Chloe's POV.I was finally home.The moment I shut the door behind me, I leaned against it with a deep, exhausted sigh. My body was here… but my mind? God, my mind was still back at Hayes’ family house... still back in that guest room with him. With Hardin.I kicked off my shoes and rubbed my temples like that would somehow force his image out of my head. The sinful smirk, the way his hazel eyes darkened when they locked on mine, the way his deep voice curled around my name like it had every right to know me intimately.I hadn’t even gotten his scent out of my system.God, Chloe. What is wrong with you?Hayes had kissed me goodbye earlier, hugged me like I was his whole world. And I’d smiled up at him like a damn liar, my head full of images I had no business entertaining. Images of his uncle.I groaned as I slipped out of my jeans and threw on my favorite oversized tee. I didn’t bother with pants... just underwear and the shirt, hoping that a long hot shower had done enough to cleans
Chloe's POV.I couldn’t breathe in my own apartment.Everything felt heavy.The air, my body, my thoughts. Especially my thoughts.The moment I opened my eyes this morning, I was still trembling from the dream. Last night.I didn’t dare describe it to anyone. God, I could barely admit it to myself. But it felt so real. The way his mouth moved on mine. The way his hands. I let out a groan, yanking my pillow over my face.“This is not happening,” I muttered into the fabric. “This is not me.”But it was. And it had been building for days. Since the moment I stepped into the wrong room and found Hardin standing there with nothing but a towel and that look in his eyes.I hadn’t seen Hayes since I left his house. I kept sending him quick excuses"Work's crazy", "Headache", "Need rest". I couldn’t face him. Not with the way my skin still remembered the way his uncle had looked at me like I was made of temptation and sin.I didn’t trust myself.And I definitely didn’t trust Hardin.Which is
Chloe's POV.I didn’t remember walking home.My feet moved, but my mind was stuck.. right there on the street, Hardin's voice still echoed in my ears like the chorus of a dangerous song I couldn’t stop humming.His words haunted me.“You and I both know… I already live in your head.”He was right. God help me, he was so right.The second my front door clicked shut behind me, I slumped against it, chest rising and falling like I’d just run a marathon. Maybe I had... emotionally, anyway.I kicked off my sneakers and wandered into my apartment like a ghost, switching on the hallway lamp more for comfort than light. I needed grounding. Something normal. Something that reminded me who I was before Hardin stepped into the picture.I curled up on the couch, knees tucked to my chest, and stared blankly at the muted TV.I hadn’t texted Hayes all day.Again.The guilt tangled in my stomach like a knot I couldn’t untie. He didn’t deserve this. He was sweet. Kind. The kind of guy who brought flow
Chloe's POV.A deep sigh escaped my lips as I walked out of the company building, exhausted and tired. It had been one of those endless days at work where the hours dragged and everything I touched seemed too heavy to lift. I just wanted to get home, curl into bed, and pretend like the weight on my chest didn’t exist.I stood at the edge of the curb, my eyes squinting against the setting sun, and my hand raised slightly to flag down a cab. Traffic inched along lazily, horns honking in the distance. I was mid sigh, debating whether to start walking toward the next block, when a familiar black Mercedes slowed in front of me.At first, I thought it was Hardin.My heart stalled. That luxurious car, that same sleek body… I braced myself, gripping the strap of my bag tighter, heat crawling up my neck like a flame threatening to burn through my resolve.But the driver’s window rolled down, and my stomach settled, only slightly.It wasn’t Hardin. It was Hayes.My boyfriend.He smiled at me..
