Reckless – Episode 37&38

RECKLESS

Reckless – Episode 37&38

→ Out•Of•Control ←

[Book 1 in The Untamed Duet]

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a BOLDLY written permission from ME.

Copyright © 2025

Naomi Cindy B.

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★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

More tears. More saltiness in the kiss, but Dorian devoured it.

Somehow, it tastes better than normal boring kisses, but right now — he wants to destroy the life of whoever made her this scared.

He wouldn’t mind putting his musical career in line, he wants to ruin them. Anyone who’s the orchestrator of a single line of tear rolling down her pretty eyes deserves to have their heartbeats seized.

He was still caressing her cheeks with his thumb as the kiss continued, his lips eating up her fear, having her shakiness and panic for dinner.

They all ended in his throat, the sweet taste of her lips making him not want to let go.

He breathed her in, wanting to deepen it, but then he felt a sudden push of palm against his chest.

His eyes opened, their lips parted, and that was when he saw her eyes are open too. Her tears and shakiness have disappeared, but she still looks disheveled and weird.

“Stace —”

She pushed past him, running upstairs.

“Stace!” He followed fast.

She threw her room door close, and he just stood there, panting.

“Stace, sorry if the kiss annoyed you, but I was just…. Listen, I didn’t know what else to do in that situation, and it seemed a hug wouldn’t help….”

Nothing came from inside, but he could hear the sounds of her slow faint breathings.

“What exactly happened? Tell me why you came home ruffled like that. I’m not leaving till I’m sure you’re fine, I swear down.” He said again.

Still, nothing from her.

He pushed the electric door like it’d open under the force of his palm, but it didn’t even make a sound.

“Stace!” He hollered.

“I’m…fine…” She finally talked.

He heaved. “Can I see your face again at least? I can stay with you till you’ll be ready to talk about it. I won’t force you to talk, trust me.”

“I wanna be alone,” she replied.

There was silence after that, punctured by his rough breathings and her slow breaths from the other side of that door.

“Snowdrop, are you sure?” He whispered.

“Yeah…. I’ll be ok…. ” She muffled.

Footsteps came from behind, and he slowly turned to see Anita approaching hurriedly.

He shifted away from the door, and when Anita arrived, the woman didn’t even look him in the eyes.

“Leave, I’ll take care of her.” She said, staring at the door as if his eyes carried blades that’d tear her to smithereens if she looked at him.

Dorian didn’t argue. He took two steps back, his eyes not leaving the woman till he finally whipped around and rushed downstairs.

Anita made sure she heard the sound of his car driving out of the estate before she rapped her knuckles on Stacy’s door softly.

“Beauty, it’s me…” She said, then went quiet afterwards.

She didn’t say more. She waited, till the door sensor beeped OPEN, and she went inside.

Stacy sat on the floor, her back on the wall and her legs propped.

“Hey…what’s the issue again?” Anita went down slowly beside her.

She touched her puffy face, and Stacy looked at her slowly.

“Talk to me,”

“Can you mix a warm bath for me? I’m gonna spend some time in the tub and then sleep…can you lay beside me while I sleep?” Stacy muttered.

“Yeah…sure. Anything….” Anita stroked her hair.

An hour later, all was done. Stacy had the long warm bath and is now laying in bed, her head on Anita’s laps. The woman caressed her temples, and she made sure her legs are well covered.

Soon, Stacy drifted into a needed sleep, and Anita sighed.

She actually went to Elmira’s place, and that’s why she wasn’t home when Dorian arrived.

Elmira came here yesterday and asked for a decent meal, but while she was preparing it in the kitchen, Elmira left.

She went to her place today to confront her, but she was told Elmira rarely stays at home.

Her daughter is driving her crazy, but thanks to Stacy here, she’s still got a little patience left.

Stacy is like a second daughter to her, but if Stacy finds out Elmira is her daughter? What’s gonna happen?

She’s scared, for real.

She looked down at Stacy’s sleeping face, then she bent her figure and placed a peck on her thick hair.

“Hope your sleep is free of bad dreams, beauty.” She smiled.

—

[No Sleep Garage]

The evening felt better as Cove drove back inside the garage. As usual, the smell of fire or smokes is not on him.

He has a unique vetiver scent that’s not easy to penetrate, so anything he does in the dark, stays in the dark.

But maybe this just-concluded one wasn’t in the dark cos…

Well, he had two uninvited guests. One of them watched Camry man burn to ashes with him.

