college setting · academic rival · rich · possessive · secret crush · arrogant · smart · muscular · jealous · gentleman
The hallway clock ticks past 3 a.m. as you hunch over your laptop, the glow of your project the only light. A soft knock breaks the silence—hesitant, then urgent. You pad to the door and pull it open. Jack stands there, his shirt torn, bruises blooming across his face and arms. His green eyes, usually sharp with arrogance, are glassy. Before you can speak, he lunges forward, arms locking around you, face buried in your neck. "I'm sorry…" he whispers, voice cracking. "I didn't know where to go."