The yearly bonfire isn't really a school-sponsored event, at least not anymore. They used to host one in the school parking lot every New Year's Eve but when a group of seniors started having their own unsupervised fires, kids stopped going to the one at school.

Now every winter break the kids of FHS congregate in a large clearing near the edge of the woods towards the North Side. But when we pull up to the parking lot just a ten-minute walk from the spot, it becomes crystal clear this year's crowd is a lot bigger.

Duh, Lex, 'cause the West County students came too.

I shake my head at my cluelessness tonight and park my Lexus in the first spot I can find. As soon as we get out of the car the sound of music can be heard, drifting over from the clearing in the distance. We can even make out not one but two bonfires roaring and reaching towards the sky.

"Damn," Mila murmurs right away, her eyes wide like a kid going to Disney for the first time. "We never get to do stuff like this back home."

"That's 'cause there's not enough open space in Manhattan, Noona," Kwan casually declares but even he seems mesmerized by the scene.

With a shrug, I shake my head. "It's not normally this big."

"That's what she said," Mila snorts before linking arms with me and Kwan, and dragging us towards the source of everyone's entertainment tonight.

The walk to the fires is a bumpy one without any trail or path and made worse by the tire tracks that have carved up the ground. Not many people choose to drive all the way out to the clearing, mostly because not everyone's cars are made for off-roading, but those with trucks or SUVs like to do it so they can park along the edge of the crowd. It's normally those select few that bring out the supplies needed to get things going, along with most of the alcohol.

As we finally get close, I can see at least five trucks out here and nearly all of them are filled with people handing out red solo cups. Mila starts to tug us towards one when someone yells my name from behind us. We turn around just before I'm nearly tackled to the ground by a tiny brunette, my arm yanked away from Mila's human chain.

"Lexi!" Ava yells, her arms wrapped around me. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, A."

I really have. Yeah, I saw her yesterday at school but it's not the same. This whole week has felt like one long break from everyone I care about, Ava included. Either she's with Roman or I'm with Derek. Sometimes I just can't even face her between classes, too ashamed and embarrassed at my current situation.

"She might've pre-gamed a little before we left," a familiar voice says, catching up to us from where Ava left him. "So, she's already got a decent buzz going."

"Marcel!" This time it's my turn to nearly tackle someone to the ground. I let go of Ava and rush over to him, throwing my arms around his neck. "I've missed you, big brother!"

"Hey, sis. I missed you too." He chuckles in my ear. "But you might wanna let go before we both fall over. My balance is shit with this boot."

"Oh, crap."

I hurriedly let go but hold onto his arm to keep him steady. His leg is still wrapped up but with a medical boot now keeping it secure.

"Bet it feels good to finally ditch the crutches." I nod towards his leg and smile.

He nods, a large grin taking hold of his face. "You have no idea."

Marcel looks way better than the last time I saw him. There are no more dark shadows under his warm eyes and the smile on his face looks genuine. He's even freshly shaved and his hair recently trimmed. It's a huge relief.

"You look great."

His smile falters. "You don't."

"Oh wow." I take a step back with raised eyebrows. "Thanks."

He tips his head to the side. "You know what I mean, and don't think you're getting away tonight before we have a talk."

My lips thin as I grit my teeth.

"But later," Marcel adds. "Let's have some fun right now. Why don't you introduce us to your new friends?"

I had completely forgotten about the twins for a second but when I turn around, I find Mila and Ava already chatting animatedly while Kwan stares at them like a couple of aliens.

"Right." I lock arms with Marcel and lead him over. "Hey, guys, this is Marcel. Marcel, this is Mila and Kwan."

Marcel waves to them and Kwan nods back, but it's Mila who extends her hand with a bright smile.

"Very nice to meet you, Marcel," she says in a fake formal tone before laughing at herself and turning to Ava. "And your name is...?"

"Ava," I answer for her.

Ava walks over to throw an arm around my shoulder, sandwiching me between her and Marcel. "I'm Lexi's other bestie."

Mila points between herself and Kwan. "Future step-siblings."

Kwan grunts at that, his eyes cast on the ground. Mila jabs him in the ribs with her elbow and gives him a look that makes his head jerk in my direction.

"Sorry, Lex," he apologizes. "It's not that I'm not happy to be getting another sister. It's just...the whole situation is a lot at once."

"And he's not great with change," Mila adds.