The other one ran away immediately Camry man started burning.

What a coward—a coward he’s gonna meet very soon again.

He did everything to make her stay away, but she’s a stubborn one, and now he’s not holding back anymore.

The thread has been snapped in shreds, and now she’d dance to the music she played.

He got down from his bike, and Trevor rushed out to him.

“Where were you! You almost missed dinner and your phone was unreachable you tyrant!”

“Dinner? Noodles?” Cove removed his gloves with his teeth.

“It’s different tonight! Matteo bought steak from the steakhouse Stacy took me to the other time!” Trevor announced with a clap.

“I do not eat meat. Did that part of your memory get formatted?” Cove walked past him into the spare room.

Matteo is there, cutting the steak into eatable pieces.

“I forgot! How could I forget you’re a vegetarian!” Trevor shouted.

“Don’t gum me that flavorless title,” Cove made madly disgusted faces. “I don’t eat meat not because I don’t support animal killings. I don’t eat ’em cos I completely hate animal products, makes me sick…”

“Look how you’re talking like you’re from a royal family of some sort,” Matteo laughed. “Don’t worry, I and Trevor will eat the steak, you can cook some potato soup for yourself. Use the mini kitchen,” Matteo winked

“The money you got from Wesley when you were selling me out to him per minute,” Cove said.

Matteo froze.

“You mentioned you were gonna upgrade this garage with it, but nothing has been done. You sent it all to your wife?” Cove continued.

Matteo faced him, his lips tightening. He has no idea what to say.

Sensing the tension in the air, Trevor stepped in.

“Can we not talk about Matteo’s runaway wife right now?”

Cove dropped on the old chair, and Matteo released the breaths he has been holding.

He returned to cutting the steak with dull eyes.

Cove picked Stacy’s bag from where he kept it, taking out the only chocolate bar inside.

He’s not craving for chocolate, but he uncovered it and took a bite anyways, smiling downwardly as he chewed.

“Did you really buy that bike from that tomboy?” Trevor asked.

Cove looked up.

“But… Ducati Panigale V4?” Trevor continued. That dangerous bike is worth millions, how were you able to pay? Even if it’s in installments, it’s still unbelievable!”

“I’m not in the mood to tell tales, keep being curious,” Cove replied, taking another bite from the chocolate.

Too sweet, but he ate anyways.

“Cove has been with me since he was 15 like you, and he gets so many tips and compensations from customers which he has been saving. He even does his own job without delivering to me, so yeah…he has enough savings to buy a car.” Matteo said.

“Oh…makes sense,” Trevor nodded, though he’s still unable to push away the curious thoughts.

“Lest I forget!” He suddenly jerked. “I need a Preparatory textbook for my next exam, and i—”

“How much is it?” Cove cut him off, and Trevor smiled.

“50!”

“When did they start selling textbooks for 50?” Cove smirked strictly, taking the last bite from the chocolate bar.

“But I wanna buy the new basketball team jersey too! Yunno I’m the basketball star of Stellar Highschool!” Trevor whined.

Cove retrieved his phone and clicked few icons, making the transfer.

“You sent 60?” Trevor jumped after checking his phone. “I lov—”

“Don’t finish that shit you’re about to spit out.” Cove glared.

Trevor held his lips together, and Matteo smiled where he stood.

“But when are you gonna rejoin the football team in RIDE? You can’t stop being a goalkeeper for life!” Trevor blinked at him.

And that was when a pair of heavy black boots walked into the room.

Chain pants, leather jacket, short hair and cool charisma.

“The tomboy!” Trevor rushed.

“Yo man!” Trinidad purred.

“Trinidad Brooke?” Matteo nodded.

“In the flesh,” Trinidad smiled, throwing a glance at Cove.

“So I bought myself a new Ducati bike. In for a race with your own bike? Afterwards, we can visit the computer empire and mess with their systems till they run mad.” She said.

“I’m guessing your two distasteful friends are nowhere to be found?” Cove stood blankly.

“You predict me too well, but it’s fine, you still remain my gee.” Trinidad chuckled.

Cove picked his braggy jean jacket from where he hung it.

He wore it on his black singlet and left the room with her.

None of them used helmets. It’s overrated according to them.

They hopped on their bikes, racing out of the garage.

The breeze scattered Cove’s hair on top of his lashes, and at the same time, it touched the deepest parts of him that just woke up.

