Isla arrived at Sophie’s apartment, dropped off by Jaxon’s driver.“Thanks,” she said, waving goodnight. The driver gave a slight nod before speeding off.As she entered the apartment complex, excitement bubbled up inside her. She broke into a giggle, practically running.“Sophie! Sophie!” she called out, eager to share everything—despite already spilling most of it over the phone.She dashed up the stairs, stopping in front of Sophie’s door.“Girllll!” Sophie’s voice rang from inside. The door flung open, and the two best friends threw their arms around each other in a tight embrace.“I missed you so much, Isla!” Sophie whined dramatically.Isla burst into laughter. “Oh, please. You’re so dramatic—I was here two nights ago.”“What? No!” Sophie protested as they stepped inside. “You were here physically, but mentally? Nah. You were sulking and blaming me for trying to set you up with Mr. Stranger.” She plopped onto the couch with a smirk.“Whatever.” Isla laughed, settling next to her.
Jaxon groaned as his eyes fluttered open. He lay still, staring up at the ceiling, trying to blink away the blur clouding his vision. A dull throbbing pounded in his skull, and as he pushed himself upright, the pain intensified.“Arghh,” he gritted out, cradling his head in his hands. Squeezing his eyes shut didn’t help much, but he tried anyway.‘I need peppermint tea,’ he thought, yanking the duvet off his body. Moving to the edge of the bed, he sat still for a moment before reaching for his phone on the bedside table.When he powered it on and checked the date, relief washed over him—it was Saturday.“I really shouldn’t have drunk that much,” he muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. With a sigh, he swung his legs off the bed, slipped on his flip-flops, and dragged his feet across the cool tiles toward the living room.As he wandered into the kitchen, he scrolled through his phone and dialed Isla’s number. Setting the phone on the counter, he shuffled over to the fridge for a bott
Sophie arrived at Michael’s apartment and knocked on his door.“Hey, baby,” she called, a bright smile on her face—though her mind had been restless the entire way here.Before she could knock again, the door swung open, revealing Michael in just a pair of shorts, his hair tousled like he’d just rolled out of bed.“Hey, babe.” He smiled softly, opening his arms for her. She stepped inside, wrapping herself around him in a warm embrace.“You just woke up?” she asked as they pulled apart.Michael nodded, rubbing his eyes.“No wonder,” she said, walking toward the living room. “I sent you a message, but it didn’t deliver. I figured you didn’t have your phone on you.”Michael followed, dragging his feet across the floor, running his fingers through his messy hair.Sophie glanced back at him and chuckled. “You look like you need coffee.” Dropping her bag onto the couch, she made her way to the kitchen.“Yeah, yeah. I feel so dull,” he muttered, trailing after her. He slumped onto a stool i
Margaret sat in her usual spot in the living room while Danika busied herself in the kitchen, preparing dinner.As she waited, Margaret’s thoughts, as always, drifted to Jaxon. With a frown, she blurted out, “Is it just me, or has it been ages since Jaxon last came here?”Danika chuckled as she stepped out of the kitchen. “It hasn’t been ages, Margaret. He was here, what? Three days ago?”Margaret rolled her eyes. “Exactly. It never takes him three days to show up. Maybe he’s with Isla already.”Danika smirked. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”Margaret let out a laugh, nodding. “I know, but still. He should at least report back to me and—”“Ding Dong!”The doorbell rang, cutting her off. Both women turned toward the door just as it swung open.Danika’s grin widened. She already knew who it was.“Speak of the devil,” Margaret muttered as Jaxon stepped in, hand in hand with Isla. “I almost thought you forgot me,” she added with mock offense.Jaxon burst into laughter. “You’re so dramatic,
