BLAIR’S POV I didn’t turn around right away when I heard her speak. I just stood there and let her continue. “You want to know why?” she said, her voice rising. “I’ll tell you.” Slowly, I turned to face her. She was leaning forward now, eyes burning with resentment. “Tell me what?” I asked, confused. She scoffed, crossing her arms tightly. “Since we were kids, it was always Blair this, Blair that. Even my own parents couldn’t stop talking about you.” I blinked, unsure where this was going. But she didn’t stop. “I spent three whole weeks getting ready for that middle school pageant,” she said, her face twisting with frustration. “Three weeks of practicing my walk, my answers, everything. And you? You showed up, gave your little perfect answers, and walked off with the crown.” I stared at her, stunned. “That was over ten years ago, Harper,” I said softly. “You’re still upset about that?” She let out a dry laugh. “Of course you wouldn’t get it,” she snapped. “You didn’t even tr
BLAIR After leaving the drug enforcement office, I made my way to the clinic inside the detention center to see Beth. Hospitals always made me uneasy. Being here reminded me too much of when Kade was poisoned and unconscious. I remembered walking through the long, cold hallways, lost and terrified, not knowing if he’d wake up. After he recovered, I promised myself I’d never step into a hospital again. Yet here I was. I kept walking, scanning the ward numbers until I finally found the right one. My footsteps slowed as I reached Beth’s bed, and for a moment, I could barely breathe. The soft beep of the machines around her bed filled the room. Her chest rose and fell slowly beneath the hospital blanket. She looked so small and fragile, and tears pooled at my eyes. I wiped at my cheeks, frustrated with myself for crying again. “You’re a good girl,” I whispered, gently brushing her cheek with my fingers. “The only good thing about this place.” The tears I tried to hold back came st
BLAIR The car barely rolled to a stop when the driver turned toward us, his tone stiff. “Prince Kade, your father asked me to take you both straight to the administrative block. He’s expecting you in the dean’s office.” My brows furrowed. “Now?” He nodded once. I glanced at Kade, and he lifted his brows. We didn’t need to speak to know we were both thinking the same thing…..this couldn’t be good. We’d just escaped a nightmare, and already, the next storm was waiting. I could practically hear the lectures from our parents coming: their raised voices, harsh scoldings, the kind meant for reckless kids who didn’t know any better. When we pulled up to the administrative building, I stepped out and let out a sharp breath. I should have been happier that we were back here but with our parents waiting, I didn’t know how to feel. Kade reached for my hand and gave it a firm squeeze. “We’ll be fine,” he whispered. I nodded, even though I didn’t believe it. My mother could tear off my ha
BLAIR I left my hotel room feeling like a new person. A hot bath helped, so did clean clothes, silence, and the undeniable fact that I was out of the detention center. Honestly, I had Robert and my mom to thank for that. I didn’t expect them to take us away to a hotel like we were one wrong move from breaking down, but they did. Robert called it damage control for everything we went through. My mom said we looked malnourished and needed real rest. And she wasn’t wrong. But what surprised me most? She actually followed through. She didn’t just say things, she booked the rooms, ordered room service, and put a key card in our hands. It might’ve been the most thoughtful thing she’s done in years. I stepped into the hotel’s executive lounge, scanning the space until I found them. Our table was the only one with more than two people, and the servers kept circling the area. I took a moment to admire the lounge, before advancing toward them. Kade was the first to look up and see me. He
BLAIR It was a new day, and we were finally heading back to school. I pressed my lips together and added another layer of lip gloss, checking the shine in the car’s mirror. It looked perfect. Kade let out a frustrated sigh from the driver’s seat as we stopped at a red light. “I’m so tired of this car. I think I’ll let it go soon.” I raised an eyebrow, giving him a quick glance before going back to fix my hair. “You’re changing it?” He leaned back and checked to see if the lights had turned green, clearly annoyed. “Yeah. I get tired of things fast.” I couldn’t help but smirk. “If I had a Porsche, I don’t think I would get tired of it.” He looked over at me, one eyebrow raised. “Do you even have a license, beautiful?” I smiled and shook my head. “Nope,” I admitted, not feeling the least bit embarrassed. He tried not to laugh, but I saw the smile tug at his lips. “Well, you need a license before you start picking out cars.” I sighed, sinking into the seat a little as the c
BLAIR During my first class, I was scribbling down notes as fast as I could, trying to keep up with the pace of the lecture. The professor, Mr. Ambrose, was using all kinds of terminology, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I’ve always liked Biology. It had never been a subject I struggled with. “Miss Thorn,” he suddenly called, making me pause. I looked up immediately in confusion and almost all eyes were now on me. What was this about? “Do you understand what I just explained?” He asked. “Yes, sir,” I said quickly, nodding before I’d even processed the question fully. My heart jumped a little. I wasn’t lost. Was I? He stared at me for a second, then moved on. I shifted in my seat, refusing to look back at those staring at me as underlined the last phrase I had jotted down even though it didn’t need emphasis. Did the professor ask me that question because I looked confused? He continued with the lecture, pointing at the projector and clicking through slides. “Thorn, still with
KADE The second our lips broke apart, the locker room exploded. Some of the boys were cheering, clapping, and even a few howled. Absolute idiots. I laughed and didn’t bother looking at any of them. Instead, I grabbed Blair’s hand before one of them got any dumb ideas. She kept her face down, hiding it in my chest, which only made me laugh harder. She looked like she was ready to sink into the floor from embarrassment, so I pulled her out of there fast. We didn’t stop until we were back in the hallway, where it was finally quiet. She let go of my hand and turned to face me, cheeks still red and eyes wide. “What was that?” she asked. I grinned. “It’s kind of a ritual,” I said. “A team thing. When the captain’s been gone too long, they do that when he comes back.” She blinked. “You’re serious?” “Dead serious,” I said with a straight face. “They just told me about it. I had to go along.” She narrowed her eyes, shaking her head. “Okay, but what if you didn’t have a girlfriend?”