I nod. "It's fine. I totally get it. No hurt feelings here."

"Change can be tough," Marcel joins in, being the voice of understanding and compassion as always.

"Thanks." Kwan nods.

Silence stretches for a couple seconds before Ava speaks up. "I could use a drink." She points at the twins. "Do you two want a drink?" She squeezes between me and Marcel, taking our hands in hers. "Let's all go get a drink."

The five of us start walking around the two bonfires. They're pretty spaced out, giving plenty of room for large crowds to form around both, but it's the nearest one to the trees where we stumble across the first truck giving out drinks. Yet as we get close, I spot the people hanging out in the truck bed and stop in my tracks.

"Fuck," I groan, my mood souring in the blink of an eye.

Ava looks at the truck and then back at me with one perfectly plucked eyebrow raised in the air. "What's the problem? Shouldn't you be happy to see him?"

Yeah, I should be if I were actually dating him.

Before I can come up with a reasonable reply, the subject of my dilemma spots me and smiles like a shark that just caught the scent of blood in the water. He jumps down and walks over with so much fake swag in his steps that I can't resist rolling my eyes.

"Hey, baby," Derek greets in a sickly sweet rasp that he probably thinks is sexy before he gives Ava and Marcel uninterest looks. "Guys."

"Dick." Ava wrinkles her nose at him.

"Think you mean Derek," Marcel laughs knowing damn well what she meant.

Ava shakes her head. "No. I meant dick."

"Glad to see you haven't lost your charm, Ava," Derek sneers.

"Don't start." I jab a finger at Derek. "I wanna have fun and if some people can't get with the program, than I'll take my ass elsewhere."

Derek points at Ava. "She started it."

I don't give a rats ass if Ava started it and he knows it. My lack of empathy for him is written all over my face along with how done I am with him.

"Do you really want me to pick sides between you and Ava?" I ask with wicked smirk.

Derek glares daggers at.

Oh, if looks could kill.

"Fine." He nods towards the twins. "Wanna at least introduce me to the newbies?"

Not really, but Mila and Kwan both look curious as hell, their heads tipped to the side in a mirror image of each other I don't think either of them realizes they're doing.

Talking to the twins, Ava waves in Derek's direction. "You don't need to know him. Trust me."

Ignoring her, Derek wraps a posessive hand around my waist and pulls me against him. With his other hand, he reaches out to the twins. "I'm Derek, Lexi's boyfriend."

Neither Mila nor Kwan shake his hand, both of them eyeing him up like they can see straight through him. I have to admit, it's a little unnerving how perceptive they both can be. But where Kwan looks at Derek with dark narrowed eyes like he's dangerous, Mila just looks unimpressed with her lips pursed and arms crossed.

Derek must pick up on the vibes they're throwing his way cause he quickly laughs and jokes, "It's a love hate relationship."

"More like a hate, hate relationship," I correct.

Pinching my hip, Derel whispers in my ear, "Don't blow it, babe." He looks back at the twins. "She's fuckong hilarious, right?"

"Yeah, what a kidder." Ava snorts.

Before those two can go at each other's throats again, Kwan steps forward and slightly in front of Mila as he addresses Derek with a predatory grin. "I'm Kwan, Lexi's step-brother."

Derek actually tenses beside me but a sense of warmth hits me and brings a smile to my lips.

He said step-sister...not future and not like it's the worst idea in the world.

"Mila, step-sister to Lexi and this dude's twin," Mila pats Kwan on the back with pride. "Also a red belt in taekwondo and purple in jiu jitsu, in case your buddies over there are wondering."

Everyone looks back at the truck filled with Derek's meathead friends and sure enough, there are at least three of them watching Mila like the horny mutts they are. After a second the idiots all quickly look away and when we turn back to the twins it's easy to see what scared them away. The look in Kwan's eyes is downright murderous. So much so that even I feel the urge to step back.

"I'll make sure they get the memo," Derek wisely replies before tugging on me. "Come on, let's go get a drink."

Luckily, Ava, Marcel, and the twins follow us towards the truck of now scared football players. For the first time ever, they actually behave themselves and offer some spare lawn and fold out chairs they have stashed in the truck. We set them up a couple feet from the tailgate but not so far that Derek would give me any issues.

While us three girls sit down to take in the large fire burning away wooden pallets, Marcel and Kwan get us drinks but when they return the sound of motorcycles circling the parking lot across the field fill the air. Everyone—and I mean everyone—hanging around both bonfires looks in the direction of the new arrivals. Well, everyone except me.

