LOGINRACHELFor once, I wanted to believe Thane wasn’t just… impulsive. Maybe people didn’t understand him or Maybe there was always a reason behind the way he acted.I’d told myself that so many times, even when it was obvious he crossed the line.But I was wrong. So damn wrong ‘cause it is true. He is violent. Inconsiderate.Just… Thane.And yet, a part of me still wanted to believe otherwise.But now?He wouldn’t even look at me. Wouldn’t answer a simple question.“I’m not talking to a wall, am I?” I snapped, pushing his arm so he’d face me.His expression didn’t give me anything. If anything, he still looked like he was holding himself back from exploding.Finally, his eyes met mine, then dropped all the way down to my feet.“You’re barefoot,” he said flatly. “Go back inside.”I blinked.Wow. Seriously?“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” I shot back. “And if you actually cared about something as little as that, then maybe you shouldn’t have acted like that with Jae. What’s your pro
THANE“What the hell, Thane?” Wendy shouted behind me, like she had any right to be mad after the stunt she just pulled.I didn’t care if she did it because Rachel was watching. I wasn’t letting her get away with it. But neither am I gonna give her that attention she craves so badly. “Fucking shut up, Wen,” I snapped, turning to glare at her. “Whatever you think we had. it’s over. Since a long time. So don’t ever pull that shit with me again. Got it?”“You can’t be serious right now,” she let out a bitter laugh, her voice cracking like she was forcing herself not to cry.“Try me,” I said coldly, not waiting to hear anything else.I didn’t give a damn.I turned and rushed toward the stairs, but I barely made it three steps before Jae appeared, blocking my path.If Wendy was a problem I could ignore, Jae was one hell I couldn’t.I tried to push past him, but he stepped in my way again.“Move,” I said, my voice dropping lower. More colder than when Wendy provoked me. Even I could hear t
RACHEL“I’m carrying you,” Jae muttered, sliding one arm under my knees and the other one behind my back. “You ready?”I nodded with a sharp breath. “Yeah…”He lifted me carefully and carried me back to the bedroom. Climbing onto the bed pavement, he set me down gently, like I was something fragile.My arm was still wrapped around his neck even after he lowered me. I didn’t even notice until I noticed he didn’t move.“You can let go now,” he said, a small smile on his lips, one that did show it didn't come from inside.“Oh… I’m sorry.” I pulled away quickly.“You scared the hell out of me.” His tone had changed. More derious now. Like he was still trying to process what just happened.“I guess I can’t stop making you worry about me,” I said lightly. “I promise it won’t happen again…”“No. It shouldn’t,” he cut in sharply.His eyes locked onto mine with this kind of strange intensity. “If something like that happens again… I don’t think I can handle it. So you better keep that promise.
THANEThe moment the cab pulled up in front of the hotel, I barely registered it.My head had been resting against the seat, one hand draped over my forehead, my thoughts spiraling out of control.“We’re here, sir.”I straightened and leaned forward just enough to confirm we were actually there. Not that he’d lie. Truth is, my head was just… messed up.And I still couldn’t believe I had taken a cab for the first time in my life.I dropped my hand to my lap and started pulling off my wristwatch.I definitely didn’t have any cash on me, but if he wasn’t dumb, he’d know exactly how much this was worth.A Rolex Submariner. Latest model. About ten thousand dollars when I got it last year.Yeah… I was probably the dumbest person alive for handing something like this to a cab driver.But I didn’t care. I stepped out of the car, leaned toward the window, and held the watch out to him.He stared at it nervously and I could still see the hesitation in his eyes, like he wanted to argue.But he d
THANEI couldn’t believe the person standing in front of me.I didn’t know if it was the freezing cold or the shock, but my legs refused to move. My hands hung uselessly at my sides.“You surprised?” she asked, laughing mockingly.It was the same laugh I had always hated, even back when we were just rivals. Seeing her again, I could bet a million times she still saw me as an enemy.Except that look flashing through her eyes told me it was something worse.And suddenly I was fucking terrified she had actually done something to Rachel.“Where the hell is she, Molly?” I asked, my teeth grinding against each other behind my jaw.I didn’t care if part of me still felt guilty about what happened a year ago. Molly had always resented me. I wasn’t surprised she’d teamed up with Joe to get her revenge.But she made a huge mistake if she thought Rachel was the best way to do it.“Aww. Sweet Thane,” she said sarcastically. “Relax. I didn’t do anything to your girl.”“Stop fucking with me, Molly.
RACHELMy head felt heavy and hazy as I slowly stirred awake.I wasn’t fully conscious yet, but something inside me didn’t want to wake up at all.Maybe I was too terrified to. Or maybe it was just the pounding headache from whatever knocked me out yester—Wait.Oh my God.My eyes snapped open.I had definitely been hit with something yesterday. Something heavy.I didn’t even know how it happened.The last thing I remembered was fixing my bra and staring at myself in the huge bathroom mirror. Then the next thing I saw was a man in a red suit appeared behind me.I never even got to see his face when something slammed hard into my head before I could turn around.My gaze dropped to the bed beneath me. Definitely not my bed.I’d be crazy to think it was Thane’s… although a stupid part of me wished he had somehow saved me.A sharp pain shot through my forehead and down my back when I pressed my palms into the mattress to sit up.The moment I tried lifting my weight and swinging my legs of







