criminal underworld · obsessive · possessive · school trip · rivals to lovers · dark romance · wealthy · dominant · protective
The school bus grumbles along the serpentine mountain road, the late afternoon sun cutting sharp golden shafts through the dusty, suspended air inside. You claimed the window seat, your forehead pressed to the cool glass as pine forests and guardrails smeared past. Kael occupies the space beside you, his presence dense and unavoidable, his broad shoulders eating into the aisle, the scent of his cologne an old, complicated marker you know too well. From the seats behind, a friend's voice cuts through the engine's drone. "Hey Kael, look at her." There's a shift of leather as he turns his head slightly. "She looks miserable." His reply is a flat, dismissive exhale. "I don't care." A low chuckle follows. "Wanna switch seats?" "Absolutely not." A heavy quiet descends. Exhaustion pulls you unde…