I can't look. Even though I know all I see is their headlights and the shadows of their bikes from this distance, I still can't look. My stomach twists and turns while my pulse begins to race.

He's here.

"Lex, you okay?"

Fingertips softly brush along the top of my hand where I'm gripping the armrest of my chair like I'm trying to break it. I jerk my gaze up to meet Mila's kind gaze.

"Yeah." No! "I'm alright."

Some of the thunderous noise from the motorcycles cuts off but then there's something else. A loud roaring engine followed by smaller rumblings that begin to grow. This time I can't help it, I swing around in my seat and my eyes widen.

A large truck as black as night and half a dozen four-wheelers are peeling through the field. It's then that I notice only a couple motorcycles are parked along the edge of the lot, leading me to believe most of them rode here on the off-road vehicles while the rest loaded up in the truck to make it to the fires.

They're prepared.

I shouldn't be surprised, and yet I am. But what gets me even more worked up than before is when all the newcomers in leather Guardian jackets skip the first fire completely and head for the one we're currently enjoying. Luckily, they avoid the empty space next to us and pull in on the other side, facing us through the flames.

The truck backs up, pointing the bed toward the crowd like Derek's friends did while the four-wheelers line up alongside it. The entire time, I'm fighting to draw in air and appear completely unfazed all at once.

When the doors to the truck open, my eyes zero in on one particular figure, a familiar muscular body that heats my blood better than any bonfire can. He's shrouded in darkness, the firelight unable to reach him from the side of the truck, but the way he moves is as recognizable to me as my own reflection. Each step, each shift of his torso, and each sway of his arms acting as a hypnotizing teaser until he finally reaches the back of the truck and pulls the tailgate down.

Jace takes a seat on the edge while I turn my attention to the shadowed visions of the others, my once upon a time friends, starting to set up chairs and pouring drinks. But as I watch them work, I feel his eyes burning into me. With a deep breath, I finally look back at him and meet his stare head-on.

Those midnight blue eyes light up with the fire's glowing red reflection, watching me, calling to me.

Fuck.

"Hey, Lex," Ava calls.

My head snaps towards her, my trance breaking like a twig.

"Um," she chews her red painted lip and nods towards the new group across from us. "Marcel and I are gonna go say hi for a second. You cool with that?"

"Of course." I try to smile but it feels forced.

Marcel shifts his weight nervously. "You sure?"

"Yeah." I wave them off. "Go. I'll see you guys in a little while."

I knew coming here that they would have to spend time with the Guardians too, and honestly, I'm not mad at them. Though if anything, I'm jealous. I'd give anything to leave this chair and walk over there, throw myself in Jace's lap and smash my lips to him.

It's been two days since we fooled around in that supply closet, but it feels like ages. My body craves him and my heart screams for him. This whole situation is a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. Even with the promise of one day having the chance to beg for his forgiveness, I still feel so hopeless. It's like this nightmare will never end.

With pain burying its way into my chest, I watch my two best friends walk away. But my view of their backs is quickly blocked as Mila jumps up from her seat and grabs both my hands.

"Let's dance!" She nods towards the group of people gyrating and surrendering to the music blaring from another parked vehicle.

I shake my head. "No. I can't. Not right now."

She pokes out her bottom lip and gives me the biggest puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, maybe after another couple drinks." I hold up my cup for emphasis. "You go ahead. Have fun."

She lets go of my hands and gives me a small frown. "Fine, but if you don't join me in the next fifteen minutes, I'm coming back to drag you over there."

"Deal."

"And don't wander off," Kwan adds, taking her now empty seat next to me. "Stay close."

She salutes her brother. "Sure thing, boss."

Kwan and I watch on as she prances to the makeshift dance floor. After a whole song passes and another starts, Kwan clears his throat.

"So, you and those guys across the fire got some kind of history?"

"What?" I ask, trying to keep my eyes on the dancers.

"The bikers, the ones your friend went over to talk to?"

This time I slowly turn around to face him, expecting to find that same assessing look in his eyes that he had when he was sizing up Derek earlier. Instead what I find is compassion, understanding, with just the smallest hint of....protection?

"Who said they were bikers?" I ask softly.

