*Roanne’s POV*It didn’t happen, that is what he wanted me to believe. My body was feverish yet he wanted to forget what he just did.The warmth of his embrace and touch was still a tangible presence around me, when a rap at the door shattered the fragile shield Aaron had shared. He stiffened, and with a last glance at me, he disentangled himself from our tangle of limbs and crossed the room to answer."Blake," he said tersely as he swung the door open. The scent of roasted coffee beans wafted into the room, and there stood Blake, his hands cradling the lifeline of caffeine and pain relief. His solemn nod toward me suggested this was more than a mere courtesy call."Brought what you asked," Blake said to Aaron, holding out the steaming cup and a small bottle of aspirin. Looking beyond him, I saw no traces of the early morning light; the world outside felt as distant as my grasp on the events that led to this moment."Thanks." My voice was a hoarse whisper, but it carried the wei
*Roanne’s POV*I slid into the wooden desk, the cool surface a stark contrast to the feverish throb of my pulse. My fingers clutched the pen with a sense of urgency that belied the calm I projected, note-taking a futile attempt at normalcy. The professors' speech melded into the background hum of my thoughts, each word heavy with the secrets that now lined my pockets like stones."Questions?" The professor's voice punctured my reverie, and I jerked upright, eyes darting across the room, masks of indifference mirroring my own."None?" He seemed almost disappointed, packing his notes with a flourish. The class dispersed, the scrape of chairs against linoleum echoing my internal disarray."Roanne," the whisper of my name snaked through the corridor as I gathered my books. Michael leaned casually against the doorframe, his presence commanding the space with an ease that spoke of lineage and entitlement, and for that same reason, eyes flickered toward us."Waiting for me?" My voice s
*Aaron’s POV*The room hummed with a clandestine electricity, the glow of multiple screens casting a spectral dance across Jake's face as he hunched over the keyboard. The hacker I enlisted was a ghost in the machine, fingers flying over keys with a deft urgency."Got anything?" My voice cut through the buzzing silence, a note of impatience betraying my calm exterior."Initial sweep's done," Jake murmured, eyes not leaving the screen. "There's a trail, but it's murky—like wading through a swamp of shell companies and dead-ends.""Show me." I moved closer, the scent of stale coffee and cold ambition mingling in the charged air. The data on the screen flickered like a morse code of secrets, each byte a breadcrumb leading to Violet's enigmatic past.Jake pointed at clusters of information, his explanation terse. "Family ties are complex. Seems every strand leads back to Europe—some serious money, potentially dirty.""Potentially?" My gaze hardened as I scanned the encrypted data,
*Roanne’s POV*The weekly meeting of the Revenge Club should feel like a heady mix of tension and triumph, but tonight, the air was electric with the scent of victory. I slipped into the dimly lit room, my pulse quickening as Violet stood before us, her presence commanding silence from every corner."Congratulations," she purred, her voice silk over steel. "Your appetites for justice were well fed this week." The others cheered, their faces flushed with satisfaction. I clapped along, trying to mirror their enthusiasm despite the knot in my stomach.I looked around, trying to find Michael in any corner, remembering he and I would have a date tomorrow, but he was nowhere to be found, and I felt a bit disappointed."Roanne," Violet's eyes flicked to me, casual yet sharp as knives. "Your report?"I swallowed hard, the taste of fear mingling with the musk of ambition in my throat. "Progress... has been made," I began, willing my voice not to shake. "But there have been... setbacks."V
*Roanne’s POV*I felt the chill of the early morning air nip at my skin as I made my way across the dew-kissed campus, textbooks clutched against my chest. The ancient oaks stood as silent sentinels, watching the throng of students buzzing with the electric pulse of a new day. My thoughts were a tangled web of formulas and essay prompts when Lizzie's voice cut through the ambient chatter like a violin string pulled taut."Roanne! Wait up!" she called out, breathless.I turned to find her, a cascade of auburn hair and hurried apologies, weaving through the crowd. "Sorry, I'm late," Lizzie panted, coming to a stop beside me, her cheeks flushed from more than just exertion."Where were you last night?" I asked, my curiosity sharpening into focus. Lizzie always had an anchor in punctuality—and yesterday, she was missing at the weekly club meeting.She bit her lip, a rose blooming across her face. "I… went out with someone.""Someone?" My mind raced. I wanted details, the kind that
*Roanne’s POV*I could feel the weight of Michael's gaze, piercing through the haze of my flustered state. His brow arched in concern. "Roanne, are you quite alright? You seem... agitated. I thought this was what you wanted, to expose him."The words swirled around me, a mix of suspicion and care that I wasn't sure how to take. "I'm fine," I assured him, striving for nonchalance, but my voice betrayed a tremor. My focus sharpened on him, his presence both intimidated and compelled me."Because if something is ok, or you are not sure..." he ventured, a step closer into my personal space, his warmth encroaching on my cool facade."Really, Michael," I cut him off, perhaps too sharply. The air between us crackled with unspoken tension. “This is my mission, one of the two ones, the only one left actually. Justice must be served. Tell me, is that why you didn’t attend last night’s meeting?”He studied my face with those discerning eyes—eyes that missed nothing, eyes that now held a fl
