CHAPTER 4

EMERSON

All three of them let their gazes drop, slow and deliberate, dragging down my body like they have every right. I force myself to stay still. Free show, apparently.

The one on my right looks at me with open, hungry interest. His eyes linger on the curve of my hips, the full swell of my chest, the way my jeans sit on my ass. He doesn’t even try to hide it. His tongue flicks across his lower lip.

The one on my left is different. His gaze moves over me with something colder. Not just assessment—disdain. His mouth tightens into a faint sneer. There’s no heat in it. Just quiet, arrogant judgment.

The third hangs back half a step, arms loosely crossed, watching with lazy amusement.

I keep my eyes on the one on the left. He’s the one who matters. And judging by the way the other two stay slightly behind him, he’s the one who runs this place. The self-appointed king.

"You three done measuring how small you can make me feel, or is this the part where you tell me the rules?”

The so-called leader’s sneer deepens.

“You should be more fucking careful who you mouth off to,” he says, his voice low and cold. “Do you have any idea who the fuck I am?”

“No. But I’m guessing you’re very important in your own head.”

I glance briefly at his jersey, then back at his face.

“Let me guess. Captain of the football team? Campus celebrity? Professional hallway blocker? Lord of the Locker Rooms? Supreme Commander of the Douchebag Division?”

For a second, he just stares at me, like he’s trying to decide whether I’m genuinely this fearless or simply spectacularly stupid.

“You done?”

“Was that not impressive enough? I can keep going.”

"I'm the guy people around here know better than to fucking piss off."

“Look, I’m sure the whole intimidating-alpha routine works brilliantly on people who are desperate for your approval. Unfortunately for you, I must’ve missed the orientation where they handed out the fear-and-submission forms. Was there a deadline? Because I’d hate to miss the chance to disappoint you properly.”

The guy on his right makes a strangled sound that he quickly turns into a cough. The third one’s eyebrows climb.

“Newsflash, boys. I’m not the girl who flinches just because three oversized egos corner her at her locker. I’m not going to smile and thank you for the attention. And I’m sure as hell not falling in line just because you’ve spent years scaring everyone else into it. So if this is the part where you try to put me in my place… try harder. Or don’t. Save us all the time.

And You can go back to whatever throne you apparently sit on, and I’ll go back to living my life without giving a single shit about your little campus hierarchy. Everybody wins.”

“You’ve got a fucking attitude,” he bites out.

“And you’ve got an ego the size of the football field. I suppose we all have our flaws.”

For the first time I catch a flicker of surprise in his eyes. .

He clearly wasn’t expecting me to push back—or maybe he’s simply not used to anyone standing this close to his face without trembling.

“I got a text from Lisa. She says you bullied her. Nobody talks to her like that. Not on this campus. And sure as hell not without consequences.

She is off-limits. You cross that line again, and I will make sure you regret the day you walked through those doors.”

“Lisa? Ohhh. You mean the bitch with the welcoming committee? The one with the little queen necklace she keeps touching like it’s a legitimate royal heirloom? That Lisa? And you came running all the way over here with the whole royal court just to defend her honor? How heroic. Should I be shaking in my boots right now?”

His eyes narrow to slits. .

“Watch your fucking mouth. You’ve got no idea what you’re messing with.”

“And you clearly have no idea who the fuck you’re messing with,” I snap, every trace of sweetness gone.

“Did Lisa mention she and her little pack of bitches came at me first, insulted me, and then got told to fuck off when they didn’t like the answer? Or did she leave that part out of her little sob story?”

I take a short step forward.

“If standing up for myself counts as bullying around here, then yeah—I’m a real menace." I let out a sharp, humorless laugh.

“You think this is funny?” he growls.

“A little,” I answer. “Three grown men surrounding one girl at her locker because I told a bitch and her minions I wasn’t scared of them? Yeah. It’s a little funny. What happens next? You flex harder? Threaten to get me kicked off campus? Or is this the part where you explain how things work around here and expect me to nod like a good little new girl?”

He suddenly closes the last bit of distance and plants both hands on the locker on either side of my head, caging me in completely.

My breath catches, and I have to tilt my chin to hold his stare

His dark gaze stays locked on mine for a long second, before it drops—slow, deliberate—to my mouth.

He licks his lower lip once, almost absently, then drags his eyes back up to mine.

Fuck. He smells good. Really good.

Absolutely not. I mentally slap myself. He is an arrogant asshole. He is invading your personal space. You do not get to notice that he smells good.

I plant both hands against his chest and shove. Nothing. Not even a fucking inch.

“Do you have a problem with personal space? Move.” I snap.

His eyes flick briefly to my hands before returning to my face. The corner of his mouth lifts.

“Personal space is a privilege. You lost yours the second you decided to intimidate Lisa.”

“Wow.” I let out a disbelieving little laugh. “You really are committed to this whole intimidating-alpha routine, aren’t you?”

I gave him the sweetest, dead‑eyed smile I could muster.

“Well, here’s a revolutionary concept, asshole: Lisa, her bargain‑bin minions, and your entire royal clown court can stay the hell out of my orbit. And I’ll return the favour. Mutual avoidance. A peace treaty even you idiots should be able to follow.”

I hold his stare.

"Simple, right? No drama. No threats. You get to keep playing king of the campus, and I get to go about my day without having to deal with you or your royal entourage.”

I pause.

“Deal?”

His eyes flick over my face, lingering on my mouth again just long enough to make my pulse jump against my will.

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“I don’t know. Peace? Sanity? Not wasting your time harassing strangers?”

He leans closer. His voice drops into something meant only for me. His gaze drops to my lips once more before climbing back up.

“I have big plans for you, new girl.”

“Big plans?” I let out a short, sharp laugh.

“Let me guess. Make my life miserable until I learn my place?”

His eyes darken.

“Maybe.”

“Threaten me some more?”

“Probably.”

“Get your little friends involved?”

A faint smile touches his mouth.

"I won’t need them.”

I shove against his chest again.

“Save the power trip. I’m not interested. Now move.”

His gaze drops briefly to where my hands are still pressed against him, then returns to my face—lingering once more on my mouth.

“Funny.”

“What?”

“You keep telling me to move.” His voice turns quieter. “But you haven’t tried to moved either.”

Shit.

I pull my hands back immediately, dropping them to my sides.

“I haven’t moved because you haven’t exactly given me room to, moron. You boxed me in and started barking orders. Now listen carefully.. Lisa started it. I finished it. If that bruises your precious ego, that’s not my problem. Go cry to your fan club. I’m busy not caring.”

The one on my right speaks for the first time, voice lighter, almost playful.

“She’s got a mouth on her.”

“She does,” the third agrees.

The leader ignores them. His eyes stay locked on mine, then flicker down to my lips for half a second longer than before.

“You talk too fucking much for someone who just got here.”

I lean my head back against the locker, still holding his stare.

“And you stand too close for someone whose breath is starting to offend me. Move. It stinks.”