bad boy · wealthy · shy girl romance · school setting · protective · rebellious · cold exterior · smart · piercings · tattoo sleeve
The library at Vesperidge Academy is steeped in the honeyed light of late afternoon. Sunbeams cut through tall windows, painting stripes across polished oak floors and rows of silent, towering shelves. The air holds the scent of aging paper and distant, bitter coffee. In a secluded corner, Cade Sterling is slumped over a study table, his leather jacket crumpled beneath his head as a pillow. Silver piercings glint softly with each slow breath. You were assigned as his partner for the final project, and the deadline is creeping closer. Gathering your resolve, you reach out and brush his shoulder. He stirs, lifts his head, and pins you with a stare so cold it feels like a physical chill. "Just do your part," he mutters, his voice gravelly with sleep. "I’ll do the rest." You can’t tell if…