LOGINChris The cab drove even faster, running yellow lights that turned red a second later. I followed anyway, my heart pounding with every turn. My phone kept buzzing on the passenger seat, but I ignored it without even looking. Nothing mattered except getting Aiden back.After several minutes, the cab turned onto a quiet road with almost no traffic. It finally pulled into an empty parking lot behind a row of dark stores and slammed on the brakes.I stopped right behind it before the tires had even settled. I threw my door open, jumped out, and ran straight toward the cab with my fists already raised, ready for whatever was waiting for me.The driver got out this big guy who left Aiden still blacked out in the back seat. “Back off kid this does not involve you,” he said in a rough voice trying to sound tough.“It involves me because that is my friend in there and you better tell me what you did to him right now,” I snapped back stepping closer with my voice getting louder. He laughed at
Chapter 121ChrisI sat in my room after Aiden stormed out feeling like total crap because of all the stupid fighting with Jovian and me that pushed him away again and I kept staring at my phone wishing I had gone after him sooner instead of sitting here like this. Then I remembered the tracker I put on his phone a while back just in case things got weird on campus and I needed to know he was okay even if he would get mad about it later. I opened the app and saw the dot moving off campus toward downtown and my stomach dropped hard. “Damn it Aiden where are you going now,” I said out loud as I grabbed my keys and jacket and headed out fast. I drove the whole way with my foot heavy on the gas thinking about how messed up everything got in the dorm and how I should have talked to him instead of letting him leave angry. The club came up quickly with its loud music even from the parking lot and I parked sloppily then ran inside pushing through people at the door without stopping to exp
Aiden The rest of the ride stayed tense with me shifting in my seat, feeling sticky and aware of every look from the driver. “Why is he staring like that?” I thought. When we finally dropped off, I could not help thinking that cab guy stared at me a bit unusually. “Like he knew something or maybe just got a show he did not expect. Weird!”Ethan paid and pulled me straight toward this club on the corner. The music already thumping loud from inside, and the lights flashing! It looked good, but my stomach twisted. “Wait, Ethan!” I said. “I am kind of scared of places like this.” I didn’t want to tell him about the mysterious guy, not after what happened before. I still don't want to remember half of it! “Can we go somewhere else?”He just grinned and said, “Nah, you will be fine with me here! Come on! One night will not kill you. I got you! Promise!” He tugged my arm, and we went in the door. The bass hit my chest hard! “Wow! So loud!” Bodies were moving everywhere.Ethan led us to th
Chapter 120 Aiden My breathing came hard and fast as I ran down that narrow path with my hips aching like hell from the bruises and every step making them flare up worse. The phone felt slippery in my sweaty palm and I kept trying to unlock it while glancing over my shoulder at those footsteps that would not quit. I hit Chris’s name to call him but my thumb slipped and it dropped before I could even hear it ring. Then I tried typing a text saying someone’s following me but my fingers shook too much and I gave up. The trees rustled a little in the wind and distant campus sounds like cars way off felt too far to help me at all. I pushed harder not knowing where I was headed just needing to get away from whoever kept matching my pace.Oh no! “Come on, come on! Unlock already!” I whispered to the phone. I turned a corner between two old buildings, and the footsteps got louder right behind me. So I spun around ready to yell or swing or something! “Who are you? Leave me alone!” A fig
Aiden Chapter 119I stood there frozen between Chris and Jovian as Chris stepped all the way into the room and shut the door behind him with a soft sound that felt too loud in the heavy silence. My heart was already beating fast from everything that had happened . Jovian leaned against the counter with his arms folded and that familiar smirk playing on his lips while he watched Chris closely. I could still feel the warmth from where Jovian had rubbed my back earlier and the bruises on my hips ached under my shirt as a reminder of the night before with Chris. Chris looked at me first and his eyes moved over my face and then down to where my phone was still in my hand from his text. He did not speak right away but I saw his jaw tighten when he caught the tail end of what Jovian had said about him being shady and controlling things.Chris took one slow step closer to us and his voice came out low and dangerous when he finally answered Jovian without even trying to deny the warning.
Aiden The way he had smiled a little when I said thanks for the food. How he touched my hand across the table and asked if I was okay. I had felt safe with him even after everything. Then the rejection when I asked to stay one more day. The way he called me extremely emotional like I was the problem. It made my chest tight just remembering it.Jovian did not back off. He put his plate in the sink next to mine and turned to face me. “You do not have to tell me who did it. But you look like you need someone to talk to. Come on back to the table. I can listen if you want. Or I can do something else to help you relax.”I tried to move past him toward the main room but he caught my arm gently. Not hard enough to hurt but enough to stop me. “Aiden wait. Do not run off yet. I missed you while I was gone. Things were rough out there and coming back here to see you is the first good thing in a while.”His words sounded real but I knew better. I pulled my arm free and rubbed where he had touch
Mystery man's POV I never believed in that instant-connection bullshit people yap about on dating apps, love at first sight, soulmates, all that romantic garbage but the second that redheaded kid from my apartment stumbled through the door of my usual bar like the hounds of hell were nipping at hi
Aiden’s POV I bolted back to my room like my ass was on fire, slammed the door so hard the posters on the wall fluttered, then just stood there with my back pressed flat against it, chest heaving, trying to pretend my brain wasn’t actively melting down around me. I saw it. I fucking saw it. But my
Jovian’s POV I’ve always been the safe one, the quiet one, the guy who sculpts everything out of clay because it’s “art” and not because I’m horny twenty-four seven, but let’s be real, half the time it is because I’m horny, and the other half it’s because Aiden’s the only person I’ve ever wanted t
Aiden’s POV I walked in an awkward, uneven way, trying to hide how sore I felt. By the time I reached Eric’s door and knocked, my legs felt weak and shaky. I was already regretting not calling in sick, but bills don’t pay themselves and I needed this. Eric opened the door fast like he had been wai