*Roanne’s POV*The mirror reflected a version of me that seemed almost foreign to me—a woman draped in the kind of elegance that whispered of clandestine rendezvous. The black dress clung to my curves, a second skin that was both armor and vulnerability. It represented a new beginning, or perhaps a continuation of something I wasn't quite sure I wanted to escape from.I couldn't help but let my mind drift to Michael, his gaze had been focused on me always, and his words laced with an admiration Aaron never offered. Where Michael's presence was a gentle sunbeam through autumn leaves, Aaron was the tempest—the cold, devouring sea that left me gasping for air.Slipping into my heels, I felt powerful, the delicious height giving me more than just stature; it gave me a feeling of command. I would have to thank Lizzie for convincing me to accept it from her.Knuckles rapped sharply against the door, breaking my concentration. My watch flickered 4:00 PM—too early for Michael, too punctu
*Roanne’s POV*"Roanne?" Michael's voice filtered through the wood, laced with concern. The knock turned into a steady rhythm, mirroring the frantic beat of my heart.Aaron withdrew his hand, tracing the wetness up my quivering thighs, all the way to his mouth. He sucked on his fingers, his eyes locked on mine, making an exaggerated hushing sound that sent another wave of unwanted arousal coursing through me.He then slid a wet finger into his mouth, quietly tasting my sins as he smiled. I couldn’t believe what he was doing, and my body felt more aroused than it should have while witnessing his actions.‘Damn you, Aaron,’ I thought, the terror of being discovered by Michael made me feel the length to which I had fallen. Another knock, this one more insistent, tugged at my conscience. The simultaneous buzz of my phone felt like an alarm bell, screaming for attention I couldn't give."Are you ready? We should go." Michael's muffled words vibrated through the door, oblivious to the
*Roanne’s POV*The trial was over, yet the fizzling remnants of Sebastian's presence haunted me. His shadow loomed in every corner of my life, and though I felt safe and protected, I could still sense there was never going to be complete peace in my life until he was found.Then, as if fate had finally given me a gift, the call came. Aaron’s words from the other end were a like a victory song: "Sebastian was apprehended—false papers." My pulse quickened, adrenaline flooding my veins.I asked Aaron to take me to the secure station where he was held. He agreed to it and an hour later we were heading there, he drove with confidence, but there was also something behind his eyes, satisfaction.The room was sterile, cold—like his gaze. He sat cuffed, a fallen and desperate man grasping at straws. Our eyes locked, and the world fell away, leaving only the intensity of this final encounter."Roanne, you bitch!" Sebastian lunged, his voice filled with anger and rage. "You've ruined me!"
*Roanne’s POV*My heart pounded as Aaron led me into a dimly lit room in his house, the anticipation of meeting Bianca Kingsley overwhelming my senses. There was a thick tension in the air and the room, and I could feel my body reacting to it, a mix of fear and excitement coursing through me."Roanne, meet Bianca Kingsley," Aaron said, gesturing towards the impeccably dressed woman sitting across the table. Her piercing gaze held mine, assessing me, and I couldn't help but shiver slightly in response. Aaron had told me about her, she was ruthless, a queen in the stand. It was the kind of woman we needed to lead the case against Violet."Nice to meet you," I murmured, trying to keep my voice steady. Bianca's eyes never left mine, her stare unyielding and intense."Likewise," she replied, her voice low and calm, I already admired her. "Now let's get down to business. We don't have much time to prepare your testimony against Violet.""Right," I agreed, taking a deep breath to stead
*Violet’s POV*The walls of my empire, once unassailable, were crumbling like a sandcastle at high tide. The realization was a cold blade twisting in my gut, and with it came the bitter taste of desperation. My corrupted networks, a web I had spun with such precision, now ensnared me in their collapse."Everything's falling apart," I muttered to myself, pacing the dimly lit room where I'd holed up. The shadows seemed to mock my predicament, whispering of betrayal and downfall.I tugged at my hair, once a mane to be flaunted, now a tangled mess reflecting my inner turmoil. My mind raced, thoughts sharp as shattered glass. There had to be a way out – one final card to play in this high-stakes game. And then it struck me, a plan as dark as the circles under my eyes. Roanne Mailen."Sweet, naive Roanne," I whispered, a serpent's hiss escaping through my clenched teeth. My lips curled into a smile devoid of warmth. She was the key, my bargaining chip, the ace up my sleeve. If I could ta
