4. The Car
I hurry into the office,scanning my watch,I’mlate. The click of my heels against the marble floor a rhythmic counterpoint to the quiet hum of the morning. I bite my lips as I enter the offices,the usual buzz of activity at Spectrum Design Studio is subdued.
What’s going on?
I look around as a voice interrupts my thoughts. “Ava, darling, you won’t believe what happened!” Dorothea Pink, a renowned designer known for her flamboyant style and sharp wit, greets me as I enter. Her eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, arewidewith amusement.
“What’s going on?” I ask, widening my eyes.
Dorothea leans in. “Cole had a little run-in with a ‘well-dressed gentleman’ last night, apparently. They say the guy spoke barely a word, just delivered a message. Some say the Veles Network has a way of doing that – quiet, efficient, terrifying. Seems someone finally decided to put him in his place.”
A cascade of frosty sensations trickles down my back as I recall the events of the previous night, a chill creeping into my bones as I think about his hands on me.
A well-dressed gentleman? Tyler? But he was with me.
“Really?” I say.
“Really, dear!”She’spointing not so discreetly in the direction ofCole’s office, where the door is ajar.
Could it be?The thought takes root in my mind, a seed that blossoms with a strange sense of satisfaction.
As I approach my office desk, I notice Cole through the open door, hunched over his computer, his face partially obscured by a stack of papers. He looks— different. His usually immaculate appearance is disheveled, his tie askew, and a dark bruise mars one side of his face.
Pink was right.
A surge of resentment rises within me as I remember his predatory gaze and the way his touch made my skin crawl. He deserved what he got, a voice whispers in my head.
I walk over to his office, pulling out a file from my dark-brown bag that used to belong to my mother and hand it to him.
“Cole,”I greet him, my voice neutral despite the storm of emotionsbrewingwithin me. My hands tremble as I hand him the completed project.
You asshole,I think.
He mumbles a response without meeting my gaze, focusing on the papers scattered across his desk. His usual arrogance is subdued, replaced by a sullenness that I find strangely satisfying.
“Thank you,”he says curtly, his voice devoid of its usual condescending edge.
I venture a question. “Rough night?”
He looks up, his eyes distant. “You can go now, Miss Parker.”
Miss Parker? He has always called me by my first name.His formal tone, coupled withthe bruise on his face and Dorothea’s earlier words, fuelsmy suspicions.
As I return to my desk, I can’t shake the feeling that something significant has shifted.The power dynamics of the officeseem tohave changed overnight.
The well-dressed gentleman had been Alexander, I’m sure of it. Deep down, I know what heis capable of, but how would he know what happened between Cole and me?
* * *
Exiting Spectrum’s imposing building, the chill of the downpour hits me like a slap. Rain lashes against my face, soaking through my clothesin an instant, the city lights blurring into a watercolor mess. The day had passed quickly, and the sterile air of Spectrum was in stark contrast to the raw energy of the storm outside. Cole’s office door, a slab of polished mahogany, had remained closed for most of the day, the faint sound of his voice occasionally filtering through the barrier.
What’s with this weather? Fall might be on its way, but did it have to drown all of Port Haven?
I quicken my pace as a taxi drives by, splashing water on my beige cotton coat. Damn it, I look like a drowned mouse. The encounter with Cole hasleft me shaken, his touch clinging to me like a damp shroud. I just want to get home, curl up in the familiar comfort of my own bed, and forget about it.
As I turn the corner, the low purr of a car engine behind me sends adrenaline through my body.Every instinct screams at me to run, tohide, but my legs feel frozenin place.As the car pulls up alongside me, I recognize the sleek black exterior and the tinted windows – it’s Alexander’s car.
My jaw clenches, and my hands ball into fists. What is he doing here?
The back door swings open, and there he is – Alexander. I glimpse the driver in the front, his stoic expression and broad shoulders. He’s new, I think.
His voice, a low, familiar rumble, breaks through thesound of the rain.“Get in,”he commands, his tone brooking no argument.
“I’m not getting in a car with you, Alexander,”I retort, my voice threaded with a defiance I don’t entirely feel. The memory of his sudden departure, the years of silence and unanswered questions, still stings, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
“Yes, you are,”he counters, his voice firm but gentle. “It’s raining, and you’ll get sick.”
