“Fuck off, Ollie.”
He clicked his tongue. “If it isn’t the firebug. Did you tell your new roomie what you did to get in here, Jessica?”
Jess stiffened, jaw tight.
Something in me snapped.
I hated bullies.
“No worse than whatIdid,” I said sharply. “Now leave us alone.”
Ollie’s gaze snapped to me—slow, surprised, hungry in the wrong way.
For a moment, the hallway held its breath.
Ollie stared at me like I’d just grown a second head.
His bruised eye twitched.
Then his mouth split into a slow, mean smile.
“Well, well,” he murmured. “Didn’t think the stray kitten had claws.”
Jess shifted closer to me, shoulder brushing mine—subtle, but protective.
“Keep walking,” she said under her breath.
But Ollie stepped forward, cutting us off.
“You know,” he continued, eyes raking over me, “we don’t get many new girls. Not ones who look likeyou.Who’s lookingafter you gorgeous? If you like, I can show you the ropes around here.”
“Gross.” I shook my head.
“Back up, Ollie,” Jess snapped, heat flaring off her skin—not enough to burn, but definitely enough to warn. “You’re still on probation with Ks Crew, remember? You want round two?”
His smile vanished.
“I’m not afraid of K,” he hissed. “You think K’s gonna protect you forever?”
“He won’t need to,” Jess shot back. “Because you’re going to move.”
Ollie lunged a step closer—
but froze when a shadow detached from the wall behind him.
A tall one.
Broad shoulders.
Cold eyes.
A presence that made the hallway go dead silent.
Kieran.
His blue gaze slid over the scene, lingering on Jess, then pinning Ollie like a knife to a board.
“Ollie,” he said, voice quiet—but somehow louder than shouting. “Move away from the girls.”