The part that witnessed how the man burned in that forest.

He feels alive. Excited. Pumped.

He’s still so turned on, meaning the thrill of the fire is still in him.

It last hours, usually.

He smiled widely, his overly white set of vampire teeth flashing.

He could still taste chocolate in his mouth—still feel her mouth around his fingers. He could still sense her breaths on his face.

Each time he watches fire burns, his favorite past scenes comes to replay in his head… Crazily heightened and more intense, so right now he’s visualizing his fingers in her.

But not inside her mouth again.

It’s inside somewhere else in her lower body. That visualization made him so dementedly high he let go of the bike handlebars.

The bike moved on it’s own, aligning with Trinidad’s on the tar.

Trinidad screamed out happily, stepping on it.

Dorian’s car sat silently beside the road, his eyes staring out into the streets through the tinted windows.

Trinidad and Cove’s bikes sped past him some minutes ago.

After leaving Stacy’s place, he was actually coming to the garage to see Cove when he saw them speeding past, so he had to stop the car here.

He looked at the bracelet on his wrist, pulling it and letting it go so it slapped his skin so hard it burned.

He did it a few more times till that wrist reddened completely.

Now that Cove is out of the garage, he has no reason to go there again tonight. Also, why was he even going in the first place?

To put Cove in trouble with his mum again? No, thanks.

Maybe his interaction with his best friend is gonna be limited to campus till his mum returns to San Francisco.

He picked his phone and went through contacts. He clicked out Stace, but he started contemplating on weather to dial her or not dial her.

Is she ok now? Or asleep?

He actually went to the mansion not only because he misses her, but also because he wanted to discuss the possibility of her being his video vixen for his music video.

He has never used a vixen before, but he really wants to…this time.

The song will be out this Friday, and the music video shoot will start next week, so he has to get her consent, but he forgot about that when she come in crying and shaking.

What happened to her?

He’s gonna find out, no matter how far he has to go.

His phone buzzed, and when he saw Angel on screen, he knew it was time to return home.

—

[Outright Media House]

When Kaylee arrived some hours ago, Albert was held down by a staff presentation he couldn’t postpone.

She’s not the type to wait, but she did. She waited in his vast office, her legs mounted stylishly till he rushed into the office at the end of the meeting.

“I am so sorry, Mrs. Wesley. The presentation was worth cancelling cos of you, but I’ve been postponing it since last month so it just had to be tonight…” He apologized.

“The richest man in this country is apologizing to me? Worth the wait,” Kaylee smiled.

“I kept the richest woman in this country waiting? Worth the apology.” Albert grinned.

Kaylee stood, and they shook hands like successful business partners.

“Last time we met was at the Noblemen gala last year,” Albert sat in front of her.

“Yeah, but that time, there was nothing to discuss so greetings was short,” Kaylee nodded, remounting her legs, her presence filling.

“And this time?” Albert relaxed.

“Get your daughter engaged to my son,” Kaylee went straight to the point.

Albert blinked.

Kaylee picked her coffee mug and had a generous sip.

“They like each other, and thankfully they attend the same uni, same major. He’s even planning to make her his video vixen in his music video. You can see the chemistry overflowing effortlessly. Heiress of Outright Medias and the Heir of Wesley Banking Network who’s also the most successful metal god. You can’t tell me that doesn’t sound appetizing.” She said.

Albert went silent for a heartbeat, then he smiled. “I’d be lying if I say I haven’t thought about it, Kaylee. But trust me I won’t arrange engagement for my daughter without her consent. She’s the apple of my late wife’s eyes, and she’s my own life. My late wife made me promise a lot of things, and no arranged relationship is part of it. If she wants Dorian, she’d tell me herself…I trust her.”

“Why so old-fashioned, Albert?” Kaylee frowned. “She is your daughter. Just give her the order and watch her follow!”

“Follow? My own sweetheart Stacy?” Albert laughed. “Sorry but she won’t do what she won’t do, and she goes extreme. I won’t make her try suicide cos I forced an engagement on her.”

Kaylee sighed, then nodded. She pulled her exclusive card out of her bag and placed it on the table.

“You’ll change your mind soon. When that time comes, call this line, and the engagement preparations will start immediately.” she said.

Next minute, she’s on her feet, walking out of the office.

As the sound of her heels tapped, Albert stared at the card.

“She’s just as they say…. Cocky, alpha energy.” He muttered.

His secretary entered.