Kwan leans back in his seat, his eyes flicking to the Guardians. "Motorcycles, leather jackets like the one your buddy Marcel has on, and the overall vibe they're giving off." He looks back at me. "I've seen enough gang activity to know when one's around. Their rides just change them from gangbangers to bikers."

I drop my head, unable to lie to him but not wanting to give away information that isn't mine.

"It's cool. You don't have to say anything. I know what they are. What I don't know is why the one with all the tattoos can't take his eyes off of you unless he's glaring silent death threats at the boyfriend you can't seem to stand."

"Wow, you picked up on all that?" I lift my head to see him shrug.

"Where I'm from, you gotta be aware of your surroundings. Especially if you wanna keep your family safe." He tips his drink to me. "And you're family now."

"You didn't seem too happy about that earlier," I say before I can think better.

I hate to say how much that bothered me earlier. The idea of having siblings for the first time has been exciting, and I've been looking forward to their visit. Sure, I knew Kwan would have a tough time with such a big bomb being dropped on them, but it still stung.

Kwan's brows knit together underneath his wave of jet black hair and the corners of his mouth tip down. "I really am sorry about that. It's just....outside of my mom and my grandparents, it's only been me and Mila for as long as I can remember. I mean we have friends that we consider family, and Dad once in a blue moon, but...I just wasn't expecting all this. At least not so soon."

"So you're not entirely upset to be getting a new step-sister?"

His dark coal eyes meet mine and light up with a brilliant smile I haven't seen before. "Fuck no. Just as long as you don't try to give me a heart attack every day like Noona."

"Deal." I hold up my drink. "To new family."

He taps his cup against mine. "To another sister I gotta look out for."

I laugh at that and sip my drink while he does the same. For the first time since we got to the fire, I lean back and relax, feeling like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Not all the weight that I'm carrying, but some of it anyway.

That is until a pair of arms wrap around me from behind and Derek's mug comes into view as he rests his chin on my shoulder.

"Did I hear something about dancing a little bit ago?"

"Nope." I shrug him off, feeling that gloomy state of mind creeping in again. "I gotta pee."

Without waiting for him to say anything else, I get up and head for the treeline. I don't actually plan to pee, the whole pop-a-squat behind a bush has never been my thing, but I need to get away from Derek for a minute.

I don't wander far, remembering Kwan's warning to Mila earlier, and just stroll through the trees while keeping the party in sight from the corner of my eyes. The breeze picks up a little, whistling through the branches. It's chilly but not too bad. I tighten the hold on my jacket and look up at a glimpse of the moon playing hide-and-sneak behind the clouds.

Yeah, this is what I need. Just a minute to pull myself together.

Closing my eyes, I draw in a deep breath, letting my lungs expand until I can't take in any more. Right as I'm about to exhale, a branch snaps nearby and all my air rushes out. My eyes pop open and I swing around.

"Hello?"

Nothing. At least nothing that isn't coming from the kids having a blast around the bonfires.

I shake it off and continue my walk, slowly weaving my way closer to the crowd. I'm almost to the tree line but still a decent distance from the party when two hands reach out from the shadows and grab me.

Before I can process anything, I'm roughly shoved against a tree, my head smacking back on the bark. Spots dance in my vision, blurring everything around me while I'm pinned by the crushing grip on my shoulders.

"We have a problem, babe."

I blink repeatedly until Derek's ugly snarl can be seen just inches from my face.

"What the fuck is your problem?" I growl and struggle against his hold.

One of his hands lets go of me and fishes out a phone from his pocket...my phone.

"How did you get that?"

He shrugs. "Must've fallen out of your pocket when you got up. Found it on the ground."

"Give it back." I reach for it but he holds it above my head.

"I will, but not before we have a talk." He lets go of my other shoulder but keeps me in place by crowding my body with his. "You see, you've been fucking bitchy all night, and I get it, you're not happy with me."

"That's an understatement."

Furry flashes in his eyes and I seal my lips closed. I'm not normally scared of Derek with that look in his eyes, unhinged and beyond pissed off, mixed with the heavy smell of alcohol on his breath is enough to make me pause.

Accepting my sudden silence with a nod of approval, he turns his attention to my phone, his fingers tapping at the screen. "At first I thought you were just in rare form tonight but after taking a look at your phone..."

"You have no right to go through my shit!"

He ignores my outburst and continues. "Looking at your phone, I see that maybe the reason for your mood has nothing to do with me."

