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16 - I OWN THE PLACE
Dernière mise à jour:
2025-01-20 03:55:08
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The Roomie Complex 17 - MARTY!!
“You – you own the place?” I nearly choke on my own words when we reached the parking lot, and I had finally recovered from my shock and found my voice.Damon chuckled at my shocked response “Oh don’t act humble now, I’m not going to fire you”“It’s not that” I interjected “You’re my boss literally, and – and I can’t date my boss. I’m sure it’s against the code of ethics or something”Damon chuckled again “What code of ethics?”“I – I – “ I was suddenly at loss for words“Get into the car Cheryl” he grunted as he held out the door for me. It was a sleek BMW and I was immediately engulfed in the new leather smell of the car, shiny leather glistening under the sun but there was something immediately comforting and equally uneasy about the sleek interiors of Damon’s car. Now Damon’s presence inside the car immediately shifted the whole dynamic. I became so aware that I was in the car with a man, and not just a man – the owner of the company I worked for and I just couldn’t seem to get p
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-21The Roomie Complex 18 - WHO ARE YOU
“So I’d assume the whole roomie thing didn’t work out, because I’d figured when he kissed you, you guys were actually a thing”I froze on the spot, my hands freezing mid-air, my eyes flicked up to Damon’s for a mere second and his expression mirrored mine.“Oops” Marty’s annoying voice cut through the thick tension in the air “I swear, that slipped right out of my mouth” it was fake guilt and I could see right through it. In as much as I could barely stand Marty’s face, I didn’t think I could sit in front of Damon. I felt a wave of embarrassment blast my face so hard that it nearly knocked me out of my seat.“Excuse me” I pushed my chair back, picked up my bag and walked right out of there.Yea, I was never coming back to this restaurant and I also needed to find a new job. Just as I stepped out of the restaurant, I could hear Damon’s heavy footsteps echoing behind me and before I could hit the streets, his heavy pair of hands grabbed my arms and turned me around.I didn’t give him a
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-24The Roomie Complex 19 - HARDLY FAMOUS
DAMON’S POVHer lips on mine—soft, warm, and utterly unexpected.It was like the air had been sucked out of my lungs, leaving me suspended in a moment I didn’t see coming but had been craving since the moment I walked into the casino, my casino. But she was sitting right there, a novice expression on her face. I had never seen her before, was she a new hire or had I never taken note of the people that worked at my company? No, I’d have definitely noticed her. The innocence in her eyes could never go unnoticed, it shook something in me, something primal and beastly. I wanted her, but she wasn’t making it easy….. she had this way of flipping the script.She fell into my arms that very same night, drunk on something more than the tequila I’m sure she had sworn she could handle. And I knew then that she wasn’t just another passing fascination. No, she was the kind of woman who wormed her way under your skin and settled there.And now, she’d kissed me.Her hands were firm but tender on eit
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-28The Roomie Complex 20 - TORN IN THE SPOTLIGHT
CHERYL’S POVThe air around me stilled as my eyes locked on Aiden. It was as if the world had slowed down, leaving just the two of us in this unbearable tension. He stood there, stiff yet poised, his arm resting lightly on Anika’s, but his gaze… his gaze pinned me in place. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.I should’ve looked away. I really should’ve, but there was something in those dark eyes that held me captive, something unreadable that twisted a knot deep in my chest.“Come on,” Damon’s voice cut through the haze, his hand resting on the small of my back. He urged me forward, but the weight of Aiden’s stare clung to me like a second skin.We stepped closer, and suddenly, there was no avoiding it. We met halfway. Aiden and Anika stopped just a few feet away, and the air felt like it was crackling, charged with tension so thick I could’ve sliced through it with a butter knife.Anika’s face lit up the moment she saw me, though her smile wasn’t the least bit friendly. Her eyes flitt
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-28The Roomie Complex 21 - THE TEXT
