-Sienna-

 

"We shouldn’t be doing this, Jaxon," I whispered, breathless.

 

My spine was already pressed hard against the concrete wall. The air smelled of motor oil and dust, but beneath it lingered a sharper scent—Jaxon. His body caged me in, pinning me effortlessly in place.

 

We’d just been screaming at each other, throwing accusations I wasn’t ready to face. Then, just like that, the fight burned out. All that remained was a charged silence that made it impossible to think.

 

He didn’t look like someone who should be this close. Not with the bare bulb swinging above us, casting shadows over his face and making him look… dangerous. His hair was a mess, sticking to his forehead. A streak of grease stained his cheek—proof he’d been elbows-deep in a project before I stormed in and everything blew up.

 

"Why not?" His voice was rough, the kind of sound you feel in your bones. His calloused hands slid from my shoulders to cup my face. His thumbs brushed my skin like he was memorizing it.

 

"You know why," I managed. My voice sounded unsteady. "The house. The rules. Them."

 

His mouth tilted into a smirk. "Fuck the rules."

A shudder rocked through me. He was right. Jaxon had always been a guy who lived entirely outside my rules. From the very first second he crashed into my life, he was a walking, breathing violation of every boundary I’d ever built. He didn't just cross lines; he obliterated them.

---

"You lied to me for six months, Dad!" I hissed, my voice a furious whisper.

 

"I didn't lie to you," my dad defended himself, though guilt flushed his neck. He adjusted his tie, his fingers twitching. He glanced around the upscale restaurant like he expected a bomb to go off. "I just wanted to make sure things were stable before I introduced Lena to you."

 

I let out a bitter laugh, glaring at him across the tablecloth. I had deliberately worn faded jeans and a baggy sweater—a glaring protest against the candle-lit atmosphere of Le Petit Paris. "Oh, so you're doing this for me? Thank you for keeping me in the dark so you could drop a brand-new stepmonster on me right before finals."

 

"She is not a stepmonster!" Dad snapped, slamming his hand onto the table. The glasses rattled. "She is a kind woman. She has a son your age, Sienna. A senior at your school. I thought you two could find some common ground."

 

"I don't care about her son," I said, freezing him out. "I don't care about his age, I don't care about his school, and I don't care about her. I want to go home."

 

"You're staying right here," Dad ordered. Suddenly, his angry expression vanished. A desperate smile plastered across his face as he stood up so fast his chair scraped the floor. "Lena! Over here!"

 

My stomach did a violent flip.

 

I dug my fingernails into my palms. The click of heels echoed on the hardwood floor, followed by an airy laugh that made my teeth grind.

 

"Victor, darling! I am so sorry we're late," a woman purred. "Traffic downtown was an absolute nightmare."

 

"You're perfectly on time," my dad said, his voice dripping with affection. It felt like a slap.

 

"And this must be Sienna," the woman said, stepping into my view.

 

Lena was annoyingly pretty. She had a blonde bob, flawless makeup, and an emerald dress. She looked sophisticated and completely harmless. I hated her instantly.

 

"Hi, Sienna. It's wonderful to meet you," Lena smiled, extending a hand. "Your father talks about you constantly."

 

I stared at her hand like it was a snake. I didn't move.

 

"Sienna," my dad warned through a tight smile.

 

"It's fine, Victor," Lena said quickly, pulling her hand back. "She’s allowed to be overwhelmed. It's a big night."

 

"Thank you for understanding," my dad sighed, looking at her like an angel. "Where's he? I thought he was parking the car."

 

"He’s right behind me. He just had to take a call from his coach—"

 

"I'm here," a rough voice interrupted.

 

That voice sent a violent jolt down my spine. My body froze. No way. There were thousands of seniors in this city. It couldn't be.

 

I slowly turned my head, my eyes traveling up, up, up.

 

Standing next to the table, looking entirely out of place in a black hoodie and dark jeans, was the human brick wall from the science wing.

 

Jaxon.