All Chapters of SECRETS AND SEDUCTIONS: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

~SCARLETT. "Welcome to Le Casa Rosa. We're so glad to have you here. Your suite is ready, and we've made sure everything is prepared for your stay," the receptionist greeted us warmly, handing the keycard to the man I've known for four years, and come to love somewhere along the way. Jake took the card without so much as a smile or a thank you. His eyes were glued to his phone, fingers tapping away like the glowing screen held more importance than anything around him. "Thanks," I said, offering a smile as I shot an apologetic look at the receptionist. She seemed to understand, nodding with a practiced grace. Two weeks ago, I stumbled across Le Casa Rosa while scrolling through !nstagram. It was a dreamy destination for couples. Perfect sunsets, private dinners, everything drenched in romance. It had seemed like exactly what Jake and I needed. Our relationship had been… off. I didn't know when it had started to shift, but now, I felt like I was chasing something that wasn't t

~SCARLETT. The sound of running water pulled me from sleep. My head throbbed and my mouth was dry as sand. I groaned softly, blinking as the room came into focus. But something wasn't right. The bed beneath me was bigger and softer than the one in my suite. The walls were painted beige, unfamiliar. Panic gripped me tightly as I sat up too quickly, the sheets pooling around me. I scanned the room: an armchair in the corner, expensive furnitures, and the door to the bathroom where the water ran steadily. This isn't my suite. My gaze landed on the chair. Jake's shirt and the red lingerie I'd worn last night were neatly folded on it. The memories hit like a wrecking ball. The bar. The alcohol. The stranger. Pressing a shaking hand to my forehead, my face burned as everything came rushing back. What did I do? The sound of the shower brought me back. My eyes darted to the bathroom door, steam slipping through the crack beneath it. He was still here. I needed to leave

~SCARLETT. *~FLASHBACK~* I adjusted my shirt, giving myself one last look in the mirror. Jake wasn't home yet—he'd left earlier, saying he had something to take care of—but that worked out fine since I was meeting my friend, Janice, to go shopping. Grabbing my phone, I headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs, still texting Janice about where we'd meet. I was halfway to the door, my sandals clicking softly against the tiled floor, when a voice stopped me cold. "Where to?" I jumped, my phone slipping from my hand. I barely caught it before it hit the floor, my heart racing as I spun around. Jake was sitting at the dining table, a bottle of tequila in front of him. His eyes were bloodshot. It took me a moment to process what I was seeing. Jake didn't drink. EVER. This... this was new. "Baby," I said with a nervous laugh, my hand pressed against my chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack. When did you get back?" Ignoring my question, he repeated, 'Where are you g

~LIAM. All eyes were on me, but my focus? Entirely on her. That green-eyed little spitfire sitting stiffly next to her pathetic excuse of a boyfriend. I leaned back, letting my gaze linger on her longer than necessary, just enough to make her squirm. And squirm she did, her hand tightening around Jake's like she was holding on for dear life. But what caught my attention more was Jake. The idiot couldn't hide his nerves if he tried. His eyes kept darting toward Natalie, unable to decide where to look, while she kept licking her lips like a desperate dog. Pathetic. Beside me, Natalie was clinging to me like a fucking parasite. "Liam," she purred. "are we playing or just watching the show?" I pushed her off, brushing her hand away like it was an annoying fly. "Not now, sweetheart." She pouted, but I didn't care. She wasn't why I was here. She was just the ticket into this ridiculous couples' game. My real focus was walking out of the double doors with Jake.

~SCARLETT. I lay on the bed in our suite, wearing one of Jake's oversized shirts. The sleeves hung past my elbows, and the hem brushed against my thighs as I shifted to get comfortable. The room was cool and quiet, save for the narrator's voice on the TV, detailing the horrifying crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer. I didn't even know how I'd ended up watching this. The details were gruesome; drugging, luring, and doing unspeakable things. My stomach lurched at the thought of what he'd done to his victims. How could someone be so evil? I hugged a pillow tighter against my chest, unsure why I couldn't bring myself to change the channel. Maybe it was shock, or maybe I just needed anything to keep my mind busy. Jake had left abruptly earlier, and when I'd returned to the suite, I'd paced around, unsure of what to do with myself. The silence felt too much, and it wasn't long before I grabbed one of his shirts. The familiar scent of him made the emp