AIDEN’S POVThe roar of paparazzi made me turn instinctively, my curiosity piqued. It wasn’t unusual for these events to get loud, but the sudden eruption had an edge to it, a frenzy that caught my attention. I scanned the crowd, trying to figure out what the ruckus was about—and that’s when I saw her.Cheryl.And not just Cheryl. Cheryl pressed against that guy she’d been gushing about for days, her lips locked with his in what could only be described as a very public display of affection. Damon Bass.For a second, my brain short-circuited. It wasn’t supposed to affect me. It’s Cheryl, I told myself. The same Cheryl I shared an apartment with, the same girl I used to torment in high school because she was ditsy and awkward and too easy to tease. She wasn’t supposed to matter like this.But she did.My jaw tightened as I watched them. Something twisted in my chest, unfamiliar and unwelcome. Why the hell did it feel weird watching her kiss that guy? Was she trying to make me jealous? I
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-28The Roomie Complex 22 - NIGHT TRIP
Cheryl’s POVThe moment Aiden looked up from his phone and said, “It’s my mother, Evelyn,” I swear my brain short-circuited.We just stood there, frozen in this ridiculous silence, like one of us was waiting for the other to pull a rabbit out of a hat. Finally, Aiden blinked down at his phone again, his brows knitting together in a way that was both adorable and maddening. “She wants to talk,” he said, his voice quiet, like he was still trying to convince himself. “She says she’ll tell me everything.”Everything.My mind did a quick sprint through all the possibilities of what “everything” could mean, but instead of settling on something profound to say, I just stood there, gaping like a fish. Smooth, Cheryl. Real smooth.Before I could recover, his phone pinged again, and his eyes flicked to the screen, then back to me. “She sent an address.”“Well—?” I prompted, crossing my arms as I studied him. Aiden looked... lost. Like a man who’d been handed the key to a locked door he wasn’t s
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-29The Roomie Complex 23 - ONE BED
Cheryl’s POVThe words hung in the air like an unfinished thought: One room left.I turned to Aiden, hoping he’d do the decent thing and sleep in the car, or better yet, vanish into thin air. But there he was, standing behind me, hands shoved into his pockets, a small, self-satisfied smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Of course, he’d find this funny.“Well, this is awkward,” I muttered, my voice tinged with the kind of humor people use when they’re seconds away from losing it.“Awkward?” Aiden raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. “Relax, Cheryl. It’s just one room. I promise not to snore.”Snore? That was the least of my concerns. The thought of being cooped up in a small space with Aiden Scott—the same Aiden Scott who’d bullied me all through high school and was now inexplicably hot and annoyingly smug—was enough to send my stress levels skyrocketing.“Fine,” I finally said, trying to sound unfazed. “We’ll take it.”The receptionist slid a rusty-looking key across the c
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-29The Roomie Complex 24 - BATHROOM INCIDENT
DAMON’S POVI could feel her absence before I even realized she was gone.Even as I stood in the circle of dull conversation, listening to balding Williams tell a joke that was blatantly sexist if you actually thought about it, something about the air around me felt… off. Cheryl wasn’t here. Neither was that roommate of hers. My fingers tightened around my wine glass, forcing a tight-lipped smile as the men around me chuckled at the crude punchline.Where the hell did she go?I let my gaze flicker across the room, scanning through the sea of tuxedos and sequined gowns. Nothing. A slight frown creased my forehead. Cheryl wasn’t the type to just up and disappear without saying a word. Was she in the restroom? Outside getting air? The thought of her slipping away, vanishing into the night without so much as a goodbye, sent an unfamiliar irritation slithering through my chest.A second later, I’d had enough. “Gentlemen, excuse me,” I said smoothly, stepping away from the group without wai
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-01-30
Latest chapter
The Roomie Complex 69 - OLIVER BARKER
CHERYL“Oliver,” I repeated, like tasting a name I hadn’t spoken in years. “Is it really you?”His smile deepened, soft and unreadable, like he was trying to decide if I was real too. He looked the same, and yet completely different. The boy I remembered had worn oversized glasses and carried too many books for one person. Now, he stood tall and self-assured, the years having carved definition into his jaw and stillness into his presence. There was something easy in the way he looked at me, casual—but veiled. Like he knew more than he let on.“I didn’t think I’d ever run into you here,” he said, stepping closer beneath the café’s warm glow. “It’s been… what? how many years?”I laughed softly. “More or less. You look good.”He glanced down at himself with mock curiosity. “I clean up better without the braces and the broken voice, huh?”“Definitely an upgrade,” I teased, a grin tugging at my lips before I could stop it.His eyes twinkled. “You haven’t changed much, Cheryl - you still lo
The Roomie Complex 68 - OLIVER?
