Ryder’s POVI hated this.Watching Jaxon pull Amara into his lap, watching Caden’s hand brush against hers—watching her respond to them. It killed me.She was mine just as much as she was theirs. I knew that. But every time I saw her melt under Jaxon’s touch or soften when Caden whispered something to her, a sharp, burning feeling twisted in my chest.Jealousy. Possessiveness.I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay still.But when Jaxon leaned in, his lips hovering dangerously close to Amara’s ear, I snapped.“Amara,” I called, standing from my chair. “Come with me.”She blinked, looking up from where she sat curled up between them. “What?”I didn’t ask again.I held out my hand, waiting.She hesitated but finally took it, letting me pull her up. Jaxon raised an eyebrow, smirking like he knew exactly what was going on. Caden just watched silently, his gaze unreadable.I led Amara out onto the balcony, closing the door behind us. The cool night air did nothing to calm the storm in
Amara’s POVI could still feel Ryder’s lips on mine. Still feel the heat of his hands gripping my waist, the possessiveness in his touch.I should have pushed him away. Should have told him this was too much, too fast.But I didn’t.Because the truth was, I wanted him. Just like I wanted Jaxon. Just like I wanted Caden.And that terrified me.I barely had time to process what had happened before the sound of the balcony door opening made me jump.Caden stood in the doorway, his golden eyes flicking between me and Ryder.Tension thickened the air instantly.Ryder didn’t move from where he stood close to me, his body still caging mine against the railing. Instead, he smirked, wiping his thumb across his bottom lip like he was taunting him.Caden’s jaw ticked.I swallowed hard. “Caden, I—”His voice was calm—too calm. “So, is this how it is?” His gaze flicked to Ryder. “You get tired of waiting, so you steal what isn’t yours?”Ryder laughed, low and dark. “Steal?” He tilted his head. “I
Amara’s POVI was officially losing my mind.Caden had just kissed me—really kissed me—and I was still recovering from the fire he left in his wake. Ryder had already staked his claim before that. And now, Jaxon stood in front of me, smirking like he knew exactly what I was thinking."You look flustered, princess," Jaxon teased, his fingers still resting beneath my chin, keeping my gaze locked with his.I was flustered. How could I not be? I was surrounded by three ridiculously attractive, possessive men who all seemed determined to make me lose my sanity.“I wonder why,” I muttered, trying to step back, but Jaxon’s hand slid around my waist, keeping me close.His smirk deepened. “Relax, sweetheart. I’m not mad that you kissed them first.”Caden tensed beside me, and Ryder scoffed, but Jaxon ignored them, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he whispered, “I just think it’s my turn now.”I shivered.Before I could even react, Jaxon tilted my face up and kissed me—slow and teasing,
Amara’s POVThe tension in the air was electric.Three sets of eyes on me. Three different kinds of want, all pressing in, waiting for me to make the next move.Jaxon still had me flush against him, his fingers skimming my waist in lazy, teasing circles. His smirk deepened when I shivered under his touch. “What’s wrong, princess?” he murmured, his lips ghosting over my ear. “Feeling a little overwhelmed?”I shot him a glare, even as my pulse betrayed me. “You wish.”Ryder chuckled darkly. “Oh, she’s getting feisty now.” He moved closer, his fingers trailing along my other arm, featherlight, but enough to make my breath catch. “Should we push her a little more?”Caden sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was holding back from snapping at both of them. But instead of pulling me away, he simply stepped forward, his hand landing firmly on my hip. Not rough, not teasing—just there.Steady. Certain.“I think,” Caden said, his voice calm but firm, “we should let her decide.”The w
Amara’s POVI felt completely wrecked. My lips were swollen, my heart was racing, and my body was betraying me in every possible way.Three different men. Three different kinds of want.And I wanted all of them.Caden, steady and intense, watching me like I was something precious. Ryder, wild and untamed, like he wanted to ruin me in the best way possible. And Jaxon, teasing, dangerous, deadly in the way he played with me.And the worst part?They knew.Jaxon was the first to speak, his smirk lazy but possessive. “Damn, princess,” he murmured, dragging his thumb across my bottom lip. “Look at you. Already falling apart, and we haven’t even started yet.”I sucked in a sharp breath. “I—”Ryder didn’t let me finish.He tilted my chin up, his green eyes dark. “Careful, sweetheart,” he warned, his voice husky. “Keep looking at me like that, and I might forget how to behave.”Caden exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “We need to stop.”Jaxon laughed. “Oh, now you want to be re
Amara’s POV The familiar scent of ink and paper filled the air as I pushed open the heavy doors of the school library. The quietness here was a reprieve from the chaos of the hallways, where girls swooned and giggled, whispering excitedly about the triplet brothers. Ryder, Jaxon, and Caden had enrolled in my high school a few days ago, and their arrival had turned my world upside down. Despite everything we had been through together, I couldn’t shake the tension that followed me like a shadow. The triplets were used to being the center of attention, their powerful presence drawing people toward them like moths to a flame. The girls at school were no exception. They fawned over the brothers as if they were celebrities. But I hated it. I hated the way the girls hung on their every word, and more than that, I hated the way they always seemed to find me, even when I tried to stay far away. Today, I had a free period and all I wanted was to escape to the library, bury myself in books,
