Owned by the triplet

I stared at the bottom of my third tequila shot, the lime wedge looking as shriveled and pathetic as my love life.The club was loud—bass thumping through the floorboards and the smell of alcohol clinging to everything—but I felt myself floating. Three years. I’d given Marcus three years of my life, my notes for his exams, and my heart, only to find him pressed against Emiliana in our shared apartment."Another one, Elena?" the bartender asked, leaning over the counter."Make it a double," I muttered, sliding my last twenty across the table. "I’m celebrating being a complete idiot."I didn't want to think. I didn't want to feel. I just wanted to drown the image of Emiliana’s blonde hair fanned out on my pillows. My body itched, fuck i just wish I got my hands on her, but I ignored the thought immediately, reaching for the fresh glass."Elena, baby, please. Just listen to me."The voice made my stomach turn. I didn't even have to look up to know it was Marcus. I could smell his cheap c

I spent the day walking around campus like a zombie. My neck wouldn't stop itching. Underneath the thick layer of concealer, the mark felt like a living thing, buzzing against my pulse. Does it still hurt, Elena?The way he’d said my name... it was driving me insane. I was a law student. I was supposed to be logical. He can say whatever the hell he wants to but I know it was him that night.I was so deep in my own head that I didn't hear the hum of the engine.I stepped off the curb near the university's main gate, my eyes glued to my textbook, when a screech of tires sliced through the air. I looked up, paralyzed, as a sleek, silver sports car—the kind that cost more than my life—swerved, missing my knees by a mere inch.I fell back onto the pavement, my books scattering everywhere."Oh my god! I am so sorry!"The car door swung open, and a man stepped out. For a second, my heart stopped. The height, the build, the sharp jawline—it was him.But then he stepped into the sunlight, and

I woke up before my alarm even had a chance to beep. The room was freezing, but my skin felt like it was on fire. I stayed under the covers for a long time, staring at the chipped white paint on my ceiling.My life felt like a joke. A week ago, my biggest worry was whether Marcus and I would ever be able to afford a real apartment after graduation. Now, Marcus was gone, and I was being hunted by three different men who looked like they stepped out of a nightmare and a magazine at the same time. I was a scholarship student with no money, a broken heart, and a weird glowing mark on my neck."Pathetic," I whispered to the empty room.I scoffed at myself, throwing the blankets back. I couldn't afford to be a victim. If I missed class or let my grades slip, I’d be back in the town I worked so hard to leave, working a dead-end job for the rest of my life.I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and peeled back the bandage I’d put over my neck. The skin was still tender, and the two puncture

The inside of the house was nothing like I expected. I thought it would be a messy warehouse full of beer cans and grease, but it was actually beautiful in a rugged way. The ceilings were high with thick wooden beams, and a large stone fireplace took up most of one wall. It felt solid. It felt like a place that could withstand the strongest wind.Killian didn't say a word as he led me into a massive kitchen. He pulled out a heavy wooden chair at the island and pointed at it."Sit," he said. It wasn't a suggestion.I sat. I watched him move around the kitchen. He said he prepared food, not I will watch him do it, I just laughed. He was so big that he made the room look small. He pulled a pan onto the stove and started cracking eggs. The smell of bacon soon filled the air, making my stomach growl loudly. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until that moment."Do you have a maid or something?" I asked, trying to break the heavy silence. "This place is way too clean for a

I was sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at the large black box that had been delivered to my dorm an hour ago. It was heavy, and the ribbon was real silk. I didn't have to guess who it was from. I pulled the small card out of the envelope and felt my heart skip a beat.Wear this at seven, or I’ll come put it on you myself. — Silas.I scoffed, but my hands were shaking as I lifted the lid. Inside was a dress that looked like it cost more than my car. It was a deep emerald green with a high neckline—perfect for hiding the mark—and a back that dipped dangerously low. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time."I shouldn't go," I whispered to the empty room. "I should just stay here and lock the door."But I knew Silas. He wasn't like Alaric, who used school to trap me. Silas used his shadow and his money. If he said he would come here, he would. I couldn't risk him showing up at a girls' dorm in a five-thousand-dollar suit.By seven o'clock, I was standi