SageHe and I sat across from each other at the dining table, a meal between us that neither of us seemed particularly eager to finish.I forced myself to eat, but my appetite had dwindled the moment I noticed the way he kept glancing at his watch. Every few minutes, he would steal a look at the time, his fingers subtly tapping against the edge of the table, his mind clearly elsewhere.I hope it just wasn’t on that bastard, Kaiden because I would be so fucking furious. I am here, eating dinner with him and you are thinking about another person.I set my fork down. “Are you expecting someone?”He looked up, startled by my question, before shaking his head. “No.”I wasn’t convinced. “Then why do you keep checking the time?”He exhaled quietly. “I was thinking of going for a walk.”A walk? That meant he was leaving. Going somewhere that wasn’t here, with me.“Do you want me to come?” I asked, my voice carefully casual, even as my chest tightened with something close to desperation.I wa
SageThe past few weeks had been a blur of back-to-back work, photoshoots, meetings, and barely any sleep. Ever since I left the professor’s house, I threw myself into my career with reckless abandon, pushing every other thought, every lingering emotion into the background.It didn’t help that the professor didn’t come like I expected him to. He made that whole show of asking me for my address just to bail on me?I was a fool for thinking that, a really big fool.It was easier this way. Work didn’t betray me. Work didn’t make me question my worth.But exhaustion was creeping in. I could feel it in my bones as I walking to my car after wrapping up another long day. Martin really meant it when I said I was at the peak of my career so he utilized the chance to book me till events were clashing.I had barely closed the door when I caught movement from the corner of my eye.Too late.A hand wrenched the door open before I could lock it, and something hard slammed into the side of my head
SageThe soft morning light filtered through the curtains as I lay in bed, listening for any sign of movement from the professor’s room. My heart pounded against my ribs as I replayed last night’s events in my head.It was perfect. Or at least, it was perfect for me. I had done everything to make him stay, to make him look at me the way he used to. He hadn’t even stirred when I touched him, and yet, despite everything, I still felt… anxious.Would he kick me out when he finds out I took advantage of him or would he interprète it as a show of desperation.That I reached the end of my ropes and had to do something to tame the voices in my head before they swallowed me whole.I heard the low groan followed by the rustling of sheets.He was awake.Finally.Forcing a bright smile, I walked into his room just as he sat up, rubbing his temples. He looked disoriented, blinking at me before running a hand through his hair.“What… happened?” he asked groggily, his voice rough with sleep.“You
KaidenThe steady beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing I noticed when I woke up again. The ache spread through every inch of my body and I remembered what landed me in this position.I groaned, shifting slightly against the stiff hospital bed. My ribs protested with a sharp pain stabbing through my side.I reached out and touched my face, my face was swollen and my lips were split. I closed my eyes to tame the anger that resurfaced. Then, my phone rang.My first thought was to ask Martin to get it for me but it dawned on me that he had left. That’s why the room was so quiet.He would have been making a series of calls to save my career from impending doom.I turned my head slowly, wincing as I reached for it on the bedside table. The screen glowed with a number I recognized instantly. I had saved it out of instinct when I first got that unexpected message, when he had asked for my location.I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the screen.Why was he calling?Curiosity won
Sage I was pacing, so sick with worry that I couldn’t breathe.I was so crazy to even do such a thing to Kaiden. Even if we were no longer talking, I was being cruel.I am cruel.I buried my head in my hands and shook them, I was fucked. My eyes widened when the door clicked open, and the professor stepped in.I couldn’t get a read on his face so my heartbeat increased because I had no idea what was going on in his head.He kept quiet and sat on the sofa, deep in thoughts. I couldn’t ask the question that was in my mind.How is Kaiden?I mean, did I even have the right to ask that?I should have gone with him but I didn’t, yet I was more curious than a cat.“Are you happy?” He asked.My brows furrowed, “excuse me?”“Are you fucking happy? He is in the hospital because of what you did!”“Me? How is that my fault?” I tried to defend myself.He chuckled, “How is it your fault? Are you fucking kidding me, Sage? You texted those people. You made them put Kaiden in the hospital.”“So what
SageFuck.Fuck, fuck, fuck.That’s what I heard him mumbling under his breath as he scrambled to find his clothes. His movements were frantic, almost desperate, like he wanted to erase what had just happened.Tears burned at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.Is that how much he regretted sleeping with me?Was I that terrible that he couldn’t entertain the idea of sleeping with me? I was so pathetic.It’s like I was forcing myself on him and even at that, he didn’t want me. Maybe it was time to count my losses and move on before I end up losing everything together.I shifted, trying to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my body. My muscles ached, my skin still tingling from his touch. I winced, biting my lip to keep from making a sound.The way he fucked me made me believe that it wasn’t out of want that he did it, he fucked me because he wanted to prove a point.Which he did.He was already dressed by the time I managed to push myself up on the bed. He wouldn’t
