My Enemy Sleeps Across My Room

     Nyra wakes around 2AM because of noises in the penthouse kitchen. She walks downstairs irritated, expecting lousy Kaizen was up to something.

Instead, she found him alone.

Bloody, not dramatically bloody….

Worse and quietly injured.

His knuckles are torn open while he washes blood down the sink like this isn’t unusual.

His expensive black hoodie is gone, revealing bruises spreading across his ribs and shoulder.

Nyra freezes.

Kaizen notices her instantly.

The atmosphere changes immediately, silence followed…

“Go back upstairs,” he says coldly.

Nyra refuses.

Instead, she steps closer despite her fear and notices fresh cuts along his mouth.

“Who did this to you?”

Kaizen laughs softly.

Not amused, tired…

“You ask too many questions.”

Nyra grabs the first aid kit anyway, he tries taking it from her but accidentally grabs her wrist too hard.

Now they’re close…way too close.

His breathing is uneven and shaky.

Her heartbeat is loud, tension everywhere.

“You shouldn’t touch me,” he mutters quietly.

Nyra’s eyes flick toward the bruises again.

“You’re injured.”

“No,” Kaizen says softly.

“This is normal.”

“Normal!!How's that so Kaizen?”

She asked again feeling concerned, she was carried away by sympathy

While cleaning his injuries he didn't flinch, Nyra notices a strange symbol tattooed near his ribs, like a mark.

Like belonging to something dangerous.

Before she could ask, Kaizen suddenly pulled away.

The walls return instantly.

“Forget what you saw tonight.” 

Different thoughts flooded her head before she slept…..she's beginning to see the real version of Kaizen.

6:45pm

The moment Nyra stepped out of the suite that evening, laughter echoed from the penthouse living room.

Female laughter

 She frowned immediately, following the sound downstairs, shock written all over my face. 

Seraphina sat comfortably on Kaizen’s lap like she owned the entire penthouse. Her manicured fingers played lazily with the chain around his neck while expensive shopping bags littered the couch nearby.

Of course.

Campus Barbie herself, Kaizen looked up first.

The second his gray eyes landed on her standing near the staircase, something shifted subtly in his expression.

Not guilt, awareness…

Seraphina noticed instantly Slowly, she turned around.

Their eyes met…and just like that, the atmosphere became poisonous.

Seraphina’s gaze dragged slowly over Nyra oversized hoodie and messy curls before landing on the expensive penthouse surrounding them.

Shock flashed openly across her face, then jealousy followed immediately.

“You live here?” she asked sharply.

Nyra crossed her arms.

“Clearly.”

Seraphina laughed softly in disbelief.

“A scholarship student got assigned to the penthouse?”

Her voice was a little bit shaky. The insult beneath her tone was obvious.

Nyra smiled faintly.

“Seems the university has excellent taste.”

Kaizen covered a laugh with his hand, Seraphina’s head snapped toward him instantly.

“You think this is funny?”

Kaizen leaned lazily against the couch.

“A little.”

 That was a wrong answer, it obviously got Sera pissed. 

Seraphina stood abruptly and walked toward Nyra slowly, heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

“You know,” she said sweetly, “girls like you usually stay grateful after getting opportunities like this.”

Nyra tilted her head.

“And girls like you usually confuse daddy’s money with personality.”

Absolute silence.

Even Kaizen blinked, even though he was expecting her retaliation. 

Seraphina’s expression darkened beautifully.

“Oh, you’re bold.”

“No,” Nyra corrected calmly.

“I’m just not scared of entitled rich girls.”

That did it, Seraphina stepped closer aggressively…..she had taken enough of her insult. 

Nyra instinctively stepped backward and accidentally collided against the kitchen counter, a A glass bottle slipped beside her.

Everything happened fast after that ... .Her balance tilted dangerously before she could hit the marble floor. Strong hands caught her instantly.

Kaizen.

One arm wrapped firmly around her waist while the other steadied her against his chest.

The room went silent, painfully silent.

Nyra’s breath caught immediately…too close, way too close.

She could smell his cologne now, Dark, Warm and dangerously addictive.

Kaizen looked down at her carefully.

“You okay?”

His voice came lower than usual, surprisingly calm and softer 

And unfortunately, that made her heartbeat worse.

Nyra swallowed quickly.

“I’m fine.”

Neither of them moved immediately, a big mistake because Seraphina saw EVERYTHING.

The way Kaizen held her, the way his eyes stayed on Nyra slightly too long, the way Nyra looked flustered.

Jealousy exploded across Seraphina’s face instantly.

She marched forward and grabbed Kaizen’s arm sharply.

“Can we talk?”

Kaizen frowned slightly.

“Sera she's my ……..”

“Now.”

The sweetness in her voice had vanished completely, Kaizen released Nyra slowly before allowing Seraphina to drag him toward the balcony.

Nyra exhaled shakily the second he let go.. 

*****

Unfortunately, things got much worse.

By the next morning, Blackthorne Heights had already turned last night into entertainment she never expected. 

Female voices suddenly echoed loudly outside the penthouse building.

“She charmed him!”

“She literally moved into his penthouse”

“Come outside, sneaky bitch!”

“She planned this”

“Leave Kaizen alone!”

“Slut”

Nyra’s stomach dropped., totally dumbfounded.

Kaizen!!

Kaizen!!,

She yelled angrily 

A slow grunt echoed from his room across mine, he was still in bed sleeping peacefully……..when the noise from the chaos outside had interrupted her sleep. 

Without a second thought, Nyra stormed into his room obviously pissed!!

“Wake up!! you sleepy head, your girlfriend has gone nuts”

Finally, realization dawned. ..I just barged into his room without knocking, still on my night wear….what if he was naked? 

Gosh Nyra!!!

Kaizen was shocked, seeing me in my night wear for the first time ... .his bare chest with injuries still looks sexy asf…

She could see the bulge beneath his shorts…..

pervert!!

They were both lost in thought staring lustfully at each other which seemed awkward. Nyra made a mistake barging into his room like that, now she could obviously see he is drooling 

“I see my enemy who sleeps across my room is trying to seduce me”.

His voice jolted me back to reality.

His mocking smirk, annoying look! He totally enjoys making me uncomfortable.

“Just wanted to let you know about the chaos, I wasn't trying to seduce you”.

Nyra replied feeling embarrassed, She could feel chills in her spine…

“The sheriff will dismiss them, I already placed a call”  

 Immediately, The sheriff on duty at the penthouse intervened before things got worse….

So he heard everything…. Nonchalant Jerk!!

She shyly rushed out of his room…Kaizen sat upright admiring her backside still drooling.

“Try harder, w

hen next you wanna seduce me,” he said shamelessly. 

“I hate you pervert”......

Kaizen laughed hard, pleased with her displeasure.