BATTERED MOVES

BURNING BRIDGES DUET

BOOK 2

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BLAKE BLACK

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Copyright © 2023 by Blake Black

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means,
including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in written form from the
author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or
events is entirely coincidental.

Blake Black

Editing done by Bookish Dreams Editing

Proofreading done by Cass Thomasson, Chaotic Creatives

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 For Matt Rife,
who was the visual inspiration for the twins.

You’re a great guy, but I’m already in a relationship.

I think it’s best if we just stay friends.

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 CONTENTS

Foreword
Battered Moves Playlist

Six months ago

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilog
The End
Want more?
About the Author

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 FOREWORD

Thank you so much for coming back for the second book in the Burning
Bridges Duet. You have no idea how much I appreciate you!

Before you go on and find out if Liv gets back with her guys, this is your
trigger warning. We are still struggling with Liv’s past, which is filled with
trauma, but now the present is going to get dangerous too.

The triggers include physical and psychological abuse, graphic violence,

harassment, and murder as well as attempted suicide. The murder of the
child you read about in the first book is mentioned again. Knives are
mentioned, and guns are now an active part of the story. The FMC has
PTSD, scars, and nightmares. If you are triggered by any of this content,
this one is not for you.

This is a reverse harem, where the FMC will end up with three or more love
interests, but there won’t be any cheating.

This series is intended for readers aged 18 and above. While there are no
MM scenes, there are a few instances that come close.

If you come across another trigger you’ve found that isn’t listed, please
don’t hesitate to email me.

If you find any mistakes within this book, please email me a screenshot.
hey@blakeblackbooks.com

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BATTERED MOVES PLAYLIST

Unsteady - X Ambassadors
FIGURES - Jessie Reyez
I Lost Myself - Munn with Anna Clendening
Take you down - Chris Brown
Buttons - The Pussycat Dolls
Miami - Will Smith
Beautiful Soul - Boyce Avenue
Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day
Forever & Always - Written by Wolves
Tell Me The Truth - Two Feet
Work Song - Hozier
Until I Found You - Stephen Sanchez
Just Pretend - BAD OMENS
I Feel Like I’m Drowning - Two Feet
Look Who’s Cryin’ Now - Jessie Murph
Chop Suey! - System of a Down
Titanium - Boyce Avenue

Listen to it on Spotify

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 SIX MONTHS AGO

Dear Liam,
I’m so relieved to finally hear from you again.
I’ve been worried sick about you since I
heard what happened. I can’t believe they
would accuse you of something so horrible.
You’re my best friend, the person I look up
to the most. I know you would never do
anything like that, and I know that you would
never intentionally hurt anyone. Now that you’ve
explained, everything makes much more sense.
That’s why it hurts so much to see you in this
situation. The media has painted you as a
villain, a monster, but I know that’s not who
you are. You’re kind, compassionate, and loving.
I want you to know that I’m here for you,
no matter what. I’ll keep writing to you,
sending you updates about what’s happening on
t t t t
 y
the outside. The last thing I saw was an
article about Olivia getting out of the hospital
after her last knee surgery. That poor thing.
I hope she feels better soon and that you’re
able to contact her to explain everything to her
too. You guys just belong together. I’ll do
everything in my power to help clear your
name, to prove your innocence.
Please don’t lose hope, Liam. You’re not alone.
You have me, your biggest fan, your loyal
friend. We’ll get through this together.
I love you,
Foxy

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 CHAPTER ONE

Jaxon
We’re finally done putting the new heavy bags in place, even though
Ryder complained the whole time, but it was necessary. The old ones were
already worn out, and we want the best equipment for our customers at all
times. We head out to the reception area to find Chris and three coffees
waiting for us.
“Well, look at that. They’re for us?” Ryder smiles at Chris, but she
looks concerned.
“Yeah, Liv brought them over for you guys.”
“That’s nice of her,” River says, turning his head in search of her.
“Where is she?”
Chris frowns. “She left. She was agitated and crying, telling me that she
had to leave and that I should tell you guys she’s sorry.”
“What? What happened? Why didn’t you come for me?” I ask her,
maybe a bit too aggressively.
“Calm down, Jax. It just happened a minute ago. I haven’t had any time
to—”
She doesn’t finish her sentence as I run out of the studio, searching the
parking lot for Liv’s car, but it’s not there anymore. I come back to the
others, shaking my head.
“Already gone.”
“What exactly happened, Chris?” River asks her, while Ryder holds his
phone to his ear, apparently calling Liv.
 “I don’t know. She came in with coffee for us, smiling and asking for
you guys. I told her you were busy with the heavy bags and that Chase was
already in the studio, so she went to bring him his coffee but came back
quickly. I gave her a letter that was sent here for her and asked if she found
Chase, but she was already crying.”
I feel a knot in my stomach. What did Chase do?

Chase
I can’t believe Tyler did that. I’ve told her multiple times over the past
few weeks that I’m not interested in her anymore. We had some quick fucks
in the past, but she was just a convenient hole to stick my dick in. I was a
fucking player, and looking back now, I regret being so careless. My past
actions are haunting me now.
Since I met Liv, no other women have interested me anymore. At first,
there wasn’t anything between us. She just intrigued me, so much so that all
the others lost their appeal. I didn’t even go on that fucking date I’d
arranged to get her out of my head. I just rode my bike for hours. Now, after
last night, nothing compares to her anymore. I had a taste and became
addicted.
That’s why I’m even more concerned about how she left last night. I
wanted to bring her home, maybe even to my bed. I know it was after three
am, and she was clearly dancing that late because something was bothering
her and she couldn’t sleep. I was inclined to leave her alone when I saw her
come in, but after watching her dancing so seductively on the camera feed
in my office, I just couldn’t stay away.
As soon as Tyler comes onto me, I push her off. “You can’t do that,
Tyler. I told you our fling is over. I’m not interested anymore. I have a
girlfriend.”
“Chase Miller doesn’t commit. At least not really,” she retorts.
“The fuck I don’t, and even if I didn’t, I’m done with you. Consent goes
both ways, Tyler. Keep your hands and mouth away from me,” I say before
storming out of the studio, not giving a damn about the class that starts in a
few minutes.
 As I reach the door, I nearly trip over a coffee cup left carelessly on the
ground.
“Who the fuck leaves their coffee on the floor?” I mutter to myself,
trying to contain my anger.
I make my way to the reception desk, finding Jax and the twins standing
there with Chris.
“Jaxon, I’m done playing nice with my students if they abuse it like
this,” I say, my fists clenched. He senses that something is off and
immediately approaches me.
“What happened?” he asks.
“Tyler, one of my students, kissed me without my consent, but I pushed
her away immediately,” I say, my tone still agitated.
“Locker room Tyler?” Ryder asks, getting to the point.
My frustration increases at the mention of her name. Chris, who’s been
standing there quietly, speaks up after cussing under her breath.
“Liv may have seen this when she brought over the coffee earlier,” she
says, concern etched on her face. The guys exchange a worried glance,
while Jaxon paces back and forth, his anger building.
“I can’t believe this is happening. We need to find Liv and make sure
she’s okay,” he says.
Ryder ends his call, looking at the others. “Her phone is off. I tried to
call her a few times, but it just goes straight to voicemail.”
“I mean, I get that she’s hurt, but why would she leave like this? You
guys are still in the friend zone, right?” River asks me, and I stifle a groan
before answering.
“I may have fucked up last night.”

Jaxon
“In my office, now,” I command, and they all file in with bowed heads
like naughty schoolboys. As soon as the door is closed behind us, I turn to
Chase and ask, “What do you mean you may have fucked up last night?” I
try to stay calm, but my words come out between clenched teeth.
“I was staying late, going over the books, when she came in to dance
again,” Chase explains. “She wasn’t dancing like she does normally. It was
hot and seductive, and I couldn’t stay away from her. One thing led to
another, and…yeah.”
“Chase,” I say, struggling to keep my cool. “I’m trying really hard not
to punch you right now.”
Chase lifts his palms in a gesture of surrender. “I know we said we’d
take it slow, but I’d like to see any of you say no to her when she’s coming
on to you.”
“She started it?” Ryder asks.
“I mean, I wasn’t discouraging it…” Chase admits sheepishly.
I ignore that and ask, “You did it in the studio, where anyone could have
walked in?”
“The cameras,” River says, swiping a hand down his face, and I curse
under my breath. He goes to my computer and tells us, “I need to delete the
files before they get uploaded to the security server.”
Chase’s eyes widen. “I didn’t even think about that. I swear. Fuck, I’m
so sorry. Can I help?”
River frowns at him. “No, I’m going to do it as quickly as I can, and I’m
not going to let any of you look at the footage. I’m trying to protect her
privacy, not stalk her like a perv.”
The room falls silent as River works to delete the footage. Chase is
leaning against the wall on the opposite side of my office when River jumps
up from the desk chair and charges towards him, landing a punch on his
face.
I’m impressed. I’ve never seen River hit someone, but his form is
perfect.
“What the fuck, Riv?” Ryder asks, now holding his twin back after
reacting too slowly, while Chase just holds his jaw in pain.
“You didn’t use protection! You’ve slept with half of the city’s female
population and didn’t use a condom! Does her health mean nothing to you?
Is she just another one of your fucking conquests? If you ruined this for us,
you are dead to me, Chase,” River yells at him, angry as fuck. I’ve never
seen him like that before.
Chase’s face falls. “I know, man, I messed up. I realized it right after she
left me standing there. I’m so sorry. I’ll do anything to make it right,” he
says, his voice heavy with regret. “Believe me when I say I’ve never slept
with anyone without a condom before. I just forgot, but that’s not an excuse.
I forgot because she’s not just a conquest. She means everything, and I
couldn’t think about anything else. I’m going to get tested right away to
make sure I haven’t fucked up even more.”
I believe Chase, and honestly, I don’t think he would have intentionally
done anything to hurt her. We should all go get tested to make sure we are
careful with her.
“We get it, Chase,” I say. “But now we have to think about another
potential problem too. Is she on birth control?”
“We don’t have to worry about pregnancies, just STDs,” River spits out,
frowning at Chase.
“Why?” Ryder asks.
“She has an IUD,” he says.
“And how do you know that?” I ask him.
“She told me when we talked about her period,” he says, shrugging.
Ryder barks out a laugh. “You talked about her period with her?”
“Shut up,” River says, pulling himself out of his twin’s grasp. “I was
concerned about her well-being, like all of you should be. It’s the twenty-
first century. Men can talk about periods. Get a grip.”
My eyes widen. I like this new River, but we need to get Liv back to
keep him.

Ryder
I’m still reeling a bit from the realization that Chase slept with my girl
and River punched him in his face for it. Well, that wasn’t on my life bingo
card, but we still have the problem of Liv being gone.
“What do we do now? Does someone have a plan?” I ask.
“River, can you check the security footage for the section where Tyler
kissed Chase?” Jaxon asks. “Maybe if it’s clear that he didn’t consent to it,
it would be good to show Liv.”
River gets to work, and after a few minutes, he lifts his head.
“I’m sorry bro, I wasn’t fair,” he tells Chase.
Chase just nods, and we all gather behind Riv to see the footage. It’s
clear that Chase didn’t do anything to encourage Tyler’s advances, and he
quickly pushed her away. We can also see Liv standing near the entrance,
watching. She turns back to the doors so quickly that she just didn’t see
Chase rejecting Tyler.
“Fuck,” Chase mutters. “In her eyes, not even six hours after we slept
together, I’m kissing another girl in the same place like she meant nothing
to me.” He buries his face in his hands. “Fuck!” he yells, kicking the desk.
Jaxon puts a hand on Chase’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. “Hey,
it’s not your fault. Liv just misunderstood the situation. We need to find her
and talk to her, explain what really happened.”
River nods. “We need to make things right with her, and, Chase, I’m
sorry I punched you earlier.”
“No man, it’s fine. I deserved it,” Chase replies, shaking his head.
“So, any idea where she could have gone?” I ask.
“Let’s check her apartment first,” Jaxon orders.

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 CHAPTER TWO

Chase
Ryder and I are lounging on the couch while the TV plays in the
background, but my mind is elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of her. It’s
been three days, and she’s just gone. Her apartment seems empty, her phone
is off, she didn’t go to class, and I have no idea where we could find her.
This is all because of me.
We searched every possible place and approached some of her
classmates, but had no luck. We even knocked on that Gunner guy’s door
since the others said he was a good friend of hers, but he didn’t know where
she was either, and I could see the panic rise in his eyes when he tried to
call her and didn’t get through. Meanwhile, the guys and I got tested to
ensure that my recklessness didn’t put her at risk, and thankfully, we’re all
good.
I’m still amazed at how Riv has stood up for Liv. It’s comforting to
know that we all have her back, even if it means standing up against our
family.
Jaxon comes in with some groceries and heads to the kitchen to put
them away. He can’t stand doing nothing, so he’s been cooking this whole
time.
River bursts into the room, waving his tablet. “Guys, you need to see
this!” he says, settling onto the couch beside us.
Jaxon leans into the doorway between the living room and kitchen,
wiping his hands on a towel. River has been holed up in his room for the
past two days, poring over our security camera feed, searching for any clues
as to where she might have gone.
“I haven’t found any leads on where she might be,” River admits, and
my hope deflates a little, “but I found something else.”
He connects his tablet to the TV, and there is a younger version of her,
with blonde hair and those same beautiful olive green eyes that captivate
me so much. It’s a paused YouTube video, where she’s standing beside a
guy with his arm around her shoulder. They both look sweaty but happy.
“What is that? Where did you find this?” Ryder asks, jumping up.
River looks down, seemingly embarrassed. “I wanted to learn about
contemporary dance, so I looked up videos of the best contemporary
dancers worldwide and stumbled upon this.” He hits play, and the video
starts over.
It’s a clip from a Canadian show called Canada’s Biggest Talents. We
watch as Liv and the guy run onto a dance floor, stopping in the center to
face a wildly clapping audience and a panel of judges, consisting of three
Canadian celebrities I recognize but can’t name. They hold hands, smiling
and waving to the crowd. Liv is wearing only a dark red sports bra and
denim shorts, her long, blonde hair falling down her back, while the guy
wears a beige shirt and dark red trousers. Both are barefoot.
“Olivia, Liam, are you ready for your final performance tonight?” asks
one of the celebrity judges, and the crowd whoops.
“Olivia?” Ryder asks, but before I can answer him, the Liam guy
speaks.
“We are so happy to have made it to the finale. It doesn’t matter to us if
we win tonight. We’re blessed to have this experience with all of you. It’s
been the adventure of a lifetime for us. Thank you, to every single one of
you who has voted for us time and time again for making our dream come
true. We love you guys!”
God, what a cliché this guy is. He’s good-looking, though. Even I can
admit that. I don’t want to imagine what my seventeen-year-old self would
have looked like beside him.
The lights go down as they get into position. “Unsteady” by X
Ambassadors starts playing, and I get a flashback to Liv stumbling over her
gym bag to get to her phone to change the song in the studio.
When the stage lights come up again, Liv is on her knees while Liam
stands beside her. He offers her a hand, pulling her to her feet and into a
twirl before lifting her off the ground, her body horizontal over his chest.
My heart races as he releases her, where she flips in the air before he
catches her inches from the floor with just one arm. A tug on her hand
brings her back to standing with her back to his front. Liam places his hands
on her forehead and chin, then Liv takes a step towards the camera, holding
out her arms and opening her mouth in a silent scream before he pulls her
back into his chest. They turn around, dancing a few steps apart before
coming back together. When the beat drops, Liam lies on the floor while
Liv performs a split in the air. She steps over him and, with a backwards
bridge, positions herself above him, then slowly lowers herself to lie on his
chest. Liam sits up with Liv in his lap, both hands on her hips, before he
swings her off of him, the momentum bringing her back-to-back with him.
As I watch Liv and Liam’s performance, I’m completely mesmerized.
I’ve never seen anything like it. Their choreography is flawless, their
movements perfectly in sync. Liv has always been an outstanding dancer,
but seeing her paired with Liam is pure magic.
“You guys have no idea how fucking good that is,” I murmur.
Jaxon comes up behind me, leaning on the couch I’m sitting on.
“I’ve never seen anyone dance like this,” I say, and I’ve seen my fair
share of great dancers.
“The video has two hundred million views,” Ryder says, his eyes wide.
“I found their YouTube channel,” River says with a grimace. “It has
over six million subscribers and is filled with high-quality dance videos.
They won the competition and many more after that.”
“How the fuck did we not know about that?” I ask, baffled.
“It seems like they’re huge in Canada, but I don’t think the hype made it
to the States,” River explains.
“I still think I should have heard of them in the dance community,” I
say, scratching my neck, and Ryder chuckles bitterly.
“Oh yeah? Because you were so into contemporary dance before you
met her?” he asks sarcastically, and I realize he’s right.
“It may also have to do with the fact that it’s not Liv Michaels who’s
famous,” River points out. “According to their YouTube channel, our girl’s
name is Olivia Baker.”

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 CHAPTER THREE

Ryder
My girl’s name is Olivia, and she’s a star in Canada. Honestly, I don’t
give a fuck about it. I knew she was special from the moment I met her, so
it doesn’t surprise me she’s more than what she’s let on. It stings a bit that
she didn’t tell us, but I’m sure there’s a reason for it. Plus, she’ll tell me
everything as soon as I have her back in my arms, right after I make her
come so hard on my tongue that she passes out. That should be punishment
enough for leaving me like this.
What bothers me is this Liam guy. River is showing us their channel,
and Liam is in all the videos, which spans years of content. Is he her
brother? A friend? Or worse, an ex? I can’t even fathom a scenario where
he’s still in the picture. If she left us to go back to him, I might just die from
a broken heart.
“When was the last video uploaded?” I ask River, and he scrolls back up
to the most recent one.
“It’s from nearly a year ago,” he says, and I feel like I can breathe again.
That’s a good sign, right?
River clicks on the video, and music begins to play. The video says it’s
“FIGURES” by Jessie Reyez. I don’t know the song, but it gives off indie
vibes. There she is on screen, looking much more like the woman I know.
She’s still blonde and dolled up, but she’s more mature and her perfect
curves are the same.
 They’re standing in what seems like an empty warehouse. Liv is
wearing black flowy shorts and a black bralette, while Liam… Fuck, Liam
looks even better now that he’s all grown up and can grow a beard. Why
does the fucker have to look that good?
We’ve all had our fair share of girls before Liv, and I know I’m not
unattractive, but that guy there could be a fucking male model. No, I’m not
jealously obsessing over him.
As they move, it’s clear that their dancing style has become more
defined and mature as well, giving a sensuality that even someone like me,
with no expertise in dancing, can appreciate. They’re even better than
before.
He stands behind her and pulls her close to his chest, running his hands
over her stomach and arms, kissing her shoulder. In the next moment, he
abruptly pushes her away, causing her to fall to the ground. He turns his
back to her, but she quickly rises to her feet and pulls him around by his
shoulder. He steps towards her, while she walks backwards, matching the
beat of the music. The dance feels both passionate and aggressive, like a
dispute between lovers, and my stomach twists.

Jaxon
Liam pulls her from her feet horizontally to his chest, then flips her
before he lets her fall. It seems like this is their signature move, and it’s
impressive as hell. Softening her fall with one hand, he lays her on the
ground. He pulls on her foot, but she kicks at him. They’re really good at
portraying the lovers’ spat the song is talking about, and I can see the
emotional pain in her face.
He lays down beside her, and they’re both on their backs, looking at
each other. He reaches over to her, pulling her into a kiss. Fuck, I hate that
pretty boy. He pulls her to her feet again before they do some fancy dancing
shit I know nothing about, but what catches my attention is the tightness of
his grip on her. His fingers leave crimson marks on her sun-kissed skin
wherever he touches her.
She steps away from him, but he pulls her back into an embrace. As the
camera zooms in on him, I see him planting open-mouthed kisses on her
neck and shoulder, and it makes me want to punch his handsome face.
As the camera moves around them, Liv comes into view, looking over
his shoulder, and I see a glimpse of fear in her eyes. What the hell? They
end the dance with some more twists and turns, but I’m distracted. That was
real fear I saw in those green eyes, wasn’t it?
River is minimizing the video when the first comment catches my eye.

Well, that didn’t age well.

I frown. What the fuck does that mean?

“River, can you open the comment section of the last video real quick?”
I ask. He does, and it’s like he opened Pandora’s box.

It’s such a tragedy. They were perfect together.

I always knew he was a psychopath. He has the crazy eyes.

So she’s single now, right?

I don’t give a fuck what they say he did. He can get it anytime.

She asked for it. I mean, why would you leave someone like him? Stuck up bitch.

He didn’t do it, she framed him!

Is it even legal to be that good-looking while murdering people?

 “What the…” River says, opening the search engine app on his tablet,
and because it’s still connected, we all can see him type “Olivia Baker +
Liam Harris” into the search bar and press enter. The headline of the first
article that pops up does not bode well.

Judge Rules Canada’s Biggest Talents Star Liam Harris Not Guilty by Reason of
Insanity in the Murder of the Baker Family.

The room falls quiet.

“Oh my god,” Ryder whispers.
River taps on the article, and a picture of Liam and Liv smiling at the
camera opens at the top of the page.
“Well, that’s just tasteless,” Chase mutters.

TORONTO — Judge McGinty has ruled that accused killer Liam Harris, 20, is not
guilty, by reason of insanity, for the murders of Michael Baker, 48, his wife,
Samantha, 46, and their son, Theodore, 6, at their home on Forest Hill South in
Toronto. Mr. Harris gained access to the Baker’s house under a false pretext after his
co-star and longtime girlfriend, Olivia Baker, 20, ended the relationship with the
dancer a few hours earlier.
Ms. Baker testified that the relationship had been abusive for some time, but she
kept delaying a breakup because she feared for her safety and career. It wasn’t until
Mr. Harris became violent toward her little brother, Theodore, that she finally ended
things. Mr. Harris stabbed Michael and Samantha Baker to death on sight, then he
held Theodore and Olivia captive before fatally stabbing Theodore too. Despite
suffering multiple stab wounds, Ms. Baker managed to save herself by jumping out of
the third-floor window of the house, but the fall from nearly ten meters shattered her
right knee and ended her career.
Two psychologists, one brought in by the state and one hired by the defense, have
concluded that during the murders, Mr. Harris was suffering an acute psychotic
episode. The experts found he was unable to distinguish right from wrong, meaning he
meets the criteria to be acquitted by reason of insanity. Ms. Baker insisted Mr. Harris
was not insane when he committed the homicides. She called the findings of the
mental health experts outright lies and believes that the handling of his case was an
example of rich boy justice. Judge McGinty has ruled that Mr. Harris be involuntarily
committed into the custody of the Toronto branch of the Ontario Ministry of Health
and Long-Term Care’s Forensic Psychiatry Program for placement in a secured mental
health facility for six years, with subsequent re-evaluation.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOUR

River
As the pieces click together, the truth hits me like a ton of bricks. Her
scar, the nightmares, the constant sadness in her eyes that she can never
seem to shake away… Liv lost everything and had to start from scratch. I
can’t even begin to imagine the pain she must have gone through and is still
suffering from. My heart aches for her.
Jax erupts in frustration, slamming his hands onto his head and tugging
at his hair.
“Fuck!” he shouts. “I need to get to the gym. I need to punch something,
and I’d rather not rage out at home.”
I’m impressed by his self-awareness. Jax has always struggled with
anger issues, which is why he got into MMA fighting, wanting to channel
his anger into something productive. The fact that he can communicate his
feelings and hold himself back is a huge step for him.
“Sure, bro. Let’s go,” Chase says, standing up and heading towards the
door. I glance at Ryder, and we both stand up.
“Coming,” we say simultaneously, following Jax and Chase out of the
house.
We’re all sitting in Jaxon’s office after taking turns on the heavy bags. It
helped to release our anger and feelings of helplessness, but now we all just
feel resigned and unsure of how to help Liv. I don’t know where she is or
how to find her. I’m starting to doubt that she left because of Chase. Yes,
she was hurt by what she saw, but she wouldn’t just give up and leave after
all the hard work she put in to start a new life. Our girl is stronger than
that. The fact that she’s still trying to move on and be happy, despite
everything she’s been through, shows how resilient she is.
“I still can’t wrap my head around what that article said,” Ryder says,
speaking softly into the silence we’re all stuck in. “She’s so fucking brave. I
mean, the situation must have been brutal, but to have the strength to jump
out of a third-floor window to save yourself... Do you know how high that
is? It’s a miracle she even survived.”
“It wasn’t brave, it was just the lesser evil.” Liv appears in the doorway
of Jaxon’s office, looking exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes and
messy hair. We all jump to our feet.
“Liv! Are you okay?” I ask her, but we all stand there, frozen in place,
no one daring to get to her. Her expression is haunted.
“What do you mean, the lesser evil?” Jaxon asks and Liv’s head turns to
him.
“I’d just lost my parents. I watched my little brother in pain and terror
before he bled out in my lap.”
I suck in a breath, feeling bile rise in my throat, before she continues.
“Liam told me he had plans for me, that he would take me away.”
“He’s a fucking psychopath,” Ryder spits out in disgust.
“He is,” Liv agrees. “I couldn’t stand the thought, so as soon as he left
the room for a second, I jumped.”
“But you could have died!” Jaxon nearly yells.
“I think she knew that” Chase says sadly, his voice rough. It’s the first
thing he’s said in a long time.
“I wanted to tell you guys everything before I left, but it seems you
found out yourselves,” Liv says, looking at the floor, wringing her hands. “I
understand if it’s too much baggage to handle. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you
before, but I’m still struggling with a lot. I found peace with you that I
didn’t want to end. I was selfish, and I’m just so damn sorry.”
We all stand there in silence, processing what Liv just told us. My heart
breaks for her, and I can feel the weight of her pain in the room.
 Jaxon is the first to move, walking over to Liv and pulling her into a
tight embrace.
“Never do that again to me, sunshine, you hear me?” he whispers
against her temple. “Give us all your pain, we’ll help you carry it. Rage,
cry, mourn—we’re here for everything, but never leave us again. I can
handle your trauma, but I can’t handle you leaving me.”
Liv clings to Jaxon, tears streaming down her face. “I won’t,” she
whispers, her voice breaking with emotion. “I’m sorry, I won’t.”
We all gather around her and Jaxon. Ryder is petting her back, while I
kiss the side of her head. Only Chase is standing awkwardly beside us,
unsure if she’d welcome his comfort. It’s clear that Liv’s strength and
resilience have kept her going all this time, but it’s also obvious that she
needs us now more than ever. I look at Chase and then tilt my head towards
Liv. This isn’t the time for him being unsure. She needs to know that we’re
all here for her.
Chase steps to her side, interlocking their pinky fingers. She turns her
head on Jaxon’s chest to look at him, her eyes filled with questions.
“Liv, about what you saw the other day—” Chase starts, but she cuts
him off.
“Don’t worry, Chase. You never promised me anything, and how could I
expect you to only want me when I want all of you? We haven’t talked
about boundaries or what this is. It hurt me, but my feelings are my
problem, not yours.”
Jaxon lets go of her, and Chase pulls her to him. He takes her other hand
and places it flat on his chest, above his heart.
“Liv, I swear I haven’t been with anyone else since I met you. My entire
world shifted, and everything that was important to me no longer matters.
What we share is too precious to risk, and I think I can speak for all of us
when I say that we only want you. There will be no one else but us.”
“Just us,” Jaxon affirms, his commanding gaze locked onto hers.
“Just us,” Ryder and I say, echoing him at the same time.
“That girl came onto me, but I pushed her away. I would never do that
to you. You mean too much to me,” he tells her, cupping her cheek.
“He’s telling the truth,” I say, and Liv looks at me. “I have proof if you
need to see it, but I wouldn’t let him talk to you like that if he really did
what you think.” Liv nods slowly, and Ryder chuckles beside me.
 “He even punched Chase for what happened,” he reveals, and I elbow
him in the ribs. Liv inhales sharply as she looks from me to Chase and back
again.
“You did?” she asks, and Chase’s mouth turns up slightly.
“He did, and he got me good, but I deserved it. You wouldn’t have left
if it wasn’t for me.”
She pulls her shoulders toward her head. “Actually, there’s something
else I need to tell you guys,” she says, and we all look at her curiously.
“When I left the studio after seeing you and her…” She pauses, and I bite
my lip. “Chris had a letter for me at reception. It was from Liam, and I
panicked.”
“What the fuck?” Jaxon erupts. “How does he know you’re here?”
“I have no idea,” Liv says, her lip quivering. “He used to send me letters
from the institution he was in back in Toronto, but I only opened the first
one. I haven’t told anyone where I’ve gone, only our old manager who
helped me get out of there, and he would never tell him where I am.”
“What did the letter say?” I ask.
“He just wrote that he missed me and couldn’t wait to get to know my
new friends,” she says. “I thought he would come for you guys, Gunner,
and Chris, so I panicked. I thought the only way to protect you was to
leave.” Jaxon takes her chin in his forefinger and thumb.
“Eyes on me, Liv,” he commands, and she looks up at him. “He won’t
get to you or to us, but we need to know everything and we need to stick
together. We’re a family, and we protect each other, but I can’t protect you
if you don’t tell me anything or if you run away, you hear me?”
“I hear you,” she whispers, and Jaxon gives her a quick peck before
releasing her.
“Where did you go?” Ryder asks, taking her hand. “What was the plan,
baby?”
“There wasn’t a plan,” she replies, looking down at the floor. “I got in
my car and drove for nearly a day. After sleeping in the car for a few hours,
I thought about what happened and called Frank, our former manager. I
asked him if he could check if Liam was still being held in the facility, and
he came back to me pretty quickly, confirming that Liam was still there. I
thought he might have gotten information on my whereabouts, even though
I have no idea how that could have happened. Maybe a viewer recognized
me or something. He can’t just come here and hurt any of you, though, so I
decided it was best to come back, tell you everything, and figure out a plan
together.”
“Good girl,” Jaxon murmurs after kissing her temple.
“Yes, you did good, beautiful,” I say, smiling at her, but Chase notices
Liv’s exhausted state.
“You look beat, Liv. Have you slept since then?” he asks.
“After the call with Frank, I drove right back here through the night,”
she admits, shaking her head, so Jaxon immediately takes charge.
“All right, let’s get you back to our place. I’ll cook something for you
and you can sleep,” he says, but Liv hesitates.
“I can go home to sleep, Jaxon, it’s no problem. I need a shower too.”
“As if we would leave you alone now,” Ryder says, putting an arm
around her shoulder. “You can decide, Liv. Either you come home with us
to shower, eat, and sleep there, or we all come home with you.”
“I don’t think we’ll all fit in that tiny apartment,” Liv says with a shrug
as we make our way towards the exit.
“How come you have such a small one? It seems like money isn’t the
issue,” Ryder asks her, and I cringe at his blunt question. Can he not put his
foot in his mouth for once? Only Liv just laughs.
“What? Do I not meet your typical celebrity standard?” she teases.
“I-I didn’t mean—” Ryder stammers, but Liv interrupts.
“I know, I’m just joking,” she assures him. “It was the only one
available near the campus on short notice. I thought I could find a better one
when I settled.”
When we get to Liv’s Mini, I hold out my hand to her and say, “Keys.”
She looks at me questioningly, so I continue, “There’s no way you’re going
to drive as tired as you are, and I’m sure you’d like to have your car, so let
me drive. You can ride with me or Jaxon.”
She smiles, giving me the keys and a small peck on my lips before
whispering, “Thank you.” Then she rounds the hood and gets in on the
passenger side.
“Let’s get going,” Jaxon says, and Chase and Ryder get into the Jeep
with him.
I get in the driver’s seat, start the car, and follow behind Jaxon on the
road. My right hand is on the stick, but Liv takes it and interlocks our
fingers. I bring the back of her hand to my lips for a short kiss before
lowering it again. I hear her sniffle, so I shoot her a quick look. Not only is
she exhausted, she’s full-on sobbing now. I pull over to the side of the road
and stop the car.
“Beautiful,” I start, but she already has her seatbelt undone and is
crawling over the center console into my lap to straddle me before I can say
anything else. Her arms are around my neck, hugging me tight, and she’s
crying hard. “I’ve got you,” I tell her, stroking the back of her head and her
lower back.
Jaxon has seen us stop and pulls over a few feet in front of us. Ryder
gets out of the Jeep and sprints to us, opening the driver side door.
“Sit with her on the passenger seat. I’m going to drive us home,” he
tells me, and I nod.
I undo my seatbelt and stand up with her hanging onto me like a little
monkey, while Ryder goes to open the passenger door for us. I sit down,
and he arranges the seatbelt around both of us. Liv is still crying into my
neck, and I’m stroking her gently. As Jaxon and Ryder start to drive again, I
whisper soothingly in her ear, but not two minutes later, she’s fast asleep in
my arms.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIVE

Liv
I take a deep breath, the scent of fresh soap and peppermint filling my
nostrils, and a smile spreads across my face. River. I snuggle into his hard
chest, feeling warm and content. My nose is slightly squished, but I don’t
mind. My right hand is on his hip, my fingers just under his shirt, but I let
them wander up his back, tracing light patterns. I hear him groan, so I
scratch him lightly with my nails, trailing my fingertips from his back to his
abs. His six-pack is impressive, and I can’t resist running my hand over it.
As I move, my arm brushes against his erection in his sweatpants, and I feel
it twitch.
“Liv,” he whispers. “Are you awake, beautiful?”
“Mm-hm,” I hum, trailing my hand farther down, but he grabs my wrist
gently and leans back so he can look me in my eyes. He looks disheveled,
his normally styled hair ruffled, making him look so much like his brother.
He lets go of my wrist and cups my cheek, stroking it.
“How are you feeling? Did you sleep okay?” he asks.
I nod and look around, taking in my surroundings. I realize I’m in a
room I don’t know, but a quick glance makes it clear that it’s River’s.
There’s a big desk with three monitors on it, a TV mounted on the wall
across from the bed, with multiple game consoles attached to it, and beside
the bed sits a beanbag. Still, his whole room is tidy and clean and just as big
as Ryder’s.
“I don’t remember coming in here,” I say, and he chuckles.
 “You fell asleep in my arms, and we couldn’t get you to let go of me, so
I improvised.”
I blush as the memories flood back and cover my face with my hands. I
had a fucking breakdown, and River was my victim.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to break down on you like that, I just—” I
start, but he interrupts me with a gentle shushing sound and takes my hands
away from my face before planting a soft kiss on my nose.
“It’s okay. I hate that you’re hurting so much, but I’m glad I could be
there for you. I know you’re strong and capable, but I’m here to give you a
break if you need someone else to be your strength for a while.”
His words are so comforting that I feel my eyes tear up again, but this
time, it’s out of gratitude. I lean into him and wrap my arms around his
neck, feeling safe and loved in his embrace.
“I missed you so much. I thought I would never see you again,” I
whisper, and he squeezes me tightly.
“Weeks, months, years—it doesn’t matter. I would have found you, Liv.
I’m not gonna let you disappear from my life. I just got you.” His words
comfort me, and I relax a bit.
We stay like that for a while, just holding each other and enjoying the
moment. Finally, he pulls away and looks at me with a smile.
“Come on. You can go have a shower, and I’ll let Jaxon know you’re
awake so he can do his magic.” My belly growls, and he laughs. “Let’s go
before you starve. You slept through the night and nearly a whole day.”
I look at him in shock, now feeling my bladder too.
“I needed a break too, don’t worry,” he says, and I get up and let him
guide me out of his room.

As the hot water trickles down my body, I let out a deep sigh. The past few
days have been a nightmare, but I’ve come to the realization that I
overreacted. Yes, Liam found out where I am and wrote me a terrifying
letter, but he’s still locked up and unable to do anything about it. He can
only terrorize me with his words, something he has done before when I was
back home. Not opening the letters helped, even though it was always a hit
to my progress when one arrived, but I can handle letters. I refuse to throw
away my new life, my friends, and the guys just because of that. Stepping
out of the shower, I wrap myself in the plush towel that River laid out for
me. I’ve already used a spare toothbrush and Chase’s hair products, which
are way better than mine. I need to know where he shops.
I put my damp hair in a high ponytail and dress in the boxer shorts,
sweatpants, and T-shirt River brought in earlier. I think they’re Chase’s,
since he’s the smallest of them, but they’re still way too big on me. I tie the
strings of the sweatpants tightly, trying to keep them from falling down. As
I look in the mirror, I can’t help but notice how ridiculous I look in the
oversized clothes, but at least they’re comfortable. I wish I had some lotion
or oil for my skin, but I’ll have to make do without it. How do guys manage
to have such nice skin without using moisturizer?
Focusing on getting through the rest of the day without any more
breakdowns, I take a deep breath and head out of the bathroom, ready to
face whatever comes my way.
I make my way to the living room, where the guys are all seated on the
couch and watching a show on TV, but they stand when I come in. Jaxon
comes over to me and pulls me into an embrace.
“I hope you like scrambled egg breakfast burritos for dinner,” he
whispers in my ear, and a weight falls from my shoulders. I thought he was
going to demand answers from me.
“I know I’ll love them since you made them,” I say, and he kisses me
quickly before letting go and heading to the kitchen.
I take a quick look at the clock on the wall and find it’s already seven
pm. Chase pulls me in next and cups my head in both his hands, his eyes
hooded.
“I so like you in my stuff, gorgeous,” he says before lowering his head
and kissing me gently.
It’s a good kiss, and butterflies erupt in my stomach as I realize he’s
never kissed me like this before. Chase is a great kisser and lover. We did
kiss during sex, but never just like a simple kiss. As much as I want to push
away the thought, the truth is that practice makes perfect, and he’s had a lot
of practice.
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts, and smile at him.
“Thanks for the clothes, Chase. They’re comfy,” I say, trying to stay on
topic.
 He grins at me, obviously pleased with himself, and heads to the kitchen
to help Jaxon.
“Twin sandwich!” Ryder shouts before I get squished from the front and
the back, though River is noticeably gentler in his squishing from behind
me. I laugh.
“I missed you, baby,” Ryder says, then pulls me in for a passionate kiss
that leaves me feeling a bit dizzy. River, meanwhile, moves my hair to the
side so he has free access to my neck and starts to kiss me there, sending
shivers down my spine. I gently push Ryder away, feeling way too horny
for the setting.
“Guys…” I say breathlessly.
Ryder chuckles as Jaxon and Chase enter the room with plates of food.
“To be continued,” he whispers in my ear, and I can feel my cheeks
flush with heat.
We all sit on the couch, and Jaxon hands me a plate with a burrito on it.
I’m famished, so I take a big bite and hear them chuckling as I stuff my
face. I don’t even look up and just flip them off.
“That was so good. Is there more?” I ask Jaxon after I’ve demolished
my burrito.
“Sure, I’ll get you more,” he replies, blinking at me, then he stands up
with my plate in his hands. When he comes back, they all watch as I eat the
second one a bit slower.
“What?” I ask around a mouthful.
“Did you eat anything in the last three days?” Jaxon asks me, and I look
to the ground.
“I had some coffee and a cookie from a gas station,” I reply with a
shrug.
“Liv,” he nearly growls.
“Drop it, please,” I whisper, which he does, but I feel him fuming beside
me.
I finish my food and set the plate down, all of them still watching me.
Jaxon sits on my left side and pulls my arm over his lap, tracing the scar on
my forearm with his finger. His touch is gentle, but I can’t help but twitch
anyway. He looks up at me, the question written all over his face. Can I talk
about it? They deserve to know. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
“He cut me while I was fighting to get my phone back from him,” I
explain, stretching my arm out so the others can see better.
 Chase is sitting on my other side, but River and Ryder stand up to come
kneel in front of me. River pulls my wrist towards him, inspecting the scar.
“He also got me here,” I say, pulling back the collar of the oversized T-
shirt to reveal the scar on my left shoulder. Jaxon bends over and reaches
for the collar, stretching it out a bit more to get a better look.
“Motherfucker,” he mutters, and I nod in agreement.
“What happened, Liv? We saw an article about the trial, but we don’t
know the details,” Chase asks, rubbing my knee.
“You don’t have to tell us anything if you’re not ready, beautiful,” River
tells me after shooting Chase a glare, but I give him a grateful smile.
“I know I don’t have to, but I want to. I want you guys to know me, all
of me,” I reply.
Jaxon nods and squeezes my shoulder, so I start.
“Liam and I grew up together. Our parents were best friends, and his
family lived just next door. We did everything together—went to the same
school, same classes, and got into dancing at the same time. He was my
only friend, my best friend. I’d had a crush on him since I was like twelve,
and everybody always said we were made for each other. When we were
sixteen, Liam finally confessed his feelings for me, and we got together. We
were in love.”
I look up from my hands in my lap and see Jaxon’s jaw ticking, so I
look back down.
“We both loved dance, and we were good, so our dance teacher thought
it would be a good idea for us to audition for Canada’s Biggest Talents.”
“We saw the finale on YouTube,” Chase says. “You guys won.”
“Yes, we did,” I reply, nodding. “We took off from there. Liam was
good with the media. He was Canada’s golden child, and I was the pretty
little accessory on his arm. Since I’m not good with people or crowds, I let
Liam do all the talking and was just there, smiling at the cameras. We
started a YouTube channel, built a community for ourselves, and performed
all over Canada. We won some competitions, and everything was great. It
was a hard lifestyle, but I loved it, and Liam was good to me…until he
wasn’t anymore.”
Chase and the others listen attentively as I continue. “It started with
little things, like him being more controlling over my social media and what
I wore or ate, until he controlled my whole day. Then it escalated quickly,
and he became physically abusive. At first, he would just grab me or push
me, but then it turned into hitting me. He would always apologize afterward
and say he was stressed or had a lot on his mind. I believed him and forgave
him, but it just kept happening. When it just got worse, I wanted to leave
him, but I was too scared of what he could do to me or my career. He had
everyone wrapped around his finger, and nobody would take my side or
even believe me. I didn’t know what I would do if I couldn’t dance
anymore. At that time, we were already considered celebrities, and I just
knew that if we parted ways, it would make waves,” I say, my voice
shaking with emotion, so I take a deep breath before continuing.
“The final straw was when he pushed my little brother during a fight.
Theodore heard him yelling and came in to protect me, realizing that Liam
was hurting me. I knew then that I had to leave him. Hurting my family was
over the line. I told him that we were over, and he left, telling me I would
regret it,” I say, my voice breaking as tears stream down my face.
“The same evening, he came over to our house and he…he…” I start to
sob, so Jaxon scoops me up to sit in his lap, straddling him.
“We’ve got you, Liv. You’re safe,” he says, stroking my head.
I feel more hands rubbing my arms and my thighs, so I relax in Jaxon’s
hold. He’s right—they’ve got me, and I’m safe.
I turn my head in his embrace and lean against his shoulder, needing his
strength to tell them the end of the story. He holds me tight while I start
again.
“Our house had three floors, and I was just going down to the kitchen to
get something to drink when I heard a muffled scream. When I hurried to
check, I found Liam standing over the bodies of my parents with a knife in
his hand. They were already dead, lying in their blood. I ran back up to get
my phone but remembered Theodore was in his room, so I went to him, and
we hid in his closet. Only Liam found us and brought us up to my room on
the third floor. He was frantic, telling me that we needed to leave and that
we would build a life together somewhere else. He said they were all
against us and wanted to break us up. He was waving the knife around and
swung it in Theodore’s direction, stabbing him in the chest,” I recount
through sobs.
Jaxon wraps his arms around me tighter and plants a soft kiss on the top
of my head.
“He didn’t mean to hurt him, but when I wanted to call for an
ambulance, Liam refused to let me or help him. Theodore bled out in my
lap. It all happened so fast.” Tears are now streaming down my face.
“After that, he told me we needed to leave and that I would get over
everything. I refused to let him take me, so I tried to get to my phone, but
he was faster. We struggled for it, and he cut my shoulder and forearm in
the process. He went to get some bandages to patch me up so we could
leave for wherever he wanted to take me, but I’d rather die than go with
him, so I jumped out of my window.”
I feel Jaxon inhale sharply as I continue with my story.
“The jump didn’t kill me, obviously, it just shattered my knee and
caused some other minor injuries. Our neighbor saw me jump and called the
police and ambulance. I needed three surgeries and physical therapy to walk
again. Liam’s trial was sped up because of his father’s connections. The
Harris family is old money, and they own half of the health institutes in
Canada, including the hospital my father worked at as chief of cardiology
and the facility Liam is locked up in.”
“How could they do that?” River asks, his voice laced with disbelief.
“Locking him up in a facility his dad owns? How is that fair treatment for
his offenses? And how did he even get away with pleading insanity?”
“You guys have no idea what money can do,” I reply, letting out a bitter
laugh. “I witnessed a few times how Mr. Harris made Liam’s life easier by
dropping their name and throwing around some money. It’s all just rich
privilege.
“After what happened, I was left alone in the big house. I started trauma
therapy, which I’m still doing online, and just tried to survive, but the media
was relentless. There were people in front of my house all the time,
journalists and fans of Liam, telling me I destroyed his life and career and
that I should be the one locked up. It got so bad that I couldn’t leave the
house anymore without being harassed, even months after everything
happened. On top of that, Liam wrote me a letter at least once a week, and
his parents called and knocked on my door regularly. I couldn’t handle it
anymore. One day, while I was at my therapist’s office, someone sliced my
tires, smashed my windows, and spray-painted a message on my car, telling
me I should go kill myself. That’s when I decided I’d had enough and
needed to disappear.”
Jaxon is shaking, and I can see the rage building in his eyes. I turn my
head to look at River and Ryder. Ryder is furrowing his brows and playing
with his lip ring, while River’s eyes have a glassy sheen. Chase hooks his
pinky finger with mine.
“You did the right thing, Liv,” he tells me gently. “You needed to get out
of there.”
I nod. “I knew I wouldn’t have survived that hell any longer, but now it
seems he’s found me, and it’s all going to repeat itself,” I say, my voice
breaking.
“It won’t,” Jaxon says, his voice firm. “You’re not alone anymore. We’ll
keep you safe and figure out how he found you. You’re not going out in
public alone until we know how dangerous this situation really is. We don’t
know if it’s just a letter to spook you, or if he has someone near you who
could hurt you.”
“I don’t think he would want to hurt me. In his strange view, he did all
of this because he loves me,” I say.
“That’s not love,” River says.
“It’s not, but he doesn’t get that.”
Jaxon nods his head in agreement. “We will figure this out together. You
don’t have to go through this alone, Liv. We’re here for you.”
“We’ll make sure he can never hurt you again,” Ryder says, reaching
out and squeezing my foot.
I give them a small smile, relief washing over me. For the first time in a
long time, I don’t feel completely alone and helpless. They know
everything now, and they’re still here.
“Thank you, guys. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Chase pulls me from Jaxon into his own lap and gives me a tight hug.
“You don’t have to know,” he whispers in my ear. “We’ll always be here
for you, no matter what.”
For the first time since Liam ruined my life, I feel like I might have a
chance at not just surviving, but living.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

Jaxon
I wake up to the sound of rustling and need a second to orientate myself.
After Liv finished her story, we all squeezed onto the couch and continued
watching our show, cuddling and trying to comfort her. But my mind was
still reeling, my thoughts consumed with what she endured. She’s
incredibly strong, and I can’t imagine going through what she has. Being
abused by the one you love, watching him kill your family, and then having
the public turn on you when you already have nothing left… It’s all so
unimaginable and unfair.
As I reflected on our previous conversations, I realized that there were
things along the way that didn’t add up or made me question her story, but I
never would have guessed something as horrific as what she revealed.
Despite that, she never outright lied to me, and that means everything.
Honesty and loyalty are the traits I value the most, and I admire the fact that
she wasn’t even capable of lying to me while hiding a whole identity.
I hear the rustling again and turn my head towards the other end of the
couch, where Riv and Ry are cuddled up with Liv. The TV is on, but the
streaming service is asking us if we’re still watching. I glance at the digital
clock on the surround system and see that it’s just after three am. When Liv
untangles herself quietly from the twins and stands up, I assume she’s just
heading to the bathroom. But I soon hear the alarm panel beep and the front
door open. My hackles rise. Where does she think she’s going, alone, at this
time of night?
 I grab my keys, wallet, and a hoodie from beside the door, then put on
my shoes before following Liv out. I see her getting into her car and run to
the passenger door, open it, and sit down beside her. She jumps in surprise
but then breathes a sigh of relief when she realizes it’s me.
“So, where are we heading?” I ask her, and she pulls her shoulders to
her ears.
“I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“Yeah, I gathered that,” I say.
“I slept the whole day, and now I can’t anymore. My head is spinning,
so I wanted to go and dance it out,” she says quietly.
“Okay, let’s go,” I tell her, fastening in my seatbelt.
“No, I didn’t mean to interrupt your sleep, Jaxon,” she replies, blinking
at me. “You don’t need to come. You can go back in.”
“Sunshine,” I start, my voice firm, “I’m coming. Let’s go.”
The side of her lip tilts upwards as she starts the car.

