****Years ago.“Aren’t you coming, Zendaya?” She heard her younger brother ask her, and she shook her head.“No, I have after-school activities; the driver will come back later,” she replied.“Suit yourself, nerd,” Levi rolled his eyes as he got into the car. Zendaya watched him drive away.As the car disappeared down the driveway, Zendaya adjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder and sighed. Levi’s teasing didn’t bother her, as she was used to it.She pulled out her phone, double-checking her schedule for the day. She had no actual after-school activities planned; it was just a convenient excuse to get out of going home, as she had something important she needed to do.Digging dirt on Jayden Gerano so she could snitch and get him in trouble, the same way he had gotten her and his sisters in trouble for sneaking out to attend a concert.Zendaya wasn’t one to pry. Normally, she let people have their secrets, but the thirst for revenge was far greater than anything, especially wh
“What’s going to kill you, Zendaya?” Jayden’s voice was sharp with alarm as he looked around to see what she had been running from. His arms came up instinctively, steadying her as she clung to him, trembling. What had terrified her to that point?“Zendaya, what happened?” He probed.“Jayden!” she gasped, her voice muffled against his shirt. “T-there was a-a s-spider and the noise… and I-I thought—” she was unable to form a coherent sentence.So she had seen a spider. Jayden thought to himself. So overreactive, he thought to himself.Meanwhile, Zendaya’s grip on him didn’t loosen, and her heart was still racing, but his steady presence was beginning to calm her. When she had regained her composure, she stepped back when she realized that she had been hugging him. Looking up to him, she saw him already looking at her.Now that you’re calm, it’s time we had a talk about why you’re here and it better be good, or I’ll kill you,” Jayden hissed, and Zendaya took a step back.“You lied abo
“Come, let’s go,” he said as he began to walk inside the mansion. Gradually, Zendaya's discomfort evolved into curiosity as she followed him. Besides, he would protect her if the need arose.For some reason, it no longer appeared as terrifying as it once did. She glanced at Jayden and saw that he was very relaxed, maybe a little too relaxed, giving her the creeps. “Wait, back when we were in school, you used to come to this place for fun?” She raised an eyebrow.He turned a playful grin toward her. “Fun might be one way of putting it. I liked the quiet, and it was good for thinking.” “Right. I get it,” Zendaya nodded. “Hanging out in a haunted mansion which was falling apart and infested was the perfect environment for thinking.” “I’m glad to see you get it,” Jayden responded, and she opened her mouth to point out that she was being sarcastic, but there was no way he didn’t know that.As they toured further into the renovated mansion, her eyes scanned it as she compared the before
Zendaya frowned when the power flickered slightly. Thankfully, the lights stayed on. A few moments of awkward silence passed before her stomach growled, loud enough that she winced. Why did it have to embarrass her? She hissed in annoyance as she knew Jayden heard it.“I’m starving,” she admitted with a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood.Jayden shook his head. “You should have told me sooner rather than waiting for that to happen,” he remarked, and she went red with embarrassment. “Lucky for you, I’m prepared. Follow me,” he said as he started walking.He then led her to the kitchen, a space that was surprisingly modern compared to the rest of the house.“This part isn't spooky,” she remarked as she sat on one of the high stools. “I take the kitchen very seriously,” Jayden remarked as he walked up to one of the cabinets and opened it.There were shelves of canned goods, a few bags of flour, spices... and, oddly enough, a stack of fresh vegetables on the counter.Zendaya rais
“Will you eat here or at the table?” He asked her.“Here,” Zendaya answered without a second thought. The atmosphere had been set right, and she didn't want to ruin it by making them move.Jayden nodded, and he grabbed a plate, after which he served her food.“This is so good,” Zendaya remarked after tasting the food and Jayden smiled happily.They didn’t speak much after that—just ate in comfortable silence, the storm outside acting as their unspoken company.The storm raged on outside, but inside, the mansion had a cozy warmth to it. “Come let's watch some TV,” Jayden said after they were done eating and doing the dishes.The flickering light from the television gave the room a soft glow.Jayden and Zendaya sat on opposite ends of the couch, the space between them just wide enough to avoid accidental touches, but not wide enough to make them feel entirely separate.They hadn’t said much since, but the silence was comfortable. The movie was one Jayden had chosen, and it was one wher
Jayden didn’t say anything else for a moment, but his eyes were still on her, and she knew she could feel them, even if she didn’t look directly at him. There was something in the way his gaze lingered, as though he was sizing her up. Plus, why did his stare feel so different? Usually when he looked at her, she could feel the hatred emitting from his stare, but she couldn't feel it anymore.The tension was subtle, and it felt like there was a silent conversation happening between them, one she wasn’t sure she was prepared for.And then, as if sensing her discomfort, Jayden leaned back into the couch, crossing his arms behind his head in a relaxed manner. “I never knew you were scared of storms? Have you always been scared of them, or did something happen?” he asked casually.Zendaya hesitated as she didn't know how to respond. She was scared but she didn't want to admit her fear as the incident surrounding it wasn't nice, but at the same time, she didn't want to lie to him either.