“Viruses make you sick, Alexander, not the rain,”I snap, my frustration bubblingover. I continue walking, my pace quickening, but my defiance is short-lived. My heel catches in a crack in the pavement, snapping with a sickening crack.
“Shit,”I mutter, feeling tears pricking at my eyes.
Alexander steps out of the car, his tall frame shielding me from the rain. He holds out his hand. I hesitate momentarily, then reluctantly take it, allowing him to help me into the car.
The interior is warm,the leather seats smellingof his cologne,a musky, intoxicating scent that triggers the hairs on the back of my neck to stand at attention.As I settle into the seat, I notice another man in the front passenger seat, a burly figure with a shaved head.
Alexander’s eyes lock onto mine for a fleeting moment before he leans forward to speak to the man next to the driver.
“The canvas is ready,”he says, his voice low and even.
The man nods curtly. “Understood.”
I frown, a chill snaking down my spine. “Canvas is ready?”I repeat, the phrase echoing in my mind. It sounds like something an artist would say, but there’s a strange undercurrent to it that makes me uneasy.
Alexander’s gaze flickers to mine, a fleeting moment of something unreadable in his eyes before he turns back to the road. “Don’t worry about it,”he says dismissively. “Just business.”
The bald manturns to lookat me, his gaze cold and assessing, before turning back to face the windshield. Before I can ask who he is, he opens the door and exits the car, disappearing into the rain-soaked streets without a word.
Alexander slides into the seat beside me.
“Having a good evening?”he asks, his voice deep and smooth, like velvet against my raw nerves.
I shake my head, shivering from the cold. “Just trying to get home,”I mumble, wrapping my arms around myself in a futile attempt to ward off the chill.
He nods, his eyes flicking down to my soaked clothes. “Take them off,”he instructs, his voice deep and commanding.
I hesitate, unsure of his intentions, but the discomfort of my wet clothes outweighs my apprehension. I reach for the buttons of my coat, shrugging it off and letting it fall onto the plush carpet of the car floor. As I do, I notice the bruises on his hands, the knuckles scraped and swollen.
“What happened?”I ask, reaching out to touch the wounds.
He pulls his hand away, his gaze turning back to the road. “Nothing,”he mumbles. “Just a little disagreement with some business associates.”
I nod, not wanting to push him further.
He’d done it. He had beaten up Cole, but how did he know?
He takes off his coat and drapes it over my shoulders. His hand brushes against my exposed skin, jolting me. A warm feeling spreads between my legs, and I curse myself for the involuntary reaction.
“Who was the man that left the car?”I ask, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.
“No one,”Alexander replies dismissively. “Just a friend.”
“Will you ever be honest with me?”I say, tightening my jaw. “Will you ever answer any of my questions?”
He turns to me, his brows furrowed, his shoulders tense. “You’re asking the wrong questions, Ava,”he says.
“Did you do it?”I press, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “Did you beat up Cole?”
A flicker crosses his face, quickly replaced by a mask of indifference. “I don’t beat anyone up, Ava,”he says, his voice flat. “I teach people valuable life lessons.”
“How did you know?”I ask, my suspicion growing. “Are you spying on me?”
“I like to keep an eye on you,”he replies. “For your safety.”
“Sure you do,”I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Until you leave. Tyler came and saved me that night, you know?”
“Yes, Tyler did,”he says. “I admire the boy. He reacted promptly to my message to come to your office and meet you there.”
“What message?”I ask, confused.
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he reaches for my hand. His touch sparks a familiar warmth, despite my anger. I should pull away, but I don’t.
Alexander somehow knew what was happening in the office that night, and he had sent Tyler a message to come and save me. But why hadn’t he told me? Why the secrecy?
“Why are you with him, Ava?”he asks, his voice low and husky. His thumb strokes the back of my hand.
I hesitate, unsure of how to answer. “He’s good for me, Alexander,”I say.
“I’m good for you, Ava,”he counters, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that makes my breath catchin my throat. “We’re meant to be together. So what are you doing with a toy like him?”
“He’s not a toy,”I defend, a surge of protectiveness washing over me. “He’s a lawyer, he’s kind, and I think he loves me. He won’t leave me. Ever.”
A shadow crosses Alexander’s face as he stares out the window, the city lights blurring into a kaleidoscope of colors.
“What, you have nothing to say?”I challenge, frustrated by his silence.
