LOGIN[BRIAN]The prison smells like rust, sweat, and something faintly rotten—like the walls themselves have absorbed decades of violence and regret.I hate it already.A guard leads me down a long corridor lined with thick steel bars. The heavy clang of each gate opening and closing echoes through the h
[AVA]I drift in and out of consciousness, a series of disjointed images and sounds flashing through my mind like a broken film reel.The cold. So much cold. The metallic taste of blood in my mouth.A man’s voice. Cold. Cruel. Laughing.“Good girl,” he whispers, his voice terrifying. “Stay still. Ju
[BRIAN]I give myself only two seconds to take in everything before I decide someone is going to pay with their life for this.I rush to Ava’s side, my body working solely on autopilot as I pick her up from the hard, cold floor and put her down on the couch.Max appears with a blanket that I’m not s
“Someone has been threatening Ava?” He stands up so fast it almost makes me dizzy. “Who the fuck would do that? And why? What did she do?”“Your guess is as good as mine,” I say, shaking my head and running a hand through my hair, already tired of this whole messed-up situation. “I don’t know why sh
[BRIAN]Brooke leads me to her apartment next door—apparently, that’s her name, as she told me before she allowed me to follow her.She opens the door and steps inside. But just as I take a step in, a big, fluffy thing barks and growls at me from inside.Alright. One thing about me: I’m not very con
[BRIAN]When I pull up at Ava’s old address, I have only one goal in mind.To find Max and get the hell out.Why? Because this place always gave me the creeps. Not only is it the most notorious part of the city, but it’s also slightly dangerous.When Dean and his family went bankrupt years ago, I di
“Ava...” Sean’s voice reaches my ears like a gentle whisper, but it feels more like an icy blade piercing my chest, intensifying the urge to cry. However, the awareness of being in a public setting feels like blinding spotlights shining directly in my face, making me feel overly exposed and suscepti
[AVA] A blissful moment consumes every fibre of my existence. It sweeps over me like a cool breeze on a hot summer night, makes me giddy and silly, and leaves me so darn satisfied that if I ever had a last wish before dying, I am pleased to say it has been thoroughly fulfilled. Only, I should have
I offer Sean the most sympathetic face I can muster, accompanied by a quick eye-roll that silently says, “I told you so.” To my surprise, Sean handled the situation better than I anticipated. He chuckles and shakes his head, finishing his drink. “In my defense, she’s old enough to know the rules of
[AVA] I’ve always despised being that person who ruins everything. Back in middle school, my friend Val and I received an invitation to our classmate Angelica Barden’s birthday party. Let me tell you, she was basically Regina George from Mean Girls, but with a touch of the devil. I really wish I co







