Semua Bab Forbidden Affairs : Bab 181 - Bab 190

The evening settled in with a warm breeze drifting through the open windows. Ryan still had not returned from his errand, and his absence hung in the air like permission. The patio lights were on again, casting a soft golden glow over the backyard. I stood by the kitchen counter with an untouched glass of wine in my hand, telling myself I would take a sip when my nerves calmed. They never did.The sound of the sliding door opening made me look up. Mason stepped inside first, his eyes locking on me in that unhurried, predatory way that made my pulse stutter. Tyler followed, his shirt hanging loose, his gaze sharper. Eli moved in behind them, his hand brushing the frame of the door, while Jace stayed near the threshold as if keeping watch.“You have been avoiding us all afternoon,” Mason said, leaning on the counter just close enough for me to smell the faint hint of smoke and cologne on his skin.“I have not been avoiding—”Tyler cut me off with a quiet laugh. “You have. But it is fine

The library after hours always felt like a chapel. The air carried the hush of whispered prayers, the lamps cast warm halos over tables that looked more like pews, and every footstep sounded like a sin. I slipped through the glass doors with a stack of textbooks hugged tight to my chest, telling myself I would finish two chapters before midnight and finally sleep without replaying last night.I did not make it to the second row before I saw them.Damien sat sprawled in a chair like the furniture belonged to him. Cole stood at the end of the aisle talking to the night librarian about a study room key, his voice low and persuasive. Rylan leaned against a shelf with a book open in one hand and his gaze on me over the top edge. The sight of all three in the quietest place on campus felt like a punch of heat to the stomach.I considered turning around. I did not.The tables near the windows were mostly empty. I chose one, set my books down, and pulled out my notes with deliberate care. If

The rain started while I was in the last lecture of the day, a slow tapping against the tall windows that grew into a steady drumbeat. By the time the professor dismissed us, the courtyard outside was a blur of silver streaks and slick pavement. My umbrella was at home. My jacket was thin. I considered waiting it out in the building, but the place was already emptying, the lights dimming one row at a time.I pulled my hood over my head and stepped outside.The cold hit instantly, soaking through my sleeves, plastering my hair to my neck. My sneakers slid on the wet bricks as I cut across campus toward the bus stop. I had barely gone a hundred yards when a familiar voice called out over the rain.“Tessa.”I turned.Damien stood under the overhang of the gym entrance, his dark hoodie pulled low over his brow, rain dripping from the edges. Beside him was Cole, his hands buried in the pockets of a black jacket, and Rylan leaning casually against the doorframe, a slow smile playing at his

The city lights blurred into a halo of gold and white as the wind curled around the rooftop. From up here, the noise of traffic was distant, a low hum beneath the occasional gust that caught at my hair and tugged at my clothes. The air smelled faintly of rain from earlier in the day, sharp and clean.I didn’t know whose party it was. I’d been pulled into the elevator without seeing more than a flash of strangers in the hallway below. Cole had kept one hand lightly at the small of my back the whole ride up, his touch deceptively casual, while Damien stood at my side with that same unreadable smirk. Rylan had stayed behind us, silent, watching.We’d stepped out onto the rooftop terrace into a pocket of warmth and music. Strings of lights stretched above the space, casting a soft amber glow over scattered groups of people talking in low voices. Somewhere inside, a playlist murmured through hidden speakers.But I barely noticed any of it before Damien was steering me toward the far corner

The city blurred past in streaks of neon and shadow. I sat rigid in the back of Luca’s car, hands clasped tightly in my lap, my gaze fixed on the dark glass of the window. His presence filled the space between us, heavy and magnetic.He didn’t speak at first. He didn’t have to. Every second of silence was deliberate, pressing down on me until I could almost feel it in my bones.“Say something,” I finally demanded, unable to stand the quiet any longer.His voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it. “You look good.”I turned to glare at him. “That’s all you have to say after three years?”“No.” His eyes met mine, calm but unreadable. “But it’s a start.”I shook my head and faced the window again. “You shouldn’t have come back. You shouldn’t have come near me.”“That’s the problem, Ava. I’ve tried to stay away. I can’t.”I ignored the flicker of heat that stirred low in my stomach at his words. “You had no problem walking away before.”He leaned back against the leather seat, studyin