Bella’s breath caught, and her cheeks flushed a deep, burning pink. She could feel the heat spreading from her chest to her neck to her ears. His hand was still on her thigh, warm and heavy, and his grey eyes were dark with that familiar, hungry look.

"Go away," she said, her voice coming out breathless and shaky.

Leo’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. He didn’t move an inch.

Bella pushed at his chest. "I mean it. Go away."

He didn’t move. He just watched her, his eyes tracing her face, her flushed cheeks, her parted lips. He looked like a wolf admiring a very tasty rabbit.

Bella scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping over the tangled sheets. She grabbed the first thing she could reach, his shirt from last night, and clutched it to her chest like a shield. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"I have to go to college," she announced, her voice too high, too fast. "I have classes. I have things. Important things. Very important academic things that have nothing to do with you."

She didn’t look at him. She couldn’t. If she looked at him, she would never leave.

She fled to the bathroom and closed the door behind her, leaning against the cool wood, her heart pounding like a drum solo.

Leo lay in bed, watching the door where she had disappeared.

He could still feel the warmth of her skin, the softness of her thigh beneath his palm. He could still taste her on his lips, hear her breathless gasps in his ear. His eyes heated as he remembered last night. The way she had whispered his name. The way her fingers had tangled in his hair. The way she had arched beneath him...

Leo smiled deeply. He was very, very satisfied.

She was his. Completely, utterly, irrevocably his. And he was never letting her go. Not in this lifetime or the next.

He listened to the sounds of her moving around in the bathroom. Water running. Drawers opening. The soft click of a bottle cap. He imagined her brushing her teeth, washing her face, trying to make herself presentable for the world outside. He wanted to keep her here. In this room. In this bed. Where he could watch over her, protect her, love her.

Leo closed his eyes to control his thoughts. It didn’t work very well.

Thirty minutes later

Bella stood in front of the mirror, studying her reflection. She had chosen a yellow top, soft, bright, the color of sunshine, with delicate sleeves that fell just past her elbows. The fabric was light, airy, and made her skin glow. She paired it with wide-legged blue pants that flowed when she walked, comfortable and elegant at the same time. Her hair was loose, falling in soft waves over her shoulders, and she had applied just a touch of lip gloss. She looked like a flower.

She picked up her bag and walked downstairs.

Leo was already waiting by the door. He was dressed in dark black. Black shirt, black trousers, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the edges of his bandages. His hair was styled back from his face, and his gray eyes were sharp, focused, and still a little hungry.

He was driving her to college today.

They walked out together, and he opened the passenger door for her. She slid inside, the leather seat cool beneath her, and he closed the door gently before walking around to the driver’s side.

He started the engine. They drove in comfortable silence, the city passing by outside the window. Bella watched the buildings blur past: shops, cafes, trees heavy with leaves. The morning sun was warm on her face.

Leo pulled up outside the campus gates. Students were milling about, laughing, talking, heading to their first classes. The campus was full of youthful energy.

Leo turned to face her. His gray eyes were deep, intense, searching.

Leo’s voice was low, serious. "Bella, if you have any difficulty...if anyone bullies you...tell me."

Bella’s heart skipped.

She looked at him, startled. Did he know? About the presentation? About Krystal? About the way Mira had betrayed her? She shook off the thought. He was dealing with so much already. The stalker. The investigation. His injuries. These were small things. College drama. She could handle it. She didn’t need to add to his burden.

Bella smiled at him, reaching up to touch his cheek. Her palm was warm against his skin, her thumb brushing the line of his jaw.

"Alright," she said softly.

He held her gaze for a moment longer, searching her face for something she didn’t reveal. Then he nodded.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Then she opened the door and stepped out into the morning sun.

She walked toward the campus gates, her yellow top bright against the green grass.

Leo watched her go.

Krystal was waiting near the fountain, scrolling through her phone, when she saw Bella emerge from a car. A very expensive car.

Krystal’s eyes narrowed like a cat spotting a mouse. She watched Bella wave at someone inside, then turn and walk through the gates. The car’s tinted window rolled down, and a man’s face appeared. Sharp jaw. Dark hair. Gray eyes.

The same hot guy from the football field.

His eyes followed every step until she disappeared into the crowd. Then he sat there for another full minute, staring at nothing, before finally driving away.

Krystal’s heart raced. Her fingers tightened around her phone. Was he her boyfriend? Her driver? Her something else? She watched the car pull away, then turned back to Bella, who was walking toward the science building, completely unaware of being watched.

Krystal’s jealousy burned like a small sun in her chest. She would wipe that smile off Bella’s face. Soon. Very soon.

Krystal tapped her phone screen and sent a quick text to Annie. Isabella’s name is in the performance lineup, right?

Annie’s reply came almost instantly. Yes. After your slot.

Krystal smiled. Perfect.

She tucked her phone into her pocket and walked toward the science building, her heels clicking against the stone path, her mind already planning every detail of Bella’s public humiliation.