ELORALessons learnt. I would never mess with this demon again. I felt like I was going to black out as my eyes rolled back and damn, I was hyperventilating. My eyes were still bound, but I could not stand anymore. I had to lean in on him for support. He held me.He finally removed the cuffs from my hands and took me to what felt like a couch, lest I passed out. He removed the blindfold and I glanced around the room again. There was no bed. Just stools, airbags that I guess were meant for water and people. My breathing earlier on was ragged and uncontrolled, but I was beginning to breathe easier. As I slowly opened my eyes, I looked up at his face. There was concern etched into fine lines across his face. But almost immediately, it was replaced with that mischievous glint again.“Does that end my punishment?” I gathered enough courage to ask.“No little one. That was only the first part of it.” He said with that smile that got me hot all over again.What the hell is wrong with my bo
ROWENI didn’t speak a word to her for the entire drive. Not even a single glance.I sat in that back seat with her, my jaw clenched so tightly I could feel the tension grinding in my temples. She didn’t say anything either, just stared ahead like a student about to be sent to the principal’s office. Good. She understood.The villa lights came into view, casting soft yellow glows against the towering iron gate and ivy-draped stone walls. The moment the car stopped, I stepped out. The gravel crunched beneath my shoes as I moved to her side and opened the door.She hesitated. Her eyes met mine for a second. The hazel eyes glistened with fear. Good. She should be.I gave her a small smile, not the warm kind. The kind that promised consequences. “Come,” I said simply.She stepped out slowly, hugging her coat to herself like it could protect her from what was coming.The silence stretched as we walked into the house. The front doors opened to a warm foyer, gold and black marble flooring gl
ELORAJust as Gemma reached for the car door handle, my phone lit up on the seat between us. The screen flashed a name that made my stomach plummet like an anchor.Rowen."Shit," I muttered under my breath and grabbed the phone.11:07 PM.I was supposed to be picked up at ten. Over an hour late.My stomach twisted in panic. "Crap, crap, crap," I hissed, and declined the call before the second ring.Gemma paused halfway out of the car and turned to me. "Who was that?"I shook my head quickly, trying to steady my voice. "No one. Just… Just someone from work. It’s nothing."She gave me a suspicious side glance. "You sure? Looks kinda serious.""It’s fine," I insisted with forced calm. "Come on, let’s get you inside."Thankfully, she didn’t push. Her shoulders were still hunched, her energy dim. She had enough on her mind.We stepped out of the car and made our way up the driveway. Her apartment was tucked behind her family’s main residence—a two-story cream and grey building with brown-
ELORAThe second we stepped into The Loft, the heavy bass vibrated through the soles of my sneakers like a second heartbeat. The lounge was alive with energy, swirling blue lights danced across the dark walls, punctuated by strobes of purple and gold. People swayed to the rhythm of a sultry R&B track, their silhouettes sharp and confident beneath chandeliers shaped like shattered glass. Music thumped loud enough to rattle your ribs. The air smelled like perfume, sweat, liquor, and reckless decisions.Gemma’s eyes were darting from left to right, her shoulders stiff, posture wound tight like a loaded spring. She was scanning every face, every corner, as though she could summon Luke by the sheer force of suspicion."Alright, hawk eye," I muttered, placing a hand on her arm. "You’re staring people down like you’re about to report them to Homeland Security. Take it easy. If we don’t blend in, we’re gonna get kicked out before we even find him."She blinked, exhaled through her nose, and
ELORAIt had been over an hour since I sent the text and I still got nothing from him.“Stop being silly Elora Miller." I said, patting my cheeks together. My bedside clock chimed and I realized it was four pm.I tossed the phone onto my bed harder than necessary and stared at the ceiling. The silence in my room felt thick like a weight pressing down on my chest. I wasn’t expecting some poetic apology or a miracle. Just a reply. A single word. Hell, even a punctuation mark. A thumbs-up emoji. Anything to show that he’d read it. That he gave a damn! But nothing came. Not even a ghost of acknowledgment.Fuck! I hate that I have begun using curse words.I sat up, restless. My fingers itched to type something else, to follow up with another message, but I didn’t want to look desperate. I’d already put myself out there. The ball was in his court, and he was leaving it to rot.A new buzz lit up my phone. I dove for it with far too much hope. Debit alert. Another hit to my wallet. My lip
ROWENI put the phone down and leaned back in my chair, letting the message on the screen settle in like a slow-burning fuse.You want honesty? I don’t know if I still love him. But I know I want to destroy him. Does that count?A slow smile curved across my lips. The kind I hadn’t worn in a long time. A very satisfying and purpose filled smile.Good. She was learning fast.She didn’t need certainty. She needed a reason. I didn’t care if she still loved Ethan or not. All that mattered was that she had a crack in her resolve big enough to wedge revenge into. A little pain, a little rage, that was all it took to turn sentiment into strategy. Fire could be molded. Directed. Sharpened into a blade. And Elora was nothing if not full of fire.I twisted slightly in my seat and looked toward James, who stood near the far end of the office like a loyal statue, his hands folded neatly behind his back. Close enough to catch every word, far enough not to impose. He held a compact black recorder.