*Aaron's POV*The coldness of the night seeped through the windows, a stark contrast to the heat that boiled within me. Roanne was huddled on my couch, her body still not recovering from the memories that haunted her. That fucking Sebastian."Hey," I murmured, sitting down beside her, "I'm here for you." My voice was a promise. Her eyes, wide and vulnerable, flicked up to meet mine. She was not only mine, claimed, but she was also someone I cared for."Everything... it's just too much," she whispered, her voice quivering as if each word took her a lot of effort to make. I could feel the weight of her pain.She wasn’t like us, like Lizzie, Michael, me. We were born with silver spoons and parents that molded our personalities, detachment hardened our spirits. I felt I was on top of the world on a daily basis, but I was only half way there. Roanne was the piece of my puzzle missing."Shh," I soothed, pulling her close, wrapping my arms around her. "You're safe here with me." My heart
*Roanne's POV*I sat on the edge of Lizzie's futon, knees to my chest, the fabric scratching against my bare skin. The air in the apartment was thick with tension and the remnants of fear, a stench that clung to us, unwelcome but impossible to shake.“Aaron, I am so happy to hear your voice. Is Blake ok?”I heard a grunt of pain, followed by Blake's voice. “I am sort of, ok.”I felt the relief of hearing him safe, it meant all went well. “Blake! You are well! I am so happy to hear that!” A shuddering breath escaped me, relief washing over in waves. I relayed the news to Lizzie and Anne Marie, their faces showed the same relief I felt."Thank God," Lizzie whispered, sinking into the couch, her nervousness evident as she scooped another mouthful of ice cream, the spoon clinking against the bowl."Roanne," Aaron's voice crackled through my phone, it was distant yet brimming with urgency. "Lock yourself in the house, Violet escaped, and now Sebastian is heading your way,”My pulse h
*Aaron's POV*I had two hours left before Violet's deadline, and the clink of ice against crystal in a dimly lit room was the only sound that accompanied my entrance. Mr. Henderson, his silver hair slicked back, eyed me with suspicion. Mr. Atwood, his fingers steepled and eyes sharp, nodded slightly. Mrs. LeCroix, draped in silk, regarded me with an unreadable expression."Evening," I said, voice low, the word hanging heavy with implication."Cut the pleasantries, Aaron," Mrs. LeCroix's voice was dangerously soft. "What's this about?"I slid the documents across the mahogany table, their contents splayed like a gambler's final hand. My father had given them to me just a moment before my entrance, his aid making the difference. He had everything to lose if Violet managed to get control over the other families, including ours.They flinched as they recognized their own secrets, intertwined with Violet's scrawled treachery. The air thickened, tension coiling around us."Mutual enemi
*Roanne's POV*The dim glow of the computer screen was the only light in the room, casting shadows across Caleb's concentrated face. My heart was beating fast and hard against my ribs as I watched him, his fingers dancing over the keyboard. He was an expert, knew what to look for and how to find it."Got it," he growled, and the satisfaction in his voice was exciting. He turned to me, eyes glinting with triumph. "They had you bugged six ways to Sunday, Roanne. But don't worry, I've just neutered their spyware."His hands moved over my phone and laptop with a deftness that was invasive but needed, deleting lines of code that had lurked unseen, monitoring my every move. With each keystroke, I felt a piece of myself being returned to me, mixed with an unsettling vulnerability. How much of my soul had they peered into?Violet managed to get deep into our lives in ways I never thought possible. If it weren't because Caleb asked if he could check the room we were at to catch bugs that wo
*Roanne’s POV*The cold bite of the autumn air clawed at my skin as I stepped out onto the pavement, Jonathan gave me his scarf and we walked and the remaining steps. He managed to balance his life while still watching over me, and I did my best to try and coordinate with him when I was going out alone, so he could keep an eye on me.“Be nice to him, remember he worried enough for you to hire me,” Jonathan said as he started to stay behind, becoming a watchful shadow. I tilted my head to look at him and nod with a smile.Michael had texted me earlier in the morning, and asked us to meet. I felt like I owed it to him, and to us. He became a very important part of my life during the last couple of weeks, making it so I could mature, grow, and overcome my past.I reached the corner and there he was, Michael Morgan, leaning against the black iron railing that bordered the café terrace. His silhouette cut a sharp figure against the dimming sky, the last rays of sunlight glinting off h
*Aaron’s POV*It was needed, and I had no remorse using all the influence my father left in the safe in order to get what I wanted. I called upon the most important names on his list and it took them less than 12 hours to coordinate and make it to our meeting spot.It was impressive. The room reeked of old money and older secrets, the dark mahogany panels swallowing light and whispers alike. Shadows clung to corners where power was brokered silently, fiercely. Was this what my father was used to? How far did he planned to keep me in the dark about the shady dealings he made for a living?I stood at the head of the long table, heart pounding like a drumbeat in my chest, my father's steely gaze fixed on me from the other end."Violet Flanagan is not just a thorn," I began, my voice steady despite the tempest brewing inside, "she's a goddamn poison ivy wrapping around us all."Murmurs rippled across the room, the heads of elite families that made it shifting in their leather chairs