SageBy the time he returned, I had pulled myself together.I had spent the entire afternoon pacing, replaying the morning’s argument in my head, preparing myself for whatever mood he might be in. But as soon as he walked through the door, my heart pounded just a little harder, my throat tightening with something I refused to name.It was fear by the way.I was afraid of him.He looked at me with suspicion, his gaze unreadable.I smiled at him like nothing was wrong. “Welcome back.”He hesitated for a second before nodding. “Hey.”I moved closer, hoping to bridge whatever distance had formed between us. “How was your day?”He eyed me carefully. “It was fine.” Then, after a pause, “Are you okay?”I nodded quickly. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”I didn’t give him a chance to press further. Before he could open his mouth again, I launched into a story about my day."You wouldn’t believe the sale I found today," I said, forcing a cheerful lilt into my voice. "I went to that little boutiq
SageYes, I drugged him.I slipped the pills in his drink so that he would want me. They turned me into a villain and now, I must take what I want.I wanted the professor. I wanted him with every fiber of my being and every breath that I took. I had forgiven him for everything he had done to me and I was ready to build a future with him.Ready to bring him back to his senses when he so clearly hurt me. I had the silence I needed when he left this morning to think about what I wanted.What I wanted was for him to love me just like I loved him but I won’t get it when I am constantly fighting with him all the time.He was just angry about the Kaiden situation and I needed him to understand that I got him. Kaiden was under his care and got hurt, he had the right to be upset about it.I was doing this the wrong way when I should have listened to that voice inside of me, that villain voice that was itching to take over.I am not delusional, I was just finally taking what I wanted.He groan
Kaiden It was a huge mistake. A big one but still, I wanted to do it. The moment I stepped out into the night, the air felt heavier. Colder. But I couldn’t sit still any longer. I knew it was dangerous. Hell, everything I’d done lately screamed recklessness. But there was something clawing at the inside of my chest. some knowing that didn’t feel like paranoia anymore. It felt like purpose. The second the detective left for his house, I planed it. Ethan’s mother was in a coma. And that wasn’t a coincidence. That was a message. So I took the back alleys. Wore a hoodie pulled low over my head. No car, just my sneakers hitting pavement and wet leaves as I walked the six blocks to her place. I knew I had maybe fifteen minutes. Less, if someone was already watching. There is a high chance that after their hit, they were looking to finish the job. I crept around the side of the house, careful not to trigger the motion light that flickered near the trash cans. The window I’d seen in
Kaiden Dinner was quiet.Sage and I sat on opposite ends of the couch, plates balanced on our laps, the TV playing some crime documentary neither of us was really watching. I picked at the pasta I'd made, appetite long gone, but I ate anyway, because if I didn’t, Sage would worry, and I didn’t want to give him more reason to.He hadn’t said much since our talk earlier. About wanting both me and the professor.And I… I didn’t know what to say in return.Was it selfish to want clarity when he’d been nothing but honest? Or was I the coward for not knowing what I truly wanted?I pushed those thoughts aside when there was a knock at the door.I tensed.Sage looked up too, alert, his eyes darting toward the door as if bullets might fly through it next.I rose slowly, setting my plate down on the coffee table and walking toward the door without flipping the lock just yet.“Who is it?” I asked.“It’s Raines.”Detective.I exhaled in relief and opened the door.Raines stepped in, looking slig
KaidenSage kept quiet.I didn’t need him to say anything right now. I was still drummed up from the adrenaline coursing through my body. I figured out when she sent me away that she was hiding something.I felt something hit the back of my car.“What the fuck?” Sage yelled.I barely had time to register the first shot before the second cracked through the air.Another loud bang echoed, and this time it hit closer, metal screeched, glass shattered, and instinct took over."Down!" I shouted again, throwing my arm across Sage as bullets rained from behind. He ducked, his eyes wide and panicked, his breath ragged.The back windshield exploded into a hailstorm of glass shards, sparkling as they scattered across the seats and floor. I didn’t stop to think about shit, I shoved the gear into drive and slammed on the gas.The car jolted forward, tires screeching as another shot pierced the rearview mirror. We were being chased. Or hunted.I saw the glint of a barrel from a dark sedan parked o