Isla and Maggie burst into laughter, their chuckles filling the room. Maggie rambled on about Jaxon—how he’d been a bit of a clumsy oaf in his younger days and how, against all odds, he’d managed to win the heart of a woman like Isla.Meanwhile, Danika set the table for dinner. Just as they settled into their seats, Isla’s phone buzzed against the table.“Sorry,” she murmured, reaching for it. A quick glance at the screen—Sophie. Isla stood and stepped away from the table to take the call.“Hey,” she greeted, a wide smile on her face. But instead of a cheerful reply, she was met with a shaky sniff.“Hey,” Sophie’s voice trembled, and Isla’s brows knitted together in concern.“Are you crying?” she asked, alarmed. Another sniff.“I know I shouldn’t be calling… I know you’re with Jaxon, but I can’t keep this in anymore,” Sophie’s voice cracked, and Isla’s heart clenched.“What’s wrong? What happened?” Isla pressed, worry thick in her tone. “Where are you? Aren’t you with Michael?”There
Michael sat in the living room, his phone clutched in his hand. His eyes were fixed on the message he had sent to Alex—still unread."Can you make it down to my apartment? I really need to see you."He had sent it over an hour ago. Delivered, but not seen.Michael exhaled sharply. “Should I just call him?” he muttered, tapping on Alex’s contact and pressing dial. The moment the line rang, he heard a phone buzzing outside his door.His heart skipped. “Alex?” A grin broke across his face as he jumped to his feet and rushed to the door.Before Alex could even knock, the door swung open, revealing Michael beaming at him.“You’re here,” Michael breathed, his excitement evident as he threw his arms around him in a tight embrace.Alex chuckled, hugging him back. “Why are you so happy to see me?”“Because I texted you, and you didn’t respond. I thought you didn’t want to come.”“Maybe you sent it while I was busy…” Alex smirked, pulling away slightly. “…or while I was out getting us dinner.”
Alex's lips claimed Michael's once more, their mouths melding in a deep, fervent kiss, as if they were made to fit together.Sliding between Michael’s thighs, Alex pressed in close, his hips rolling in a slow, deliberate rhythm, grinding against him with heated urgency.A soft moan escaped Michael’s lips. His lashes fluttered open for a fleeting moment, catching sight of Alex, eyes still shut, lost in the depth of their kiss.Michaels’ hand reached for Alex’s shirt and he hastily tried to unbutton his shirt, without breaking the kiss. Because he couldn’t see the buttons, he couldn’t hardly unbutton them. Alex suddenly broke the kiss and moved away. With a grab on his shirt, he ripped it apart, all the buttons flying off. “Haa.” Michael gasped in shock as Alex’s bare chest came into sight. “The buttons were beginning to piss me off.” Alex whispered with a dangerous-looking smile. He made Michael wrap his arms around his neck and he carried him off the couch. Michael wrapped his leg
Isla and Sophie finished getting ready for work at the same time. Isla couldn’t help but steal glances at Sophie, noticing how off her mood had been ever since she stopped talking to Michael.She wasn’t even sure Sophie was in the right state of mind to handle work. The thought of her breaking down at the office and drawing unwanted attention made Isla uneasy.As Sophie ran a comb through her hair, her phone screen lit up with a new message. At first, she ignored it, too disinterested to check. But just before the screen dimmed again, her eyes flicked over it—and froze. Michael.Her breath hitched as she snatched the phone. Isla, noticing the shift in her expression, frowned. “What’s wrong?”Eyes locked on the screen, Sophie murmured, “Michael just texted me.”“What?” Isla crossed the room in quick strides. “What did he say?”“He wants to meet. He said he’ll be at the restaurant near my office during lunch.” Sophie placed her phone aside, her voice uncertain.Isla studied her closely.