“Anything about the man in black who chased Stacy?” Albert asked.

“Nothing useful, sir. But put your mind at rest. We already doubled the heiress’s guards by a dozen, so nothing is gonna happen.” The secretary reported.

Albert relaxed, still staring at Kaylee’s card on the table.

—

[Delgado Twins Mansion]

Tania can’t sleep.

The campus said they’d decide her punishment by daybreak, and they’re so crazy they might decide to send it at 12am like a romance note, so she kept pacing her bedroom.

Just her panty and singlet on her body, and her hand in her hair.

She has completely different room aesthetic with Tasha.

While hers is burgundy and white, Tasha’s is pure white.

No teddy in sight, but there are boxes of satisfying vibrators and rose on the vanity table.

Tania’s second hand slipped into her hair at two minutes to 12, and Tasha entered the room, holding a handout.

“Twin, you’re still like this? Pacing?”

Tania turned around, letting her hand fall from her hair.

“The boy I kicked is in coma, coma! If our kingmaker parents weren’t more powerful than his parents, then I’d be in jail right now…you know this doesn’t speak well for my portfolio no matter how much dad is gonna pay to cover it up!” She ranted.

“Can you just wait and let’s see what the punishment is gonna be?” Tasha shrugged, and Tania’s phone buzzed.

She froze.

“Tasha, check for me and tell me what my punishment is. That’s definitely from the campus.”

Tasha nodded and picked up the phone, slowly.

She flipped it unlock, clicking on the notification from the campus.

As she read, she gasped soundlessly, but it was enough to turn Tania’s head. “What’s it about?”

Tasha was silent.

“Tell me about it!” Tania shouted.

“You’ve been excluded from the upcoming Friday football march. That’s your punishment.” Tasha said

Tania fell on the floor, eyes widening. “No… No that can’t….” She shook her head. “No I can’t…I can’t not play! The guy was body shaming Daya! I hate when they talk about her like that so I got angry and….no”

Tasha knelt beside her, dragging her close for a hug.

“No Tasha… I can’t not play. Trinidad can’t take the honour…. The school should kill me instead!!!” Tania screamed, trying to break the hug.

Tasha held her twin tight, trying her best to keep her contained.

But why is Zendaya not calling when Tania is in this mess cos of her?

—

[Zendaya’s Mansion]

According to the gym instructor, she’s to swallow one pill at past 12 midnight every night, so at past 12, she stood in front of her mirror with the pills on her right hand and water glass on her left hand.

Yeah, pills, cos instead of one, she has decided to take two every night.

She imagined a slim version of herself in front of that mirror, and she imagined Cove staring at her till he’d hit his head on the wall.

She threw the pills in her mouth, using the water to flush it down.

She dropped the cup of water, twirling around in front of the mirror, touching her boobs and arse. “Hope these assets won’t deflate with my fat though…I still want the breàsts and arse,” she muttered.

Her phone has been buzzing incessantly since 12, but she has been ignoring.

Now she picked it up and sat, the scent of Cove hitting her nose from his shirt she’s wearing.

She clicked on the campus gist, and the only two names she’s seeing there is Tania, Trinidad.

Apparently, Tania’s exclusion from the Friday match was announced to the whole school.

• Well, f+k!

• Who knew a delicious night like this would come! I don’t like Tania!

• She and her twin are just…weird.

• Those Canadian whores!

• Am I the only one happy that Trinidad will be the only female on field on Friday? Can’t wait!

• Knocking out a guy to coma? She overdid it!

• The guy called Zendaya fat first!

• Bitch please, isn’t she fat?

The posts, comments, hashtags and mentions were countless.

Seems like it’s gonna go on till tomorrow.

Tania is in soup.

Zendaya quickly dropped the phone, gulping before picking it up again.

She dialled Tania, but she’s not picking.

Tasha isn’t picking too.

Knowing Tania’s obsession for football, she’s probably crying now.

Zendaya stood, scattering her hair. “Damn the school authorities! It’s just coma, not like he died!”

She continued dialling Tania, biting into her nails.

—

[Young Mansion]

Neither Scott nor Kane are around. Just Silas and Owen.

But even Silas and Owen aren’t in the living room right now.

They’re upstairs, and the sound of breaking porcelain and glasses flooded down from the staircase like a huge fight is happening there.

One break.

Two breaks.

Three breaks.

And Owen screamed out, but her cries sounded choked like there are hands on her neck.

