MasukNora’s POVTwo weeks. Two whole, excruciating weeks of not seeing Knox. Two weeks of sitting in the lecture hall, staring at an empty space where he used to occupy the room with his quiet, dangerous presence. Also been a week since I packed my bags, abandoned the dorm I shared with Matilda, and carved out a solitary existence elsewhere.A week since I saw Matilda last, too. Not living with them left a hollow, echoing ache deep in my chest, yet beneath the loneliness, there was something else. Peace. Pure, unadulterated peace. I no longer had to tense up every time I came back late, dreading Matilda’s interrogation about whether I was sneaking around with Knox. I didn’t have to walk down the campus pathways constantly looking over my shoulder, paranoid that he was stalking me or looming in the shadows like some dark guardian angel.I was free. Is it possible to say I neither love nor hate it? Yeah, who wouldn't love being free from that kind of chaos, but it still hadn't completely s
Nora’s POV"Let’s go."Knox’s voice was a flat, lethal command that cut through the ringing in my ears. My eyes flew open, chest heaving. The scene before me felt like a fever dream, two bodies sprawled across the asphalt, the smell of gunpowder and burnt rubber choking the night air. A moment ago, I thought he was dying. I thought-"I’m leaving." He didn’t wait for me to process the reality of what just happened. He swung a leg over the bike, the heavy metal frame groaning under his weight. I stood there for a heartbeat, paralyzed by the sheer cold-bloodedness of his demeanor, before rolling my eyes to hide the tremor in my hands. I climbed on, my fingers snaking around his waist, and he zoomed off before I was even steady. Just what kind of life did he lead? People didn’t just casually exchange gunfire over a street spat. These weren’t toy guns; they were instruments of death, and he handled the violence like he was shaking off a light rain."Never come for me again," I whispere
Nora’s POVI swallowed, the breath hitching in my throat as I stared at the canvas propped against the studio wall. It wasn’t just a painting; it was an apparition.Just how many things could this man do? The image looked like a high-resolution photograph, not a drawing, though the tell-tale, jagged texture of oil paint proved it was created by human hands. He’d captured the way the light hit my face, the specific, vulnerable arc of my brow, and the way I held my hands when I thought no one was watching. He’d completely nailed it. I bit my lip, eyes locked on the image, feeling a strange, hollow ache in my chest. How do I ask if I can take this with me? Would he even agree, or is this too much of a piece of his soul to part with?"Stop it," he growled. The sound vibrated through the small room, low and raspy.I jumped, my gaze snapping up to meet his. He was standing near the door, his posture rigid, his eyes burning into me with an intensity that made the air feel thin."Stop what?
Knox’s POV“Nothing to it?” I asked the idiot standing before me.“Stop being a paranoid prick. You don’t expect everyone to be against you,” Rook scoffed. I gave him a look that should’ve shut him up.“Get out of my house before I put a bullet right into your skull.”“About to anyways,” he muttered, rolling his eyes as he walked out. Since when do human with dicks roll their eyes like that? Thought that was a girl thing.I went to the kitchen, made myself a mug of coffee, and walked back to the living room. My eyes drifted to the small camera hidden in the corner. That bitch must be delusional if she thinks a chip that size is subtle. I’d always thought she was growing a brain, but she clearly ruined it herself. Whatever game she’s playing ain’t my business, they’re all against me. She’s just another name on the list of people who want me dead.And then there’s her friend, Nora. The clueless fool. Living with her, yet she suspected nothing. How can someone be that fucking oblivious?
Nora’s POVSettling into a pair of long, baggy denim trousers and a small top that reached just below my chest, I applied a lip tint, picked up my bag, and checked my phone.“Get your ass out.” Sighing, I finished the look with white sneakers. Staring at my reflection, I smoothed down my hair and walked out, locking the door behind me. I really shouldn’t have dressed this much just to meet him, but I wanted to. It wasn’t even a date, he could easily be planning to take me to the middle of nowhere and finish me off. I just wanted to look different, just in case, didn't want to hide in oversized clothes that did nothing for me. Well, the trousers were oversized, but they still fit perfectly. From a distance, I could see him resting against the wall, a cigarette burning slowly in his hand. The pole lights hit his face, making the piercing in his lip catch the light. He was wearing a black top and blue denim jeans. I guess we matched a little.His top was short enough to show off his ar
Nora’s POVMy eyes landed on the space beneath her bed. I remembered noticing a stray bag tucked back there once before, but I'd completely shrugged it off at the time.Crossing the room, I grabbed the frame of the lower bunk and lifted the heavy mattress, dragging the hidden bag out from the shadows before letting the bed drop back down with a dull thud.I stretched my sore back with a wince, pulling my tangled hair up into a messy bun. Taking the bag over to my own bed, I sat down cross-legged and unzipped it.The very first thing I pulled out was a thick stack of printed photographs. As my eyes dropped to the top image, the breath instantly caught in my throat, and my eyes widened in sheer disbelief.There in the picture was Knox standing over a dead body with a cigarette in hand. I swallowed, sliding over to the next picture. And there yet again was Knox standing over yet another dead body, this time of a woman, flanked by about three other men.The pictures went on and on like th