He turns back to me. “I don’t like it that you’re with him when he can’t protect you,”he says, his voice raw with emotion. “He can’t defend you. He can’t—have you.”
His words hang in the air, a mixture of possessiveness and longing. I know I should push him away, sever the ties that bind us together, but the pull of his darkness is too strong. I’m caught in his web, and I’m not sure I want to escape.
“He can have whatever he wants, Alexander. I am with him. I am not yours,”I declare,my voicetrembling with unshed tears. “Not anymore.”
A heavy silence descends upon the car, the rhythmic patter of rain against the windshield and the low hum of the engine the only sounds that fill the void. I can feel Alexander’s gaze on me, intense, but I refuse to meet his eyes.
After a long moment, he speaks, his voice rough. “Ava,”he begins, his words vulnerable, like I’ve never witnessed before, “do you remember the night we met?”
Istiffen, memories flooding back unbidden–the grand opening of the EverBlue Group headquarters, the way his eyes had met mine across the crowded room, the instant connection that had drawn us together like magnets. It was a night that had changed the course of my life, a night that hadbothbrought me immense joy and unbearable pain.
“Of course I remember,”I reply.
“I was a different man back then,”he continues, his gaze distant, as if lost in the past. I was lost, angry, desperate to prove myself to a world that had never shown me kindness.”
He pauses, his jaw clenching as he seems to gather his thoughts. “My father— he wasn’t a good man. He was involved in things he shouldn’t have been. When he was arrested, my sister, mother, and I were left with nothing. We were alone, struggling to survive in a city that didn’t care about us.”
I listen, my heart aching for the young boy who had been forced to grow up too fast, who hadcarried his family’s burdens on his shoulders.
“That’s when I met the guy you saw leave the car,”he continues. “He offered me a way out, a chance to provide. His name is Kovacs.”
Kovacs. The name on the paper.
His eyes meet mine, and I see the pain reflected there. “I made mistakes, Ava,”he confesses. “I did things I’m not proud of. But I did it all for my family. And when she—when my mom was gone, I was lost. I didn’t know who I was or what I was supposed to do.”
He reaches out, his hand cupping my cheek, his touch sending goosebumps rippling across my flesh. “And then I met you,”he whispers,his voicehusky. “You were a ray of light in my darkness, a beacon of hope in a world that had lost all meaning.You made me want to be better, to beworthy of your love.”
I close my eyes. The warmth ofhishand feels good on my skin. I’ve never known this side of Alexander, this vulnerable, broken man who hides behind a mask of strength and control.
“I left because I was afraid,”he confesses.“Afraid that my past would catch up to me, that it woulddestroy you.I thought I was protecting you by pushing you away.”
He opens his eyes, their blue depths like a mountain lake. “But I was wrong. I was a fool to think I could live without you. You’re a part of me, Ava. Always have been, always will be.”
Tears stream down my face, soaking my shirt, making my vision blur as I listen to his confession, the raw honesty of his words breaking down the walls I’d built around my heart. I had judged him, condemned him for his past, but now I see the man beneath the mask, the man who had loved me despite his own darkness.
“Alexander,” I whisper.
He leans closer, his lips brushing against mine. “I’ve been thinking about you, Ava,”he murmurs. “I can’t get you out of my head. Sometimes I wish things were different,”his gaze fixed on the road ahead.“I wish I could just take you to dinner and walk you home holding hands like a normal couple. But my life— it’s complicated.”
I know that I can’t resist him, not anymore. The pull of our connection, our shared history, is too strong. We’re both flawed, both carrying the scars of our pasts.
“Ava, you’re mine. You always have been.”
I can feel my heart racing, my pulse pounding in my veins. I know what happens whenhestarts talking like that. “Alexander,”I start.
Then his lips crash down on mine, his mouth hot and demanding. I melt into the kiss, my body responding to him as if it’s aching for his touch. The rain continues to beat down outside, but inside the car, it’s just the two of us. And for now, nothing else exists as Alexander closes the blinds to the driver’s seat and wraps his body around mine.
In a few quick motions, he pulls off my wet clothes and leans in, whispering in my ear, “We don’t have much time until we get to your place.”
His strong arms lift me up, putting me farther back on the seat as he kneels before me. I caress his upper arms as his head crashes down against my mouth, devouring my lips until his mouth travels down my jaw and my neck, then finds my nipples and starts sucking them. I pull him in close. He stays fully dressed, unzipping his pants to pull himself free, and I can feel him hard against the apex of my thighs.