BLAIR “We can’t do this here,” I whispered, trying to catch my breath as Kade’s lips traced down my jaw and neck. My pulse was racing, but more than anything, I was worried someone would walk by. “Who says we can’t?” he murmured against my skin. I pressed a hand to his chest, trying to steady myself. “Someone might see us,” I said, looking up at him, more serious now. He pulled back slightly, eyes scanning the quiet stretch of the library. Then they landed on the small bathroom tucked in the corner. I followed his gaze and immediately knew what he was thinking. “No,” I said under my breath. But he was already smirking. “Kade…” I whispered. He took my hand, and I didn’t stop him. Because deep down, I didn’t want to. We slipped inside the bathroom, and the door clicked shut behind us. I could hear my heart thudding in my ears but Kade’s heavy kisses invaded my senses once more. His hands were everywhere, all over my body, caressing, fondling, and touching. He had a firm grip o
BLAIR’S POV I tugged at the collar of my turtleneck for the third time, still not sure if it was hiding the hickeys on my neck. The last thing I needed was half the school seeing the mess Kade left behind. I moved quickly through the hallway, scanning for Will. If I didn’t catch him before his first class, I probably wouldn’t see him again all day.Halfway down the corridor, I slowed down, looking at the faces around me.There were a lot I didn’t recognize. Most of them stood near the lockers, talking with a few students I did know. That’s when it clicked….they were the new students from Southvale. Most of them were supposed to arrive today according to Will. I spotted a boy from my chemistry class leaning casually against the wall, explaining something to a dark-haired girl who didn’t look familiar. Nearby, another group were asking questions, how things worked, where to go, and if the professors were strict.“Crazy,” I muttered, watching them quietly. It had to feel strange, being
KADEWe’d barely stepped inside when her back met the wall. She tugged at my shirt, dragging me down into a kiss that was messy and warm, tasting faintly of the wine we’d shared at dinner.“Fuck,” I hissed when her hand slipped lower, gently cupping my balls and massaging the base of my hard cock.She looked up with that sexy little smile, and I couldn’t tell if it was the wine or something else that made her this bold.“You’re being very naughty, baby,” I muttered, voice tight.She didn’t answer, just kept kissing down my neck slowly, like she wanted to drive me crazy one inch at a time.Her fingers teased my waistband, lingering at my throbbing cock. “What am I going to do with you?” I breathed, brushing her hair back as she looked up at me with that heat in her eyes.“Anything.” She whispered. That was all it took.I scooped her up, her arms slipping around my neck as I carried her to the bed. She let out the softest laugh, still buzzing from the wine. I set her down gently, eye
BLAIRThe concierge gave us a polite nod, handed us our menus, and quietly stepped away. I barely skimmed the pages before spotting a few dishes that immediately caught my eye.“They have truffle risotto. And duck breast with cherry glaze. I’ve always wanted to try that. Oh and lobster tail?” I beamed with barely contained excitement. Across the table, Kade watched me with an amused smile. “Get whatever you want,” he said calmly, like the prices didn’t matter at all.Once the concierge disappeared, I set the menu down, still trying to process everything. “Okay, seriously. How did you even pull this off? I heard reservations here take weeks.”He shrugged. “I was persistent.”I narrowed my eyes at him, still smiling. “Persistent?”He leaned in a little, his tone playful. “Let’s not forget, I’m a Reid. That helped.”“Cool,” I said with a grin, settling back into my seat.“So,” he asked, watching me, “Do you like it here?”“I love it,” I replied honestly.When the waiter returned with ou
BLAIRThe ride to wherever Kade was taking me wasn’t awkward. It was quiet, but comfortable. He had slow, mellow music playing in the car, and I couldn’t help but wonder where we were going.His right hand stayed on the wheel, while his left rested on mine in my lap. Every few minutes, he’d lift it and press a soft kiss to the back of my hand, like it was nothing. When the car began to slow, I glanced out the window and gasped at the magnificent building we were pulling up to.No way, I thought.I blinked and leaned forward, making sure I wasn’t seeing things. Turning to Kade, I found him already grinning from ear to ear.“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whispered, and he just laughed.He got out of the car, walked around, and opened my door with ease, offering his hand to help me out. I took it, stepping out slowly, my eyes immediately locking on the towering penthouse ahead.The King’s Restaurant. It was the most exclusive place to dine in the entire pack. Reservations took weeks,
