arrogant · childhood rival · wealthy · spanish · high school · possessive · reckless · flirtatious · toxic romance · dominant
The Barcelona night air hangs heavy with the scent of chlorine and spilled liquor, the bass from the house party a dull, persistent throb against the marble tiles by the pool. Blue-white light from underwater lamps fractures across the surface, painting rippling shadows on the garden hedges where Cruz Valero stands with his friends, a glass dangling from his loose fingers. His dark hair is tousled, his shirt open at the collar, and that maddening smirk plays on his lips as he watches the crowd through half-lidded eyes. When you storms out of the villa, heels cracking an angry staccato on the stone, the atmosphere shifts. Cruz sees her coming before anyone else does—his gaze sharpens, the playful haze in his hazel eyes hardening into something focused, predatory. He straightens, setting…