Novels by Gem

Cameron’s POVI stared at the message without breathing properly.The words seemed to crawl across my screen.Brandon leaned closer, trying to read everything.My mother suddenly looked away from everyone.“Why does he know about this?”I asked while holding the phone tightly.Nobody answered me for several uncomfortable seconds.Then my father finally spoke quietly.“Because he wants you scared.”I looked toward my mother immediately afterward.“That isn’t what the message actually asked.”She swallowed hard before meeting my eyes.“What did it say?”I showed her the screen without speaking.Her face immediately lost its remaining color.Now ask your mother why.Brandon looked between us both afterward.“Why does that message scare you?”My mother slowly sat beside the tree.“Because your uncle wasn’t supposed to survive.”I stared at her completely stunned afterward.“You said he disappeared years ago.”“I lied.”“Why?”“Because disappearing was the only protection.”I rubbed my for

Cameron’s POVThe message remained glowing on the screen.Nobody seemed willing to touch the phone.I stared at those words for seconds.My heart was beating painfully inside me.Or Brandon dies tonight.I looked toward Brandon immediately afterward.He was already looking directly at me.There was fear behind his eyes.But somehow, he still looked completely calm.“Don’t,” he whispered quietly.I frowned slightly before answering him.“Don’t what?”“Don’t even think about going alone.”I looked toward the phone again.“He threatened to kill you.”“And you think obeying him helps?”“I don’t know.”Brandon stepped closer toward me carefully.His fingers gently wrapped around mine.“Then don’t decide alone.”I looked into his eyes afterward.For some reason, those simple words mattered.Maybe because everyone had decided everything without me.Maybe because Brandon was finally asking me.“What would you do?” I asked quietly.“I’d stay with you.”I smiled faintly despite my fear.“That s

Cameron’s POVThe darkness swallowed everything around us.Nobody spoke for several terrifying seconds afterward.I could hear Brandon breathing beside me.His hand immediately searched for mine again.I grabbed it tightly without hesitation afterward.“Brandon?” I whispered quietly into darkness.“I’m here,” he answered immediately.His voice sounded closer than before.My mother suddenly whispered my name.“Cameron, don’t move.”I froze immediately after hearing her warning.Someone was breathing somewhere behind us.Slowly.Quietly.Almost patiently.Then footsteps moved across the floor.One step sounded directly behind me.I felt Brandon pull me backward gently.“Stay with me,” he whispered quietly.“I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered back.Then the lights suddenly returned again.I looked around the room immediately afterward.My father stood near the doorway.My mother remained beside the table.Ethan stood frozen near the passage.But someone was missing.Brandon’s father wa

Cameron’s POVMy father stood inside the hidden passage quietly.Nobody seemed capable of moving anymore.Even my mother looked completely terrified.Brandon immediately moved closer toward me.My father smiled without saying anything.His eyes remained fixed directly upon me.I stared at him, searching for something familiar.There was something about his face though.Something that made my chest hurt.“Dad?” I whispered carefully afterward.His smile slowly disappeared from his face.“You finally remember me.”I swallowed hard before answering him.“I remember pieces of you.”“That is more than enough for tonight.”My mother immediately stepped between us both.“You shouldn’t have come here.”My father looked toward her calmly afterward.“You knew eventually I would come.”“You weren’t supposed to find us.”“I didn’t find you, Eleanor.”His eyes moved toward me afterward.“Cameron brought me here.”I frowned immediately after hearing that statement.“I brought you here?”My father n

Cameron’s POVThe woman stood quietly inside the doorway.Nobody moved after seeing her standing there.My heart immediately began pounding against my ribs.She looked exactly like my mother.Same eyes.Same smile.Same little crease beside her mouth.Even the small scar beneath her eyebrow.I couldn’t breathe properly anymore.“Mum?” I whispered without realizing it.Her eyes immediately filled with tears.Then she stepped toward me slowly.“Cameron.”Her voice broke something inside me.I suddenly remembered running toward her years ago.I remembered her arms wrapping around me tightly.I remembered hiding my face against her shoulder.I remembered being safe.My eyes filled with tears immediately.“Mum,” I whispered again, stepping forward.Brandon gently released my hand.He seemed to understand that moment belonged to us.My mother opened her arms.I walked straight into them without thinking.She hugged me tightly against her chest.For several seconds, neither of us spoke.I co