Chloe's POV. There was something particularly cruel about waking up on your birthday only to feel more alone than ever. I’d always romanticized birthdays as a kid... cake in the morning, too many messages to count, laughter that made my cheeks hurt. But reality wasn’t so kind.The sun was already up and shining by the time I peeled myself off the sheets. I hadn’t showered. I hadn’t eaten. I hadn’t even replied to the handful of birthday texts that felt more like reminders of who wasn’t reaching out.No call from Hayes. No video message. No surprise flowers.Nothing.He was on a business trip, yes, and he’d texted me a short “Happy birthday, babe" at exactly 12:01 AM. But that was it. No warmth. No depth. No real effort.And maybe that was what stung the most.I was twenty four today. I thought I’d feel more… alive. But the only thing I felt was heavy. Like something inside me had been quietly deflating since morning.Lying on my side, I stared at the wall across my bedroom, watching
Chloe's POV.The warmth of Hardin’s palm on the small of my back sent a confusing jolt through me.. half thrill, half dread. It was my birthday. A day I thought I’d be spending alone, sulking beneath the weight of guilt and temptation. But there I was, stepping out into the night, led by the one man I shouldn’t even be entertaining thoughts about.Hardin.He looked sinfully handsome under the streetlight, dressed in a dew button up shirt that hugged his sculpted chest just enough to make me dizzy. His jaw was clean shaven, and his eyes… God, those eyes had the audacity to smolder.“Careful,” he said, as he helped me down the steps of my apartment. “Don’t trip. Though I wouldn’t mind catching you if you fall… or pinning you down, for that matter.”I rolled my eyes, trying to mask the way his words pooled heat between my thighs. “You’re incorrigible.”“And yet… you’re still here,” he whispered near my ear, his breath hot, fragrant with that minty cologne that made me want to melt into h
Chloe's POVI could feel my heart kicking hard against my chest as we pulled up in front of my apartment. I didn’t want the evening to end. I didn’t want to get out of the car. And I sure as hell didn’t want to go back to my quiet, lonely room and replay the entire date in my head like a lovesick fool.But there I was... seated quietly in Hardin’s car, the engine purring beneath us, matching the low hum of tension that had been rising between us all evening. He put off the engine, and for a moment, neither of us moved.His hand casually rested on the steering wheel, while his other arm draped over the leather. I could feel his gaze on me even though I kept my eyes forward.“I hope tonight made up for… you being alone earlier,” he said softly. His voice had a gravelly warmth to it that sent a ripple down my spine.I smiled, unable to stop the blush rising to my cheeks. “It did. You made my birthday... more special than I ever imagined.”“Good.” He leaned a little closer, the scent of h
Chloe's POV.It had been days since my birthday. Days since that stolen night filled with laughter, rich food, and butterflies I didn’t want to admit I felt.And I had done everything humanly possible to shut that door.I buried myself in work. Avoided answering messages from Hayes... guilt was a bitter anchor tied around my neck. And more than anything, I avoided any chance of bumping into Hardin. It wasn’t easy. Every time I passed a mirror, I saw that night in my eyes. Every quiet moment, I remembered the way he looked at me over dinner like I was more than just someone he flirted with. Like I was someone he felt. But tonight… tonight the universe decided it had enough of my games.I turned the corner to my street, sighing as the wind whipped my coat around my knees, I saw him... leaning casually against his car, arms crossed over his chest. Hardin.He didn’t move as I approached, just tilted his head and let those ocean deep eyes burn into mine.“Been avoiding me, angel,” he sai
Hailey's POV.I woke up before my alarm.No surprise there.Sleep had been... impossible. My mind had played reruns of that moment in the convenience store like a TV stuck on one channel. The way Zayn had looked at me. The slight smirk in his voice. His name. His actual name. I must’ve whispered it into the pillow at least twelve times before finally passing out.Now it was morning. And Brown Lights Academy wasn’t going to wait for me to get my act together.I dressed slowly, nervously. The school uniform surprisingly fit more than I had expected. I stood in front of the mirror longer than I should’ve, trying to decide if I looked effortlessly cool or like I was trying way too hard.Mom drove me in silence, occasionally glancing at me like she wanted to say something but didn’t want to ruin the mood. I appreciated that.Brown Lights looked different in the daylight. Less intimidating. But still full of expensive cars, polished students, and girls who walked like they were born to run
Hailey's POV I don’t know what pushed me to step outside.Maybe it was the walls closing in again, the repulsive air of my room pressing against my ribs. Or maybe it was the way my mom kept tiptoeing around me, pretending everything was okay when it obviously wasn’t. Either way, something inside me screamed for fresh air.So, I slipped on sneakers, tied my hoodie tighter, and stepped out. No grand plan. No dramatic playlist in my ears. Just me, wandering into a neighborhood I hadn’t bothered to explore yet.The streets here were a different kind of quiet than back home. Clean sidewalks, lined with little trees that looked like they were auditioning for a catalog. Everything was so put together it made me feel even more out of place.I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. Just movement. Just something different.I kept walking until I saw something.A small corner shop with a neon “OPEN” sign buzzing in the window. My stomach grumbled quietly.... I hadn’t eaten anything since ce
