Novels by vancleefer

Lila's povI could not believe it. The first boy I've ever masturbated to was here…in my new school. And the best part? He was calling me baby.“Uh…we just moved down here and my parents sent us here. What a coincidence!” Jax exclaimed, hugging me again. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, letting his perfume wash over me. Once upon a time I'd been madly in crush with Jax, who had been a classmate at my former school. He was also my closest friend's twin brother.He never saw me as anything else other than his sister's friend. I know because he always called me sport, and he calls his sister that. “Yeah…uh, wow.” I tried to keep it breezy and chill, but I could feel my toes tingling as he hugged me. He'd never hugged me before. In fact this was the closest we'd ever gotten.“Wait? Wasn't I over him already?” I asked myself, pushing out of his hug. “Uh…what about Kiesha?” I asked, not even bothering to hide my excitement that my friend would be here too.He ran his hand through his

Asher’s POVRumors died fast at Harrington when you gave them something better to chew on.Unfortunately for Lila and I, nothing new came up. It was a Monday morning and Lila had spent her time with her father over the weekend.And even though I'd never say it out loud, I had missed having her around the house. I pulled into the school's parking lot, and turned off the engine of my motorcycle but I didn't stand up.I know I said this was fake, but I could not stop thinking about her, not that I'll admit it to anyone. No other girl had ever made me lose sleep before. Hell, I didn't even smoke my cigarettes this weekend.A beat up Ford sedan pulled up into the lot just then. It wasn't flashy like all the other cars in the lot. I've never seen that car before so it must be her. I was right.Lila stepped out, slinging her backpack over one shoulder as her dirty blonde hair caught the morning light. Her face was set in a frown but still effortlessly pretty in her vintage sweater, miniskirt

Lila’s POVI stepped back quickly, but it was too late, Vivian waved the phone in the air. “I was live, and the whole school has seen you kissing your stepsister.”I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. No…this wasn't happening. Asher caught Vivian’s arm and dragged her to him. “What did you do that for? Are you crazy?”Vivian laughed and then buried her nose in Asher's neck. My heart twisted at that. Why was she so close to him? Why didn’t he push her away? His tongue had just been in my mouth.“I told you no one would take you away from me.” She pulled away from him and turned to me. “Not even her.”“Yiu know you;re insane right? We’re not in a relationship. Why the hell do you keep scaring away every girl I get close to?” Asher asked.“Uh…this is lovely and all, but Vivian when you meant the whole school, did you mean like your classmates alone?” I asked, scared that if this became a scandal, I might lose my scholarship. I had only gotten the scholarship because of my stepfather

Asher’s POVI didn't want a stepsister, especially one like Lila Monroe.She was all sunlight and weird energy. She hummed when she drew, talked to herself when she thought no one was looking and dressed like she was in season one of Shameless.I hated her. Because of her mother, my father remarried just after a year of my mom's death. How could he? How could he move on so easily? I stopped counting how many times I wanted to smash something since then.I was never going to like her, and her mother, and I wanted her to know that. I was toasting my bread that morning when he said, “You'll drive your new sister to school, Asher.”I stared at him across the kitchen island. “Are you serious?”“Yes,” he said without looking up from his phone. “Lila isn’t taking public transportation. She’ll ride with you.”“She’s not a kid.”“She’s family,” he said.Lila walked in right then, her dirty blonde hair tied up in some messy bun, wearing a yellow sweater that looked like it belonged in a childre

Lila’s POV“What the fuck?” I had never seen a house this big before. “Language, Lila.” My mom corrected me.This wasn't just a house. It looked like one of those shows where rich people argue quietly over wine.The Vale mansion was so tall, that it felt like my whole life had been a lie. My whole life had fit into a two-bedroom apartment in downtown Manhattan, and now I was standing in front of a place that had actual fountains.“Welcome home!” Daniel Vale announced as he kissed my mom. Mom was glowing beside me, holding Daniel Vale’s arm like she’d been waiting her whole life to belong somewhere like this.I dragged my old suitcase along and it made a scraping sound that was too loud. Mom turned to me, beaming. “Isn’t it beautiful, sweetheart?”“Yeah,” I said softly. “It’s… huge.” She didn’t notice the pause. She was so happy.Daniel’s phone buzzed, and he walked away without another word. A maid appeared out of nowhere and offered to take my bag. I told her I could handle it, but

