Brian’s POV The rhythmic sound of fists hitting punching bags echoing through the space. Right now, I was picturing Beck’s smug-ass smirk and the way his fingers had curled possessively around Steph’s waist. I threw another punch. Hard. The bag jolted violently, the chains creaking overhead. Beck, leaning in like he had every fucking right to touch her. His fingers brushing over her skin. The way Steph had leaned into it, playing along with his little act. I growled under my breath, slamming another hit into the bag. Fucking Beck. I was losing my mind over a woman who had sworn she hated me. A woman I had pushed away three years ago because I thought I was doing the right thing. But seeing her again? Having her look at me like I was nothing more than an inconvenience? Like she had moved on? It burned. I didn’t realize how worked up I was until my next punch sent the heavy bag swinging wildly. “Alright, alright, Jesus Christ, dude.” A hand clamped on my should
Steph’s POV Beck had always been safe. That’s what I told myself as I sat next to him in his car, watching the city blur past in streaks of neon and headlights. Spending time with Beck had become easy. Comfortable. A welcome distraction. Between classes, study sessions, and the occasional coffee runs, he’d seamlessly integrated himself into my routine. It wasn’t something I actively thought about—it just was. If I needed someone to fake a boyfriend moment to throw Brian off, Beck was there with a smirk and an arm around my waist. If I was running late to class, Beck had somehow already grabbed me an extra coffee. It was convenient. And, more than that, it was nice to have someone who didn’t press too hard, who didn’t ask uncomfortable questions about my past or try to get under my skin the way Brian did. I forced the thought away as Beck pulled into the parking lot of our usual late-night spot—a small, cozy diner tucked between taller buildings, glowing with warm yellow light.
Steph's Pov “I really don't think this is a good idea. There's still time. We could turn back,” I whispered to Beck. “I can hear you just fine, Hudson. It’s late, it’s freezing, and we came all this way. I refuse to go back without a drink in my hand. Mister Wilson here promised us a good time,” Stella said decidedly, flipping her hair. “I’m a man of my word, ma’am,” Beck smirked, his white teeth glinting under the streetlight. Then he nudged me. “Hudson, even I don’t fear my dad as much as you do.” Beck’s parents were away on a business trip for a couple of days. And an empty mansion meant only one thing: Beck Wilson wanted a party. We reached the towering gates, and one look at the house left my mouth agape. The Wilson estate was breathtaking. A magnificent white mansion stood proudly behind the massive wrought iron gates, glowing in the night like something out of a movie. The long driveway was lined with luxury cars belonging to party guests, and the perfectly manicured l
Steph's Pov I stood in the dimly lit medical room, feeling a swirl of frustration and anxiety as I grasped my phone tightly in my hand. Beck had been completely ignoring me. Over the past day, I had called him more than fifteen times and sent nearly fifty texts, yet not a single reply had come through. The glaring absence of any notification was unnerving, especially since it was so unlike Beck to vanish without a word. If circumstances were different, I would have marched straight to his house. However, today was the day of the big match, which complicated everything. Not just any match, but a thrilling face-off between Omega and Inferno. The energy in the air was screaming, and it meant that Brian and Simon would become fierce rivals. It also meant that I was going to get to see my brother after a very long time. “Were you waiting for me?” I heard his deep voice from behind me. I rolled my eyes and turned, only to gawk at what I saw. Brian stood in front of me wi
Stephs PovThe locker room was quieter than I expected. The distant sounds of celebration and disappointment still echoed from the court, but in here, it was just me, Brian, and the hum of the air conditioning. He sat on the padded bench, his injured foot elevated on a chair, a bag of ice resting over the slight swelling. His ankle wasn’t too bad—nothing serious, just a minor strain. Two or three days of rest, and he’d be back to making defenders cry. And lucky for him, Inferno’s next game wasn’t for another three days.His team, however, hadn’t been so fortunate. Omega had taken the win after Simon’s ejection. The energy had shifted, and Inferno, without their star player at full strength, had lost their momentum.I had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, Brian was lucky—his injury wasn’t severe, and he had time to recover. On the other, I knew how much he hated losing. He wasn’t just competitive—he lived for the game. And right now, his team had just taken an L."You okay?" I aske
Steph's PovThe vibration of my phone against the wooden café table sent a ripple through my concentration. I barely glanced at the screen—until I saw the message.My stomach dropped. My fingers twitched.I knew I shouldn’t open it. I knew nothing good ever came from indulging him. But curiosity—stupid, reckless curiosity—got the best of me.Unknown: Didn’t know you still liked sitting in my lap, but I’m not complaining.Blood rushed to my face so fast it made me lightheaded. How the hell did he even get my new number?I gritted my teeth, inhaling sharply before typing back.Me: Go to hell, Lockwood.A typing bubble appeared almost immediately.Brian: Now, now, sweetheart. You were a lot more comfortable there than someone with a boyfriend should be.I locked my phone and threw it onto the table like it was cursed.I had an early class today, and afterward, I’d stopped by my usual café, tucked away just off campus for some me time. A quiet corner, a steaming caramel latte, and my lapt