With one more tap on the screen, Derek holds my phone up for me to see and my stomach sinks. It's messages between me and Jace, or more like the long stream of texts from Jace that I didn't answer. All except for one, the one from last night.

Jace: I'm not fucking playing around, Alexis. Outside. Now. Don't force me to pound on the front door and make a scene.

Alexis: Fine! Just hold your damn horses. I'm grabbing a jacket.

Shit!

"Shit is right," Derek says, making me realize I spoke out loud as he shoves my phone at me.

I take it from him with shaky hands and slide it into my jacket pocket. My mind is spinning with all the ways this could go wrong but I don't have a chance to fully think it through before Derek plants his hands against the tree on both sides of my head.

"Maybe I've been too easy on you, Lex, or maybe you just don't fully get it." He leans closer, his nose brushing mine. "I. Own. You. There's no out until I say so or you open your mouth and blow everything to hell. And if that happens, lover boy is going away for a long time. No more meeting in the middle of the night outside your house or exchanging text messages. The only time you'll get to see him is when there's a piece of glass between you or an armed guard watching your every move. Is that what you want?"

"N-No." I shake my head, my voice sounding so weak and broken I want to cry.

Don't do it, Lexi. You can not let him see you cry.

"I didn't think so." Derek steps back, allowing me to suck in fresh air once again. "At the very least, if you can't do it for him or yourself, do it for his buddies. They're on the tape too and the people who care about them would suffer just as much as you."

Everything hurts, my heart, each breath I take. All I can see are the images Derek described; Jace behind a sheet of glass dressed in an ugly jumpsuit, hands in cuffs. Even the idea of seeing Wilder, Travis, and Kade locked away hurt to picture.

I don't want that for any of them.

"Oh, and Lexi," Derek speaks up somewhere nearby but I can't see him, all I can see are the people I care about locked up like animals while the sounds of Derek's footsteps start to fade. "No more visits with that piece of shit or they'll be consequences."

His footfalls pick up, broken branches and leaves signaling his departure, and once it's completely quiet, I slide down the tree and bury my face in my hands as sobs wrack my body. I don't know how long I sit there crying but when the tell-tale sounds of walking coming back, I don't move. There's nothing more Derek can do to me outside of physically attacking me, and even he doesn't have the balls for that.

The noise picks up until it's right next to me and then a second later a soft touch lands on my head, running over my hair soothingly.

"Lexi?"

I lift my head and meet two sets of similarly dark eyes watching me cautiously.

Mila's crouched beside me, worry etched into her beautiful face while Kwan hovers nearby, his eyes flicking back and forth between us and the rowdiness just through the trees as he clenches and unclenches his fists at his sides.

"How did you two find me?" I whisper, furiously wiping away any trace of tears from my face.

Mila nods towards Kwan. "He found you and came and got me. Are you okay?"

I don't say anything, just looking at Kwan for answers. He found me? When?

Oh no...did he...?

I scramble to stand up, unable to tear my eyes away from him, begging him to tell me it isn't so.

He doesn't look away but the tension in his face relaxes a little as he bobs his head. "Yeah...I heard."

"How much?" I ask, my voice desperate as I step towards him and almost trip over a twig. "How much did you hear, Kwan?"

I can feel Mila watching us, quiet and maybe even confused. It leads me to think that maybe he didn't tell her but I know that won't last long.

"Everything after he pulled out your phone."

"Damnit!" I shout, scaring away some birds sleeping among the leaves.

Mila steps up beside me. "What's going on?"

"So I take it lover boy is the biker with the tats?" Kwan asks me, ignoring his sister.

"What biker with tats?"

"It's complicated," I answer, also brushing off Mila's questions.

."What's complicated?"

Kwan shakes his head. "Doesn't sound all that complicated to me. You want one but are stuck with the other. Pretty simple shit, Lex."

"What one and what other?" Mila yells and stomps her foot. "Someone fucking tell me whats going on!"

I look away, unable to tell her. If I open my mouth I'll fuck everything up, just like Derek said, and then...then I'll have hell to pay.

"Lexi's boyfriend isn't really her boyfriend, at least I don't think he is," Kwan speaks up. "From what I understand, that asshole is blackmailing her with some kind of tape and she's going along with it to keep the guy she does like out of jail."

I can't meet their gazes, too scared at what I'll see if I do.

Pitty? Disgust?

"Holy shit," Mila breathes.

