl sends a thrill through my body, and I shiver, nodding under his hold. Leaning forward, I press my lips to his, my whisper soft. “I’m joking.” I would never let anyone else touch me. That’s a line I won’t cross, not with anyone else. He knows it too. With a gentle push, he lets me go, his intensity still palpable in the air. He shoves the plate of food toward me. I begin to eat. But I can feel the weight of what’s between us—the conversation about Justin that lingers in the back of my mind. “So, about Justin,” Dante begins, but I raise my hand, stopping him. “Wait. I need to tell you somethi
Luna POVI don’t bother changing out of my chemise, rushing to the door, but Dante stops me, handing me my bag. “Call her,” he says, his voice calm but commanding. “Will she answer if she's working?” I don’t know. I start dialing her number, my hands trembling as I wait. No answer. I try again. Still nothing. “She’s not answering,” I whisper, panic creeping back in. Dante guides me into the car, and I keep trying, over and over, but still, there’s no response. “Stay in the car. This is too public,” he warns, stepping out. I try the doors, but they’re locked. He locked me in the fucking car. Minutes later, he returns, his face grim. “She’s not at work,” he says. “We’re heading to her apartment. Give me the keys.” I grip the keys tightly, unwilling to let him go in alone. “No,” I snap. “You’re not going in there and scaring her!” He sighs, reaching for the keys. I fight back, kicking at him, determined to go with him. “You’re going to get hurt,” he warns, his voice sharp. “Just g
Dante POV Luna lies curled up on the bed, sobbing into little Bear’s fur, clutching the dog like it’s the only thing holding her together. I don’t want to leave her. Everything in me screams to stay, to be by her side, but Lucy’s murder changes everything. The fact that they killed Lucy means they’re closer than I thought. Not checking, not acting, would put Luna in even more danger. After Justin’s betrayal, how do I know there aren’t others here working against me too? Not checking is essentially waiting around for them to attack. I sigh, walking around the bed and kneeling next to her, so I can see her face. “Luna,” I say softly, brushing a strand of hair from her tear-streaked cheek, “I need to do something. I can’t just sit here and wait, not when there’s a threat this close.” My voice is calm, but underneath it, my urgency leaks through. “Do you want me to get Lilly for you?” I know how close she and Lilly have gotten. There’s something about the two of them that clicks, and
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