2025-07-10 10:43:20Xavier mumbled in his sleep, his body twitching.
"No… she’s mine. You can’t… this is my house…”
His arms flailed suddenly, knocking into the edge of the couch. And then he tumbled off the couch and hit the floor face-first with a groan.
“Damn,” he muttered, blinking against the light.
He wasn’t in his room. Or Lisa’s. Or anywhere familiar.
“What the...?”
Amber appeared in the doorway with a wooden spoon in one hand and a smirk on her face. “Falling off the couch now? What were you dreaming about?
He sat up, rubbing his temple. “Where am I?”
“My house, genius,” she said, laughing as she walked in. “You cried yourself to sleep on my couch last night, remember?”
It came back to him in pieces, the previous days. Lisa’s betrayal, losing Emerald and the house, getting fired, Chris turning him away.
His smile faded.
Amber noticed. “Hey. I meant what I said, you can stay here for as long as you want.”
He nodded slowly, still trying to swallow everything.
“I made you breakfast,” she added. “Toast, eggs… nothing fancy. She turned to leave but stopped to look at him again. “There are clean towels in the bathroom, be careful not to use my shampoo as shower gel. I know you men are clueless about such things”.
Xavier cracked a small smile. “Thanks.”
“And don’t just sit here sulking all day, okay? Take a walk. Breathe. Life’s ugly but it still goes on.”
She grabbed her bag. “I have to go, before old Mike gets on my case. We are yet to find a replacement for you and you know how busy City Roast can be.
“I do.” Xavier managed to answer with the stinging reminder that he is jobless.
She shot him a playful glare and left.
Xavier sat there for a moment, staring around the small apartment. Quiet, too quiet.
He showered. Ate. Put on his cleanest shirt, then stepped out into the sunlight.
It felt… good.
He walked two blocks, mind mostly blank, when he heard it.
“That’s him! That’s the guy!”
He turned, there were three teenage boys standing in front of a bodega, their phones out and whispering.
One of them zoomed in.
“Brooo, that’s him from TikTok. The guy that got rejected and dumped at the same time.”
Xavier froze.
Another boy waved, grinning like he’d seen a celebrity. “Yo! You really proposed to a woman that wasn’t your baby mama?”
The third boy laughed. “He’s a walking L!”
He didn’t respond. Just kept walking.
But they followed.
“Hey! At least give us a smile, you’re a celebrity now, man!”
Xavier turned and in a split second, lunged at the boy holding the phone and snatched it from his hand.
“Yo! What’s wrong with you, man?!” the boy yelled, stumbling back in shock.
Xavier gripped the phone tight, his jaw clenched. “You think this is funny? Recording people without their consent?
The second boy, chewing gum lazily, stepped forward with a smug grin. “Relax, old man. It’s called content. Everyone’s doing it, we are in 2024.”
“You’re going to delete every damn thing you recorded,” Xavier growled, voice low but burning. “Right now.”
“Or what?” the first boy challenged. “You gonna beat us up in broad daylight? Try it. I dare you.”
Xavier took a step closer. “You crossed a line. You had no right to record me.”
“Give me back my phone!” the boy snapped, reaching for it again.
Xavier held it out of reach. “Not until you delete the videos. All of them.”
The argument grew louder, drawing attention from passersby. But none of them noticed the patrol car that had pulled up a few feet away. A uniformed officer stepped out, eyes sharp, one hand resting near his taser.
“What’s going on here?” the cop asked, voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
Before Xavier could open his mouth, the first boy ran toward the cop, panic suddenly painted on his face like a masterpiece.
“Officer! Thank God you’re here! This man attacked us, he stole my phone and said he’d beat us if we said anything!”
Xavier froze. “What?! That’s a damn lie!”
The second boy nodded, sniffling on cue. “He cornered us, asked us to hand over everything or he’d make us disappear. I was so scared!”
The cop’s expression hardened instantly. “Sir, hands where I can see them. Now!”
Xavier took a step back, raising his voice. “No! I didn’t steal anything, these three have been harassing me. They recorded me without my permission and started mocking me in public!”
“Sir, drop the phone and place your hands behind your back,” the officer ordered, stepping closer, his voice suddenly cold and firm. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
“Please, you’ve got to listen to me!” Xavier pleaded. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”
But the boys were already playing their parts, crying, looking scared, pointing fingers. And the crowd nearby started murmuring, some pulling out their phones to film the scene.
“Officer, he’s dangerous,” the first boy said, his voice shaking dramatically. “He said he has people around. A gang.”
“That’s a lie!” Xavier shouted. “You’re not listening—check the damn video on his phone!”
The officer didn’t flinch. “We’ve had multiple complaints of harassment in this area. Men approaching pedestrians, acting aggressively. You fit the description.”
Xavier’s mouth dropped open. “You’re seriously profiling me right now?”
“You can explain at the station,” the officer snapped, grabbing Xavier by the arm and twisting it behind his back.
“No, no, no... this isn’t happening,” Xavier muttered, panic finally setting in. “You’re making a mistake!”
The cuffs clicked shut around his wrists.
The first boy stepped forward smugly, holding out his hand. “Can I get my phone back, though? I need it for my school work, sir.”
Xavier turned to him with fire in his eyes. “You’re going to regret this.”
“Oh, I doubt that,” the boy smirked. “This video’s gonna blow up. Thanks for the free content, loser.”
The officer shoved Xavier toward the patrol car, ignoring his protests. He didn’t even see the bystanders whispering.
