y's

ay something, but her words are tangled in the overwhelming presence of his stare. Ryan's smirk is stil

enly so close. His presence fills up the room, and Emily can't breathe properly.

n's

hing about her-a curiosity, maybe even something deeper-that makes him want to unravel her. And God, s

ent. There's no one to watch. No one to impre

fucking

onver

them crackling with tension. Emily tries to avoid

h? Always trying to prove you belong here, when everyone

back, to tell him exactly what she thinks of him and his game

approval, Ryan. I'm not he

his arms on the table. The space between them closes, and E

special, but you're just a pawn in his little g

Inner

e's been wondering if Alex really is what he seems. There are moments when she sees

lly when it's delivered

en them narrows. His voice drops to a low w

first choice. Hell, you're not even his second. He just

y can feel the pull between them, the raw magne

ent of

r thoughts tangled, fighting against her body's reactions to him. She's not supposed to feel this way, not w

, but it sends a shockwave through her. Emily pulls her hand back im

says, "See? I told you. You'r

Es

rged moment short. Alex enters, his eyes flicking between Emily and

fhan

steps toward Alex. There's no playful smi

only one who can get under her skin.

of them face off-this isn't just

a final, dangerous

Just remember, when you get burne

leaving Emily and Alex in

y's

anding by the door, his body tense, his expression unreadable. Emily's pulse is still racing fr

might somehow ground her in this moment. Her mind is still reeling from everything Ryan

immune as

ontact, a part of her wanting to push it all

throat, breaki

ice: "Are

lex's eyes on her now, his usual polished self-awareness replaced by s

y): "Yeah. Just

appened, what she's feeling. She can't even beg

on in the way he moves, as if he's uncertain about something-about her, about wha

xpect him to come after you like that.

k of his neck as though unsure

he's used to seeing him as the untouchable golden boy-polished, confident, untouchable. But now, wi

on't know what's goi

oks up at him, meeting his gaze. His eyes are intense, but there's a flic

The tension is thick again, a quiet

: "I won't let

makes her think about the way Ryan has been pushing her, taunting her, and h

ace the feeling, but the way his tone softened when he said it, the pro

re you even helping me?

she needs to ask it. The doubt inside her grows with each

ck, his gaze drifting to the door, almost as

'm not the enemy, Em

's an opening-a moment where everything could shift, where she could

y): "I don't

of the room without another word. The door clicks shut behind

play with me? But she knows Ryan. She knows how dangerous he can be. There's something almost magne

after the co

pounding from the confrontation with Alex, and the look on Emily's face as

ng under her skin. But she's different. There's something about her tha

ched her. The way her pulse had quickened, the way she had pulled

t. She doesn't real

ts to see how far he can take it. He's not the one

Alex was always the golden boy, the prince of this school, and Ryan? H

oing to let her fall for the lies Alex is selling. Not

fhan

Emily walking alone across the campus, her

u can stay out of this, Emily? Y

es toward her, his footstep