Kiara's POV."I have an idea, let's do something different, how about truth or dare?""Okay? Sounds interesting, you go first.""Fine. I dreamt you sat on my face. Pinned me down. Wouldn't let me breathe till you came all over my face. Woke up leaking like a pathetic mess. Couldn't even move." My thighs clenched. The image of him, whatever face I made him out to be, buried between my legs, tongue desperate and greedy, fists clenched fuck. That hit hard."Okay... You won that round. Second, truth or dare?" I sent. "Truth. But you better make it hurt." "What's your biggest kink?"Mental control. Getting someone to cum with just my voice. Just words. No hands. No touching. I love being inside their head. Watching them squirm. Making them beg just by telling them what to feel, exactly what I'm doing with you." My lips parted. My nipples were stiff beneath my shirt already.I was already squirming under my sheets. My panties clung damp between my legs."You... That's fucked up. And so
Hailey's POV. The drive back home felt longer than usual. My head was in a state of chaos and it was all because of him.I couldn’t get his face out of my head.I had only seen him for a second, maybe two, before Mom dragged me out. There was something... familiar about him, even though I’d never seen him before.Maybe it was the way his hair fell over his forehead, just a little too long, or how his eyes, those brief, shadowed eyes, looked calm.Maybe he looked like someone I knew back in California but I really doubt that. I couldn't stop replaying that fleeting moment over and over.Who was he?I didn’t even catch his name. I had been too caught up in my own anxiety. I really wanted to know who he was.I wanted to know why seeing him made my heart stutter like it had forgotten how to beat.I leaned against the car seat, pressing my back against it and letting out a slow breath.What was it about him?Maybe it was the way the world seemed to tilt just slightly when our eyes coll
Hailey’s POV.A week.Seven whole days since we moved.You’d think that might be enough time for me to at least unpack or open the blinds or look around the neighborhood. But no. I stayed in my room like it was a bunker and the rest of the world was at war. The most I did was drag myself to the kitchen for water or snacks, and even that felt like crossing enemy lines.I didn’t care about the house fridge or the stupid backyard with trimmed hedges that looked like they belonged in a brochure.I don't want any of that."Wakey wakeey, sunshine." Aiden's text was the first to wake me up. "Hey." I simply texted him. "Are you still pissed about moving?""Very much so.""C'mon, try to let it go, and enjoy the city." "But I won't be able to see you again." "What made you so sure that I lived in California and you could find me there?" That seemed to strike a bell. "I don't know, I just had a feeling." A knock suddenly came on the door before I could get his next message. “Hailey,” mom
Hailey's POV.The plane had barely landed before I was itching to disappear. Not into a new place or new beginning like everyone kept saying... but to dissolve. Just vanish. Because arriving didn’t feel like an arrival at all.I clutched the strap of my backpack tighter, head down, ignoring everything, my parents. Everything . It all made me sick.The drive from the airport took another eternity. I didn’t care about the clean streets or the fact that the weather here was “nicer.” My chest ached like a balloon filled too tightly, ready to burst with the slightest jab.When we finally pulled up to the new house... big, modern, ugly in its perfection... I didn’t wait for anyone. I grabbed my duffel bag, ignored Dad’s attempt at a half smile, and walked straight in without a word.I stomped up the stairs, turning corners I wasn't used to, passing empty rooms and unfamiliar walls. I picked the room at the end of the hall just because it was farthest away from everyone. It didn’t matter
Hailey’s POV.The rain had started just as we left the house, the kind of rain that blurred everything... buildings, streets, even emotions. It matched the heaviness pressing against my chest as I sat in the back seat of the car, silent, still, and aching in ways I couldn’t yet explain. I didn’t say a word. I couldn’t.Outside, the familiar streets greeted me. Trees I used to race past on my bike stood tall and wet, their leaves seemed to be whispering silent goodbyes. Mr. Howard’s bookstore with the bell that never worked right, the little coffee shop where Marissa , Liam and I used to cram for tests and gossip over muffins too dry and coffee too bitter. Everything looked softer in the rain, like the city was crying with me.Mom glanced at me through the rearview mirror. She didn’t say anything either. Maybe she saw the tears that had started to slide down my cheeks. Maybe she didn’t. I didn’t bother to wipe them away.This was it. We were really leaving.Dad’s transfer came three w
Third book alert!SEXT PARTNER.Hailey's parents moved to a new city due to job promotion and she transfers to a new school, only to discover that her secret sext partner was the hottest boy in school, and he was dating the hottest girl in school as well. She stood no chance of having him, but what if she was underestimating the intense hold she had over him. Chapter one."You know I'd really love to see you!" His text popped up on my phone just as I plopped down on the bed. "Well, I am not what you call the perfect lady!" I texted immediately. "I highly doubt that." His reply came and I chuckled to myself. Aiden and I bumped into each other in a weird app, exchanged numbers and have been keeping each other's company intimately, since then. We haven't met, neither have we seen each other. Our interaction was strictly over text and I think we are both okay with that. We are both 18 and in 12th grade."We will eventually see each other someday you know." He texted. "Yeah?" "Yes
Chloe's POV. The moment I stepped out of the elevator and into the wide, glass paneled lobby of Hayes’s firm, I felt like I was trespassing on a dangerous ground.I continued to feverishly put one feet after another, my footsteps thumping in sync with the unease curling in my stomach. I hadn't seen Hayes in days. Not since... the party. Not since the bathroom. Not since he found out. My heart clenched at the thought.The receptionist looked up with a warm smile that faltered the second she recognized me.“Um... Miss Chloe. I’m not sure if Mr. Hayes is available”“Please.” My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat quickly. “Just let him know I’m here. I won’t stay long. I promise.”She hesitated, clearly torn between professional courtesy and the pitiful look on my face. Eventually, she picked up the phone and dialed.A moment passed. Then two.Finally, she looked up at me with an apologetic glance. “He said… he’s busy.”“I’ll wait,” I said stubbornly and sat on the plush leather couc