“Ava,”he murmurs, “I want to fuck you.”
His words make me flush scarlet, my clit throbbing at the promise in them. “Tell me what you’ll do to me.”
He bites my ear and moves up my body until we are forehead to forehead.
“I’ll fuck every inch of your body so hard you’ll be seeing stars,”he growls and gazes down at me.
I let out a light moan as he runs his hands rough over my hard nipples. He puts a hand over my mouth to quiet me down so that the driver won’t hear.
I take in his musky scent as he caresses my naked body in the back of the car. The leather seats sticky against my skin, contributing to a whirlwind of emotions running through my body. What will he do to me?
With his hands on my hips, he turns me around, facing the driver’s seat and laying on my stomach. I wonder if he knows what we are doing. It’s exhilarating to think about.
As I think he is about the enter me, he slaps a playful hand across my ass, making me moan. I can feel my cheek burning, and the wetness between my legs is making me drip.
“Oh yes, Alexander,”I say in a low voice. “Fuck me hard.”
“As you wish,”he grunts and shoves his hard dick into me from behind with his other hand grabbing my butt cheek, squeezing it hard. My nipples grind against the rough leather seats, and I bite my lower lips to hold back my screams of pleasure. I surrender to his thrusts, letting myself go, relishing the feeling of him inside of me. His other hand spreads my butt cheeks and slips a wet finger into my tight hole.
“Oh,”I moanin pleasureas he hits the right spot. “Oh, yes, fuck yes, Alexander.”
He’s fucking me so hard I can’t even gather my thoughts, the windows are fogged, and all I feel is his fullness in my pussy, and his finger fucking my other hole.
It’s divine.
His ragged breath becomes more intense as he thrusts harder and harder, slamming into me. “Sorry, but we don’t have much time. Come for me, Ava,”he murmurs.
“Oh yes,” I gasp.
I come faster than I’ve ever come before, tight around him. This is what Alexander does best—making me come repeatedly until I can’t stop. Until I think of nothing else but him. I’m his, and he’s mine.
* * *
I exit Alexander’s car. The night air is cool and fresh. The rain has stopped, leaving the pavement slick and glistening under the soft glow of the streetlights. A silence hangs in the air, broken only by the distant hum of the city that never sleeps.
He stands beside me, his tall frame casting a long shadow that stretches toward me as if trying to bridge the invisible gap that separates us. I can feel his gaze, intense and searching, as if he’s trying to decipher the secrets hidden within my soul.
“Ava,”he begins, his voice a low rumble that ignites a flurry of nerves beneath my skin. “About what I said in the car—”
He pauses, his jaw clenching as if the words are caught in his throat. My heart pounds in my chest. Before he can continue, the shrill ring of my phone shatters the silence. I pull it from my pocket, my eyes widening as I see Tyler’s name flashing on the screen.
Answering the phone feels like a betrayal, a violation of the intimacy we’ve just shared.
But curiosity and a nagging sense of obligation win out. I answer, my voice trembling. “Hello?”
“Ava, are you okay?”Tyler asks.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”I reply, forcing a nonchalant tone.
“There was another robbery,”he says, his voice tense. This time, it was near your apartment building, one of themainstoresthere. It was the Veles Network. It had the same signature as the other robberies.”
The Veles Network. The name is familiar. Slavic? Veles. I recall stories about Veles from school when I was a child. Its roots in Eastern European folklore. The new mafia of the city—everyone knows that—but these robberies are new.
“Is it connected to the crime ring of the city?”I ask.
“We don’t know yet,”Tyler replies. “But my father is working on it, and we’re working on it at the law office, too. Just be careful, okay?”
I nod, even though he can’t see me. “I will,”I say, my voice weak and unconvincing.
I end the call, my mind reeling. This is too close to home—another robbery, the third in just two weeks. They’re escalating, becoming bolder and more ruthless. And now, with Alexander back in my life, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m somehow caught in the middle of something I don’t understand.
Alexander’s hand reaches out, his gripstrongand steady as he takes mine. His eyes, usuallysocold and guarded, hold a flicker of worry. “Are you okay?”he asks.
I nod. “I’m fine,”I lie, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.
