MasukTyler's POV I opened my eyes slowly and the first thing I noticed was the ugly ceiling . The colour was weird as hell. I stared at it for a long moment without moving, letting my brain catch up with the rest of me. The side of my neck ached. more like a deep persistent throb that started just below my left ear and radiated downward into my shoulder. I remembered the hand closing around my arm. The street lights blurring at the edges. Then I remembered Aiden's voice.I told you I'd be back.I tried to sit up. But then I realised my wrists were tied.I slowly brought my head down. My hands were in my lap, bound together at the wrists with something that felt like a zip tie. The moment I tested it, pulling my hands apart instinctively, it bit into my skin, sending the pain straight to my head. I tried my best to stay calm, inhaling and exhaling. Using every last strength in me to push the panic away. It was working but I didn't know how long it would last. The room was
Quin's POVAfter working, I picked up my phone only to realise I had spent more time than we agreed. It was forty minutes later, yet he wasn't back from his walk.I didn't think too much about it at first. Maybe he decided to add an extra ten minutes.I sent a quick text to Billie, to know how she's doing.Sup sis. Hope you're good?Just checking in.Then I decided to dial his number but it went to voicemail mail.We didn't fight or anything, which meant he wasn't trying to ignore my calls. so I should be able to reach him without effort.I put the phone down and picked it back up twice before I caught myself doing it and set it on the desk again.I walked to the window instead and looked out at the street below. People moving around like every normal day after after work.I told myself he had stopped somewhere. Lost track of time.I stood very still for a moment with the phone in my hand.Something was wrong.Tyler wasn't one to ignore calls. Especially mine.After about an hour of p
Tyler's POV The whole weekend thing ended better than I had expected, and it went well except for the Billie situation that still got him worried. Leaving was easier than arriving. Don't get me wrong. Like I said, the weekend was better than I expected. Quin's parents were surprisingly tolerable. His mother kept finding reasons to talk to me, asking questions about work, what I liked to eat, whether Quin remembered to rest between meetings. His father was still stiff, but he didn't go out of his way to make me feel like an outsider either. He even cracked a small smile when I stood my ground about the ketchup and pancakes situation.Small victories.But watching Billie through the whole visit left something sitting quietly in my chest that I couldn't shake. One would call it and empty feeling or something. She hugged me before we left. It was warm and welcoming. "Take care of him," she said quietly into my shoulder."I'll try," I replied honestly. She pulled back an
Quin's POV Breakfast ended without any more hiccups, but I couldn't stop thinking about Billie's face. The bruise she tried too hard to hide, she's one of the most careful people I know so it couldn't have been whatever she said it was. The way she flinched slightly when Mum touched her cheek was something too. Billie was the notorious one so that was totally weird. I needed to talk to her alone, because I have so many questions to ask. The opportunity came when Tyler and my parents moved to the living room and Julian disappeared somewhere upstairs. Billie stayed behind in the dining room, pretending to help clear the table even though the housekeeper was already handling it. I walked back in quietly and closed the door behind me. She stiffened immediately. "Don't even start," she said before I could even open my mouth. "I haven't said anything yet." "You don't have to. I know that face too well." She picked up a glass and set it down again without any real purpose. "Yo
Quin’s POVThe awkward silence lasted for a while before my mum decided to bring up something to lighten the mood. Only that now , that something might have been a mistake.“So,” she started with a smile, “when should we start expecting mini yous around?”Every single person at the table went quiet. All focus was on the couple.Billie went still.The fork in her hand stopped halfway to her plate, and for a second she looked like someone had poured ice water over her head.Her husband Julian answered too quickly.“We’re not ready.”The sharpness in his voice made the silence even worse.Mum blinked. “Oh. I was only asking.”“I know,” he replied immediately, but his tone didn’t soften much.Billie forced out a laugh that sounded fake as hell. “Mom, relax. You’re already planning grandchildren when we can barely handle work.”Dad chuckled lightly. “That’s not an excuse or answer.”“Then the answer is no,” Julian said.Tyler shifted slightly beside me. I could tell he noticed it too.Ever
Quin’s POVTyler's movement dragged me out of sleep.He probably didn't realise what he did. I opened my eyes and watched him walk into the bathroom without saying anything. The door shut behind him, and I stayed there for a few seconds, staring at the ceiling.A lot happened yesterday.Aiden showing up. Tyler's nightmare. And then him opening up about his mom.It's not my place to judge, but she's the most shity mother I've ever heard of.Seeing him let go a little was relaxing. He acts so tough like a needle could break if pressed against his skin.The bathroom door opened, and Tyler stepped out, already dressed like he didn’t want to waste time.“Morning,” he said.“Morning.”He looked fine on the surface, but I knew better.“You sleep well?” I asked.“Yeah.”He kept turning and tossing throughout the night. So I want to try and believe he actually slept well.“We’re leaving soon,” I said. “Go eat something first.”“I’m not hungry.”“You’re eating anyway.”He rolled his eyes but di
Quin’s POVDinner with my parents was an absolute disaster. But I don't care because my father won't have a reason to not give me what belongs to me all in the name of marriage.I still don't know why he thinks marriage is that important. I'd rather get myself different playthings than to be tied t
Tyler’s POVI should not be this nervous, it's just dinner.That thought had been going through my head for the past ten minutes as I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my sleeve for no real reason other than the fact that my hands refused to stay still. I’d already fixed it more times than ne
Tyler's POV I should have said no.I should have stood my ground.That was the thought running through my head as I stood outside my apartment building later that afternoon, staring at the black SUV parked by the curb like it was some kind of threat.Because that’s exactly what it felt like. A thre
Tyler’s POVThe contract was obviously thicker than the one Quin had emailed me the night before. That was the first thing I noticed when he slid the document across the desk which was official looking enough to make my stomach tighten.I picked it up slowly.“it looks more than what you sent. You