He only stepped out for a walk like Amber advised. Just a walk. Now, he was in handcuffs, being shoved into a patrol car.
His heart pounded. His vision blurred.
How did a simple stroll turn into a nightmare?
And then…
He heard someone call his name.
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The Captive Queen
Celeste’s head throbbed like she’d been hit with a hammer. The sharp pain pulsed behind her eyes, spreading through her skull until it felt as if her brain was trying to claw its way out. Her tongue was dry and heavy, her throat raw like she’d swallowed sandpaper. When she tried to move, a cold shock ran through her spine, and her wrists and ankles refused to cooperate.Her eyelids fluttered open to the soft gleam of a chandelier above. The ceiling wasn’t familiar, neither were the silk sheets beneath her or the faint smell of vanilla and disinfectant in the air. This wasn’t the resort she’d been in earlier. This wasn’t her suite.Panic crawled up her chest. She jerked against the restraints, her breath quickening. Then she heard a deep, almost amused voice from across the room.“Need some water?”Her eyes darted toward the sound. The man leaned casually against the wall near the minibar, the same male stripper from the night before. Only now, he was dressed differently with no gliste
The Fall Of The Queen
The ocean breeze drifted through the open balcony doors of Celeste’s private suite, she sat in a silk robe, legs crossed, glass of champagne in hand, her laughter echoing faintly as soft music played in the background.“Teacher really outdid himself this time,” she muttered to herself, gazing at the wide stretch of blue. “A private resort, personal guards, and a weekend without chaos. Finally.”A knock at the door. Celeste didn’t bother asking who it was, her guards had already been instructed.“Come in.”The man who entered was tall, muscled, with a teasing smile and eyes that lingered a second too long. He wore a white shirt unbuttoned halfway, black pants hugging his frame.“You must be the entertainment,” Celeste said, her lips curling.“That depends,” the man replied smoothly. “Do you feel entertained yet?”She gave a throaty laugh. “Not yet. But you’re easy on the eyes.”He stepped closer, a bag in hand. “I was told you like surprises.”“Oh, I love surprises,” Celeste said, swir
Loyalty For Sale
“Don’t stand there and talk like you’re the victim, Xavier,” Antonio said finally, his tone sharp but not raised. “You think you were the only one who bled? You think you were the only one betrayed?”Xavier turned to face him, his eyes blazing. “Don’t start that nonsense with me. Every move I took against you was justified. You ruined me, Antonio. I was dragged through the mud. The trolls, the public disgrace, the mockery, you think I forgot?”Antonio tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into something between pity and amusement. “You think I set out to ruin you? Lisa made her choice, that's not on me."“Her Choice?” Xavier laughed bitterly. “Cheating on me with you is what you call choice? Not having the decency to come online and clear my name when I was being ridiculed online is what you call choice? You stood by and watched me crumble. Watched me lose everything, my job, my home, my dignity. Do you have any idea what it feels like to have everything stripped from you and the
Men With Bruised Ego
They had moved to this secluded place for privacy — and maybe because both of them knew they couldn’t afford to be seen together. The last hour had been spent in silence, with Antonio pacing and Xavier thinking.Finally, Xavier broke the quiet.“So,” he said, voice calm but edged. “Now that we know Teacher has eyes on us, what do you suggest we do? How do we move from here? Because like it or not, we’re standing on the same side of the line now against him.”Antonio stopped pacing, turned, and gave a low chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes. “You know, I never thought I’d live to see the day Xavier Lancelot asks me for help.”Xavier’s jaw tensed. “Don’t twist my words.”“Oh, come on,” Antonio said, spreading his arms. “Let me enjoy the irony for a moment. The mighty Xavier, the golden man with his empire, the man who took everything I built now standing here, talking alliance with the man planning to destroy.”Xavier pushed off the beam, took a step closer. “You think this is about iron
A Common Enemy
Antonio stopped a few feet away, hands in his pockets. He looked cleaner than the last time he was outside with his hair combed, jacket buttoned, but his eyes were raw. He gave a crooked, tired smile.“You called me a liar,” Antonio said without preamble. “So why did you ask to meet me?”Xavier’s voice was flat, low. “I don’t waste my time on liars. You either have something true to say, or you’re here to make trouble.”Antonio’s laugh was humorless. “You don’t get to judge me after everything. You called me liar in your office, remember? You said I was there to manipulate, to set up a scene. Fine. You were right then. But now... now it’s not a game. I’m not performing. I’m warning you.”“Why?” Xavier cut in. “Why warn me? You told me last time that whatever happens to me is not your problem. Now you play guardian? What changed?”Antonio looked past him, toward a corner where a delivery truck idled. “My little girl, Emerald” he said simply. “She thinks the world of you. She calls you
A Broken Man's Play List
Lisa looked at him, pity and fury fighting in her face. “You have a choice,” she said. “You always did. Violence is not the only currency. You can run. You can go somewhere they can’t find you. You can make Emerald forget you for a while, in a way that protects her. But killing him, if you do this, there’s no coming back. You think Celeste will let you live afterward? Teacher will make sure you’re the example.”Antonio laughed, a small, unbelieving sound. “You always had a way of cutting through the bullshit.”“You made your bed, Antonio.” She stepped closer now, lowering her voice. “You chose the life that bought you power and men who would do your bidding. You chose people like Teacher. There is no clean exit after you signed those blanks.”He turned his face to the ceiling and closed his eyes. “I didn’t think it would be like this. I thought I could control it. I thought I could stop at a line and go back to being a father. I was wrong.”“Then don’t go,” Lisa said simply. “If you m
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