The tension in the room was so thick at that point that it could cut through anything.Zendaya could feel her heart pounding in her ears, and her breathing quickened, much to her horror. Jayden wasn’t supposed to know just how much he was affecting her, and she considered it embarrassing, as he wasn’t even affected by her.Jayden didn’t move, didn’t speak, but the way he looked at her was enough to make her want to run out of there, not minding if it was into the storm she was scared of.Her mind raced, searching for an escape, but at the same time, some part of her didn’t want one, she liked the thrill of what Jayden was doing and what gave her. It was shocking to see how they had gone from him showing her around the mansion to sharing pasta in a dimly lit kitchen to their current situation.“Stop pretending like you don’t feel anything,” she heard Jayden say to her, and she gulped as she felt her stomach twist into a knot.Blinking, she thought of something to say, but nothing cam
Zendaya froze as she couldn't believe what was happening. Jayden was kissing her! She yelled in her head, and she was enjoying it way more than she was supposed to.She didn't know when she closed her eyes and melted into the kiss. Jayden invaded all of her senses and all she could do was let him take the lead and do what he wanted to do to her.Jayden realized this, and he bit her lips softly which made her gasp, and he used the opportunity to slide into her mouth.Fuck, she tasted sweet, he thought to himself as he explored further. This was a place he could gladly die in, and he felt his body screaming for more as it had been a while since he last had his release all thanks to the woman he was kissing.He was sure that if he pushed further, Zendaya wouldn't reject him as he had her wrapped around his finger.However, he refused to give in to that demand as there were a lot of things that still needed to be discussed.With that, he reluctantly broke the kiss, and he rested his head
“You're a beast,” Zendaya remarked as she slipped out from under the covers.Although Jayden didn't work her as hard as he did the previous night, he still didn't take it easy on herJayden stirred, propping himself up on one elbow, his blue eyes tracing her every move. She walked into the closet and when she came out, she was with her clothes and not his anymore. He watched her wear her shirt before speaking."Where are you going?" His voice was low and there was a hint of irritation.Zendaya glanced at him over her shoulder as she zipped her jeans. "I need to meet Levi. We have to take care of Matthew,” she replied.Jayden frowned, sitting up fully now, the sheet slipping to his waist. "Take care of him, how?"Matthew was someone he had forgotten all about. After all, the bastard had no more importance in Zendaya’s life."I don’t know yet." She grabbed her phone from the nightstand, and she checked it. "All Levi said was to get Matthew alone somewhere and that he would handle the r
After breakfast, the two returned to the room and the atmosphere was calm, a contrast to the whirlwind of emotions from the night before, and Zendaya was content with it. Jayden had decided to work from home, surprisingly, and when she asked him why, he told her because she wanted him to stay back.She didn't tell him, even though the thought ran through her head, and she couldn't stop smiling over the fact that the man she once thought cold and emotionless could understand her without her having to say anything.Jayden’s laptop perched on his lap as he leaned against the headboard. His legs stretched out on either side of Zendaya, who rested comfortably against his chest, scrolling through her phone.Jayden smiled as his wait was finally paying off and all had gone according to his plan. He made a mental note to shove it in his cousin's face, as the asshole had been a pain in the ass about the whole issue.He returned his focus to his screen and his fingers started flying across
The warmth of the bathwater with her dipped inside it made her feel a lot better. Jayden crouched beside the tub, his hand swirling the water lazily as he watched her.She was too relaxed to say anything, but when she felt the weight of Jayden’s stare, she broke her silence.“You’re staring,” she murmured without opening her eyes.“You’re stunning,” he shot back without hesitation.Her lips twitched into a smile, though she tried to suppress it. Jayden’s charm was second to none, and they came out so easily.“Flattery won’t get you anywhere right now, and not especially what you’re thinking.”Jayden chuckled, his eyes shining with amusement. “Who said I’m trying to get anywhere? Maybe I just like seeing you like this.”Her eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting his. She raised a brow, her voice filled with suspicion. “Like what?”“Content and Happy,” he said simply.She was expecting another answer, and so she didn’t know how to respond. However, his next action proved she had been r