He squeezes my hand. “Let’s get you inside,”he says, leading me towards my apartment building.
As we reach my door, my breath catches in my throat. The air feels thick, charged with an energy that makes my skin tingle. Every nerve ending seems aware ofhispresence. Say something, my mind screams, do something, but my feet are rooted to the spot.
He stops before me, his eyes piercing into mine, searching for something I can’t quite decipher. He leans in, his lips brushing against mine in a tender, lingering kiss.
“I have to go. I’ll be right back,” he says, his voice hoarse, as he pulls away.
“What is it, Alexander?”
“Nothing,”he says, stroking my lips with his thumb, making me tremble.
“Be careful,”I whisper. “There was a robbery near here.”
He freezes, his expression hardening. “What?”he asks, a hint of alarm in his voice.
“Tyler called me just now,”I explain. “They don’t know much yet, but it was some criminal gang again. The Veles Network.”
Alexander nods, a strange expression crossing his face.It’sas if he knowssomething,something he’s not telling me.
“Can’t you stay?”I ask, the words escaping before I can stop them. The thought of him leaving, of being alone, is unbearable.
He shakes his head. “I can’t,”he says, his voice filled with regret. “But I’ll be back.”
And withthat, he turns and walks away, his tall figure disappearing into the city’s shadows. I watch him go–love, fear, confusion, and a desperate longing for answers swirl in my mind.
* * *
As I lie in bed that night, sleep eludes me. My mind replays the events of the day.Alexander’stouch, his kiss, his body against mine in the back of the car— it all feels likea dream,an exhilarating dream.
My breath quickens, and my heart pounds against my ribcage as I think about the man who has re-entered my life. He’s a puzzle I’m desperate to solve.
I rise from bed, restless and unable to quiet the storm of thoughts swirling within me.Slipping into my sweatpants, I make a cup of tea and sitdownat my desk, determined to findsomeanswers.
I open my laptop and type the name “Veles Network”into the search bar. Page after page of results appear, eachonepainting a grim picture of a ruthless criminal organization that has been terrorizing Port Haven for weeks. Their crimes are brazen, their methods violent, and their true motives remain a mystery.
As I scroll through the articles, a chilling realization strikes me. Many of the robberies have taken place near locations that hold significance in Alexander’s life – his childhood home, his former office, the restaurant where we had our first date. Was it a coincidence?
Then, I stumble upon an article from three years ago, a news report about a similar string of robberies that had plagued a city across the country. The perpetrators, a group of Eastern European criminals, had called themselves “The Europeans.”Thedate of the articlemake a cold sweat break out on my forehead –it’sthe same day Alexander had disappeared from my life, the day he had left me with nothing but a broken heart and unanswered questions.
Then it all makes sense. The Veles Network, the robberies, Alexander’s mysterious past, Kovacs being an Eastern European name— it’s all connected.
The realization hits me like a punch to the gut. Is Alexander involved with the Veles mafia? The thought is both terrifying and strangely exhilarating. I’ve always been drawn to his darkness, to the edge he lives on, but this is different. This is real danger, real consequences.
I try to piece together what I’ve learned, but the more I think about it, the more confused I become. Why would Alexander, a successful businessman with everything to lose, risk it all by getting involved with a criminal organization?
I remember the bruises on his hands, the pain in his eyes, the way he had spoken of his past with such regret.I know he wasn’taninnocentman, but this is more than just a few youthful mistakes.
Despite my every instinct, I can’t deny my pull toward him, the magnetic force that draws me into his orbit. I know I should stay away, protect myself from the darknessthat surroundshim.But a part of me,the part thathas never let go, yearns to understand him, tohelp him find redemption.
Does he even want redemption, Ava?
I’m playing with fire, and I know that. Unable to sleep, I lie back down in bed.
Just as I’m about to drift off, my phone buzzes, jolting me from my reverie. Tyler’s name flashes on the screen, and I answer.
“Ava, I got your message. What’s going on?”Tyler asks, the playful lilt replaced by a seriousness that worries me.
I now remember that I had sent him a message earlier, a brief text about my discovery of the Veles Network’s possible connection to a string of robberies that had occurred three years ago.
Back then, I hadn’t considered the possibility of Alexander’s involvement, but now, the puzzle pieces are starting to fall into place, forming a pictureI’mnot sure I want to see.
