เข้าสู่ระบบSabrina’s POV By the time I got home, my whole body felt like I had been run over by a truck. Every step up the cracked concrete stairs sent a sharp ache through my legs. My shoulders sagged under the weight of the day, my head throbbing, my hands burning beneath the bandages like they were on fire. I smelled like sweat, cheap disinfectant, and fear. Not the kind you shake off easily. The street was quiet in that unsettling way that never felt safe. One flickering streetlight buzzed above me, casting long, warped shadows against the walls. Somewhere down the block, a dog barked, then went silent. I dug my keys out of my bag with clumsy fingers and unlocked my door, slipping inside as fast as I could. I locked it behind me. Twice. Only then did I let out the breath I’d been holding. My cheek throbbed. It burned, hot and sensitive, like someone had pressed a brand against my skin. I raised my hand slowly and touched it, wincing. The slap replayed in my mind—sudden, sharp, humiliat
I raised my fist. Everything inside me screamed to swing. To end it. To finally give him back even a fraction of what he’d given me my whole life. Before my knuckles could connect with bone, my mother’s voice cut through the room—sharp, panicked. “Eric!” I didn’t look at her. “Eric, are you really going to hit your father?” I scoffed, a humorless sound that burned my throat. “So it’s fine that he hit me, isn’t it?” I snapped, eyes never leaving my stepfather’s face. “That’s okay. That’s normal. That’s just another Tuesday in this fucking house.” My raised fist trembled, not from fear—but from how badly I wanted to use it. I lowered my arm slowly and turned my head toward my mother. She stood near the foot of the bed, her hands clasped together like she was praying. Or pretending to. “You should talk to your husband,” I said coldly. “Because the next time he puts his fucking hand on me, he’s going to the ER.” My stepfather took a threatening step toward me. My muscles tight
“Where is she?”The words ripped out of me the second Diana said it. ‘Something happened to your sister.’My body was already moving before my brain caught up. I was halfway down the hall when she grabbed my arm, her fingers digging into my sleeve.“Eric, wait…your parents…”I shook her off without looking back.I didn’t want to hear about my parents. I didn’t want explanations. I didn’t want excuses.I wanted my sister.Tina’s door was at the end of the hall, half closed. Light spilled out from underneath the door, harsh and white. My heart slammed against my ribs with every step I took. The closer I got, the heavier the air felt, like the house itself was holding its breath.I reached the door.Pushed it open.And froze.My parents stood over the bed.Hovered was the right word. Like vultures. Like judges.Tina lay motionless on the mattress, her skin pale against the dark sheets, dark hair spread around her head like a halo. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth, the soft hiss
ERIC’S POV I slammed the car door harder than necessary, the sound echoing through the parking lot like a gunshot. “Fuck,” I muttered, gripping the steering wheel so tight my knuckles went white. “What the hell is wrong with me?” I leaned my head back against the seat, staring up at the dark roof of the car, chest rising and falling too fast. My lips throbbed, a dull reminder of the punch I’d taken—and the dozen I’d thrown. My ribs ached where that bastard had clipped me, but I ignored it. Pain was easy. Pain made sense. What didn’t make sense was her. Sabrina. I dragged a hand down my face and laughed under my breath, the sound sharp and humorless in the silence of the car. A fucking laugh. Because if I didn’t laugh, I might do something worse—like go back in there to her. God. When I’d seen that man’s hand connect with her face, something inside me had snapped. Something violent. Like a wild animal breaking free of a cage. I could still see it if I closed my eyes—the sho
Sabrina’s POV I stared at him, my heart slamming against my ribs like it was trying to break free. Eric's words hung in the air between us—"I can’t stay away from you, Sabrina." His eyes were locked on mine, dark and stormy, like he was daring me to push him away. But I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. The room felt too small, the air too thick with whatever this was. Tension. Heat. Something I didn't want to name. My lips still tingled from that kiss, the one I'd started like a total fool. His taste lingered—warm, addictive, dangerous. And now he was standing there, all raw intensity, admitting he couldn't leave me alone. Part of me wanted to scream at him to get out. Another part, the stupid part, wanted to pull him back in. But no. Hell no. I wasn't going down that road. Not with him. "I'm not quitting my job, Eric," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. I forced myself to stand taller, even though my bandaged hands throbbed like hell. "You don't get to decide that for me." H
Sabrina’s POV His mouth crashed into mine like he’d been starving for it. I didn’t even have time to think. One second I was leaning in like an idiot, kissing him, and the next his hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me deeper, closer, tighter. Our lips moved together in a messy, frantic rhythm, our breaths mixing, our bodies pressed too close for sanity. Eric groaned into my mouth—low, rough, a sound that shot straight through me like lightning. I sucked in a breath. God, he tasted good. Warm and sharp and male, like something I wasn’t ready for but didn’t want to stop. His tongue brushed mine, slow at first, then deeper, teasing, playing, claiming. I had no idea what I was doing—honestly, zero clue—but my body reacted like it had been waiting for this exact moment. I kissed him back, clumsy but hungry, letting him lead. Letting him take. Letting him— “Mm—” I gasped as his teeth nipped my lower lip, a soft, wicked bite that made me forget how to breathe. He made a sound l







