**MYLES** The room smelled of antiseptic mixed with the stomach-churning scent of open pill bottles scattered on the table beside the bed, the bed where she lay with the covers up to her neck. Thirteen hours, and Ma's fever still hasn't broken. I sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the wall, listening to the silence in the room. Yesterday, I’d walked in to find her half-slumped on the chair, midway through preparing for work, and since then, we've been like this. Quiet, with the weight of our last confrontation still hanging heavy between us. But even though I don't say anything, even though she doesn't talk to me, I stay. I felt her shift on the bed, her speech slower than usual. "I told you not to stay. I said I can handle myself, Carino." She looked at the clock on the table next to the medicine. "There's still time; you can make it. Don't you have practice?" I bit my cheek; she still didn't know that I had been kicked off the team. "That can wait." I forced a small smile.
To make matters worse, they’d found a seat dead center of the club—a spot where he didn’t even have to strain to watch me. I fixed my gaze on the ceiling, heart clenching every time I felt his eyes.Okay, someone really needed to ask this bastard what his problem was. Dressed in a fitted blue three-piece suit that practically screamed “danger,” he leaned back on the sofa next to Eros, nursing a half-filled glass, while his uncle worked the room. He was in his own world, or maybe just bored, his gaze drifting with a few half-hearted nods and handshakes.Yeah, yeah, I get it—how would I know all that if I wasn’t looking? Well, he’s in the middle of the room; where the hell else am I supposed to look?“Did you see Tristan and Eros?” Jade’s voice broke into my thoughts. “I mean, I knew he had pull, but wow, here too? Must be nice being rich.”I raised a brow at her.She rolled her eyes and gestured to the room. “That rich, smartass. That rich.” Her arms folded across her chest. “You think
**JADE**"Myles, are you okay?" I asked. He lifted his face from the kitchen sink, looked at me strangely, and nodded as he breathed, "Yeah. I'm just tired, that's all." I wasn’t stupid; I knew that wasn’t the case. It was instinct, the same way I knew there had been no mugger. That was an aggressive make-out mark. The reason his face had turned red when I touched it. But that bruise on his face—he’d been hit, and not by any mugger. "Give me a moment," he said as he walked around me, past the event where the audience had begun to clear out, and into the restroom. The crowd in the hall had started to thin. The ones remaining indulged in drunken revelry, the conversations louder than the music. But I was lost in thought, barely noticing any of it. What was wrong with Myles, really? Whatever it was... I walked out of the room, glaring at the figure emerging from the stairs. That had everything to do with it. Rage crawled up my chest. He caused it all. Myles had worked so
"I wasn’t myself."“Oh, come on, Astor, hold yourself accountable! You did it out of spite. Admit it!”“If you mean I was pissed, then yes! Anyone would be pissed if you gave their position away, darn it.”Silence. Then, “That’s the confession we needed. We’ll call you back after we’ve made a decision. You’re dismissed, Astor.”It was the next day, and I was still waiting for my name to be called as I sat in the cafeteria, skipping three classes in a row. My phone was switched off, unable to stand the endless ringing. The news had spread like wildfire. It was on everyone’s lips, and in no time, various versions of what had happened began to make rounds.“Yeah, the scholarship kid, the one with the shaved head? He was paid to steal the list, you know.”“He was always jealous of George. That must be why.”“I hate that I once pitied him when he was kicked off the team, but now it all makes sense.”Or the most popular one: “Being on a scholarship and such a vile human is insane.”They th
"...I don't really need you anymore." My eyes flew open, meeting the stark white ceiling above. Cold air chilled my bare upper body, bandaged and covered in medical stickers. I turned to my side, finding it empty except for a nurse asleep at the far end of the room. I swallowed hard. It was all in my head. He was all in my head. It stung that he wasn’t at school, yet he still ruled a corner of my mind, a part that wanted to crawl back to him and beg for the deal. But it was pointless now, with expulsion looming over me. I sighed, listening to the quiet—a fragile comfort keeping me together. But I felt someone nearby, this time real. I opened my eyes to see a second nurse. "You're awake." She pointed to the door. "Your friends want to see you. Feeling up to visitors?" My chest clenched, a different kind of pain than the one in my bones. How long had it been? They were still waiting outside? "I don't want to see them," I said. The nurse blinked, her brows furrowing. "Are you sur
JADEI slam the door shut, only to see him standing right in front of me. Eros takes a step closer, his expression stern. "I demand an apology."I blinked, glancing around for witnesses. Since that night I’d seen him at El Refugio, I understood he was no ordinary person. So I’d made it my goal to stay clear of him.But it was obvious we didn’t share the same goal.“Sorry,” I muttered. His eyes widened in surprise—probably at how easily he got it. I just wasn’t in the mood for anything. I wished I’d stayed home, anything to avoid hearing that Myles had been expelled. I felt hollow, like something essential had been ripped away. And breathing hurt. I didn’t even know you could hurt this much over someone who drove you up the wall as much as Myles did. But he was my best friend, the one who made me smile even when I wanted to strangle him. Being without him felt wrong, like a part of me had gone missing.“Jade,” Eros stopped me again, his hazel eyes softening. “I’m sorry about your fri