“I found something,”I reply, my voice shaky.“I was researching the Veles Network,andIstumbled upon an article about a similar robbery that happened three years ago across the country.”
Silence hangs heavy on the other end of the line, the only sound the faint crackling of the connection. Then, Tyler’s voice breaks the stillness. “That’s something we need to look into. I’ll let my dad know. Thanks for telling me.”
“No problem,”I murmur as I exhale.
He didn’t question my sudden interest in the Veles Network.
“How is Alexander?”he asks casually, his tone shifting back to its usual lightheartedness, though a slight edge betrays a hint of jealousy. Tyler has always been aware of Alexander’s wealth and influence, the effortless way he navigates the upper echelons of society, a world that Tyler, despite his own success, can never fully penetrate.
My heart skips a beat. “Alexander?”I repeat.
“Yeah, I went bowling with Dexter and a few friends from work. Dex was acting weird last night. Got super intense about some spilled beer.”
“Oh? What did he say?”
“Something about how people need to be taught a lesson.”He laughs. “Dexter’s a bit of an oddball, you know?”
“Oh, okay—”
“Anyways, he told me he saw you get into his car,”Tyler explains.
“Um, yes, he offered me a ride home because of the rain,”I reply, trying to sound nonchalant.
“How kind of him,”Tyler chuckles, the humor forced. “I didn’t know he was back in town?”
My stomach churns. “Neither did I, until recently,”I say.
“Be sure to tell him I said hi,”Tyler continues. “I haven’t seen him in ages. It’s not like we were ever friends, but you can remind him I was on the football team. He didn’t like sports much, Alexander.”
With the mention of Alexander, my pulse quickens. I know that Tyler and Alexander went to school together, but I’ve never considered what their relationship might have been like.
“Yes, sure, if I see him again, I will,”I say. “He’s very–special.”
Tyler lets out a sigh. “Ava, Alexander had a rough childhood. His parents neglected him, andI thinkhe had other troubles at home. He got into some petty crime. I remember my father taking him down to the station several times, something with his father. He used to come to school with bruises.”
Really?
Embers smolder within me, directed not at Alexander but at the man who had caused him so much pain, his father. The image of Alexander, the vulnerable boy hiding behind a mask of strength, shatters my heart.
“Oh,”I say. “I didn’t know that. I mean, I barely know him.”
And that is the truth. How much do I know about Alexander Bourne?
I can’t tell Tyler the truth, not yet. I need time to process everything, to understand the complexities of Alexander’s past and the implications of his possible involvement with the Veles Network.
“Well, yes, he didn’t have it easy,”Tyler replies. “But that doesn’t excuse what he’s become.”
“Which is?”
“Never mind,”Tyler says, hesitating.
He’s probably right, and I know it.
“Is your dad okay?”I ask, changing the subject.
“Well, these robberies—they’re getting out of hand. My father is working day and night to catch these guys, and it’s taking a toll on him. He’s worried about the city, about the people who are getting hurt.”
I strain my ears, a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. I knew the robberies had cost lives, lives taken carelessly and violently. I shudder at the thought, and Tyler’s words paint a picture of a city under siege, a city where fear and violence are becoming the norm. And with Alexander’s connection to Kovacs and maybe even the Veles Network, I can’t help but wonder if he’s part of the problem or if he’s somehow trying to find a way out.
Tyler’s concern for his father and the city resonates with me.It’soneof the things I admire most about him:his sense of justice and his desire to protect the innocent.I remember the story he told me about his childhood: about being bullied in school and feeling helpless and alone. That experience, he had said, had driven him to become a lawyer, to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves.
“Let’s talk in the morning, Ava,”Tyler says after a pause, his voice gentle but firm. “Try to get some sleep.”
He hangs up, and I’m left alone with my thoughts. I know I need to be honest with Tyler. But I can’t shake the feeling that telling him about Alexander would be like pouring gasoline on a fire. A fire that might consume us both.
With a sigh, I reach for my phone andtype out a message to Sarah.A drink by the harbor after work, a chance to escape the confines of my thoughts and the company of my best friend, is just what I need.
As I drift off to sleep, my dreams are filled with images of Tyler and Alexander, their faces morphing and blending, their personalities intertwined in a way that terrifies and excites me. They are two sides of the same coin, light and darkness, and I’m caught in the middle, drawn to both in a way that threatens to consume me.