Cassia woke to sunlight streaming through cheap curtains.For a moment, she didn't remember where she was. The bed was too soft, the pillow too flat. Then she felt Elara's warm weight pressed against her side, she heard her daughter's quiet breathing, and everything came rushing back.The hospital….the fight and her declaration of divorce.She turned her head. Elara slept curled into a ball, her rabbit clutched to her chest, dark curls spilling across the pillow. She looked so peaceful. So innocent.Cassia's chest ached.Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She reached for it, squinting at the screen. 47 missed calls. 23 text messages. 12 voicemails.All from Dorian.She scrolled through the texts without opening them. The preview was enough.We need to talk…you're being unreasonable….Cassia, this is ridiculous…Where are you?....WHERE ARE YOU?The last few were all caps. It showed he was desperate…or angry. She didn't understand why he still wanted her when he'd been sleeping with her

Cassia's hands wouldn't stop shaking.She walked down the corridor, past the nurses' station, past the waiting area with its too-bright lights and plastic chairs. The adrenaline that had carried her through the confrontation was draining away, leaving her hollow.She'd done it. She'd actually done it.She'd asked for a divorce.The recording sat in her phone like a live grenade. Dorian's voice, threatening to take Elara. Calling her pathetic. Every cruel word preserved forever.But what now?She stopped walking and leaned against the wall, pressing her forehead to the cool surface. Where was she supposed to go? The hotel suite was in Dorian's name. He could have her kicked out with a phone call. And home—God, she couldn't think about going home. Back to that house where he'd lied to her for three years. Where Ava had probably sat at her kitchen table, drinking her coffee, laughing at her behind her back.Elara.The thought hit her like cold water. She'd left her daughter in the child

Dorian's face went white. "You're not thinking clearly," he said, his voice measured now. "You're emotional. Upset. You've had a traumatic night. Let's discuss this when you've calmed down.""I've never been clearer.""Cassia." He took a step toward her. "You're making a decision that will affect the rest of your life. The rest of Elara's life. You need to think about this rationally.""I am thinking rationally.""No, you're reacting." He gestured with one hand, the other still pressed against his ribs. "I made a mistake. A terrible mistake. But marriages survive affairs. We can get through this.""I don't want to get through this." She said it simply. "I want out."His jaw tightened. "And what about Elara?""What about her?""You think I'm just going to let you take my daughter?" His voice dropped. "You think I'm going to walk away from her?""I'm not asking you to walk away from her. I'm asking you to walk away from me.""It doesn't work like that." He stepped closer again. "If you

The security guards released her in the hallway outside Ava's room."Ma'am, you need to stay calm," one of them said. "If there's another incident—""There won't be." Cassia's voice came out flat. Empty.They hesitated, then walked away, leaving her alone in the fluorescent-lit corridor.Cassia slid down the wall until she was sitting on the cold linoleum floor. She pulled her knees to her chest and stared at nothing.Three years. Before their wedding and before their engagement party.She tried to remember that night. Tried to picture Dorian and Ava together. Had they disappeared at the same time? Had she noticed anything? Any sign?But all she could remember was her own happiness. How excited she'd been. How in love.How stupid.The tears came again, silent this time. They ran down her face and dripped onto her jeans. She didn't wipe them away."Cassia."She looked up. Dorian stood at the end of the hallway, one hand braced against the wall. He'd put on a hospital robe over his gown

Cassia decided she had to let go of her anger in a violent way and she knew exactly who to let it out on.Cassia shook off the nurse's hands. "Get off me.""Mrs. Vale, you need to sit down—""I said get off!" She pushed past the nurse, past Dr. Patel, past Kael who was still slumped against the wall."Cassia, wait—" Kael reached for her, but she was already gone.She ran down the corridor, her vision blurred with tears. Second floor. The doctor said Ava was on the second floor.Her feet pounded against the linoleum as she found the stairwell and burst through the door. Down one flight, through another door, into another corridor."Excuse me!" A nurse called after her. "You can't run in here!"Cassia didn't stop. She checked room after room, throwing doors open, ignoring the startled patients and staff."Where is she?" Cassia grabbed a passing nurse by the arm. "Ava Jennings. Where is she?""I—I don't know—""Find out!" Cassia's voice echoed down the hall.The nurse pulled up something

Cassia looked down at Elara, whose face was streaked with tears. She couldn't let her daughter see whatever was about to happen in that room.She crouched down, wiping Elara's cheeks with her thumb. "Baby, I need you to go with this nice nurse for a little bit, okay?""But I want to stay with you," Elara whimpered."I know." Cassia's voice cracked. "But Mama needs to talk to Daddy alone. Just for a few minutes."A young nurse stepped forward, offering her hand to Elara. "We have a playroom downstairs with toys and books. Would you like to see it?"Elara looked at Cassia, uncertain."It's okay," Cassia said, forcing a smile. "I'll come get you soon. I promise."Elara took the nurse's hand reluctantly, clutching her rabbit with the other. As they walked away, she kept looking back. Cassia waved until they turned the corner.Then she turned to Dorian's room and pushed the door open.Dorian was sitting up in bed, his face flushed despite the bruises. He was pulling at the IV in his arm, c