"...My sincerest apologies for how my actions might have hurt everyone." Tristan muttered into the mic, then turned to me. "Especially Myles..."The next day found us in the school hall, standing before a sea of students, their eyes sympathetic as they looked at him. They didn’t show this kind of pity for me. I’d gotten used to that.And Tristan played along, charisma oozing from him, hypnotizing. But I wasn’t fooled. I saw the glint in his eyes when he looked at me, the way he tilted his head, making it seem like he was adjusting his collar, or how he added a purr to his voice, his tone sending a shiver up my spine."We love you, Tristan!" someone screamed from the crowd."Thank you. Really, all of you," he replied, pausing for effect. Then he turned to me again. "Myles, if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I promise..." His voice was smug, almost taunting. "Never to make you my plaything again."Applause broke out, the sound swinging in waves, echoing the confusion poundi
"..." "..." "Listen, I'd take all of your kinks..." "I don't have kinks..." "Let you sniff crack off my ass..." "Hmm, why haven't I thought of that?" "But I won't let you fuck me whenever or however you want." "How about wherever?" "..." He raised a brow. Bloody son of a bitch. We were on his seventh rule, a bunch of words he had strung together to piss me off and some that seemed valid but weird. Like... "Close the door without making a sound, you're enough of a migraine; I can't add noise to it." Or, "This is not a relationship. I'd rather this remain a secret." His voice was stern, no longer the playful tug, so I understood this rule was crucial. Besides, it wasn't like I was so proud of being his latest conquest that I'd whisper it to anyone. Rolling my eyes, I shrugged, "I wish the same." Then his sixth rule: resting his face in his palm, he read out, "You're not allowed to fall in love with me. If that happens, you keep it to yourself. This arrangement shouldn't g
TRISTAN *You’re so damn heavy…* I wasn’t sure what had my lids fluttering open—the bright light in this room that smelled too familiar or the feminine voice scraping at my nerves. My lips were dry, cracked, and when I ran my tongue over them, I tasted something medicinal. My body felt like I had walked through fire, my head pounding—not in the unbearable way when the voices grew loud and screeching, but like I’d knocked it against a wall on my way to bed. My eyes cracked fully open to my room. The intricate design of the ceiling sharpened in my vision, the cold air caressing my bare upper body as the woman’s voice became louder. Christ… what happened last night? The last thing I remembered was tumbling down the stairs until I hit the floor… then… what? *Don’t wake up. Don’t leave me.* *Come on. I’ll take you home.* Of course, my chest tightened. Myles. I hallucinated so damn hard about him I could swear I smelled a whiff of his scent. Now, I was lying here alone, waitin
NICO At the top of the stairs, leaning against the balustrade, he watched it all happen—the organ in his chest clenching so hard it was painful. The pain intensified as he watched Tristan leaning into the Latino’s touch like he was life itself, like he was his own fucking breath. His grip around the boy’s ribs was so tight, Nico wished he’d press even harder and crush the brat. That touch... Nico stared down at his own hands—soft, without the fucking callouses—proof of how little he had held a gun in the past seven years. And now, Tristan flinched away from his touch. His touch... The sharp pain seared past his chest again. Yet, the way Tristan clung to Myles, even in that state… and yet, he flinched. He should have known. He came with Victor’s strength. Of course, he came with his weaknesses too—threefold, even more intense. Let it burn. Nico’s jaw clenched as he released his hold on the lit cigar. Let it all burn. It didn’t matter anymore. But a hand snatched past him
MYLES Throughout the journey back to the hospital, we rode in silence. Not once did the mayor turn to look at me—his focus fixed on the road outside the windshield—while mine remained on his back or outside the window. And suddenly, I felt it… shame. In the few hours I had stayed in Elysium, I knew more about my family and understood why Mum had kept it all a secret from me. I now understood why she’d been so concerned about how I moved, what I did. But all those times, I remembered it grating on my nerves; I remembered the scorn I felt each time she did nothing about Diego. I remembered thinking Father would have done a better job than her if he were around, but… it was her all along—the reason I was still alive.My sight blurred; I had pushed everyone away—everyone who was concerned for me, everyone who was after my well-being. And I was still doing it: moving alone, making stupid decisions. How would Mum have felt if I came out of Elysium missing two fingers, or if I never cam