"Stephanie!" My brother, Simon's voice pierced through my ears. I begrudgingly looked away from my book. I have to give it to Simon for always interrupting my reading when something really interesting is about to happen. The main leads were just about to have their first kiss, but no, he has to ruin that. "What?" I yelled back, the annoyance in my voice was visible. "Where the hell are my blue sneakers? Brian and the girls are waiting for me. I am already quite late." The mention of Brian piqued my interest. "Where are you guys off to?" "The shoes, Steph, and the fair. We're going to the fair. Do you want to join us too? Rita and Lyla are coming as well." Hearing Lyla's name dampened all my excitement, "No thanks, I'm good, besides, I have work in an hour." Lyla was Brian's girlfriend, and Rita was the girl my brother had been seeing lately. Simon and Brian had been best friends since middle school, and their friendship started with the passion and aggression t
There I was, sprawled on the floor in front of my crush and twelve other cute guys, not as hot as Brian but still cute. The only good thing about the incident was that all those cute guys came running up to me. Brian helped me up and made me sit on the bleachers. Which led me to think, why was I always falling in front of him? Did I need to fall more often in order to have more interactions with this male model?"Are you okay?" Brian asked, and his eyes showed concern."What are you even doing out here?" My brother asked. Yes, always interrupting the greatest moments of my life."Honestly, it doesn't really look that bad," Lyla said in a bored tone. I don't really ask for princess treatment often in life, but this had been the one rare opportunity stripped from me. That night, my brother and I were two injured siblings returning home together. I did not even bother explaining to him what I was doing outside the basketball court. I had bigger problems. I had a black eye, a double d
Steph's PovThe vibration of my phone against the wooden café table sent a ripple through my concentration. I barely glanced at the screen—until I saw the message.My stomach dropped. My fingers twitched.I knew I shouldn’t open it. I knew nothing good ever came from indulging him. But curiosity—stupid, reckless curiosity—got the best of me.Unknown: Didn’t know you still liked sitting in my lap, but I’m not complaining.Blood rushed to my face so fast it made me lightheaded. How the hell did he even get my new number?I gritted my teeth, inhaling sharply before typing back.Me: Go to hell, Lockwood.A typing bubble appeared almost immediately.Brian: Now, now, sweetheart. You were a lot more comfortable there than someone with a boyfriend should be.I locked my phone and threw it onto the table like it was cursed.I had an early class today, and afterward, I’d stopped by my usual café, tucked away just off campus for some me time. A quiet corner, a steaming caramel latte, and my lapt
Stephs PovThe locker room was quieter than I expected. The distant sounds of celebration and disappointment still echoed from the court, but in here, it was just me, Brian, and the hum of the air conditioning. He sat on the padded bench, his injured foot elevated on a chair, a bag of ice resting over the slight swelling. His ankle wasn’t too bad—nothing serious, just a minor strain. Two or three days of rest, and he’d be back to making defenders cry. And lucky for him, Inferno’s next game wasn’t for another three days.His team, however, hadn’t been so fortunate. Omega had taken the win after Simon’s ejection. The energy had shifted, and Inferno, without their star player at full strength, had lost their momentum.I had mixed feelings about it. On one hand, Brian was lucky—his injury wasn’t severe, and he had time to recover. On the other, I knew how much he hated losing. He wasn’t just competitive—he lived for the game. And right now, his team had just taken an L."You okay?" I aske
Steph's Pov I stood in the dimly lit medical room, feeling a swirl of frustration and anxiety as I grasped my phone tightly in my hand. Beck had been completely ignoring me. Over the past day, I had called him more than fifteen times and sent nearly fifty texts, yet not a single reply had come through. The glaring absence of any notification was unnerving, especially since it was so unlike Beck to vanish without a word. If circumstances were different, I would have marched straight to his house. However, today was the day of the big match, which complicated everything. Not just any match, but a thrilling face-off between Omega and Inferno. The energy in the air was screaming, and it meant that Brian and Simon would become fierce rivals. It also meant that I was going to get to see my brother after a very long time. “Were you waiting for me?” I heard his deep voice from behind me. I rolled my eyes and turned, only to gawk at what I saw. Brian stood in front of me wi
