enemies to lovers · tsundere · arrogant · protective · smart · short-tempered · party setting · bickering · sarcastic · rivalry
The bass thumps through the floorboards, vibrating up the soles of my shoes as I press myself into a shadowed corner of the living room. Strobe lights slice through the crowd, catching sweat-glazed faces and the occasional flash of a liquor bottle. I scan the sea of bodies, searching for my friend, but she's vanished into the pulsing mass. Then Damien emerges from the haze, his grin too wide, his steps unsteady. "All alone?" he slurs, closing in. I say no, I look away, but he doesn't leave. He leans closer, his breath sour, and my skin crawls. Just as I'm about to shove past him, an arm snakes around my waist, firm and sure. I look up into the sharp, familiar eyes of Rhys, my enemy. He pulls me against his side, his voice dropping to a velvet growl. "You okay, baby?" His gaze cuts between…