TRISTAN "I gave you two days off, and what do you use it for?" My uncle slammed the glass against the wall, and it shattered into a million pieces. "To find that fucking boy!" The dim orange light overhead hurt my eyes more than it should, and my surroundings were slowly becoming a kaleidoscope of colors. I raised my hand, staring at my fingers as they constantly changed in number and shape. My droopy lids weren’t helping matters. So numb... but not numb enough. The intoxication was wearing off, but I knew I wasn’t getting any more liquor if I stayed here—not when the Boss had angrily hurled my drink against the wall. Going to Jade didn’t yield any results either. She had looked at me with those same pitying eyes, the ones that made my skin crawl. "I hate it," the anger in her voice cut through me after we had called and it was busy. "I hate what he does to you." Her fist clenched. "Don’t get me wrong, I love that bastard, but... I hate seeing you this way." That was... war
The new room we were in was still thick with tense silence. The men who had once tried to kill me now kept a safe distance, their eyes darting between me and Gabriel as if I were suddenly radioactive. Except for the old man, who was now wrapping my pinky and index finger with a bandage. But even the way he looked at me had changed— more caution, like he was handling something fragile and dangerous. Victoria burst out in guffawing laughter, the sound bouncing off the walls. I winced, both from the noise and the throbbing pain in my hand. Now she was nursing a glass of wine, pointing at Luigi with a smirk. “You don’t know what Tristan would have done to you. You’d wish you were never born.” Luigi ignored her, his focus on Gabriel, who stood by the window, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. “So what if he’s some Italian heir’s bitch? You’re the damn boss! You can’t let that control your decisions.” Subtract the undeserved insult, and I understood him. It was t
MYLES The neon sign buzzed overhead, *Elysium* bleeding crimson into the night. A club. Of course, it was a fucking club. Bouncers flanked the entrance, all bulk and cold eyes. One glanced at my hoodie, my bag, and smirked. “Lost, kid?” “Gabriel,” I said, voice flat. “I need to see him.” The smirk faded. The other bouncer stepped forward, his hand drifting toward his waistband. “Who’s asking?” “Myles Harold.” I held his gaze, pulse roaring. “Tell him I’m here to negotiate.” ** “Does Maria know you’re here?” The old man glared at me. “Of course, she doesn’t know. What are you doing here, boy? Leave before Gabriel sees you.” But I couldn’t leave. Not when he had the papers. Not when Mum was on that hospital bed, dying. The Elysium was a bar. It was quite easy to find, turned out it was a big spot at the center of the city. And in many ways, it reminded me of El Refugio... the loud thumping music, except when Tristan was in charge. Except this had strippers, and when
I sat next to her, my head buried in my hands. It was the sterile white walls, the constant beep of the monitor, my mother lying on that bed—so pale it was as though every pint of blood had been drained from her. Slowly, I was losing my breath. Losing myself. "Your mother has a severe heart condition. Without a transplant, her chances of survival are slim." Slim. The word was a death sentence. My chest tightened, and I struggled to draw in a breath. My mum—my rock, my anchor—was slipping away, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It all made sense now. The first time she had slumped—this was what she had been hiding. All those times she had gone on her secret trips, it had been because of this. Leaving me out until the very end?! Even when I had succeeded in getting rid of Diego, I still couldn't reach her. It was like, with every step I took, she took three more away from me. "...I'm sorry." I froze, raising my head to see those dim eyes on me—the first time
**A MONTH LATER** **JADE** "Good evening, students, parents, teachers, and anyone who accidentally wandered in thinking this was a free event with snacks," the principal began his speech with a playful smirk. The audience roared with laughter. Everyone except the three of us—Natalie, Leo, and me. I gave Leo a reassuring smirk. He was going to come. But the more I did that, the more I knew I was lying to myself. It had been a month since we'd last seen him, since that final day at the hospital. I had no clue if he was coming today. When we spoke last night on his new number, his answers had been vague. It was graduation. I never imagined our graduation would feel like this—just plain. Others looked like they were having fun, but maybe, if we could just believe Myles when he said he was alright, then maybe—just maybe—we could have fun too. "Today, we gather to celebrate the Class of 2010—a class so brilliant, so resilient, and so determined that even senioritis couldn’t
TRISTAN"Myles is awake," my uncle announced as soon as I slid into the car, the words falling from his lips like a storm. "He's been awake for two days."I turned to him, disbelief clouding my thoughts. The weight of his words sank in slowly, dawning slowly across my mind. "Two days?" I echoed, my voice disbelieving. "Jade said...""Jade lied," my uncle cut me off, his voice cool, almost amused. "He told her to lie to you. Now, why would he do that?" His gaze flicked to me for a moment, his eyes narrowing, as if searching for something deeper. "Could it be... that Myles doesn’t want to see you, Tristan?"I froze, my heart stumbling in my chest. Nico was testing me, prodding at my wounds just to see how I'd react. He could be lying, weaving his own twisted version of the truth, just to make me squirm. But then again... what if he wasn't lying? My uncle was never a liar. He wouldn't do that to me. The way Jade had sounded when we spoke yesterday... something had been off. But Myles w