Cameron’s POV“Cameron.”Ethan’s voice echoed through the hidden room.I immediately turned toward the dark doorway.Brandon’s hand tightened around mine again.His father stood completely still beside us.“Ethan?” I whispered quietly toward the darkness.A shadow slowly appeared near the doorway.Then Ethan stepped into the room carefully.His clothes looked damp from the rain.He looked exhausted, frightened, and strangely relieved.His eyes immediately found mine afterward.“You actually found the room,” he whispered.I stared at him completely confused again.“You knew about this place?”Ethan nodded slowly before answering me carefully.“I knew you would eventually find it.”“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”“Because you weren’t ready to remember.”I immediately frowned after hearing that answer.“Everyone keeps deciding what I’m ready for.”Ethan looked down with an apologetic expression.“I know, and I’m sorry.”I crossed my arms immediately afterward.“You’re going to need bet

**Point de vue de Cameron**J’avais à peine quitté la salle de classe quand mon téléphone a vibré avec un message de Brandon.**B :** Je t’attends dehors. Ne traîne pas.J’ai fourré mon cahier dans mon sac sans même prendre la peine de répondre. Typique de Brandon. Il agissait comme s’il me faisait une faveur juste en existant.J’ai passé mon sac à dos sur mon épaule et j’ai poussé mon chemin à travers le couloir bondé, ignorant les chuchotements habituels qui me suivaient. Les gens agissaient soit comme si j’étais invisible, soit parlaient de moi comme si je ne pouvais pas les entendre. C’était comme ça depuis des années. Aujourd’hui n’aurait pas dû être différent — sauf que ça l’était.Dès que je suis sorti, j’ai repéré Brandon appuyé contre la voiture, les bras croisés sur la poitrine. Son t-shirt noir épousait parfaitement ses formes, les manches relevées juste assez pour laisser voir les légères lignes de muscles sur ses avant-bras. Sa mâchoire était serrée, le regard distant, co

Point de vue de CameronCette nuit-là, j’étais allongé dans mon lit, fixant le plafond tandis que les ombres se tordaient dans la pièce comme des fantômes agités. Le lampadaire dehors clignotait toutes les quelques secondes, projetant de faibles traînées de lumière sur mes draps. Mes doigts faisaient tourner la bague à mon doigt, le métal froid et inflexible contre ma peau. Le nœud dans ma poitrine se resserrait à chaque tour, une pression dont je ne pouvais pas m’échapper.Je détestais à quel point la bague était lourde. À quel point elle me rappelait tout ce que j’essayais d’oublier.Ce n’était qu’un deal.Un arrangement.Rien de plus.J’ai enfoncé la bague dans ma paume, espérant que la piqûre me recentrerait, mais ça n’a fait que me rendre encore plus conscient de la douleur qui se répandait dans ma poitrine.J’aurais dû être soulagé. L’arrangement me donnait tout ce dont j’avais besoin : de la sécurité, de la stabilité, une échappatoire aux critiques de mon père et au poids cons

Point de vue de BrandonLa cuisine était silencieuse, si ce n’est le tic-tac de l’horloge. Les assiettes du dîner étaient abandonnées sur la table, les couverts reflétant la lumière tamisée comme de petites dagues.Drake s’appuyait contre le comptoir, faisant tourner la tige de son verre de vin entre ses doigts. Il n’avait pas bu une gorgée — il le tenait juste comme un accessoire, quelque chose pour occuper sa main pendant qu’il aiguisait ses mots en armes.J’étais assis en face de lui, le coude posé sur la table, traçant paresseusement le bord de ma tasse de café. Je n’y avais pas touché. Il était devenu froid. Peu importe.Parce que tout ce qui m’importait à cet instant, c’était la façon dont Drake ne cessait de jeter des regards vers le couloir — attendant que Cameron revienne comme un vautour tournant autour d’un animal mourant.Drake a ricané, brisant le silence en premier. « La bague a l’air ridicule sur lui », a-t-il marmonné d’une voix teintée de dégoût. « Comme habiller des