Idris pulled up at the bus stop where Michael had told him to meet for their date. For good reason, Michael had no intention of letting Idris anywhere near his apartment.Truth be told, he was hoping this would be the last time he ever had to see or speak to him again.“Pim Pim.” A car horn sounded, snapping Michael out of his thoughts. He looked up from his phone to see Idris parked right in front of him, grinning and waving excitedly.Michael forced a smile and got up from the bench, making his way to the car. He opened the door and slid into the passenger seat."Sorry for keeping you waiting," Idris said warmly, reaching out to take Michael’s hand.Michael glanced down at their hands and subtly pulled away, shaking his head slightly. “It’s fine. I just got here too,” he replied. Idris gave a small nod, his brows knitting together in concern.“You okay?” he asked, sensing that something was off.Michael shifted in his seat, meeting his gaze with a reassuring smile. “Yeah, of course.
Bianchi began to pace restlessly in front of Isla as he expected his men. Isla, who was still extreme weak, seemed to have hope seeing her capturer disoriented. She let out a smirk and flicked her brows. “I told you Jaxon would find you and kill you.” She muttered admist laughter, loud enough for him to hear. “Shut the fuck up!” Bianchi growled as he stormed closer to the chair where she was tied, his shivering finger pointing to her face. Isla kept her smirk, refusing to look away in fear. “You know…” he whispered, a smirk curling up the side of his lips. “I thought I would just have to kill one girl to get what I want, but…” he pulled out his gun from his back and traced it on Isla’s face, causing her breath to etch. “...why not add her bestfriend to make things more fun?” He grinned, and Isla’s heart skipped a beat. The smirk on her face instantly disappeared. “What are you talking about?” She asked with gritted teeth, and Bianchi let out an annoying laugh as he moved away fro
Sophie wandered the streets, tears brimming in her eyes, clutching posters of Isla. Bold red letters screamed “MISSING” above Isla’s picture, and beneath it, a ten-thousand-euro reward.She moved from one wall to the next, plastering the posters wherever she could, stopping passersby to ask if they had seen her.She had called and texted Isla multiple times, but got no response. She even tried Jaxon’s number, but for some reason, he wasn’t answering either.When she finally got through to Ray, he confirmed the worst—Isla was missing. The words hit Sophie like a brick. Panic surged through her. She wanted to report it to the police immediately, but Ray stopped her, assuring her that they were already handling it.Still, Sophie couldn’t stand feeling helpless. Sitting back and doing nothing while her best friend was out there—possibly in danger—wasn’t an option. So, she took to the streets, hoping that someone, anyone, might recognize Isla from the posters.Just as she was showing anoth
“Please… let me go,” Jeremy murmured as one of Jaxon’s men stepped into the room, the door creaking open. He carried a tray of food in one hand, a gun steady in the other.“I just need to speak to Jaxon Waverly. Please, I’m begging you,” Jeremy pleaded, his voice cracking. “I’ve got a wife and a kid waiting for me. I’ve been gone for days, they’ll be losing their minds by now. Please.”But the man said nothing. He crouched and set the tray on the floor, his gun never straying from Jeremy’s face.“Just let me talk to him. One phone call,” Jeremy said, his voice trembling now. “I swear, he’s probably forgotten I’m even still here. I’ve learnt my lesson. I just, look, my wounds are getting worse. If they don’t get treated properly, I’m gonna die from infection. Please, man.”Still, no response. The guard turned on his heel and walked out, unfazed, as if Jeremy hadn’t spoken at all.“Please!” Jeremy shouted, stumbling up from the narrow bed squeezed into the cramped room. He rushed to the