The studio is quiet when we arrive. I can understand why Liv and Chase
like to be here at night, but normally, I would prefer to be in bed. If Liv
were there beside me, I doubt I would even make it to work on time in the
morning, but we’re here now because she needs this, and I need to know
she’s safe. I sit in one of the chairs in front of the stage and make myself
comfortable. This is going to take a while, I guess.
Liv stands before me and peels off the oversized sweatpants she
borrowed from Chase, leaving her in just his boxers and a T-shirt that is far
too big on her, hanging mid-thigh.
“Can I play the music over your phone? Mine is still at your place,” she
asks me, and I hand her my phone with the music app open. “Can you
please start this song on repeat when I finish stretching?”
I nod my head, trying to keep my eyes on her face rather than her toned
legs, while she heads over to the stage. Once up there, she bends down and
touches her toes, gradually lowering her upper body until she’s hugging her
legs. She then moves into a split, and I’m impressed. So is my cock. She
gets back up and pulls her leg up, resting her foot behind her head, causing
me to swallow hard as I try to keep my thoughts in check. Oh, the
possibilities…
After something like fifteen minutes, she nods to me, and I push the
play button. I take a few deep breaths to calm my cock down, not
recognizing the song that starts playing. I look down at the screen to see
that it’s “I Lost Myself” by Munn with Anna Clendening. The song is about
someone who’s left their past behind and is running from the demons that
still haunt them.
I watch her intently as she moves to the music, telling her own story
with her body, and I can see the weight of her own struggles reflected in her
movements. She carries so much on her shoulders, and I can’t help but feel
the urge to help her lighten the load. I know she knows that she’s not alone
anymore, but I need to find a way to make her believe it. I focus on her,
watching her every move, listening to every beat of the music.

Liv
I wring the water out of my hair and wrap a small towel around it. My
knee is throbbing with pain, but I did dance for nearly two hours. After
spending three days in the car, it seems to have been too much. I put the
sweatpants that Chase gave me back on, but I leave the boxers, since
they’re damp from my sweat. I don’t want to put the sweaty shirt back on
either, so I call for Jaxon and cover my chest with my arms. He was great,
sitting there calmly and watching me patiently, even as I did the same
routine over and over again.
He opens the door and enters the women’s locker room. His eyes widen
when he sees me topless, but then they fill with heat as he steps closer to
me, his gaze fixed on my arms covering my chest, pushing my breasts up.
“What do you need, sunshine?” His voice is raspy, and I can feel my
thighs press together involuntarily. He notices the movement and smirks,
looking back into my eyes.
“Chase’s shirt is sweaty. Can I borrow your hoodie?” I ask. I noticed
that he had one with him but wasn’t wearing it.
“I brought it for you actually,” he says, holding it out to me. He smirks
again, aware that I’ll have to let go of my chest to take it. Two can play this
game.
“Help me, please?” I ask innocently, releasing my chest and raising my
arms above my head.
Jaxon’s eyes immediately zero in on my hardened nipples, and he curses
under his breath. I bite my lip to stifle a laugh as he steps closer, pulling the
hoodie over my head and down my torso, his knuckles brushing against the
bare skin on the side of my boobs, which makes me shiver. Once the hoodie
is in place, he tugs on the fabric to pull me to him and kisses me on the lips.
“We have to catch the sunrise. Let’s go,” he says, his voice rough.
“We do?” I ask, surprised, before he takes my hand and pulls me out of
the studio and to my car. He slides into the driver’s seat, and I laugh at his
self-assurance.
Jaxon drives us to a seemingly secluded part of the beach. Although it’s
still dark, the dawn is already breaking through the night. I get to the trunk
of the Mini to get out the blanket I store there.
“You hobbled out of the studio, your knee is hurting. Hop on,” he says,
bending down for me to ride piggyback, and I laugh. I never thought I’d
ever ride piggyback on Jaxon Tanner.
I get on his back, hugging his shoulders, and he holds my thighs
securely as he walks down the beach. He sets me down, takes the blanket
from me and lays it out for us before sitting down on it. I move to sit beside
him, but he pulls me to sit in front of him between his legs, wrapping his
arms around my shoulders and pulling my back into his chest. He leans the
side of his head against my temple and squeezes me while we just sit there,
watching the sun rise in the distance and listening to the waves crashing on
the shore.
“I used to watch the sunrise a lot, but for some reason, I stopped doing
it. Other things got more important,” Jaxon says, breaking the silence.
I let myself lean into him a bit more. “We could start doing it again,
maybe every other week. Just us,” I offer, and he kisses my temple.
“I’d love that, sunshine,” he says after a few moments.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” I say before cupping his cheek and
kissing him gently.
He turns me in his embrace so that I’m kneeling between his legs and
deepens the kiss. He pulls me in with a hand on my lower back and threads
his fingers through my hair at the back of my head. I bite his bottom lip,
and he groans, gripping the hair on my scalp and tugging lightly. The
sensation of pain quickly turns into pleasure as he lies back on the blanket,
pulling me with him. I’m lying on his chest, my legs straddling his waist,
and I start to rub myself against the bulge in his sweatpants. I know I told
the twins I’m not ready for sex yet, but the night with Chase had awakened
something in me and my fears of getting intimate with them evaporated. I
just want to be with them, on every level possible.
Jaxon pulls away from the kiss.
“Nobody ever comes here this early. Do you trust me?” he asks.
I nod my head and reply without even having to think about it. “I do.”
He pulls his hoodie over my head, and I feel the wind rustling my hair
over my naked back. I feel exposed, my breasts right in Jaxon’s face, but
when he leans up to suck on my left nipple, all insecure thoughts fall away
from me. He lets it pop out of his mouth with a wet sound and cups both
breasts with his hands, squeezing them while looking into my eyes.
“Fuck, I dreamed of these tits every fucking night, but the reality is even
better than what I imagined,” he says with a moan.
I gasp when he bites lightly into the underside of my right boob, then he
pulls me down to him by my throat, kissing me deeply. My hands are on his
chest, but his shirt is in the way, so I tug at it.
“Off,” I say against his lips.
He chuckles and sits up, bringing both of us into a sitting position with
me still straddling his lap. He pulls off his shirt in one swift motion and
returns to me, kissing me and hugging my naked chest to his. I love the
feeling of skin on skin and can feel his heart hammering against mine.
I feel Jaxon’s erection throb against me, and I want to taste him so
badly. I tug on the waistband of his sweatpants.
“I want to taste you, can I?” I ask, looking into his eyes.
“Holy fuck,” he says on a groan.
He sheds his sweatpants, and I kneel between his legs again, gripping
his big, throbbing cock. I only have Liam and Chase as a comparison, and
while Liam is average and Chase’s dick has more delicious girth than
length, Jaxon’s is huge. I run my hand up and down the shaft, feeling it
pulse with his heartbeat, then lean forward and take him in my mouth,
swirling my tongue around the head and then taking him deeper. I bob my
head up and down, working him with my lips and tongue, listening to his
moans and groans. It seems Jaxon isn’t quiet while having sex, and I love it.
 As I continue to suck him, I feel his hand come to rest on the back of
my head, holding me in place. I look up at him, and find his eyes are closed
in ecstasy. I can tell that he’s close, so I increase my pace, taking him
deeper and faster, but he stops me.
“Stop, sunshine. I can’t take it, and I’m not going to come in your
mouth today,” he says. Confused, I sit up, still gripping his exquisite dick,
and look at him questioningly.
“Why not?”
He pulls me to him and flips us, my back now on the blanket as he
hooks his fingers into the waistband of Chase’s sweatpants and pulls them
off me. They slide away easily since they’re too big, and with no panties on,
I’m lying naked before him. He groans again, biting his fist while taking in
every inch of me, then he sweeps his hand from my upper thigh up to my
belly.
“Because before I ever come in your mouth, you have to come on my
tongue,” he says, his voice husky with desire.
Jaxon leans down and starts kissing his way down my body, his lips and
tongue working magic on my skin. He starts at my neck, leaving wet trails
down to my collarbone before moving on to my breasts. He takes one
nipple in his mouth and sucks gently, making me gasp with pleasure, then
he alternates between them, using his hands to squeeze and tease my
breasts. As he kisses his way lower, he dips his tongue into my belly button
and traces patterns on my skin. I arch my back in pleasure, my hands
clutching at his hair as he reaches my core, where he kisses my mound
before teasing me with his tongue, flicking it over my clit and then delving
deeper, making me moan and writhe beneath him.
“I knew you’d taste like heaven,” he mutters and keeps building up my
pleasure until I feel like I’m going to burst.
Then he changes tactics and pushes two fingers inside me, rubbing my
G-spot while still flicking his tongue over my clit. It’s almost too much for
me to handle, and I feel myself getting closer and closer to the edge. He
senses it too and increases the pressure, bringing me over it. My body
shakes as waves of pleasure wash over me, all while he continues to draw
out my orgasm until I collapse back onto the ground, panting and spent. As
I catch my breath, Jaxon moves above me and kisses me deeply, his tongue
tasting of my own arousal. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him
close, feeling his erection pressing against my leg. I want him inside me. I
need him so badly.
“Jaxon,” I murmur, and he nuzzles my neck.
“I didn’t bring you here for that, Liv. Please believe me. You are so
fucking perfect, I just couldn’t resist tasting you. I want to take it slow with
you, but I can’t. This is mine.” His hand wanders down to between my legs,
where he cups me. “It’s always been mine. Are you going to give it to me?”
“Yes,” I beg, grabbing his head in my hands and pulling his forehead to
mine, gazing into his eyes. “Take what’s yours, Jaxon.” His breath hitches.
“You’re going to be the death of me, woman,” he says with a groan,
then he positions himself between my thighs and strokes my pussy with the
head of his cock, spreading my wetness.
“Fuck,” he murmurs. “Are you going to take all of me like a good girl?”
I nod eagerly, and he slowly pushes into me, filling me up inch by inch.
I gasp and arch my back, feeling him stretch me in the most delicious way.
“Look at you, taking my cock balls deep in your tight little pussy.” he
says, and my eyes roll back into my head. I love his dirty fucking mouth.
He starts moving in and out of me, slowly at first, then picking up
speed. His hands are on my hips, guiding me up and down his length, his
grip becoming more forceful as he picks up his rhythm. I moan in pleasure
as he pounds into me, the sensations nearly overwhelming me. My tits
bounce up and down with the movement, and he leans down to lick
between them, then kisses me deeply. His hand wanders up to my throat,
where he squeezes lightly.
“I need you on your hands and knees,” he demands. “Can you do that
for me, sunshine?”
I nod, my body craving more of him.
“Yes, sir,” I murmur, and his gaze heats up even more.
He lets go of me and pulls out, then I turn around, getting on my knees
and lowering my upper body.
“Good god, what a view,” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
He pulls my ass to him and licks up my slit, then bites into my ass cheek
before spanking the other one. I moan, loving that he is a little rough with
me but never too much. He enters me from behind, the angle hitting me in
all the right spots, and I cry out in pleasure, my body arching back against
him. He starts moving in and out of me, one hand gripping my hip tightly as
the other one sweeps down my back to find my hair again, pulling it right at
the scalp. As he pounds into me, I can feel my orgasm building again, and I
push back against him, taking him deeper. He must feel my pussy spasm
around him and moves his hand from my hip to my clit.
“That’s it, sunshine, squeeze my dick with that perfect little pussy.
Come for me.” With a moan, I come again, and he follows me over the
edge, his body shaking with his release.
We collapse onto the blanket, panting and spent. He gets off my back
and pulls me into his side so my head is resting on his chest, where I can
feel his heart pounding.
“Never leave me again, you hear me?” he whispers, his voice filled with
emotion, before kissing the top of my head.
“I hear you,” I whisper back, my heart swelling with love for him.
“Good fucking girl,” he murmurs against my hair before grabbing the
hoodie, pulling me to sit up, and putting it back on me.
“Not risking some stranger seeing the best tits in Florida,” he says.
“Oh, now you’re worried about that?” I ask with a chuckle, feeling a
sense of playfulness return to the moment.
“Yeah, now that my blood is back in the head that does the thinking,” he
says with a laugh.
We lie there for a while longer before putting the rest of our clothes
back on, then he carries me to the car and we get in the Mini, Jaxon taking
the driver seat again.
“Want to get some bagels and coffee for the others on our way home?”
Jaxon asks me, his eyes filled with affection as he pushes a lock of hair
away from my eyes.
“As if I would ever say no to coffee. I need another shower at your
place though,” I say, laughing. “I think I have sand in all the wrong places.”
Jaxon just chuckles and starts the engine.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

Liv
After rinsing off all the sand in their shower and a delicious breakfast
with the guys, I realized that I needed to rush back home and get changed
into my own clothes so I could make it to my classes on time. It is
Thursday, and I had already missed three days because of all the drama. I
couldn’t afford to miss any more, since I knew it would be difficult to catch
up already.
I talked to the guys about it, and we all agreed that since Liam was still
in Toronto and there would always be people around me in my classes, I
could go home and to college by myself. Jaxon, however, insisted that I
take one of them with me when I wanted to go out in public, like going
grocery shopping or to Tanner Fitness at night. I didn’t mind this
arrangement at all, as I like spending time with them and appreciate their
concern for my safety.
As soon as I got home, I changed into comfortable clothes, applied
sunscreen and a little bit of makeup, pulled my hair up into a messy bun,
and hurried back out with my bag to make it to campus in time.
Now I’m sitting in class, still breathing a bit heavily from having to
sprint here, but I made it. I take out my laptop to take notes, and my fingers
swipe over my phone in my bag. I should text the guys to tell them I made it
here safely.
I quickly glance around to make sure my teacher is occupied before
reaching into my bag to grab my phone, but I notice that it’s still off. I’d
turned it off to save battery after contacting Frank, without checking my
messages, and hadn’t bothered to turn it back on since then. I power it up
and get bombarded with a flurry of messages and missed calls from the
guys. I’m relieved that my phone is set on silent, or else this would’ve been
really embarrassing in class. I start to go through the messages, and I see
that most of them are from Ryder, reassuring me that Chase didn’t do
anything, and from Chase himself, apologizing and saying he didn’t
consent. Jaxon, on the other hand, didn’t text but called me at least thirty
times. River just sent me one text, promising to find me and bring me back.
It’s so good to know that they care about my well-being so much. Even
Chris texted me, asking if she needs to dick punch Chase for me.
I feel a twinge of concern as I notice the numerous missed calls and
messages from Gunner. The first message I see is a simple yet urgent
question.

Where are you???

Before I can read any further, the teacher clears his throat, so I quickly
slip my phone back into my bag, avoiding his disapproving gaze. I make a
mental note to check on him later and find out what’s going on. I can’t help
but wonder what he wants and why he’s been trying to contact me so much.
Did his dad do something again?
The class drags on, and I struggle to stay focused. When the lecture
finally ends, I gather my things and head out of the classroom. I check my
phone again and see that Gunner has sent even more messages in the last
hour. I decide to call him back now and not wait to meet him at home.
“Hey, Gun, what’s going on?” I ask when he answers the phone on the
second ring.
“Livy, thank god. Are you okay? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for
days!” he says.
“I’m fine. Why are you so worried, is everything ok? Are you hurt?” I
ask, now feeling concerned myself.
“Am I hurt? Livy, your boyfriends” —he nearly spits the word—
“knocked on my door Sunday evening and told me that Chase guy messed
up and you just upped and left! They wanted to know if you were with me
or if I knew where you went, and surprise, surprise, I didn’t. I haven’t seen
or heard from you for two days before that because I was too focused on my
own fucking problems.” His voice breaks, and I can sense the guilt in his
words.
“Gunner—”
“No, I’m a bad friend and I nearly punched your guy for upsetting you.
Where are you? Should I come and get you? I can still head over to that
fancy fitness studio and kick his ass,” he grumbles, and I chuckle at the
thought of Chase getting his ass kicked by Gunner.
“Are you at home? I just finished my classes. I have some ice cream in
my freezer we could eat, and I’ll tell you everything.”
“I’m here,” he says.
“On my way,” I tell him before texting the guys my new plans and
heading home.

Gunner is waiting in front of the apartment complex when I pull up at the

curb. I’m not even fully out of the car when he snatches me up and pulls me
into his arms, my feet dangling above the ground.
“Gun, I can’t breathe,” I mutter into his chest, so he eases up a bit but
doesn’t let me go.
“Don’t do that shit to me ever again,” he says, his voice breaking, and I
feel so bad for not considering his feelings in this whole mess.
I couldn’t even send him a short text to let him know that I’m okay? I’m
the bad friend in this scenario.
“I’m sorry I worried you,” I say as he sets me back down on my feet.
“Let’s go upstairs and talk about everything. I’m sorry I didn’t check in
with you earlier. Was there something going on with your dad again?” I ask,
studying his face. It looks almost normal now.
I consider telling Gunner my entire story, like I did with the guys. I
want to, but I don’t think I can do it right now. Telling the guys already took
everything out of me, and I don’t think I have the strength to share all of it
again so soon. I’ll tell him, just not right now. We have time. For now, I’ll
explain the misunderstanding with Chase.
“No, I haven’t heard from him, but I have to go back to work
tomorrow,” he says, and I feel a pang of guilt again for not keeping in touch
with him.
 “Will you be okay?” I ask.
He nods, but I can tell he’s not entirely convinced himself.
“Please text me from time to time to let me know how you’re doing,” I
say.
“Like you did?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.
Oh wow, he’s really mad. We get to my apartment, and I let him in.
“Gun,” I murmur, pulling him into an embrace. “I’m so sorry.”
He lifts me by my thighs and walks to my bed, sitting us down, his back
against the headboard and me straddling him. I want to look up at him, but
he squeezes me tight, so I relax into his bear hug.
“What did the fucker do? Do I have to get a gun without a serial
number?” he asks, completely deadpan, and I laugh into his chest.
“No, stop it. We don’t need to murder any of them, clear?”
He eases up his embrace, so I lean back and look at his face to find him
smirking.
“Crystal,” he says, and I smile. “I’m better with my fists anyway.”
“Gun!” I hiss, playfully punching him in the chest, but I quickly pull
back, my knuckles hurting. “Fuck, you’re like a wall,” I say with a groan.
“Livy,” he starts, his eyes sad. “What did he do?”
I take a deep breath before answering.
“It was all a misunderstanding,” I say, and his brows furrow.
“How come?” he asks.
I sigh heavily. “I went into the studio to bring the guys coffee, but just
when I got in, I found him kissing one of his students.”
Gunner shoots upright, and I have to grab onto his shirt to avoid falling
off his lap.
“He did what?” he nearly shouts in disbelief.
“Yes, I was hurt, so I turned and ran away, but I only saw the part where
she was kissing him, not the part where he pushed her away and told her
that he has a girlfriend,” I explain, and he relaxes a bit but still looks
unconvinced.
“Wouldn’t a fuck boy tell you just that? That it ‘wasn’t what it looked
like’?” he asks.
“Yeah, probably, but there’s video proof that he didn’t consent, so he’s
off the hook,” I say, and he nods.
“Okay then. Seems like he can live another day,” he mutters, and I
smile.
 I get up to get us some ice cream and turn on the reggaeton channel on
my music app. I hand him his cone and sit back in his lap, leaning my back
against his chest. When we finish our treats, we just chill there, him
hugging me from behind.
“Next time, you run to me instead of running away. Promise me, Livy,”
he whispers in my hair.
I bite my lip. I don’t know if I can promise that. If Liam becomes an
imminent threat, I wouldn’t hesitate a second to run away or go with him to
keep them all safe. The guys, Chris, and Gunner are my new family, and I
would rather die than let Liam hurt anyone else I love. The weight of that
realization brings tears to my eyes.
“I love you, Gunner. You’re my best friend,” I whisper, and he holds me
even tighter, resting his chin on my head.
“I love you too, Livy.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

Liv
A sudden knock on my door jolts me awake from my slumber. I
groggily rub my eyes and squint at my phone to check the time. It’s only
seven-thirty in the morning. I let out a groan.
Gunner spent the night over at my place after we watched movies
together. He woke me up from a nightmare and comforted me until I fell
back asleep. At five am, he left to get ready at his apartment because he had
to be at work by six. Since it’s Friday, I have no classes and wanted to sleep
in a bit. I hope he’ll check in with me during the day, so I know he’s okay.
Another knock interrupts my thoughts, and I drag myself out of bed.
Maybe he forgot something? I open the door just an inch and peek outside,
finding Chase standing there.
“You look adorable in the morning,” he says with a chuckle.
I groan again and open the door wider, letting him in. He leans down to
kiss me, but I put a hand over my mouth.
“Morning breath,” I say, but he pulls my hand away.
“Like I give a fuck,” he whispers before swooping in for a kiss.
I hum happily against his lips. He breaks the kiss and pulls playfully on
my messy bun, which is already falling to the side of my head.
“Did you sleep okay, gorgeous?” he asks, and I yawn.
“I did, but somebody disturbed me,” I say with a frown. “Why did you
wake me up?”
 “I feel like we haven’t had the opportunity to talk after everything went
down, and I wanted to take you out for breakfast before we head to the
studio,” he says, taking my pinky finger and hooking it with his. I smile at
him.
“Chase, it really is okay. I believe that she came at you and that you
didn’t do anything to hurt me. We’re good, honestly,” I say, and he nods.
“I’m happy to hear that, but I meant what happened on the dance floor
the night before,” he says, and my brows rise.
“You mean the sex?” I ask, and he chuckles.
“Yes, I mean the mind-blowing, life-changing sex we had before you
dropped me like a hot potato.”
“I didn’t drop you,” I say, biting my lip.
“No, you just rocked my world and disappeared directly afterwards.
Maybe that’s the karma I deserve, but I still didn’t like it,” he says, and I
laugh.
“You did not just reference your being a player right after talking about
us having sex? Chase, I thought you had game,” I tease, and he winces.
“I’m sorry, that was dumb,” he says. “You make me nervous, Liv. I’m
never like this, but I want to give this relationship my best and make you
happy, make sure I can keep you.”
My heart swells at his words. He’s usually so confident, but it’s good to
see a vulnerable side of him too. I reach up and play with one of the curls
falling out of his man bun, smiling at him.
“Chase Miller just confirmed he’s in a relationship out of his own free
will. Wow,” I tease, and he pulls me to him, messing up my hair even more.
“You little brat,” he says playfully, and I laugh, getting out of his hold.
“You don’t have to be nervous, Chase,” I say, seriously. “You have me.
I’m not going anywhere.”
He pecks my lips and looks down at me, still smiling. I’m wearing his
hoodie, my koi T-shirt, and sleep shorts, but the hoodie is so long, it looks
like I have nothing underneath, showing off my bare legs. Chase is dressed
in grey sweatpants and a tight black Tanner Fitness T-shirt.
“That’s my favorite hoodie you know,” Chase says in a husky voice.
“I have to wash it and give it back to you,” I say. He looks confused, so
I continue, “It almost doesn’t smell like you anymore.” I pout. “I need a
new one, or you have to wear this one for a day before giving it back to
me.”
 “If you want to have my scent all around you, you should sleep in my
bed tonight,” he suggests with a chuckle, stepping closer to me.
“Tempting,” I reply, smiling, “but I need time to catch up with my
classes.”
“Fair enough,” he says with a nod and tugs on my wrist. “Come on, let’s
get some breakfast.”
“Have you seen me?” I ask. “I need a shower and some time to get
ready.”
“Then get on with it,” he says with a smirk and crosses his arms,
thinking I wouldn’t dare undress in front of him. You play with fire, you get
burned.
“You can look, but not touch,” I whisper into his ear, standing on my
toes.
His eyes widen. With my back to him, I grab the hem of his hoodie and
the koi shirt, then pull them over my head in one swift motion, letting the
clothing fall to the floor. Then, I bend down and shimmy my hips to slide
out of my sleep shorts before stepping out of them and walking towards the
bathroom with a swing in my hips, giving Chase a full view of my
backside. I feel my ass jiggle with the motion and hear him let out a low
groan of appreciation. Once inside the bathroom, I leave the door open as I
brush my teeth and hair.
Chase comes over and leans against the doorway, arms still crossed, his
eyes fixed on my chest. He’s trying to restrain himself, but it’s clear he’s
finding it difficult. I tie my hair into a new, less messy bun and step into the
tub, feeling the warm water cascade down my body. I purposely leave the
shower curtain open, giving Chase a better view.
I start rubbing my skin with my vanilla scented soap, closing my eyes
and enjoying the sensation of my hands gliding up and down my arms,
thighs, and eventually, my breasts. I squeeze them, feeling the pleasure
build up inside me, before rinsing off all the foam with the showerhead.
When I open my eyes, Chase is standing in front of the tub, his eyes
burning with desire as he lifts his hand.
“Uh-uh, I said no touching,” I say quickly, and give him a playful smirk,
relishing the power I have over him.
He takes the showerhead from my hand and adjusts the water pressure
with a quick press of a button.
“I’m not going to touch you,” he whispers.
 My breath hitches as he slowly brings the showerhead to my pussy, and
I gasp when he finds just the right spot. I grip onto the shower mount, my
body tensing as the water pulses against my clit, while Chase continues to
hold the showerhead steady. He leans into me, his free hand on the wall
next to my head, eyes fixed on my face as he watches my pleasure build.
My moans grow louder, echoing off the bathroom walls, and I feel my legs
start to shake as I reach the brink of an orgasm.
Suddenly, Chase turns off the water, leaving me panting and frustrated.
“What the hell, Chase?” I protest, looking up at him. He grins down at
me, his eyes shining with mischief.
“I told you I wasn’t going to touch you,” he says, “but I didn’t say I was
going to let you come.”
I pout, and he pecks my lips.
“You’re not in charge here, gorgeous,” he says with a wink.
What the fuck was that? I just got played at my own game.
“Come on,” he says, reaching out a hand to help me out. “Let’s get you
dressed and grab some breakfast before we head to the studio.”
I take his hand, my body still buzzing with the leftover sensations of the
water pulsing against my clit. I dry myself quickly, wrap a towel around my
body, and put on some light makeup before walking past him to my room to
get dressed. I let my towel fall and catch him staring at me, so I laugh,
feeling good about myself.
“Like what you see, Chase?” I ask, teasing him.
“You have no idea,” he replies, smirking and shaking his head.
I roll my eyes and start getting dressed, putting on a pair of black
leggings and an olive green sports bra. I bend to grab my loose black
sweater from the floor to pull on, facing Chase, and he whistles
appreciatively.
“Damn, Liv,” he says, biting his bottom lip as he looks at my cleavage.
“Want to take a picture?” I joke, and he takes out his phone.
“God, yes. Can I?” he asks, and I burst out laughing.
“What, of just my cleavage?” I ask.
He nods eagerly, so I reach into the sports bra to push my ladies up a
bit, making sure they look their best. Chase follows my every movement
with his eyes.
“Have at it,” I say, and he searches for the best angle, his tongue
sticking out of the corner of his mouth. It’s cute as hell.
 “Perfect,” he mutters and shows me the picture. It’s just a close-up of
my cleavage, my peaked nipples visible through the material, but it looks
sexy, and I can’t help but giggle.
“Send me that, please,” I say.
“Anything you want, Liv,” Chase replies with a smile.
I put the sweater on, then grab my sports bag, keys, and purse.
“I did want an orgasm,” I say, rolling my eyes, and Chase laughs as he
slaps my ass on the way out.

Ryder
I watch Liv as she performs a new dance routine. She looks stunning
and fucking sexy when she dances. I’m not sure if she’s doing it to tease
Chase, since every now and then, she shoots him a smirk. He’s sitting right
next to me, sporting an obvious boner in his sweatpants, seemingly
frustrated.
They did arrive together earlier, bringing us breakfast and coffee. Chase
left for his classes, while Liv worked out with Chris and me. We had a blast,
and it was heartwarming to see those two getting back together after Liv
left.
Chris doesn’t know the whole story and thinks Liv left because of the
misunderstanding with Chase. She was worried sick and asked about her
the whole time.
Liv is dancing to “Buttons” by The Pussycat Dolls. She bends over with
her back to us and moves her hand up to her butt from between her thighs.
Okay, maybe I have a boner now too. I lean forward in my seat just as she
bends down again, her side to us, giving Chase bedroom eyes. She puts her
hands on the floor, keeping her knees straight and letting herself fall into a
split, her ass jiggling when it meets the studio floor. Holy shit.
“Fuck,” Chase mutters before standing up and leaving.
I watch him go and hear Liv laugh when the doors bang forcefully
behind him. She stops the music and comes down to where I’m sitting.
“I knew you were teasing him, you little minx,” I say with a smirk,
pulling her close to me and kissing her forehead.
“I just had to make a point,” she says with a chuckle.
 “Consider it delivered,” I say.
“Remember that for the future, Ryder. Play with fire, get burned.” She
winks at me, and I laugh out loud.
“Oh, I can’t wait to test that theory myself.”
I kiss her deeply, my hands holding her head. I stroke her cheek as I
break the kiss.
“Are you coming home with me tonight?” I ask her, pulling her even
tighter against me and letting her feel how she’s affected me. Her breath
hitches and her eyes get hooded, but she gently pushes me away and shakes
her head.
“Nope, no boys tonight. I need to catch up on my homework and get
that shit over with,” she replies, and I pout.
“I could help you,” I say.
“The only thing you would help me with is getting out of my pants.”
She chuckles. Well, she’s not wrong. “So you all stay away from me tonight.
I plan to catch up so I can at least do something nice tomorrow before
getting back to studying on Sunday.”
“Do you already have plans?” I ask, and she blushes.
“No, but I hoped one or all of you guys would have some time to spend
with me?”
So fucking cute.
“Have you ever been to Miami?” I ask her, and she beams at me.
“No, but I’ve always wanted to go!”
“That’s perfect because I ordered some guitar strings and have to pick
them up tomorrow. You could come, and we can make a whole day out of
it. Shopping trip?”
“That sounds great! Should we ask the others to come too?”
“I’m sorry, baby. Riv is occupied with an assignment, Jax gave Chris a
free weekend, and Chase has classes. It would just be us.”
She steps back closer to me and puts her arms around my neck.
“Why would you be sorry for that? I’d love to have you all to myself for
a day,” she says, making my heart flutter, and I squeeze her hips.
“I’d like that very much too.” I just want to kiss her again when she
steps out of the embrace and grabs her bag.
“No boys tonight!” She points at me, turns, and sprints away a few feet.
“Are you telling me that or reminding yourself?” I ask with a chuckle
before the doors close behind her.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINE

Liv
I’m standing outside my apartment complex, wearing my prettiest long-
sleeve dark green sundress, my favorite white sandals that match my purse,
and my black aviator sunglasses. My hair is in loose waves down my back,
my makeup light and natural. I wanted to look cute for Ryder. I know he
likes me in jeans, but I’ve never worn a dress for him, so maybe he’ll like it
too.
I didn’t sleep much, since I had to make sure I’m back on track with my
classes, but it was worth it. I only have a few assignments left over for
tomorrow, and since Gunner checked in with me last night, I can enjoy
today to the fullest.
Ryder’s car comes around the block and parks in front of me. He jumps
out, comes to my side, and kisses me.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, baby,” he
exaggerates, and I chuckle.
“And you’re a charmer,” I say against his lips.
“Just telling the truth, baby girl.”
He opens the door for me, and I get in. As we make the thirty-five-
minute drive to Miami, Ryder and I talk about all the shops he wants to take
me to and what there is to see in Miami. I can tell he’s excited to show me
around, and I’m looking forward to spending the day with him.
I ask him if I can choose the next song, since the GPS says we’re almost
to Miami. He furrows his brows for a moment, then hands me his phone.
 “The code is 0404,” he says.
I’m a bit shocked that he just told me his passcode, but then I smile at
the realization.
“That’s my birthday,” I say, and he shoots me a smile.
“I know, that’s the whole point,” he says, and my eyebrows rise in
surprise.
“I never told you my birthday,” I say, and he chuckles.
“Oh, I have my ways,” he replies, and I slap his arm.
“Ryder, how do you know my birthday?” I ask him, curious.
“I may have asked Chris, and she knew,” he says.
I smile, remembering my shopping date with Chris, then turn myself in
the seat to face him.
“When is your and River’s birthday?” I ask, and he grins.
“Ours is February eighteenth,” he replies. “Before you ask, Jaxon’s is
May twenty-first, and Chase’s is October tenth.”
“That’s in two weeks!” I exclaim, sitting up straight.
“We can have a look today,” Ryder suggests with a chuckle. “Maybe
we’ll find something for him in the city.” I relax back, relieved to at least
have a plan.
As we drive into Miami, I find the song I was looking for, and “Miami”
by Will Smith starts blasting from Ryder’s new stereo.
“God, you’re such a cliché, I love it,” he says, laughing out loud.
We both nod our heads to the beat and sing the chorus loudly. As he
searches for a parking spot, I just know today is going to be great.
We walk towards a guitar shop that Ryder called a hidden gem in South
Beach, and my mouth falls open when we enter. The walls are lined with
guitar after guitar, each one cooler than the last. There are even a few in
some fancy colors like yellow and pink. I spot a green one, and Ryder grins.
“My next one is going to be the color of your eyes,” he says, and I
laugh.
“Stop it, cheeseball,” I say.
“No cheese, just a bit of sweat,” he says, rubbing his nose on mine.
I chuckle, and he pecks me on the lips before turning and going to the
register to ask for the strings he ordered. I stroll around, mentally making a
note to shop at this place for Ryder’s Christmas and birthday presents.
I stand beside Ryder as he continues to chat with the guy behind the
counter, who has long hair and a surfer vibe, but I suppose that’s the norm
for most Miami guys.
“That your girl, Davies?” he asks with a glance at me.
Ryder smiles and puts his arm around my shoulder, kissing my temple.
“Yep, I hit the jackpot,” he says, and I grin at him.
“Seems like you were good in a past life,” the guy says, handing Ryder
a bag before he winks at me. “You know where to find me when he messes
up, pretty girl.”
Ryder turns us and mutters, “Get in line,” before leading me out of the
store.
We spend the rest of the day shopping, and it’s a blast. I never would’ve
thought that Ryder would be the guy you could take with you to go
shopping, but he loved picking outfits for me, and I had to try on everything
while he chose what we were going to buy. He also bought me a truly sexy
black lace lingerie set, but I told him he would only see it when I wear it at
home. The heat in his eyes was scorching.
We also found some new Chucks for Ryder and a birthday present for
Chase that I’m happy with. It took some time to get it made, but I just told
the vendor what I wanted and we came back an hour later to pick it up. We
took a break to eat some pulled pork sandwiches and drink a slushy, then
we headed into a grocery store to get some water bottles and snacks for the
ride home.
The day went by so fast, and now it’s already evening. The sun is
setting over the ocean, and I stand to watch the sunset while Ryder puts our
bags on the backseat of his car. After, he comes up behind me and puts his
arms around me.
“Thank you for today, Liv. It’s been the best day in a long time,”
he whispers in my ear.
I let myself lean back into his embrace and turn my head, kissing his
cheek.
“I loved it too. You’re a great shopping companion,” I say, and he
chuckles.
“I’m anything you want me to be, baby.”