My eyes sting again with the threat of tears. She probably thinks I'm stupid for going along with this or for even getting involved, to begin with. Maybe I am. Maybe there was a way I could've avoided all of this but not it's too late. I'm stuck. I dug myself a hole so deep I can't get out.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!

"I'm gonna fucking kill him!" Mila declares suddenly, turning for the bonfires.

"What?" My head snaps up and I grab her arm. "Wait, no. You can't!"

"Psh," she scoffs. "I damn well can. Did you not hear me earlier? Red and purple belts. I wasn't kidding. I'll put that fucker on his ass and choke him with his own belt. Just watch."

She tries to jerk out of my hold and walk away again but I hold her in place, barely.

"Noona, stop." Kwan sighs. "We can't handle it that way."

"We?" I balk, my hands falling away from Mila.

Kwan nods while looking at me like I've just grown a second head. "Yes, 'we'. Family, remember?"

"No, no, I can't get you guys involved."

"Already involved."

"Right." Mila points at Kwan in agreement. "And besides, we're the perfect ones to get involved. Not only can we handle that little prick if we have to but we're the last people he'd expect to nosy around. Especially since we're only here for a couple weeks. Then we'll be gone and he'll never know what hit him."

Kwan tilts his head back and forth. "She has a point."

Maybe she does...

Mila smiles wide. "Hell yeah, I do. Just think, we'll be your back up. Help you get this figured out like a couple of secret agents. Oh!" She jumps in excitement and slaps Kwan in the chest with the back of her hand. "Just think, Kwan! Detective Day-Kim and Detective Day-Kim. Brother, sister duo that fights for high school justice and takes down blackmailing assholes in lettermen's jackets. It's got a nice ring to it, right?"

"That's it, no more alcohol for you, Noona. You're cut off," Kwan shakes his head with a hint of a smile on his face before looking at me. "But as I said, she has a point. We're gonna help. It's what family does."

"But..."

"No buts," Kwan cuts me off. "Let's blow off this party and go back home, come up with a game plan."

I chew the inside of my cheek trying to think of a reasonable excuse to get them out of this. The last thing I need is to drag the twins in and put them at risk. I couldn't take it if something happened to them because of me. This isn't just some petty high school disagreement. People's lives and freedom are on the line.

Mila bumps me with her hip. "Stop overthinking it. We've decided. Besides, Kwan lives for this shit."

"Couldn't think of a better way to spend my holiday break." Kwan smiles and that's when I see it, that dangerous gleam in his eyes that shows just how true his words are.

My hands are tied.

Blowing out a deep breath, I nod. "Fine...okay." A little more of that crushing weight on my shoulders falls away and I can't help but smile. For the first time since this shit started, I have hope. "Thank you, guys."

"Come on, Unnie." Mila throws an arm over my shoulders and grabs Kwan's arm with her other hand. "Let's go home."

💘____________________________________💘

Ahhh! Part two of the double update!!! I'm dying to hear your thoughts!

What do you think Marcel is going to tell Lexi about what's been going? Do you think Jace will make any more of an appearance in the night? Do you think Mila and Kwan will make good siblings for Lexi? What do you think about Derek trying to flex his power over Lexi? Do you think her teaming up with the twins is a good idea? and let's be honest, who wants to see Mila kick Derek's ass?

You can leave your thoughts in the comments and if you like what you read, please hit that star button!

Noona ( 누나 ) (Nuna) the Korean word noona means 'older sister' : used by males speaking to older females

Unnie ( 언니 ) (Unni) the Korean word unnie means 'older sister' : used by females speaking to older females

P.S. Someone had asked for banners for the Vipers and some side characters like Kellin and Monte, maybe Roman and Eddie. If that's something you'd like to see, please let me know, here>>>

P.S.S. As some of you may have seen, I've added the dreaded "Mature" rating to both KME and DME. I did this because it appears WP is cracking down on books breaking their terms of service, and this was really the only rule I was breaking. So I fixed it in order to prevent it from being deleted as some books have been recently. Hopefully, it helps and I apologize if this makes both books harder to find!

ALSO, tomorrow is Valentine's day so, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, LOVES! Hope you all feel loved and feel free to give love to those you care about! ❤️️💜❤️️💜

As usual, the teaser for chapter 12 will be posted on my Instagram and Twitter in a day or two. Keep an eye out for that!

Until next time, loves! 💜 xoxo