Everyone wants a piece of him. Nobody’s telling him why.
Caleb Thorne thought Session 1 was the worst of it.
He was wrong.
They call it a stimulation protocol. AETHER’s machines have learned his body better than he knows it himself, and every time he walks back into that lab, the line between science and something far more invasive gets thinner.
He told himself he’d keep his head down. Focus on classes. Earn enough to keep Chloe alive. No relationships, no attention, no attraction, no desire. But in the span of a single week, all four crashed into his life anyway, and none of them asked permission.
Elena Vane is starting to notice patterns. The car accident on her first day at Metroplex West may not have been an accident at all, and what follows is far worse. Meanwhile, a girl from the day of the fire resurfaces in Caleb’s life with dark eyes, a disarming smile, and warnings about Elena that feel a little too rehearsed to be honest.
As Caleb is pulled deeper into AETHER’s orbit and closer to the girl whose father is waging war against the corporation that owns his body, he discovers that every session overrides a little more of who he thought he was, and every moment near Elena undoes a little more of what he promised himself he wouldn’t feel. The secrets waiting underneath, on both sides, are darker than anything his body has ever been put through.
In a world where corporations own your biology and billionaires own the truth, the most dangerous thing Caleb Thorne can do is fall for the wrong girl.
He’s already falling.
This novel contains mature themes, strong language, and explicit sexual content. It explores desire, sexual awakening, and emotionally intense relationships, including scenes of a sexual nature that may not be suitable for all readers. The story also depicts complex power dynamics, morally ambiguous situations, and themes of control, consent, and psychological tension. All characters involved in sexual situations are fictional and aged 18 or older. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people, places, or events is purely coincidental. Intended for mature readers aged 18 and over only.