LOGINTHE WOLF DEN{Playlist Suggestion: "Blood in the Water" by grandson / "The Hills" by The Weeknd}~KOLT POV~The smoke twisted around my fingers in the dark, wet air of the warehouse, smelling like expensive tobacco and blood because the guy tied to the metal chair in front of me was currently bleeding from about four different places on his face.I took a slow drag from my cigarette, my eyes fixed on Samuel, who was beaten to an absolute crisp, groaning and spitting blood onto the concrete floor of one of my empty storage properties on the edge of the city."I told you," I said, my voice dangerously quiet as I breathed out the smoke into the freezing air. "I broke your wrist and I told you exactly what would happen if you ever showed your face at her place again, and yet you still went back."Samuel whined, trying to pull against the zip ties cutting into his wrists. "I didn't... she gave it to me...""Don't insult me," I snapped, stepping forward and grabbing him by the dirty collar
DOUBLE JEOPARDY{Playlist Suggestion: "Traitor" by Olivia Rodrigo / "Cardigan" by Taylor Swift}~CHELSEA POV~I was sitting cross-legged on Zoe's lumpy couch staring at the massive, shiny black box Kade had sent over by courier, and all I could think about was the fact that I was probably the worst person on the planet."I mean, you have to admit it's a total 'I am obsessed with you' move," Zoe was saying from across the room, leaning against her kitchen counter with a slice of cold pizza in her hand. "He literally sent you a designer dress for the gala so you wouldn't have to stress about it, which is incredibly sweet and aggressively rich at the same time."I didn't answer her because my brain wasn't even in the room, it was stuck on replay, flashing back to that dim living room in the townhouse and the sight of Kolt's back muscles flexing as he moved inside that blonde girl.I kept seeing the way he stopped and stared at me with those dark, wild eyes, and then how he had completel
ARMOR{Playlist Suggestion: "Style" by Taylor Swift / "Mount Everest" by Labrinth}~KADE POV~I was sweating through my dark hoodie because navigating a high-end women's designer boutique on aluminum crutches is basically an Olympic sport. Especially when the floors are made of some slippery imported marble that makes you feel like you're going to snap your other knee just trying to walk past a rack of silk gowns without knocking everything over.Denver was walking beside me with his hands shoved deep in his pockets, looking around the aggressively white and gold store like he was expecting security to tackle us at any second."You know you look like a creepy sugar daddy right now, right?" Denver muttered, stepping over a velvet stool that was placed in the middle of the floor for absolutely no reason. "Two teenage guys in a place where a single shoe costs more than my car, and you're aggressively glaring at dresses while limping. It's not a good look, man.""Shut up and help me loo
THE SPARE HEIR{Playlist Suggestion: "Call Out My Name" by The Weeknd / "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Chase Coyne}~KOLT POV~I woke up staring at the ceiling of my room, the clean white paint doing absolutely nothing to cure the pounding headache building behind my eyes.The girl from last night—whose name I had already forgotten—was gone, having taken the hint and the Uber I called for her over an hour ago, but the mess of the night was still sitting heavy in my chest.Of all the places Kade could have brought her, he brought her here, to Knox's sterile safe house, and of course, she had to walk downstairs at the exact moment I was trying to bury my own demons inside a stranger on the living room couch.I rubbed my face with both hands, groaning.I had been actively avoiding Chelsea since that night at my penthouse, the night she stood in my living room crying and offered me her body like it was currency just to save her brother. Hearing her say those words, seeing the utter defeat
SAFE HOUSE{Playlist Suggestion: "Heaven" by Julia Michaels / "Earned It" by The Weeknd}~CHELSEA POV~Leaving the hospital felt like peeling off a second skin because every instinct I had was screaming at me to stay glued to that plastic chair next to Chase's bed, but Chase had practically pushed me out the door, telling me that if I didn't go get a shower and a real night of sleep he was going to lock me out himself.So I went.I followed Kade's taxi directions to a part of the city I had only ever seen in magazines, the kind of neighborhood where the streetlights actually worked and the driveways were long enough to land a plane on.When we pulled up to the "townhouse," I almost laughed because there was absolutely nothing "town" or "house" about it; it was a huge layout of steel and glass that looked like it belonged in a futuristic movie, sharp angles and floor-to-ceiling windows that reflected the city lights like diamonds."This is your hideout?" I asked as Kade keyed in the c
SURVIVAL INSTINCTS{Playlist Suggestion: "Ghost of You" by 5 Seconds of Summer / "Hold On" by Chord Overstreet}~CHELSEA POV~The Mirage was loud, vibrating with that specific Friday night energy that usually made my teeth ache, but tonight I felt like I was moving through water, my body going through the motions of wiping tables and serving drinks while my brain was completely somewhere else.Every time the heavy front door swung open to let in a new group of laughing customers, my head snapped up, my eyes scanning the entrance before I could stop myself, looking for a tall figure in a suit with cold eyes and a predator's walk."He's not coming."I jumped, nearly dropping a tray of empty glasses as Antonio appeared beside me, leaning against the bar with that knowing smirk that made me want to punch him."I wasn't looking for anyone," I lied quickly, turning back to the counter and scrubbing a spot that was already clean."Sure you weren't," Antonio chuckled, checking his watch. "Bu
A GOOD COMPANY{Playlist suggestion: "The Best I ever had" by Limi}~THIRD PERSON POV~The ride was very quiet, making every blink seem loud. The city was half-awake, with neon signs flashing like sleepy eyes. Chelsea sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window, her reflection pale in the gla
THE MIRAGE TWO{PLAYLIST SUGGESTION: "RUN TO YOU" by Lea Michele }~CHELSEA POV~He shrugged, the gesture lazy and presumptuous. "I'm offering you an opportunity. One that pays significantly better than serving drinks. And frankly, given your connection to Venom, I'm taking a risk hiring you at all
UNEXPECTED {Playlist suggestion: "If I" by Limi}~KADE POVI was halfway through replaying the same game highlight for the fifth time when my phone buzzed. I didn't even look at it at first. I was lying flat on my back, an ice pack balanced against my thigh, trying to convince myself I wasn't abou
THE THINGS WE DO FOR POWER{Playlist Suggestions: "Jealousy, Jealousy" by Olivia Rodrigo}~VALERIE POV~I sat on the polished wooden floor of the gym, the faint squeak of sneakers and pop music bouncing off the walls, but none of it really reached me. My body was here—ponytail perfect, uniform spot