Ryder
 Liv and I get into the car. She sighs when she looks at the GPS, which
tells us it will only take thirty-five minutes to get home.
“I’m not ready to go back yet,” she whispers.
I check the clock. It’s already half past seven and getting dark outside,
but I have no qualms about driving in the dark.
“Want to take the long way home?” I suggest. “We could take a more
rural road with less traffic, but it will take us approximately two and a half
hours to get home.”
“You would do that?” she asks, beaming at me, and I chuckle.
“And get more alone time with my baby girl? Of course I would. Let’s
go,” I say.
“Perfect, I’ll just let the guys know that we’ll be late,” Liv says giddily,
getting out her phone to text them.
We drive for a little over an hour, singing to the songs Liv chooses and
enjoying each other’s company. I have my hand on her knee, and it all feels
just right. It’s so dark around us, I can barely see anything outside of the
headlights, and we only encounter three or four cars the whole way.
Suddenly, the stereo goes dark and the music cuts off. What the fuck?
Despite my car being fucking old, I installed a new stereo system,
complete with GPS and other features, to improve the sound quality. Except
as I push the buttons to turn it back on, nothing happens, and Liv notices
my frustration.
“Don’t worry, I have my own little jukebox with me,” she assures me
with a laugh and playfully boops my nose. “Sing for me, Ryder,” she says. I
grin and attempt to nibble on her finger, but she withdraws it too quickly.
“What do you want to hear, baby?” I ask.
“Whatever’s on your mind,” she just says.
I begin to sing “Beautiful Soul” by Jesse McCartney, a song that
reminds me of her, and I can feel her swooning beside me. I love how she
gazes at me like I’m the most important person in the world when I sing.
She makes me feel valuable, and I hope I do the same for her.
“You know, you’re such a softie behind all those tattoos, black clothes,
and jewelry,” she says with a sigh when I end the song, and I chuckle.
“Oh yeah, you think so?” I reply, but she’s playing with the rings on the
hand I have on her thigh.
“Why all the rings?” she asks. “Do they mean something, or is it just for
style?”
 I pull over to the side of the road and turn off the engine before turning
in my seat to face her. I stroke her cheek and tuck some hair behind her ear
as she looks at me with big eyes.
“I wear the rings so your neck looks pretty,” I whisper, my voice deep
and rough.
My hand moves down to her throat, squeezing. I feel her gulp and watch
her eyes widen even more, then I kiss her gently with my hand still on her
throat, giving it one last squeeze before letting go. I can’t help but chuckle
at the face she’s making.
“Fuck, Ryder,” she murmurs and squeezes her thighs together.
I grin and try turning the engine back on, but it doesn’t respond. I turn
the key a few more times, but it still won’t start. Fuck! I look at Liv and
cringe.
“Yeah well, that was dumb of me,” I say, and she chuckles.
“No, that’s just what you get for telling Jaxon you wouldn’t drive me
around in this car anymore and still doing it.”
“He is going to kill us,” I say with a groan, letting my head fall back.
“Oh no, mister, he’s going to kill you,” she says with a laugh. “I’m an
innocent bystander.”
“Oh, you think you’re innocent?” I ask before undoing my seatbelt, then
I lean over to unbuckle hers. I pull her onto my lap so she’s straddling me,
then grip her bare thighs under her dress and pull her down on the bulge in
my pants. Her breath hitches, and she takes my head in both hands.
“I was innocent, but I think I enjoy being sinful with you, Ryder,” she
whispers, making me groan, then she presses her lips to mine.
The kiss is sweet, full of emotion, and I’m overwhelmed when I realize
how much she already means to me. Being in love is something I’ve never
experienced before, but I know at this exact moment I love her.
She eases away, and I bite my lip to keep from letting those three words
burst out. Instead, I stroke her bottom lip with my thumb and gaze into her
stunning green eyes.
“I could kiss you for hours, baby, but let me check the car first so I can
drive you home and we can continue this in my bed.”
Her breath hitches, but she nods eagerly and moves back to her seat.
“Stay in the car, please,” I say as I pull the lever to open the hood before
getting out. As soon as I’m bending over the engine, I hear the passenger
door open and roll my eyes. Of course she doesn’t do as she’s told, little
minx.
“You’re lucky I’m not Jaxon, or you would be spanked for not listening
to me,” I say before she even comes around the hood.
“So you think you deserve a spanking for not listening to me too?”
Jaxon’s gruff voice says, coming out of Liv’s phone speakers as she stands
beside me. I look at her with wide eyes, but she just chuckles. Oh, I am so
screwed. I shoot Liv a glare, mouthing “Traitor,” but she bites her lip and
giggles.
“Hey, Jax, nice to hear from you,” I say into the phone. “Did you have a
good day?”
“Drop the shit Ry. What’s wrong with the car?” Jaxon asks, cutting
straight to the point.
“Well, baby girl here didn’t really give me much time to check before
she ratted me out,” I respond, taking another look under the hood. I shoot
Liv a playful glare again, and she mouths “Sorry” in response. “It seems
like the battery gave out. I can’t find anything else. Earlier, the radio went
dead.”
“I’m coming to get you both,” Jaxon says with a huff. “I’ll bring some
jumper cables, but it doesn’t sound like we can start it back up. The
alternator should charge the battery while you’re driving, so more than
likely, it’s completely dead. Can you send me your location, sunshine?”
Liv fiddles with her phone, then we hear a beep from Jaxon’s side.
“Why the fuck are you two out there? That isn’t the fucking way home
from Miami!” Jaxon exclaims.
“It is, it’s just the long way,” Liv says, jumping to our defense. I can’t
help but snicker, and Jaxon sighs.
“Fuck, okay, so it’ll take me at least an hour to get to you. Get in the car
with the doors locked and stay put.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you,” Liv whispers and Jaxon’s mood seems to
improve dramatically.
“You’re welcome, sunshine. And Ryder…” He trails off, and I wince.
“We’re going to talk about this whole situation on the drive back,” he warns
before hanging up.
I close the hood and turn to Liv.
“Really?” I ask, my eyebrows rising. “You ran to Jaxon before I even
told you what the problem is?”
 “River told me to,” she replies, biting her lip. “He said that when there’s
a problem with the car, I should call Jaxon before you have the chance to
make it worse.”
I stare at her, blink, then start laughing out loud.
“Oh my god,” I exclaim, holding my stomach, which already hurts from
my wheezing.
“Are you mad at me?” she asks, unsure.
I pull her to me and hug her before I sit her on the hood of the car.
“Of course I’m not mad at you. It’s just fucking hilarious how little faith
River has in me, but then again, he’s right. He always tells me that I haven’t
got enough self-worth or self-esteem, but look how little he trusts me, and
he’s the person who knows me best,” I say sadly, putting my head on her
forehead. “I’m so sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have put you in danger in that car.
You deserve so much better.”
“Stop that, Ryder. You know that’s not how we see you,” she says. I step
back with my arms wide and turn around in a circle.
“What is it then? Tell me, Liv. You’re sitting in the dark, in the middle
of nowhere, because I can’t part from that junk car,” I say, kicking the
bumper.
“Ryder, nothing happened. Jaxon will get us, and soon, we’ll laugh
about it. You could even take it as inspiration and write your first song
about it,” she suggests.
I grimace and look at the ground.
“What?” she asks me, jumping off the hood and standing in front of me.
She lifts my chin, so I look in her eyes.
“I write a lot of songs, baby, but they’re just shit,” I confess.
“Oh really? Who says that? You?” she questions, and that pulls a smile
from my lips.
“Since I never let anyone else hear them, yes,” I admit. She gives me a
short peck and sits back on the hood.
“Well, try me,” she challenges, and my eyes widen.
“What do you mean?” I ask her. She crosses her arms under her chest,
pushing up her perfect tits. My eyes linger for a second before I look back
into her eyes.
“We’re out here in the middle of nowhere, it’s dark, and no one beside
me will hear you. Try me. Sing me one of your songs. If it’s bad, I’ll tell
you and you’ll know. If it’s good, I’ll tell you and you can be reassured
enough to share with others,” she explains.
“You’re biased,” I say with a laugh. “You would tell me my songs are
good just because you’re mine.” She shivers when I say this, and I step
closer, putting my hands on her knees.
“No, Ryder. I was a performer. I made money by making dance videos
and showing them to the world. There’s no love in telling you you’re good
when you’re not. It might make you feel good right this second, but the
feedback you’d get when you release it to the public would be much harsher
on you than anything I could tell you. In this situation, tough love is real
love. I’d tell you that your songs need more work and hurt your feelings a
hundred times over to make sure nobody else with ill intentions is going to
hurt you much worse later on.”
She reaches up and pushes my hair out of my eyes while I look at her in
amazement. She knows how to get through to me. I take a deep breath and
nod.
“Okay, I’ll sing you one of my songs,” I say, sitting beside her on the
hood. “I wrote this for you, when you were gone.”
Her eyes widen, and she takes my hand, squeezing it, so I start to sing.

Baby, your beautiful smile lights up my world

It’s like sunshine on a cloudy day, unfurled
And your green eyes, they sparkle with life
I could get lost in them, without any strife.

’Cause the way you laugh, it’s like music to my ears

The way you move, it’s like a dance without fears
’Cause, girl, you got me falling fucking fast
For your smile, your wit, I know that we will last.

Baby, your beauty goes beyond skin deep

It’s in the way you move, the way you speak
Your grace and poise, they leave me in awe
You are perfect for me, without a flaw.

’Cause the way you laugh, it’s like music to my ears

 The way you move, it’s like a dance without fears
’Cause, girl, you got me falling fucking fast
For your smile, your wit, I know that we will last.

You’ve shown me love I never thought existed

You make me feel alive, my heart so uplifted
I never knew love could feel this way
Baby, with you, I want to stay.

As I sing the lyrics, I can see the emotions on Liv’s face. At first, she
just listens and smiles, but as I go on, I see tears welling up in her eyes.
There is so much admiration in her gaze, and I start to realize that maybe
my song isn’t as bad as I thought, because the girl I wrote it for seems to
love it.

’Cause the way you laugh, it’s like music to my ears

The way you move, it’s like a dance without fears
’Cause, girl, you got me falling fucking fast
For your smile, your wit, I know that we will last.

’Cause, baby, you got me falling fast,

falling for you, falling so hard
And I’m so glad I found you, baby,
’cause you are the beat of my heart.

When I finish, I look at her and find tears streaming down her cheeks,
so I brush one away.
“Ryder, that was—” she starts, but before she can finish, I interrupt her,
unable to contain my feelings any longer.
“I love you, Liv,” I blurt out, my eyes going wide with shock at what I
just said. She chuckles softly at my expression through her tears, then pulls
me to her by my shirt.
“I love you too, Ryder Davies, singer and songwriter.”
She kisses me gently, and I close my eyes, taking in her sweet vanilla
scent.
Liv
Ryder’s kisses go from gentle and loving to more passionate as he holds
my chin to deepen the kiss. I moan, and he takes it as encouragement,
changing position so that I’m now lying on the hood while he leans over
me. His other hand finds my thigh and squeezes it before slowly making its
way upwards under my skirt. I feel myself getting wet as his mouth
wanders to my neck. His hand is now cupping my pussy, stroking over the
lace. I’m panting as he sucks my earlobe into his mouth before letting it pop
out.
“How much time do we have left?” he asks. I try to think through the
horniness and check my phone beside me.
“Maybe half an hour,” I whisper, and Ryder chuckles.
“That’s enough to make you come at least twice, what do you think?”
he asks, his finger now rubbing my clit over my panties.
“Oh my god,” I murmur.
“Can I eat you out in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road until
you come all over my face, baby?” he asks with a smirk. Words every girl
wants to hear.
“Yes,” I reply, nodding frantically.
He pecks my lips and pulls down my panties in one swift motion before
tucking them into the back pocket of his jeans.
“God, I love dresses on you—gives me easy access,” he says with a grin
before kneeling in front of me and throwing my legs over his shoulders.
He licks a long stripe up my slit, and I grip the hood, my head falling
back. I can hear the sound of crickets in the distance as Ryder devours me,
his tongue swirling around my clit before diving back into my heat. I’m
squirming, moaning his name, and he takes it as a signal to increase the
pace. He pushes two fingers inside of me, curling them up to hit my sweet
spot, and I involuntarily squeeze my thighs together. He chuckles and
presses them back open before going back to sucking in my clit. The
sensation is too much, and I feel my body tensing up, ready to explode.
“Fuck, I’m going to come,” I murmur, and he looks up at me with a
wicked grin on his face.
“Let go, baby. Come all over my face,” he says before nibbling at my
clit again, and that’s all it takes.
 My body shakes as I ride out the intense waves of pleasure, Ryder’s
fingers never stopping their movements. I’m gasping for air, my heart
pounding in my chest, when he crawls up to me and kisses me deeply,
letting me taste myself on his tongue.
“You taste so fucking good,” he whispers against my lips. When he
moves to kneel back down, muttering, “One down, one more to go,” I stop
him. He stands back up and looks at me with a raised brow. “What’s wrong,
Liv?”
I see the bulge in his pants and feel sexy and reckless, all because of
him. I reach for it and squeeze him through his pants.
“Fuck me, Ryder,” I demand. His eyes widen, and he leans in to press
his mouth to mine.
“Are you sure?” he whispers against my lips, so I kiss him back.
“Shut up and fuck me already,” I mutter.
He huffs a laugh and quickly pushes down his jeans so they fall to his
knees. I reach for him, but he lifts one of my legs over his shoulder and
leans in to kiss my chest, pulling down the bodice of the sundress to free
my tits. I feel the air brush against them, and my nipples peak even more.
He sucks one of them into his mouth while rolling the other in his hand.
“Fuck,” he mutters, and I moan, happy that all the stretching I’ve been
doing again gives me such flexibility.
He leans back, and I get a glimpse of his long cock, already leaking pre-
cum, then I see something shimmer. Is that a fucking piercing? Before I can
see more, Ryder enters me, and I gasp at the sudden sensation of being
filled. One of my legs is still over his shoulder, giving him a delicious
angle, while something hard is rubbing my inside walls, hitting the best
spots. It is a fucking piercing. Oh my god.
He starts to thrust in and out of me, each movement harder and faster
than the last. His hands wander from my hips to my breasts and throat,
gently squeezing.
“Fuck, Liv, your tight pussy is gripping me so good,” he says with a
groan.
His thrusts get harder and the grip on my throat stronger when I feel his
muscles contracting, his breathing getting heavier, and I know he’s close.
He brings his free hand to his mouth and bites down on his fingers, trying to
prevent himself from coming, but I want him to. I moan his name, and he
responds by kissing me fiercely, his tongue exploring every inch of my
mouth. I break the kiss and look into his eyes, watching him as he takes me
to the brink of ecstasy.
“Come again for me, baby,” he whispers while rubbing my clit, and I
unravel around him, my walls clenching tightly as I come undone. “Fuck”
he moans, and I feel his hot cum inside me. He collapses onto me, panting
and spent, before kissing me.
“I love you, baby,” he whispers against my lips.
“I love you too,” I whisper back, and he kisses me gently once more.
He pulls out of me, and we take a few moments to catch our breaths. I
glance down at him, definitely seeing a piercing through the head of his
cock. I look back to his face and find him smirking, eyes filled with
amusement.
“You’re fucking crazy, you know that?” I say with a laugh, and he
nuzzles my throat.
“And you love it,” he replies.
“I can’t believe we just did that on the side of the road,” I say, giggling.
“We should probably get back in the car before Jaxon arrives and catches
us.”
He nods and helps me up, giving me my panties back and pulling them
up my legs before smoothing down my dress. Only after I’m dressed does
he pull up his pants.
I feel his cum already leaking out of me and into my panties, causing
me to squeeze my thighs together.
“Fuck, I’m going to make a mess,” I say. His gaze shifts down to my
thighs, and he groans, closing his eyes.
“That’s so fucking hot,” he says, but I playfully push him away.
“Don’t come at me when there’s a wet spot on the seat of your beloved
car,” I tease, and he pulls me back to him.
“I’m going to fuck you raw in the car next time, and you’ll see how
little I care about getting your sweet scent all over my seats,” he whispers.
I shudder at his words, and he laughs before letting me go. We get back
in the car, grinning at each other like two teenagers who just got away with
something naughty. Jaxon calls to tell us he’s going to be there in two
minutes, and we both burst out laughing, wondering what his reaction
would’ve been if he’d arrived just five minutes earlier.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TEN

Liv
It’s early Sunday afternoon, and I’m sitting on my bed with my laptop
open, studying for an upcoming dance history test. The subject matter is
quite dull, but it doesn’t help that the weather outside is gorgeous. My mind
keeps wandering back to the day I spent with Ryder yesterday. Currently, he
and Jaxon are out getting Ryder’s car to a repair shop, while Chase is
minding the studio. I haven’t heard from River, but Ryder told me that’s
because he’s studying hard himself, so I don’t worry too much about it. I
find myself once again gazing out the window instead of focusing on my
laptop when there’s a knock on my door.
I get up to answer it and take a quick glance in the mirror. The upper
half of my hair is styled into two mini buns to keep it out of my face while
studying, and the rest hangs loosely down my back. I’m dressed in jean
shorts and a long-sleeve white Henley, which is unbuttoned and reveals a
hint of cleavage, but I opted not to wear any makeup since I was just at
home by myself.
When I open the door, I’m surprised to see Gunner standing there. He’s
wearing navy shorts and a tight, dark red T-shirt, which is a more casual
look than I’ve ever seen him in before, aside from the oversized shirts he
wears to bed.
“Hey, bun bun,” he greets me with a grin, reaching out to flick one of
my mini buns, but I quickly swat his hand away.
 “Hey, Hulk,” I say with a smile, and can’t help but admire his muscular
biceps. “Have you been hitting the gamma radiation lately?” I tease.
Although I was aware that he’s built like a brick wall, I’ve never truly
seen the extent of it because of his suits.
“What are you up to, Livy? Want to get out of here for a bit?” he asks
with a smile.
“I’d love to, but I have to study,” I say.
“You can study outside. Just take your laptop with you, and we’ll head
down to the beach. It’s depressing to stay cooped up inside on such a
beautiful day,” he insists, and I chuckle at his persistence.
“Not that I’m complaining, but why are you in such a good mood?” I
ask.
Gunner walks inside my apartment and spots my beach bag, which
contains my towel, sunscreen, and sunglasses. He closes my laptop and puts
it inside my bag before grabbing my sandals.
“Can’t I just be happy to spend my day with my best friend?” he says,
looking over at me with a grin. “Is there anything else you need?” he asks,
and I chuckle.
“No, I think you’ve got everything. I just need to put on some makeup
real quick and grab my car keys. If we go anywhere today, we’ll be driving
topless,” I inform him.
He comes over to me, grabs my keys from the desk, and hoists me over
his shoulder.
“Gunner!” I squeal in surprise.
“You’re pretty enough already,” he says, and I hear the smile in his
voice.
He closes my door and locks it, all while still carrying me on his
shoulder. Gunner only lets me down when we are in front of my Mini and I
feel the blood rush back down from my head. I put our stuff in the trunk
before I walk up to the driver's side again.
“Nice, I always wanted to figure out if I would fit in this sardine box,”
he says, eyeing the car, and I point a finger at him.
“Hey! No shaming the car. Jaxon fits, so you will too,” I say.
“I am bigger than Jaxon,” he says, making a face as if I insulted him.
“Really?” I ask, frowning at him.
“I’m at least four inches taller than him. And wider,” he says, standing
up straighter. I bring my hand to my chin, acting like I have to think about
it.
“Hmm, I don’t know,” I tease.
“Next time we’re together, we should stand back-to-back so you can
see,” he suggests confidently.
“Let’s go, Mr. Big Man. We can put half of you out of the window when
you feel cramped,” I reply.
He scoffs at my comment and makes his way to the passenger side, but
not before admiring the Mini once more.
“It’s a cool car, I’ll give you that,” he says with a grin.
We both climb in, and I smile at Gunner as I start the engine.
“See, you fit, you big baby,” I tease. He grimaces at me before I ask,
“Where are we heading?”
“Red Reef?” he asks, to which I nod in agreement, and we drive off.

When we get to the beach, we search for a spot that’s a bit secluded from all
the families so we can spread out our towels. When we sit down, I position
myself to face him, while he lies on his side, his head propped up on his
elbow.
“How are you?” I ask him, and he smiles up at me.
“I’ve never been better,” he says, making me smile back. “How are you
doing? How was the shopping trip?” he asks me, and I change my position
to match his.
“It was fun. Miami is pretty cool,” I say.
“Yeah, it’s okay,” he says, nodding, and I laugh.
“What, not big enough of a city for you?” I ask.
“I’m not really a big city person,” he says with a smirk.
“What kind of person are you then?” I ask as I lie back on the towel,
looking up at the sky.
“More of the beach lounging type,” he answers.
“Any specific beach?” I ask.
“My favorite is Fort Zachary in Florida Key West,” he says. “I’ll take
you there for a weekend soon.”
It only occurs to me now that I live near Florida Key, and it fills me
with excitement. Mind blown.
 Gunner interprets my silence as agreement.
“We can drive, since it’ll only take about four hours or so, and rent a
nice hotel or beach house,” he suggests.
“Wow, that sounds perfect,” I say, a smile spreading across my face.
After a while, we sit back up and watch as two guys jog past us.
“If you ever see me jogging, call the police because someone is forcing
me for sure,” Gunner says with a grunt.
“Not a fan of cardio?” I ask, chuckling. He lies back down on his towel
and turns his head to me.
“Do I look like I’m doing any cardio besides dancing?” he asks.
I smile and lie down as well, turning my head to him but squinting
against the sun and using my hand to shield my eyes.
“You would love all the new workout machines at Tanner Fitness. You
should come work out there with me sometime,” I say.
“As if I’d ever lay a foot in that fancy ass studio,” he responds with a
huff.
“Why not?” I ask.
“Because you don’t need all that expensive shit and membership to
work out. That’s some fancy people stuff,” he says.
“But I work out there too, you know,” I protest, furrowing my brow in
confusion.
“Yeah, and you’re the fanciest person I know,” he says, laughing.
“Hey, I’m not!” I say defensively, feeling a bit insulted.
“Sorry, what? I can’t hear you over your finger food board,” Gunner
says, a hand on his ear.
“It’s called a charcuterie board,” I correct, narrowing my gaze at him.
“You’ve proved my point,” he replies dryly, raising his finger in the air
and turning his head back up to the sky, but I notice the corner of his mouth
lifting up in a smirk.
“Why does it sound like an insult when you say I’m fancy?” I mutter.
“It’s not, Livy,” Gunner replies, turning to look at me intently. “It’s just
that you come from a different world than I do,” he says with a shrug.
“How would you know that?” I ask, frowning at him.
“I can just tell,” he responds simply, then adds, “You should come work
out with me sometime in my old-school gym with old-school weights.
Those machines are not the way to build up muscle.”
I can’t resist teasing him a bit since he called me fancy.
 “Funny, Jaxon uses them, and his muscles are just fine,” I point out.
“Nah, his muscles are just for show. They look good but aren’t worth
anything in a fight,” Gunner says, and I choke on my own spit, I have to
laugh so badly.
“You do know he’s an ex-MMA fighter, right?” I remind him.
“Emphasis on ex. He was good once, but he’s slacking now,” he says
with a shrug.
“So you think you could take him in a fight?” I ask, and he sits up,
frowning at me.
“You think I couldn’t?” he asks.
“He was an MMA fighter, Gunner.” I laugh.
“And I’m a fucking bodyguard that protects fancy ass people like you
every day with my life!” he snaps, getting agitated, so I can’t stop now.
“Mostly with your gun,” I say with a shrug.
He stands up and hoists me over his shoulder once again before walking
towards the water.
“Gun!” I giggle and punch his back. “Let me go!” I cry out as he stands
in the ocean, the water up to his knees, and turns me over on his shoulder so
that my head is hanging over the water. Some of my hair is already wet. He
puts his arm around my waist to free his other hand while still holding me
steady, which I find impressive, until he pulls out his phone from his back
pocket and starts recording a video.
“Tell your precious Jaxon that I’m the one who would win in a fight, or
I’ll dunk your pretty head,” Gunner threatens, but he’s laughing too.
“No!” I protest with a giggle.
“Say it!” he insists, and I can’t help but laugh and squeal in response.
He laughs and shakes his head. “Come on, Livy.”
“No!” I shout, still laughing.
“Fine, seems like you’re going down then,” he says, pretending to pout.
He lowers my body, about to dunk me into the water. I close my eyes
and squeeze my nose shut with my hand, ready for the saltwater to get me,
but Gunner chuckles and stops just before my buns would have gotten wet.
He spins me and sets me down in the water that comes up to my thighs,
making my shorts wet.
“Loyal to the end, it seems.” He flips the camera and says to the screen,
“If you’re not half as loyal to her as she is to you, dumbass, I’ll come for
you and prove that I’d definitely win that fight.”
 He ends the video, and the next thing I hear is a whooshing sound.
“You didn’t really just send that to him, did you?” I ask, laughing.
When he says nothing, I add, “Since when do you guys text?”
“Since you just up and left,” he says with a shrug, taking my hand to
guide me out of the water.
“Oh,” I murmur.
We sit back on our towels, and I’m more than ready to bask in the sun
so my clothes and hair can dry again, when my phone chimes with a private
text from Jaxon.

That’s my good girl.

I can’t help but swoon. Gunner leans over my shoulder to look at my

screen and rolls his eyes before lying back on his towel.
We hang out for a few more hours, chatting about everything and
nothing and enjoying each other’s company while I conveniently forget
about studying. We get a pizza before we go back home and eat it while
watching a movie at my place.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

Liv
It’s Monday afternoon, and I’m at the guys’ house because Ryder asked
me to come over and check on River. Apparently, he’s been locked in his
room for three days straight, only leaving for quick showers and bathroom
breaks, and has barely eaten or drank anything. Ryder is worried and
thought maybe I could bring him some food and help him get some rest. I’m
more than happy to try.
I stand in the kitchen with Ryder, who’s making some grilled cheese
sandwiches.
“Please make sure that he really eats them. He hasn’t eaten in at least a
day, since it’s hard to get him out of the zone. I bet you’d have more
success than I have,” Ryder says to me.
“Sure. I haven’t talked to him in a few days. I miss our conversations,” I
say as I take the plate and make my way to his room.
I knock on the door and push it open slightly. River is sitting at his desk,
wearing big headphones, and appears to be unaware of my presence. I walk
over with the plate Ryder made for him. I bet that boy can’t cook one bit,
but these sandwiches look good as fuck.
I approach River slowly from the side, trying not to startle him too
much, because he still seems not to have noticed me. Carefully, I place the
plate on his desk and gently rest my hand on his shoulder. He blinks a few
times before taking off his headphones and turning to me.
“Hey,” he says before finally breaking into a smile.
 “Hey there, handsome,” I say, stroking his messy hair out of tired-
looking eyes. “Ryder mentioned that you haven’t eaten in a while, so he
made you some food.”
River swivels his desk chair towards me and pulls me onto his lap,
inhaling a deep whiff of my hair before reaching for the sandwich. He
offers it to me first, but I shake my head.
“I ate a little while ago,” I tell him.
He nods and takes a big bite, savoring the taste. As he enjoys his meal, I
glance over at his three monitors and find each one is filled with what
appears to be coding. I have no idea what he’s working on, but it looks
incredible.
“Wow, that looks pretty impressive,” I say, and he takes the napkin from
the plate to clean his hands.
“It’s for an assignment—a pretty important grade. I get tunnel vision
when I work on stuff like this. Sorry if I’ve been MIA for too long,” he
says, squeezing me.
“Don’t worry, I get it,” I assure him. “I can get into the zone too while
dancing.”
I look over his work again and laugh quietly.
“It must be nice to be this smart,” I say, rubbing his hands that are now
holding me around my belly.
“Not really,” he says, huffing into my shoulder, and I turn to look at
him.
“It’s not?” I ask, and he furrows his brows.
“For me, it’s the source of all my problems and Ryder’s suffering,” he
says, leaning his temple to my shoulder. “I have a high IQ. Some people
with a high IQ are also highly sensitive, which is the case for me,
unfortunately. I experience everything in a much more intense way than
most. I’m bombarded with stimuli every day, which can be pretty
overwhelming for me.”
I feel dumb for not noticing this before. Sure, I thought River was a
fellow introvert, but I never realized he was suffering.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I say, stroking his cheek. “That must be
difficult to handle.”
“Yeah, my anxiety is the thing I struggle with the most,” he replies with
a huff before squeezing me. “It’s much easier to handle with you by my
side.” That surprises me, since my anxiety eases when he’s near too.
 “Really?” I ask. “I always thought you were the one grounding me.” I
laugh.
“Seems like we’re good for each other,” he replies with a smile.
“We are,” I say, smiling back. “Is there something I can do to help you
with this? Or something I should avoid doing?” I ask, feeling a bit unsure if
I’m being too much or too rough with him or anything.
“No, you’re perfect,” he says, kissing my cheek. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell
you when something gets too much.”
“Don’t hesitate to tell me. I won’t be offended,” I say, and he smiles at
me. “Why would your intelligence be a source of Ryder’s suffering?” I ask
hesitantly, but still curious. River might think he’s responsible for Ryder’s
hurting, but all I ever see is the love between them and how much they’re
there for each other. I don’t understand it. He takes a deep breath.
“Ryder and I were in foster care since shortly after we were born, when
our parents died in a car crash,” he starts, his fingers drawing patterns on
my bare thigh above the hem of my yellow sundress. “We had a
grandmother left from our mother’s side in Romania, but the paperwork
was a pain in the ass, and somehow, she never made it to the US to claim
us. While they were still trying to figure out who was responsible for us, we
stayed in the system, unable to be adopted.
“That grandmother in Romania died when Ryder and I were six, and so
we got cleared to be adopted. By this time, I was known as the shy but
gifted twin, while Ryder was the loud, outgoing, and artsy kid.” He smiles.
“Ryder sang all the time, and he made music with everything. When we
were outside, he made himself whistles from a blade of grass, or he filled
wine glasses with water and played whole symphonies with them.” I smile
at that.
“I’m sure Ryder is gifted when it comes to music, but no one ever
thought about testing that,” he says before biting his cheek, seeming lost in
thought. “He had troubles in school though. He couldn’t sit still for long
periods of time, and he was always daydreaming, unable to concentrate. He
had to listen to the teachers telling him he should be more like me all the
time,” he says, and I can sense where he’s going with this.
“It got so bad that Ryder started to rebel and intentionally behave worse.
It was like someone pushed a button in him, and if his behavior wasn’t good
enough, he just acted out instead,” he says with a cringe. “His acting out
and grades hindered a lot of adoption inquiries, but I didn’t care because
we’d already found Jaxon and had sworn to stick together. I was happy
when the families rejected us, but a lot of them told us and our foster family
that they would have taken me but not Ryder,” he says, and my mouth falls
open in shock.
“How could they say something like that?” I ask, and he shrugs.
“It was horrible, and every time it happened, I watched Ryder’s self-
worth crumble more. He put on a hard façade, but I could feel when he was
upset, and it did a number on him. He still struggles with his self-worth
today,” he says, and I can sense the pain in his voice.
I already had an inkling that this was a problem for Ryder, but hearing
the reason behind it is still hard. My poor Ryder. He’s so talented, kind, and
amazing.
“One day, when we were about eleven, a couple came and took me
away. My foster mother was fucking angry about it, but the responsible
authorities were convinced that it would be beneficial for me to spend my
childhood with a family who could get me more resources and support for
my gifted status, away from the brother who pulled me down,” he says,
and I can sense the bitterness in his voice. I just stare at him, my eyes wide
and unable to blink.
“What the…?” I mutter, and he nods in agreement.
“They wanted to adopt me and showed me a big room in a big house
with everything I ever dreamed of, but I couldn’t do it. Chase, Jaxon, and
Ryder were my family, not those strangers,” he says, and I can see the
determination in his eyes. “So I refused to eat, drink, or speak. They finally
had to return me to our original foster family because my health was in
danger, but when I got back, I found out that Ryder had done the same. He
was suffering just as much without me. They never tried again, and we
never got adopted until we aged out of the system,” he finishes, and I can
feel the pain in his words.
“Ryder still thinks he’s responsible for me not having the best childhood
or life possible. He can’t see that all I ever needed to be happy is to spend
my life with him and the guys,” River says, stroking my hair. “And now
with you too,” he adds, his eyes flicking to my lips.
I lean in to kiss him, and he hums, pecking my lips two more times
before leaning back into his chair.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you,” I say, my heart feeling heavy.
 “Don’t be,” he replies with a smirk. “It brought us to where we are
today, and I’m really enjoying life right now,” he says, squeezing my knee.

River
“I really enjoy it too,” she says with a smile, and I peck her lips again.
They’re so soft, just like the skin on her thigh that I’m stroking. I don’t
avoid her scar and just stroke over it too. She looks away from my gaze to
take in the room. She’s been here once before, but she was exhausted, so I
don’t think her curiosity was satisfied.
“Wanna snoop around?” I ask her, and she blushes.
“Am I that obvious?” she asks, and I reassure her by squeezing her
knee.
“No, I just know my girl,” I say with a smile, kissing her cheek before
she gets up and walks over to the TV and gaming systems I’ve got set
up. My games are lined up in a bookshelf under the TV, and she browses
through them.
“You like shooters?” she asks me, and I nod.
“I do, but I also like strategy games and platformers. I just played Tomb
Raider through again and enjoyed it,” I say. She pulls out Need for Speed
and stands up from her crouched position, smiling at me.
“I played this a lot with Theodore. He loved cars and racing games,” she
says, stroking the cover, and I can see sadness moving into her eyes. “I miss
him,” she tells me, her voice weak, and I pull her into an embrace.
“Tell me about him,” I say, and she takes in a deep breath.
“He would tackle me the moment I got through the door and demand I
play with him,” she says with a chuckle. “He was done playing with our
father because he never let him win, and I wasn’t good enough to be a
competition.”
“You weren’t good at it?” I ask, and she pushes away a tear that slipped
out before laughing.
“God no. I enjoy playing video games, but I suck big time. That was
what Theo liked so much—he could play for hours with me and never
lose,” she says, and that makes me laugh.
 “I’d love to give it a try. Do you want to play a round or two?” I ask
with a smirk.
“Sure, but let’s play a different game,” she says as she crouches down to
choose one.
“Are you searching for a game you’re better at?” I tease.
“Don’t worry, there isn’t one,” she replies, standing back up and
handing me Mario Kart.
I insert the game into my Switch before grabbing two controllers and
sitting down in my cozy beanbag chair, the TV remote within reach.
“Come here,” I tell her, and she smiles before lowering herself onto my
lap.
I hand her a controller and start the game, wrapping my arms around her
waist to hold the controller in front of her. She holds hers just above mine
as she chooses Yoshi as her character, then she steals my controller and
chooses Peach for me, making me laugh. We start the race, and it’s a blast.
Liv is so bad at it, but we’re having so much fun. She tries to launch turtle
shells at me and laughs her ass off when one of them gets me just before the
finish line, costing me the win. I can’t stop laughing either, and I love every
second of it.
“You know, these games need a girlfriend option,” she says as I pull her
hair away from her neck and plant a kiss on it. I love the way she refers to
herself as my girlfriend.
“They do?” I ask.
“Yeah, like an option that you can choose when you play with your
girlfriend, so the game automatically becomes much harder for the guy and
easier for the girl, making it fairer,” she replies, and I chuckle into her neck.
“I don’t think ‘fair’ is the right word here, beautiful.” I say teasingly.
“You’re right, though. I think I’m going to build a girlfriend button into my
game,” I say, and Liv turns in my lap, surprised.
“You’re making a game?” she asks.
“I didn’t tell you? I’m working on one. It’s still nowhere near finished
and more of a side project, but I enjoy doing it, and maybe I can use it as
my final project.”
“Wow, River, that’s so cool. What’s it about?” she asks, intrigued.
“It’s a time traveling adventure game where players must solve puzzles
and complete quests while traveling through different eras of history,” I
explain.
 “That’s right up my alley,” she says excitedly, beaming at me. “Can I
play it when it’s done?”
“I’ll need you to be a beta player so I can assess how easy the girlfriend
level has to be,” I tease, and she falls backwards into my chest, laughing
loudly.
“You jerk!” she exclaims, playfully punching me in the arm. Liv winces
in pain and shakes out her fist. “Ouch. Not fair,” she complains, and I
chuckle.
“How is it not fair when you hurt yourself while punching me?” I take
her fist and bring it to my mouth, blowing on it before kissing her knuckles.
Gazing into her eyes, I whisper, “Better?”
“Mhmm,” she replies, nodding.
I place my controller beside me and take hers out of her hand, setting it
down next to the other before turning her in my lap so she’s straddling me. I
take her hand back in mine, bunch up the sleeve of her dress and start to
kiss up her right inner forearm to her elbow. When the fabric gets in the
way, I repeat the motion on her left arm, kissing her scar and stopping at her
elbow. Since there is no more skin to kiss, I gather her hair and bring it
behind her so it falls down her back, giving me free range to kiss the skin
on her neck. After placing a kiss on every inch there, I start to kiss up her
face, landing on her temple.
“River,” she murmurs.
“I want to kiss every inch of your body, worshipping you,” I whisper
into her ear.
“Please,” Liv replies, her voice barely audible.
“You never have to beg with me, beautiful,” I say softly.
I can see the desire in her eyes, and it makes me want her even more. I
move my lips to her cheek and kiss her gently, then turn my attention to her
neck again. My hands move to her waist, pulling her closer to me. I feel her
body shudder under my touch as I trace the outline of her ear with my
tongue, then move back to her lips.
Our kiss is slow and deep, and I can feel her fingers curl around the
back of my neck, pulling me closer to her. We break the kiss, and I look into
her eyes, seeing the desire there. I know I want her, but I also know that I
want to take things slow. I want to worship her, to explore every inch of her,
to make her feel wanted and desired in ways she never has before.
“Will you let me love you, Liv?” I ask, my voice low and husky.
 She nods, her eyes never leaving mine.
“Then let me show you how much you mean to me,” I say, pulling her
dress over her head.
I begin by kissing and nibbling on her neck, then move down to her
chest. She’s wearing a pretty white lace bra that leaves her pink nipples
visible through the material, and I feel myself getting rock hard. Liv’s
breasts are the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen, and I’m dying to suck on
them.
I reach behind her to unclasp her bra but pause at the closure and look
back into her eyes to make sure she good with what I’m doing. She nods,
and I release the bra. When she sheds it, I groan at the sight of her big, full
tits. I cup them in my hands, marveling at their weight and feel, then take
each nipple in my mouth one at a time, teasing them with my tongue.
Liv writhes on my lap, and I can feel the heat radiating from between
her legs. I lower her back onto my knees and begin to kiss down her
stomach, tracing circles around her belly button with my tongue. The
position is limiting, though, so I pull her back up, hugging her tightly to my
chest, and stand up with her in my arms. Liv yelps, clinging to me.
“I’ve got you,” I tell her before I gently lay her on my bed.
Liv is lying in the middle of my grey sheets, wearing nothing but white
lace panties. She grabs her breasts, biting her lip, I groan and adjust myself
in my sweatpants.
I pull her foot towards me and begin to kiss my way up her legs,
pausing to nibble on her inner thighs before reaching my ultimate
destination. I bury my face between her legs, inhaling her intoxicating scent
and teasing her over the lace with my tongue.
“You have way too many clothes on, River,” Liv murmurs.
“So do you,” I reply, hooking two fingers into the waistband of her
panties and pulling them down her legs before tossing them over my
shoulder.
Shedding my shirt, pants, and boxers, I stand before her completely
naked. My cock twitches as I take in the sight of her lying naked in my bed,
so I stroke it hard a few times, trying to keep myself from coming just from
looking at her.
She sits up at the edge of the bed, reaching out to me, and I step closer.
When she takes my cock in her hand, I start to protest.
 “I want to make you feel good, Liv,” I say, but before I can continue,
she takes me in her mouth and my mind goes blank.
I moan and run my hands through her hair, feeling the wetness of her
mouth and the softness of her lips. She bobs her head up and down, taking
me deep into her throat and swirling her tongue around the tip.
It’s been over two years since my last blow job, but I can’t remember it
being this good. I reach from her head to her breasts, needing to feel them.
Liv lets my cock plop out of her mouth and looks up at me, chuckling. She
guides my cock between her breasts, which are conveniently on the same
level, and pushes them together, squeezing my dick between them. Holy
fucking shit.
I nearly lose my mind. She guides them up and down my cock, while all
I can do is stand there and concentrate on not combusting. I close my eyes
and lean back, letting out a deep moan. This feels so incredible. Liv’s
breasts are soft and warm around me, and the sensation is driving me crazy.
I reach down and place my hands on her shoulders, feeling her smooth skin
under my fingertips. She continues to slide her breasts up and down,
increasing the pressure and speed. I can feel the heat building inside me,
and I know I’m close to the edge.
“Fuck, beautiful,” I say on a groan. “I’m going to come if you don’t
stop.” She slows down and looks up at me, a wicked grin on her face.
“Not yet, you’re not,” she says, pulling back and standing up.
She pushes me back onto the bed and climbs on top of me, straddling
my hips. I can see the desire in her eyes as she leans down and kisses me
passionately, her tongue exploring my mouth. I grab her hips and pull her
closer to me, feeling the heat of her core against my cock. I want to be
inside her so badly, but I need her to come on my tongue much more, so I
break the kiss and cup her cheek.
“Sit on my face,” I tell her.
Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t move, so I slap her ass.
“Are you sure?” she asks, her bravado from before gone. I grab her hips
and lift her over me so her pussy is hovering directly above me.
“I said sit,” I reply, trying to pull her down to me gently.
“But I don’t want to suffocate you,” she says, and I chuckle.
“If I die, I’ll go happily. Now give me that pretty pussy,” I say, pulling
her down again, and she complies.
 I push my tongue into her, exploring every inch of her. She’s so wet,
and the taste of her drives me wild. I flick my tongue over her clit, and she
moans, grabbing onto the headboard for support.
I continue to alternate between licking and sucking on her, grabbing her
ass cheeks, wanting to bring her to the brink before letting her ride my
cock. She’s close now, her hips grinding against my face as I work her. I
slip a finger inside her, curling it just right, and her moans turn into screams
as she comes hard, her wetness coating my face.
I keep licking and sucking on her, prolonging her pleasure as long as I
can. When she finally comes down from the high, I gently lift her from my
face and sit her down on my hips, my cock sandwiched between us and
getting coated in her. She pulls me into a deep kiss, tasting herself on my
lips. I can feel my cock straining against her, desperate to be inside her. She
breaks the kiss and looks at me, a mischievous glint in her eye.
“You want me, don’t you?” she asks, grinding her hips against me.
“God, yes,” I say, my voice rough with need. “I want you so fucking
bad.”
She smiles and reaches down, taking my cock in her hand and guiding it
to her pussy. She slowly lowers herself onto me, and I can feel her tight,
wet heat enveloping me. We both moan as she sinks down onto me, taking
me deep inside her. I wrap my arms around her and pull her close, feeling
her breasts pressed against my chest. We start to move together, our bodies
in perfect sync.
This is the moment I’ve been craving for so long—the feeling of being
inside her, of being one with her. It’s the first time I’ve had sex in two years,
and I know I’m not going to last long, but I don’t care. All that matters is
this moment, this feeling. I close my eyes and bring our foreheads together,
focusing on the sensation of her body moving against mine. I kiss her,
whispering how good she feels, how perfect she is.
The heat inside me builds rapidly, but my orgasm takes me by surprise
when her pussy spasms around me.
“Fuck,” I say on a gasp as I come hard, my body shaking.
Despite me coming already, Liv sits up and continues to move against
me, her own orgasm building. I rub her clit to help her get there, and soon,
she throws her head back and moans my name, her body shuddering as she
comes.
 We collapse onto the bed, spent and sweaty, before I pull her close,
feeling the beat of her heart against my chest. This is what love feels like.
We lie there, tangled up in each other, and I feel so close to her. It’s not
just about the physical pleasure, although that was incredible. I stroke her
hair and kiss her forehead, basking in the afterglow.
“I love you,” I whisper, and she looks up at me with a soft smile.
“I love you too, River,” she says, and I feel my heart swell with
happiness.
I know that this moment is just one of many we will share together, and
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us. For now, though, I’m
content to just lie here with the woman I love, savoring the warmth of our
bodies and the beat of our hearts.
As I kiss Liv’s forehead once more, the door suddenly opens and Ryder
peeks inside.
“Wow, your conversations really are the best,” he says with a chuckle,
tossing a warm, wet washcloth to me, which lands on my belly. “Take care
of our girl,” he tells me, and Liv laughs before flipping him off as he closes
the door.
Although I could punch him right now, he has a point, so I lean over
Liv.
“May I?” I ask.
She nods in response, and I begin to clean her up. When I’m done, we
get under the covers and she cuddles into me. It doesn’t take long for me to
drift off into a deep sleep—the first good rest I’ve had in what feels like
days.

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 CHAPTER TWELVE

Jaxon
It’s early afternoon, and I’m sitting in my office, working on some
training plans for new members, when my phone dings with a text from
Baldy.
Is Liv with you?

I grin to myself at the nickname I gave Gunner in my phone. Sue me.

Except, when I read the message, I frown before quickly checking the
cameras on my second monitor to look for Liv in the dance studio or weight
room. Maybe I missed her coming in, but no, Chase is wrapping up a class,
and River is cleaning up the weight section. I assume Ryder is in Chase’s
office next door.

No, she’s not with me, and she’s not in the studio. Maybe
she’s still in class?

I wanted to pick her up from classes, but she didn’t go.

I quickly reply, feeling a sense of worry creeping in.

Haven’t seen or heard from her today. I’ll check with the guys
and see if they know something.

I get up from my desk and make my way to Chase’s office next door.
Ryder startles when I open the door, nearly falling off the chair he was
lounging in, a confused expression on his face.
“Hey, have you seen or heard from Liv today?” I ask, trying to keep my
tone calm, but he shakes his head.
“No, not since yesterday when she left our place. Why, is everything
okay?” he asks.
I explain the situation to him, and he quickly gets up, grabbing his
phone.
“Let me call her and see if she’s okay,” he says, dialing Liv’s number,
but it goes straight to voicemail. “Her phone is off. That’s not like her,”
Ryder says, his expression now more serious. I nod, feeling my own worry
increase.
“Let’s check with the others and see if they know anything,” I suggest,
but neither River nor Chase have heard from her today either.
“You don’t think she ran away again, do you?” Ryder asks, a worried
expression on his face, but I shake my head.
“She wouldn’t do that. She promised. Something else is going on,” I
say.
“Liam?” River asks. I don’t answer and instead pull out my phone.
They haven’t seen or heard from her either.

