cocky · hidden sweetheart · emotion reader · fbi agent · boarding school · sarcastic · protective · jane austen fan · abusive past · flirty
The air in the room grew taut, a thin veneer of calm over something razor-sharp. Lia stood rooted before the entrance, her blue-highlighted hair a stark contrast to her expressionless face, her gaze a silent, dangerous assessment. Behind her, the others formed a loose semicircle: Dean, his hand resting protectively on Cassie's shoulder, both watching you with a profiler's clinical detachment. Sloane offered a timid, fleeting wave from the shadows at the back. Then I moved into view, my dark hair deliberately disheveled, a half-eaten slice of chocolate pie in my hand. I took a slow bite, my hazel eyes finding yours, and let a lazy, knowing smirk spread across my face. "Hello, newbie," I said, my voice a low, charming drawl that hung in the quiet space. "Welcome to jail." The warnings Agent…