Marshall*****Los Angeles was a mad house even early on Sunday morning. Our flight touched down at five and Nuel and I rented a car. We were driving first to the address where his phone was tracked to. It wasn't one I recognized but I wasn't surprised he still lived in LA. This was all he ever knew.It was almost seven-thirty when we rolled up to a white stucco cottage with an orange tiled roof. I nodded and we got out, hands on the weapons at our waist. If I wasn't so impatient, we could've picked up some guns here. I had many connections to this city, the homeland of the Tare family legacy. I didn't want to make unnecessary visits or waste any time. So, we were making do with blades.Nuel went to the door while I circled the house. All the windows were dark. As I reached the back of the house, I slipped into the gated yard and crept up to the back door. I could hear the doorbell ringing through the empty walls.I had a feeling Atlas wasn't here. He knew better. I was pleased that h
Caroline*****Warm. So warm. I sighed and moved underneath the sheets but found my body heavier than I expected. Thinking it would maybe be better on my side, I attempted to roll over. A hand clasped my breast, fingers tensing around my nipple."Stalker," I moaned with a small smile.The body spooned against me closer. "Only sometimes," purred a female voice.My eyes shot open. When I turned my head, I found myself looking into a pimply woman's face, her hair a mess around her head. I jumped up realizing that Valentina was in my bed. Her hands fell away from me as she slowly sat up."What are you doing?" I rasped, pulling the sheets up to my neck. "What are you doing here?""I just wanted to cuddle," she said, dipping her head demurely."You have a girlfriend. My cousin. What the fuck, Valentina?"It felt like her hands were still on me, burning me with their dirty touch. I felt disgusted."You touched me," I whispered."Don't be stupid." She rolled her eyes. "You turned and my hand
Caroline*****My hands smoothed over the soft cotton short-sleeve shirt and distressed jeans I wore. The weather would be reaching the low seventies today, so I didn't have to wear a sweater today. I draped a light leather jacket over my shoulders just in case and grabbed my backpack.Freya had left for work already and I was confident that Valentina wasn't here, since she was always gone during the week. I poured some coffee into a thermos and doused it with half and half. I grabbed a bar from the pantry and turned to leave. My earbuds were already in my ears, blasting some nostalgic Parachute songs, so I didn't hear the presence of another enter the room behind me.When I turned to leave, I was blocked by a bright yellow hoodie in my path. I fell back a step and put a hand over my heart. Valentina snickered as I plucked the ear buds out of my ears. Knowing we were alone in the house unnerved me."Didn't mean to scare you there, Caroline."I backtracked a step to put space between u
Marshall*****The jet touched down late Sunday night. After a series of technical issues, we arrived hours later than expected. I'd only calmed slightly from my earlier panic. It was too painful to consider what I might find when I went to her home. If she was gone, I'd know.Nuel and I split ways at the airport. He left directly for the warehouses and I left for her house. I sped as quickly as I could but it was still nearly midnight when I parked down by the playground. My heart crawled into my throat as I hiked up to her house. Her bedroom window was illuminated. I crept underneath it to peek through a misalignment in the blinds. She was lying in bed, the blue light of her screen glowing on her face.For the first time in hours, I relaxed. I sat there for a long time and just watched her. I was completely exhausted. I hadn't slept well all weekend and the added stress of her possible kidnapping, rape, and murder didn't help.It was much later when she put her phone down and left h
Caroline*****This feeling was like being on fire with a fire-resistant cape on. My skin burned as bright orange embers on the verge of catching. It was all the deep-bone melting heat without any of the pain, the injury, the scarring.Scalding water tumbled down my naked body. I'd never stood naked in front of a man before. My hands itched to cover myself but I focused on bathing myself. I wanted Marshall like a drug. I secretly hoped I pushed him too far. He didn't think I was ready, but I'd waited for what felt like forever to experience this. For years, other people my age coupled up, found love, reveled in freeing their sexuality. I waited! Waited to meet someone I wanted to do those things with. Someone who didn't think I was a freak or a nerd. I never met anyone who made me want more until Marshall. He took one look at me and set my world ablaze. And I was dancing in the flames.You don't know who you're seducing. His words rang through my skull repeatedly. He wasn't wrong.I d
Caroline*****An obnoxious alarm penetrated the veil of sleep curtained across my mind. I groaned, my consciousness awakening and my dreamworld collapsing. The bed shifted around me, like someone else was here. For a moment, I believed it was Valentina and that I was back in my bed at Freya's.I flew up and looked around. This wasn't room, though. My eyes followed the rumpled sheets to where a shirtless Marshall stood, stretching. He turned to face me and his ruffled hair, overgrown beard, and piercing eyes brought back the memory of yesterday. I took my time checking out his broad chest and muscular abdomen. His beauty was ethereal, almost blinding, and all-encompassing.He rounded the bed to my side and I shrank down into the covers. His mouth peeled back in a half-smile, amused."You can't hide or escape from me, angel," he said in his oaky morning voice. "Here I'd thought you'd learned."My cheeks flamed while I still attempted to bury myself under the sheets. Maybe if I went dee
Marshall*****There was much I needed to do today. Once my angel was set up on the outdoor sofa with her school books, I returned to the bedroom to prepare for the day ahead. I changed into a black suit and gelled back my hair. I strapped myself with two pistols, one in my waist belt and another over my shoulder. While I would be stopping at the office to get some files, I had other business things to tend to that I would never attend without my weapons.Such as taking care of the bitch who hurt my angel.I growled at my reflection in the full-length mirror against the wall. My face and posture remained the same, slightly hunched with an aggressive edge. There was something different in my eyes though. A clarity I'd never seen before.Shaking my head, I left the room and trotted back down to the back porch where I'd left angel. She was curled up between some pillows with a textbook fanned across her lap. She instantly smiled at seeing me. I still couldn't fathom her little break earl
Caroline*****I couldn't believe it. Marshall hadn't responded to my call or text message. I didn't want to be annoying but I had to be at work in an hour and he was nowhere to be found. Groaning, I pulled on my work clothes from yesterday and attempted to call Freya again. Yet again, it went straight to voicemail.I couldn't blame her for being upset with me—I had gone completely AWOL last night. Knowing how worried she got, I was certain my disappearance pissed her off. I should've told her I was somewhere safe. Even if I was beyond angry that she did nothing about Valentina. How could she be with someone who was like that?But I knew this situation was my fault. I let Marshall bring me here. I trusted him to be back. I knew better than to rely on anyone at this point, but I just thought he would come through for me. Now I know.This left my stupid ass with only one option. Sighing, I pulled up Greg's contact and sent him a text.CAROLINE: Hey, can I be shitty and ask for a favor?