We need find her and make sure she’s okay. Today isn’t a
good day.

I frown, and Ryder, who’s looking at my phone too, asks, “Why is today
not a good day?”
On it. Why?

Just find her. Text me when you do. I’ll check the bars
downtown.

“It’s early afternoon, and Liv doesn’t drink in public, so why would
Gunner search the bars?” River asks.
“Because it’s really not a good day today,” Chase mutters, pulling at his
curls as his face goes white. He gets on his phone and breathes out a “Fuck”
when he finds what he was searching for. “Her family died a year ago
today.”
We all fall silent.
 “We are some fucking shitty boyfriends for not knowing that,” Ryder
says, playing with his lip ring.
“That’s so Liv—she didn’t want to bother us with her grief,” River says
with a huff, shaking his head.
“I think I know where she might be,” I say. We all pile into my Jeep and
drive off to the beach.

As we pull up at South Beach Park next to her Mini, I catch a glimpse of

her from afar, sitting in the same spot where we had our beach day. I nearly
fall out of the car, I feel so relieved to see her. I send a quick text to Gunner
before we walk over to her, trying not to startle her. Nobody else is near her,
and she has her back to us, sitting on a towel and wearing sweatpants and
River’s hoodie in the heat, her hair swept over one shoulder. Next to her lies
an empty bottle of Jack Daniels and a boombox, which is quietly playing
“Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day. Fuck, how could we
not know she was hurting so badly?
As we get closer, she turns her head and sees us. Her eyes are red and
puffy, tears are streaming down her face, and a sob breaks out of her.
Without a word, I sit down next to her and wrap my arms around her,
pulling her into a tight embrace. The guys join in, forming a protective
circle around her. Liv sobs into my shoulder, and I stroke her hair, feeling a
mix of guilt and relief that we found her. We sit there in silence for a while,
just letting her know that we’re here for her with our presence.
Finally, she looks up at each of us, her eyes still watery but full of
gratitude.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I didn’t want to ruin your day.”
“You didn’t ruin anything, sunshine. We want to be here for you. We’re
just glad we found you, and we’re sorry we weren’t here sooner,” I say.
The guys nod in agreement, all reaching out to stroke her, and Liv leans
into my embrace once more.
“Can we just stay here for a bit longer?” she asks, sniffling.
“Of course,” I reply, squeezing her. “As long as you need.”
Just then, tires screech behind us, and a black Land Rover Defender
comes to a halt next to our cars. Gunner jumps out of it and runs over to us.
I let go of Liv, and she stands up, swaying a bit just before he picks her up.
Her legs wrap around him, and he sits down with her straddling him
between the guys and me on her towel, not caring about his suit and dress
shoes. He holds her tight, cradling her head against his chest.
“I’ve got you now, Livy,” he whispers into her hair. “I searched the
whole fucking city for you.”
“I’m sorry,” she cries.
“Don’t be. You’re not alone. Look around, there are so many people
who care for you. You don’t have to go through anything alone anymore,”
he says, rubbing her back.
“Everyone I love leaves me or dies,” she says, sobbing into his suit, and
I glance at the guys to find all of them looking heartbroken and near tears
themselves.
“We’re going nowhere, beautiful,” River says as he strokes her knee, his
voice weak.
We sit there, watching the sunset and listening to Liv’s sniffling before
she finally falls asleep in Gunner’s arms.
“Let’s get her home,” I say, standing up.
All of them stand as well, Gunner holding Liv in his arms. He looks at
me and grimaces.
“I need to work tonight. I can’t afford to skip it, and I’m already late,”
he says.
River steps forward and opens his arms, allowing Gunner to hand Liv
over to him. I put a hand on Gunner’s shoulder and give it a gentle squeeze.
“Thank you for including us today. We’ll take her from here, and I’ll
text you later to let you know how she’s doing.”
“Thanks, man,” he says with a nod before turning and walking to his
car.
“God, do we have to like him now?” Ryder asks with a huff.
Chase chuckles before picking up the towel, boombox, Liv’s purse, and
the empty bottle. He shakes it, making a face.
“Our girl can drink,” he says, and I grimace, feeling guilty that we
didn’t notice Liv was struggling so much.
“Let’s go,” I say.
Chase hands Ryder Liv’s car keys so he and River can drive her back in
the Mini while Chase sits in the Jeep beside me.
“We fucked up badly today, brother,” he tells me.
I nod. We sure did.

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 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Liv
I feel an overwhelming sense of relief as I finally get out of my classes
for the day. Watching a video of a ballet dancer doing pirouette after
pirouette made me feel even more nauseous, but I couldn’t afford to miss
another day of class.
Yesterday, I just needed to numb myself to get through the day
somehow. I’m still feeling hurt but spending the day sitting with my grief
was helpful. Allowing myself to remember and miss them will eventually
help me move on, or so my therapist says. We’ll see.
This morning, I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a bus and couldn’t
remember anything after I got to the beach yesterday, like how they found
me or how I got there. I found myself lying between the twins in River’s
room, with Chase asleep in River’s desk chair and Jaxon standing beside
the bed with a glass of water and pain meds. He didn’t say anything, and
there was no accusation or pity in his eyes, just understanding. I took the
pills, had a shower, and put on yesterday’s sweats again, but I needed to get
home so I could get a fresh set of clothes.
As I stepped out of the shower, I found Ryder and River waiting for me
at the door. They were all set to drive my car to my apartment complex,
since Jaxon told them that I might still be a little too drunk to drive. I was
grateful for their concern, but I wanted to take care of myself. I insisted on
driving myself, and after some convincing, they reluctantly agreed. As I
walked out, I could sense their unease, but I promised them that I would be
careful.
Now I’m walking towards my car, which I parked just off campus, and
all I can think about is getting something greasy to eat to satisfy my
growling stomach. I place a hand on my belly, trying to calm it down.
“We’ll get you something disgustingly unhealthy, like a burger
swimming in grease,” I mutter to myself, but I hear a laugh from behind
me.
I turn to see River and Ryder grinning at me, while Chris comes up and
puts her arm around my shoulders.
“You’re my kind of girl,” she says with a laugh, and I smile, but the
movement hurts my head.
“We know just the place, baby. River, do you want to drive with her or
with me?” Ryder asks.
“Back off, Casanova. I haven’t seen my BFF in far too long. You guys
can take your rusty car,” Chris interjects, taking my hand and starting to
pull me towards my car, but I resist her. Instead, I turn to Ryder with a big
smile, forgetting about my headache.
“Your car is fixed?” I ask. He steps closer to me and kisses my nose.
“Yes, I got it back yesterday morning, good as new,” he replies. River
coughs, and Chris chuckles.
“If by new you mean ready for the scrap heap,” she says.
“At least it won’t break down again on the side of the road,” Ryder says
with a huff.
“What a pity,” I tease, giving him a playful look, and his eyes fill with
heat.
“Uh-uh, you guys are gross,” Chris interrupts, pulling me again, and this
time, I let her.
Ryder drives in front of us, River riding with him, and I just follow
them.
“I missed you, you know,” Chris starts.
“I missed you too, but we did workout last week together,” I say,
smiling at her.
“Yeah, but that was like a week ago, and we couldn’t talk much because
Ryder was there too,” she says. “Next time, don’t be such a drama queen
when one of them fucks up, and I’m telling you, they will fuck up. You just
come to me, and we’ll go drinking or do a girls’ weekend at a spa or some
shit.” I laugh and reach for Chris’ hand, giving it a squeeze before letting
go.
“You know, for someone studying psychology, you’re not very good
with emotional stuff,” I tease, and she nods in agreement.
“I know, right? Maybe I should drop out,” she says, and I chuckle.
“Stop it,” I say.
“I could be a great stripper, but I don’t want creepy men leering at me.
Maybe I’ll ask Jaxon to open a women’s only strip club for me and call it
Lady Lust Lounge,” she says.
“You might want to work on the name a bit, or else girls will come in,
thinking it’s a male strip club, and find you,” I say, chuckling again.
“I could definitely convince them to stay, though,” she says, and I smile
at her before taking the turn Ryder just did.
“You sure would. I think your stripper name should be Diamond Diva,”
I say.
“Huh, I like that. Yours would be Temptation Tango,” she says, and I
burst out laughing.
“God, that was just bad,” I say.

We enter a diner that looks like it’s straight out of the sixties. Ryder holds
the door open for us and pinches my ass as I walk past him. I scowl at him,
but he just grins. We sit in a booth, with me squeezed between River and
Ryder, and both of them place a hand on my knee. The waitress comes to
our table, bringing us each a laminated menu, and I look over the options.
“If you want greasy, you should take the cheeseburger. It’s so
good,” River says in my ear. I smile up at him, and he looks at me
affectionately before pecking my lips.
“Could you guys stop with the smooching? I don’t want to lose my
appetite,” Chris says, her eyes on her own menu, and I chuckle.
“How are things going with your classmate?” I ask her. Ryder and River
turn their heads to her in sync, seemingly surprised by this information, and
I bite my lip. Fuck, I shouldn’t have mentioned anything in front of them.
Except Chris just smiles at me.
 “Good. I asked for her number and she gave it to me. We’re texting,”
she says, and I let out a shriek of excitement.
“Really? That’s awesome!” I exclaim. “Are you guys going out?”
“I haven’t asked her yet,” Chris mumbles, and Ryder makes chicken
noises before I elbow him in the ribs.
“Ouch,” he mutters, rubbing his side.
“I think you should ask her out, Chris,” I say, trying to encourage her.
“You’re amazing, and any girl would be lucky to go out with you.” She
looks at me and smiles, a hint of nervousness in her eyes.
“Thanks. I’ll try to work up the courage to ask her.”
The waitress comes back to take our orders, and we all get a burger and
fries. The conversation flows easily between us, with jokes and laughter
filling the air. It feels good to be with them, to forget everything else and
just enjoy the moment for a while. I take a bite of a fry, relishing in the pure
potato goodness, before turning to Ryder.
“When is your band’s next gig?” I ask him, but he shrugs in response.
“We don’t have one scheduled,” he replies. I glance over at River and
see him make a face before Ryder continues. “It’s not easy to get gigs here.
There’s a lot of competition.” I nod.
“You guys should make a YouTube channel and upload some videos.
That could get you more exposure and help with getting booked,” I suggest,
grabbing another fry, and Ryder smiles.
“You think it’s that easy to get famous on YouTube?” he asks, a hint of
humor in his eyes.
“I don’t know, but I’ve heard if you do it right, you can get millions of
subscribers,” I tease back.
“As if one of you could get millions of subs on that platform,” Chris
mutters, causing River to nearly choke on his fry before bursting out in
laughter. She shoots me a smile.
“Ryder, why don’t you give it a try? What do you have to lose?” I offer,
feeding him one of my fries. He bites it off near my finger and licks my
fingertip before leaning back.
“I don’t know how to film or do any of that social media stuff,” he
admits.
“Yeah, I don’t think Ryder even has any social media,” Chris says with
a chuckle, and I raise a brow.
 “You know, you’ve got a girlfriend who’s not too bad with those
things,” I say, smiling at him.
“Right, I do,” he says, pulling me closer, putting our foreheads together.
“Would you help us make a video and upload it to YouTube for us, pretty
please?” he asks, his hand in my hair massaging my scalp.
“I’d love to,” I whisper, and he finally kisses me until I hear a fake
puking sound from across the table.
“Seriously, guys, stop it,” Chris says, and River squeezes my knee. I
laugh and push Ryder away, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.
“All right, all right, we’ll save the PDA for later,” I say and turn back to
my food, taking a big bite of my burger, my head already feeling so much
better. “So, when do we start?” I ask Ryder with a smile.
“We’re meeting tomorrow after classes in our band room. I can text
them and ask if they’re up for it,” he says.
“Perfect, please do and let me know the location if they’re down,” I
reply before taking another bite of my food.
After we finish our meal, we head back to the cars. Since it’s on the
way, we drive to Chris’ apartment complex, where she gives me a hug
before getting out of the car, promising to text me later about her potential
date. Before I can start the car again, River jogs over to the driver side, and
since my top is open and windows down, he leans into the car.
“You doing okay, beautiful?” he asks pushing a lock of my hair behind
my ear, concern etched on his face.
I nod, but the truth is I’m not sure. I’m still grieving, still hurting, and I
don’t know how to move forward, but I force a smile and answer.
“I will be,” I say, trying to convince myself as much as him. “Thanks
for the food and company.”
“Should we come over?” he asks, trying to read my face.
“I think I need some time alone, if that’s all right with you guys,” I
reply, and he caresses my cheek.
“Sure, text me if you change your mind, okay?” he asks before leaning
in to kiss me gently and whispering, “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I whisper back before he steps away from the car and I
drive off.
I make my way up to my apartment, feeling the weight of the day on my
shoulders, but as I unlock the door and step inside, I feel a sense of relief
wash over me. This is my safe space, my sanctuary, and I can finally let
myself be vulnerable. I collapse on my bed and close my eyes, taking a
deep breath, letting the tears fall.

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 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Ryder
I take a sip of water as the soundcheck comes to an end. All we have to
do now is wait for Liv. Tom absentmindedly twirls his drumsticks, his long
black hair falling into his eyes, while Brian tunes his guitar for the
umpteenth time, a nervous habit he always gets before a gig. He’s a
towering figure with a face full of metal, but at least as anxious as River.
The fucker sure knows how to play though. I’m no slouch myself, but I’ve
never quite reached his level.
Cara strolls over to me.
“Is your girlfriend standing us up?” she asks, a hint of irritation in her
voice, and I roll my eyes.
“Relax, Cara. It’s only been five minutes,” I reply. Just then, my phone
buzzes with a text from Liv.
Outside, sorry for the delay.

“She’s here,” I tell Cara before heading up the stairs from the basement,
which doubles as our band room.
Tom, Brian, and Cara are roommates who share a rental house. They
asked me to move in, but there’s no way I’m giving up my room at Jaxon’s
house to live with those smelly dudes. I already see enough of them as it is.
Liv is parked in the driveway, leaning against her car.
“Hey, baby,” I say, and she greets me with a smile. I pull her into a kiss,
tempted to deepen it, but I don’t want to ruffle Cara’s feathers. She can be a
real bitch when she’s irritated. “Thanks for coming,” I say as we part from
the kiss.
“Sure, I’m excited,” she replies, her grin widening. She opens the trunk
of her car and retrieves a large backpack.
“What’s that?” I ask, my curiosity piqued.
“Equipment,” she responds simply.
Okay then. We head down to the basement, and I introduce Liv to Tom,
Brian, and Cara. She smiles and waves.
“Hey, guys. Don’t mind me fangirling over here. You were unbelievably
good at the bar last month. I wish I had taken a video to listen to
afterwards,” she says, and in just three sentences, Liv manages to win them
over. I don’t know how she does it, but there’s just no way not to like this
girl.
“Thanks, Liv,” Cara says with a chuckle. “Wait until you hear the music
we really play. All those mainstream covers are getting us gigs, but we’re
only good when we play rock songs.”
“Oh, I can’t wait,” Liv says, beaming. She places her backpack in front
of her and unzips it, revealing a collection of expensive-looking cameras,
microphones, a gimbal, a tripod, and other filming equipment.
“Where did you get all this?” I ask, a little shocked.
“I bought it,” she says with a shrug. “That’s why I’m a little late. I had
to charge the batteries first, but we can start now.”
“You didn’t have to go through all this trouble, Liv. I thought you were
just going to do a video on your phone,” I say. I can’t believe she bought all
this just to film us.
“Don’t insult me, Ryder. I’m a professional, and I seem to remember
you saying that money shouldn’t be a problem for me,” she teases.
I grimace. Yeah, I did say that.
“What, you a gold digger, Davies?” Cara asks, chuckling behind me.
“Shut up,” I tell her, feeling embarrassed as I watch Liv expertly
assemble the equipment. Once she’s done setting up, she explains her plan
to us.
“I hope it’s okay that you guys have to play the song a few times. First,
I’m just going to listen so I can assess what setup I need to use for the takes,
then I’ll start filming. We’ll do the whole song from the beginning, and
after that, I’ll get some detail shots of you guys playing the instruments and
singing.”
 We’re all impressed by her professionalism and stare at her for a
moment. She starts to squirm.
“Uh, yeah, okay… You guys can start,” she says, and I chuckle before
pecking her on the lips.
“You heard the lady,” I tell the band, and we get into our positions.
“I never would’ve thought Davies would get a girlfriend,” Tom
whispers loudly to Bill.
“Can’t blame him. Look at her,” he says. I grin and look at Liv, who’s
ducking her head, blushing and focusing on the camera.
“Ready, baby?” I ask her, and she gives me a thumbs-up.
We get into position and start playing a Written by Wolves song called
“Forever & Always.” It’s right up our alley, showcasing our skills, and
while not a mainstream cover, it sets us apart from the hundreds of other
bands out there. Plus, it’s just a damn good song.
Tom’s drums provide a steady beat, while Brian’s guitar riffs and Cara’s
bass line weave together perfectly with me stringing my guitar. Cara’s
harmonies in the background add an extra layer of richness to the sound of
my voice. I look over at Liv, who’s listening to us with rapt attention. It’s
clear she’s impressed as she smiles at me, her gaze filled with awe, and I
can’t help but feel a surge of pride. This is what I’m meant to do—playing
music with these guys, creating something together. I close my eyes and let
the music take me away.
When the song comes to an end, Liv breaks into applause.
“Wow, you guys are amazing!” she exclaims. “You’re right, Cara—this
is your kind of music. Damn, I don’t get why you guys aren’t famous
already.”
“Believe me, we’re trying,” I reply, smiling at her. “It’s tough to make it
in the music industry, but we’re not giving up.”
“We just need more exposure,” Brian says with a nod. “That’s where
you come in.”
“I’ll do my best to make you guys look and sound as amazing as you
are,” Liv says, smiling. “I have a feeling you’re going to be big one day.”
We start playing again, and Liv moves around, adjusting the camera
angles and getting different shots of us. We play the song a few times, and
all the while, she’s constantly tweaking the setup to get the perfect shots.
It’s clear she’s a pro, and I’m grateful to have her doing this for us. After we
finish the final take, she grins at us.
 “That was great!” she exclaims. “You guys sounded amazing.”
“Looks like you’re dating a talented filmmaker now, Davies,” Cara
says, giving me a nudge.
“Looks like I am,” I say, grinning at Liv. “Thanks for doing this. It
means a lot to us.”
“No problem,” she replies with a shrug. “I had a great time. I’ll get
started on editing the footage and upload it to YouTube as soon as
possible.”
Liv starts packing up her equipment while the rest of us talk. When
she’s finished, I tell everyone I’m going to walk her out. They all say their
thanks and goodbyes to her. I put her backpack over my shoulder, then lead
her back to her car. We get the stuff into her trunk, and I push her against
the car with my body.
“Thank you,” I say, my hands moving to gather her hair behind her
head. “You have no idea how much it means to us, to me, that you did all
this…and that you believe in me.”
“I’d be dumb not to,” she says, smiling up at me. “There’s no way not to
notice your talent. Brian is right—you guys just need a little more exposure,
and I’m happy to help out with what I can. Getting views on videos was
part of my living, after all.”
Liv gets on her tiptoes to kiss me, and this time, I give in fully. We kiss
deeply before she breaks away panting, a blush on her cheeks.
“I’m sorry I can’t bring you home, baby, but I promised them I’d get in
some practice,” I say, and she squeezes my hand.
“I’m going to go home and work on your video,” she says. “That’s
going to take a few hours, so I’ll be busy anyway.”
I open the driver’s door for her, and she gets in, then I lean down and
kiss her one last time.
“I love you, drive safely,” I whisper before closing the door and
watching her back out of the driveway, then rush away. When I get back
into the basement, the others are already chatting excitedly about the video.
“Why did we never think about doing a YouTube channel? It makes so
much sense,” Brian says.
“Because we have no fucking clue about social media or doing videos.
Sure, it’s a good strategy, but only if you do it right,” Tom replies.
“Yeah, well, Liv sure looks like she knows what she’s doing,” Cara
says, laughing. “Ryder, I swear, if you fuck this up, I’m going to kill you.
Keep that girl happy so we can keep our own little camerawoman and
marketing genius.”
“I’m planning to do just that,” I say with a grin.
Then we get back to our instruments, rehearsing songs for the next few
hours.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Liv
After spending the rest of the afternoon and evening editing the video
for Dirty Velvet, I’m fucking exhausted but relieved that everything worked
out so well, and a little bit proud of myself too, if I do say so myself. I
already knew they were good but hearing them play a song more in their
genre was eye-opening. Having that grungy rock vibe of their basement
band room was such a great setting for their video, and I was ecstatic while
watching the content I filmed. I knew then that this video would come out
fantastic.
Gunner came over in the evening after I didn’t answer his texts or calls
since I was in the zone editing. He ordered us some Chinese food and made
sure I ate something while he watched me edit. Even he was impressed with
the footage and told me that the sound and the visuals could come from a
famous band.
He went back to his apartment a little after eleven pm, since he had to
work early the next morning, telling me to go to bed too, but I haven’t slept
one wink because after the video was uploaded, I moved on to making the
band’s social media accounts and a basic website. I’d already done all of
this once, since I’d been the one handling mine and Liam’s stuff, and I
missed social media. I loved managing it before everything went to hell and
I only got hate comments, so it’s fun doing this for them. Since I know how
quickly the internet moves, I know I needed to be quick with everything.
I’m on it for hours, and it takes until late in the morning, but I used every
marketing trick I’ve learned over the years.
Now it’s close to lunchtime, and I’m done. I can’t do any more and need
to eat something. My stomach is growling, and my head is pounding from
staring at the screen for too long. My phone chimes, and I look at it to find
several unread messages from Gunner and the guys. I quickly text Gunner
back, letting him know I’m finally done, and then open the group chat.
Ryder: You guys should have seen it. Liv is a fucking pro.

River: Not surprised. You know she made money with that
stuff, right?

Chase: Not just money, guys. Our girlfriend is a fucking star.

Jaxon: Was a fucking star. Good thing that’s over. You didn’t
exploit her generosity too much, Ryder?

Ryder: Nope. You had fun, didn’t you, baby?

Ryder: Babe?

I chuckle.
River: I bet she’s already editing your video, Ry.

Jaxon: Want to come over for dinner, sunshine?

Jaxon: I just texted Gunner to check on you. Don’t come at

me for being overprotective. That’s what you get when you
don’t answer your phone.

I laugh. No wonder Gunner just came over out of nowhere. Since when
do those two text so much?

River: Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?

Ryder: Baby, I’m dying over here. Can you answer already?

Chase: Back off, guys. Art needs time.

Jaxon: We’re heading to the gym at 2 pm. Wanna join?

 I look at the clock and see that it’s already a quarter past eleven, so I
take a quick shower. I put my hair up in a high ponytail before putting on
some light makeup and my dance outfit, which consists of a mint-colored
pair of leggings, a matching sports bra, and an oversized, long-sleeve white
shirt. I quickly pack up my laptop in my sports bag with some fresh clothes
and grab my keys before heading out the door. As I make my way to the
guys’ house, I’m feeling excited to show Ryder what I already
accomplished and tell him the good news.

River
I take a break from my homework and head to the kitchen to grab some
water. As I’m walking back to my room, the doorbell rings. I open it to find
Liv standing there, looking tired but good as always. I pull her into a hug.
“Missed you, beautiful,” I say, kissing the top of her head.
“Missed you too,” she replies tiredly, stifling a yawn, and I furrow my
brow.
“Did you not sleep enough?” I ask, and she shrugs.
“Sure, let’s say ‘not enough,’” she says as we walk into the living room.
Chase and Jaxon stand up when they see her, each pulling her into a hug
and kissing her.
“Did you just say you didn’t sleep?” Jaxon grumbles. “You look tired.
Gunner told me you guys went to bed after eleven.”
“He sure did,” she says with a smile, and Jaxon frowns at her. “Since
when are you guys buddies and texting?” she asks him, and Chase laughs.
“Since they both figured out they’re overprotective alpha males and it’s
easier to keep you safe by working together,” he says. Liv chuckles and
shoves Jaxon.
“You know Gunner’s a really nice guy and a good friend to have,” she
says, and Jaxon shrugs.
“Sure, whatever. Wanna take a nap on the couch?” he offers.
“No, but I would love a coffee,” Liv replies, making puppy dog eyes at
him, and he heads to the kitchen to make her one.
She sets the laptop she was holding on the coffee table and opens it. It’s
a nice, new model, and I’m intrigued. I sit beside her.
 “I want to show you guys the video I made yesterday from Dirty
Velvet,” she says, stretching her neck from side to side.
“I’m gonna get Ryder,” Chase says, walking to the hallway.
“Would you let me?” I ask. “I can connect your laptop to the TV so we
have a bigger screen.”
“Sure, here,” she says, smiling at me. She hands me her laptop, and I
beam, stroking the top. “Don’t tell me I have competition in the form of a
laptop.” She laughs, and I chuckle.
“Not competition, but you have a very pretty laptop, beautiful,” I reply,
and she just shrugs.
“I bought it yesterday with the equipment. The guy at the store told me
my old one wouldn’t have enough RAM to edit the footage quickly,” she
explains, and my brows rise.
“You know your way around laptops and RAM?” I ask.
“Not a bit, but I know that my laptop has to be fast, or I’ll get frustrated,
so I let him talk me into buying this one. You can use it if you want to. I
don’t need it for anything other than video editing,” she says. I stare blankly
at her. “Do I sound spoiled? I’m sorry. I just mean I have my other laptop
for my school stuff, and this one was just for this.” She blushes. “I think I’m
making it worse. I’ll just stop talking.”
“Don’t worry,” I say with a chuckle. “I’d love to get my hands on this
beauty for a while, if you’ll allow it.”
Jaxon returns with Liv’s coffee, and she lets out a satisfied groan as she
takes her first sip. Just as she sets the cup on the coffee table, Chase and
Ryder come back into the room, and Ryder pulls Liv into his arms and
squeezes her tightly.
“Hey, baby, don’t go MIA on me like that again,” he says, his lips
hovering near her ear. Liv laughs and leans into his embrace.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was busy making you famous,” she smiles.
Ryder’s expression softens, and he presses a tender kiss to her lips
before sitting on the couch and pulling her onto his lap. As we all settle
down, I turn to Liv.
“Ready?” I ask.
She nods, and I press play. The video begins with some wide shots of
the band in the band room. The sound quality is top-notch, Ryder’s voice
crystal clear. As the second verse begins, the camera smoothly transitions to
the side, moving closer to the band members and highlighting their
individual talents. The band sounds incredible, and they’ve picked the
perfect song to showcase their abilities. The camera zooms out during the
bridge before zooming in on Ryder, who sings the first few words of the
chorus without the instruments, just his raspy voice. His hands are on the
microphone before him while he looks directly at the camera, his light blue
eyes intense.
Then the drums come in, and the camera shifts to Tom, who’s giving it
his all. His drumsticks are flying, his hair following suit as he throws his
head back. Next, Cara starts harmonizing in the background, and the
camera focuses solely on her, capturing the emotion on her face as she plays
bass and sings with her eyes closed. As Brian begins his guitar solo, his
head bobbing to the beat, the camera fixates on his hands, capturing every
movement as he pulls the strings before zooming out to show more of him.
Liv’s camera work is incredible, making the band look professional and
as though they are part of a big production, when, it was all her work. Just
her.
As the video comes to an end, we see Ryder releasing the microphone,
causing it to fall, and next is a closeup of it swinging from left to right like a
pendulum on its wire. Out of focus are Ryder’s feet as he walks out the
frame. I’m left in complete awe.
The room falls silent until Jaxon murmurs a “Holy shit.”
“Well, that was more than worth skipping sleep,” Chase comments with
a laugh.
Meanwhile, Ryder is just sitting there with Liv on his lap, staring at the
TV and not moving. Liv’s smile slowly fades as she watches him, then she
glances at me with a questioning look in her eyes. I open my mouth to say
something, but before I can, Ryder abruptly stands up, forcing her to stand
with him. He grabs her under her arms and lifts her before turning in
circles, laughing uncontrollably, Liv joining him with a few squeals. He sets
her back on her feet and starts to pepper her face with kisses.
“We look like fucking professionals!” he exclaims.
“I mean you are now,” she replies with a chuckle. Ryder chuckles as
well, pulling her into his arms.
“It takes a bit more than a fucking perfect video for that, baby, but I’m
more than happy already. Thank you so much,” he says, then he lets go of
her before kissing her with her head between his hands, and she smiles into
the kiss.
 “Ryder,” she says when he releases her. “Did you check the numbers on
the video?” He blinks at her, surprised.
“I thought you just uploaded it on private or something,” he says. I pull
the laptop onto my knees and minimize the video, looking down at the
numbers.
“You guys already have like two hundred thousand views,” I whisper,
then I look up at Ryder before we both turn to Liv, shocked.
“I opened some social media accounts for the band and fed them teasers
of the video,” she announces with a smile. “One of them went viral a few
hours ago, and I bet the numbers are increasing as we speak. You already
have around thirty thousand YouTube subscribers, with a few thousand
followers on other platforms.”
“Holy fucking shit,” Jaxon mutters again.
“Huh,” Ryder manages to utter before he sits himself back down on the
couch.
“But that’s not the best part,” Liv adds, grinning mischievously.
“How is that not the best part?” Chase asks with a laugh.
“A record label just slid into your DMs half an hour ago,” she replies.
“It seems it’s time to get your own songs ready, Ryder, because you guys
are getting a contract.”
Chase and Jaxon both jump up from their seats, cheering, while I’m left
in stunned silence. I look over at Ryder, expecting him to flip out, but
instead, he’s just sitting there, staring up at Liv. Tears start to well up in his
eyes, and before we know it, he’s sobbing uncontrollably. Liv’s face falls,
and she moves to straddle his lap, cradling his head in her arms against her
chest.
“Ryder,” she whispers, but he just pulls her closer, squeezing her tightly
as he continues to cry.
It’s been years since I’ve seen him cry. My eyes start to water too as
Chase and Jaxon stand by their side, watching the two of them. Liv
continues to shush Ryder, telling him that he’s made it and that he’s going
to be the next big thing.
“Just wait until we get started,” she whispers, pushing his hair away
from his eyes. “This is only the beginning.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Liv
Ryder thanked me several hundred more times before giving me a kiss
and heading to his room to call Cara, Brian, and Tom to share the news.
He’s only been gone for about ten minutes when my hunger becomes more
prominent than my tiredness, causing my belly to growl. Jaxon notices and
quickly gets up to head to the kitchen.
“We can’t have our girl going hungry, can we?” Chase teases, but River
is still sitting beside me, quieter than usual.
“Are you okay?” I ask him, and he nods slowly.
“Yeah, I’m just in awe of you,” he says. “Ryder and the others have
been working their asses off for years, only landing those little gigs and not
getting the recognition they deserved, and then you come along and make it
look so easy.” Chase agrees, nodding.
“I knew you were good, but damn,” he adds, impressed. River pulls me
closer to him.
“You did this. You made this happen for him,” he says, his voice filled
with admiration. I smile and shrug.
“I just did what I know how to do. Those guys are the talented ones,” I
say. “I would never want to go back to being famous myself, but I know it’s
Ryder’s dream, and I’m going to do everything I can to help him achieve it.
If my experience in the industry can help with that, how could I not offer it
to him?” River shakes his head.
 “You’re amazing,” he says, grinning at me, I blush and look down at my
feet.
“He’s right,” Jaxon says as he comes back into the room, a plate in
hand. He gives it to me while sitting down next to me. It’s a delicious-
looking avocado egg sandwich and my mouth waters. Yum.
“Thank you, Jaxon,” I say wholeheartedly before digging in, which
makes Chase snicker.
“Sure, they are the ones with the talent, but they didn’t know how to sell
themselves,” Jaxon says. “They never could’ve done that without you.”
He rubs my back as I devour the sandwich.
“Good?” he asks, smiling, and I nod with my mouth full. There is so
much affection in his eyes. “I’m going to cook you dinner tonight. This is
just to hold you over and keep you going through your dance session. You
are going to dance, right?” He looks at my clothes.
“Yeah, but I’ll make it a short session. I’m too tired and would rather go
lift some weights too,” I say.
When I’m done, he takes my plate from me, takes my face in his hand,
and squeezes my cheeks together so I involuntarily make fish lips, which he
then kisses, making me giggle.
“Good girl,” he says and brings the plate back into the kitchen.
We get to Tanner Fitness shortly after, and the guys get to work while I
head to the studio and begin my stretches, contemplating which routine to
work on for the day. Eventually, I settle on a sequence of movements that I
need to evaluate for an assignment. Since I’m still feeling tired, I don’t want
to push myself too hard, and this routine is perfect for just getting moving a
bit.
After an hour, I make my way to my locker, change my shoes, and head
over to the weight section. I’ve barely sat down at the leg press machine
when Jaxon appears in front of me, and I smile up at him.
“Hey, in the mood for some assisted pull-ups?” I tease, and he smirks.
“Only if we’re naked while we do them,” he says.
“That’s a great way to ensure some membership extensions, when word
gets around that Mr. Tanner helps his customers in such a thorough way,” I
say.
“Oh, I’m going to help you, little brat,” Jaxon says as he gets down to
my eye level, gripping my chin. “Just us, you hear me?” he whispers while
swiping his thumb over my bottom lip.
 “Yes, sir,” I murmur, and he pushes his thumb into my mouth.
I suck on it before he mutters a quiet “Fuck” and pulls it back out.
“You’re tired. Don’t overdo it,” he says in his trainer voice before
walking away. I snicker as I see him adjust himself while walking.
After my shower, I change into the clothes I packed in my sports bag
that morning. Despite feeling good, I’m exhausted as I make my way to the
reception area. I need a nap before I eat Jaxon’s delicious food.
Jaxon, River, and Chase are standing at the reception desk, but they all
look worried as I approach them.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I ask. That’s when I notice Chase holding a
yellowish letter with the familiar scrawl on the front. “No,” I whisper.

Angel,
It’s been too long since I last saw you, too
long since I last held you in my arms and
felt your warmth against my skin. I know
you think you’ve moved on, that you’ve found
happiness with those other men, but you’re
wrong.
You belong to me, and me alone. Stay away
from them. They don’t deserve you. They don’t
know how to take care of you like I do. They
don’t know your deepest desires, your darkest
secrets, your wildest fantasies, but I do. I
remember everything, Olivia. I remember how
you used to moan when I touched you just so.
I remember how you used to look at me with
t
 those green eyes, full of longing and desire.
You can’t hide from me, angel. You can’t run
away from what we had. I won’t let you.
I’ll come for you, and when I do, you’ll see
that you’ve made a mistake. You’ll see that you
belong to me, and me alone. Those other men?
They’ll learn to stay away.
I’ll be waiting for you, always.
I love you.

Jaxon
Liv is finally asleep on the couch with her head resting in River’s lap
while he strokes her hair. She cried for nearly half an hour, but it seems like
River is her Xanax, and although I thought something like this would make
me jealous, it doesn’t. I’m just grateful that he can help her like this and that
she’s being taken care of, even if I can’t do it for her. My emotions are in
turmoil, and I want to punch that Liam guy so hard. Who the fuck does he
think he is?
He seems unhinged, and I shudder to think about what kind of hell Liv
went through with him. She completely broke down when she saw the letter
but still demanded to read it. We hadn’t opened it, trying to protect her
privacy, but I swear if another one of those letters arrives, I’ll check it first
before I give it to her.
We had to talk her out of her instinctive need to run away again to
protect us, since now the threat is clear as day. Liam knows about us, and he
doesn’t like it. What’s still unclear is how he gets his information and what
he can do from inside an institution in another country.
Ryder storms into the living room, frantic.
“Where is she?” he demands, and River shushes him.
 “She just fell asleep,” he whispers, and Ryder sits down near her feet,
pulling them into his lap and holding them.
Chase called him on our way home, updating him on everything. Even
though he told him that we had it covered, he rushed here to be with her.
I’m proud of the little dumbass. He’s never put anyone before his music
besides River, not even Chase or me. Now he’s discussing a record deal and
still prefers to be by her side when shit gets real.
“How did she take it?” he whispers, and I huff.
“How do you think? She just wanted to up and leave,” I reply,
and Ryder looks at me with big eyes.
“She promised,” he hisses.
“She’s desperate and doesn’t know what to do, Ry,” River chimes in
quietly. “That guy is threatening us. Wouldn’t you leave to protect her if the
roles were reversed?”
He nods, then says, “We can’t let her.”
“We won’t,” I nearly growl.
River goes back to stroking her hair when Chase comes out of the
kitchen, handing each of us a water bottle and putting one for Liv on the
coffee table.
“We stay together. There is no other option we would even consider,”
River says. “But we have to think about what he could do. What exactly are
we up against here?”
Chase sits down on the couch and lets his head fall into his hands.
“And how exactly are we going to do this?” he asks, and River is quiet
for a moment.
“I don’t know,” he finally says. “But we should be careful. Don’t go out
alone anymore, watch our surroundings—stuff like that.”
“You mean this fucker is a threat to us?” Ryder asks, his eyes widening.
“I don’t really know,” River says with a shrug. “But he killed Liv’s
family. I think underestimating him would be a mistake.”
“We also have to think about Liv,” Chase says, leaning forward. “How
do we protect her without making her feel like a prisoner? She already went
through that once. We can’t make her feel trapped again.”
We all nod in agreement, knowing that Liv’s mental health is just as
important as her physical safety.
“I think we should share our phone locations with each other at all
times,” River suggests.
 We all nod, liking the idea. I’m sure Liv will be okay with it too, since
it’s not about us monitoring her but all of us sharing our locations to keep
each other safe.
“I think Liv is right when she told us that he isn’t going to hurt her,”
Ryder says. “He wants her back. He also didn’t want to hurt her when he
went after her family.” He looks down at her beautiful sleeping face, while
Chase lets out a sigh.
“Should we call the police?” he asks.
“It’s still just a threat from a man who’s locked up,” I say, shaking my
head. “Maybe we should check in with her manager to make sure.”
“It’s not a bad idea to get some information from him,” River says,
nodding in agreement. “If it weren’t for the fact that he found her and
knows about us, I would say he’s just trying to rile her up with letters but
can’t do anything about it like he did when she was still back in Canada.
Obviously, he has someone on the outside feeding him information, and
that’s the part that worries me.”
When River doesn’t have a plan anymore, we are all fucked.
“I’m going to make some dinner,” I announce to the room. “I think Liv
should stay here, at least until Sunday. Gunner is working tomorrow and
won’t be home, and I prefer him to be over there with her when she’s not
with us.”
Chase nods. “She can use our stuff for tonight, and tomorrow, I’ll go
with her to get some clothes and her school stuff so she can sleep and study
here,” he suggests.
“I’ll tell Chris that she has to cover for us tomorrow,” I say, taking out
my phone to send her a message. Ryder frowns and looks at me.
“Honestly, brother, how come you’re best buddies with Gunner? I don’t
like him,” he complains, crossing his arms.
“I don’t like him much either, but I trust him with her, and it’s never a
bad thing to have more eyes making sure she’s safe. We exchanged
numbers to check in when Liv went missing, and somehow, we just kept
updating each other about her. He truly cares for her, and that’s all that
matters to me,” I say.
“How grown up of you,” Chase says with a smile.
“Yeah, well, fuck off,” I retort.
“Never mind,” he says with a chuckle.
 Just as I turn to walk into the kitchen, a gut-wrenching scream comes
from Liv, who’s still sleeping. River puts his hand on her, but she screams
again. We all rush to her side, and she sits up in a blur, eyes wide,
screaming once more.
“Liv, you’re safe. You’re with us, we’ve got you. You are safe,” River
says, holding his hands up in surrender.
She holds her breath for a second before she starts sobbing, and River
pulls her into his chest, shushing her and stroking her back.
“Is this what her nightmares are like?” I ask Ryder in disbelief. The
twins had told Chase and me that they’d experienced them once before. He
nods, eyes sad.
“Gunner said she has them nearly every night,” he says.
Fuck. No wonder that guy runs over there every time he hears her. That
shit is ripping my heart apart.
“I’m so sorry,” Liv whispers, and Ryder scoots over to them, kissing her
head.
“You don’t have to apologize, baby. You’ve had a rough day. It’s no
wonder your mind isn’t settling,” he assures her, while River kisses her
temple.
“Do you want to try to go back to sleep?” he asks, but she shakes her
head.
“I’ll make us dinner, then we can watch a Disney movie or something,”
I suggest as I walk to the kitchen.
“Wow, Jaxon Tanner is offering to watch a Disney movie for you,
gorgeous,” I hear Chase say. “If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”
“Yeah,” Ryder chimes in. “But don’t choose something cool like Mulan
or Moana. Make him suffer through Cinderella.”
I hear Liv giggle, and my heart feels a little lighter.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Chase
“Do you have everything?” I ask Liv, who’s standing before me with a
duffle bag. I take it from her shoulder and transfer it to mine.
“I think so, but it’s just for two days, so I’ll survive either way,” she
says with a smile and hooks her pinky with mine.
We head back to her car, and I help her get her stuff into the trunk
before taking the passenger seat. It’s a sunny day, so Liv puts down the top
to enjoy the weather. I put my sunglasses back on and smile at her as she
does the same.
“It’s a pity we couldn’t take your bike,” she says as she starts the
engine.
“Yeah, but duffle bags don’t mix well with motorbikes,” I reply,
remembering a time when I had a small crash because I tried to transport a
big bag on my bike. I cringe at the memory.
“Safety first,” she jokes, and we head off. “Do you think Jaxon is
already making lunch, or should we get something for everyone?”
“I’ll text him and find out,” I say.
On our way back. Should we bring food, or do you have it
covered?

I’m making burgers, but you could stop and pick up some ice
cream and sweets. River says Liv’s period should start in the
next few days, according to his calendar, and maybe she’d
like them for her PMS.
 I laugh out loud. I don’t remember the last time Jaxon texted that much,
and hearing him talk like that about a woman’s cycle… Who is this guy?
“Well, lunch is covered,” I start, and she throws me a glance.
“But? Should we get some coffee?” she asks.
“We can if you’d like to,” I say.
Isn’t PMS also the time when the girl gets emotional? I should ask Chris
about these things. Shouldn’t a boyfriend know about this stuff?
“Jaxon wants us to get some other stuff too, like ice cream, sweets, and
so on,” I say cautiously, and Liv chuckles.
“What, is he PMS’ing?” she jokes, and I wince at my poor attempt at
subtlety.
“No, but River thinks you might be soon,” I clarify. Liv looks at me for
a moment, blinks, and then starts wheezing with laughter.
“I don’t know if this is creepy or considerate.”
“Let’s go with considerate because it’s River,” I say.
Liv nods in agreement, but I wring my hands in my lap and clear my
throat.
“So, are you PMS’ing? Do you need anything?” I ask hesitantly.
“We don’t have to talk about periods and stuff if it’s uncomfortable for
you, Chase. Don’t worry,” Liv assures me with a giggle.
“No, I want you to know that we can talk about anything,” I reply,
sitting up straight. “I just never talked about this with a girl before, so I
have no clue what I’m doing. I’m a bit stressed about saying something
wrong.”
“I appreciate that,” she says, squeezing my knee. “Thanks for being
considerate, it means a lot to me.” I relax a little at her words and smile
back at her.
“Of course. I just want to make sure you’re comfortable and taken care
of. So, sweets?” I ask her teasingly.
“Vanilla ice cream?” she suggests with a smile.
“Oh, I know where we should get it,” I say, and we start up a light
conversation as we enjoy the sunny drive.
I get out of the car at a grocery store and come back with loads of ice
cream, chocolate, three different kind of pads, and a shit ton of different
tampons. She should have that stuff at our house too. The older cashier
looked at me knowingly and recommended getting some flowers too, so I
did. Liv totally lost it when she saw my purchases, nearly falling out of the
car laughing. That alone was worth the stares I got at the register.
When we arrive at the house, Jaxon and the twins are standing outside
on the patio to the left side of the house, flipping burgers on the grill. We
park the car and get out, greeted by the delicious smell of sizzling meat.

