Novels by Mariro

CHAPTER FOURDrake's POVThe leather on the boardroom chair was cold and stiff, just like the atmosphere in the room. I hate these meetings. I hate the stale smell of expensive coffee and the way my three older brothers—Ethan, Logan, and Rhys—sit there, stiff in their tailored suits. They are trying desperately to sound like they inherited Dad’s business mind instead of just his bank account.I slouched slightly, wishing I was back in the lab dealing with thermodynamic equations. That made sense. This mess, the family bike club empire, was purely emotional and egotistical, and right now, it was drowning.“The sales data for the last quarter is abysmal, Dad. We keep focusing on vintage restoration, but the market is moving toward bespoke performance modifications,” Ethan stated, his voice condescending. He looked at the sheet of figures like they were abstract art.My best friend, Gina, who was sitting next to me—because she’s literally stuck to me most of the time, thank God—snorted

CHAPTER THREE Miles' POVI thought yesterday was the rock bottom of my existence. I really did. Getting exiled from Harvard, showing up at this absolute non-place, having a full-blown mental breakdown in a public restroom, and then getting caught mid-sob by two enormous, good-looking strangers—one of whom was my primary tormentor—felt like the universe was genuinely running a ‘How Much Can Miles Take?’ experiment.Turns out, the universe is a terrible sadist and it decided to dial the experiment up to eleven.I was sitting in the corner of my depressing closet-dorm, trying to force myself to look at the course catalogue, when my phone buzzed with an email notification. It was from the Dean’s office, confirming my academic orientation appointment. My eyes scrolled down the block text.Required Academic Supervision and Transfer Integration Mentor. Great. Expected. I need someone to hold my hand and make sure I don’t mess up whatever pathetic, temporary future I have here.I kept re

CHAPTER TWO: Drew's POV“Hi, Little Blue.” Man, I loved the way that sounded. His reaction was better than I expected.The way he just froze, eyes wide, and that little puff of air leaving his lips—it was almost too good. He looked absolutely petrified, and the shade of blue on his cheeks intensified just for a second before he snapped out of it.He didn't stick around. He just jerked back and bolted, a total flight response. I watched him tear around the corner of the administration building, a blur of nervous energy. He was definitely one of the new transfers; they always looked lost and stressed. But this one? This one was something else.I felt a hard and satisfying grin stretch across my face. It wasn't mean; it was just… delightful. That kind of instant, purely physical mortification was fascinating to watch.“You still staring at that wall, man?” Travis, my best friend since fifth grade, clapped a hand hard on my shoulder, breaking my little moment of fascination. He didn’

CHAPTER ONEMiles' POVI’ve never felt anything like this. Not ever. This was humiliation on a cosmic scale, a total, gut-wrenching, earth-swallowing failure.One second, I was Miles Donovan, the golden boy of the class of ’26. I had a full merit scholarship, a perfect GPA, and a promising internship lined up for the summer. Everyone, and I mean everyone, knew my name on that pristine, hallowed campus. I was the future.The next second, I was… this. I stood outside a ridiculously cramped campus dorm at some random state university. I hadn’t even bothered to tour this place when I was doing my college applications because, honestly, why would I have? I wasn’t a state school guy; I was a Harvard guy.The worn plastic handle of my overpriced, monogrammed luggage was shaking in my hand. I could feel my jaw tight. My mom was right beside me, her hand rubbing small, meaningless circles on my back, trying to console me. The whole thing was just pathetic.“Miles, honey, it’s going to be fi