SageThe address Kaiden sent me didn’t look familiar. I even had to double-check it on the map before setting out. A quiet residential street with modest houses lined side by side, trimmed hedges, and the occasional child’s bicycle parked out front, it didn’t look like anywhere we’d ever hung out. Definitely not our usual vibe. Still, it was Kaiden. And for reasons I still didn’t fully understand, I trusted him.I mean I did call his enemies to beat him up but Kaiden wouldn’t do that to me.I pulled up to the curb and saw him leaning against a dull silver sedan, arms folded, eyes scanning the street like he was waiting for something more than just me.I wrinkled my nose in distaste as I stared at his car, what in the heavens was that? That wasn’t his usual car.“This is where you wanted to meet?” I asked, stepping out of my car and walking toward him. “Looks like we’re about to interrupt someone’s family dinner.”He nodded once, his gaze sharp. “Yeah. That’s the point.”I raised an e
KaidenWhen I woke up, the sunlight was already spilling across the living room floor. My neck ached from the weird angle my head had been resting on, and when I shifted slightly, I realized why, River was curled against me, both of us tangled on the couch, our legs overlapping. His arm was still loosely draped over my waist, and for a second, I just lay there, taking in the quiet moment.It was strange, waking up like this. Peaceful. Natural. My body didn’t feel tense for once, like it usually did when I woke up alone in the echo of my own thoughts. Instead, I felt…warm. Not from the blanket. From him.He had stayed with me all night. We talked and got to know each other. There was nothing sexual about it even though I had been tipsy. He had been the perfect gentleman and had broken the ice with me.As soon as I moved, River stirred. His eyes blinked open slowly, landing on me, and then a lazy smile pulled at his lips.“You drool in your sleep,” I said, voice hoarse with morning.“I
Kaiden“You know, you have asked me that question so many times and yet, you keep wanting to know the truth. Why is that?” He asked instead.I shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe I want to hurt myself by knowing the truth or I just want to know where I stand.”He shook his head like he was disappointed with my answer, “you can’t have your cake and eat it, Kaiden. The world doesn’t work that way.” I started walking towards the house, eager to escape this conversation. Yeah, I know I couldn’t have my cake and have it but I just wanted to.So much, it was killing me.I didn’t want to look at him when we stepped into my condo, not really. But I could feel the weight of his presence behind me like a shadow I wasn’t ready to shake. I tossed my keys into the bowl on the counter and exhaled, not sure why my chest felt so damn tight.“Do you want wine?” I asked, already reaching into the cabinet.“Sure,” he said. His voice was soft and devoid of his normal arrogance.I poured two glasses and hande
KaidenThe professor didn’t expect to see me. That much was clear from the way his eyes widened, like I’d caught him with his hands where they didn’t belong.“Kaiden?” River blinked, his voice caught somewhere between confusion and amusement. “What are you doing?”He wasn’t the only one surprised. I hadn’t planned this. But the moment I saw him sitting here in that dimly lit corner of the restaurant, laughing too easily with the guy across from him, this tall, handsome, and entirely too comfortable man. I couldn’t stop myself. My stomach twisted with something that felt a lot like jealousy. And maybe that was exactly what it was. I was too afraid to voice out the feelings I had twirling inside of me.I noticed he didn’t answer my question, so I asked it again, more directly. “Is this my replacement?”His eyebrows shot up. Nathan, whoever he was, looked between us awkwardly, clearly trying to figure out if he should smile or disappear into the upholstery.River composed himself quickl
KaidenThe second I left the funeral, I had a lot of thoughts clouding me like smoke. The wind tugged lightly at my jacket, but I hardly felt it. My mind was a storm of thoughts. Michael’s words still ringing in my ears, Ethan’s death twisting like a knot in my gut.I pulled out my phone and texted the detective.Me: “Need to talk. Now.”He responded almost immediately.Detective Raines: “Name the place.”I sent him the name of the Italian place a few blocks away. Low-lit, quiet, and not too busy on weeknights. I needed privacy for this conversation.It had taken a toll on me. I needed to talk to someone about this. Could it be I saw something I shouldn’t or….I was really sure about it. I was more confused the more I thought about it. I thought the rivalry between Micheal and I had just because of the job.Apparently, it’s a little more than that.By the time I got to the restaurant, the detective was already there, sitting in a booth near the window. He looked up as I approached, g
KaidenAfter my conversation with Sage, I wasn’t sure what to feel.He’d looked so earnest, so... broken, even though he tried to cover it up with words that felt like resignation. And for some reason, the thing that kept looping through my mind wasn’t what he said about wanting me or even what he said about the detective. It was what he said about the professor.That River had already started thinking about someone else.He didn’t even try to convince me to stay.That realization dug into my chest like a shard of glass. I kept wondering if it had meant nothing to him. If the way he touched me, kissed me, looked at me, it had all just been physical. A game. A passing thrill. And I hated that I couldn’t figure out whether I was more upset at him for possibly seeing it that way… or at myself for wanting it to be more.Was I that easy to replace?Did I really feel something deeper for him? Or was I just clinging to what felt good because everything else in my life was falling apart?My p