Liv
I just had the best burgers I’ve ever tasted, and while we ate, we
discussed our plans for tomorrow. The guys mentioned that they wanted to
go to the Miami Dolphins game, so I asked if I could invite Chris and
Gunner to come with us. They all agreed, even Ryder, though he grumbled
his consent.
After we finished eating, I took a much-needed shower. I feel so much
better now that all my things are here, but I’m wearing comfy sweatpants
and a long-sleeve shirt, because I can’t bear to look at my scars right now.
The letter from Liam is still fresh in my mind, and I can’t shake off the
feeling of unease.
We spent the whole afternoon hanging out in the guys’ living room.
Now it’s early evening, and I’m sitting on the floor with my legs tucked
under me, doing some homework on my laptop. An hour ago, a storm
appeared out of nowhere, and it’s raining heavily with strong gusts of wind
outside.
Ryder sits on the couch with his guitar resting on his lap, strumming a
few quiet notes before writing something down again. It’s a joy to see him
openly work on his songs, and I hope he finds the courage to share them
with the world. They accepted the offer from the record label and are just
waiting on the contract to sign.
Meanwhile, River and I are sitting back-to-back on the floor as we work
on our laptops, while Chase and Jaxon are lounging on the couch, watching
a movie. Chase absentmindedly plays with his curls, and it’s so cute that I
can’t help but smile. All of them are so handsome, and if I look at them for
too long, I start to swoon. Jaxon looks at me as I’m biting my bottom lip,
and his eyes get hooded. He smirks when I blush and look back down to my
laptop.
 There is a loud bang, and the power goes out, plunging us into darkness.
The only light left is coming from my and River’s laptops. Chase curses
under his breath.
“Do you think it’s the fuses?” he asks Jaxon.
“Probably. Let’s go check,” Jaxon says. They get up and leave the living
room, using their phones as a source of light in the dark.
“Liv is getting her first real Floridian thunderstorm experience,” Ryder
says with a chuckle.
River stands up and puts our laptops on the coffee table before pulling
me to my feet. I stand there in the nearly pitch-black room, the howling
wind outside giving everything an eerie feeling. I feel a hand on my back
and jump.
“Shh, it’s just me,” Ryder says, and I laugh.
“I know it’s you, silly. You just startled me,” I say.
Just then, the lights come back on, and Chase and Jaxon return to the
living room, sitting back down on the couch.
“It just knocked out the fuses, no need to worry,” Jaxon says, looking at
me.
I nod, already feeling better.
“How did you know it was me and not River behind you just now?”
Ryder asks, tilting his head.
“I just know you,” I say with a shrug. “I’m always able to tell you guys
apart.”
“Even with your eyes closed?” Ryder asks, a mischievous grin
spreading across his face.
I nod confidently.
“You really think so?” he challenges.
“I know so,” I reply, feeling a surge of competitiveness.
“So why don’t we play a little game to test that?” he suggests, his eyes
getting hooded.
“What game?” I ask, furrowing my brows.
“Let’s just call it ‘Liv knows so’,” he says.
He winks and stands up, disappearing briefly into his room before
returning with a black bandana, which he folds into a blindfold. He lifts a
brow.
“What do you think, Liv? Want to play?” he asks.
 I narrow my eyes at him, feeling a thrill of excitement. Ryder just
triggered my competitive streak. He turns to River, who nods.
“And how about you, Chase?” he asks. Chase bites his lip, trying not to
grin.
“I sure do,” he agrees. Ryder then looks to Jaxon, who’s scowling.
“No pressure, Jax. If you don’t want to, you can watch or just leave. No
one is going to hold it against you,” Ryder assures him. Jaxon looks at me,
his gaze softening.
“Do you want to play, sunshine?” he asks.
“Yes,” I murmur, already feeling nervous yet turned on by the idea of
having all of them at once. It’s a fantasy I’ve had countless times, but I
never thought it would be possible with Jaxon’s reservations. He smiles at
me, his gaze heating up.
“Then be a good girl and let Ryder put the blindfold on you,” he orders,
and I shiver as they all stand.
Ryder steps behind me and ties the blindfold tightly around my head,
making sure I can’t see a thing. My heart is racing with anticipation as I
hear the others moving around me, and I try to listen for any clues as to
where they are, but it’s no use. All I can hear is the sound of my own
breathing and the beating of my heart. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I
jump.
“Easy, Liv,” Chase says, his voice low and comforting. “Relax, you
know we’re not going to hurt you.”
I take a deep breath and try to calm down. I feel another hand on my hip
and shiver as Jaxon’s warm breath tickles my ear.
“Are you ready for this, sunshine?” he whispers.
“Yes,” I whisper back, feeling a rush of desire shoot through me. I hear
Ryder chuckle and feel his hand on my other hip.
“All right, Liv,” he says. “We’re going to move around you, and you
have to tell us who is touching you.”
I nod, my heart racing with excitement. They start to move, brushing
against me and whispering in my ear. I feel hands on my waist, my arms,
and my thighs, and it’s so sensual, I can feel myself getting wet. I start to
guess who is touching me, and I’m surprised at how well I’m doing. I can
feel their energy, their scent, as well as their touch. I feel a hard cock
pressing against my backside, and I know it’s Ryder. He starts to grind
against me, and I moan softly before he steps back. Jaxon’s hand slides up
my thigh, then I feel his hot breath on my neck.
“You’re doing so well, Liv,” he whispers.
River’s hand is on my waist, and I can feel that Chase is now behind
me, his hard abs pressing against my back. I’m surrounded by them, and it’s
perfect.
“Well done, Liv,” Ryder says, his voice low and rough. “Now tell me,
who is kissing you?”
I’m pulled forward by the throat before someone kisses me on the lips.
His tongue is insistent, and I moan into his mouth. He hums before letting
go of me.
“Jaxon,” I murmur, out of breath.
“That’s my good girl,” he whispers in my ear.
Next, I feel hands on my waist, pulling me in. The kiss is gentle, sweet,
and I’m swooning just before my bottom lip gets bitten. I suck in a breath.
“River,” I say and hear him chuckle.
“You’re doing well, Liv, but let’s ramp up the difficulty,” Ryder says.
He steps up to my back, his hands grabbing my shirt. “Arms up,” he says in
my ear, and I do as I’m told.
He pulls my shirt over my head, and at the same time, my bra snaps
open. I hear River groan, and I chuckle. That guy loves my boobs. I feel a
gentle slap on my right breast, then Ryder’s voice interrupts my thoughts.
“Concentrate, baby.”
I nod quickly.
“Now, who’s getting you out of your pants?” he asks.
I feel my sweatpants being pulled down slowly, accompanied by soft
kisses on each of my hip bones, before they fall to the floor. Someone leans
their head towards my pussy, inhaling deeply, and his hair tickles my belly.
“Chase,” I whisper breathlessly.
“That’s right, gorgeous,” he confirms before pulling down my panties in
one swift motion while he licks once over my slit.
I moan and want to grab his head, but he pulls back.
“Step out of them please,” he says.
I do, and now I’m standing here, completely naked. Despite my lack of
vision, I feel like I’m on fire, surrounded by them. I can hardly believe this
is happening, but I don’t want it to stop.
 My body is on edge, my senses heightened by the anticipation of who
will touch me next. Suddenly, hands are on my hips, pulling me back into
someone’s body. I can feel their arousal pressing against me, and I moan
softly.
“Who’s got you now?” Ryder’s voice is low and husky.
“Ryder” I whisper, recognizing the shape of his body against mine. He
chuckles before squeezing my breasts and biting my neck gently.
“Fuck you’re so hot, baby,” he murmurs before stepping back. The
sound of footsteps and the shedding of clothes echo in the room, then I hear
Chase’s shocked voice.
“Damn, Ryder, no wonder you couldn’t walk for a week straight after
that.”
“You’re mental,” Jaxon agrees, and a laugh bursts out of me.
“You’re all just jealous,” Ryder says before getting back on topic again.
“Next challenge, Liv,” he says, “Tell me, who is about to finger fuck you?”
I feel someone stepping up to my back, hands on my waist, but this
time, the touch is different. The hands are rough, calloused, and I know
instantly who it is.
“Jaxon,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
He grunts before spinning me around and pushing me up against the
wall. His mouth claims mine, hot and hungry, as he lifts me up with one
arm. I wrap my legs around his waist, while his other hand finds my already
gushing center. The room is filled with the sound of our moans, the wet
sound his fingers make as they push inside me, and the slap of skin against
skin as his fingers fuck me against the wall. I’m lost in a haze of pleasure,
unable to think of anything else but him.
I feel myself getting close, but, he sets me down and steps back. I can
feel their eyes on me as I stand here, naked and exposed. My thighs are
slick with arousal, and I’m panting heavily.
“Time for the final challenge, Liv,” Ryder says, his voice now serious.
“Are you ready?”
I nod, my heart racing in my chest.
“You’re going to bend over and offer us that pretty pink pussy, and
we’re going to fuck you, one after another. If you get all of us right, we’ll
make you come in the end. If not, we won’t allow you to.”
I shudder. All I want is to come, and the thought of them fucking me
one after the other is making me feel feral. I feel hands on my hips, guiding
me to the couch and bending me over it, I spread my legs to give them a
clear view of my wet pussy. I can feel the cool air hitting my skin, and my
heart is pounding in my chest. The anticipation is killing me. I feel a warm,
wet tongue on my clit, and I moan loudly.
It’s Chase. I can tell by the way he moves his tongue over me, teasing
me until I’m writhing with pleasure. He pulls back, and just a second later,
he enters me, his grith stretching me out. He starts fucking me slowly, and I
moan.
“Chase,” I say. He slaps my ass and chuckles.
“Good guess, gorgeous.”
He pulls out, and next I feel someone else behind me, pressing their
hard cock against my ass. I can feel the heat radiating off of him, and I
moan again, unable to help myself.
“Who is it, Liv?” Ryder’s voice is rough with desire. I hesitate for a
moment, trying to figure out if it’s him, when a cock slams into my pussy
with one swift motion. I gasp and cry out, feeling his piercing deep inside
me.
“Ryder,” I manage to say through gritted teeth.
He laughs and starts thrusting into me, hard and fast. I love it, but he
stops after a moment and pulls out.
The next one is easier to guess. I can feel River’s hand brushing against
my back as he leans in to kiss my neck. His cock is rock hard against my
leg, and I know it’s only a matter of time before he’s inside me. He’s always
the gentlest of them, and I love the way he takes his time with me, stroking
my back and thighs, making sure I’m enjoying every moment.
“River,” I say, my voice shaking with anticipation. I can feel him grin
against my skin as he slides into me slowly, taking his time to explore every
inch of my body. He puts one final kiss on my neck before pulling out.
Finally, I feel Jaxon behind me, his hands squeezing my ass as he lines
himself up with my pussy. He’s the most dominant, and I love the way he
takes control of me.
“Jaxon,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. He groans and thrusts
into me, hard and fast, before wrapping my hair around his fist and pulling
it, making me cry out in pleasure.
They then take turns fucking me, one after the other, until I’m a
writhing, moaning mess. I can’t keep track of who is who anymore, and I
lose count of how many times they enter me, but it doesn’t matter. All that
matters is the pleasure they’re giving me, the way they’re pushing me to the
brink of ecstasy and then pulling back, teasing and edging me until I’m
begging for release.
Ryder is fucking me hard, and finally, he gets his hand down between
the couch and my body to rub my clit. I’m so fucking horny, just that small
motion pushes me over the edge, and I come hard, gasping for air. Ryder
swears and comes inside me, pulling my hips to his so he’s seated deep
inside me.
“Do you want all our cum inside you, Liv? Do you want us all to mark
you as ours?” he pants out.
“Yes!” I say with a moan, and he pulls out. Someone comes around the
couch to stand in front of me, then grabs my chin between his thumb and
forefinger. He leans in and kisses me deeply, his tongue tracing the inside of
my mouth, tasting me. Jaxon.
I feel new hands on my waist, pulling me back into him as he enters me
from behind. His thrusts are rough and urgent, and I can feel myself
building toward another orgasm. Jaxon breaks our kiss, and I’m left dazed
and panting.
“Liv, you’re fucking stunning,” he says in a husky voice. He traces my
bottom lip with his thumb. “You’re being such a good girl, taking all of us.
You’re doing so well. I can’t wait to fill you up with my cum.”
I moan in response, his words and someone’s fingers rubbing my clit
sending me over the edge again. I hear Chase moaning as I squeeze his
dick, and he spills himself inside me before pulling out. Wetness leaks out
of me, but I feel a finger scooping it up and pressing it back inside me.
“Fuck, that’s so hot,” River whispers before entering me slowly.
I’m a mess, but his gentle touches awaken a new desire in me. He pulls
me upright and kisses my neck while squeezing my breast with one hand
and fingering my clit with the other, all while fucking me. I whimper as I
come again, and he groans in my ear as he comes with me before pulling
out and kissing my spine.
Already, three of them have marked me as theirs, driving me nearly
insane. Jaxon’s hands guide me as he finally takes his turn with me. It’s
messy, wet, and I am utterly exhausted, but I love the feeling of him
stretching me out. He’s so big, every thrust sends waves of pleasure through
my body.
“Come for me, sunshine. One more time,” he urges.
 “I can’t,” I whimper, feeling utterly spent.
“You came for them. Now you need to come for me,” he says, thrusting
deeper, and I moan.
His palm is rubbing my clit, while the other hand wanders to my pussy,
where one finger presses in beside his dick, and I gasp. The stretch is so
fucking good.
“Just like that, squeeze my dick, Liv,” he rumbles, and I come apart
around him, my legs nearly giving out.
Jaxon grunts and moans, coming inside me. He lowers himself onto my
back, making sure not to squish me under him.
“Good fuckin’ girl,” he murmurs, kissing the back of my head before
getting up and pulling out of me.
Ryder pulls the blindfold away, and I rub my eyes before looking up at
him in front of me. As he kisses me, I feel a hand on my ass cheek. I break
the kiss and look back at Jaxon, who’s staring at my pussy with a heated
gaze. Chase and River stand beside him, watching their cum drip out of me.
“Fuck, I need a picture of that,” Chase mumbles, and I laugh weakly.
“Then take one,” I say, and all their eyes come up to mine. Shrugging, I
add, “As long as you send it to me too.”
Ryder laughs and gets his phone from the coffee table before throwing it
to Chase, who takes like a million pictures from different angles.
“That is just for us, Chase, you hear me?” Jaxon says roughly, and
Chase huffs.
“As if I’d let anyone else see our girl’s pussy,” he says.
River comes back in the living room with some wet washcloths.
“May I?” he asks, and I barely manage to nod before he starts cleaning
me up.
When he’s done, he picks me up and collapses onto the couch with me
on top of him. The others join us, and we’re all tangled up in a sweaty,
exhausted heap.
I feel safe and loved in their arms, like nothing in the world can touch
me. This is where I belong, I realize, with these men who have been my
friends, my protectors. Now, they’re also my lovers, and I know that
nothing will ever be the same, but that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay.
It’s perfect.
“Liv knows so,” Ryder says on a sigh, breaking the silence. “Liv always
knows.”
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

River
It’s early Sunday afternoon, and it seems like we made it just in time for
the start of the football game. We make our way through the crowded arena
to get to our seats, the guys leading the way, while Liv is behind me with
Chris and Gunner.
Jaxon paid for all our tickets at the entrance, and I watched as Liv got
on her toes to kiss him before whispering a grateful, “Thank you, sir.” I’m
not really into their power dynamic, but I can admit it’s kind of hot seeing
them play like that.
As we get closer to our seats, I feel more and more anxious from the
loud noises and the throngs of people around us. I get pushed to the side
and shudder, but then I feel a small hand take mine. I look back and see Liv
smiling up at me, squeezing my fingers. Instantly, I feel a bit more relaxed
and guide her towards the others, who’ve already taken their seats.
Liv sits beside me, with Chris and Gunner on her other side. Ryder is
seated next to me, followed by Chase and Jaxon. As the noise and chaos of
the crowd start to build, I can feel my anxiety increasing, so I take a deep
breath.
“We’re good,” Liv says, leaning toward me. “We’re sitting here in our
little bubble between our friends. Nothing’s going to happen. When it gets
too much, we’ll just head out and get ourselves some corn dogs.” She
squeezes my knee gently, and I peck her lips.
 Until I found her, only Ryder had the power to calm me down in such
situations, but she’s even better at it. Her hand rests on my knee, the touch
light and thoughtful, not moving or giving me more to process while still
showing support and grounding me. I love her so damn much.
The game begins, and Liv bursts into laughter.
“I have no clue what’s happening down there,” she says.
“You’ve never been to a football game?” Chase asks, raising an
eyebrow.
“Nope, I’ve only been to a hockey game once,” she responds, a smile
spreading across her face.
“Figures,” Ryder says with a chuckle.
Liv sticks her tongue out at him, and in a playful gesture, he leans over
me and quickly bites at it. She chuckles, but he pulls her closer, kissing her
deeply.
“Boo, not that again!” Chris says with a pout.
“I kiss my girl whenever I want to, Sissi,” Ryder retorts, flipping her
off.
Chase stands and takes hold of Liv’s arm before pulling her to him and
onto his lap. He plants a kiss on her shoulder.
“Our girl,” he says before moving in to kiss her on the lips. She smiles
at him, but her expression turns to surprise when Jaxon lifts her out of
Chase’s lap and places her onto his own.
“Don’t you want me to feel included too?” he asks, nuzzling her throat.
Jaxon kisses her, their kiss even longer than both Ryder’s and Chase’s
combined. I look around and see some people sitting behind us watching,
but before I can nudge Ryder, Liv breaks the kiss.
“Yes, sir,” she says, then she stands up to return to my side. “Are you
feeling overwhelmed?” she asks, leaning into me.
“No, right now I feel good,” I answer truthfully.
“Great, then I can do this,” she says with a smile. Without hesitation,
she leans in and kisses me too. I smile into the kiss, appreciating her effort
to ensure that we all feel acknowledged and together in this moment.
“Do you see now? I told you we should have gotten seats farther away,”
Chris complains to Gunner.
“I distinctly remember a time when you told me to just go for it,” Liv
says with a chuckle.
“I was young and foolish back then,” Chris admits.
 Her teasing brings a smile to my face, and I glance over at her. It’s clear
she’s just playing around, but when I shift my gaze to Gunner, I notice his
furrowed brows and thoughtful expression. What’s his problem?

Liv
During halftime, I need to go to the bathroom. As I survey the crowd of
people making their way towards food stalls or toilets, nervousness sets in.
“I have to pee,” I confess, glancing at Chris.
“You should’ve gone before,” she says with a chuckle. “Can you wait a
little longer?”
The thought of holding it makes me wince, but so do the many people
squeezing down the stairs. Just as I start to worry, Gunner stands up.
“I’ll take you,” he offers.
“I can take her,” Jaxon says, also standing up.
“It’s no problem. Escorting important people to the restroom in crowded
places is part of my job,” Gunner states.
“I am important,” I quip, smiling at Jaxon.
“Never said you weren’t,” Jaxon says with a huff and sits back down.
Gunner steps into the aisle, waiting for me to join him before he nudges
me to lead the way. I glance back and notice how he keeps a vigilant eye on
our surroundings, ensuring my safety, and I smile to myself. I have my own
private bodyguard.
After using the restroom and finally feeling relieved, I find Gunner
waiting for me outside.
“Want to grab something to eat for your ‘boyfriends’?” he asks, giving
me a wry smile. He emphasizes the word ‘boyfriends’ in a peculiar way,
and I notice that his mood seems off.
“What’s wrong? Are you mad at me?” I ask, concerned.
“I’m never mad at you,” he says, letting out a huff.
“Then what’s the problem, Gun?” I press further. “I don’t understand
why you’re being so grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy,” he denies, crossing his arms over his chest. As
people squeeze through the crowded space, pushing me closer to him, he
instinctively turns us so that I’m standing near the wall while he shields me
with his body.
“Then why are you acting like a grump?” I ask, frustrated with him. He
lets his arms fall to his side, his expression filled with concern.
“I don’t like how they’re treating you,” he admits, and I’m taken aback
by his statement.
“Treating me?” I ask. “Gunner, were you even paying attention for the
past two hours? They treat me like I’m precious, like they love me.”
“That’s not love,” he says, furrowing his brows, his tone resolute. “They
may say it, but that’s not how you treat someone you love.”
“Trust me, I know what it feels like when the person who claims to love
you treats you like garbage,” I say, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. He gazes
at me intently, tilting his head. “They’ve been nothing but good to me.
What are you talking about?”
“You really don’t see it, do you?” he asks, huffing once more. “The way
they pass you around from one to another in public, they make you look
like a prostitute.”
His words hit me like a slap in the face, and I feel a mix of anger and
hurt welling up inside me.
“Are you telling me you think I’m a whore for being with them?” I ask,
but Gunner shakes his head.
“No, Livy, that’s not what I meant,” he replies, his voice earnest.
“But it is, isn’t it?” I retort, my voice filled with frustration. “You’ve
been against this relationship from the beginning, but you’ve never
expressed it so harshly before.”
“You don’t see it!” he exclaims, starting to yell. “They’re treating you
like some sort of object, passing you around! It’s not you, it’s them!”
“You don’t understand!” I shout right back. “They make me feel valued,
desired, and respected. It’s not about being passed around. It’s about our
connection.”
“It looks like they’re treating you like a commodity!” he says, shaking
his head. “It’s not right, Livy.”
“You’re being judgmental!” I say with a huff. “You’ve never given them
a chance. You’re letting your opinion about them cloud your judgment.”
He steps closer to me, making me step back against the wall, then lifts
his hand to caress my cheek.
 “I just care about you. I want you to be with someone who truly respects
and cherishes you,” he says, his grey eyes softening again, but I’m still
agitated.
“And I believe I’m with four someone’s who do just that. You’re not
seeing the love and care they have for me,” I reply, my eyes filling with
tears of frustration. Gunner lets his hand fall and takes a step back, realizing
the impact of his words. His initial anger subsides, replaced by a genuine
sense of remorse.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you like that. I’m just scared and
don’t want you to get hurt,” he says, his gaze never leaving my eyes. I
exhale a long breath, trying to get calm.
“I appreciate your concern, but I need you to finally trust me—trust my
judgment and my feelings. I deserve to make my own choices, even if
they’re different from what you think is best.” His features soften, and he
nods, acknowledging my plea.
“I apologize for overstepping, again,” he says.
“Thank you. I know we don’t always see eye to eye on this, but I—” I
start, but he stops me by flicking my nose.
“That’s because you’re too short to do so,” he says, and I can’t help but
laugh. He smiles before taking my hand and leading me back to our seats.

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 CHAPTER NINETEEN

Liv
We finish watching the football game, but my mood remains soured by
the argument with Gunner. I love him and he’s my best friend, but his low
opinion of my relationship continues to nag at me, causing me to
contemplate how people from my past life would judge me. While I believe
my parents would eventually accept my relationship after witnessing the
positive impact it has on me, the opinions of others, especially the public,
would likely be far harsher than what Gunner implied. Those potential
judgments weigh heavily on my mind, and the guys notice my shift in mood
but wisely choose not to comment on it. River holds my hand the whole
time, his thumb gently stroking the back of my hand in a comforting
gesture, and I can’t help but feel guilty for needing his reassurance when I
should be the one supporting him.
When we finally arrive home, we settle down in front of the television,
and I feel the exhaustion and moodiness take over me. Every part of my
body aches, and all I want is to crawl into bed and sleep. I hesitate to ask
any of the guys which bed I can use, feeling unsure and vulnerable.
Jaxon, perceptive as ever, notices my insecurity. He rises from his seat,
gently takes hold of my hand, and pulls me to stand. With a brief
“Goodnight” to the others, he guides me towards his room.
He closes the door and hands me one of his T-shirts, silently
understanding my need for comfort. I shed my clothes, leaving only my
panties on, and slip into his shirt. He watches me with a tender gaze but
doesn’t make any comments or advances. Instead, he climbs into bed and
pulls back the covers, inviting me to snuggle against him.
Without hesitation, I nestle myself against his warmth. The weariness
overwhelms me, and within seconds, sleep claims me, my worries and
troubles temporarily forgotten.

I wake up around two am, and this time, it’s not nightmares but cramps.
Hello, shark week, we do not welcome you. I try to move Jaxon’s big hand
resting on my hip and sneak out of his room to go to the bathroom. Thanks
to Chase, I have everything I need here, stuffed in both bathrooms. I
chuckle at the memory of him coming out of that store with a year’s worth
of tampons. That boy has no fucking clue. It’s cute that he tries, though.
I remember how Liam used to be shitty about anything period related.
He would completely stop touching me and didn’t even want to sleep next
to me, but maybe that’s just a guy thing. Maybe Jaxon won’t like sleeping
next to me either, once he knows I’ve started. I know they’re trying for my
sake, but I could see how uncomfortable it made Chase just to talk about it,
so I decide to sleep the rest of the night on the couch. I don’t want to gross
Jaxon out, especially not on the first night we’re sleeping in the same bed.
I get comfortable on the couch with a blanket and try to fall asleep
again. After a few minutes, I hear footsteps approaching and jump in
surprise as I open my eyes to find Jaxon lifting me up bridal style. He looks
disheveled and tired.
“What are you doing?” I whisper, trying not to wake anyone.
“What am I doing? What are you doing?” he asks while carrying me
back to his room, where he closes the door behind him before gently
placing me in his bed.
“I got my period,” I say, and he doesn’t even flinch.
“Are you okay? Do you need anything?” he asks.
“No, thanks,” I reply.
“Then why were you on the couch?” he questions.
“I didn’t want to gross you out,” I answer quietly, looking down at my
hands in my lap. Jaxon looks at me incredulously.
 “Gross me out? Women!” he says with a sigh before running a hand
over his face. “Sunshine, you never have to worry about that with me. I
want to take care of you, especially when you’re not feeling well.” He leans
down to kiss my forehead. “I can eat you out right now to show you how
much I don’t care.”
“Jaxon!” I exclaim, looking at him with wide eyes.
He snickers as he gets into bed beside me before pulling me back
against him, placing a hand over my lower stomach, and kissing the back of
my head.
“Rest, okay? I’ll be here if you need anything.”
I smile gratefully and snuggle back into him before finally going back
to sleep.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY

Liv
For the most part, classes were calm and passed swiftly this week. Since
I was dealing with a bitchy period, I mainly just went to college, and
returned home, where at least one of the guys would always come over to
spend time with me. We studied together, watched movies, and indulged in
ice cream.
For Ryder, it’s been a fantastic week. His band signed the contract
Monday, and they wasted no time getting into the studio to record some
songs while their new manager tirelessly promoted their music, generating
considerable buzz around their band. I am so fucking happy for him.
Today is Friday, and I’m finally feeling good again. It’s my day off from
classes, and fortunately, there are no looming tests, so I can enjoy the
weekend without the need to study. I took the morning to sleep in and catch
up on some laundry, then, after checking the studio class schedule and
finding that the dance floor should be available now, I get ready to go spend
some time dancing.
I put on a white leotard with a high-cut design, an oversized beige
sweater, and comfortable gray sweatpants that I can easily take off before I
start dancing. After grabbing my bag and keys, I head towards the studio.
Chris is standing at the reception desk, talking to a customer. I offer her
a smile before scanning the area for the guys, but I can’t seem to spot any of
them. Shrugging, I walk towards the dance studio, where I set my bag
down, remove my sweatpants, and begin stretching.
 When Ryder was at my apartment earlier this week, he sang “Work
Song” by Hozier to me, and it’s been stuck in my head ever since. I
pondered which routine would work with the song, and during a sleepless
night due to cramps, I crafted one in my mind. Now it’s time to put it to the
test.
I take a deep breath as I step onto the middle of the dance floor. The
hum of the song fills the studio, enveloping me in its soulful melody. As I
let the music guide my movements, blending fluidity and strength in each
step, I immerse myself in the emotions evoked by the song. The lyrics
resonate with me, reminding me of the deep connections we form and the
sacrifices we make for true love—true love I found with them. With each
twist, turn, and leap, I pour my heart and soul into the dance.
By the time the song reaches its final notes, I find myself breathless.
The routine feels like a perfect match with the lyrics, capturing the essence
of the song’s longing and passion. I take a moment to catch my breath, a
smile of accomplishment forming on my face.
“Liv,” I hear Jaxon call out, causing me to glance down the hallway,
where he stands between the chairs. I beam at him.
“Just a minute,” I reply, quickly turning to get my phone, turn off the
music, and gather my stuff before making my way back toward him.
As I approach, I notice the tension in his expression, and then my gaze
shifts to his hand. He’s holding a yellowish piece of paper, and in that
moment, my bag slips from my grip and falls to the ground.

Angel,
I see you’re still playing your little game,
pretending that you can live without me, but I
know the truth, Olivia. I know that deep down,
you still crave me, still yearn for my touch.
Those other men are just distractions, temporary
replacements for what we had. You can try to
t t t t
 convince yourself that you’re happy with them,
but I know better. They don’t know you like
I do. They don’t understand you like I do.
They don’t love you like I do. None of them
can compare to me, and you know it too. I’ve
given you plenty of time to stop that nonsense,
to make things right, but you’ve ignored my
warning. Well, let me make it clear, Angel. The
clock is ticking, and your time is running out.
I want you to remember the love we shared,
the connection we had. You may think you can
move on, but you’ll never get rid of our past.
You have one last chance to change your ways,
angel, one last chance to leave those men and
return to where you belong. Don’t make the
mistake of thinking you can escape the
consequences of your actions. I’ll be watching.
Choose wisely, angel, because the price of
defiance is steep.
I love you, be good.

Liv
Jaxon and the rest of the guys gather around me, forming a protective
circle as I sit on the desk chair in Jaxon’s office. I’ve read the letter at least
three times, its contents sinking in with each repetition.
 “He’s escalating,” River states, concern evident in his voice.
“Now he’s outright threatening her,” Chase says.
“And us too.” Ryder’s words hang in the air, causing a sharp pang of
panic to surge through me.
The threat extends beyond just me. It encompasses each and every one
of us. Once again, I’m the reason my loved ones are in danger.
“I can’t go on like this. I can’t risk your safety anymore. I’m going back
to Canada. Maybe once he knows I’m back home, he’ll calm down,” I
say, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination as I rise from
the chair.
“The fuck you are,” Jaxon responds, his tone forceful. “We can’t protect
you if we’re not together. We stay together. Everything else is far more
dangerous.”
“He only wants to get to you because of me!” I shout, frustration
welling up inside me. “You won’t be in danger anymore if I’m gone.”
Ryder steps forward, taking my hand and looking down at me with
sadness in his eyes.
“You promised, Liv,” he reminds me, and I deflate, sitting back down
into the chair.
“Let’s focus on the facts,” River says prompting a collective nod of
agreement. “What do we know?”
“Not much, but I’m going to change that,” I say. Taking out my phone, I
dial Frank’s number and activate the loudspeaker.
“Hey, honey,” Frank greets me. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so
soon again.”
I glance up at Jaxon, who visibly clenches his jaw at the endearment.
“Hey, Frank. I’m sorry to bother you again,” I reply.
“You never bother me, Olivia. What’s wrong?” he asks, genuine
concern evident in his voice.
“There’ve been two more letters from Liam since we last talked, and
now he’s threatening me,” I explain, my voice filled with unease.
“He is? Do you have it on paper?” Frank’s tone shifts to a more
determined one.
“I do,” I confirm.
“Now we can go back to court,” he says, sounding satisfied. “Maybe
they’ll finally lock him in something more secure than that institution,” he
suggests, a hint of frustration in his voice.
 “I don’t want to go back to court, Frank,” I say, shuddering at the
thought. “I want to know if he’s still locked away and if these threats should
be taken seriously. He’s also targeting my friends.” There’s guilt evident in
my voice.
“I’m going to call your lawyer, inform him about the threats, and make
sure he checks the security measures,” Frank assures me. “If there are any
updates on Liam, I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you. Do you think it will take long?” I ask, a glimmer of hope in
my voice.
“No, I’ll contact him directly after we hang up,” Frank replies. “You pay
the guy enough that he knows he has to act promptly when you call.”
I hear Ryder snicker beside me, and I shoot him a glare, causing him to
instantly sober up.
“Thank you, Frank,” I say.
“No problem, honey. I’ll call you right back as soon as I have
something,” Frank promises before we end the call.

Jaxon
As we wait for Frank’s call in the office, we take the opportunity to
share our locations with each other. It’s something we had already discussed
wanting to do, and I mentally cuss myself out for forgetting about it earlier.
Now we’re all set up and able to see each other’s whereabouts.
In addition to sharing our locations, River takes it a step further by
installing a panic button feature on our phones. This way, if any of us are in
danger, we can press the button, alerting everyone and automatically calling
the police. It may seem like an extreme measure for just my safety alone,
but considering the threat to my entire family, I’m more than willing to
have as many safety nets in place as possible.
“No one is going anywhere alone anymore,” I say firmly.
“And how should we do this while still going to college?” Liv asks,
letting out an exasperated huff.
“Our schedules nearly match,” Ryder quickly responds. “River and I
can wait for you until you finish your classes, which means no one goes
home alone.”
 “And during your classes, you should be safe,” Chase adds.
“What about you guys?” Liv asks him. He looks at me intently, and I
can already predict his response.
“We’ll go to the studio and return together, right, Jax?” he asks. I huff
but agree.
“I think you should stay with us for the next few days, at least until we
can be sure that he’s just trying to provoke us and doesn’t have anyone
carrying out his threats,” I say to Liv.
“I see your point,” she replies, nodding.
“That’s it?” I say, my eyebrows rising. “You’re not going to fight me on
this?”
She looks down at the desk, shaking her head. My girl is defeated. Just
as I’m about to get to Liv and wrap her up in a hug, her phone begins to
ring. She quickly answers it, pressing the loudspeaker button.
“Frank,” she greets.
“Olivia, I have some good news and bad news for you,” he begins.
“Hit me,” Liv replies, bracing herself.
“So, Liam is still locked up, but he’s been applying for authorized leave
to visit his mother. Apparently, she has cancer again, and he wants to see
her before it’s too late.”
“Madeline’s cancer came back?” Liv responds, seemingly shocked.
“It seems so. I had it confirmed,” Frank says.
“He just wants to visit her, and there will be caretakers with him,
right?” Liv asks, her tone softening.
I have to bite my tongue to hold back my reaction. It’s infuriating that
Liam has put Liv through so much pain and continues to do so, yet she
remains concerned about his mother. I struggle to comprehend how she can
still show empathy and compassion towards someone who has caused her
so much pain.
“That’s what it appears to be,” Frank replies with a sigh. “You never
know with those wealthy folks, but I don’t need to explain that to you. Just
be careful.”
“Okay, thank you so much for looking into this, Frank. Can you please
keep an eye on the situation and let me know if there are any updates?” Liv
asks.
“Of course,” Frank assures her.
 “Great. I’ll make sure to send you compensation for your efforts,” Liv
says.
“Olivia, you don’t have to,” Frank protest. “You know I’m here for
you.”
“Consider it a Christmas bonus,” she quips.
“It’s October,” he retorts with a huff.
“Thanksgiving, then. Take care,” Liv says, ending the call.
“I don’t like it. I don’t believe for a second that he would only use his
leave to see his mother,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
The thought of Liam potentially taking advantage of the situation to
harm Liv weighs heavily on my mind. Liv lets out an exasperated sigh,
clearly sharing my concerns.
“I don’t like it either, but what else can we do besides wait until Frank
gets back to us? Maybe the leave won’t be authorized, or if it is, we can find
somewhere else to stay until he returns to custody, but for now, he doesn’t
seem like an immediate threat,” she explains, trying to rationalize the
situation.
“Let’s not take any chances and treat the threat as if it is very real,”
River adds. “No one goes out alone, and we need to keep our phones with
us at all times.”
Ryder moves towards Liv, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
“And my baby is going to move in with us now,” he says with a smile,
planting a gentle kiss on top of her head, but Liv shakes her head.
“Hold on. I have some things to take care of and I’ll need to pack my
stuff. I’ll come over tomorrow with everything and then stay with you.
Also, Gunner texted me earlier and said that he’ll be home tonight,” she
says.
I want to say something when Chase tugs on my arm.
“We can give her one more night,” he says quietly, and I nod in
agreement.
“All right,” I respond.
Liv stands up and moves past us, saying goodbye to each of us with a
kiss.
“See you tomorrow,” she whispers in my ear.
With that, she’s gone, leaving us all feeling worried.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Liv
I let out a groan as I survey the chaos I’ve created in the kitchenette. I
took a little detour to a grocery store to buy some balloons and everything I
needed to make cupcakes. Despite our agreement not to go anywhere alone
anymore, it was broad daylight and the store was crowded, so I didn’t worry
too much. Frank’s update about Liam still being locked away provided me
with some sense of security, although my heart ached for Madeline. I
always liked her. Yes, she could be entitled at times, but she also had a
gentle side.
Glancing at the clock, I realize it’s already eight pm. I’m relieved that
I’ve packed all my stuff already, but I know the cupcakes I’m attempting to
make are going to end in a disaster, so I decide to reach out to Gunner.
Are you any good at baking?

Depends on what we’re baking…

Please come over? *pout emoji*

Not a minute later, there’s a knock on the door, and I rush to open it,
relieved to see him standing there. Leaning with his forearm on the
doorframe, he looks down at me. He’s dressed in black sweatpants and a
tight black shirt, which perfectly complements my own attire of black
sweatpants and our koi shirt.
 “Hey, Casper,” Gunner greets me, flipping my nose. “You’ve got a little
bit of flour on your face.” He chuckles, gently nudging me inside and
closing the door behind him.
I catch sight of myself in the mirror on the back of the door and burst
into laughter. My face is completely covered in white flour, creating quite
the mess. Gunner laughs wholeheartedly upon seeing the state the
kitchenette is in.
“Holy shit, what exploded?” he jokes.
I quickly make my way to the bathroom to clean my face. Returning to
Gunner, I pout at him.
“I definitely need some help,” I admit, and he smirks.
“I gathered that,” he teases, moving to the sink to wash his hands. “So,
what are we making?”
“Chase’s birthday is tomorrow, and I wanted to bake him some
cupcakes. Since he likes coconut ice cream, I figured I couldn’t go wrong
with vanilla cupcakes with coconut frosting,” I say, and Gunner chuckles.
“And you thought baking them instead of buying them would be a good
idea because…?” He trails off teasingly.
“I genuinely thought baking couldn’t be that hard,” I admit, biting my
lip.
He laughs again. “You’re adorable, but let’s get you out of the kitchen,”
he says. “I fear for the kitchen utensils.”
I try to protest, but he doesn’t budge, instead gently pushing me over to
my bed.
“Stay here,” he instructs, pointing a finger at me, and I obediently sit
down with my legs crossed. He glances around the room. “Where’s the
recipe?”
I point to my laptop on the desk, and he walks over to it. He scans the
instructions before gathering the necessary ingredients, then he skillfully
begins mixing everything together. I watch in awe as he effortlessly
navigates the kitchen, turning the potential disaster into something
promising.
“You’re good at everything, aren’t you?” I ask him, half in admiration
and half in jest.
“No, but if I wanted to have a birthday cake, I had to make it myself,”
he says, a hint of sadness in his voice. My heart hurts for him.
 “Not anymore,” I vow. He glances around at the chaos in the kitchen
and then back at me.
“If you really want to get me a birthday cake, please spare us all the
mess and just buy one,” he says, a smile on his face. I flip him off.
“I’m going to buy you the best and prettiest fucking cake you’ve ever
eaten,” I declare. He just smirks. “Speaking of birthdays, when is yours?” I
ask, realizing that we hadn’t discussed it before.
“September twenty-seventh,” he says, seemingly unfazed, but I jump up
in surprise.
“That was two weeks ago! Why didn’t I know about it?” He smiles at
the shock on my face.
“It’s okay. We had a nice day anyway,” he assures me.
My mind races, trying to recall what day it was, He laughs at my
puzzled expression.
“It was our Sunday at the beach,” he clarifies, and my eyes widen in
realization.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have bought you a present or
organized something special!” I say, feeling a pang of guilt. He simply
shrugs, a gentle smile on his face.
“The day was special. I loved hanging with you all day at the beach, and
there was pizza and a movie. It was the best birthday in a long time,” he
says.
“How old did you turn?” I ask.
“Twenty-five,” he answers with a shrug.
“Fuck, I’m a shitty best friend,” I say on a groan. He points the spatula
at me in a playful warning.
“Don’t even start, or I’ll have to spank you with this,” he jokes.
“Just wait, next year, your birthday is going to be the biggest fucking
thing you have ever seen. We’ll go to the Florida Keys for it,” I say, and he
smiles.
“Can’t wait.”

The entire apartment is filled with the heavenly scent of vanilla as the
cupcakes sit in the kitchenette. The icing is already prepared, so all that’s
left is to wait for the cupcakes to cool down enough to be frosted. Gunner
washes his hands once more before joining me on my bed. I wrap my arms
around him, squeezing him tightly, or as much as one can squeeze a
mountain of muscle.
“Thank you, Gun. I owe you one,” I say, and he smiles warmly in
response.
“You never do. I had fun,” he assures me. I lean in to kiss his cheek.
“God, I love you,” I say with a laugh, and he gives me a small smile.
“Right back at you,” he replies.
He leans back to stretch out, but his gaze falls on my open suitcase on
the other side of the bed. He sits up straight, concern in his eyes.
“Why is your suitcase packed? Are you going back?” he asks. I reach
out to touch his arm, trying to soothe him.
“Back where? No, I’m not going anywhere, I just promised the guys
that I’d stay with them for a few days,” I say, hoping to alleviate his
worries. Gunner’s face visibly relaxes at my explanation before a flicker of
concern passes over it once more.
“Why?” he asks, his voice filled with apprehension. I laugh at his
reaction.
“Why not? They’re my boyfriends. If I want to stay over for a few days,
I can,” I say, and his brows furrow in confusion.
“But you have a perfectly fine apartment. Why would you move in with
them for a few days? They can come over, or you can spend a night there.
There’s no need to move out,” he argues, clearly not understanding my
decision. I can’t help but get a little bit agitated at his reaction.
“Relax. I’m not moving out,” I assure him. He lets out a huff of
frustration.
“Yeah, whatever. It’s late, and I need a shower,” he says before standing
up and making his way towards the door, determined to put some distance
between us. “Goodnight.”
“Gunner!” I call out, rushing to stand up from the bed, but he’s already
closed the door behind him. I quickly open it and make my way over to
knock on his door, but there’s no response.
“Are you for real right now?” I ask, frustration evident in my voice, but
all I hear is the sound of the shower turning on. I huff in annoyance. “I’ll
text you tomorrow. Thank you again,” I yell at the door.
 I return to my own apartment, feeling a mix of emotions. Uncertain if he
heard me or if he really was in the shower, I decide to send him a text
message instead.

