𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 18+

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟔

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ADA
LOVE
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Ares killed the engine, and I stepped out, my eyes tracing the familiar towering structure of his mansion. It loomed above us, casting shadows against the night sky. His place had always felt like an escape—especially tonight, when things felt tense and unsettled.

Ares was hosting another one of his lovely sleepovers, and while Loren couldn't make it, Rose and Luca were already inside, no doubt making themselves at home.

As soon as the door creaked open, I bolted inside, my voice echoing through the foyer. "Your house is the best, I swear. Can I just live here?" I teased, but deep down, part of me meant it. The space, though empty, had a warmth to it—something I didn't have anywhere else.

I might have a rich Dad, but my home was empty and boring.

Ares followed me, his hand on mine, tugging him up the stairs with me. "You're always so damn full of energy," he muttered, shaking his head with a smirk as we reached his room. He opened the door to reveal Rose sprawled out on his bed, lazily scrolling through her phone.

Luca was next to her, eyes locked on the Xbox screen, fingers hammering the controller. Typical.

I threw myself onto the bed beside them, not caring that I disturbed whatever vibe they were absorbed in. "Guys, it's been forever since we had a proper sleepover! Why didn't Loren come?" I asked, trying to ignore the unsettling feeling that had been gnawing at me since we left the lake.

Rose didn't even look up, blowing me a kiss instead. "Party, as always."

"You have the prettiest girls on your bed and you play video games instead of playing with them?" I asked, laughing.

"Fuck, Ada. Don't say shit like that." Luca says.

Rose nodded. Huh?

What? What the heck did I do?

"Guys, for fuck's same, she meant it in a funny playful way. They thought you were talking about sex." Ares said. Thankfully Ares had been quick to defend me, brushing off what I'd said as an innocent joke, but the way Luca and Rose looked at me—I knew they were thinking something else. Their eyes were dark, amused in a way that unsettled me.

I forced a laugh, rolling my eyes like I always did, pretending I didn't feel the weight of their stares. "You guys know I don't joke like that," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. But my voice wavered, betraying the discomfort crawling under my skin.

I don't like those subjects. Sex would never interest me. Every night it woke haunt me.

A reason why I didn't want to fall Inlove as because I'd never be able to please my husband or boyfriend, I would never be able to comfortably kiss or have sex with someone.

Rose, always the first to brush off tension, jumped up, her energy a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. "Seriously though, let's do something! I'm bored of just sitting here."

Without warning, she swiped the controllers from Luca and Ares, tossing them carelessly across the room. Luca's expression darkened instantly, his lips pulling into a tight line. He stood up slowly, his towering frame casting a shadow over her. Rose flinched, her usual playful demeanor faltering for a moment as Luca loomed over her, his fists clenched at his sides.

My heart hammered in my chest. Luca had always had a temper—violent, unpredictable. There was a split second where I thought he might do something, lash out in one of his unpredictable bursts of anger. My breath caught, but just as quickly as the tension rose, it broke. Luca's scowl morphed into a dark grin, and he let out a low laugh, pulling Rose into a rough hug.