While Jaxon’s men spread out to search for Isla, he sat in one of the parked vehicles, Ray behind the wheel, and Alex in the passenger seat beside him.“This is mad,” Ray muttered, shaking his head as he drove. “Who in their right mind would kidnap Isla?”Alex frowned, equally confused. “Seriously. It makes no sense. Why Isla?” he asked, twisting in his seat to glance at Jaxon, who sat silently in the back, in the owner’s spot.Jaxon’s gaze was hard, distant. He shook his head slowly. “This is deeper than it looks. Whoever did this… they know me. Isla doesn’t have enemies like that. This isn’t about her. it’s about me. This is on me,” he said quietly, brows furrowed with guilt.Ray glanced at him through the rearview mirror, skeptical. “Isn’t that a bit of a stretch?” he asked. “Who would even dare come after you? This kind of thing doesn’t happen to you, because no one’s ever had the guts.”Before Jaxon could respond, his phone chimed with a notification.“That’s facts,” Alex added,
Austin lay in the hospital bed, his mangled hand swaddled in thick bandages. Beside him, Dustin sat silently, his eyes filled with pity and disbelief.“I still don’t get it, man,” Dustin said, shaking his head. “You lost your hand… because of Isla? That don’t make sense. She wasn’t even in town when this all went down.”“You don’t have to get it,” Austin murmured, his voice hoarse and weak as he stared at the remains of his hand. “I did this for her. When she sees what I gave up… she’ll know I love her. She’ll know I’d never put her in harm’s way like Jaxon did.”Dustin exhaled sharply, frustration bubbling up. “Are you hearing yourself right now? You nearly died, Austin! If I hadn’t come when you called, you would’ve bled out on that damn floor. And now you’re feeding me this half-ass explanation? Don’t I deserve the truth?”Austin turned his head slowly, his gaze heavy with regret. After a long pause, he spoke again, voice low. “I got mixed up with a loan shark. He’s the one who did
As Isla lay silently in the cage, exhaustion and thirst weighing her down, the sudden sound of keys jingling against metal snapped her out of her haze. The cell gate creaked open.Her heart pounded violently in her chest, dreading what was coming next. Before she could react, rough hands clamped around her ankles and yanked her forward.“Aghhh!” she cried out as her skin scraped against the cold, hard floor, sharp stinging cuts forming along her arms and legs.“Shut the fuck up, woman!” Bianchi snapped, irritation lacing his voice. A trail of smoke curled from the cigarette hanging at the corner of his lips. “Tie her to the chair,” he ordered.His men wasted no time. They grabbed her, forcing her onto a chair as she thrashed against their grip. A thick, coarse rope was wound tightly around her, pinning her arms to her sides. Blood trickled from the fresh cuts on her skin, staining her already filthy blue shirt.“Let me go!” she screamed, but Bianchi only chuckled, shaking his head.“N
Mrs. Bennett sat in Jaxon’s living room, her gaze sweeping across the grand interior while he settled into the couch opposite her.The room was silent, save for their presence, as his men waited outside for further instructions.“Mrs. Bennett, I appreciate you coming here with me. I have so many questions, and I’d really appreciate it if you could answer them,” Jaxon said, his tone steady.She exhaled, a weary sigh escaping her lips. “I’m already here, aren’t I? Not like I had much of a choice,” she murmured, leaning back against the couch.“I know you need rest, so I’ll keep this brief.” He met her gaze, and she gave a small nod before he continued, “How did Teresa Blackwood become Isla Bennett?”A soft sigh left her lips. “I changed our names and identities after your father killed my husband. Don Westerly wasn’t a man of mercy—he was ruthless, powerful. My husband made the mistake of getting entangled with him, and it cost him his life. I knew that settling the score wouldn’t be en
Austin waited in his usual secluded spot, anxious for the meetup. At last, he had the money, one final payment before cutting ties with the loan sharks for good.Right on cue, a car screeched around the corner, nearly clipping him. Austin quickly stepped back, cursing under his breath.The vehicle jerked to a stop, engine cutting off. As the driver slid out, Austin exhaled sharply. “You really need to stop pulling that stunt,” he muttered, irritation lacing his voice.The man grinned, flashing a set of crooked teeth. “Austin! You’ve got my money. Finally.”Without a word, Austin reached into the inner pocket of his suit and pulled out a thick brown envelope. He extended it with a firm expression. “This is the last time we do business.”The man took the envelope, nodding as he peeled it open. He sifted through the cash, eyes narrowing. “I trust you wouldn’t be stupid enough to short me.”Austin shrugged. “Count it if you want.”The man scoffed, gave a brief nod, then tossed the envelop