The sight of him half-baked wearing a dangerously low grey sweatpants made the heat rush in between her legs.Her lips curved upward before she could stop herself and he noticed it. Damn Jayden for looking so handsome.“Good morning,” Jayden said, his voice low and warm.“You’re still here?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I thought work took you away again.”Jayden smirked, leaning casually against the door frame. “What can I say? I'm full of surprises. Besides, I wasn't planning on leaving you after what happened between us”His words made the memory of their last disagreement surfaced, and her expression softened, a hint of guilt creeping in. “Are you still mad at me?”Jayden’s smirk faded, replaced by something quieter, gentler. He crossed the room in a few strides, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. “No,” he said firmly. “But I need you to promise me something.”Zendaya tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. “What?”“Don’t lie to me,” he said, his tone serious. “And don’
“Fuck!” Jayden groaned as he collapsed on the bed. He turned to look at Zendaya, who was staring distantly at the ceiling as he smiled as he touched her thigh, which made her whimper.No more, I can’t feel my legs,” she rasped breathlessly and Jayden chuckled as he had fulfilled his goal of wearing her out.Wrapping his hand around her waist, she buried her head in his chest. “Sleep, darling,” he told her, and she did.****Jayden sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze fixed on Zendaya’s peaceful face. Her breathing was steady, her lips slightly parted as she slept.The intimacy of their earlier moments lingered in the room, and it brought a smile to his face.He reached out, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face and she stirred slightly but didn’t wake, a soft sigh escaping her lips.“I don't want to leave you,” he murmured under his breath, leaning down to press a light kiss to her forehead. “But I have to do this.”He pulled the blanket up, tucking it arou
Jayden looked at the woman who was in front of him and he sighed. He was mad at her, very mad, but it was increasingly difficult to remain mad when she looked at him with those big blue eyes of hers. He would forgive her in the morning but for tonight, he needed to stand his ground so she wouldn’t repeat what had happened tonight again.As for those two sisters of his, he trusted they would be handled properly as well. Seeing that Jayden wasn’t relenting, she decided to try another way to get him to forgive her and so, she slowly approached him. The closer she got, the more her nerves threatened to overtake her, but she ignored them. This was something she had to do.Apologizing wasn’t going to cut it, and she wanted to see if he would be able to resist her charms.“What are you doing?” Jayden asked when she got to where he was.Without giving herself a chance to back out, Zendaya lifted herself onto her toes, her fingers gently brushing against his back as she leaned in, pressing
As Zendaya followed Jayden towards the mansion, the weight of the night pressed heavily on her chest.Her heart pounded in her ears, and her stomach twisted into tight knots, and it wasn't one where she felt butterflies.It was shocking to see just how fast things had gone downhill. Just this morning, he had made breakfast for her, and they had spoken on the phone and now, he was mad at her, rightfully so.‘What the hell have I done?’ Zendaya sighed.Her mind raced as she replayed everything that had led up to this moment. From the moment she stepped into the club, the excitement of being out with Juliette and Anaya had clouded her judgment. She hadn’t meant for it to escalate like this. She didn’t expect Daniel to get so aggressive. But Jayden? She had never seen him this angry, this cold.Well, she had, but back then she didn't care too much about it. Now she did.‘I should have just listened to my gut feeling and stayed home with him.’ she sighed once more.The guilt crushed her.
Zendaya watched in silence as Jayden let Daniel drop to the floor, groaning and clutching his arm. The club's bouncers finally arrived and dragged the defeated man out, but Jayden didn't even glance their way. His focus was entirely on Zendaya. Unlike the past few days where he had looked at her with tenderness, the look in his eyes told her he was angry, very angry at her. "Outside. Now," he ordered, his tone cold and furious. Zendaya didn't dare argue and she nodded. The cool night air hit her skin as she followed Jayden out of the club. She barely had time to process what had just happened before Jayden turned around to look at her, his expression dark with anger. "What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel. "Jayden, I-I. Let me explain,” she said. "Don't," he snapped, holding up a hand, and she swallowed what she was about to say. "Don't even try to explain. You lied to me." "I didn't lie," she countered weakly. Jayd
The loud music blasted through the speakers, and it made the floors vibrate as people yelled on the dance floor.Zendaya stood at a table with Juliette and Anaya, sipping a cocktail that was sweeter than she liked. Her friends were deep in conversation, laughing and pointing at the dancers nearby.Zendaya forced a smile, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Normally, she had no problem with such an atmosphere, but the same couldn't be said at that moment. The music was too loud, the air too stifling, and the crowd too chaotic for her liking. She couldn’t stop thinking about Jayden, what he was doing and how he must have felt when she told him she couldn’t come.He had intended to cook for her, and she had shut him down. Most importantly, she hadn't seen him all day and she missed him."Okay, we need to get you on the dance floor," Juliette declared, snapping Zendaya out of her thoughts.Before Zendaya could protest, Juliette added, "No excuses. You’ve been brooding all night.""I’m not