Amara's POV The rest of the day blurred into a haze of pain. My tears had dried, but the ache in my chest only grew heavier with every passing second. The stares, the whispers, the laughter—it all haunted me, replaying in my mind like a broken record. Every time I thought of Ryder’s mocking voice and the way Jaxon and Caden had laughed at my misery, my hatred for them deepened. I hated them. I hated how they made me feel so small. How they made me feel like I didn’t belong, even after everything we’d been through. The weight of their cruelty crushed me, and all I wanted to do was disappear. I felt dirty, humiliated. My face was sticky with tears and my throat raw from holding back sobs all day. Needing a moment of privacy, I decided to head to the girls' bathroom to wash my face and try to collect myself. Maybe if I splashed some cold water on my face, I could numb the pain—if only for a little while. I pushed open the bathroom door and stepped inside, the cold, sterile smell o
Amara's POV I was sitting on the cold steps outside the school building, my heart still racing from the encounter in the bathroom. My face throbbed from Stephanie’s slap, and my mind was spinning with everything that had happened. I could still hear her hateful words echoing in my head, making the anger and hurt swell in my chest until I thought I would explode. Tears blurred my vision, but I stubbornly wiped them away, refusing to cry any more than I already had. I had cried enough. I was done being weak, done letting them get to me. Suddenly, a shadow fell over me, and a hand appeared in front of my eyes, holding out a water bottle. "Drink it," Caden’s voice was soft but firm. I blinked up at him, startled. His expression was unreadable, but there was a gentleness in his eyes that I hadn’t expected. For a moment, I just stared at him, unsure of what to do, but my throat was dry, and my head was pounding, so I reluctantly took the bottle and drank. "Thanks," I muttered, handin
Amara’s POVI felt completely wrecked. My lips were swollen, my heart was racing, and my body was betraying me in every possible way.Three different men. Three different kinds of want.And I wanted all of them.Caden, steady and intense, watching me like I was something precious. Ryder, wild and untamed, like he wanted to ruin me in the best way possible. And Jaxon, teasing, dangerous, deadly in the way he played with me.And the worst part?They knew.Jaxon was the first to speak, his smirk lazy but possessive. “Damn, princess,” he murmured, dragging his thumb across my bottom lip. “Look at you. Already falling apart, and we haven’t even started yet.”I sucked in a sharp breath. “I—”Ryder didn’t let me finish.He tilted my chin up, his green eyes dark. “Careful, sweetheart,” he warned, his voice husky. “Keep looking at me like that, and I might forget how to behave.”Caden exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “We need to stop.”Jaxon laughed. “Oh, now you want to be re
Amara’s POVThe tension in the air was electric.Three sets of eyes on me. Three different kinds of want, all pressing in, waiting for me to make the next move.Jaxon still had me flush against him, his fingers skimming my waist in lazy, teasing circles. His smirk deepened when I shivered under his touch. “What’s wrong, princess?” he murmured, his lips ghosting over my ear. “Feeling a little overwhelmed?”I shot him a glare, even as my pulse betrayed me. “You wish.”Ryder chuckled darkly. “Oh, she’s getting feisty now.” He moved closer, his fingers trailing along my other arm, featherlight, but enough to make my breath catch. “Should we push her a little more?”Caden sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was holding back from snapping at both of them. But instead of pulling me away, he simply stepped forward, his hand landing firmly on my hip. Not rough, not teasing—just there.Steady. Certain.“I think,” Caden said, his voice calm but firm, “we should let her decide.”The w
Amara’s POVI was officially losing my mind.Caden had just kissed me—really kissed me—and I was still recovering from the fire he left in his wake. Ryder had already staked his claim before that. And now, Jaxon stood in front of me, smirking like he knew exactly what I was thinking."You look flustered, princess," Jaxon teased, his fingers still resting beneath my chin, keeping my gaze locked with his.I was flustered. How could I not be? I was surrounded by three ridiculously attractive, possessive men who all seemed determined to make me lose my sanity.“I wonder why,” I muttered, trying to step back, but Jaxon’s hand slid around my waist, keeping me close.His smirk deepened. “Relax, sweetheart. I’m not mad that you kissed them first.”Caden tensed beside me, and Ryder scoffed, but Jaxon ignored them, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he whispered, “I just think it’s my turn now.”I shivered.Before I could even react, Jaxon tilted my face up and kissed me—slow and teasing,
