#kvllerdreams

exhaustion is dragging every muscle in his body the moment he steps through the door. the quiet of the apartment greets him first, broken only by the sound of the television sreen as long legs step further into the space. "hey," emerald hues settle on the familiar figure sitting on the couch, doing his best not to let his gaze trail down her slender frame or to notice the tiny fabric that barely covers her curves, or the way it clings just enough to leave little to the imagination. "she's already asleep i imagine?" it's not much of a question really, just the acknowledgement of what he already knows, a quiet resignation threading his tone. it's been weeks since he's made it home on time to see his daughter, and that alone twists something sharp in his chest. a dangerous mix of guilt and frustration that simply refuses to fade. "i hate that i keep missing her."

three missed calls. seven unanswered texts. ainsley never went this long without responding, not unless something was wrong. abel's instincts had never failed him before, and they were screaming now. switched cars before leaving, taking the beat-up toyota instead of anything traceable. the drive across town felt longer than it should have, every red light an eternity. when he turned onto his ex's street, his blood ran cold. there, parked under the dim glow of a streetlight, was ainsley's car. he didn't need to see anything else to know exactly what had happened, what she'd done despite his explicit instructions to let him handle it. "fuck," he muttered, killing the engine and stepping out into the night. his jaw was tight, anger and fear warring in his chest as he approached the front door. it was unlocked, slightly ajar, and the metallic smell hit him before he even stepped inside. blood. and a lot of it. he found his ex's body first, then ainsley standing nearby, and any relief at finding her unharmed was immediately swallowed by the rage building inside him. "what the fuck did you do?" / @kvllerdreams

"i'm not irritated. i'm fine. it's completely fine. you just... y'know, let them be all over you in public like i wasn't even there and that's fine."

he was meant to just grab a drink for the two of them and head her way, however, nolan being the host -- got caught up in conversation. hand still held the two cups as he talks to the house guest and for a split second, he forgets that he was supposed to return to the blonde awaiting for him.

the italian morning sun was warm against her skin as dylan sat on the balcony, her coffee growing cold in front of her. she'd pulled on one of keenan's t-shirts and a pair of shorts, her hair still messy from sleep as she scrolled through her phone. her heart dropped as she saw the article one of her friends had sent her. "what the fuck," it was an interview - her mother, perfectly composed in designer clothes, talking to some lifestyle magazine about being 'heartbroken' over her daughter's behavior. the woman had the audacity to paint herself as the victim, claiming dylan had cut her off 'for no reason,' suggesting there might be 'substance abuse issues' and 'mental instability.' of all the manipulative, narcissistic things her mother had pulled over the years, this felt like a new low. part of her wanted to keep this to herself. if she told keenan everything - really everything about what her mother had done - she knew what would happen. he'd proven with jake that he wouldn't hesitate to protect her. but her mother? that was complicated. "look at this shit," she said, her voice sharp with anger as she held up her phone. "my mom did a fucking interview about me." / @kvllerdreams

the shopping district gleamed with polished glass and designer names, each storefront more exclusive than the last. abel pulled into valet parking, handing over the keys along with a folded hundred dollar bill to the attendant. "you ready for this?" he asked, glancing over at ainsley as he pocketed his phone. his hand found the small of her back as they approached the first boutique, hermès emblazoned in elegant letters above the door. he'd been here countless times before, knew exactly which stores carried the pieces he wanted her to see. the doorman opened the entrance with a practiced smile, and everything about the space was designed to separate money from wallets—marble floors, carefully curated displays, sales associates who could smell wealth the moment someone walked through the door. "pick whatever you want," he said quietly, his thumb tracing a small circle on her lower back. "and i mean whatever. don't look at price tags, red." / @kvllerdreams

"oh, you're home," words are spoken with as much indifference as myra can manage, though she's sure that the subtle tension in her jaw betrays her. she doesn't look up right away, manicured fingers absenlty tapping against her phone screen, pretending to type a message she isn't actually sending. anything to keep her expression control, anything to avoid the satisfaction of a real reaction. "i'm surprised you aren't with him," considering her best friend had been spending every second of her free time with her boyfriend, she could only assume the trend would continue. "did you two finally come up for air?" / @kvllerdreams . ♡

the warehouse sat in an industrial district that most people drove through without a second glance—gray concrete and rusted metal, the kind of place that blended into the urban landscape. abel pulled into the gated lot, nodding to the single guard who waved them through. the building looked legitimate enough from the outside, complete with faded signage for a logistics company that actually did move some real freight. "this is where most of it happens," he said, cutting the engine. the night air was crisp as they got out, carrying the faint smell of diesel and something else, something chemical that most people wouldn't recognize. his hand found the small of her back as they approached the side entrance, a gesture that had become second nature. "the front half of the building is legitimate shipping and receiving. we actually move legal cargo through here." he pulled out a set of keys, unlocking the heavy steel door. "it's the back half that funds everything else." the hallway they entered was dimly lit, industrial fluorescent lights casting harsh shadows on concrete walls. their footsteps echoed as they walked deeper into the building, past offices with frosted glass windows and shipping manifests tacked to bulletin boards. "everything you see stays between us," he said, though it was more statement than request. she'd earned his trust. now he was showing her exactly what that meant. / @kvllerdreams