DAMIENPain. That was the first thing I felt when I opened my eyes. A dull, pounding ache throbbed at the back of my skull, and my body felt heavy, sore. The harsh white lights of the hospital room made me squint. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my ribs, making me groan.“Damien, take it easy.”I turned my head, wincing. My father’s worried face hovered over me, and beside him, my mother’s red-rimmed eyes stared at me, full of concern.“What happened?” My voice came out hoarse, my throat dry.“You got hit on the head,” Dad said, his voice firm but gentle. “You have a mild concussion and some bleeding, but the doctors said you’ll be okay.”My memory rushed back like a tidal wave. The gunmen. The chaos. Shawna screaming. Jasper being taken. My heart pounded harder than my aching skull.“The kids—where are my kids?” I demanded, pushing myself up despite the pain.My mother placed a hand on my arm, trying to soothe me. “Billy and Phoebe are safe. Shawna’s mother took them
DAMIENI couldn’t believe my eyes as the video loaded on my phone. It was Jasper, my little boy, tied up in some dark, cold place. His face was streaked with tears, his eyes wide with fear, and there was this ticking sand clock beside him. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, like my chest was closing in. My brain couldn’t process what I was seeing.How could this be happening? I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.Shawna and I had been through so much already. There was no way she was involved in any crime. She wasn’t like that. And Eugene... I didn’t believe for a second he had anything to do with this. It didn’t make sense.I ran my hand over my face, trying to shake off the panic that was clawing at my throat. I had to focus.I hit dial, my hands shaking as I called the person responsible. The line rang, and I felt my heart race faster. The voice that picked up was robotic, distorted—nothing like anything I had ever heard before."Where are they?" I demanded, my voice hoarse.A cold laugh
SHAWNAI froze as the door creaked open. I could barely breathe, the air thick with tension, as the boy stepped inside the dimly lit room. My heart pounded in my chest, so loudly I thought it would burst. He was just a kid, but there was nothing childlike about him now. His eyes were cold, filled with something so dark, I couldn’t even recognize it. I didn’t want to recognize it.Eugene let out a harsh laugh from the chair, her voice rough and tired. “So, you’re back for revenge, huh?” she said, looking the boy up and down. “I thought you’d be older by now. Guess time hasn’t been too kind to you, huh?” She shifted in the chair, her eyes glaring at him. “Too bad your parents aren’t here to see what you’ve become. You really think this is gonna fix anything?” Her tone was challenging like she wasn’t afraid of him.The boy’s expression twisted with rage, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “You think this is a joke?” His voice shook, but it wasn’t with fear. It was with pure, unf
DAMIENMy hands trembled as I stared at my phone, the call going straight to voicemail again. I cursed under my breath, pacing back and forth across the room. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. Every second that passed felt like a lifetime. My son was out there, scared, helpless, tied up in some dark place, and I couldn’t do a damn thing to help him.I tried calling again. Still nothing. My grip on the phone tightened, my frustration boiling over. Why weren’t they picking up? What if something had happened? What if they had changed their minds and decided Jasper wasn’t worth keeping alive anymore? The thought sent a sharp pain through my chest.“Still nothing?” Mark, my private investigator, asked, his voice tense.I shook my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Straight to voicemail. They’re not picking up.”Mark sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. He looked as stressed as I felt. “We’ve pinged the boy’s location, but we can’t
SHAWNAMy hands trembled as I stared at Eugene, desperation clawing at my chest. The small red light on the camera blinked steadily, like a warning, like a countdown to disaster. The boy stood behind it, silent but filled with rage, his gaze sharp and unforgiving. The air in the room was heavy, suffocating, as if the walls themselves were closing in on us."Just confess," I whispered, my voice raw with fear and exhaustion. "Please, Eugene. This has gone too far."Eugene let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head. "Confess? Are you insane?" She scoffed, folding her arms like this was some kind of joke. "I’m not going to prison. Not for this. Not for anything."My nails dug into my palms. I could barely breathe. How could she be so selfish, so blind? Didn’t she see what was at stake?"This isn't about you anymore!" I snapped, my voice rising. "Jasper is out there, scared, alone. Every second you refuse to take responsibility, you’re pushing him closer to death."Eugene rolled her eyes. "Oh
SHAWNAMy entire body shook as I turned to the boy, my voice breaking with desperation."Please... please, just let my son go," I begged, my hands trembling. "You’ve already made your point. Don’t punish him for something he has nothing to do with. He’s just a child."The boy’s face remained unreadable, his dark eyes fixed on me. "I can’t do that yet," he said, his voice cold. "I need to leave first."Damien stepped forward, his stance firm. "That’s not happening. You’re not walking out of here after what you’ve done. Give us the kid, and maybe we’ll talk."The boy scoffed. "You think you can stop me?" His gaze flickered around the room, scanning the armed men Damien had brought with him. "If you try anything, you’ll never see your son again."My chest tightened at his words. I swallowed back the lump in my throat, trying to steady my voice. "Just tell me where he is. I’ll do anything, just don’t hurt him. Please.""Shawna, don’t," Damien warned. "He’s playing with you."My knees felt