Thank you again for your help. I’ll text you tomorrow. I love
you.

His response comes immediately.

I love you too.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Liv
It’s Saturday, but I know from Chris that Chase doesn’t have any classes
today, which is perfect because I have big plans for him. Birthdays were
always a big deal in my family, and everyone would take the day off from
school or work to celebrate together.
Unfortunately, my last few birthdays were less than ideal. On my
twentieth birthday, I spent the day with Liam at a competition. He forgot
about what day it was until my parents FaceTimed me, and even though we
went out that evening, he spent the whole night talking to other people
while I sat alone, sipping on my Coke.
My twenty-first birthday was even worse. It was six months after
everything happened, so I stayed home and drank nearly half a bottle of
Jack Daniels by myself, trying to black out and forget about the memories
of happier days. I remember thinking that birthdays are only special if you
have someone to share them with. If not, it’s just another day in the year
with the potential to make you feel sad and lonely.
I thought I would never have a good association with birthdays ever
again, and yet here I am, in my car packed with presents, some balloons, the
cupcakes Gunner made yesterday evening, and all the stuff I need for the
next few days, happy to spend this special day with Chase.
I park my car in front of the guys’ house and grab the plate of cupcakes
in one hand and the balloons in the other. Walking up to the door, I knock
with my foot, and River answers with a look of surprise.
 “Liv!” he exclaims as I step inside. He’s wearing a grey T-shirt, and I
peck his bicep as I walk by him.
“Where’s the birthday boy?” I ask over my shoulder, making my way
into the living room.
“Liv,” River says urgently from behind me, but I’m already standing in
front of Jaxon and Chase, who are sitting on the couch watching a movie.
“Hey,” I greet them both with a smile, setting the cupcakes down on the
table in front of Chase. “Happy birthday!” I exclaim, but Chase looks at me
with no emotion in his eyes. He stands up and walks out of the room, then I
hear him shutting the door to his bedroom.
Confused and worried, I turn to Jaxon.
“What did I do?” I whisper shout, panic rising in my chest.
“Who told you it’s his birthday?” Jaxon asks, rubbing his temples, and I
freeze.
“It’s not his birthday today?” I ask. Leave it to me to confuse the
birthdays of my four boyfriends.
“It is. He’s like this every year,” Jaxon explains. “He doesn’t like
celebrating his birthday.”
Just then, Ryder walks into the living room, but because he’s looking
over his shoulder to talk to River, he doesn’t see me at first.
“Has grumpy boy said his goodbyes already?” Ryder asks worriedly, but
his expression quickly changes when he sees me standing there, holding the
balloons. “Hey, baby.” He smiles at me before noticing the cupcakes on the
table. “Ah, fuck,” he mutters, playing with his lip ring. Jaxon gives him a
knowing look.
“You told her it was his birthday but forgot to mention that we don’t
celebrate it, didn’t you?” he says. I feel embarrassed and uneasy.
“Here, let me take them,” River offers before taking the balloons from
my hand and bringing them into his room. If the situation weren’t so tense, I
would laugh at how cute he looks with them.
“I’ll put these in the fridge,” Ryder says, grabbing the cupcakes. I look
down at my feet, feeling guilty.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, wringing my hands. “Maybe I should just go, or I
could try to talk to him and apologize? I don’t know which would be worse
right now.” Jaxon steps in front of me.
“Eyes on me, Liv,” he says, and I give him my full attention. “You
didn’t know, so it’s not your fault,” he assures me. “Chase needs to tell you
his story himself, but just know that it has nothing to do with you. It’s sweet
of you to bake him cupcakes,” he adds, stroking my cheek with his thumb.
“Why don’t you try knocking on his door and ask him what he prefers? If
he wants to be left alone, you can come back and watch the movie with
me.” He kisses the top of my head, and I already feel much more grounded.
He’s right—I just need to ask Chase what he wants. Time to put on your
big girl panties, Livy. Taking a deep breath, I make my way to Chase’s
room and softly knock on the door.
“Chase, can we talk?” I ask, hoping he’ll answer.
After a moment of silence, he opens the door and looks at me.
“I’m sorry about the cupcakes and balloons,” I say, feeling guilty. “I
didn’t know that you don’t like celebrating your birthday. I just wanted to
do something nice for you because you mean so much to me.” I look down
at the floor. “You don’t have to lock yourself in your room. I can just go
home if you prefer. I won’t be offended. I’m sorry.”
It’s quiet for a moment before he finally speaks.
“No, I’m sorry, Liv. I didn’t mean to make you feel this way. You want
to come in?” He opens the door a bit more for me to step in, and the lump in
my throat gets smaller as I smile.
“Sure,” I reply.
Chase’s room is very neutral, without much personal stuff that I
recognize. There aren’t any pictures or souvenirs, just a bed with dark red
bedding, a TV on the wall, and a desk with a laptop on it. On the left side,
under the window, there’s a bookshelf filled with books. Some are even
stacked beside it because there’s no more room.
“Am I allowed to snoop? I didn’t the last time I was in here, even if I
wanted to badly,” I ask, and his smile becomes a little more real.
“Have at it.”
I walk over to the bookshelf and read the titles. Most of them are
fantasy, and I recognize the copy of The Hobbit that River read to me. I turn
and make my way to the desk, noticing a bike part and a polishing cloth
lying on it.
“I’m no expert, but wouldn’t it be better if that thing was on the bike?” I
ask, trying to lighten the mood. I’m pleased when he huffs a laugh.
“The bike can still drive without it. It’s just not as silent anymore,” he
explains.
 “And that’s a good thing?” I ask, genuinely not understanding. He
laughs again, looking at the floor and shaking his head.
“You’re fucking adorable, you know that?” he asks. I blush and make
my way to his bed, sitting on the edge.
“How long have you been riding a bike?” I ask him.
“Since I was sixteen,” he replies. That’s quite a long time, considering
he’s turning twenty-four today.
“Did you always have the Harley?” I inquire further. He sits beside me
and takes my hand in his.
“No, I just got her last year. Fixed her up a bit,” he says with a smile.
“You did a really good job,” I say.
“You think so?” he asks with a smirk.
“Yes, I mean I have absolutely no comparison, but from my expert view,
it looks pretty good,” I joke, and he smiles before kissing my temple.
“I mean, you already sat on it once. If that doesn’t make you an expert, I
don’t know what does,” he says playfully.
“Hey, it was twice. I mean, we drove back again too,” I remind him, and
he chuckles.
“Of course. I should take you for a ride more often,” he says, squeezing
my hand. When I grimace, he asks, “What? I thought you liked it last
time?” He starts stroking the back of my hand with his thumb.
“I more than liked it. I loved it,” I say.
“So, what’s the problem?” he asks.
“I may have overstepped,” I say, biting my lip. He furrows his brows in
confusion, and I continue, “Considering the situation, I would say I
definitely overstepped.”
“Liv, I don’t think it’s as bad as you think it is. What did you do?” he
asks in concern.
Fuck it, he’ll find out anyway, and he may as well know how much I
fucked up today.
“As part of your birthday present, I treated myself to a new helmet and
leather jacket. I read on the internet that all backpacks have their own gear,”
I say. He looks at me with wide eyes and then bursts out laughing.
“You were browsing biker forums?” he teases.
“They were very informative,” I defend in a hushed tone.
“Ah, I see. So you already know the slang, my little backpack,” he says,
playfully pushing me onto his bed and leaning over me. He brushes my hair
away from my face, “What kind of helmet did you get?” he asks, giving me
a quick kiss.
“I went for one of those cool, old-school ones without a visor,” I reply,
beaming with pride.
“Of course, it had to be stylish,” he says with a chuckle, inching closer
to me. “Is it green? It might clash with the red of the bike.”
“No, I picked a black one, so you won’t be too embarrassed to ride with
me,” I say with a pout. He chuckles again, leaning in even closer.
“I could never be embarrassed of you,” he whispers before kissing me
passionately, sucking on my lower lip and nibbling it before deepening the
kiss, his hand slipping under my shirt to caress my stomach.
Fuck, he is such a good kisser. He leans back, chuckling at my heart
eyes.
“Did you bring your biker gear with you, gorgeous?” he asks.
I nod, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension.
“Want to take it for a spin?” he suggests, his smile putting me at ease.
“I’d love to!” I reply, beaming at him. He stands up and extends his
hand to me, pulling me to my feet.
“Let’s go then,” he says, leading me towards the living room, where the
rest of the guys are still watching the movie. Chase tells them, “We’re
taking a ride.” Then he heads for the door. I linger for a moment, feeling
self-conscious as Ryder gives me a thumbs up, River smirks, and Jaxon
nods in approval.
“Don’t drive like a maniac, you’ve got precious cargo with you,” Jaxon
calls out to Chase.
“I’m a backpack,” I retort before shrugging and following Chase as I
hear Ryder laugh.

Chase
I stand in the doorway, holding the door open for her. I already put on
my own leather jacket and grabbed my helmet. She walks out the door with
a small “Thank you,” and I take a minute to admire her ass in the tight black
jeans she’s wearing. That woman is pure perfection.
 We reach her car and I wait, feeling a little curious about what she’s
bought for herself. I can’t help but regret my earlier reaction towards her. It
caught me off guard, and I didn’t know how to handle her wishing me a
happy birthday. I never leave the house on the day and prefer to ignore it
completely, so I haven’t had to deal with people celebrating it in years.
When she surprised me, all I could do was flee the scene and leave her
standing there, feeling foolish. She put in the time and effort to make me
feel special on my birthday, and I’m ashamed that I didn’t even thank her or
try one of her cupcakes. I feel like such a jerk, but the truth is this day is
tough for me, and I’m happy if I can make it through without breaking
down.
She pulls a black leather jacket out of her trunk and struggles a bit to put
it on. When she’s finally got the zipper up, it fits her like a glove. Holy
mother of tits. Next, she retrieves a helmet from her trunk and walks over to
where I’m standing by my bike. I can’t help but feel a little uneasy about
her choice of helmet. Half helmets aren’t as safe, and without a visor, the
wind could easily hurt her eyes, but I’m willing to give it a try. If it doesn’t
fit properly or she finds it uncomfortable, she can always wear my second
helmet, or we can purchase a new one together, even a green one if she
prefers. I’d be willing to make a lot of compromises just to have her curves
cling to me as we ride through the streets.
She places the helmet on her head and turns to me with a smile.
“How do I look?” she asks, twirling around with her arms outstretched.
I try to maintain eye contact, but my gaze inevitably flicks down to her ass.
“Like a pro,” I reply, smirking as I clip her helmet’s chin strap in place.
“I was aiming for expert,” she quips, making me laugh.
I climb onto the bike and help her get settled behind me. Unlike last
time, she scoots closer and wraps her arms tightly around my waist.
“Ready?” I ask.
“Yes!” she answers, and I can hear the excitement in her voice.
I turn on the engine, and the bike roars to life beneath us. With a deep
breath, I slowly release the clutch, and we begin to move forward.
The wind whips past us, and I feel her grip tighten around me as we
pick up speed. We navigate the streets smoothly, weaving in and out of
traffic, with her laughter ringing in my ears. I can’t help but smile as I feel
her body pressed up against mine, her breath warm on my neck. It feels like
we’re the only two people in the world, and nothing else matters except the
rush of the ride and the connection between us.
As we race down a long, straight road, she releases one hand from my
stomach and thrusts it out in front of us, fist clenched. I steal a glance back
at her.
“I am fucking Superwoman!” she yells, laughing loudly. I can’t help but
chuckle. This girl is crazy, and I love it.
As we come to a halt at a red light, she begins to rub my thighs. I place
my hands on hers and reciprocate the gesture. Her hands feel cold, and I
make a mental note to get her some gloves.
“Are you cold?” I yell back to her.
She just slides her hands under my jacket and shirt, her chilly fingers
now pressing against my stomach, making me shudder.
“That’s not fair,” I yell over my shoulder, and she giggles
mischievously.
I guide us to an Italian restaurant located on a more secluded side of the
beach and park the bike in front of it.
“I’m hungry, and pizza sounds great. Can I take you to an early dinner?”
I ask once I get my helmet off, shaking out my curls before turning to her.
She hops off the bike and bounces up and down on her toes, still buzzing
from the thrill of the ride.
“I don’t know if I can eat. I’m still full of adrenaline,” she says.
“Let’s try, at least,” I say, patting her hair and trying to smooth it down a
bit.
We step into the cozy restaurant and settle into a table, ordering a pizza
and two Cokes. As we wait for our food, we chat about the ride and laugh,
Liv still high on the rush. When the pizza arrives, I dig in, savoring each
delicious bite. The combination of the warm, gooey cheese and tangy
tomato sauce is the perfect comfort food, and I feel my mood lift with every
slice.
Liv gazes out at the beach, her expression dreamy.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask her before taking a sip of my
Coke.
“It’s stupid,” she says on a sigh.
“Try me,” I say, smirking.
“You know all those vacation pictures from people in Bali, driving
motorcycles on the beach?” she says, and I nod, having seen a few of them
myself. “I think I’d like to do that someday.”
“What’s the selling point here?” I ask with a frown. “Bali, or driving a
motorcycle on the beach?” She laughs.
“Well, it doesn’t have to be Bali, but I think driving on the sand would
be pretty spectacular,” she answers.
The waiter passes us, and I ask for the check before turning back to Liv.
“Then let’s do it,” I say, and she smiles.
“Oh, you think we can just leave everything for a few days and fly to
Bali?” she asks.
“Nice idea, but no,” I say, “Let’s just head down to the beach and ride
the bike.”
“Is that even allowed here?” she whispers while leaning in, as if we’re
discussing something illegal.
“It is, as long as we don’t put anyone in danger,” I say, and her face
lights up with a smile.
“Chase, you’re the fucking best.”
I can’t help but laugh. It feels good to make her happy, and the thought
of cruising down the beach on my bike with her behind me fills me with
excitement.
I pay our bill and lead Liv out of the restaurant. As we get to the bike, I
hand her her helmet, and she grins at me as she puts it on. We climb on the
bike, and I rev the engine, feeling the power of the machine between my
legs. We pull out onto the street, and I can feel the wind rush by as we
speed toward the beach.
We get down to the shore, my heart racing. The sand is rough beneath
the tires, but I steer the bike with confidence, feeling alive and free. I can
hear Liv whooping with excitement behind me, so I glance back at her,
seeing her with both arms stretched over her head, eyes closed, her hair
whipping in the wind under the helmet, and I can’t help but fall for her even
more.
We continue to drive down the beach, the wind rushing by and the
sound of the waves crashing nearby. It’s a moment of pure joy, and I know
I’ll remember this forever.
I come to a stop on a section of the beach where I can lean the bike
against a post of a walkway, and Liv jumps off, her eyes sparkling.
“That was amazing!” she exclaims, grinning from ear to ear, and I can’t
help but smile back at her.
 “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I had a great time too,” I say.
With the bike leaning there securely, I sit down in the sand next to it,
and Liv does too, putting her helmet in the sand, her finger tracing circles in
the grainy surface. I take a deep breath, wanting to ask about her earlier
comment.
“You mentioned before that part of my birthday present was you getting
some gear. What’s the other part?” I ask, wanting to show interest after my
earlier fuckup.
“Oh, it was nothing really,” she says, shrugging. “Just a silly idea,
something funny. Don’t worry about it.”
“Now you’ve got me curious. What is it?” I ask.
Liv hesitates for a moment before reaching into her leather jacket and
pulling out a small box.
“Okay, but it’s not a big deal. I got you a custom-made keychain for
your bike keys,” she says, biting her lip as she hands me the box.
I eagerly open it and find a silver keychain with a rectangle charm that
reads ‘Drive home safe to me.’ I’m touched by her thoughtfulness.
“Liv, that’s awesome. Thank you so much,” I say, leaning in to give her
a kiss, but she stops me, her eyes shining with amusement.
“Flip it over,” she says.
When I turn the charm, I can’t believe what I see. The contours of the
picture I took of Liv’s cleavage a few weeks ago are engraved into the
silver, and it looks incredibly sexy. I burst out laughing, and Liv joins in
too.
“Consider it a little reminder to drive safely because of what waits for
you at home,” she says, blushing.
“You’re incredible, you know that?” I ask, cupping her cheek. She
meets my gaze, her expression tender.
“You’re pretty amazing too,” she replies, and I stroke my thumb over
her bottom lip.
“Were those all of my presents?” I ask, my voice low and husky. Liv
laughs, her eyes dancing.
“Yes, do you want something else?” she asks, and I pull her close,
feeling the heat of her body against mine.
“You,” I say simply. “I just want to be with you, right here, right now.”
She grins at me, her arms wrapping around my neck. “That, my dear
Chase, I can definitely give you,” she says before kissing my lips.
 I’m gentle with her, wanting to convey how much she means to me. Her
interest in me and what’s important to me is deeply meaningful. She could
have taken the easy road with her gifts, given that we’re both dancers, and it
would’ve been effortless to connect over our shared passion. Of course, we
did bond over that. However, her willingness to go the extra mile, to learn
about my hobbies, purchase gear, and have the courage to try something
new, shows me what kind of person she is. She makes me feel special, just
as she does with the other guys. I thought it would be difficult to share her
time, but it isn’t. She never makes it feel like we’re sharing anything
because she’s always present in the moment, making everyone feel
important. Having the ability to be so open and loving even after all she’s
been through is amazing. I think about how she shared her trauma with us,
and how it would only be fair to give her the same trust in return, so I ease
away from the kiss.
“The twins told you that we grew up in foster care,” I say, and I can see
her mind reeling with the sudden topic change, but she nods.
“So did Jaxon,” she says.
It seems like the guys have already opened up much more to her than I
have. It’s time for me to catch up.
“I got there late. Jaxon and the twins spent their whole childhood with
the family, but I got there when I was twelve,” I explain, and Liv tilts her
head slightly, listening intently to me.
“My parents were killed in a robbery,” I continue, and her eyes fill with
sadness. “It was on my twelfth birthday.” I look down at the ground, and
Liv takes my hand, squeezing it gently. “I wanted to celebrate in a big way,
so we went to a football game before getting dinner at a restaurant we liked.
When we were walking home, two men with guns came at us. My dad
didn’t want to give them anything, but my mom pleaded with him, so they
gave them his money and her purse. The men were obviously on drugs, and
instead of just letting us go, they shot them in front of me.”
As I speak, I see something like shock and recognition flicker in Liv’s
eyes. Yes, gorgeous, we know the same pain. I feel a sense of comfort in
knowing that she understands what I’ve been through. She strokes my hand
with hers, looking sad for me, but there’s no pity. I decide to test a theory.
“And that’s why I don’t like the Batman movies,” I say, deadpan, and
she looks at me with wide eyes before bursting out laughing, slapping her
hand over her mouth in shock.
 “Oh my god, I’m going to hell for laughing at this,” she mutters, still
giggling. “I’m so sorry.” I can’t help but break into a smile, my serious
demeanor crumbling.
“You know, I’ve told that joke to so many people, and they all just give
me pitying looks, but you actually laughed,” I say, feeling a sense of relief.
“Fuck, I’m so sorry. That was so inappropriate,” she says with a wince.
“No, it’s perfect,” I assure her. “I pity myself enough. I need someone
with a dark sense of humor who can help me find light in the darkness.”
“I would love to be that for you,” she says with a smile.
Since we’re already on the topic, I decide to tell Liv about the parts of
my past that I’m not particularly proud of.
“After that, I lost my way completely. While I loved the family I found
with Jaxon and the twins, I didn’t see a reason to be a good boy anymore.
Nobody cared. Our foster family had too many mouths to feed to really care
for our mental health, and teachers didn’t give a damn about foster kids, so I
slid into some not-so-good groups. I befriended some guys in our local gang
because they were breakdancing, and I danced with them every day. They
wanted to recruit me for their gang, but I was young and dumb and didn’t
see it coming.
“When I turned fifteen, they started to pressure me into swearing in, and
I got scared. I tried to avoid them, but it didn’t work. One day, they came to
our home, and I told Jaxon everything. He went out with me to talk to them,
but they didn’t want to hear it. They told me that they had invested
resources, time, and money into my upbringing, mainly because they’d fed
me and showed me how to dance. Jaxon told them we would get some
money from somewhere to buy me out, but it escalated, and one of them
pointed a gun at me.” Liv’s eyes widen, but she doesn’t say anything, so I
continue.
“Just as they pulled the trigger, Jaxon pushed me out of the way and
took the bullet for me,” I say. Liv sucks in a breath, putting her hand over
her mouth.
“He needed surgery, but he recovered relatively quickly. The cops came
and handled the gang problem for me because those two went to jail for the
incident. I owe Jaxon my life, literally, and I’m determined to repay him for
it,” I finish. We sit there in the sand, watching as the sun slowly sets and the
wind picks up. I look over at Liv and find she’s already looking at me.
 “Thank you for telling me all of this,” she says, and I feel a sense of
relief.
There is no judging or digging, just acceptance, which is all I needed.
She links her arms through mine and leans her head against my shoulder as
we look out to the waves crashing on the shore.

Liv
We sit there in silence for a while and watch the onset of night with both
our knees tucked into our chests, my arm hooked into his as I lean into his
side. I sense that he’s lost in thought and grief, so I try to be there for him
without saying much. He’s already said everything that needs to be said,
and now he just needs to know that he’s not alone in his pain.
A few meters away from us, some teenagers start a bonfire and turn up
their music. They’re laughing and being loud, but the sound is pleasant. It’s
good to know that they’re enjoying themselves and making the most of
their time. As I sit here, I can’t help but wonder what my life would have
been like if I had grown up here. Would I have made friends, danced and
laughed on the beach, and attended bonfire gatherings? Would I have been a
surfer girl instead of a dancer? I bet I would have.
As I sit lost in my thoughts, I hear the music shift from upbeat to slow.
A smile spreads across my face as I entertain the idea that perhaps my first
kiss would have taken place at a bonfire just like this one, then I recognize
the song playing. It’s one of my favorites, “Until I Found You” by Stephen
Sanchez.
Chase peels my arm off him with a gentle touch and rises to his feet. I
look up at him, furrowing my brows in confusion. Did I upset him? He
smiles and extends his hand toward me.
“May I have this dance?” he asks, and I swoon.
“Of course.”
I smile and take his hand, allowing him to pull me to my feet and close
to him as we start slow dancing. His left hand rests on my lower back, while
his right holds mine. My head is leaning on his chest, tucked in under his
chin, as we slowly sway from side to side. I feel the sand slipping beneath
our feet, and with the sky growing darker, I can see the stars sparkling over
the ocean. My stomach is full of butterflies, and I can hardly believe that
this is how we’re ending this day after how horribly it started.
He whispers the lyrics of the song into my hair, and I look up at him.
His eyes are as deep blue as the night sky behind his head. We stop dancing,
and he cups my head with both hands, gazing into my eyes.
“I never thought I could fall for anyone,” he confesses. “But here I am,
falling so hard in love with you, it nearly hurts.”
My breath catches in my throat.
“I love you, Liv,” he says before gently kissing me.
After a minute he pulls back, looking into my eyes, which are now
watering with emotion.
“I love you too, Chase,” I whisper, and he pulls me into his chest,
holding me tightly as we continue swaying to a few more slow songs.
Eventually, we gather our stuff and prepare to leave. Chase links our
pinky fingers and leads me back to his bike.
“Thank you for the best birthday I’ve had in years, gorgeous,” he says.
He places my helmet on my head and plants a gentle kiss on my lips
before fastening the chin strap. He then adjusts his own helmet and climbs
onto the bike. He helps me up behind him, and I wrap my arms tightly
around his waist as we set off back to the guys’ place, relishing the thrill of
the ride once more.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Liv
I lie on the couch, enjoying the big ass TV the guys have in their living
room. Chase and Jaxon are currently at the studio, even though it’s Sunday,
because Chris and another employee are sick, while Ryder drove River to
his study group and is hanging out there, since we have the rule that no one
leaves the house alone. They invited me to join them, but I wanted to
embrace my laziness today.
I can’t remember the last time I simply hung out and did nothing, and
I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Plus, with the excellent alarm system in the
house, not even Jaxon can complain about my indulgent self-care day. I
needed this time alone, and they all noticed the weariness in my eyes as
they left, but already, I feel so much better.
After a refreshing shower and thorough scrubbing, I’ve settled down
with a bowl of popcorn, clad in sweatpants and one of Jaxon’s soft shirts. I
should put on something prettier before they get home, but nah. Today is a
take it or leave it kind of day.
I hear the door open before Jaxon enters the room, looking exhausted,
but as soon as he lays eyes on me, warmth fills his gaze.
“Hey, how was your day?” I ask.
He comes over and lies on top of me, being careful not to put all his
weight on me, then buries his face in my chest.
“Long,” he says in a muffled voice. I chuckle and stroke his head,
making him moan. “God, I missed you,” he mutters before lifting his head
to look me in the eyes and asking, “You feeling better?”
“I do,” I reply with a smile. “I missed you too. Are you hungry? I could
order dinner.”
Instead of answering, he lifts himself to hover above me and lowers his
lips to mine, kissing me gently. Quickly, the kiss becomes deeper and more
passionate. He sits back on his heels, pulling me upwards and getting rid of
the shirt I’m wearing. I didn’t put on a bra, and he looks at my chest
appreciatively before moving to suck on one nipple and pinching the other
with his fingers.
“The others are going to get home soon,” I say with a gasp when Jaxon
gets down on his knees in front of the couch. He pulls down my sweats and
panties, then tugs me to the edge of the couch.
“I don’t give a fuck,” he says as he spreads my legs and lowers his face
to the V of my thighs, inhaling me. “You’re goddamn perfect. I waited the
whole day to feel you come all over my face.” I shudder, loving Jaxon’s
dirty mouth. “Are you wet for me, sunshine?” he asks, spreading my lips,
and I feel myself dripping. “Such a good girl. Now let me eat my dinner.”
I can feel his tongue sliding up my slit, exploring every inch of me, and
I let out a moan of pleasure. He’s so skilled with his tongue, flicking and
swirling it around my clit, making me arch my back and grip the edge of the
couch. He slides a finger inside of me, bending it just enough to hit the
perfect spot.
“Oh god, do that again,” I say on a gasp, feeling the tension building
inside of me.
He chuckles in response, the vibrations from his laugh adding to the
pleasure of his fingers moving inside of me. With his skillful touch, I reach
the edge and moan his name as I fall over it.
He wipes his face on my inner thigh, his stubble glistening with my
release. I sit up and reach for his shirt, but he removes it with one smooth
move, just like all hot guys do. I fumble with his belt, eager to finally touch
him, but he stops my fingers and kisses me deeply before taking off his
pants and boxers himself. He stands tall, his impressive length and girth
twitching as I take him in.
“Don’t look at me like that, sunshine, or this will be over way too
soon,” he warns.
I grasp him firmly in my hand and give him a quick, hard pump,
causing him to let out a moan of pleasure. I love that he’s vocal in the
bedroom. It turns me on even more. I tighten my grip around him and run
my tongue along his length, from the base to the tip, savoring every inch of
him before taking him fully into my mouth. I wrap my lips around him and
swirl my tongue, taking him in as deep as I can. His moans turn into a
growl, and he grips my hair, gently guiding my head. I bob up and down,
taking him in and out of my mouth. When his breathing becomes ragged, I
know he’s close, so I suck harder, using my hand to stroke the base of him
as I take him deeper. He lets go of me and steps back.
“Sunshine, I need to feel your tight pussy when I come,” he says with a
groan, his hands grabbing me under my arms and pulling me to my feet.
“Bedroom,” he orders before spanking my backside, making me laugh as I
hurry in front of him towards his room.
He follows closely behind and lifts me effortlessly, throwing me gently
onto the bed. He lowers himself on top of me, kissing me deeply.
“Get on your hands and knees for me,” he commands, and I comply,
looking back at him and seeing the desire in his eyes.
My ass is raised up in the air in offering to him. He trails a hand from
my back to my ass before he takes a firm grip of my ass cheeks and spreads
them apart, making me moan.
“Fuck, Liv. Look at this perfect ass, and it’s all mine,” he rumbles as he
kneels behind me. He licks slowly from my clit to my asshole, and I
shudder. “I love how you taste. I couldn’t think about anything else today.”
His mouth leaves me, but shortly after, I feel the tip of him teasing my
entrance, and I arch my back, eager for him to enter me. Without warning,
he thrusts deep inside me, making me gasp and then moan with pleasure.
His hands grip my hips tightly as he starts to move in and out, filling me
completely. I push back into him, wanting more, and he obliges, increasing
his pace and intensity. His fingers dig into my flesh, leaving marks as he
slams into me, the sound of our skin slapping together filling the room.
“You feel so fucking good, Liv,” he says, his breathing ragged. “I could
fuck you all day long.”
I moan in response, feeling the pleasure building inside me.
“Tell me, sunshine, who does this pussy belong to?” he asks in a husky
voice, wrapping my hair around his hand and pulling me backwards.
I moan in response, feeling the heat rise between my legs.
“It’s yours,” I whisper breathlessly.
 “And I can have it whenever I want it,” he tells me. I gasp as his grip on
my hair tightens, but the pain only heightens the pleasure.
“Yes, sir,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Chase
As I get home, I notice Jaxon’s Jeep is already parked in the driveway. I
had to finish up an invoice, so I let him drive back home fifteen minutes
earlier than me. I park my bike behind his Jeep and enter the house, leaving
my shoes and keys at the door, then head to the living room, looking for Liv
and Jaxon. I hope she’s feeling better after spending the day at home. When
I get there, all I see on the couch are some discarded clothes, and a smile
creeps onto my face as I hear moans coming from the hallway leading to
our rooms. Looks like Liv is doing much better now.
I walk down the hallway and notice that they didn’t even bother to close
the door. If that isn’t an invitation, I don’t know what is. I lean in the
doorframe and watch as Liv tells Jaxon that her pussy belongs to him. They
look amazing together, but I’m not one to just watch. I want to join in.
“Interesting,” I say, catching Jaxon’s attention.
He turns his head to me and smirks as I step around the bed to face Liv.
“When that pussy is his, who does this pretty mouth belong to?” I ask,
putting my thumb between her lips while Jaxon is still pounding into her.
“It’s yours Chase,” she answers, looking up at me from under her
lashes.
I shed my clothes as quickly as I can and step back in front of her,
holding my cock in my hand.
“Open,” I tell her.
She does, stretching out her tongue for me, and I guide myself into her
mouth. Starting slowly, I hold her head while I fuck her mouth with gentle
thrusts, making sure not to choke her. Jaxon and I fuck her holes in tandem,
and she moans around my cock. Jax reaches down and wets his fingers with
her wetness, then rubs her asshole.
“And who does this tight little ass belong to? Have you ever been
fucked here, sunshine?” he asks.
 I take my cock out of her mouth so she can answer, intrigued by the
idea.
“Never,” she whispers. Jaxon continues fucking her gently while he
circles her asshole with his finger before slowly pushing inside, and she
moans.
“You like that?” he asks huskily, pushing his finger in a bit deeper.
“Yes,” she says, shuddering.
“Nightstand,” he tells me, and I open the drawer to find a bottle of lube,
which I toss to him. “Thanks, bro.” He grins, and I chuckle.
“Oh, you’re welcome.”
He covers her ass with a good amount of lube and stops fucking Liv to
focus entirely on stretching her asshole gently and slowly, all while I kiss
her and circle her clit, trying to get her to relax. Once he’s stretched her
enough, he applies more lube to his cock and pushes her head down into the
mattress.
“I’m going to fuck your tight little asshole, and you’re going to take all
of me like a good girl,” Jaxon orders, his voice rough with desire.
“Please,” Liv says with a moan.
I can feel myself getting even more turned on as I watch them. Jaxon
slowly enters her ass, pushing in just a bit before pulling out and pushing in
a bit farther. He spits on his dick where it enters her ass to lube it up some
more. Liv is writhing underneath him, but she takes it like the good girl
Jaxon wants her to be.
I watch in amazement as Jaxon thrusts deeper and harder into Liv’s ass,
now balls deep inside her. She moans his name, and I can see the pleasure
mixed with pain etched on her face. Jaxon reaches forward, pulling her up
against him and taking hold of one of her breasts with one hand, while the
other hand is on her throat, squeezing gently.
“You’re fucking perfect, you know that? Perfect for me, perfect for us,”
he says, accentuating each sentence with a thrust.
I move in front of Liv to lie on the bed, propping myself up on my
elbows so her pussy is at my eye level. I can see her glistening with arousal.
“We’re going to prepare you for next time, when Jaxon takes your ass
while I take that pussy,” I tell her. “But for now, I’m going to finger you and
lick your clit until you come all over my face with Jaxon’s dick buried in
your ass.”
 I reach out and begin to rub Liv’s clit with my fingers, eliciting loud
moans from her. Slowly, I slide a finger inside her and begin to work it in
and out, curling it to hit her G-spot. I feel Jaxon’s dick in her ass through
that thin barrier, while she is getting wetter and wetter, coating my finger. I
bring my mouth down to her pussy and start to lick her clit, swirling my
tongue around it while Jaxon continues to pound her from behind. As I
work her over, Liv’s moans grow louder and more urgent. I can tell she’s
getting close as she begins to squeeze my finger, so I slip another inside her,
working them both in and out, hitting all the right spots. With my other
hand, I begin to rub myself, getting myself off as she reaches her peak.
Her body convulses with ecstasy as she nearly screams. I continue to
lick her clit and finger her through her orgasm, not stopping until she is
completely spent. Behind her, Jaxon is grunting and moaning, finally
spending himself into her ass and muttering curses.
He pulls out of her, and Liv collapses onto the bed, breathing heavily.
We all lie there for a moment, catching our breath and basking in the
afterglow. I kiss her gently before getting off the bed and heading to the
bathroom to clean myself up and grab some wet washcloths.
I toss one at Jax, who’s now lying on his back with Liv in his arms, and
with the second one, I start to clean her. She’s already half asleep, so I take
my time, being gentle and thorough. I toss the cloth to the floor before
crawling back onto the bed beside them and wrapping my arms around Liv,
nuzzling my face into her neck. The three of us lie there entwined, and I
can’t help but smile. This is exactly where I want to be, with the people I
love most in the world. I could do this for the rest of my life.
I hear the front door open, followed by some rustling, and soon, Ryder
and River stand in the doorway. Ryder pouts, his disappointment evident.
“Man, we missed it,” he huffs, while Jaxon just snickers softly.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Liv
The class finally comes to an end, and I hastily pack my bag, shoving
my laptop inside. All I want is to escape from here. I was lost in my
daydreams when my dance history teacher addressed me twenty minutes
ago, and I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. I managed to
fumble an “uhh” in response, while Camilla and Sofie snickered behind me.
Those two have become increasingly hostile towards me. They never
directly confronted me after the incident in the cage, but they make sure I
can sense their gossip and mockery. I shouldn’t let it bother me, but I’ve
had my fill of people talking about me, and I’m simply over it.
I rise from my seat and head towards the door, but as I do, Camilla and
Sofie walk up beside me. Camilla nudges me with her shoulder, causing me
to stumble.
“Oops,” she casually remarks, while Sofie links their arms. They laugh
amongst themselves and walk out of the room. I roll my eyes at their
immature behavior and follow them out of the door. Ryder and River should
already be on their way to get me so we can head over to Tanner Fitness
together, and I’m happy to see them, so I don’t let the girls’ behavior sour
my good mood. As I step out the building, I hear shouting.
“It’s her, Olivia Baker!”
“She just came out of the building. Olivia!”
Panic surges through me, causing me to freeze in my tracks. No, please,
not again.
 People start rushing towards me, and just as I gather my wits and
attempt to run, a circle of reporters forms around me. Cameras are thrust in
my face, blinding me with the bright flashes. I shield my eyes with my
hand, trying to block out the overwhelming chaos, as questions bombard me
from all directions.
“Olivia, is it true that you’ve started a new life in America to engage in
sinful relationships with multiple men?”
“Olivia, why are you hiding here? Are you guilty of all the accusations
made by Liam’s fans?”
“Olivia, what do you want to say to your fans back home?”
Tremors course through my body as I struggle to maintain my
composure. I search desperately for familiar faces behind the horde of
reporters, hoping to find someone who can help me, but all I see are
Camilla and Sofie, their mouths agape and eyes wide with shock. This can’t
be happening again. I can’t fucking do this again.
“N-No comment,” I stutter, desperately trying to push my way out of
the crowd, but one of the reporters grabs hold of my shoulder, preventing
me from escaping.
“Olivia, your fans deserve some answers,” he insists, his voice
accusatory.
The commotion intensifies as people start shouting and complaining,
only to be forcefully pushed away.
“Everyone back the fuck off!” Ryder’s voice booms out, cutting through
the chaos. He fights his way towards me, forcefully clearing a path through
the crowd. I’m an emotional wreck, tears welling up in my eyes, but he
wraps his arm around my shoulder.
“I’ve got you,” he whispers in my ear. Determined, he pushes our way
back through the reporters, holding me close to him, his other hand
extended as a shield.
“Are you one of her men?” A reporter thrusts a microphone in Ryder’s
face, attempting to probe further, but Ryder stands his ground, his
expression angry.
“I am,” he replies boldly. “Now back the fuck up.”
“Isn’t that the singer from that new rock band?” I hear another reporter
say behind us, and panic surges through me as their attention turns towards
Ryder.
 “Ryder!” I hiss, my eyes wide with fear, just as his car comes speeding
towards us on campus. The reporters scramble out of the way as Ryder
opens the passenger door, gets in, and quickly pulls me onto his lap before
closing the door.
“Go, go, go,” he urges River, who presses down on the gas pedal,
propelling the car forward in a near frenzied escape from the campus. I bury
my face into Ryder’s neck, my sobs mingling with the sound of his ragged
breathing.
“They found me,” I whisper between sobs.
The car becomes enveloped in an eerie silence as we leave the chaos
behind.

River
I try my best to stay calm and think through our options as I drive.
Witnessing Liv being surrounded by the press was terrifying. From the
outside, it was evident how roughly they treated her, and I can only imagine
the harshness of their words.
Liv sobs again as she buries her face into Ry’s neck. It’s clear this has
taken an emotional toll on her. I’m so fucking grateful that Ryder was with
me when we got there. I sure as fuck would have walked in there to get her
out too, but I don’t know if I would have been as effective as him.
Contemplating our next move, I debate between driving home or
heading to Tanner Fitness as we had previously discussed, but I decide that
going to the studio is the smarter move. If any reporters manage to follow
us, I’d prefer to be at the studio, where we would have time to make a plan
for safely getting Liv home without them noticing. The last thing she needs
right now is reporters camped out on our doorstep.
“What’s the plan?” Ryder asks, his hand gently rubbing Liv’s back.
“I think the best option is to go to the studio,” I say.
“I’ll text them to let them know what happened and that we’re on our
way,” he says, pulling out his phone and holding it out behind Liv’s back. I
simply nod in agreement.
I take precautionary measures, driving in circles to ensure that no one is
following us. I curse the fact that Ryder’s car is so distinctive, making it
difficult to go unnoticed. After about thirty minutes, we arrive in the
parking lot of Tanner Fitness. Chase and Jaxon are already waiting for us,
concern etched on their faces. Jaxon practically yanks the passenger door
off its hinges as he pulls it open before taking Liv into his arms.
“Sunshine,” he whispers as I walk around the car and join them.
“Are you guys okay?” Chase asks. Ryder shakes his head, his
expression grave.
“Let’s get inside,” he suggests.
We head to Jaxon’s office, where Ryder explains everything that
happened. Liv is straddling Jaxon, who’s seated in his desk chair, holding
her tightly.
“Do you think someone recognized her or…?” Ryder asks.
“No, he did this,” Chase says.
“How do you know?” Liv asks, looking up from Jaxon’s chest.
Chase walks around the desk and opens a drawer, retrieving a yellowish
letter.
“Motherfucker,” Ryder hisses, and Liv inhales sharply.
“It seems he exposed you to the press,” Jaxon says.

Olivia,
I see that you still don’t understand the
gravity of your situation. You think you can
continue living your life as if nothing has
happened, but you’re wrong. You’ve tarnished
not only your reputation, but also my good
name and your soul with your behavior. You
should have listened to me. I warned you what
would happen if you kept up this charade. I

t t t t t
 warned you that those other men weren’t good
enough for you.
You didn’t listen, and now you’re going to pay
the price, but I won’t be the one to punish
you. No, that would be too easy. You might
think you can hide from me, Olivia, but you
can’t. I know exactly where you are and who
you are. Soon, everyone else will too. You think
you’re safe with those men, but you’re not.
They can’t protect you from the truth.
Soon, everyone will know the kind of person
you’ve become, and there’s nothing you can do
to stop it. The worst part is that you did this
to yourself. You couldn’t be faithful to me, so
now you must suffer the consequences. I hope
it was worth it. You’re just a cheap little
tramp, playing around with other men’s hearts,
and when they get tired of you, as they
inevitably will, you’ll be left with nothing. No
man will want a used-up slut like you. You
might think that I’m doing this out of spite or
jealousy, but you’re wrong. I’m doing this for
your own good. You need to be held accountable
for your actions. Your reputation will be
shattered, and those men you cling to will turn
t t t t
 their backs on you, but don’t worry, I’ll take
care of you when the time comes. I’ll make
sure you don’t suffer too much.
If I can’t have you, no one can. Remember
that.

