The heavy thud of James's fist against the drywall echoed through the private study. "Fuck! Fucking hell!" he roared, the pain in his knuckles barely registering compared to the suffocating weight in his chest.
By 2:00 PM, the deadline Hazel had set was looming, but James felt a sudden, desperate urge to rebel. When Daniel and Edward cornered him, insisting he join them for a club night to "clear his head," James agreed without a second thought. He needed to feel human again. He needed to forget the leash.
By 8:00 PM, the strobe lights and heavy bass of the club provided a temporary veil. Ashley was there, her eyes never leaving him as they moved to the music. Eventually, she caught his hand and pulled him toward a dimly lit private room. The moment the door clicked shut, she pressed him against the wall, her lips finding his with a frantic intensity.
James stood still, his arms limp at his sides. He didn't kiss her back.
"Why?" Ashley pulled away, her eyes glistening with hurt.
"I just... I don't feel like it tonight. I'm sorry," James rasped.
"Is it because of Hazel? Do you love her now?"
"No."
"Then why did you do that at the cafeteria?" Ashley's voice rose, thick with frustration. "You didn't even look at me! I was calling you, I was following you, and you just ignored me like I was nothing!"
James looked at the ceiling, trying to steady his breath. "I wasn't avoiding you. I just... there's a lot on my mind recently."
"Then tell me!" Ashley pleaded, grabbing his jacket. "It's like she's controlling you. What the heck happened between you two? I want to know."
"Nothing is going on," James lied, but his voice lacked conviction.
"I want to believe you guys broke up, but it doesn't look like it," Ashley said, her eyes narrowing. "Is she threatening you with something?"
James paused, a flicker of a plan forming in his mind. "You said Hazel was adopted by your parents. Do you know anything about her? A secret? Anything?"
Ashley's expression shifted. "We aren't close enough for me to know what she likes, let alone her secrets. Wait... I was right. She does have something on you."
"Let's just say she does, and I can't tell you what it is."
"Do you want me to help you get it?" Ashley asked, her voice dropping to a determined whisper. "We can plan it out. You and I."
James stared at her. "I don't think you want to get involved with this, Ashley. It's dangerous."
"Of course I want to! I'm doing this to help you," she insisted, moving closer until their foreheads touched. "You know that."
"I'll think about it," James whispered.
"Good."
Ashley leaned in again, and this time, fueled by a mixture of gratitude and defiance against Hazel, James kissed her back. He let himself get lost in the moment, forgetting the time, forgetting the rules—until his hand brushed against the phone in his pocket.
He had turned it off at 2:00 PM. With a sinking feeling, he clicked it on. The screen lit up like a funeral pyre.
80 missed calls from Hazel.
20 missed calls from his father.
40 missed calls from Morgan.
"Ah... I need to get going," James gasped, his face draining of color.
"What? James!" Ashley called out, but he was already dialing. He ignored the messages from Hazel and called his mother, his heart hammering against his ribs. To his surprise, his father picked up.
"Hey! Where the hell are you?" Josh voice was strained, panicked.
"Why are you picking up Mom's phone?" James asked, his voice trembling.
"Your mother... she had an accident on her way," Josh said.
The world tilted. "What? Is she okay?" James was shaking so hard he almost dropped the phone. Ashley reached out to steady him, her face full of alarm.
"She's in the hospital now," Josh replied.
"Tell me how she is! Is it serious?" James shouted, attracting looks from people in the hallway.
"Get in here right now," josh snapped.
"Fucking tell me how she is doing!" James roared.
"Hey, you crazy fool, how dare you?" Josh shouted back. "Just get your ass here. She was calling for you. It's a minor injury, but she's shaken up. I sent you the address."
James cut the call and stormed toward the exit, his vision blurred by tears of relief and lingering fear. Ashley tried to follow, but he was moving too fast.
He reached the parking lot, his keys out, ready to sprint to his car. Just as his hand touched the door handle, a single notification popped up on his screen. It wasn't from the hospital.
Hazel: Do you like my surprise, baby?
James froze, the keys slipping from his numb fingers and clattering onto the asphalt. The "accident" wasn't an accident. Hazel hadn't just been waiting for him at home..she had been busy.