EUGENEI slammed the door behind me, my breath ragged, my heart racing. "We need to leave. Now."My mother looked up from the couch, a glass of wine in her hand. She arched a brow, unimpressed. "And why exactly are we running like rats, Eugene?"I gritted my teeth. "Because everything is falling apart! That stupid boy—he turned on us! He had the perfect leverage, and he wasted it!" I threw my bag on the floor. "Damien got involved, and now there’s a mess. If that idiot had just done what he was supposed to—""Calm down," my mother said, swirling her wine. "You’re not making any sense.""Oh, I’m making perfect sense!" I spat. "That kid wasn’t supposed to rebel like this! If I had known he would be this much of a problem, I would’ve dealt with him myself! He had Shawna right in front of him, but he was too fixated on his stupid revenge!" I ran a hand through my hair. "And now Damien is shot, the police will be everywhere, and if they get to that boy before we do, everything we’ve done w
EUGENEI walked out of the police station with my mother by my side, a victorious smirk playing on my lips."That was easier than I thought," I muttered.My mother scoffed, adjusting the sleeve of her expensive coat as we walked toward our car. "Of course it was. Shawna is too emotional to think straight. The police saw what we wanted them to see—a desperate, grieving mother grasping at straws."I smirked, brushing an invisible speck of dust off my dress. "Pathetic, really. She walked in there thinking she had some grand case against us, only to end up looking like a crazy woman."We approached our sleek black car, the engine already humming as the driver waited. But before sliding inside, I turned back, my gaze locking onto Shawna. She was still standing there, her body trembling with barely contained fury. Her eyes blazed with hatred, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. If looks could kill, I would have been dead on the spot.I grinned, savoring the way her ange
PHOEBEThat morning, I woke up to the quiet hum of birds outside the window. For once, I didn’t have to rush to work or pretend everything was fine. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying not to think too much.The soft floral curtains swayed gently with the breeze, and for a moment, everything felt peaceful. But that peace didn’t reach inside me. I felt like I was just floating, present in body, but far from okay. My eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, and my chest ached from holding in tears all night. Still, I stayed there, wrapped in Winnie’s guest blanket, letting the silence stretch as long as it could.Winnie had helped sneak me into her house late last night, and I was grateful."Are you going to tell your parents you’re here?" she asked softly that morning as she came into the room with a cup of warm tea.I sat up slowly, blinking away the crust from my eyes. "There’s no need. They’ll just ask questions I’m not ready to answer."She nodded and handed me the cup. The mug
RAMONI stood there for a long time, watching Phoebe walk away. Her words echoed in my head like a sharp slap: “I never want to see you again.” I wanted to chase after her, to make her listen, to explain everything. But I couldn’t. Not when I didn’t even have the answers she needed.Not when everything in my life was already broken beyond repair.Maybe she was right to leave. Maybe this was the best thing for her. That’s what I kept telling myself as I dragged myself back to my uncle’s house. It was late, and the street was too quiet, like even the night wanted nothing to do with me.When I stepped inside, Uncle Richard looked up from the couch. He was lounging like a king in his robe, glass of whiskey in hand, the flickering TV light painting shadows across his aging face. He looked too calm for someone who had just helped me destroy the only thing that ever made sense in my life.“Well, look who’s back,” he said, a slow smile curling at the corners of his lips. “I take it she finall
PHOEBEMy whole body was sore. My dress was torn, my wrists burned from the ropes, and my eyes stung from crying. I was huddled in a corner of that cold, dark room, shivering as the last of the men ran out like rats. One second, they were setting up cameras, saying the most disgusting things, and the next, they were gone. Just like that.It made no sense. None of it did. Why would they leave me? What scared them off?I was too weak to stand, too confused to think straight. My head was pounding, and I could still feel whatever they had drugged me with swirling through my system. My heart was racing so fast I could barely catch my breath. My legs were pulled to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around them, as if I could make myself disappear if I just curled up small enough.And then I heard footsteps.Fast. Heavy. Coming closer.My eyes shot to the door.I froze.My heart shot to my throat.Were they back?Did they forget something?Were they going to finish what they started?I couldn’t