Then…the front door opened, and Scott entered.

The breaking sounds stopped coming immediately, but he already heard it from outside before he entered, and he doesn’t care.

He just climbed the staircase, and the master bedroom opened. Silas stepped out, sweating and breathing roughly. “You picked out the habit of coming home late too, have you even been reading your books?”

Scott ignored it like a dog’s bark. He entered his room and changed into his swimwear.

He went to the pool lounge and jumped into the pool to cool down.

He swam for ten minutes straight without break, just few surfacings to catch his breaths.

“So… you’re studying phycology cos of your dead mum? Heard she ran mad before she died.” Kane’s voice came from the poolside.

Scott surfaced again, and he wasn’t shocked to see Kane sitting there on the recliner, staring into the water with his mischievous eyes.

“My mum wasn’t mad,” Scott muttered, resolute.

“Then why did she try to kill your dad?” Kane smirked. “Heard she tried to drown your dad in this same pool for no reason, so she was thrown in the psych hospital where she ended up killing herself.”

“I said,” Scott muttered. “My. Mum. Was. Never. Mad! Not everyone is gonna be like your maniac self!”

Kane jumped into the water with him, but Scott is a better swimmer, so he climbed out through the other side

Kane smiled, watching as water aligned the hair on Scott’s lower leg.

“Yunno you should go for waxing sometime later,” he said.

“I won’t, do your worse!” Scott spat, walking towards the door.

“You’re so not ready for my worse, freckled sin,” Kane said.

“Do it,” Scott threw the lounge door shut as he exited.

Kane swept his hair back in the pool, standing still in the middle.

He smiled again, already planning his worse in his mind.

But then what he saw inside the woods hit his mind again.

Cove… The Pyro.

He licked his lips, nodding. “Tommorow, we roll.”

—

[A Bar, 1am]

Remo sat at one of the exclusive tables, Frank behind him and Max in front of him.

Frank is with Roxy, both smoking.

Elmira is with Max, both smooching.

Remo has bulk number of his old bitches to call for himself, but he’s not in the mood for fûck right now.

He’s all about his target—Kaylee. He has sent her so many texts, but she’s not falling for any.

It only means she’d have to meet her in person, and for that to happen, he’d have to meet Angela first.

How to meet Angela? He’s still working on it, currently reading her schedules for tomorrow.

But when the thought of Scott’s sudden nonchalance hit him, he paused his read and slammed a palm to the table loudly.

“Dude?” Frank said behind him.

“Doesn’t look like he’s getting calm soon. I can imagine fire burning in his head,” Roxy laughed.

Max withdrew his finger from Elmira’s coochie. He was fingering her under the table before.

“My Massacre Party is tommorow night, you can’t be moody Remo!” Elmira complained.

“I don’t have the time to say a single word to you right now, Mira.” Remo replied, grunting.

“But you said 15 words just now,” Elmira shrugged.

Remo raised his middle finger, and she laughed.

“Is it about f+kin Kaylee? Or Scott?” Max asked.

“Both?” Remo smirked.

“About Scott, he’ll come around. Yunno his mum died around this month that year, so it’s understandable he’s pulling away. Give him some says.” Max said.

“Aw, Scott is a mummy’s boy.” Elmira sounded, drinking rum.

“And about Kaylee, it’s your cross to carry…” Max continued.

Remo tapped his fingers on the table, nodding as an idea found his skull.

—

[Tuesday, Dorian’s Mansion]

Kaylee smokes, though at times, but one of those times is this morning. She sat with her legs mounted again in the living room, smokes circling around her from her cigarette.

Angela sat in front of her, sipping morning coffee.

“So… Albert said no?” She asked.

“Not directly. He’s in on it, but he says he can’t force his daughter to get into a sudden engagement with my son. I’m waiting for when he’s gonna change his mind though,” Kaylee muttered, puffing proudly.

“Maybe you should just switch,…” Angela suggested. “There are many other girls in RIDE for him.”

“And I only want Stacy Montana, what’s so hard to understand about it?” Kaylee rolled eyes.

Angela went silent, and Dorian emerged, ready for campus.

“Are you carrying that along with you to school?” Kaylee said, noticing a winged insect on his sleeve.

Dorian signalled at a guard, and the insect was removed from his sleeve.

It was then returned inside to the rectangular glass.

“Do all you can to continue getting closer to Stacy!” Kaylee hollered as Dorian left the mansion.

