Novels by wayne_books

Adrian's POV I noticed the bruises on Thursday. It wasn’t intentional. Serena had arrived late to class, carrying too many books and apologising to absolutely nobody. She dropped into her seat beside Luca, who immediately began complaining about the sandwich she had brought for lunch. Apparently, he considered a cheese sandwich an insult to his existence. I would have ignored them if Serena hadn’t reached across the desk for a pen. Her sleeve slipped down. For a moment, I saw the dark marks on her wrist. Then she pulled the fabric back into place. Quickly. Too quickly. I looked away before she could notice me watching. But I had already seen enough. The bruises weren’t the kind someone got from accidentally bumping into a door. I had grown up around people who knew how to hurt others and disguise the evidence. I knew what I was looking at. And I knew better than to ask questions in a crowded classroom. Still, something unpleasant settled in my chest.

Serena Hayes If there was one thing I had learnt about Adrian Blackwood in the two days since I met him, it was that the boy had absolutely no idea how to behave like a normal human being. He barely smiled. He rarely spoke unless he had something important to say, and he looked at people as though he was deciding whether they were worth his time. Honestly, the man needed a hobby. Preferably one that involved smiling. I sat at my desk, staring at the mathematics questions in front of me. Numbers had never been my enemies, but today they seemed determined to ruin my life. I sighed dramatically and dropped my pencil. “Having a little problem, princess?” I looked up. Luca Moretti stood beside my desk, wearing the kind of grin that made me wonder how he had survived this long without someone throwing a chair at his head. “Do you ever mind your business?” I asked. “Occasionally. But your suffering is far more entertaining.” “Wonderful. I’m glad my pain brings joy to someone.” H

Serena’s POV I woke to the sound of someone knocking. For one terrified second, I thought I was back home. Then I remembered the black house, the silver key, and Adrian Blackwood. “Who is it?” “Breakfast,” a woman’s voice answered. I opened the door to find a middle-aged woman holding a tray. “Good morning, Miss Hayes. I’m Margaret. I manage the household.” “Good morning.” She smiled warmly and placed the tray on a small table. “Mr Blackwood asked me to make sure you had everything you needed.” I looked at the food. Toast, eggs, fruit, and a glass of orange juice. It was a simple breakfast, but something about seeing a full tray made my chest tighten. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had prepared a meal for me without expecting something in return. “Thank you,” I whispered. Margaret gave me a sympathetic look. “You’re welcome, dear.” After she left, I ate slowly, then explored the room. A wardrobe held several dresses in different sizes. On the dressing tab

Adrian’s POV The drive to my residence was silent for the first ten minutes. Serena sat beside me, clutching the silver key so tightly that its edges pressed into her palm. Marcus drove, occasionally checking the rear-view mirror. I had already contacted my security team. The men who entered the Hayes residence had escaped before we could identify them, but they had left something behind. A black glove. Inside it was a small metal badge stamped with a symbol I recognised immediately. The symbol belonged to a group that supposedly no longer existed. The Ash Circle. Years ago, the organisation had controlled several illegal shipping routes across the coast. My father had fought them for control of the ports, and Richard Hayes had helped him end their influence. Or so I had been told. If the Ash Circle had returned, then the arrangement between our families was more dangerous than I had imagined. “Where are you taking me?” Serena asked. “My house.” She turned towards me. “

Serena’s POV For three seconds, I couldn’t move. The darkness swallowed the hallway, leaving only the sound of my heartbeat and the distant crash of something breaking downstairs. Then Adrian grabbed my hand. “Move.” “Where are we going?” “Somewhere safer than here.” “I’d like to know what’s happening!” “And I’d like to have this conversation somewhere that doesn’t involve someone threatening to kill you. Unfortunately, we’re both disappointed.” Even in the darkness, I could hear the irritation in his voice. I followed him down a narrow passage behind the study. He moved confidently, as if he had memorised every corner of the house, which made absolutely no sense. “Have you been here before?” I whispered. “Not this part.” “Then how do you know where you’re going?” “Your father designed this house with my father. Marcus found the original plans.” Of course. Another secret involving our fathers. We reached a small room at the end of the passage. Adrian pushed me inside a

Serena’s POV The key turned with a reluctant click. For a moment, neither Adrian nor I moved. The room smelled of dust, old leather, and something faintly familiar—my father’s cologne. I had not smelled it in years, but memory brought it back so clearly that my throat tightened. His desk stood beneath the window. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books I had never been allowed to touch. A photograph of my father and me sat beside a brass clock that had stopped at 2:17. I walked towards it slowly. In the photograph, I was eight years old, sitting on his shoulders and laughing. He was smiling up at me, one hand holding my ankle to keep me steady. That version of my father had always been the one I wanted to remember. The man who disappeared behind closed doors and spoke in whispers was harder to understand. “Did you know him well?” I asked Adrian. “Well enough.” “That isn’t an answer.” “It is the only one I have.” I turned towards him. “You seem to know an awful lot abou