I stood in the hallway outside the library, gripping my phone tightly as the notification glared up at me. It was an email from an unknown sender with a subject line that made my blood run cold: “Your movements.”
Inside were time-stamped photos of me—walking into school, sitting in class, leaving the library late at night. The images were taken from angles that made it obvious someone had been watching me, tracking me.
My stomach churned as I pushed open the library door, desperate to find the Cross brothers. If they had anything to do with this, I needed answers now.
I spotted Grayson, Aiden, and Asher sitting at a table in the corner, deep in discussion. They looked up as I approached, and the tension in their expressions told me they already knew something was wrong.
“Lila?” Asher said, concern lacing his voice.
I slammed my phone on the table, the email still open. “Care to explain this?”
Grayson picked up the phone, his jaw tightening as he scrolled through the pictures. Aiden glanced over his shoulder, his usual smirk nowhere to be found.
“We can explain,” Asher said quickly, his voice calm but tinged with guilt.
“Then explain,” I snapped, my voice trembling. “Because I’m about five seconds away from losing it.”
Grayson handed the phone back to me, his expression unreadable. “We’ve been keeping tabs on you.”
My heart sank. “What?”
“For your protection,” Aiden interjected, leaning back in his chair like he wasn’t fazed by my anger. “We needed to make sure you were safe.”
“Safe?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You’ve been stalking me, invading my privacy, and you call that protection?”
“You don’t understand,” Grayson said, his tone clipped.
“Then make me understand!” I shouted, ignoring the stares we were drawing from nearby students.
Grayson stood, towering over me, his expression cold. “We’ve been tracking you because whoever’s after you isn’t going to stop. They’ve been watching you, leaving you notes, targeting you. We couldn’t risk losing you.”
“Losing me?” I scoffed, my chest tightening. “That’s rich coming from the same people who’ve been lying to me this entire time. You don’t care about me. You’re just trying to control me, just like Victor controls all of you.”
Asher flinched at my words, but Aiden only smirked, his usual arrogance back in place. “If we didn’t care, you wouldn’t still be standing here,” he said.
I shook my head, taking a step back. “I don’t even know who you are anymore. Any of you.”
Grayson’s voice was low, almost a growl. “We’re the only reason you’re still alive.”
“Well, maybe I don’t want your protection,” I shot back. “Maybe I don’t want anything to do with you.”
The silence that followed was deafening. Grayson’s eyes narrowed, Aiden’s smirk faltered, and Asher looked like he was about to say something, but I didn’t give him the chance. I turned on my heel and walked out of the library, my chest heaving with anger and betrayal.
Later that evening, I found myself sitting on the edge of a fountain in the town square, staring blankly at the rippling water. My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I ignored it. I couldn’t deal with more cryptic messages or invasive surveillance.
“Sulking doesn’t suit you,” a familiar voice drawled.
I turned to see Tessa approaching, her heels clicking against the stone pathway. She looked as polished as ever, her blonde hair glinting in the dim light.
“What do you want?” I muttered, too drained to put up a fight.
“To help,” she said, sitting beside me.
I gave her a disbelieving look. “I’m tired playing this game.”
Tessa smirked, but her expression quickly turned serious. “I know who’s been stalking you.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Who?”
She shrugged, examining her nails. “Why should I tell you?”
I glared at her. “If you know something, you need to say it.”
She tilted her head, her smile cold. “Beg me.”
I froze, my anger boiling over. “You’re unbelievable,” I snapped, standing. “I don’t have time for this.”
As I turned to leave, her voice stopped me. “Fine. Keep walking. But don’t say I didn’t try to warn you when things get worse.”
I didn’t look back.
That night, I was in the kitchen, helping my mom clean up after dinner. My dad was outside, warming up the car for a quick trip to the store. I was finally starting to feel a sliver of normalcy when a loud bang shattered the calm.
I rushed to the window just in time to see my parents’ car swerve wildly, the back wheel completely blown out. My dad managed to bring the car to a screeching halt, his face pale as he climbed out to inspect the damage.
“What the hell just happened?” I whispered, running outside.
My mom followed, her hands trembling as she clutched her coat.
“Someone tampered with the car,” my dad said, his voice tight with anger. He pointed to the back wheel, where deep, deliberate cuts had shredded the tire.
My stomach churned, the reality of the situation crashing down on me. This wasn’t just about me anymore. Whoever was behind this was going after my family too.