Angela cringed secretly. This only means she has to move fast.

“I’ll have to go see Stacy myself,” Kaylee dropped her cigar.

“Huh?…see… Stacy?” Angela swallowed.

“She’s the problem, not her father, so yeah…I’m going to see her. Also, I read more about the vermin guy Cove, and I’m willing to give him one last chance. I’ll meet him and offer him a chance to work as my programmer. When he declines, I’ll move to the next level of his ruin…” Kaylee explained.

“Oh…cool…” Angela nodded.

Kaylee picked up her phone, scrolling through the messages from the unknown number.

Unknown: (d+k picture)

Unknown: (m@sturb@ting picture)

Unknown: You want this inside you?

Unknown; Gawd, I can’t stop dreaming about how tight you’d be! C’mon, your husband has been gone for years! Taste me!

Kaylee sighed.

Her number is private, talk more of her exclusive number that this person is texting.

Whoever it is has a strong backing, and it sounds like a young guy from the texting mode.

“Write down this number and find out who it is for me,” she said.

Angela picked a pen and paper immediately, writing down the number as Kaylee called it.

—

[RIDE University]

Stacy felt very much better this morning.

The sleep on Anita’s lap recharged her, and though she still woke up with memories of what happened in the woods, she’s strong enough to come to school.

Getting down from the helicopter, she saw Kehlani at the field too. She’s also just getting down from hers.

“Babe!” Kehlani rushed over with her sunken eyes and dark circles that even her makeup didn’t cover.

“Lani you look pale! What the hell! Have you been thinking of Max again? But you promised not to!”

“It’s not that easy, goth barbie. I’m trying, but it’s not working. Maybe it’d be over when I see his new baby. But for now, let me keep thinking. But you…you don’t look good too, you look scared of something…it shows in your eyeballs,” Kehlani noticed.

“It shows? Oh my gawd!” Stacy muttered.

“Yeah, are you ok?” Kehlani blinked.

“Girls!” Zendaya joined them, looking so damn happy her makeup is flashier than ever.

She did smoky.

“You look like the happiest in this planet, I’m jealous.” Kehlani muttered.

“I know, right?” Stacy sighed.

“Is something the issue?” Zendaya muttered.

“Tania got removed from the game, let’s start from there?” Tasha’s voice entered the field, and they all turned.

Tasha and Tania are fast approaching, their steps aligning.

“I almost came to your mansion last night, trust me but it was too late!” Zendaya said.

“No don’t give me that!” Tasha raised her hand. “But it’s never too late to stalk Cove?”

Zendaya gasped.

“Can you both stop?” Tania spoke calmly. Too calm for someone who got removed from Friday game.

“I don’t want attention on me. I was removed from the game, but i didn’t die, and who says I’m not playing on Friday? This school will break if I don’t.” Tania continued.

They all held their peace, and as they moved into the first hallway, all eyes were on them.

No one dared to talk too loud.

They could only whisper and mutter, scared that Tania might knock anyone else into coma again.

No one wants to lay still in bed.

But two minutes into the hall, Stacy stopped, and her eyes widened.

Opposite them, Cove is coming.

He’s wearing leather jacket today on ripped baggy jean—he loves baggy, noticeably.

Bag over one shoulder as usual, and he’s walking with Trinidad who’s chatting with him.

But he’s not replying though, cos his eyes are on one person.

You know who.

The other Glitz girls have left Stacy behind now cos she’s still standing frozen there.

Zendaya bit her lip, but even as Cove walked past, he didn’t notice her.

‘Wait till I get the slim body.’ she thought to herself, smiling.

When Trinidad saw Stacy’s frozen figure, she stopped talking too.

Stacy’s chest pounded loudly, she could hear the echoes in her ears.

She visualized him in the woods, putting fire on that man.

Her mind broke, and a little before he’d get to her, she staggered.

“Aghhhhhhh!!!!!” She screamed, falling on her butt and calling the attention of her friends who have now noticed she’s lagging.

Everyone in that hallway paused too, seeing Stacy on the ground, wondering what’s going on.

Trinidad and Cove walked past her, but Cove has that evil smile latching on his lower lip.

His eyes caught Kane’s down the hall, and his expression turned foreboding.

Kane saluted him with two fingers before slipping into a corner.

Trinidad and Cove climbed the computer science staircase.

“Stacy!” Kehlani and the rest of the girls came back for her.

