All Chapters of SCANDALOUS SECRETS : Chapter 151 - Chapter 160

CARLA I stepped out of my bedroom, the floorboards cold against my bare feet, and the scent of sizzling butter hit me before I even reached the hallway. I didn't need to check the time to know my mom was not home. She’d been pulling double shifts at the clinic for a week, trying all her best to build a future for us. I used to think her version of a future was as bleak as her taste in fashion, or anything but two weeks ago, that changed. I rounded the corner into the kitchen and stopped dead. Blake was right there standing by the stove, his back to me. He was shirtless, wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung grey sweatpants that clung to his hips in a way that should have been illegal. He was flipping an egg with a spatula, his movements fluid and precise, like he was a professional chef in some five-star kitchen instead of a guy making breakfast in a suburban ranch house. The morning sun streamed through the window, catching the sheen of sweat on his skin. Every time he

KYLIE My fingers were working nonstop on the keyboard of my laptop as I tried to round up my assignment. My heart was repeatedly doing that weird, fluttering double-tap against my ribs, and my vision was slightly beginning to blur from staring at the black-and-white text of my sociology paper for six hours straight. I didn't want to get on Professor Miller’s bad side this early in the semester; starting my sophomore year with a late submission was a one-way ticket to a "C" and a lot of condescending office hour chats. I slumped back in my chair, letting out a long, deep breath after I finally clicked on “send.” The soft hum of my laptop fan was the only sound in my dorm room until my phone buzzed against the wooden desk. The vibration sounded like a jackhammer in the quiet space. I reached for it, squinting at the screen. It was a text from Ethan. Can you come over? Like, right now? I rolled my eyes so hard I almost saw my own brain. I tossed the phone back onto the desk wi

KYLIE Ethan’s jaw practically hit the floor with a thud. He looked like he’d been slapped hard across the face. Liam let out a slow, dark laugh. "No problem," he said, his eyes gleaming with pure fascination. "It’s not like I’ve got a reputation for being a saint to maintain anyway." Noah shrugged, a slow grin spreading across his perfect face. "Damn. She’s even freakier than I expected. I like it." The others murmured their agreement, the air in the room shifting from that predatory vibe to pure carnality. I stepped toward Ethan and thrust my phone into his slightly trembling hands. "Record every single second," I hissed, leaning close to his ear. "And fuck you, Ethan." As I turned, the rest of the pack was already in front of me. I was led to the center of the room, where there was a massive leather table. Ethan stood back, his hands visibly trembling as he held the phone up, the record light glowing like a demon’s eye in the dimly lit room. Liam was the first to touch me.

ARIEL The next forty-eight hours were a total blur of internal conflict. It was like there was a civil war happening right inside my head. Every time I reached for my phone to text Claire and tell her I was coming down with a sudden, mysterious case of the bubonic plague, I’d stop. I’d look at my bank account—which was currently sitting at a depressing eighty dollars and thirty cents—and then I’d look at the stack of student loan statements sitting on my desk like a mountain of future misery. I realized, with a heavy sink in my chest, that I couldn't afford to be proud. My pride wouldn't pay for my car insurance or cover my rent after graduation. But every time I thought about actually stepping foot in that mansion, I’d see Easton’s smug, punchable face in my mind, and I’d want to scream into my pillow. Saturday night arrived far too quickly. I was sitting on my bed, staring blankly at a textbook, when Claire practically kicked my door down. She was hauled in a massive garment

ARIEL I really should snap out of it. I should remind myself that this was Easton Maverick. The guy I believed got off from making my life miserable. But at that very moment, I forgot about everything. I totally forgot that Claire was probably looking for me, wondering where her best friend had disappeared to. I forgot about the job opportunity I was supposed to be networking for. I forgot about the student loans, the "golden boy" reputation, and the fact that we were supposed to be civil. There was only Easton. The man I’d hated more than anything in the world was currently the only person making me feel alive. My blood was rushing, my heart was like a frantic drum against my ribs, and every nerve ending I had was sickly screaming for more of him. "You have no idea," he growled against my lips, his breath hot and intense. "No idea how long I've wanted to shut you up like this." "Shut up and keep doing it then," I snapped back, my voice trembling with a hunger I didn't reco