“What are we going to do now?” Ryder asks, his gaze shifting between each
of us.
“There’s nothing we can do,” Liv responds, wiping away her tears with
the sleeve of her sweater. “He won. I could only start over somewhere new
again, but we all know that’s not going to happen. I have to endure it,
hoping that it will eventually die down, again.”
Jaxon nods in agreement from behind her, while tears well up in her
eyes once more. Chase reaches out and gently strokes her head.
“But you’re not alone in this anymore,” he says. “You have us, and
we’ll protect you.”
“I love you for saying that, but you have no idea what it’s like to live
like this,” she says, looking sadly at him. “Liam is right—I can’t force you
guys into this. It’s bad enough that Ryder got recognized today. He’ll be
dragged through the mud right alongside me.”
“Oh, baby, bad press is the best press for rock bands,” Ryder says with a
laugh. “Don’t worry about me.” Liv’s expression softens as she looks at
Ryder, a mixture of gratitude and concern in her eyes.
“I appreciate your optimism, but this situation is different. All our
personal lives are going to be exposed and scrutinized. I don’t want any of
you to go through that,” she says.
“We’re a family,” Chase says, his voice determined. “We’ll face this
together, no matter what. You won’t have to go through it alone.”
“You’re part of this family now too,” Jaxon chimes in, his tone calm yet
resolute, “We’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and get through this. We
won’t let him win.”
 “Thank you, all of you,” she says, her eyes searching each of our faces.
“But I need you to understand the consequences. It won’t be easy. We’ll
face backlash, judgment, and intrusions into our lives.”
“We knew this relationship would come with its challenges. And if we
stand together, we can face everything that comes our way,” I tell her, my
voice filled with conviction.
“Okay, then,” Liv says. She takes a deep breath, her resolve
strengthening. “We face it together. Let’s show the world that we won’t let
anyone break us.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Chase
Jaxon parks his Jeep right next to Liv’s abandoned Mini, which they left
behind at the college yesterday. We decided that despite everything, we
should try to live our lives, but with the understanding that Liv shouldn’t be
alone at any time.
The last part of Liam’s letter didn’t sit well with me. Liv believes that
exposing her to the press was his ultimate goal, as he will relish seeing her
suffer, but to me, it sounded even worse than that.
Today, I volunteered to stick by Liv’s side, so I canceled my dance
classes to accompany her to college. Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two along
the way. At least she won’t have to face all those reporters alone.
I sit in the backseat of the Jeep while Liv rides shotgun. She’s wearing a
stunning red dress that hits just above mid-thigh and is sleeveless. I gave
her a puzzled look when she stepped out of the bathroom, but she simply
shrugged and said, “I’ll show everyone what he did to me, even if they don’t
want to believe it.”
I could see the resolve in Liv’s eyes as she prepared herself to face the
world. She refuses to be a victim again, determined to expose the truth and
stand up for herself. Her strength inspires me, and I’m honored to be by her
side through it all. Still, before we left the house, I grabbed one of my black
hoodies, making sure we have something with us to cover her up if she feels
the need to.
Liv glances at me, her eyes searching for reassurance.
 “Ready?” she asks. I take a deep breath, my hand reaching out to
squeeze her shoulder.
“I’m right by your side, gorgeous,” I reply.
Jaxon reaches over and cups Liv’s face in his hands.
“You’re so fucking strong and capable,” he tells her earnestly. “They
don’t even know what’s coming for them.” He kisses her passionately, and
Liv melts into the kiss.
We get out of the Jeep, and I take her hand. I can’t help but feel nervous
as we walk along campus. We haven’t even reached the building where
Liv’s classes are when a man in his forties, dressed in a suit, intercepts us.
“The dean would like to talk with you, Ms. Baker,” he states.
My gaze turns to Liv, expecting to see fear, but instead, she seems to be
wearing a mask of composure. She smiles at the man.
“Of course, please lead the way.”
He nods and turns, gesturing for us to follow him to the dean’s office.
We walk through the hallways, the atmosphere tense and filled with curious
whispers from fellow students. The weight of the situation hangs heavy in
the air, but Liv walks with grace and determination, as if she’s prepared for
whatever may come. We arrive at the dean’s office, and the man opens the
door, ushering us inside. The dean, a middle-aged woman with a stern
expression, sits behind her desk.
“Please have a seat,” she says, gesturing to the chairs in front of her.
Liv and I take our seats, exchanging a brief glance. The dean studies Liv
intently for a moment, her gaze scrutinizing.
“Ms. Baker, I’ve been made aware of the recent developments regarding
your personal life,” she says, her tone professional. “It seems your presence
is drawing significant attention, which is having an impact on the wider
campus life.”
“It’s Ms. Michaels now, and yes, that’s correct,” Liv replies with a nod,
maintaining her collected demeanor. “I trust you understand that I never
sought out this kind of attention. Besides, I can’t control or prevent it from
happening in the future. The behavior of the press is out of my hands.”
“I have no doubt that if you could control this uproar, you would, but
that’s not my primary concern,” the dean starts. She leans forward, her
voice dropping a notch. “What truly bothers me, Ms. Michaels, is the
reputation of our institution. Your decision to hide your true identity and
circumstances undermines trust and honesty. It raises questions about our
college’s reputation. If you had come here with complete transparency, we
could have assisted you, maybe even avoided this situation.”
I stifle a huff. As if they could have made a difference. The campus
doesn’t even have proper security. Liv takes a deep breath, her hands
clasped together in her lap.
“I understand your perspective, Dean Thompson. I want to assure you
that my intentions were never to harm or undermine the integrity of this
college. The circumstances surrounding my enrollment were complex and
driven by a need for safety and anonymity. I never intended to cause any
harm to the college or its reputation,” she says, and the dean’s expression
softens slightly, her eyes reflecting a mix of skepticism and curiosity.
“Ms. Michaels, I must emphasize the importance of honesty and trust
within our academic community. I also recognize that people find
themselves in extraordinary situations that can lead to unconventional
choices. Therefore, I’m willing to consider a resolution that upholds the
values of this institution while considering your unique circumstances.”
“Thank you, Dean Thompson,” Liv replies, a glimmer of hope shining
through. “I’m genuinely grateful for your willingness to understand my
situation.”
“I will need some time to reflect on this matter and consult with the
other board members of the college,” she says as she straightens in her
chair, her tone firm. “It may be beneficial if you could demonstrate your
integrity and loyalty to our college by assisting in upholding its reputation.”
I furrow my brows. What the fuck does she want from her?
“Of course, I am more than willing to showcase my integrity to this
college,” Liv says, remaining composed, her smile unwavering. “I’ve heard
that the college is seeking funding for the renovation of the performance
building. I believe I could help expedite this project significantly.”
“Are you suggesting that you could aid in advancing the renovation
project?” the dean asks.
“You can inform the other board members that the entire project is
accounted for,” Liv says, her smile frozen on her face.
The dean’s eyebrows lift, clearly taken aback by Liv’s offer. She stands
up from her chair.
“That is a remarkably generous proposal, Ms. Michaels. I have no doubt
that I’ll be able to persuade the rest of the board of your unique
circumstances. Perhaps we can even consider naming the new facility the
Baker Arts and Performance Center.”
“I’d prefer not to have special mention, Dean Thompson, as I’m more
than happy to assist without seeking personal recognition,” Liv says, her
smile faltering slightly. “Thank you for taking my situation into
consideration. I hope I won’t cause you any further difficulties.”
As we rise from our seats, the dean extends her hand, and Liv accepts
the gesture, shaking her hand firmly.
“Thank you. We’ll be in touch,” the dean says, a smile creeping across
her face that sends a shiver down my spine. We exit the dean’s office, and
make our way back toward the building’s entrance. Walking down a big
stairway, I lean closer to Liv.
“What the heck was that? She acted like you just handed her a million
dollars,” I whisper. Liv chuckles softly.
“Two,” she replies, her voice barely audible.
I turn my head to her. “Huh?”
“I gave her two million dollars,” she whispers. My steps falter, and I
grip the railing to steady myself.
“You did what?” I ask, my voice a mixture of shock and disbelief. Liv
tugs on my wrist, urging me to continue walking.
“Come on, Chase. I have to get to class,” she says, her tone laced with a
hint of amusement.
Stunned, I follow her, my mind racing with what she just said. I mean,
we all figured that she has money, but not to what extent. Jaxon and I
invested the money from his fights, so we’re well off, but we could never
just throw around two million dollars like it was peanuts. Questions swirl in
my head, but I realize now is not the time. At least Liv’s actions seem to
have secured her place at the college.
We get to the building where Liv’s classes are and notice only four
reporters waiting outside. We quickly pass by them, ignoring their presence
and not giving them any opportunity for comment or engagement. Inside
the classroom, I take a seat beside Liv, grateful for the teachers who treat
her as just another student, not drawing attention to her fame or my
presence by her side.
Since I knew Liv’s major was dance, I wondered whether I should’ve
chosen that subject instead of business administration and marketing, but
after joining her for those two classes, I’m relieved that I didn’t. While I can
clearly see it’s perfect for Liv, I would have been fucking bored and
probably dropped out if I’d pursued it.
Just as we gather our stuff, getting ready to leave the classroom, two
girls approach Liv’s desk. They resemble the type of girls I gravitated
towards before Liv—easy lays.
“Hey, Olivia, how are you holding up after yesterday?” one of them
asks Liv, concern in her voice. “It looked pretty intense.”
“Yeah, it must have been scary,” the other girl adds.
Liv lets out a frustrated huff and steps around them, walking towards
the exit. As I move to follow her, the taller girl places a hand on my chest,
her smile turning flirtatious.
“And you are?” she asks, and I raise an eyebrow, my expression flat.
“Not interested,” I reply curtly, removing her hand from me with two
fingers before sidestepping her and catching up to Liv, who’s waiting for
me by the door.
A smirk is on her face as I approach, and without hesitation, she pulls
me into a passionate kiss. As the kiss breaks, Liv shoots the two girls a
glare.
“Marking your territory, gorgeous?” I whisper in her ear, smiling. She
links our pinky fingers.
“You’re taken, and they better get that quickly,” she says loudly enough
for them to hear, her voice filled with a mix of possessiveness and
playfulness. Fuck, why is that so hot?
We smile at each other as we walk out, but the lightheartedness of the
moment had me lower my guard.
As we exit the building we get swamped by reporters, and Liv gets
pulled away from me. I try to hold onto her hand, but it’s no use. The chaos
is overwhelming, with flashing lights blinding my vision and the cacophony
of shouted questions filling the air.
In the frenzy, I’m pushed even farther away. I desperately try to make
my way back to her through the crowd. I shout her name, but my voice gets
lost in the chaos. I hear her calling my name in return, but it’s impossible to
locate her amidst the mob. It seems that now not only is the press gathered
here, but also some of Liam’s loyal fans.
Panic rises when I get pushed completely out of the crowd, landing on
my ass on the concrete. I scramble back to my feet, cursing under my breath
while I try to push my way back in, but it’s no use. Fuck!
 I’m frantically searching my pockets for my phone, intending to call for
backup, when Gunner suddenly appears, running toward me from the
parking lot. He’s dressed in a black suit, earpiece in place, and doesn’t even
look at me or slow down his run when he reaches the crowd. He just gets
right at it, pushing the people out of his way like it’s nothing. He towers
over all of them, and I watch him grimace when he finds her before lifting
her up to his chest as if he’s holding a little girl. Compared to him, she’s so
small.
He holds her up with one arm under her butt like she weighs nothing
while he pushes a reporter away with the other. When he makes his way out
to me, he just nods his head in the direction of the parking lot, telling me to
follow him without words. Liv’s face is nestled against his chest as we jog
towards his Land Rover, the crowd following suit. He places her gently on
the backseat, and I quickly take my place beside her, pulling her into my
side while he heads to the driver’s seat. Before closing his door, he loudly
addresses the reporters who followed us.
“I don’t care who stands in front of my car. Move away or risk getting
run over.”
It seems that they all decide not to fuck with the mountain of a man, so
we have no problem driving off, not one of them even attempting to follow
us.
He drives like a maniac. I glance down at Liv, who is trembling even
more than I am. I kiss her head repeatedly, whispering apologies to her.
“I’m so sorry, Liv. I’m so damn sorry.”
My own eyes tear up as well. How could I have messed up so badly? I
hold her tightly, and she winces.
“What’s wrong?” Gunner asks from the driver’s seat, and I scoot back
slightly, examining her from head to toe. Her right upper arm is red, and
you can even see a handprint. “Who did this to you? I swear I’m going back
to fucking kill some people.” Gunner’s eyes are focused on the rearview
mirror rather than the road, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.
“Keep your eyes on the road, man,” I caution him.
“Oh, don’t you dare tell me what to do, or I’ll go off on you. Why the
hell weren’t you with her?” he says.
I can’t even defend myself. I messed up.
“Stop it, Gun,” Liv says, her voice hoarse from screaming. “I’m fine.
They caught us off guard. It’s not Chase’s fault.”
 “It was. I should have paid better attention,” I say, shaking my head.
“Oh, you think so?” Gunner scoffs.
“Guys,” Liv croaks out.
“Where are we going?” he asks, his tone softening as he speaks to her.
“Looks like you’ll have to set foot in that fancy ass fitness studio after
all,” Liv smiles at him.
I glance up and catch a smirk on his face in the rearview mirror.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Ryder
River and I just arrived at Tanner Fitness after our classes. Word was
spreading around campus about another press commotion involving Olivia
Baker, and they weren’t saying kind things about her. After witnessing and
hearing all that, I understand Liv’s past much better. It must have been
torture for her to deal with it all on her own. We tried calling her and Chase
multiple times, but neither of them answered, so we hurried here, hoping
they might have already got here, but they hadn’t. We filled Jaxon in on
what we’d heard, and now we’re standing in the reception area, waiting
anxiously. Finally, a black Land Rover pulls up in front of the glass doors.
Chase steps out from the back, helping Liv out as well, but before they can
move, Gunner stands in front of her, leading the way in a protective manner.
What is he doing here?
“Liv,” Riv calls out, jogging over to her and pulling her away from
Chase’s grip. He kisses her temple. “Are you all right, beautiful?”
She merely nods, but it’s evident that she’s barely holding it together.
He brings her over to me, and I pull her close.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there, baby,” I whisper, and she nods against my
chest.
I release her to let Jaxon embrace her as well. He hugs her tightly and
then turns her in his arms, resting his chin on her head.
“What happened?” he asks, looking at Gunner, who’s surveying the
studio, his expression a mix of impressed and annoyed.
 “Ask him,” he practically spits out, nodding towards Chase, who avoids
eye contact, nervously tugging at his curls. I approach Chase and place a
reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“What happened, bro?” I ask, my voice filled with concern. Chase takes
a deep breath, his eyes flicking around nervously.
“We were ambushed by the press,” he admits, his voice strained. “Liv
and I were leaving the building, and they were so aggressive, we got
separated. It happened so fast.” River’s jaw tightens.
“Those vultures have no boundaries,” he mutters, his voice tinged with
anger.
“What happened next?” Jaxon asks, his tone filled with concern, but
before Chase can respond, Gunner explodes.
“Let me tell you what happened! Livy would have been trampled if I
hadn’t arrived in time!” he yells. “This shit ends right now. Either you guys
invest in a real security guard, or I am going to take her home with me. I
refuse to let them turn her into a casualty just because you idiots are
incompetent!”
Gunner’s frustrated words hang in the air, leaving a tense silence in their
wake. Jaxon takes a deep breath.
“I hear your concern loud and clear,” he says, his voice calm but
resolute. “We cannot underestimate the seriousness of this situation again.
We’ll make sure to secure proper security measures for her safety.”
Gunner’s stern expression softens slightly, sensing the sincerity in his
words. Reluctantly, he relaxes his stance.
“You better follow through on your promises,” he grumbles, his arms
still crossed. “Livy is like family to me, my whole fucking world, and I
won’t tolerate any compromises when it comes to her safety.”
Liv breaks free from Jaxon’s embrace and turns to face him, frustration
evident on her face.
“I’m right here, and I’m tired of people talking about me instead of
talking with me,” she says, glaring at all of us. “What are you even
discussing? We don’t need to hire a stranger to be my bodyguard. I already
have one!” She points at Gunner.
“Livy, you know there’s nothing I’d rather do, but I can’t just abandon
my responsibilities to guard you. I have commitments to my father,”
Gunner says, remorse filling his eyes, but Liv remains resolute.
 “You won’t abandon your job because I’ll hire you officially as my
security. He can’t object to that,” she says with a shrug.
“Providing twenty-four-seven protection can be quite expensive. We
usually handle assignments for ambassadors or celebrities,” Gunner says.
“Well, it’s probably the only time you’ll hear me say this, but I am a
fucking celebrity if you haven’t noticed,” she says with a sarcastic laugh.
Gunner glares at her, clearly not appreciating the reminder.
“Oh, I noticed. Thanks for the heads-up,” he retorts, his tone laced with
sarcasm too.
“I really wanted to tell you,” she says with a wince. Gunner lets out a
huff of frustration.
“Sure, whatever. I’ll need a day to set everything up, so make sure to
stay home tomorrow. By Wednesday, you should be able to resume your
regular routine and go back to class,” he says, and Liv nods gratefully.
“That would be perfect. Thank you, Gun,” she says, hugging him
tightly.
He holds her head against his chest, then glances at Jaxon.
“Do you guys have a good security system at your house?” he asks.
“We do,” Jaxon replies with a nod.
Gunner grunts in approval before finally releasing Liv from his
embrace.
Chris comes out of Jaxon’s office, holding a magazine in her hand. I
hadn’t even realized she was here.
“So it’s finally official, and I can brag to everyone that my BFF is
Olivia Baker?” she asks excitedly. She’s practically bouncing with joy as
she rushes over to Liv and pulls her into a tight hug. Liv bursts into
laughter.
“I knew you freaking knew!” she says amidst giggles.
“Girl, my hobby is literally reading tabloid magazines. Did you think I
wouldn’t recognize the stunning Olivia Baker who graced the covers for
weeks last year when she’s standing right in front of me? I prefer you as a
brunette though. It makes your eyes pop. I’ve been wanting to tell you that
for ages.”
A mixture of laughter and tears escapes Liv as she hugs Chris tightly.
As they part from their embrace, I pull Liv back into my chest.
“My baby is a fucking celebrity,” I say softly. Chris chuckles
mischievously.
 “Yeah, and you should kiss her, Ryder, because she’s made a star out of
you too,” she says before opening the magazine she brought with her and
placing it on the reception counter, making sure we all can see it. Taking up
the whole page next to the article is a picture of Liv and me from when I
guided her through the crowd of reporters yesterday. Liv is tucked under my
arm, while my other hand is stretched out to shield us from the cameras,
and my face looks serious. It’s one of those typical pictures the paparazzi
take, but I have to admit we look good together.

From Canada’s Sweetheart to America’s Promiscuous Girl

The story of Olivia Baker’s double life has left us all shocked and amazed. This
sweet Canadian girl next door, who was once adored by everyone, has disappeared
from her home country, leaving behind a trail of shattered dreams and broken hearts.
Now, she has reappeared in Florida with a fake identity.
Can you believe it? Olivia is now dating not just one, not two, but FOUR men at
the same time! It’s hard to fathom how she manages to handle them all. To make
things even more surprising, one of her boyfriends is the incredibly attractive lead
singer of the highly sought after new rock band, Dirty Velvet. Just look at him. Who
could blame her for getting hot and heavy with that man? But it gets even juicer.
According to our sources, Olivia has his identical twin brother in her harem too, but
that’s still not all. Olivia is also attending Florida Atlantic University, like any other
regular college student. It’s quite a lot to juggle, isn’t it?
Behind this glamorous façade lies the truth about Olivia Baker’s past. She used to
be the beloved girlfriend and partner of famous Canadian dancer and heartthrob, Liam
Harris. They started their journey together as winners of a popular talent show and
now have millions of subscribers on YouTube. There are rumors that Liam wasn’t as
nice to Olivia in private as he seemed in public, though. He’s currently locked away
for murdering Olivia’s parents and brother, but his fans aren’t the only ones who
fervently advocate for his innocence, believing that there is more to the story than
meets the eye. Could this be the reason she ran away to the US under a new name?
We can only imagine how devastated Liam must feel at seeing his gorgeous ex-
girlfriend with so many new men. The sense of betrayal he must be experiencing is
likely overwhelming. Olivia’s double life left us in disbelief for sure.
We only have one thing left to say to her… You go, girl!

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Liv
All the guys decided to stay home with me the next day. I told them it
wasn’t necessary, but they wanted to show their support, and to be honest, I
really appreciate it. Jaxon made us a delicious breakfast, and after that, we
played some games on the PS5 that River connected to the TV. The guys
are still playing, but I got tired. I was bringing the team down anyway, so
now I’m just sitting sideways in Jaxon’s lap, reading a book. He didn’t want
to play either, so he’s just watching them while gently stroking my bare legs
right where my shorts end. Jaxon didn’t want to hear the gun sounds, so the
TV is muted and the stereo is playing, but that doesn’t stop the guys from
shouting and swearing at each other. Since I left the game, their language
has become a lot harsher.
As the song “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” by Two Feet starts playing, I
begin to sing along softly. Jaxon looks down at me, and I can feel his gaze
intensify. He holds my chin with his thumb and forefinger, slowly brushing
his thumb over my bottom lip before sliding it into my mouth. I suck on it,
allowing my tongue to swirl around it. He exhales deeply and closes his
eyes. When he opens them again, I can see desire burning within them. He
withdraws his hand, and I bite my bottom lip, feeling a surge of arousal. I
have to squeeze my thighs together because that simple action has already
turned me on.
Jaxon notices my shifting and smirks. He takes the book from my hands
and carefully sets it on the side table, making sure to place my bookmark
between the pages. He then pulls me closer to him while staying in his
seated position. The guys are laughing with each other, sitting on the floor,
engrossed in their game.
“Be a good girl and don’t make a sound,” Jaxon whispers in my ear.
I nod, filled with anticipation for what he has planned. He kisses his
way along my jaw to where my neck meets my shoulder, his hand moving
down my body and slipping into my shorts and panties.
“Are you wet for me, sunshine?” he murmurs, but before I can even
nod, he lets his fingers glide deeper and he groans in my ear. “You’re
dripping, Liv.”
I sigh softly as his thumb finds my clit and starts rubbing it in slow
circles. My head tilts back on a soft moan as he continues.
“Shh, I said don’t make a sound,” he chastises me gently. “I’m going to
stop if you can’t stay quiet, sunshine.” He has a smirk on his lips.
His tongue swirls around my earlobe and then moves to the side of my
neck. The heat of his breath sends shivers down my spine. His thumb is still
rubbing my clit, but one of his fingers has now found its way inside me. My
eyes widen and lips part at the feeling as he slides a second finger in. I gasp
at how good it feels. His fingers begin to move in and out of me slowly, and
I bite my lip, trying not to make a noise.
“You squeeze my fingers so good,” he whispers, then softly bites my
neck.
He continues his pace, his thumb rubbing exactly how I like it, and I can
feel myself building closer and closer to an orgasm. It’s all so fucking
intense. My thighs tighten around his arm as his other hand is now pulling
my hair and tugging my head back slightly, just enough to nibble on my
neck again. I let out a loud moan as my orgasm hits me, my hips bucking
against his hand. He lets out a chuckle next to my ear.
“Looks like you’ve caught their attention,” he whispers.
I raise my gaze to meet his, and his eyes shift toward the guys. I follow
his glance and see that they’ve turned to look at us, hunger evident in their
expressions.
“Seems like you two are playing a much more exciting game over
there,” Chase says, grinning mischievously.
“Mind if we join in on the fun?” Ryder asks with a smirk.
“I think we can add some more players,” Jaxon says, looking at me with
a suggestive glint in his eyes. “What do you say, sunshine?”
 River rises from the floor and approaches us, extending his hand toward
me. I accept it and stand up in front of him, feeling his fingers gently tuck
my hair behind my ear. He cradles my face in his hands, his eyes filled with
sincerity.
“Having you in my life is the greatest gift I could have ever asked for,”
he says before his lips meet mine.
They feel incredibly soft, and I can almost sense the depth of his love in
the kiss. He pours his affection into it, while his hands begin to explore my
hips, giving them a gentle squeeze as the kiss deepens. He grabs the seam
of my shirt and breaks the kiss.
“May I?” he asks.
“Please,” I say.
I chose to wear the lingerie set Ryder bought me in Miami, so when
River pulls my shirt over my head, I’m left in only black lace. I shoot a look
at Ryder, whose gaze is on my chest before he looks up into my eyes, a
smirk on his face. He gets up and steps next to River, leaning in to open the
clasp on my bra.
“I think this one belongs to me,” he says in my ear as he helps me out of
it before stepping back, the lace in his hand. River quickly turns his
attention to my peaked nipples, sucking in a breath.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he says before he leans down to suck a
nipple into his mouth.
Chase and Jaxon stand up too, and now they’re all surrounding me.
Jaxon’s hands go to my hips, and I lean back into him, while River sucks on
one breast and squeezes the other nipple with his fingers before releasing
me.
“Let me help you out of these,” he says, hooking his fingers into my
shorts and panties. He pulls them down in one swift move, and I step out of
them. He slowly rises, letting his hands run over the sides of my body as he
does so, then Jaxon pulls me back against his chest again to nibble on my
throat.
“You guys have way too many clothes on,” I murmur, and they all begin
to remove their clothing until four exquisite specimens of men are standing
naked around me.
How the fuck did I get so lucky?
Jaxon
I wrap my arms around Liv from behind and lift her gently before
settling us both onto the couch, her back resting against my chest. I gently
guide Liv’s legs to rest on either side of mine, spreading her open.
“Can you squeeze my cock just as tightly as you did my fingers?” I ask
her as I take my cock and let it glide slowly inside her. She gasps at the
fullness, and I groan, then start to lift her up and down with my hands on
her hips. In her ear, I whisper, “God, sunshine, your pussy is so fucking
tight, and it’s all mine.”
Before us, Ryder kneels and leans towards Liv’s pussy. He looks up at
me, a challenge in his eyes.
“I’m secure enough in my sexuality to just enjoy this, are you?” he asks
me.
“What the fuck are you up to?” I ask right back.
He starts licking her clit while I’m still fucking her. His mouth is
dangerously close to where Liv and I are joined, and I think I can feel his
tongue grazing my shaft from time to time.
“Fuck, Ryder, stay on track,” I grumble while Liv moans loudly,
holding herself up with her hands on my hips.
He just chuckles and licks from the base of my dick, which is buried
inside her, up to her clit.
“You little fucker,” I say with a grunt.
Just then, Liv comes apart on my dick, and I have to breathe deeply to
keep from coming with her, as she’s squeezing my dick like a vise. I
consider shooting my load all over Ryder’s face to prove to him that two
can play the chicken game, but the idea alone turns me off enough that I’m
not at risk of coming any longer.
“Ryder,” Liv murmurs, and he kisses her deeply.
“What do you think, baby? Do you want to play with two of us at
once?”
She pants but nods.
“Good girl,” I whisper in her ear.
“Lift her up a bit, Jax,” Ryder tells me, and even though I’m not the
type to take directions in the bedroom, I’m intrigued enough to do as he
says, so I put my arms around her chest and hoist her up, pulling out of her.
Chase comes back into the living room with a bottle of lube in his hands
before tossing it to Ryder. He squeezes a good amount of it into his hands
and onto Liv’s pussy, which drips down toward her ass and my cock. He
starts to finger her ass, stretching her out nice and slow, while I kiss and
nibble her neck. When he deems her ready, he takes the bottle of lube again
and squeezes it over me.
“All in the spirit of convenience,” he says with a smirk before spreading
it over my cock with a few pumps of his hand.
“Ryder!” I nearly snarl, but Liv moans in my ear, evidently turned on as
fuck by that. Then Ryder guides my dick into Liv’s ass, and I can’t
concentrate on him anymore as I gently push in farther. While Liv’s pussy is
heaven, her ass is fucking nirvana.
When I’m seated inside her fully, Liv’s head falls back on my shoulder,
her hands gripping my arms over her chest, nails digging into my skin.
“You good, sunshine?” I whisper into her ear.
“Fucking perfect,” she says on a moan.
Ryder steps back, and Chase comes to stand in front of her, leaning
down to kiss her.
“We prepared for this, gorgeous,” he says to her. “Are you ready?
She just nods, and he kisses her forehead before guiding his dick to her
pussy. I feel when he enters her, and Liv gasps at the fullness.
“Holy fucking shit,” she mutters, making me chuckle.
Slowly, we start to move in tandem, and having Chase added to the
equation makes everything even tighter.
“It’s too much,” I say on a groan as Chase thrusts faster, his hand
moving down to rub Liv’s clit. I whisper, “Be a good girl and come for us.
Come all over our cocks.” That’s all it takes to throw her over the edge
again, and me right with her.
Chase groans, thrusting in a few more times before muttering a “Fuck”
and coming inside her too.
Liv is still pulsing around me when Chase pulls out of her. I soften my
grip on her, then Ryder is back in front of us, pulling her off me to stand.

River
Ryder pushes Liv gently in front of me, and I lean down to look at her
face, lifting her chin with my finger. Her eyes are still hooded, and she’s
panting.
“More or less, beautiful?” I ask her, ready to stop right there if she
needs to.
“More,” she murmurs before pulling me into a kiss.
She’s arching her back, doing everything to meet my mouth. I break the
kiss, and Ryder steps up to her back to take hold of her hair, winding the
strands around his fist. He pulls gently, forcing her neck to bend back and
her eyes up to him.
“You’re so fucking perfect,” he says and reaches around her, sliding his
hands between her legs. His mouth comes down to hers, and I lean into her
neck, licking from her collarbone to her earlobe. She breathes heavily when
Ryder pulls back, her naked chest pressed against mine. She raises one arm,
circling Ryder’s neck behind her, while her other hand clasps the back of
my neck. I take one of her breasts in my hand and dip my head down,
covering her nipple with my mouth.
“Oh, God,” she says with a groan.
I let my hand wander down to her pussy, where Ryder’s is still moving,
plunging his fingers in and out of her while I rub her clit with my thumb.
“Fuck, I need to come,” she whimpers. Ryder chuckles against her hair.
“You hear that, brother?” he asks me. “Our girl needs to come again.
What a greedy girl.”
I switch from one breast to the other, nibbling the pebbled flesh before
sucking the whole thing into my mouth, dragging my teeth over her nipple.
I let go of her and stand up, pressing my body into her front, while Ryder
locks her between us from the back.
“You need to come, beautiful?” I tease her, nibbling her jaw and chin.
“I think we can manage that,” Ryder whispers from her other side.
She moans, her back arching and her tits jutting out. I grab her wrist and
pull her into me, picking her up by the back of her thighs. She wraps her
legs around my waist, holding onto my shoulders and staring into my eyes.
“I love you,” I say, hoping the sincerity is clear in my eyes.
Then I kiss her lips as I slowly enter her. With all the lube and cum
already making a mess of her, I slip right in and groan into the kiss. I grip
her ass, holding her tight to me.
“So fucking hot,” Ryder says behind her, holding her hips and kissing
her shoulder. I look over her other shoulder and see that Ryder is rubbing
his dick against her asshole.
 “Fuck, I need to move, Ry,” I tell him.
He grins at me, then looks back down at his dick and presses it into her
slowly. She sucks in a breath, holding it.
“Relax for me baby,” Ryder whispers to her, and she releases her breath.
I feel how she forces herself to let her muscles relax and how she gets even
tighter as Ryder pushes in to the hilt. I kiss her neck again, then start to pull
out and thrust back into her. She moves with the motion, backing up onto
Ryder’s dick. I groan, and Ryder turns her head to him, kissing her deeply.
We go slowly, finding a rhythm, moving in and out of her in tandem, and
she circles her arm around Ryder’s neck again, pulling me in closer with her
other hand.
“More.” She moans, digging her nails into my scalp. “Harder,
please.” So we start to move faster.
“God damn,” Ryder murmurs.
“Fuck,” I manage to mutter.
Ryder’s hand is on one of her breasts, while the other is down between
us, rubbing her clit. She tips her head back, and Ryder’s hand goes from her
breast up to her throat, where he squeezes her. Her chest glistens with
sweat, and she’s squeezing her eyes shut.
“Come on, baby,” Ryder urges. “You love getting fucked by both of us
at the same time, so come for us.”
She gasps, and I feel her body tighten up, her pussy squeezing my dick
as her orgasm triggers mine, electricity shooting down my back and thighs.
I still, letting it ride out, while Ryder enters her once more before he grunts
out his own relief.
Holy shit. That was the best orgasm I ever had.
Ryder has dropped his forehead onto Liv’s shoulder.
“Holy shit,” he murmurs, echoing my thoughts.
“Twin sandwich,” Liv mutters.
I huff a laugh into her hair and pull away. Liv winces as Ryder pulls out
of her as well. I set her down on her feet but have to support her again as
her knees weaken, so I pull her up into a bridal carry.
“I think you broke her,” Jaxon says with a grunt.
“Never imagined watching you two fuck my girl would be so
entertaining, but here I am,” Chase says with a snicker. I chuckle softly,
pressing a tender kiss to Liv’s forehead.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” I tell her.
 As I carry her down the hallway, Ryder leads the way, opening the
bathroom door for us. He turns on the faucet, adjusting the water to a warm
temperature.
“Make it scorching hot, please,” I say. He raises an eyebrow at me but
complies.
Once the tub is sufficiently filled, I step into it, holding Liv securely in
my arms. I settle down into the water, shifting her in my lap so she can lean
back against my chest. Ryder quickly cleans himself up at the sink and pulls
on a pair of sweatpants that was tossed on the floor. They’re clearly his,
given their location.
The steaming water is a bit harsh but tolerable, especially since Liv
seems to enjoy it, her eyes closed as she sighs in contentment. Ryder takes a
washcloth and begins to gently scrub Liv’s arms, while underwater, my
hand strokes her thigh.
“I love you,” she murmurs, her words just above a whisper.
Ryder shares a glance with me, then leans in to plant a soft kiss on her
temple.
“We love you too, baby,” he says.
I watch as Ryder’s gentle hands move carefully, the expression on his
face one of pure concentration as a soft furrow forms between his brows.
My own hands continue their journey, stroking along Liv’s thigh, my
fingers tracing soft patterns. It’s a quiet moment, one that feels almost
sacred in its intimacy.
“Are you okay, Liv?” I ask quietly, my lips against the back of her head
and my voice barely above the sound of water gently lapping against the
tub.
“Mmm,” she hums in response, her eyes still closed. “Just keep doing
that.”
I hear Ryder’s soft laughter, a sound that brings unexpected warmth to
the small bathroom.
“You heard her, brother,” he says.
“I wouldn’t dream of stopping,” I say with a smirk, keeping my hand
moving in slow, comforting patterns.
Just a few moments later, her breath evens out and she falls asleep in my
arms once more.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Liv
I’m getting ready in the guys’ bathroom. Gunner is coming in about ten
minutes to go with me to campus. I feel a bit nervous about what’s going to
happen with the reporters when he’s with me, but I saw how good he is at
his job at the football game we went to, so I know he can keep me safe.
I still feel a slight ache as I step out of the bathroom and into the
hallway, a smile crossing my face as I remember last night. The guys are all
there, getting ready to leave themselves. They all turn to look at me as I
walk in and my phone rings. Seeing Frank’s name on the display, my heart
sinks. As I answer, I put the phone on speaker and meet the guys’ eyes.
“Frank, what’s wrong?” I ask, sensing trouble, given the early hour of
his call.
“Honey, where are you?” he asks.
“I’m at home, getting ready to go to class. What happened?” My voice
starts to turn high-pitched with anxiety.
“Liam’s been granted leave. They let him visit his mother,” he says with
a sigh. My heart races in my chest.
“When?” I ask.
“He’s already gone, left yesterday morning. I just found out a few
minutes ago,” he informs me.
Jaxon scowls, muttering a curse under his breath.
“I did check with your attorney though, and he confirmed that Liam is
indeed with his mother right now. So things might actually be as they seem,
but I’m still worried and want you to be extra cautious over the next few
days. He should be back soon, but until then, please take care, Olivia,”
Frank says, the worry clear in his voice.
“I will, thanks for letting me know. You take care too,” I say before
ending the call.
The room remains silent for a moment after I hang up the phone, the
weight of Frank’s words hanging heavy in the air. The guys look at me,
their expressions a mix of concern and determination. Finally, Jaxon breaks
the silence.
“He’s not going to get near you.” he says, his eyes serious.
“We’re not going to let anything happen to you, Liv,” Ryder adds,
nodding.
“Thank you,” I say softly.
With the news of Liam’s temporary leave out in the open, the
atmosphere shifts. The day seems daunting now, filled with potential
threats. A knock sounds on the door behind me, and I nearly jump, startled.
River places a calming hand on my shoulder.
“That’s just Gunner,” he says.
I turn around as Jaxon opens the door to reveal my best friend, decked
out in his personal security uniform, looking every bit the professional. He
nods at the others before his gaze meets mine, his stern expression
softening, but when he takes a closer look at my face, his brow furrows.
“Did something happen?” he asks, taking a step towards me.
“Liam got leave to visit his sick mother,” Jaxon informs him. “We’re
concerned it could be a problem.” Gunner’s eyebrows shoot up, but he
quickly regains his composure before turning to me again.
“What kind of threat?” he asks.
“I don’t think he’s out to hurt me—” I begin, but Chase cuts me off with
a dismissive huff.
“We think he very well might be. His letters made that pretty clear,” he
says. Gunner gives him a confused look before turning back to me.
“When’s he going back?” he asks, and I shrug.
“Soon.” I turn to Jaxon. “Should we leave here and find a hotel
somewhere a few hours away until it’s over?”
“That’s nonsense,” Gunner protests. “We stay right here, where we have
the advantage. It’s easier to protect you in this house with its security
system than on the road, where we’re unfamiliar with our surroundings. I
can take steps to make this place even more secure. Leaving would be a
mistake.”
I look to Jaxon, who slowly nods in agreement.
“He’s right. You should stay here with him until this mess is sorted out.”
He nods at Gunner. “I’m trusting your judgment. Don’t make me regret it.”
Gunner’s nod is barely noticeable.
“But what about you guys? He threatened you in the letters too!” I
protest, uncomfortable with the idea that I’m the only one they’re focused
on protecting.
“We’ll keep to our usual routines, making sure there’s someone with us
at all times, and come straight home after work or college,” Jaxon replies,
crossing his arms.
“That’s not fair and it’s unreasonable,” I say, huffing in frustration.
Jaxon steps closer, taking my chin gently between his thumb and forefinger,
making sure I’m looking at him.
“I’m not negotiating with you on this. Even if Liam doesn’t come for
you, the media and those lunatic fans will still hound you. You’re our
number one concern, and we’re not going to let anything else happen to
you. You’re staying inside with Gunner at all times, you hear me?”
I give him a sullen look, but finally, I nod.
“I hear you,” I say. Jaxon sighs in relief before dropping a kiss on my
head and whispering a “good girl” in my hair before he lets go of my
chin. Gunner steps closer, his expression serious.
“I’ll make sure the house is as secure as possible, Livy. You’ll be safe
here,” he says.
Ryder, River, and Chase also voice their agreement, their faces grim
with the weight of the situation. Their concern for my safety is touching,
but it’s also a stark reminder of the danger that looms over us.
“I appreciate your protection,” I say quietly, looking at each of them.
“But remember, you guys need to be careful too.” Jaxon gives me a small
smile, his eyes warm.
“Don’t worry about us, sunshine. We can handle ourselves,” he says.
As they head out, I’m left alone with Gunner. He immediately begins
assessing the security measures already in place, promising to make the
house a fortress. Despite the tension, I can’t help but feel a little safer with
him around. His professionalism, his dedication, it gives me a glimmer of
hope that everything will be all right. For now, all I can do is trust them and
wait.

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 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Liv
It’s early Saturday afternoon, and Gunner and I are sprawled out on the
couch in the guys’ living room, once again in the midst of a movie
marathon.
Ever since Frank’s call Thursday morning, we’ve been holed up here,
and I’m starting to get cabin fever. I haven’t heard from Frank since, even
though I messaged him for an update yesterday evening. I guess he’ll get in
touch as soon as there’s something to report.
I’m frustrated about being stuck here, twiddling my thumbs, while the
guys are just carrying on with their lives, albeit with more caution, despite
the fact that they were threatened by Liam too.
I’m lying on the couch, on my side, my head resting on Gunner’s thigh.
Despite us not doing much else other than hanging out all day, he’s
remained in his suit. I let out a sigh, causing Gunner to gently stroke my
hair.
“What’s the matter, Livy?” he asks.
“If I have to endure one more love triangle, I’m going to lose it,” I
reply, voicing my frustration.
“Not everyone gets to have their own personal harem, you know,”
Gunner says with a chuckle. I lift my gaze to meet his, frowning.
“Very funny,” I say. “I’m going stir-crazy, Gunner. Can’t we go out for a
bit? Maybe a short walk? What could possibly go wrong with you by my
side?”
 “I promised Jaxon I’d keep you inside,” he says, glancing at his watch.
“Hold on, you’re my best friend and bodyguard, not his,” I object,
sitting up, then I give him a sly grin. “I bet you’re confident you can protect
me during a walk, right?” He releases a heavy sigh.
“I am, and to be honest, I think you’re right—he’s not out to hurt you,”
he says.
At that moment, my phone buzzes with a text from Chris.
Hey, finished for today. Fancy an iced latte? I can bring it over
if you can’t come out.

I show the message to Gunner and give him my best puppy dog eyes.
He rolls his eyes but gives in with a nod.
“All right, tell her we’ll be over in ten,” he says, and I jump off the
couch.
“Make it twenty. Look at me!” I say excitedly, pointing to my sweats.
“Now who’s the one with the wrong clothing choice?” he teases with a
smile. I flip him off over my shoulder as I rush off to get changed.

Our simple latte run turns into a full-blown shopping spree. Chris and I,
arms hooked and lattes in hand, walk around, while Gunner trails behind us.
He’s turned into our personal pack mule, arms laden with shopping bags.
Every so often, he complains that he’s a bodyguard, not a fucking butler,
but he continues to follow us around, accepting each new shopping bag
with an eye roll and a smile.
As we round a corner, I get an unsettling feeling of being watched. I
pull Chris to a halt, scanning our surroundings.
“What’s wrong?” Gunner asks, suddenly on high alert, his gaze
sweeping the area. Across the street, I see a figure disappear behind a
building.
“I thought someone was watching us, but maybe I’m just being
paranoid,” I say, a shiver running down my spine.
“We should get you home,” Gunner suggests, gently prodding us to start
moving again. I turn to Chris.
 “Want to join us?” I ask her. “We could order sushi and start a new
series.”
“Sounds great,” Chris says, her face lighting up. We turn to make our
way back to Gunner’s car, ready to continue our day indoors. Just as we
catch sight of his Land Rover, a shrill voice cuts through the chatter around
us.
“That’s her! The bitch that ruined his life!”
My eyes grow wide as I turn to Gunner, panic flooding my system as
we search for the source of the accusation. Suddenly, I’m shoved from
behind, but Chris just barely manages to catch me. Gunner, dropping all the
shopping bags, moves quickly to defend us as a crowd begins to gather. A
blonde girl steps forward, her face twisted with rage.
“You fucking whore, look at you! Living your best life, riding four
different dicks, while he’s locked away all because he trusted you.”
Chris steps in front of me as Gunner takes a protective stance at my
back.
“Watch your mouth and get the fuck out of here,” Chris says, her voice
calm, but there’s an undercurrent of threat in her words. With a snarl, the
girl steps towards Chris.
“Oh, what’s going to happen? Are you going to call her little posse of
lovers to defend her?” she asks.
Behind us, Gunner keeps the growing crowd at bay, his tall frame a
solid barrier between us and them. Amidst the chaos, another girl lunges,
pushing me hard. I stumble backwards, falling onto the cold concrete, and
the contents of my purse scatter everywhere. The fall scrapes my palm
open, a sharp sting radiating from it. My gaze shifts from my injured hand
just in time to see Chris striking back, her fist colliding with the face of the
girl who shoved me. She gets ready to hit Chris back, when Gunner
intercedes.
In a flash, he’s there, stepping between the two girls and us. His eyes
hard and his stance firm.
“That’s enough!” His authoritative voice echoes through the tense air,
immediately drawing everyone’s attention.
The girl who shoved me stares at him wide-eyed, her bravado faltering.
The crowd watches, waiting to see how this standoff will turn out. Gunner
turns to face the girls, a cold fury in his eyes.
 “This is your last warning,” he says, voice chillingly calm. “Walk away
now.”
With a huff, the girl that shows me backs away. Her gaze lingers on me
for a moment before she turns to leave, her friend following suit. The crowd
slowly disperses as the excitement dies down.
Gunner helps me stand, while Chris picks up my purse and its contents
from the ground. They’re both visibly concerned but try to mask it with
nonchalant expressions.
“Are you hurt, Liv?” Gunner asks, inspecting my scraped hand. I shake
my head, wincing a little.
“I’ll be okay. Let’s just…let’s go home,” I say.
We quickly gather our shopping bags and make our way to the Land
Rover, leaving the whispers and murmurs of the crowd behind us. When we
get in the car, I look over to Chris.
“Girl, you are vicious,” I say, but she just shrugs.
“Nobody hurts my BFF.”