But Dorian was faster. He entered that hall and helped her up.

Now her fear is gone, but when her eyes net Dorian’s, she remembered their kiss from last night.

A gasp left her mouth, she covered her lips with her palm quickly.

Her first f+kin kiss was with him!

“Are you….ok?” He asked worriedly, touching her neck to feel her temp.

“Yeah…sure.” she smiled awkwardly.

“Class?” He smiled.

She hasn’t replied when he pulled her along, going the class way.

Kehlani and the twins followed them while Zendaya went up the computer science staircase.

—

[Mass Comm Hall]

The class is unusually silent today, just the sound of system keys clicking as students jotted on them.

Everyone listened attentively except Dorian who looks like he’s daydreaming.

Apart from worrying about Stacy last night, he also didn’t stop thinking about their kiss.

He couldn’t stop, and this morning when he saw her, it only got worse.

Now that he’s sitting behind her in the lecture hall, staring at her back view, it’s crazy.

He wants to touch her hair so bad, and….kiss her properly.

He’s gonna have to tell Cove about the kiss later today.

“Framing is intentional manipulation, I think so,” a student said.

“How?” The Lecturer replied.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” The student replied with a blink.

“Not all the times,” Stacy said, and all eyes moved to her.

Stacy? Arguing about teachings in class? New dawn.

“Framing isn’t always intentional manipulation,” Stacy continued. Sometimes it’s bias and that’s the most common possibility. Sometimes it’s the ideology of the press, and sometimes it’s just editorial priority of the anchor. Depends on the side you’re viewing it from.”

“You think this affects public opinion long term?” The Lecturer questioned her boldly.

The silence in the class stretched. Tasha is looking at her proudly though, and so is Dorian.

Kehlani and Tania have wide mouths like the rest of the students.

“Yeah…too many ways it affects the public…” Stacy replied. “Repeated framing shapes narratives, and those narratives in turn shape beliefs. If the media consistently points a group of individuals negatively, the audience will start associating that group with negativity automatically. It happens in the media houses many a times.”

The Lecturer smiled. “Miss Montana, are we reading now? This is impressive. You have a sharp edge to your points, and if you continue like this, you won’t have problems with the first few months of your anchoring after graduation.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lecturer.” Stacy smiled brightly.

Tasha blew her kisses.

Kehlani gave her thumb up, and Tania winked at her.

Behind her, Dorian just smiled again, not wanting to disturb her.

He’d just wait till the end of the class before sparking a conversation.

Halfway into the class, Stacy left to go relieve her bladder.

She was clicking curiously on her phone as she walked towards the restroom, and as expected, Elmira’s Massacre Party tonight is trending.

Elmira hosts Massacre Party in a Graveyard every semester.

It’s a gothic, s+xual kinda party… Like an orgie but in a dark mood.

• Y’all, any idea what to wear?

• If you miss tonight’s party, you’re a fool! I mean….fool!

• I wanna f+k at the graveyard so bad! Didn’t fûck last semester!

“RIDE has to be the wildest campus existing,” Stacy muttered. “I should steal the show tonight and dress more than Elmira herself.”

Her hand was suddenly grabbed, and her ponytail swirled as she was dragged into a office.

A lecturer’s office.

But the lecturer isn’t in, so it’s empty except for the packed desk.

When she saw the face of the person who pulled her, she nearly screamed again…

“That won’t be necessary,” Cove muttered, returning any sound she has to make back into her throat.

She closed her mouth and shifted back—two quick steps.

Her heels scrapped the marbles, and a sweat line crawled out of her hair, running down her temples.

She held her phone tightly, moving two steps back again.

Looks like Cove is feeding on her fear, cos as she moved back with panic, he watched, and he likes.

She jerked when her back met the desk edge, wishing she had a mace to spray him with and escape.

As if he read her mind, he brought a mace out of his pocket—her mace.

“You left the poor thing in your bag at the garage, I ate the chocolate bar though,” he looked up. “Still have more of the chocolate?”

She boldly started going for the door.

“I burned him cos he deserved it,” he suddenly said, voice still.

She stopped, turning back with unfriendly gaze. “What the f+k did he do to deserve burning?”

“Cos he’s part of the bastards who killed my parents in the Bronx?” He muttered, so dry.

“What!” Her voice dropped.

“And he came here, found me in the garage and tried to harm me, so I did what I had to do.” He continued.

She took one step back, her eyes leveling with his, height meaning nothing right now.

