The knock came again,soft, deliberate,like whoever was behind it didn’t want to be heard by anyone else.Liam’s lips froze against hers. His hand, which had been resting at the curve of her waist, tightened slightly before he pulled back. Ariana could still feel the ghost of his breath brushing her lips, warm and tempting, and it made her pulse quicken even as her heart pounded from the interruption.They stared at each other for a heartbeat, both of them catching their breath.Another knock. A little more urgent this time.Liam’s jaw flexed. “Stay here,” he murmured, voice low but threaded with irritation.Ariana didn’t move, her body still humming with the aftershocks of their closeness. She pulled her knees up on the bed, hugging them, watching as he ran a hand through his already tousled hair and crossed the room. Even shirtless, with the dim light catching the definition of his shoulders and the hard lines of his back, there was a readiness in him,like a predator hearing somethin
The drive back home was quiet at first, the hum of the tires on the asphalt filling the space between them. The tension from earlier was slowly melting away now that they knew the commotion at school had nothing to do with Ariana.Liam’s hand rested loosely on the steering wheel, his eyes flicking toward her every now and then.“So…” he started, voice low. “What happens now? Between us, I mean.”Ariana turned her gaze to the passing streetlights, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her jacket. “I like you, Liam… more than I probably should,” she admitted softly. “But I want to graduate high school before I get into a real relationship. No drama, no distractions. Just… us, without the official label.”Liam smirked faintly, though there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “So, we’re together… but not together?”She smiled. “Something like that. Just until I’m ready.”He gave a small nod, squeezing the steering wheel. “Fine. But I’m warning you… unofficial or not, I’m not letting
Ariana tightened her ponytail in front of the bathroom mirror, giving herself one last look. She wore a navy-blue hoodie over her white tank top, paired with high-waisted jeans and her white Converse. Clean, simple, comfortable. The kind of look that didn’t scream for attention but still made her feel like herself. She dabbed on a little gloss and grabbed her backpack.She stepped into the kitchen where Liam was already waiting with a cup of coffee in one hand and a slice of toast in the other. He looked up from his phone and smiled."Good morning, schoolgirl."Ariana rolled her eyes and grabbed a banana from the counter. "Don't start.""I'm just saying… final year, back to school, you should be excited.""I am," she mumbled, peeling the banana. "I just... have a lot on my mind."Liam’s gaze lingered on her for a second. He leaned against the kitchen counter, lowering his voice. “You're sure you want to go today? You’ve barely had time to rest since,everything.”"I’m fine, Liam. I nee
The drive back to the hotel was quiet again.But this time, it wasn’t exhaustion keeping them silent.It was distance.Invisible. Heavy. Tense.Liam’s hands gripped the wheel tighter than necessary, his jaw locked, eyes focused on the road, though he kept sneaking glances at Ariana beside him.She sat stiffly, her eyes glued to the window, arms folded protectively over her chest.When they got back to the suite, Liam opened the door for her. She walked in without a word, went straight to the bed, and sat down.“You’re not going to tell me what you were doing out there alone?” Liam asked finally, closing the door behind them.Ariana didn’t even look at him. “I was taking a walk,” she said. “Near an abandoned lot in the middle of nowhere?”She said nothing.Liam exhaled slowly, tried again. “Rina…”“Don’t,” she said quietly, cutting him off.Her voice wasn’t angry. It was… tired.Tired of lies. Tired of pretending.He stood still for a moment, watching her as she kicked off her shoes
Ariana’s fingers tightened around her phone the moment the call ended. Her brows knitted, heart thudding. The mysterious voice still echoed in her ears. "Miss Westbrook… we know what you’re looking for. If you want the truth, come alone. Tonight. 8 p.m. 44th and Church."She barely had time to think before she felt his presence.“Hey,” Liam’s voice came from behind.She turned sharply, startled, clutching the phone tightly by her side. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes scanned her face.“You okay?” he asked, walking closer. “You stepped out for a while. I got worried.”Ariana offered a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I just needed some air. Thought I’d take a short walk to clear my head.”His gaze lingered a moment longer before he nodded. “Come on. Dinner’s waiting.”They walked back to the suite together in silence. Not hand in hand this time. Just side by side, with a weight in the air that neither of them dared name.Back in the suite, the table was set w
Ariana stirred from sleep, her body still aching in places that reminded her of the chaos they had narrowly escaped. The bruises were fading slowly, but the ones in her mind and heart felt deeper,fresh wounds layered with suspicion and truths no one dared to say out loud.Liam was still asleep beside her.Peaceful. Trusting.Too trusting.The morning light entered through the hotel room's curtains,Ariana eased out of bed, careful not to wake him. Her bare feet made no sound against the marble floor as she tiptoed across the room.The laptop still sat on the small desk in the corner, its screen black but not shut. The USB was right where she had left it, protruding like a secret whispering her name.She hesitated.Then she sat down and tapped a key.The screen blinked to life, the same encrypted files staring back at her like silent sentinels. Her pulse quickened as she scrolled through them again.She opened a folder she hadn't tried before,a series of image files.Most were blank. So