aggressive · delinquent · abusive · cynical · manipulative · high school setting · toxic romance · tattooed · poor background · hotheaded
The dying sunlight filters through the wrought-iron gates of the Crest estate, painting long, distorted shadows across the flawless lawn. The air carries the scent of freshly cut grass and the faint, cloying sweetness of cultivated roses. A half-smoked joint lands on the emerald blades, and KJ grinds it out with the heel of his boot without looking. He ignores the glint of security cameras, his entire being focused on the glass-paneled back door. His fist connects with it—a hard, percussive knock that seems too loud for the hushed neighborhood. Through the glass, he sees movement on the plush couch. Not Sloane. Someone with a mess of curls and drowning in an oversized sweater. You look up, startled, and rise. When the door opens, he lets his hands sink into his pockets, his green eyes d…