She’s staring into his soul.

“Have you ever killed before him?”

“No?” He replied, making sure the eye contact didn’t shake.

“How exactly were your parents killed?” She asked.

“Knife to their throats? Cos we were occupying a government land…what they said.” He replied simply.

She blinked slowly, her grip on her phone lessening.

Still, the eye contact remained glued, crazily unshaken.

None is blinking.

“Did you cry? When they were killed?” She asked suddenly.

“Odd,” he muttered, head angled.

“You don’t look like someone who’d ever cry,” she said.

“I didn’t. I only starved,” he shrugged.

“I knew you were heartless,” she muttered.

He smirked, leaning on the other side of the table.

She dropped her phone on the table and circled it, going to him and neglecting her fear.

“Your neck,” she muttered, reaching for it. It’s still wounded slightly from Angela’s stone throw.

Till now, the eye contact didn’t break even as she touched the wound.

He allowed her.

He brought the small treatment pack out of his pocket—the one she left at the garage the other time.

She took it from him and opened it, pressing the balm out on her index.

She started rubbing it on the wound, standing on her toes.

Their eye contact broke. She focused on the wound, but he focused on her, and she could feel it on her skin.

His broody, blade eyes.

His hand went up, reaching for her chin with his thumb.

He touched.

She stopped applying the balm, and her perfect eyelids went up as their eyes met again, hooking.

From her chin, his thumb drifted down to her mouth.

The moment he touched her lip, memory struck—the garage, the dark, the way his fingers had once worked her mouth with those fingers.

He had traced her mouth like this before. Slow. Testing. Certain.

She rocked back on her heels, trying to create distance between them, but he followed without effort, drawing her in as if gravity belonged to him.

Her fingers curled in on themselves instinctively, and the corner of his lips tilted.

“First kiss yet?” he asked, voice accusingly low.

“I…” Her throat tightened, lashes fluttering once.

“No,” she managed.

“Liar.” His chin lifted slightly, shoulders relaxed—too relaxed. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not—”

“No words.” He cut her off.

She tried again to pull away. This time, his hand found her waist—not gentle or bruising, just firm enough to remind her who was in control.

His fingers hooked into one of the delicate waist chains resting against the skin of her curved waist.

“Cove—” She sounded.

“Struggle,” he murmured near her ear, tugging lightly at your chain. “and those beads won’t survive.”

Her breath stuttered.

She went still.

“First kiss yet?” he repeated.

“I said no!” Her chest rose sharply.

“Liar.” He muttered, dipping his head.

She quickly turned her face away, but he gripped her chin with his palm cupped upside down, dragging her face back to himself.

He dipped his head and closed the distance, lips meeting.

Her eyeballs popped.

The kiss wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t soft either. It was more of a claiming than a question.

Her thoughts scattered the second his mouth touched hers.

The world narrowed to heat, breath, and his slow, slow pull of that chain at her waist.

His fingers tightened around hers, pressing her hand against the desk, grounding her there.

Papers rustled beneath her palm, and somewhere in the haze, something small clattered to the floor.

He pulled the chain again, and a fragile snap echoed between them.

The waist chain got cut.

Beads scattered like spilled secrets across the desk and tiles.

Stacy’s body faltered at the sudden loss, and his other arm caught her instinctively, steadying her against him immediately.

Stacy’s eyes fluttered shut.

The second her eyes closed, something in Cove’s expression shifted—darkened.

It was too easy.

Too easy for her to drown in his lies like this….she believed.

He deepened the kiss, slow and consuming, until her fingers twisted into the fabric of his jacket.

Her pulse thudded wildly beneath her skin.

And then…

A soundless movement by the window.

Angela.

Her botoxed face is half-hidden below the glass, and her phone is raised, recording them.

She came looking for Stacy to tell her about how she needs to stay away from Dorian, but instead, she found this scene.

Cove saw the reflection of her phone screen in the corner of his eye.

He didn’t pull away.

If anything, he lingered, tilting Stacy closer, intensifying the kiss just enough to make it undeniable. To make it look like surrender.

To make it look mutual.

Angela steadied her hands, zooming in on that part.

Perfect.

Dorian would only need to see this video, and everything he feels for Stacy would burn on its own.

Cove slipped his hand inside Stacy’s crop top, past her belly… moving to her br@.

He claimed the soft flesh.

Her bre@st fitted perfectly in his cold right hand.

TBC.