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Chapter 10: Crossing the Line
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2025-03-18 14:34:55The night air was cool against Vivian’s heated skin as she stepped outside the café, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside her. Her hands trembled slightly as she clutched her bag, her heart still pounding from the moment she had fled.
Ethan Carter had nearly broken her.
And the most dangerous part? A part of her wanted him to.
She pressed her fingers against her temples, inhaling deeply. This had to stop. She had to be the adult, the professional, the one in control. If she let herself slip, even for a moment, everything would crumble.
But as she turned to head toward her car, she found herself face to face with the very temptation she was trying to escape.
Ethan.
He had followed her outside, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his leather jacket, his dark eyes gleaming with something unreadable beneath the streetlights.
“Running away, Ms. Hayes?” His voice was smooth, teasing, but there was someth
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The Price of A Bet Chapter 40: Constructing Dreams Out of Ruins
The rain continued unabated.It beat against the hood of Ethan's truck like an angry drummer as they cruised through the tight streets, out of the gold cage of Vivian's past and into a future she and Ethan could barely imagine.Vivian hugged herself, looking out the window.She had no suitcase. No clothes. No clue.Nothing but the clothes on her back, the shattered phone in her pocket, and the boy sitting next to her.But for the first time in her life, she didn't feel trapped by what she lacked.She felt free.Ethan's hand brushed against hers along the bench, hesitant.Vivian intertwined their fingers without hesitation.He smiled, weak, tired smile, and squeezed.They traveled in silence for a great length of time, the only sound the repetitive slap of the windshield wipers and the rush of water underneath the tires.Finally, Ethan cleared his throat.**"There's not much at my place,"** he said. **"But it's dry. And it's ours."**Vivian's throat tightened.**Ours.**As if a promise
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The rain-tossed world outside was gray and shaking, but within Ethan's arms, Vivian was warm for the first time.For a few precious minutes, they just stood there in the doorway, clinging to each other like shipwreck survivors.Breathing each other in.Recalling.Vivian didn't want to move.Didn't want to break the magic.But the real world, as always, was in no mood to wait.Her phone buzzed wildly in her coat pocket. Again. And again.Ethan recoiled, his face darkening.Vivian pulled out her phone.Forty-two missed calls.Texts upon texts piling up like a tidal wave.From her mother. Her father. Daniel.Her chest tightened painfully.She knew what they were saying without even looking.Where are you?What are you doing?Come back now.**You don't have to answer them,**" Ethan breathed, his gaze on her face.Vivian hesitated.The weight of years of obedience was crushing her shoulders.But then she remembered the dead-eyed girl looking back at her in the mirror at the dress fitting.
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The Price of A Bet Chapter 36: Confessions in the Dark
The darkness was heavy with a suffocating tension as Ethan sat on the steps of the faded bleachers at the rear of the school gym. The field was painted in hues of gold by the sunset, and the gentle thrum of the cicadas vibrated in the night. His elbows on his knees, he drew a hand through his rumpled hair, gone into his mind. His universe had tilted, and for the first time, he had no idea how to get his balance back.Vivian.Her very name sent a searing pain through his chest. All that time with her had blurred the lines between the game he'd started and the feelings he couldn't deny any longer. The bet had been stupid, childish, and callous. And now? Now it was like a knife twisting in his guts whenever he even considered it."You're here," came a soft voice from behind him.Ethan stiffened, then turned. Vivian stood a few feet away, her arms wrapped across her chest, her expression wary but her eyes spilling over with emotion. The fading light made her seem almost ethereal, her dark
The Price of A Bet Chapter 35: Desperate Measures
Ethan's fingers drummed anxiously on the steering wheel as he sat outside Vivian's house, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. He had watched her enter, seen the tense exchange through the large living room window, and now, he could feel the weight of something slipping away—something he wasn’t willing to lose.His phone buzzed. A message from Ethan's friend.Did you do it? Got proof?Ethan scowled and shoved the phone aside. None of that mattered anymore. This wasn’t about a bet. It hadn’t been for a long time. He had fallen for her, hard, and now she was being ripped away from him.His grip tightened around the wheel. He needed to see her. Needed to talk to her. Needed to do something before it was too late.Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the car door and stepped onto the damp pavement. The night air was cool, and a slight breeze carried the scent of rain from earlier. He moved toward the side of the house, search
The Price of A Bet Chapter 34: Confrontation
Vivian’s hands trembled as she gripped the steering wheel, her father’s voice still echoing in her ears. She knew she had to face him, but she wasn’t ready for what awaited her at home. Every step toward the front door felt heavier, her heart pounding in her chest. The moment she stepped inside, the weight of the atmosphere crushed her.Daniel Whitmore was already waiting in the living room, his arms crossed, his face set in an unreadable expression. Their father sat nearby, his expression one of disappointment and quiet fury. The room felt colder than usual, and Vivian instinctively knew this wouldn’t be just another lecture."Where were you?" Daniel demanded, his voice sharp as a knife, slicing through the tense silence.Vivian hesitated, forcing herself to remain calm. "I told you. I was with a friend."Daniel’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. "Don’t lie to me. I know exactly where you were. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?"
The Price of A Bet Chapter 33: The Consequences of Passion
Ethan lay beside Vivian, their bodies still tangled beneath the sheets, the heat of their passion lingering in the air. He traced slow circles on her bare shoulder, his fingers reverent as if memorizing every inch of her. Vivian sighed, her head resting on his chest, her heartbeat gradually slowing from the intensity of their night together. "This is crazy," she murmured, her voice laced with contentment and dread all at once. "We shouldn’t have done this." Ethan shifted, lifting her chin with his fingers so she would meet his gaze. "But we did. And I don’t regret a damn thing." She searched his eyes, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to believe in the illusion that this could be more than just a mistake. That this could be something real. Then the sound of a car door slamming outside shattered the illusion. Vivian's body tensed instantly. "No..." She bolted upright, dragging the sheets over her chest as she listened. Ethan sat up too, brows furrowed. "What is it?" F
The Price of A Bet Chapter 32: Waking Up in His Arms
Vivian stirred as the first rays of dawn filtered through the sheer curtains, casting golden streaks across the rumpled bed. The warmth enveloping her wasn’t just from the sun—it was from the solid, sculpted body beside her, the heat radiating from Ethan’s bare skin pressing against her own. A deep inhale filled her lungs with the lingering scent of him, an intoxicating blend of his cologne and the musk of last night’s passion. Her body still thrummed with the echoes of pleasure, each movement reminding her of the way he had worshiped her with his hands, his lips, his body. She shifted slightly, and immediately, a strong arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer. A deep, husky groan rumbled against her neck as Ethan stirred behind her, his lips pressing instinctively against her shoulder. “Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was thick with sleep, yet still laced with that ever-present teasing edge that made her shiver. Vivian felt her breath hitch as his fingers
