LOGIN(HALLE’S POV)The glowing yellow light of the Snapmap on Mitch's phone felt like a spotlight pinning a criminal to the wall."You weren't at the library," Mitch repeated, his voice shaking with a mixture of betrayal and raw fear. He took another step toward me, his sharp eyes zeroing in on the angry red hickey Charles had sucked into my neck just twenty minutes ago. "Who is in the faculty wing at 1:30 in the morning, Halle? What the fuck are you actually doing?"My heart slammed against my ribs like a trapped bird. The walls were rapidly closing in. If Mitch found out it was Charles—my sister's boyfriend, our professor—he would detonate my entire life. He would call my mother. He would call Alix.You don't panic, Charles's dark, smooth voice echoed in the back of my mind. You control the narrative.I forced tears into my eyes. It wasn't hard; the sheer adrenaline and terror pumping through my veins easily spilled over."I'm sorry," I sobbed, letting my shoulders drop defensively as
(HALLE’S POV) At 11:45 PM, the only sound in my dorm room was the soft, rhythmic snoring coming from Brianna's top bunk. I sat on the edge of my bed in the dark, my heart hammering a frantic, violent rhythm against my ribs. I was fully dressed in a short, pleated black skirt and a tight, sheer lace top. Beneath it, I wore absolutely nothing. No bra. No panties. Just bare, trembling skin. I reached into the pocket of my denim jacket, my fingers brushing against the smooth, sleek plastic of the black keycard Charles had given me earlier that day. You have full access. The words echoed in my mind, a dark, hypnotic command that completely overrode any lingering sense of caution or morality. I didn't care that it was a Monday night. I didn't care that getting caught sneaking into the faculty wing would mean instant expulsion. I slipped my jacket on, quietly unlocked the dorm door, and stepped out into the crisp, biting night air. The campus was a ghost town. The towering bric
(HALLE’S POV) Monday morning arrived with a cold, biting frost that coated the campus windows, but I didn’t feel the chill. I stood in front of the narrow mirror in my dorm, pulling the soft, expensive cream cashmere sweater over my head. It was the one Charles had bought me the morning after he pulled me out of the police precinct. It didn't smell like his cologne anymore, but the heavy, luxurious weight of the fabric felt like armor. "You look entirely too well-rested for a Monday," Brianna noted, dragging herself out of bed and throwing a pillow at Mitch, who was curled up in a blanket cocoon on the floor. "I slept well," I replied smoothly, tucking the front of the sweater into my dark jeans. "Must be nice," Mitch groaned, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, completely smearing yesterday's eyeliner. "I was up until 3:00 AM reading the campus gossip forums. Dave’s arraignment is at noon today. His parents flew in from Chicago, but the judge already denied bail because it’s a fede
(HALLE’S POV)Charles pulled the sleek SUV to a smooth stop just a block away from my dormitory. He kept the engine idling, the tinted windows shielding us completely from the bustling Saturday morning campus traffic outside.I sat in the passenger seat, drowning in the soft, expensive cashmere sweater he had bought me. It smelled faintly of the boutique, but beneath that, it smelled like him—like the residual heat of his skin and the heavy, intoxicating scent of his cologne from when he had wrapped his arms around me in bed."Remember the script," Charles murmured, unbuckling his seatbelt and shifting his massive frame toward me. His dark eyes were intense, pinning me in place. "The police realized the drugs belonged to Dave. They dropped the charges. You went to a motel to sleep. That is the only truth that exists now.""I know," I whispered, my heart fluttering against my ribs."Good." He reached out, his large hand cupping the back of my neck. His thumb stroked the sensitive skin
(HALLE’S POV)Charles didn't drive me back to campus. He navigated the sleek SUV through the dark, deserted streets until we pulled into the brightly lit, private underground parking garage of The Grand—the most expensive, luxurious hotel in the downtown district.He parked the car in a secluded VIP spot and killed the engine."Where are we?" I whispered, my voice still trembling slightly as I clutched the lapels of his heavy wool coat around my chest."Somewhere safe," Charles replied smoothly, stepping out of the car. He walked around, opened my door, and carefully helped me down. He kept his massive arm securely wrapped around my shoulders, tucking me firmly against his side as he guided me to a private, keycard-access elevator.He didn't speak to a single person. He already had the keycard. When the elevator doors pinged open on the top floor, he led me down a quiet, carpeted hallway and unlocked the door to a massive, sprawling penthouse suite. It had floor-to-ceiling windows ov
(HALLE’S POV)Time ceased to exist inside the holding cell. I sat on the frozen metal bench, my knees pulled tightly to my chest beneath the scratchy gray blanket, staring blankly at the scuffed concrete floor. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the blinding flashlights, the disgust on the cops' faces, and the sheer terror in Mitch and Brianna's eyes as they watched me get shoved into the cruiser.I was a felon. I was going to be expelled.Clank.The heavy, metallic echo of the cell block door unlocking made my head snap up. Heavy, purposeful footsteps echoed down the narrow corridor, followed by the jingle of the deputy's keys."Reyes. You made bail," the deputy grunted, sliding the heavy iron bars open. "Let's go."I stood up on trembling legs, clutching the gray blanket tightly around my chest to hide the torn halves of my neon pink dress. I followed the deputy out of the holding area and down a sterile, brightly lit hallway toward the front desk.And then I saw him.Charles was st







