Paetyn’s POVIt’s 1:00 in the morning, and I’m wide awake. I’ve been staring at the ceiling, desperately willing my body to allow sleep to consume me for what feels like hours. No amount of counting sheep or focusing on relaxing my breathing is working. The longer I lie here, the more my brain continues to turn. First, thoughts about Mom and how much I miss her seeped into my distracted mind. It’s hard to believe she’s been gone for five weeks. I’ll never get to see her smile, look into her enchanting eyes, or hear her familiar laugh again. I knew it was going to be hard living life without her, but I was hoping that, with time, the pain in my chest would ease. But instead, the pain has grown tenfold, pressing down on me like a pile of wet cement. While her funeral three weeks ago was quiet and small, the absence of my father hung heavy in the air. I know their relationship deteriorated over the years, but given how long they were together, I thought he would want to be there to sup
Ace’s POVThe dim lighting in the strip club makes it hard to see the faces of the men moving around me. But I don’t miss the way their oogling eyes linger on the half-naked women flashing million-dollar smiles and swaying their hips to the beat of the music, hoping to snatch some green bills that’ll hopefully pay their rent. Strobe lights flash above several platforms with poles attached to them in the center of the room, blinding me, distracting my attention span. I fucking despise coming to strip clubs only because it’s not my scene. I’m not into objectifying women or throwing cash at them so I can get a hard-on. The only reason I’m here is because of Enzo and the mission he gave me an hour ago. If he hadn’t stopped me before I left the house and asked me to do this, I would be at home in my office trying to track down Paetyn, like I have been for the past five weeks. Bringing the lit cigarette to my lips, I take a drag, relishing the hit of nicotine that seeps into my throat. Sm
Paetyn’s POVI’ve grown to despise this city. Where I used to find joy in the small things, like the hustle of people rushing by, the scent of street cart hotdogs, and the anonymity of being among thousands of people who don’t know my name or story, now I can’t stand it. The people have become too much to handle, setting my nerves on edge, and the stench of hotdogs and mustard makes my stomach twist painfully. And I’m no longer entirely invisible after the scandal with Liam. It doesn’t help that I’ve been desperate to stay under the radar so my ex-boyfriend doesn’t find me. I hate New York City. The spring air melts into the exposed skin of my arms. I’m glad winter has left the chat. Spring has brought with it warmer nights and no need to carry around multiple layers so I don’t freeze to death. It’s been a welcome change. Sighing, I step off the sidewalk and through the front door of a run-down apartment building. The red brick has seen better days, and the strong stench of bleach
Ace’s POV*1 month later* I can’t fucking find her.And it’s driving me to the point of near insanity.The moment Paetyn walked through the front door four weeks ago, it was as if she disappeared into thin air. I don’t know who called her that night, but I do know she left because she wanted to protect me. It’s the only explanation I can think of. She wanted to keep me from choosing her, preventing me from having to face Enzo’s wrath, which could see me in a body bag.Because of the injuries I sustained in the beating from Amos, I didn’t have the strength to jump in my car and chase after her. All I could do was call her like a pathetic idiot, hoping she would pick up the phone and come back to me. I wanted to talk about this with her and discuss our options, but she chose for me. For us.It took her less than two hours to switch off her phone, sending my calls to voicemail. I remember seeing red and punching a hole through the wall in my bedroom. The pain in my knuckles went away qu
Paetyn’s POVJust when I thought I had been hit with the most gut-wrenching news that my boyfriend was given the ultimatum to leave me or be killed for loving me, hearing my mother doesn’t have long left to live is the cherry on top of an already shit cake. My vision blurs at the edges, and I’m unable to focus on the words coming out of Dr. Barney’s mouth through the phone. But I catch glimpses of sentences, allowing me to put two and two together. Your mother… no longer… to the treatment. We don’t… long… she has… live.This can’t be happening. The last time I saw her, she was responding well to the chemo. She had the most skilled team in the hospital taking care of her, providing her with the best care and treatment possible. For the first time in a long while, hope shone in her eyes, mirroring what I had been holding on to since the moment she was diagnosed all those years ago. I held on to the idea that, with time, she would get better. If I threw whatever money I could at the
Paetyn’s POVI’ve been bedridden at home for twenty-four hours, and I’m already losing my damn mind. Who knew sitting in bed all day would actually be so bat shit boring? Sure, I love a relaxing day as much as the next person, but when it’s forced upon me, and I get no say in what I do, I can’t stand it. The quiet throughout the house besides the voices coming from whatever TV show I threw on is growing increasingly more unnerving. My gaze sweeps across the duvet to the book on the bedside table, bookmark nestled between the pages. Not even reading a new bestseller has diminshed any of the boredom I’m experiencing. No amount of distractions has helped me to relax. It doesn’t help that I’m worried about Ace. When he got into bed last night, I could tell something was off. Whatever happened in his office while I was on the phone with Clarissa rattled him to the point that he could barely speak. I didn’t push him on the topic because I had a feeling it was related to Enzo and the Gambi