We’ve barely stepped foot inside the guys’ house when I realize something
is missing. As I reach into my purse for my phone, my fingers close around
nothing but empty space.
“Damn it!” I shout, frustration bubbling up inside me. Gunner, ever
vigilant, is by my side in a heartbeat.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his eyes scanning our surroundings.
“My phone’s missing. It must’ve fallen out when that girl shoved me,” I
say, cringing at the memory. Chris quickly hands me her unlocked phone.
“Here, call River. He can wipe your phone remotely so no one can get a
hold of your data,” she says. Nodding, I quickly dial River’s number.
“Hey loser, I already told you there will be no revenge. You suck balls,
live with it,” River says as he picks up, and his light-hearted greeting brings
a smirk to my face. I’ve never heard River speak so casually, and it’s
amusing.
“Never thought sucking balls would be a bad thing,” I say, chuckling.
“Liv! Sorry, I thought… Wait, why are you calling from Chris’ phone?
What happened to yours?” River asks, catching on immediately.
 “It looks like I lost it,” I admit.
“In the house? Maybe I can locate it,” he says.
“Uh, no, outside. Do you think you could track it?” I ask hopefully.
“I can certainly try…” He trails off, and I can almost hear the gears in
his mind whirring. “Last known location was sent thirty minutes ago, but
it’s turned off now.” River’s voice grows serious. “Don’t worry, I’ll wipe all
data from your phone to prevent any misuse.”
“Thanks, River. I appreciate it,” I say, sighing in relief. “Will you be
back home soon?”
“I should be there in about an hour or so. I can’t wait to see you.”
“Can’t wait to see you too,” I say before hanging up. I return Chris’
phone back to her.
“Now what?” she asks, a hint of concern in her voice. My eyes shift
towards Gunner.
“I need to get a replacement phone. Frank might need to get in touch
with me,” I say, but Gunner is quick to veto my suggestion, crossing his
arms over his chest.
“No, we’re not going out again. I already texted Jaxon about what
happened, and he nearly cut off my balls over text. We’re staying put.”
“But—” I start to argue, he cuts me off with a stern look.
“No arguments, Livy. I’m sure one of the guys will get a new phone for
you.”
While we wait for River to return home, Chris and I decide to head to
the living room. Gunner follows closely, keeping a watchful eye on us. Just
as we were getting comfortable, Chris’ phone chimes with a text from River
for me.

Jaxon and I are stopping by a store to get you a new phone.

Anything specific you want?

I quickly type back.

Nothing fancy, just something that works.

In response, I receive a thumbs-up emoji from River, and I can’t help

but smile.
After a while, the guys return home, bringing a new phone and a bag
full of takeout. After Jaxon lectured me, with the promise of spanking my
butt raw, the rest of the day passes by smoothly, with us indulging in sushi
and starting a new series, just as we planned.
The feeling of being watched lingers in the back of my mind. As much
as I hate to admit it, I realize that until Liam is back behind locked doors, I
won’t feel entirely at ease.

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 CHAPTER THIRTY

Liv
Sunday rolled by with a cheerful atmosphere at the guys’ house. Jaxon’s
culinary skills shined as he made us some truly mouthwatering burgers on
the porch. Chris and I lazily soaked up the sun next to him, enjoying the
warmth and good company. The confinement didn’t feel so bad when I was
surrounded by my people. Listening to Jaxon and Ryder bickering was the
new highlight of my day, their banter always managing to make me laugh.
Meanwhile, Chase worked his magic as his hands kneaded away the tension
from my shoulders. River, ever the tech guru, set up my new phone,
mirroring the setup of my old one so it feels like the same device.
However, Monday is getting on my nerves again. It’s a gloomy, rainy
day. With Chris and the guys off to class or gym, it’s just Gunner and me
again, locked up in the house, filling the hours with our now habitual movie
marathons. As the afternoon fades, we’re watching the last of the Hunger
Games movies. My feet rest comfortably in Gunner’s lap, his fingers
absently playing with my toes, when my phone chimes with a text from
Frank.
Coast is clear.

I bounce up from the couch, holding my phone out for Gunner to see.
His forehead creases as he scrutinizes the message, but the sight of my grin
is enough to draw a matching one to his face.
 I immediately dial Frank’s number, hoping for more detailed
information, but my call gets forwarded to voicemail. Not willing to wait, I
send a text to the guys’ group chat.

Frank says the coast is clear.

Ryder: Thank fuck.

So am I clear to return to classes tomorrow?

Jaxon: As long as Gunner goes with you.

Gunner lets out a chuckle at Jaxon’s text. “Looks like I’m your new
classmate.”
“Looks like it,” I say, punching his arm lightly. “Guess you’ll have to
learn all about dance history and choreography now.”
He rolls his eyes, clearly not thrilled about the prospect, but I can’t help
but giggle. We sink back onto the couch, turning our attention to the movie
again as we wait for the guys to get home.

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 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Liv
I get in the passenger seat of Gunner’s Land Rover. Today’s classes
were particularly boring, and I’m relieved this part of the day is over.
“You know I love dance, but if I had only witnessed these classes today,
I would never consider dance as a major,” I say.
“Fuck, I think I dozed off there for a while,” Gunner says with a groan,
swiping a hand down his face.
“Oh, I noticed,” I say, chuckling. “You snore, you know that?”
“I do not!” he says, looking at me with wide eyes.
“No, you really don’t,” I say with a giggle. “Don’t worry, if you did, I
would’ve punched you a few times during our sleepovers.”
He smiles and starts the engine. Gunner is an incredible bodyguard, and
he’s worth every penny I pay his father, even if it’s quite a lot. I’m not
complaining, though. It’s just that Gunner lives a simple life, while his
father seems to be making good money off him.
Going to classes with him was nearly a breeze. He didn’t even give the
reporters and fans a chance to approach me, and I felt completely safe and
protected. Having my best friend by my side throughout all of this has made
a huge difference for me. I can’t help but think about how things could have
been different if I’d had Gunner when I was struggling back home a year
ago.
I text the guys, letting them know we’re on our way over to the studio.
 Finally done for today, heading over to TF. See you all soon.
xoxo

Jaxon: Drive safely.

Chase: Can’t wait to see you, gorgeous.

River: Ry and I are on our way too in a few minutes. See you
later, beautiful.

I look out of the window and watch the palm trees go by, when
Gunner’s phone rings.
“Sorry, I have to answer that,” he tells me and taps the button on his
earpiece. “Hello? Yes, I’m driving her to the fitness studio. No. Now? Are
you sure? All right. Bye.”
I look at him questioningly.
“My dad wants me to check out a warehouse for this upcoming event,
and he says it has to be done now,” he says. “Would you mind coming
with? I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not a problem. Will it take long?” I ask, not in the
mood for a stopover, but I know how Gunner’s dad can be, so it’s better not
to give him something to be angry about.
“Thank you, and no. We’ll be quick. I just need to check out the
location and assess how much personnel we’re going to need,” he says.
I nod and look back out of the car again. I don’t text the guys again to
let them know, since we’ll be quick. I watch the scenery change outside the
car window as we drive towards the warehouse district. Gunner talks about
his recent salsa class, and I try to show interest by nodding along, but I can
tell he’s stressed and trying to hide it. Finally, we arrive at the warehouse,
and he parks the car.
“You can leave your stuff in the car. We’ll be back quickly, and you
won’t lose anything that way,” he says.
I nod before putting my purse under the passenger seat. I’m not going to
lose another phone. As we walk towards the entrance, I notice that the
warehouse looks like it’s been abandoned for a long time. I wonder what
kind of event is going to be held in such a run-down building. Gunner leads
me inside, and we start walking up the stairs.
 “Sorry about this, Livy. I know it’s not the most exciting thing to do,”
he says.
“It’s fine,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m glad to be here with you.”
He looks at me, but his smile seems forced. I furrow my brows.
“Did your dad give you a hard time again, Gun?” I ask him when we
enter a relatively large room that looks like an old meeting room. It’s big,
yes, but not big enough for an event. The room is dimly lit, and there are
several old chairs and tables scattered about. I start to feel uneasy, and my
instincts tell me that we shouldn’t be here. He’s acting strangely, and his
behavior is making me nervous.
“No,” he just says, not looking at me.
“Gunner, what’s going on? You’re freaking me out,” I say, and finally,
he turns to face me.
“Are you happy, Olivia? he asks. The name catches me off guard, and I
feel my blood run cold.
“Why would you call me that?” I take a step back, wary of his sudden
behavior.
“No, don’t be spooked. I’m sorry, Livy. I didn’t mean to scare you. You
know I would never hurt you. You’re my best friend,” he says. His words
reassure me somewhat, but the atmosphere still feels eerie.
“Okay, but let’s get out of here. The whole setting is spooking me,” I
say, heading for the exit, but Gunner’s gentle grip on my wrist stops me in
my tracks.
“You know he would never hurt you intentionally either,” he says.
“Who are you talking about?” I ask.
“He loves you. You’re his whole world. The media lied, everyone lied.
It was just an accident, Livy. He would never do that to you deliberately.
You guys are soulmates. He just wants to talk to you,” he says.
Panic begins to set in as I get what he’s saying. I try to free myself from
his grasp, but his hold only grows stronger.
“No, Livy, don’t be scared,” he pleads again, reaching out to touch my
face with his other hand, but I recoil from his touch.
“Let me go,” I plead.
“Livy, he just needs you to listen to him,” he says, looking at me sadly.
“He’s going to tell you what happened, and if you’re still not going to
forgive him, we’ll go. Just give him a chance to explain.”
 “Gunner,” I plead as tears well up in my eyes, my emotions a mix of
fear and anger. “He’s crazy. He killed my family right in front of me. It was
no accident.”
“No, he told me everything,” he says, his brows furrowing in confusion.
“It was an accident. He didn’t do what they accused him of. The media just
made him the bad guy.” I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“He is the bad guy, Gunner!” I yell.
Then the door opens, and I find myself staring into the same blue gaze
that haunts my nightmares.
“Hello, angel,” Liam says with a smile.

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 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Four years ago

Gunner
I’m overcome with nerves. Sweat is running down my spine as I inch
closer to the front of the line. I spent the past forty-five minutes rehearsing
what I wanted to say to him while standing in line, but now my mind is
completely blank. I’ve sacrificed so much to be here. I worked my ass off at
my dad’s security firm for the past month, taking night shifts and working
off days so I could afford my plane ticket to Canada for this meet and greet.
I couldn’t miss this opportunity to see him in person, just once. I need to see
his handsome face, not just over the TV.
If my dad found out where I was, he would freak out. He got suspicious
when I wanted to work all the extra shifts, but when I told him I wanted to
go on a weekend trip with a new fling, he grunted and told me that’s how to
keep the pussy coming. It makes me shudder to think about it. My dad is an
ex-army brute, my mom died when I was born, so I’ve only ever felt the
pressure to be better, to be what he wanted me to be, a man. To simply not
be me—a gay son who’s into dance. He’d rather see me dead.
They won the competition, but of course they did. I’ve watched every
episode of Canada’s Biggest Talents at least five times. They outshine
everyone easily, and Liam just stole my heart with his easy and positive
manner. You can’t not like him. The behind-the-scenes footage they always
show at the end of the episode reveals that he’s like that in real life too, and
he’s such a good partner for Olivia. I’m so envious of her, as she has
everything I want, but I also see that he needs her. I would do anything to
see him happy. I know I have an obsession, I really do, but is it that bad to
have a crush on a star?
I take a deep breath as the person in front of me finishes their turn and
exits the booth. It’s now or never. I step forward, but Olivia stands up just
that second.
“Be right back,” she says to Liam, leaving without as much as a glance
in my direction.
I look at Liam and come face-to-face with the man of my dreams. I don’t
care if she’s not around. I’m here for him. My heart is pounding so hard, I
can feel it in my throat.
“Sorry, she just needs a quick bathroom break,” he says, looking up at
me and smiling. “She’ll be right back to meet you. Hi, how are you?”
I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I feel like an idiot. He
looks at me expectantly, smiling and waiting for me to say something.
“U-Uh, hi,” I manage to stammer out. “I just wanted to say that I’m a
huge fan of yours. I’ve watched the show since the beginning, and I think
you’re amazing, Liam.”
“Thank you so much, that means a lot to me,” he says with a grin,
clearly flattered.
“I’m sorry, I’m just nervous. I’ve never done anything like this before,”
I say, and I can feel my face turning red.
He chuckles. What a lovely sound.
“It’s okay, don’t worry about it. What’s your name?” he asks.
“Gunner, Gunner Fox” I say.
“Nice to meet you, Gunner,” he says, holding out his hand for me to
shake.
I take it, and it feels like electricity is running through my veins. I don’t
want to let go, but I know I have to. The line is getting longer behind me,
and I don’t want to hold everyone up, so I look back at Liam.
“I just wanted to say thank you for everything you do. You’ve inspired
me in so many ways. I started taking dance lessons because of you, and I
made my way here from the US just to tell you this,” I say, blushing.
He smiles again. It’s like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.
“Thank you, Foxy. That’s so sweet of you, and it means more to me than
you know,” he says, the nickname making my heart pound.
 He stands up and comes around the table they set up for this meet and
greet.
“Can hug you?” he asks.
“Of course,” I say, my whole body trembling as he puts his arms around
me.
I’m much bigger than he is, but having him hug me gives me a sense of
security I’ve never felt before. I let go, feeling tears prick at the corners of
my eyes.
Liam turns and gets a card from the table and hands it to me. I look at it
and see an address written on it.
“We have a P.O. Box for fan mail. Maybe you’ll write me sometime? I’d
love to hear how your dancing is coming along, and I’ll make sure to
answer you as soon as possible.”
I think my heart just flew out of my chest.
“S-Sure, that’s so kind of you. I’ll write you,” I stutter.
He grins and sits back in his seat, “Olivia should be back in a second.”
“Don’t worry, I am here to see you,” I say, smiling at Liam. “It was so
nice meeting you.”
“Same, Foxy. I’m looking forward to hear from you.”
Then I turn and walk away, feeling like I’m leaving a piece of my heart
behind.
As I sit in my seat on the flight back to Florida, I take out the notepad
and pen I bought at the airport, then take a deep breath before I start to
write.

Dear Liam,

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 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Liv
“Liam,” I whisper, my voice trembling. My entire body quivers in fear.
“How? Frank told me you were in the institution again.”
“Funny what a man will do and who he will betray when you threaten
his wife, don’t you think?” he says, chuckling, and my blood freezes.
“How could you! He was loyally by our side for years!” I shout.
“Oh, come on, angel, he was never our friend. People like him only
work for people like us.” He grins at me, but the expression is cold.
“There are no people like us,” I spit out. “There are only people like me
and psychopaths like you.”
“You still have that witty humor, I see,” he says with a laugh. “Good to
know my Olivia is still in there.”
“Not one part of me is yours,” I say.
Liam steps closer, and I feel Gunner’s grip on my wrist tighten.
“Gunner, you heard what he just said, we have to go,” I plead, pulling at
his grip frantically. “He’s going to kill us.”
“No, Livy,” he says, his eyes widening. “He just wants to talk to you.
He told me everything. You’ll see, when you hear the truth, you’re going to
thank me for this. I’m just doing his because I love both of you. You need
each other.”
I look into Gunner’s sad, honest gaze and realize Liam has gaslit him as
much as he did to me in the past. My heart sinks. There’s no way we’re
going to make it out of here alive. If Gunner is as deep in this as he seems
to be, there’s no way I can rescue him from Liam, but I still need to try.
“Think about my scars, my nightmares. Think about everything you
read in the media. Think about how it all adds up. How can three people die
in an accident with one knife?” I’m shaking, but Gunner’s brows furrow,
and I see a glint of insecurity in his eyes. “I swear on our friendship, on
everything I have and am, it happened exactly as the media told it. Liam
killed my family in cold blood. You know me, Gun, and when you really
think about it, you know what he told you doesn’t add up.”
He looks to the ground, eyebrows furrowed in thought, but then his
head shoots up and his eyes meet mine, wide with the realization that I
might be speaking the truth. Liam steps forward, but Gunner stands in front
of me, shielding me from him.
“Foxy,” Liam says, his tone soft. “She’s just confused. All the grief
made her hallucinate, I already told you that. She believes it happened like
this, but it didn’t. She’s the one needing help, and I want to give it to her. I
love her, you know that. Nobody knows me like you do, Foxy. You’re my
best friend.”
Fuck, Gunner didn’t even have a chance against Liam’s charming evil
genius.
“Liam, Olivia is scared. Maybe we didn’t pick the right time or location
for this conversation. Let me get her home, and we can find another time to
talk this out,” Gunner says as he takes my hand behind his back and tries to
shield me while walking us towards the door, keeping his front to Liam.
“Yeah, you’re right—let’s try this again another time,” Liam agrees.
Gunner turns to usher me out of the room, but as soon as his back is
turned, I see Liam yanking Gunner’s gun out of his hip holster and striking
the grip of it forcefully against the back of his head. He collapses onto the
ground, and I scream out in terror.

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 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Chase
I check my phone and notice that Liv’s last text came in almost an hour
ago, and they still haven’t shown up. A sense of unease grips my stomach
as I wonder what could be taking them so long, but then I remind myself
that Gunner is with her, and he’s like a machine when it comes to protecting
Liv. I saw it with my own eyes, how he kept her safe from those journalists.
Despite my own struggles with trusting him, I trust him with her life, and
that means a fucking lot.
I leave the studio and get to the reception desk, where Ry and Riv are
talking.
“Where’s Jax?” I ask.
“Getting groceries,” they respond in unison, and I can’t help but smile at
their synchronicity, even after all these years.
“Has anyone heard from Liv?” I ask.
“I was just about to ask the same thing,” Ryder says, his brow
furrowing. “It shouldn’t take her this long to get here. The drive from the
college is only fifteen minutes with traffic.”
“I just tried calling her, but she’s not picking up,” River chimes in.
I pull out my phone and call Jax, putting it on speaker. He answers on
the second ring.
“No, I didn’t get your fancy hair shit. You have to go buy it yourself,”
he grumbles into the phone, causing Ryder to chuckle.
“Is Liv with you?” I ask.
 “She’s not at the studio?” he responds after a pause.
“No, she still hasn’t got here,” I say, furrowing my brow. “I thought
maybe she met you on the way.”
“Fuck, track her,” Jax urges.
“On it,” River says, quickly opening his phone.
“What’s wrong?” I ask when he frowns.
“This can’t be right,” he mutters.
“What?” Jaxon, Ryder, and I all ask in unison.
“It says her phone is in a parking lot in the warehouse district, forty
minutes from here,” River says.
My heart sinks. Something’s wrong.
“Send me the location,” Jax demands through the speaker, and I hear it
ping on his end. After a pause, he says, “It’s only twenty minutes from
where I am. I’m going to check it out.”
“No, Jaxon, we should call the police and go there together. What if it’s
dangerous?” I plead with him.
“Even more reason to hurry the fuck up,” he nearly yells at me. “Call
the police, go there with them, but I’m going there now.”
He hangs up on us, and I turn to River, who’s already calling the police.
Ryder sprints into my office and returns with his car keys.
“Let’s go,” he says urgently, ushering us out of the studio.
What the hell happened, Liv?

Jaxon
I get to the location River sent me, and spot Gunner’s Land Rover
parked in the lot, but there’s no sign of anyone inside it. Looking around, I
notice three abandoned warehouses around the lot, and a gut feeling tells
me that Liv is inside one of them, but which one? I scrutinize all three and
decide to check the warehouse on the right first. I enter and scout the first
floor, but there’s no one there. As I climb the stairs to the second floor, a
bloodcurdling scream echoes around the building, and I freeze in terror.
Sunshine.
The scream came from the warehouse on the left side, and I curse
myself for not choosing it first. Without any hesitation, I sprint down the
stairs and head towards the warehouse from where the scream originated.
My heart pounds in my chest, I’m panting, and I know I should wait for the
police. I’m alone and have no weapon to defend her or myself, but I can’t
ignore the fact that my girl is in danger and I need to get to her.
As I reach the second floor of the warehouse, I hear another scream,
much closer this time, coming from one of the rooms on the left side of the
hallway. I pick up my pace while trying to remain as quiet as possible. The
door to the room is slightly ajar, allowing me to peek inside without being
seen. I spot Gunner at the back of the room, sitting upright on the floor,
propped against the wall. His head is bowed down to his chest, he seems to
have a bloody wound on the back of his head, and his wrists are secured in
silver handcuffs. Although I can’t see his face, I know he’s out cold.
“You don’t want to do that, Liam,” I hear Liv say. “Gunner never did
anything to you. Leave him here. You can take me, and we can just leave.”
Over my dead fucking body.
“All of this, Olivia, it’s your doing!” Liam shouts. “You accuse me of
being a psychopath, but you’re the cause of all of this! It was because of
you that I was forced to hurt them, and it was you who made me hurt him
now too!”
I can hardly wrap my head around how unhinged he sounds.
“You’re right, all of this…it’s my fault.” Her voice quivers as she tries
to soothe him. “Let’s just leave this place, okay? We can talk things
through. I’ll make it right.”
Nervously, I edge closer and slowly push the door open a bit farther,
desperate for a better look. There’s Liam, with a gun aimed at the
unconscious Gunner. Fuck, I hate guns.
“You took everything from me, Olivia. Even my closest friend sided
with you in the end. He sided with…with some whore who can’t keep her
legs closed!” He spits out his words with a mix of disgust and despair. “He
was my only friend, the only one who was left after what you made me do!
And now, he’s tainted…just like you.”
Liam grips the gun with both hands, pivoting slightly as if preparing to
aim at Gunner. Liv surges forward, trying to disrupt his shot, but he’s ready
for her move, shoving her aside. She crumbles to her knees, and he steps in
front of her, pressing the muzzle of the gun against her forehead.
“I would’ve preferred you to see him die first, you know. There’s a
certain poetic justice in everyone you hold dear dying because of you, while
you’re forced to watch, but I don’t mind speeding things up a bit.” He pats
her head in a disturbing gesture, making her shudder.
I have to think quickly. I see a metal rod on the ground next to me and
pick it up, intending to use it as a weapon. I slowly push the door open and
step inside the room, holding the rod in front of me. Liam turns around and
sees me, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Hey, dickhead!” I shout.
“Well, well, well, look who decided to show up,” he sneers. “One of her
four new boyfriends.” He spits out the word. “Where is the rest of her
whore posse? You see that, angel? Only one of them loves you enough to
come and get you. I never would’ve left you if you hadn’t forced me to.”
He caresses her face with the barrel of the gun.
“Jaxon,” Liv sobs, but I don’t take my eyes off Liam as I walk towards
them.
“I thought I made myself clear—Oliva belongs to me,” Liam says,
backing away from her.
“You don’t own Liv. Let her go, and we can talk this out between men,”
I say, trying to keep my voice calm.
“Talk? What is there to talk about?” Liam says with a laugh. “She’s
mine, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her away from anyone else.”
I stand in front of Liv, who’s staggered to her feet, and push her behind
me, the rod still in front of me. I know that piece of metal is no use against
a gun, but I only need to buy us some time. The police are on their way.
Gunner groans behind Liam, which makes him turn his head to look at
him. I take my chance and jump forward, swinging the rod. Liam dodges it
easily, and the momentum from the swing makes me lose my balance. He
takes advantage of my vulnerable state and pushes me backwards, causing
me to lose the rod. I try to grab it again, but Liam points his gun at me.
“Uh-uh, don’t even think about it, buddy,” Liam says. “Be a good boy
and stand beside your girlfriend. You should enjoy the time you guys have
left together.”
What a prick. I stand next to Liv as tears flow down her cheeks, but she
stands tall, with fierce eyes and clenched fists. Despite the danger we face, I
can’t help but feel a sense of pride at her strength and resilience. She’s a
fucking warrior.
Our time together has been short, but even knowing the potential
outcome, I’d choose her again and again. Regret floods me for not
expressing my feelings for her sooner. I can’t leave this world without
telling her how much she means to me. These last words must be
significant, whether they become memories or our final moments. She
needs to hear them.
I take her balled fist in my hand and squeeze it gently. She looks up at
me, her fierce gaze softening.
“I’m so sorry I got you into this mess, Jaxon,” she whispers, but I shush
her.
“I’d stand by your side no matter what, sunshine. I love you.”
Her eyes widen, but suddenly, I feel a searing pain rip through my chest,
making me grunt, followed by a loud bang that echoes in the room. I put a
hand over my chest, and when I look down at myself and pull it away, my
palm is red. Blood is pouring from the wound, so I place my hand back over
it, trying to stop the bleeding. Is this what déjà vu feels like?

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Liv
Jaxon grunts and collapses to his knees, then falls to the ground, his
hand pressed against his ribs. I scream and drop to my knees beside him,
pushing him to lie on his back and placing my hands on top of his to apply
more pressure to the wound.
“Jaxon!” I sob.
“Sunshine,” he whispers, voice full of pain. “I’m so sorry.”
I turn to Liam, who’s still standing before us with his gun raised.
“Liam, please stop. Let me get him help. I’ll do anything, but please
don’t let him die,” I plead.
“You think I still want you, after everything you’ve done? After how
you treated my love and threw it away? I would’ve done anything for you,
and you got me locked up while you slept around with anyone who wanted
a piece of you. The disrespect!” Liam spits his words out with venom, his
eyes filled with rage.
I feel Jaxon’s blood on my hands, warm and thick. He’s getting paler by
the second, and I know I can’t save him. Liam points his gun at me, tears
forming in his eyes.
“We could have been so happy. I would have given you the world,
angel,” he says, but then his expression turns cold and his finger moves to
the trigger. “Tell Theodore hello from me.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, thinking of Ryder, River, and Chase. I hope
they can move on without Jaxon and me.
 “I love you. I’m sorry,” I whisper, letting go of my life for a second time
within a year, hoping I will see my family soon.
I wait for the inevitable, but all I hear is Gunner screaming “NO!” and
bodies falling to the ground.
My breath leaves my lungs on a whimper, and I open my eyes to see
Gunner still restrained but on top of Liam. It looks like he body-checked
him. I hear a gunshot, and there’s more shuffling while Liam tries to get
Gunner off him. In the struggle, the gun falls to the ground beside them, and
I quickly pick it up and point it at Liam.
“Gunner, I’ve got it. Get off him,” I say, my hand with the gun shaking
but my finger on the trigger.
When he rolls off of Liam and gets onto his knees, I can see blood
spilling out of his shoulder.
“Fuck,” I murmur, quickly assessing the situation as my eyes flick back
to Liam on the ground. He sneers at me but lifts his hands in surrender
when I point the gun at his head.
“Can you walk?” I ask Gunner, trying to keep my voice steady, eyes not
leaving Liam.
“I’ll manage,” he says with a grunt, clearly in pain.
“Okay, get out of here and get help. Tell the paramedics to hurry for
Jaxon,” I instruct him firmly.
“I’m not leaving you here alone with him,” he protests.
“Gunner! Get the fuck going. You’re no help with your wrists in cuffs,
and Jaxon needs a paramedic. You do too. If our friendship still means
anything to you, you’ll do this for me. You leave and save yourself and my
man,” I plead with him, feeling tears stream down my face, but my voice is
calm. He hesitates for a second, but then stand up and slams a kiss to my
temple.
“I’m going to kill you if you die,” he whispers, then I hear him run out
of the room.
I feel a sense of relief that he’s safe and going to get help, but now I’m
alone with Liam. I look at him, my heart racing with fear and anger.
“If you hate me this much, you could have just let me disappear and
forgotten about me,” I say.
“And let you whore yourself out?” he responds with a laugh, his eyes
gleaming with malice. “You’re mine, Olivia. If I can’t have you, no one
can.”
 I feel a shiver run down my spine and take a quick look over my
shoulder to check on Jaxon. He’s unconscious but still breathing, thank god,
but before I can do anything else, Liam kicks my feet out from under me
and I fall on the ground, hitting the back of my head.
He’s on me in an instant, trying to grab the gun, but I’m kicking and
screaming. We struggle, and he hits me in the face twice, hard. The pain is
excruciating, but I can’t let him get the gun.
Without thinking, I pull the trigger, the recoil hitting me in the chest and
my ears ringing from the loud bang. Liam slumps down on top of me, the
impact stealing the breath out of my lungs, his warm blood flowing over my
body. He’s so much bigger and heavier than me, and I can’t move my arms
to push him off. I feel like I’m suffocating under his weight, and bile rises
in my throat. I can’t feel him breathing, and I start to sob uncontrollably.

The minutes tick by, and everything feels fuzzy and muted, like I’m trapped
in a bubble with just enough air to survive but not enough to actually take a
deep breath, until I hear footsteps running towards me.
“Liv, Fuck! Are you alive, baby?” Ryder exclaims frantically. He pushes
Liam’s body off of me, and I gasp for air, tears streaming down my face.
“Jaxon… He was shot,” I manage to get out, pointing towards him.
The cops that came in with Ryder lower their guns since the imminent
danger is over. Ryder takes a quick look at Jaxon and curses under his
breath. I can hear the panic in his voice as he yells for everyone to hurry the
fuck up.
I try to get up, but my body feels weak and my head is spinning. Ryder
puts his arm around me, supporting me as we crawl over and kneel beside
the still passed out Jaxon. Again, I put pressure on his wound, which isn’t
bleeding as much anymore, and wait for the paramedics to arrive. I can’t
believe what just happened. I killed him. Liam is dead because of me.
Ryder looks me over with wide eyes.
“None of it is my blood,” I whisper, tears still streaming down my face.
The paramedics arrive with River in tow and usher us away from Jaxon
before putting him on a stretcher and hurrying out with him. River looks
devastated when he sees me and pulls me gently into his arms, not caring
about the blood that’s covering me.
“I’m so sorry we only just got here, but we have you now, beautiful.”
One of the paramedics stays to examine me, but I tell him I’m all right
and just want to follow Jaxon to the hospital.
My feet aren’t ready to move yet, so I stumble a bit before River bends
down and hoists me up by my butt. I wrap my legs around his waist as he
carries me out of the room.
We make our way out of the warehouse and find Chase standing with
Gunner at one of the ambulances, getting questioned by the police. As soon
as he sees us, he leaves the cop mid-conversation and runs to me. He takes
my head between his hands and looks me over critically. I hiss at the
contact, and he gentles his grip.
“Liam?” he asks River.
He shakes his head, and Chase looks back in my eyes.
“I’m glad he’s dead, or I would’ve killed him myself for that alone,” he
says, brushing his fingers over a bruise on my forehead.
I sob again at the reminder that I killed my first love. Chase kisses my
temple before he guides all of us back to the ambulance.
“Can you stand?” River asks, and I nod, so he lets me down.
“I need to talk to Gunner, alone,” I whisper, and all three of them nod,
faces ranging from understanding to frowning.
The paramedic finishes treating Gunner’s shoulder and steps back,
giving us some privacy too. Gunner stands, his hand gripping mine tightly
as he pulls me into a hug. I feel his body shake with sobs, and I hold him
closer.
“You made it count,” I whisper, trying to comfort him.
He pulls back slightly, tears streaming down his face.
“I’m so sorry, Livy,” he says, his voice cracking. “I never thought he
would hurt you. I never would have let him get near you if I knew what he
planned. I only wanted to get you back together. I thought he loved you like
I loved him. I’m so sorry. As soon as I am patched up, I’m going to turn
myself in to the police.”
I can feel the weight of his words sinking in. He was caught in the
middle of all of this, trying to do what he thought was best for me, and now
he’s going to make himself pay for Liam’s actions. I can’t let that happen.
 “No,” I say firmly, looking up at him. “You can’t do that. You didn’t do
anything wrong. It was Liam’s choice to take things this far. You were just
trying to help me.”
He looks at me, his eyes full of sadness and regret.
“I put you in danger,” he sobs.
“It’s not your fault. I know Liam, and I know how manipulative he is,
how he can gaslight you into anything,” I insist, holding his gaze. “We’ll
figure this out together. I’m not going to let you pay for loving a deranged
man. I was there too. Right now, we need to focus on you and Jaxon, and
make sure everyone’s okay.” He nods, taking a deep breath.
“Okay,” he says, squeezing my hand. “Let’s get you checked out too.”
He nods to the paramedic, who then comes over again and ushers us
into the ambulance, both of us still in shock from what just happened.
We’re together, though, and that’s all that matters right now. I only hope
Jaxon is going to be ok.

Gunner and I sit in the hospital waiting room, his grip on my hand tight and
comforting. Despite the pain in my bruised ribs, a laceration on my temple,
and my swollen eye, I’m grateful to be alive. My clothes are ruined, so I’m
sitting here in scrubs and Chase’s hoodie that he lent me. Thankfully,
Gunner’s wound didn’t require surgery, just a cleaning and some stitches,
which is a relief.
We’re both exhausted, physically and emotionally, from everything
that’s happened. We’ve been here for hours, waiting for news about Jaxon.
Every time the door opens, we both tense up, hoping it’s a doctor with good
news, but so far, we’ve heard nothing. The waiting is unbearable. I can feel
Gunner’s hand shaking in mine, and I know he’s just as scared as I am. I
lean my head on his shoulder, trying to find some comfort in his presence.
River, Chase, and Ryder are at the cafeteria, getting us all a coffee and
some food after hours of waiting by my side. Gunner has been quiet since
we left the warehouse, lost in his own thoughts. I know he’s blaming
himself for what happened, but I can’t let him do that.
“Hey,” I say, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “We’re going to get
through this. Jaxon’s going to be okay. We just have to believe that.” He
looks at me, his eyes full of pain.
“I hope you’re right,” he says softly.
“I am,” I insist, trying to sound more confident than I feel. “We’re going
to make it through this, all of us.”
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the doctor comes in. We both
stand up, holding our breath.
“Jaxon Tanner,” he calls loudly.
“We’re with Jaxon,” I say, clutching Gunner’s hand even tighter.
“Mr. Tanner is out of surgery,” the doctor says, looking at us both. “He’s
stable, but he has lost a lot of blood. I suspected a punctured lung, but
luckily, the bullet only grazed it. He’ll need to stay a while in the hospital
and physical therapy afterwards, but we’re hopeful that he will make a full
recovery.”
I feel a wave of relief wash over me and nearly fall to my knees. Gunner
puts an arm around my waist, supporting me. Jaxon’s going to make it.
We’re all going to make it.
Tears of relief are running down my face. I look over at Gunner, and
he’s smiling for the first time since this nightmare started, his eyes watering
too.
“Thank you,” he says to the doctor. “Thank you so much.”
We make our way out of the waiting room to find the guys, and I can’t
help but think about how close we all came to losing each other. We’re still
here, though, and we’re going to be okay and, most importantly, together.

OceanofPDF.com
 EPILOG

OceanofPDF.com
 FIVE YEARS LATER

River
I weave my way through the sea of people, normally something that
would irk me, but today, I can’t help the grin that stretches across my face.
The reopening seems to be a massive success.
I approach the front of the stage and spot Chris already there. I’m late,
but I have a good excuse. Today was the final meeting for the acquisition of
my game. After college, I poured everything into developing it, hiring a
team of designers and an additional developer. Chase lent his business and
marketing expertise, and our game skyrocketed in popularity. Today, I sold
the rights to one of the biggest companies in the industry and will be raking
in a shit ton of money.
Now, I can decide whether to make a sequel, develop a new game, or
just take some time off to enjoy life with my family. I’m leaning towards
the last option for now. I’ll figure out my next move when I get bored. As
long as I have them and her by my side, everything will turn out great.
Ryder’s prediction has come true. We’re all so happy, it’s disgusting to
watch, which Chris doesn’t hesitate to remind us of every chance she gets,
but I don’t care. Life is good, and tonight, we’re going to party like there’s
no tomorrow.
“Hey!” I greet her with a hug. She smiles back at me.
“Hey, Mr. Millionaire, how is the air up there?” she says, and I chuckle.
“Oh, shut up, brat, but yeah, it feels good. How are you?”
“Great, I just made it here thirty minutes ago. Jacinda kept me up in my
office, if you know what I mean.” She wiggles her eyebrows, and I gag,
making her laugh. “It’s my turn to disgust you, so take it like a man.”
 I smile, happy to see her again. Chris opened her own therapy practice
with a little help from Jaxon and specializes in unconventional
relationships. It’s been a huge success, and she already has clients on the
waitlist. As she searched for an assistant to help her with all the paperwork
and calls, she found Jacinda, and they both say it was love at first sight.
Only a year later, and they’re already engaged. We’re so fucking happy for
them, and Liv is going to be their bridesmaid, which had her crying happy
tears for a whole weekend.
I look around the empty stage, then turn to Chris.
“Did I miss everyone already?” I ask her.
“No, Liv still needs to perform,” she says. “But Chase and Gunner
already went up, and they were fire! I’m even tempted to take some classes
myself, despite my lack of coordination.”
I think to myself how lucky we are that the big changes at the studio are
seeming to work out so well. I remember when Jaxon decided to leave
Tanner Fitness not long after Liv, Ryder, and I graduated. It was clear to all
of us that the spark had gone out. He used to work tirelessly and never
complained, but after taking a second bullet to the chest, he wasn’t happy
with the long hours and workload anymore. Life’s just too short to spend it
at work when your family waits at home. Despite this, he still showed up for
work every day. It took many conversations with Liv and the rest of us to
finally convince him to let go of something that no longer brought him joy.
Now, here we are. Liv bought Jaxon’s half of Tanner Fitness, and
together with Chase and Gunner, they put in months of work to transform it
from a fitness center with a dance studio to a large, modern dance studio.
It’s divided into three sections—one for hip-hop and break dance, one for
Latin dances, and one for contemporary and ballet. Liv even convinced
Gunner to quit his job at his father’s security firm and become a full-time
Latin dance teacher. I’ve never seen him happier since he cut ties with his
abusive father.
Just as the thought crosses my mind, I spot Gunner making his way
through the crowd towards us, holding hands with Gustavo, his boyfriend.
They just started dating and look so happy together. It’s funny to think how
jealous we all were of him and Liv, but he never looked at Liv the way he
looks at Gustavo. We were such blind fools.
“Heeeey, GG!” Chris greets them, using the couple name Liv gave
them.
 In the gaming lingo, GG means good game, and Liv said Gunner had
some good game to catch himself Gustavo. Even I can admit that he’s a
very good-looking guy. They met during the search for another Latin
teacher for the new studio.
“You guys were amazing up there! The bachata was on fire, but I also
loved the tango!” Chris says.
Gustavo blushes while muttering his thanks, and Gunner looks at him
dreamily before kissing his temple.
To promote the reopening, Liv and Chase arranged this little dance
show in front of the studio on a stage we made in the parking lot. I scan the
area, trying to spot Jaxon. He rented a food truck to give out free food
today, but I’m sure he’ll take a break to watch Liv perform. We’re all
excited to see her dance today. She hasn’t told us what she has planned, but
it’s clear from everything I’ve picked up that it’s going to be something
special. My phone beeps with a text from Jaxon, interrupting my thoughts.

You here already?

Yup, standing with Chris and GG in the front row.

A minute later, Jaxon appears beside me, a smile on his face. It’s
amazing to see the change in him over the past few years. He’s still his
brooding, surly self, but happier and much more relaxed. I smile to myself,
knowing that Liv has made us all the best version of ourselves.
“Do you know the Muffin Man?” Chris asks me, her eyes comically
wide.
“The Muffin Man?” I ask with a chuckle.
“The Muffin Man!” Chris shouts.
Gunner laughs but hides it with his hand when Jaxon scowls at him,
crossing his arms over his chest. He recently opened a brunch place near the
beach called Sunshine Beach Brunch that has been getting hyped like crazy.
Jaxon offers exceptional brunch options, where customers can compile their
ingredients themselves or order bestsellers, which was Liv’s idea. In
addition, he offers a variety of muffins, including basic ones like chocolate
chip or banana and fancy ones like onion basil. The local newspaper tried
his creations and wrote a whole article about him, calling him the Muffin
Man. We’re still not over it.
“Shut up, Chris, or I won’t bring you muffins anymore,” Jaxon warns.
 “You didn’t have to pull out the big guns,” Chris says, putting her hands
up in surrender.
Liv steps onto the stage, and we all turn to face her. She looks
absolutely stunning in her dance outfit, her scars all on full display. She
stands there with confidence radiating from her, and I feel so damn proud to
call her mine.
Five years later, and she still knocks the breath out of me. Looking over
at Jaxon, I can tell that he feels the same way.
After everything happened, life was rough, but after a lot of counseling
sessions and the press finally getting off her back, she truly flourished.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see Chase, breathing heavily
and sweating.
“Fuck, I thought I missed it,” he says, panting.
“Nope, just in time,” I assure him with a laugh.
“You did good, Chasey boy,” Chris says, playfully pushing him.
“Looked really professional.”
“Funny, because I am a professional.”
“Oh really? Haven’t noticed,” Chris says, deadpan, and Chase tousles
her hair with a laugh.
Liv addresses the crowd, thanking them for coming and expressing her
happiness at having them there.
“I’m happy to announce that for the last dance of the day, we have a
special guest performing who’ll help me show you the beauty of
contemporary dance. Please welcome Dirty Velvet!”
The curtain behind the stage falls, and my heart skips a beat. Ryder.
I haven’t seen him for four months since he went on tour with his band.
After they started out, thanks to Liv, they did well. Then they released a hit
single a year ago, signed a new contract with a major record label, and got
big, like really big.
Not seeing him for so long was hard for all of us, but especially for Liv
and me. I’d never spent so long apart from my twin, but we FaceTimed
every day, and I’m ecstatic for him. He got everything he ever dreamed of
and finally found proof that he’s good enough. He’s enjoyed touring but
said he’s now more than happy to stay home for a while to work on their
new album.
I chuckle to myself. He told me he would come home next week, but it
seems like they wanted to surprise us, which they sure did.
 The crowd goes wild, happy to unexpectedly be at a Dirty Velvet
concert, but of course we’re the loudest.
Ryder starts playing the guitar, then the drums join in. As he begins to
sing, I recognize the song as “Titanium” by David Guetta. It’s different to
hear this hit from a rock band, but they’re nailing it, while Liv is
performing the best I have ever seen her. Her body seems to flow
effortlessly, each movement fluid and expressive, as if she’s speaking a
language only she knows. I’m mesmerized by the way she moves, her limbs
reaching and extending with precision and emotion. As the music swells
and her movements become more intense, she starts twisting and turning
before doing a split in the air. Her body seems to tell a story, each
movement a chapter of her life that draws the audience in deeper and
deeper.
It's as if she’s letting us see into her soul, experiencing every emotion
with her. The song speaks to her, and she lets her movements speak to
everyone around her here.
The world tried to shoot her down, but she refused to fall.
She’s titanium.

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 THE END

Please take a minute to leave a review, and if you do, I hope your favorite
drink is always miraculously in your refrigerator. Ladies, I hope that every
time you ask a man for money, he simply gives it to you.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my book baby. ❥

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Blake Black is a debut author with a passion for the reverse harem genre.
As an avid reader and film buff, Blake often found herself questioning why heroines were forced to
choose between love interests. Why not choose both or all?
When she’s not crafting her next spicy scene, Blake loves to drive her convertible and soak in the
beauty of nature. Powered by her favorite energy drinks, she often writes deep into the night, creating
stories filled with trauma, healing, and love that illuminates even the darkest corners.

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