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Everyone knows she’s under my protection. Everyone knows she’s mine.

I’ve become greedy, but I’ve been starving for three years. Stolen glances from across a room no longer satisfy this raw, gnawing hunger I have for her.

Elara is going to be my undoing. I knew it the moment her eyes landed on mine, and they slightly widened. Her soft fingers pressing against my lips—fuck.

That was the first reaction I got from her. And I wanted more.

More, more, so much fucking more.

And then I met her here at Kingsford.

Roman, Alec, and I were on our way to our weekly Ethics lecture. Roman and ethics go together like chocolate in noodles—yep, disgusting.

The pair of idiots deliberately repeated two years of secondary school just so they could stay in the same year as me. I wasn’t going to let them fail Ethics too.

“Heard Alina wrecked some bitch’s car.” Roman snickered and I let out another long, defeated sigh.

“Can I fucking breathe for one day? Tell her to stop pulling these pathetic stunts just to get my attention.” I rubbed a hand over my face. “I don’t like her like that.”

“Why don’t you tell her yourself?” He shot back with a snort, already knowing the answer.

I’ve tried, more times than I can count. She thinks I’m playing hard to get.

Ever since I’d saved her, she’s built this absurd crush on me, and it’s become a persistent headache.

Especially when, in my head, I’m already committed to someone else.

Granted, I didn’t know Elara’s name. Didn’t know where she lived. Didn’t know a single thing about her.

But that changes nothing. I’m hers. She just doesn’t know it yet.

“What a tragic life, Sergei.” Alec shook his head in mock sympathy. “Imagine having a girl hopelessly in love with you.” He clicked his tongue. “However do you cope?”

Roman barked out a laugh at that. “Anyways, I need you do something for me—”

“Can’t, its Friday. I’m busy tonight.” I cut him off in between.

“Dude, you need to stop doing this.” Roman argued, we’ve been over this topic a myriad of times. “She doesn’t fucking exist, or else we would’ve found her.”

“She does.” My voice came out sharper than intended. “Stop telling me I’m insane. I didn’t imagine her.”

“I’m not—you do know the psychiatrist increased your dosage; you’re only torturing yourself.” Well, fuck him. And fuck the fucking shrink.

“I don’t care Ro—”

“Watch where you’re going.” Roman’s loud voice made me pause.

We were just about to turn a corner, and someone was a heartbeat away from colliding with him. But he stopped the girl with a harsh press of his hand on her forehead.

I saw her body jerk as she slowly looked up.

The hauntingly familiar sugary-caramel scent wafted through my nostrils. My gaze lifted from Roman’s hand to a pair of very, very familiar lips, pressed into a thin line as he spoke.

“Your blindness might cost me my aura and you your life.” He leaned forward, still not removing his hand from her head, as if showing dominance with his words wasn’t enough. “Five second rule and my hand won’t get dirty.” He muttered.

I could only see her lips, full and luscious, so lick-able and juicy I’d sacrifice Ro’s hand for a taste.

My pulse stutters.