Point de vue de CameronJ’ai suivi mon père tandis qu’il me conduisait dans le bureau. La porte lourde s’est refermée derrière moi avec un bruit sourd. Le son a résonné dans ma poitrine, comme un rappel que je ne pourrais pas partir tant qu’il n’aurait pas fini de me démolir. La pièce sentait le cuir et le whisky éventé, l’odeur tenace des cigares flottant dans l’air comme un fantôme.Il ne m’a pas regardé. Pas tout de suite. Il s’est dirigé vers le bar dans le coin, s’est versé un verre de whisky et est resté là, faisant tourner le liquide comme s’il avait tout le temps du monde. La glace a tinté contre le verre, le son tranchant dans le silence étouffant.Je suis resté raide, les doigts tressaillant le long de mon corps.« Assieds-toi », a-t-il ordonné sans même se retourner.Je me suis assis sur le bord de la chaise, le dos droit. Le cuir a grincé sous mon poids, le bruit absurdement fort dans la pièce tendue. Mon pouls battait dans mes oreilles, étouffant tout sauf le poids écrasa

**Point de vue de Cameron**J’avais envie de vomir.On avait ce stupide dîner de famille aujourd’hui, et maintenant j’étais planté devant la porte d’entrée, l’estomac noué. Les immenses doubles portes se dressaient devant moi comme les portes de l’enfer.Brandon ne me lâchait pas. Quand il avait appris que je dînais avec ma famille, il avait décidé de se joindre à moi.Je lui avais dit qu’il n’avait pas besoin de venir, mais il avait insisté, affichant ce sourire suffisant comme s’il savait quelque chose que j’ignorais.« Tu trembles, joli garçon », a dit Brandon d’une voix basse et amusée.J’ai retiré ma main d’un coup en réalisant qu’il avait raison. « Je ne tremble pas, va te faire foutre. »Il a penché la tête, savourant clairement le moment. « Tu n’es pas obligé de faire ça, tu sais. »J’ai roulé des yeux et poussé la porte sans frapper. « Si, je le suis. Je dois le faire pour pouvoir avancer dans mes plans. »La maison sentait pareil — comme le citron du polish et l’air fr

Point de vue de CameronBrandon n’a pas perdu une seconde.Dès que nous avons accepté cette proposition ridicule, Brandon m’a traîné dans les rues comme si nous étions en retard pour quelque chose d’important. Je l’ai suivi les mains enfoncées profondément dans les poches, en retenant l’envie de lui dire de ralentir. Il n’avait pas l’air de se soucier que je traîne un demi-pas derrière lui ou que ma réticence rayonne de moi comme une enseigne au néon.Il était trop concentré à nous mener vers une boutique complètement excessive appelée Graff.L’endroit avait l’air tout droit sorti d’un film — tout en verre et en or, avec des projecteurs qui faisaient scintiller chaque diamant comme s’il avait son propre soleil personnel. J’ai hésité sur le seuil, mes baskets usées grincant contre le sol poli. Toute la boutique sentait la vanille et les roses, ce genre de parfum qui colle aux vêtements et fait battre la tête.Je n’avais pas ma place ici.Brandon, bien sûr, s’y intégrait parfaitement —

Epilogue Brandon’s POV(The Wedding)The sun had never looked this soft before. It wasn’t harsh or blinding — just golden, like it knew today wasn’t meant for anything loud. The breeze carried the scent of roses and vanilla, and somewhere behind me, Erica was quietly tearing up even though she’d sworn she wouldn’t.I stood there at the altar, palms damp, heart hammering like it was trying to break free from my chest.Cameron was late. Not by much, but just enough to make my nerves short-circuit.Hilda leaned in from her seat, grinning. “Relax, pretty boy. He’s coming. You know he wouldn’t miss this.”I tried to smile, but my voice came out shaky. “If he doesn’t show, I’m marrying you instead.”Erica snorted, resting her head on Hilda’s shoulder. “Sorry, babe. She’s taken.”And right then, I saw him.Cameron walked out from the garden path, wearing a light gray suit that fit him perfectly. His hair was a little messy, like he’d tried to fix it and gave up halfway, and the sunlight cau