CHERYLMy heart slammed against my ribs so loudly I could hear it—like it was trying to speak before I could.Aiden’s voice still rang in my ears, soft but firm. “Come with me. I'll explain everything, I'll tell you everything.”And then Damon’s—darker, lower. “Don’t move.”I stood between them like the axis of some cruel universe, their opposing gravities tugging at my ribs. The silence that fell wasn’t peaceful. It was the kind that howled beneath your skin. The kind you find just before a car crashes or a gun fires.My feet didn’t move. But everything inside me did.Aiden was looking at me like I was salvation, or maybe a last chance. And Damon? Damon’s face was unreadable—except for his eyes. His eyes were sharp and cold, yet… pleading.That was the worst part. Damon never pleaded.My gaze dropped to his chest, to the white bandage stark against his olive skin, to the dried blood that clung stubbornly to the edge of his open shirt.I did that. I shot him.He should hate me. But in
The Roomie Complex 67 - TORN
AIDENI should’ve known the address Damon sent wasn’t neutral ground. I mean I did recognise the address but I didn't think she'd be there too.The moment I stepped into the sleek, modern living room, the temperature dropped ten degrees. Not because of the air-conditioning, but because of her—Cheryl, sitting on one of those black leather chairs like she belonged there, and Damon, standing behind her with that arrogant smirk and a half-drunk glass of whiskey in his hand.The sight stopped me mid-step.I hadn’t prepared for this—hadn’t prepared to see her again in his space. The last time I’d seen her, she was shaking, holding a gun, her hands stained with fear and guilt. And now? Now she looked too calm, too collected, like she hadn’t just watched me disappear into the shadows of chaos.But what got me the most… was that she didn’t look surprised, maybe she did, I wasn't particularly looking at her. I was staring daggers into Damon's eyes“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I said,
The Roomie Complex 66 - LION'S DEN
CHERYL'S POVThe sky hung heavy and gray above me as I drove, casting the entire town in a muted haze. It was the kind of weather that whispered secrets and warned of storms—fitting for the place I was heading. Damon’s house. Or, more accurately, the house Damon bought for me. My grip on the steering wheel tightened as I turned onto the long, winding driveway. The structure loomed into view like a forgotten secret—modern, cold, and elegant. It hadn’t changed. White concrete walls, dark paneling, glass edges that reflected the world but let no one in. It was still as breathtaking and lonely as the man who owned it.I parked and stepped out slowly, gravel crunching underfoot. The keypad beside the tall black door blinked awake as I approached. I didn’t hesitate—my fingers moved by memory, punching in the code he had set using my birthday. There was a soft click, and then the door opened with a sigh, as if the house had been holding its breath all this time.Silence met me inside.Thick
The Roomie Complex 65 - SICK IDEA
Cheryl’s POVI stared at the phone on my dresser for longer than I should have, the contact name glowing like it knew too much — like it was mocking me.Damon.I didn't even know what I wanted to say. What did you say to a man you shot? To a man you might've killed — who might still be bleeding out in some forgotten room?Still, my fingers moved on their own, like muscle memory. I tapped the call button before I could talk myself out of it. I held my breath as the dial tone started.Once.Twice.Three times.He’s not going to pick up, I told myself. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe—Click.His voice, low and gruff, filled my ears like smoke curling under a door."What a pleasant surprise," he said.I froze. My throat clenched, mouth suddenly dry."...You're okay," I managed. My voice sounded far away, like someone else had spoken for me."For the most part," he said, and I could almost hear the smirk beneath his words. "But my heart is still broken. Wasn’t expecting the woman I’m in