RAMONI stood in that hotel lobby staring at the manager as if he'd just announced a death. Maybe he had. Because knowing Phoebe had been taken right from under my nose felt exactly like that, like something had died inside me."She was in your care!" I shouted. "She was supposed to wait for me here!""Mr. Ramon," the manager said nervously, "we thought it was authorized…""By whom? My uncle?" I spat. "You took her because my uncle said so? Did she look like she wanted to leave? Did you even ask her that?"No answer. Just that sick, silent guilt on their faces.I didn't waste another second. I turned on my heel, stormed out of the hotel, jumped into my car, and sped straight to Richard's estate. My hands gripped the wheel so hard they ached. My mind was a storm, rage, fear, regret. I kept seeing her face in my head, her smile, the way she had trusted me. And now...She was gone.When I got to the mansion, the guards at the gate crossed their arms."Sir, Mr. Richard said not to let you
RAMONI was dead tired by the time we finished the meeting at the company. My shirt clung to my back, and my head was pounding from all the numbers and back-to-back discussions. All I wanted was to check my phone and unwind, maybe see if Phoebe had texted.I reached into my pocket. Empty.My heart skipped.I checked the table, the chair, and even under the folder I’d used. Nothing.“Where the hell is my phone?” I muttered.My uncle, sitting across from me, raised an eyebrow. “Lose something?”“My phone. I had it before we came here.”He shrugged. “Maybe you dropped it at the house.”I didn’t like how quick he was to answer.Still, I forced a calm nod and stood up. “I’ll go check.”The ride back to his place felt like it took forever. My mind was racing. Phoebe. Had she called? Texted? What if something was wrong? My gut wouldn’t calm down.When I got to the house, I tore through every room I had been in earlier. The living room. The guest room. Even the damn kitchen. Nothing.My uncle
PHOEBEThe hotel was breathtaking, with marble floors, chandeliers sparkling like stars, a scent of roses, and money hanging in the air. My heels clicked softly as I followed the receptionist, who wore a perfectly polite smile. My coat was still wrapped tightly around me, hiding the dress Winnie helped me pick out. My heart fluttered with a mix of excitement and nerves.“He’ll be with you shortly,” the receptionist said sweetly, opening a suite door for me. “Please, get comfortable. There are refreshments inside. Make yourself at home.”I gave a shy nod. “Thank you.”The door shut behind me.The suite was luxurious, with soft couches, a large table with drinks and fruit, and dim romantic lighting. I let out a small breath. “Wow…”I walked slowly to the table, brushing my fingers along the glass rim of a wine glass. Red wine. A chill ran up my spine, and I shook it off. Maybe he asked them to pour it before he arrived. Maybe this was his way of setting the mood.I pulled out my phone.
PHOEBEI slammed the front door a little harder than I meant to when I got home.Winnie looked up from the couch, raising an eyebrow. "Whoa. Somebody’s in a mood. What's wrong, sunshine?"I dropped my bag by the door and flopped onto the armchair with a loud sigh. "It’s Ramon," I said, pouting like a child.Winnie immediately perked up. "Ramon? Spill. What happened?!"I buried my face in my hands for a second before looking up at her. "We kissed. Like... really kissed. It was amazing. He kissed me like he needed me to breathe or something."Winnie squealed, hugging a throw pillow. "Oh my God! Finally!""Yeah, it was incredible," I mumbled, my cheeks heating up. "But right after that, he got a call. Emergency at home. He had to leave. Just like that."Winnie’s face softened. "Oh, babe...""I know he had no choice," I said quickly, fiddling with a loose thread on the armrest. "But... it sucks. I’m losing my mind over him, Winnie. I’m slowly going crazy. I want him so bad it hurts."Winn
PHOEBERamon’s eyes burned into me like I was the only thing he could see. I felt my cheeks heat up under his stare, and I shifted awkwardly on my feet.“Phoebe,” he said, his voice low and rough, “I want all of you…every part of you. I’m not afraid of being with you. I’m just... trying to restrain myself.”My heart pounded so hard it hurt. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then I swallowed hard and said, "I want all of you, too, Ramon. I’m not scared."Something snapped between us.Ramon closed the space in a single, hungry heartbeat, grabbing me again and crashing his mouth onto mine. This kiss wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was rough, fierce, almost desperate, like he had been starving, and I was the only thing that could satisfy him.His lips crushed against mine, demanding and urgent. I could feel the heat pouring off his body as he kissed me like he needed me more than air. His hand slid up, fingers threading into the hair at the nape of my neck, then wrapping
RAMONI tossed and turned all night. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sleep. My mind kept racing, full of everything Uncle Richard had said... and Phoebe. Always Phoebe.I was falling for her. Hard. It scared the hell out of me, but it also felt so right. I didn’t just like her, I needed her. Every smile, every look, every word she said stuck in my head like glue.When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed, showered, and dressed like a man on a mission. I didn’t even think twice. I was going to see her. I had to.No more running. No more hiding.When I got to the worksite, she was there already, sorting through some papers, looking so focused and beautiful that it made my heart twist. She looked up and blinked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing."Ramon?" she said, her voice small but full of surprise. "I thought... I thought you weren’t going to be available anymore."I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling awkward and stupid all at once. "Yeah, about that. I’m