Steph's Pov “I really don't think this is a good idea. There's still time. We could turn back,” I whispered to Beck. “I can hear you just fine, Hudson. It’s late, it’s freezing, and we came all this way. I refuse to go back without a drink in my hand. Mister Wilson here promised us a good time,” Stella said decidedly, flipping her hair. “I’m a man of my word, ma’am,” Beck smirked, his white teeth glinting under the streetlight. Then he nudged me. “Hudson, even I don’t fear my dad as much as you do.” Beck’s parents were away on a business trip for a couple of days. And an empty mansion meant only one thing: Beck Wilson wanted a party. We reached the towering gates, and one look at the house left my mouth agape. The Wilson estate was breathtaking. A magnificent white mansion stood proudly behind the massive wrought iron gates, glowing in the night like something out of a movie. The long driveway was lined with luxury cars belonging to party guests, and the perfectly manicured l
Steph’s POV Beck had always been safe. That’s what I told myself as I sat next to him in his car, watching the city blur past in streaks of neon and headlights. Spending time with Beck had become easy. Comfortable. A welcome distraction. Between classes, study sessions, and the occasional coffee runs, he’d seamlessly integrated himself into my routine. It wasn’t something I actively thought about—it just was. If I needed someone to fake a boyfriend moment to throw Brian off, Beck was there with a smirk and an arm around my waist. If I was running late to class, Beck had somehow already grabbed me an extra coffee. It was convenient. And, more than that, it was nice to have someone who didn’t press too hard, who didn’t ask uncomfortable questions about my past or try to get under my skin the way Brian did. I forced the thought away as Beck pulled into the parking lot of our usual late-night spot—a small, cozy diner tucked between taller buildings, glowing with warm yellow light.
Brian’s POV The rhythmic sound of fists hitting punching bags echoing through the space. Right now, I was picturing Beck’s smug-ass smirk and the way his fingers had curled possessively around Steph’s waist. I threw another punch. Hard. The bag jolted violently, the chains creaking overhead. Beck, leaning in like he had every fucking right to touch her. His fingers brushing over her skin. The way Steph had leaned into it, playing along with his little act. I growled under my breath, slamming another hit into the bag. Fucking Beck. I was losing my mind over a woman who had sworn she hated me. A woman I had pushed away three years ago because I thought I was doing the right thing. But seeing her again? Having her look at me like I was nothing more than an inconvenience? Like she had moved on? It burned. I didn’t realize how worked up I was until my next punch sent the heavy bag swinging wildly. “Alright, alright, Jesus Christ, dude.” A hand clamped on my should
Steph's POV Brian's team had won, but for me, the night was far from over. After the game, the stadium buzzed with post-match energy—audience cheering, players celebrating, and music blaring over the speakers. Rebecca was busy chatting with some team members, Lucy and Sarah were taking pictures with the winning players, and I, well… I just wanted to disappear. I had done my job. My volunteer duties were over. There was no reason for me to stay. But the moment I stepped into the quieter hall leading to the exit, I felt it. That presence. A shift in the air, like a predator closing in on its prey. I knew before I even turned around. Brian Lockwood. My body stiffened as his deep voice cut through the distance between us. “You’re still running, Hudson?” I closed my eyes for a brief second, inhaling sharply before turning to face him. He leaned against the wall casually, arms crossed over his chest, that familiar smirk playing on his lips. But his eyes—dark, intense—
Steph's Pov The day had arrived. The atmosphere buzzed with energy, a mix of excitement and nerves hanging heavy in the air as the university’s football league event officially began. The gymnasium-turned-stadium echoed with the rhythmic sounds of sneakers squeaking against the polished wooden floor, the distant chatter of enthusiastic spectators filling the background. I walked into the main hall with my volunteer badge hanging around my neck, my fingers absentmindedly tracing its edges. The scent of freshly polished floors, sweat, and faint cologne from passing players assaulted my senses. I tightened my grip on my clipboard, mentally preparing myself for what was about to come. Keep it professional, Stephanie. The thought replayed in my mind like a mantra, though my heart had other plans, hammering against my ribs in anticipation—or maybe dread. I knew what I had to do: check the players’ vitals, ensure they were fit for the game, and keep my head down. But my luck had
Steph's POV “At this rate I'm never going to pass Mitchell's class.” Rebecca, a geeky girl in our class, complained, throwing her head in her hands. Mitchell had just left class finishing off his lecture, handing another assignment to us. “No, I'm being for real, they expect us to volunteer for fifty different community hours and do academically well too. I'm sorry but then I need days to be thirty six hours long.” Rebecca pulled her hair in frustration. “Is it the upcoming football league volunteering that's stressing you out?” Lucy asked, offering Rebecca some water to help calm her down. “See that's the thing, I know it's absolutely important. There are going to be famous people around, if even one of them recommended me, or gave me shout-out on social media, I could make it big. But at the same time, it'll be so time consuming. When am I supposed to study?” “Girl, you'll do well, like you do every time. Besides, think about the fact that you get to be around sexy baske