The Roomie Complex 64 - RIFT
Cheryl’s POVThe morning light streamed through the pale curtains, brushing my room in gold, but it only made the pounding guilt in my head stronger.I sat up slowly, rubbing my arms, feeling the faint bruises of last night's chaos beneath my skin. It was almost absurd how normal everything looked. The smell of bacon frying downstairs, the creak of the old wood floors in my aunt’s house, the chirping of birds outside.But inside me?Nothing felt normal.Every time I closed my eyes, the gunshot echoed in my brain — loud, sharp, deadly. My fingers twitched at the memory, and I recoiled, wrapping my arms around my knees like they could somehow hold me together.I had shot someone.Not just anyone. Damon.I hadn't meant to — God, I hadn't meant to. It was instinct, pure reflex. I had seen the gun pressed to Aiden’s head and I hadn’t thought — I had acted.Like some wild animal, desperate to protect.But the more I thought about it… the more I realized the sinking truth:I wasn’t sure I ha
The Roomie Complex 63 - THE CONFESSION
Cheryl’s POVThe moment I felt his arms wrap around me, I thought everything would be okay. For a single, fleeting second, the chaos quieted. But then I looked down. My eyes found Damon’s body lying limp on the cold, cracked earth, blood blooming beneath him like ink spilled from a broken pen.That’s when it hit me.I had shot someone.I had taken a life. Maybe not completely yet, but I could see the way his chest rose in stuttered breaths, each one weaker than the last. His blood... his blood was on me.I stepped out of Aiden’s embrace like I was in a daze, my body numb, the gun suddenly burning hot in my hands. I dropped it. It clattered to the ground like it had fulfilled its purpose.“We need to call someone,” I breathed. “911. We have to call for help.”Aiden’s voice was firm but low. “We need to get the hell out of here, Cheryl. Now. Before Alejandro realizes what’s happening.”“No!” I snapped, shaking my head. My voice cracked. “No, we can’t just leave him like that. I shot him
The Roomie Complex 62 - THE ESCAPE
Damon’s POVHe always knew it would come to this.The moment he saw Cheryl for the first time — in that slinky red dress at that bar, soft curls falling over her shoulders like poetry in motion — he knew he'd never stand a chance. Not when Aiden was involved. Aiden always got what he wanted, he looked like a guy that got everything he wanted. The girls. The glory. The forgiveness. Even after everything.But not this time.Not anymore.Damon lit a cigarette and took a long drag, leaning against the black Impala parked under the sickly orange glow of a dying streetlamp. The road out here was cracked, half-swallowed by overgrown weeds. The silence of the place clawed at the back of his neck, broken only by the distant echo of a rusted windmill creaking with each breeze.The warehouse ahead of him stood like a tomb — abandoned, graffitied, the scent of oil and mildew bleeding from its rusted frame. It used to be a car assembly plant, once. Now, it was the kind of place nightmares came to
The Roomie Complex 61 - THE DEVIL
Cheryl’s POVThe room was dimly lit—too dim to tell if the red smears on the floor were wine or something far worse.The air smelled of rusted metal, sweat, and something faintly floral—like someone had tried to mask the decay with cheap perfume, or maybe it was my own perfume turned cheap from the deathliness of this place. A single lightbulb swung lazily from the ceiling above me, casting long, flickering shadows that danced across the concrete walls like ghosts.My hands were still untied and free when my eyes popped again to the strangeness of this place, but they still ached from the pressure of the zip ties. My legs were numb, folded underneath me on the cold stone floor. I didn’t know how long I’d been here—minutes, hours—it all bled together in this silent, chilling purgatory.Until the door opened.It didn’t creak or groan. It glided open smoothly, almost soundlessly, like it had been waiting for this moment. And when I looked up—he was there.The boss - or so I assumed becau
