LOGINI pushed myself further into the cramped shadow under the old workbench, forcing myself to breathe slowly despite the panic that rose in my throat like a living thing, desperate to claw its way out. My heart thudded loudly, and I was terrified they might hear it. Everything around me smelled like oil, metal, and dust, and the air was heavy with a cold that felt like it seeped right into my bones.When I heard their voices erupt into frantic arguments, it was a mix of relief and terror that nearly made me sob. They hadn’t found me yet-but I knew they would. I wasn’t naive enough to think they’d give up easily; this was clearly planned. Every footstep on the concrete sent a jolt of fear through my body, making me feel like some cornered animal in a horror movie, just waiting for the killer to pull me out by the ankle.I forced myself to look around, desperately searching for anything I could use. My eyes landed on a long metal pipe wedged between a toolbox and an old tire. It wasn’t hug
For a moment, I could only stare at the doorway where their voices spilled out, each word tightening a knot of dread in my chest as I finally let myself understand what they were going to do to me.Consent...On top of him...Hold him down...I’d known these boys were ruthless...Brookstone High practically wore their cruelty like a badge...but I never imagined they’d take it this far. Humiliation? Sure. Cruel pranks? Absolutely...but this? This was something monstrous.A thin tremor ran down my spine as the reality settled in.If I stayed here, lying on this filthy ground and waiting for whatever drug they’d given me to wear off, they’d come for me. And when they did, I wouldn’t be able to defend myself. Not like this. Not when my body felt like it was encased in wet cement.I forced myself to breathe slow, shallow breaths through my nose, careful not to make any noise. My eyes darted around the workshop, searching for anything that could help me. A window. A tool. A phone. I didn’t c
Atlas's POV Just thinking about it made me choke back a sob.I finally reached the crates, barely and pressed my back against one, trying to shrink down as much as possible and become invisible. My chest rose and fell in shaky breaths as I strained to hear what the guys were saying, holding onto the hope that maybe... just maybe they hadn’t realized I was awake yet.But that hope shattered when Carlisle’s voice pierced through—"...he should be out for at least another hour."I squeezed my eyes shut.A whimper escaped before I could stop it.And the footsteps turned.The murmur of voices drifted toward me long before my eyes could fully adjust. At first, it was distant, like a conversation happening underwater, but as the fog in my head started to clear, the words became sharper, each one more horrifying than the last.I forced myself to stay still on the grimy mattress, even though every instinct screamed at me to get up and run. My limbs felt heavy and weak, almost alien, the after
Atlas’s POVThe first thing I noticed was how heavy my body felt. It was as if every muscle was weighed down with sandbags, making me feel sluggish, and my eyelids were glued shut, no matter how hard I tried to open them. A dull, nauseating headache throbbed behind my eyes, and for a moment, I just lay there, taking shallow breaths and trying to understand why everything felt so off.When I finally managed to pry my eyes open, I was met with a dim ceiling, marked with rust stains and old oil smudges. The air was thick with the scents of gasoline, metal, and a faint chemical sourness. Blinking slowly, the world tilted a bit, and I realized I was on a thin mattress on the floor, the scratchy fabric brushing against my cheek.A sickening twist of fear knotted in my stomach.This was definitely not my blue themed bedroom. This wasn’t anywhere familiar.Where the hell was I?I tried to push myself up, but my limbs felt weak and disconnected, as if they weren’t mine. My hands trembled as I
Third Person POV Rex kept talking despite Rowan’s demand, her voice growing tighter as she struggled to hold herself together. "They wanted to make him look like some boy-crazed gay slut pretending to be an innocent goody two shoes," she whispered. "That’s why the video was going to be made. To ruin his new reputation forever. To make everyone think he was secretly asking for it."Rowan stood motionless at first, just staring at Rex, as if the ground had just dropped away beneath him. But then something inside him snapped, a deep, raw feeling, something fierce—and he changed instantly, and it was terrifying.His body stiffened, shoulders rising as though they were constricting around an overwhelming rush of emotion. His jaw clenched so tightly that it twitched, struggling to contain the force within him. He took a slow breath, his chest rising, but it never settled. It trembled inside him, making him feel like a coiled predator trying not to burst.His expression, usually filled with
Rowan stood in the quiet bathroom, not saying anything for what felt like an eternity. The muffled beat of party music still drifted in from outside, while Rex’s words settled uncomfortably in his mind like icy water. He had braced himself for some nonsense, petty games, or an embarrassing prank.But "ruination"? That was a whole different ball game.His pulse raced as he took a slow breath, running a weary hand through his hair. "Fine," he finally said, his voice heavy with something darker than just anger. "They won’t take you down with them. I’ll make sure of it...money, connections, whatever it takes. But you need to tell me everything you know. All of it."Rex managed a small smile, almost relieved, like hearing him promise that was the toughest part. She moved to the countertop, setting her drink down with a soft clink and turning back to face him."You know Ainsley," she started, her arms wrapping around her waist as if she needed to hold herself together. "She struts around li
That made him stop for a moment. His jaw tightened, and I could feel the atmosphere in the room change. Rowan looked deep in thought, almost haunted, and for the first time that night, he didn’t have a snarky comeback ready.His eyes, those sharp, green eyes that usually sparkled with mischief or d
I didn’t go downstairs for dinner that night. I could hear the soft clattering of pots and pans, a chair scraping against the floor, and then silence... probably him eating by himself. I just couldn’t face him after the way he snapped at me. I felt pretty stupid for thinking we were finally startin
By the time morning rolled around, my brain felt like a bowl of mashed potatoes. I’d spent half the night tackling the pile of homework I’d set aside during my "mandatory family therapy" retreat, and the dark circles under my eyes could definitely qualify as a mini tragedy.As I stumbled into the k
He was quiet for a while, the gentle sounds of the forest filling the silence that hung between us. In the distance, the lake caught the fading sunlight, transforming from gold to rose as the sun dipped lower. I studied him, trying to decipher the storm that seemed ever-present in his eyes. When he







