Teach him a lesson

JAXON POV

I couldn't sleep.

It was 2:30 AM, and I was still lying awake in the dark, staring at the bright screen of my phone. The glow illuminated the high ceiling of my bedroom, but my eyes were locked on the image Secret Girl had sent an hour ago.

Her body in that sheer lace dress was driving me out of my mind.

I zoomed in on the photo, my thumb tracing the outline of her waist, her broad hips, and the soft curves she was so eager to hide from the world. The lace was so transparent that I could see right through the dark fabric. But as I enlarged the image near the top of her chest, my breath hitched.

Right above the sheer lace, nestled near the curve of her left breast, was a small, delicate tattoo of a dark red wildflower.

My breath caught in my throat. It was subtle, barely visible in the dim light, but tucked against her soft skin, it was breathtaking. A dark, dangerous curiosity burned through me. I didn't know who she was, but every single line of her body was becoming an obsession I couldn't control. I closed the photo and set the phone face-down on my chest, staring blindly at the dark ceiling.

By morning, the sheer lace dress and that small tattooed flower were still burned into my brain, putting me in a good mood.

I stood in the sunlit kitchen of the estate, leaning against the marble counter with a cold cup of black coffee. When Aria walked in wearing her usual baggy gray sweater, every bit of frustration from my sleepless night turned into pure venom.

"You're an absolute eyesore," I said, my voice dripping with ice as she reached for a glass of water.

She froze, her dark eyes snapping to mine. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I sneered, stepping closer until I was looming right over her. "Every single day I have to look at you and your greedy, gold-digging mother pretending to belong in my home. It makes me sick to my stomach. I am so irritated by your useless presence."

"Jaxon, stop," she whispered, her hands shaking around her glass.

"No, I won't stop," I spat, leaning down so my words burned right into her ear. "I hate you. I hate everything about you. Honestly, it would be a blessing if you and your mother just died and vanished off the face of the earth. You're worthless parasites."

Her face went pale, her lips trembling as if I had struck her across the face. She didn't say a word. She just set her glass down and walked out of the kitchen, her head bowed low.

A few hours later, the main hallway of Crestwood University was packed with students rushing between lectures.

I stood near the lockers with Blake and Chloe. When I saw Aria walking down the hallway alone, holding a heavy stack of textbooks, a cruel surge of energy spiked in my blood.

As she passed our group, I deliberately stuck my foot out.

Aria tripped hard, her books flying everywhere as she hit the linoleum floor with a loud, heavy thud. Her papers scattered across the hallway, sliding under the feet of laughing students.

"Watch where you're going, clutzy!" Chloe giggled, leaning into my arm.

"Yeah, Aria," I called out, my voice loud enough for the whole hallway to hear. "Try picking up your feet instead of dragging your heavy weight across the floor!"

A burst of cruel laughter erupted from the crowd. Aria sat on the cold floor, her cheeks burning bright red with agonizing shame. She quickly gathered her scattered books, refusing to look up at me, before scrambling to her feet and running down the hall toward the library.

Watching her run away gave me a dark rush of satisfaction, but deep down, a strange, sour knot tightened in my chest.

I pulled my phone from my leather jacket, stepping away from the crowd to check the screen. A new text from Secret Girl had arrived, replying to the morning message I had sent her earlier.

[Secret Girl]: Sorry for the late reply, Captain. My morning was completely ruined by my utter jerk of a stepbrother.

I smirked, my thumb flying across the keyboard.

[[phone]]: Your stepbrother? Did he try something stupid?

The typing bubble appeared instantly.

[Secret Girl]: He is a miserable, cruel bastard! I swear I hate him with every fiber of my being. He said the most awful things to me at home, and then he tripped me in front of the whole school today and made fun of me! I hope he rots in hell! I wish he would just drop dead!

I stared at the screen, reading her harsh, cursing words. A dry, amused chuckle escaped my lips. I loved how fiery she got when she was angry.

[[phone]]: Ouu sexy... I love it when you get mean, Secret Girl. Tell me more about how much you hate him.

[Secret Girl]: I'm serious! He's an arrogant, heartless prick who thinks he owns the world just because his dad has money!

Reading her anger, I felt a surge of possessive rage against this guy who was making my mystery girl cry. Whoever this stepbrother was, he was stepping way out of line.

[[phone]]: Honestly? What an absolute bastard. Who treats a girl like you like trash? He sounds like a pathetic coward picking on someone who actually has a heart.

[Secret Girl]: He really is! You have no idea how much pain he causes me every single day.

I leaned back against the lockers, my jaw tightening as I typed back, ready to handle the problem for her.

[[phone]]: Does this jerk go to the same university as us? Just give me his name, Secret Girl. Tell me who he is, and I swear I'll treat his fuck up personally.

I stared at the screen, waiting eagerly as the three typing dots flashed.

[[phone]]: Give me a name, baby. I promise you, I’m going to teach your stepbrother a lesson he’ll never forget.