Amara’s POVI could still feel Ryder’s lips on mine. Still feel the heat of his hands gripping my waist, the possessiveness in his touch.I should have pushed him away. Should have told him this was too much, too fast.But I didn’t.Because the truth was, I wanted him. Just like I wanted Jaxon. Just like I wanted Caden.And that terrified me.I barely had time to process what had happened before the sound of the balcony door opening made me jump.Caden stood in the doorway, his golden eyes flicking between me and Ryder.Tension thickened the air instantly.Ryder didn’t move from where he stood close to me, his body still caging mine against the railing. Instead, he smirked, wiping his thumb across his bottom lip like he was taunting him.Caden’s jaw ticked.I swallowed hard. “Caden, I—”His voice was calm—too calm. “So, is this how it is?” His gaze flicked to Ryder. “You get tired of waiting, so you steal what isn’t yours?”Ryder laughed, low and dark. “Steal?” He tilted his head. “I
Ryder’s POVI hated this.Watching Jaxon pull Amara into his lap, watching Caden’s hand brush against hers—watching her respond to them. It killed me.She was mine just as much as she was theirs. I knew that. But every time I saw her melt under Jaxon’s touch or soften when Caden whispered something to her, a sharp, burning feeling twisted in my chest.Jealousy. Possessiveness.I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay still.But when Jaxon leaned in, his lips hovering dangerously close to Amara’s ear, I snapped.“Amara,” I called, standing from my chair. “Come with me.”She blinked, looking up from where she sat curled up between them. “What?”I didn’t ask again.I held out my hand, waiting.She hesitated but finally took it, letting me pull her up. Jaxon raised an eyebrow, smirking like he knew exactly what was going on. Caden just watched silently, his gaze unreadable.I led Amara out onto the balcony, closing the door behind us. The cool night air did nothing to calm the storm in
Amara’s POVI barely made it through my next class.Jaxon’s words—I’m not done with you yet, princess—played on a loop in my head. His touch, his kiss, the way he owned every moment with me… it was driving me insane.By the time the final bell rang, I was practically bolting toward the parking lot, hoping to escape before Jaxon could find me.Spoiler alert: I failed.The second I stepped outside, a familiar arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me back against a warm, hard chest.“Running from me, princess?” Jaxon’s voice was all smug amusement, his lips brushing against my ear.I shivered. “I—I wasn’t—”His low chuckle sent heat straight through me. “Liar.”I turned in his hold, scowling up at him. “You love tormenting me, don’t you?”Jaxon smirked, tilting his head. “Only because you look so damn cute when you’re flustered.”I groaned, shoving at his chest. “Just take me home.”“Gladly.”He grabbed my wrist and led me toward his car, opening the passenger door with an exaggerated flo
Amara’s POVI wanted to disappear. Right then and there.Jaxon, of course, was absolutely loving this. His arm stayed draped around my shoulders, his fingers casually playing with the ends of my scarf like he knew exactly what he had done.Ryder leaned against the lockers, arms crossed, his grin way too amused. “So… did Jaxon finally claim you, or did he just get really hungry last night?”I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “I hate all of you.”Caden didn’t look nearly as amused. His arms were crossed, his expression unreadable. “It’s not funny,” he muttered, his sharp gaze flickering toward Jaxon. “You should have more control.”Jaxon smirked, pulling me closer. “I don’t want control when it comes to her.”My breath hitched.Caden’s jaw tensed. “She’s not a possession, Jaxon.”Jaxon’s smirk faltered just slightly, but he didn’t let go of me. Instead, his grip tightened.I quickly intervened before things got tense. “Okay, enough. We’re not doing this.”Ryder grinned. “Oh, this i
Amara’s POVI barely made it into my room before collapsing onto my bed, pressing my fingers against my still-tingling lips.What the hell had just happened?Jaxon had kissed me before, teased me before—but this? This was something else. This was dangerous.And the worst part?I wanted more.I groaned, burying my face in my pillow.Get it together, Amara.But no amount of scolding could stop the way my heart raced at the memory of his hands on my waist, his breath against my skin, the way he had looked at me like I was his.I exhaled sharply, sitting up and running my hands through my hair.There was no way I was going to be able to sleep.My phone buzzed.I grabbed it quickly, my pulse spiking when I saw Jaxon’s name.Jaxon: Are you in bed?I hesitated before typing back.Me: Maybe.His reply came almost instantly.Jaxon: That’s not a real answer, princess.I bit my lip.Me: Yes, I’m in bed. Why?Jaxon: Good. Now close your eyes and imagine me next to you.My breath hitched.Before I
Amara’s POVMy heart pounded so hard I was sure Jaxon could hear it. His words echoed in my mind—I think I’m falling for you.I swallowed, unsure how to respond. I wasn’t used to this—wasn’t used to him being so serious.Jaxon, the arrogant flirt. The teasing troublemaker. The guy who drove me crazy in every possible way.And yet, here he was—vulnerable, open, laying his feelings bare in a way I never expected.I didn’t trust my voice, so instead of speaking, I did the only thing that felt right.I kissed him.Jaxon tensed for half a second, then groaned against my lips, his arms tightening around me as he kissed me back. This time, it was slower, more deliberate—like he was savoring every second.When we finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my skin.“That’s a dangerous way to answer, princess,” he murmured, his fingers tracing slow circles against my lower back.I exhaled shakily. “You started it.”Jaxon chuckled, his lips brushing agains