KADE While Blair was out, I took the time to set everything up. I’d planned it earlier while we were still at school and this was meant to be a surprise. The hotel staff knew who I was, so getting the special wine and the right glasses wasn’t a problem. I asked them to bring up a bottle and some strawberries. They didn’t ask any questions. One look at my last name, and people moved. I ran the bath myself. It was hot, but not too much. And I added a few drops of essential oil, something soothing. The whole room now smelled like vanilla and I was pretty sure she’d love it. By the time Blair walked back in, the wine was open, the bath was full, and I was already inside. When she joined me, I poured her a glass and watched the way she tipped her head back to take a sip. Her dark brown hair spilled over her shoulders, framing her face. Blair never had to try, she was just effortlessly beautiful. “Aww, that was harsh,” she said, wincing a little. I laughed. The wine wasn’t even that s
BLAIR By the time we got back to the hotel room, the sky outside had already turned dark. I dropped my books onto the bed and let out a tired sigh. My back ached, and I could feel a headache coming on. Even after that wild moment with Kade in the library bathroom, I’d managed to get some reading done. As I stretched my arms over my head, I noticed Kade in the corner of the room, already pulling off his shirt. I gave him a look, and he caught it immediately. A smug grin spread across his face. He knew exactly why I was looking at him. “Don’t pretend you didn’t enjoy it,” he said, clearly pleased with himself. “You were literally moaning my name.” I didn’t respond. Not because he was wrong but I wasn’t about to boost his ego any more than it already was. I rolled my eyes, about to say something smart, when the room phone rang. I turned toward it, surprised. Since it was my room, I walked over and picked up the receiver, cradling it between my ear and shoulder. “Hello?” “Miss T
BLAIR “We can’t do this here,” I whispered, trying to catch my breath as Kade’s lips traced down my jaw and neck. My pulse was racing, but more than anything, I was worried someone would walk by. “Who says we can’t?” he murmured against my skin. I pressed a hand to his chest, trying to steady myself. “Someone might see us,” I said, looking up at him, more serious now. He pulled back slightly, eyes scanning the quiet stretch of the library. Then they landed on the small bathroom tucked in the corner. I followed his gaze and immediately knew what he was thinking. “No,” I said under my breath. But he was already smirking. “Kade…” I whispered. He took my hand, and I didn’t stop him. Because deep down, I didn’t want to. We slipped inside the bathroom, and the door clicked shut behind us. I could hear my heart thudding in my ears but Kade’s heavy kisses invaded my senses once more. His hands were everywhere, all over my body, caressing, fondling, and touching. He had a firm grip o
KADE The second our lips broke apart, the locker room exploded. Some of the boys were cheering, clapping, and even a few howled. Absolute idiots. I laughed and didn’t bother looking at any of them. Instead, I grabbed Blair’s hand before one of them got any dumb ideas. She kept her face down, hiding it in my chest, which only made me laugh harder. She looked like she was ready to sink into the floor from embarrassment, so I pulled her out of there fast. We didn’t stop until we were back in the hallway, where it was finally quiet. She let go of my hand and turned to face me, cheeks still red and eyes wide. “What was that?” she asked. I grinned. “It’s kind of a ritual,” I said. “A team thing. When the captain’s been gone too long, they do that when he comes back.” She blinked. “You’re serious?” “Dead serious,” I said with a straight face. “They just told me about it. I had to go along.” She narrowed her eyes, shaking her head. “Okay, but what if you didn’t have a girlfriend?”
BLAIR During my first class, I was scribbling down notes as fast as I could, trying to keep up with the pace of the lecture. The professor, Mr. Ambrose, was using all kinds of terminology, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I’ve always liked Biology. It had never been a subject I struggled with. “Miss Thorn,” he suddenly called, making me pause. I looked up immediately in confusion and almost all eyes were now on me. What was this about? “Do you understand what I just explained?” He asked. “Yes, sir,” I said quickly, nodding before I’d even processed the question fully. My heart jumped a little. I wasn’t lost. Was I? He stared at me for a second, then moved on. I shifted in my seat, refusing to look back at those staring at me as underlined the last phrase I had jotted down even though it didn’t need emphasis. Did the professor ask me that question because I looked confused? He continued with the lecture, pointing at the projector and clicking through slides. “Thorn, still with