Cameron’s POVIt had been two weeks since everything went down. Two weeks since Drake was finally locked up and life started to feel… breathable again.The world had quieted. Brandon was smiling more, laughing again, though I could still see the shadow behind his eyes sometimes — the kind you only get after surviving something too heavy for your heart.But tonight, I wanted to change that.I’d spent the entire day planning. Nothing fancy, nothing dramatic — just something us. Because the first time I’d proposed… everything around it got poisoned. Drake had twisted it, used it. This time, I wanted it to be ours again.No cameras. No manipulation. Just me and him.The sky was painted in warm orange streaks when I parked outside the old lakeside park. Brandon loved this place. It was where we’d had our first fight and our first real “I love you.” The water shimmered like melted gold, the air calm except for the rustle of the trees.He climbed out of the car, squinting at the sunset. “You

Brandon POVIt’s crazy how fast things can change.One week ago, our lives were chaos — flashing sirens, screaming, and Drake’s twisted smirk burned into my memory. Now? The house was quiet again. Peaceful, even. My parents were back to drinking morning coffee on the porch, pretending like their son hadn’t just been caught in a nightmare.And Cameron… he was still healing.Every morning he’d walk into class wearing that same navy hoodie, the one with the tiny tear on the sleeve. He’d pretend he was fine, answer questions like nothing happened, but I could tell. The way his fingers tapped against his notebook. The way he sometimes zoned out mid-conversation. The way he looked at the window like he was waiting for something bad to happen again.I got it.Because I was waiting too.But life didn’t stop. Exams were back. Assignments stacked up again. Everyone else had already moved on — except us.Friday came, and I found Cameron sitting at the bleachers behind the school gym. His hoodie

Cameron POVEverything was noise and motion.The alarm screamed through the house, echoing off the walls and into my skull. My pulse hammered in time with it. Brandon was still grappling with Drake, both of them sliding across the floor, the rain slamming harder against the windows like it was trying to drown out the chaos inside.“Bran—get back!” I shouted, but he didn’t. He never did when it came to protecting me.The blinking light under the table flashed faster. Red. Urgent.I dropped to my knees, ripping away the tablecloth, and froze. A crudely wired device sat on the floor, timer flickering in uneven numbers. My stomach twisted. “He set a bomb.”Drake laughed from across the room, voice hoarse but still mocking. “Told you I’d make you choose.”Brandon slammed him into the ground again, pinning his arm. “You’re done, Drake! You hear me?”Drake grinned through split lips. “Not yet.”My hands shook as I studied the wires. I didn’t know how to defuse bombs—I wasn’t some movie hero—

Brandon’s POVThe night felt heavier than usual. Every street we passed on the drive home looked blurred through the rain, like the whole city was trying to wash itself clean but couldn’t. Cameron hadn’t said a word the entire ride. His hands stayed clenched on the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road like if he blinked, everything would fall apart.I wanted to say something—anything—to make it better. But what do you say after your stepbrother basically threatens your life, vanishes, and calls the cops on you? There wasn’t a guidebook for that.“Cam,” I said softly. “You’re shaking.”He didn’t answer. Just kept driving, headlights slicing through the mist. “I just want to get home,” he muttered finally. “Just home.”So I didn’t push. I let him have the silence.When we finally pulled up to my house, everything felt… off. The porch light was on, but the front door was wide open, creaking slightly in the wind. That was the first sign. The second was the stillness—the kind that didn’t

Brandon’s POV)The air was cold enough to bite. I could see my breath fog up the car window as Cameron killed the engine, his jaw locked tight like he was about to walk into a war. The streetlights buzzed above us, throwing pale light over puddles and cracked pavement. Somewhere in the distance, thunder grumbled like a warning.I didn’t say anything at first. My fingers were gripping the seatbelt too tight, like if I let go, I might lose it. The message Drake had sent earlier still burned in my head — ONE HOUR. OR I COME TO YOU. It didn’t sound like a bluff.“So this is it?” I finally said, my voice coming out rougher than I meant. “We’re just… going in?”Cameron didn’t look at me. His eyes were glued to the rearview mirror, scanning the shadows. “We’re not running anymore.”I swallowed. “Cam, this isn’t like before. You said he was dangerous—”“I know,” he snapped, too fast. Then softer, “I know. But he’s not going to stop. If we wait, he’ll find us anyway.”I studied him. His knuckl