It’s not like me at all. 

I’ve always kept my distance from other people’s problems, because, God knows I’ve got enough of my own. But lately, getting under her skin has become my favorite pastime.

I didn’t expect her to blush from a single word or the brush of my hand. She hates me, at least, that’s what she wants me to think. But those reactions are telling me something else entirely.

And the truth is, she’s under my skin too.

Because the moment I pulled her against me, my whole body lit up like wildfire. Letting her go wasn’t an option, not right away. It took every shred of control I had not to flip her onto the bed and fuck her right then and there.

And… I don’t even know when I started thinking of her as…cute. Maybe it’s the bow she had in her hair. Or maybe… she’s always been like this and I just never noticed.

I couldn’t hide the erection pressing against my jeans. My cock throbbed every time she blushed. It’s been two days since I last saw her, and I haven’t gone to a single class. I’ve been holed up in my villa, avoiding the world.

I called Kyle and told him to come over. It’s the weekend, so I canceled the meeting at the company and decided to spend the time with my little brother instead.

He’s been pestering me to play games with him, and I’ve been helping him with his homework. The kid loves my cooking.

Right now, I’m making lasagna while he’s in the living room yelling at his friends through his headset, screaming for them to kill the enemy. I’ll never understand how they can get so obsessed with games.

Once the kitchen’s clean, I walk out. “Kyle, come on. Let’s eat.”

“Five minutes,” he says, eyes glued to the console in his hands.

I shake my head and sit down at the dining table. My phone’s been buzzing all morning. Logan was calling nonstop. I haven’t told him I’m skipping the meeting.

Our fathers have been friends since childhood and are now business partners. That’s how Logan and I ended up in each other’s lives. But he’s more than a business ally—he’s my best friend and my biggest supporter. We met Axel in middle school and clicked instantly.

Axel’s the one who introduced me to basketball. Before that, I kept my distance from everyone and everything. Life was dull. Nothing held my interest until I felt the weight of that ball in my hands.

The first time I sank a three-pointer, my chest swelled with something I’d never felt before. The rush of adrenaline, the hunger to win…it was like discovering a new part of myself.

And… somehow, Diya has managed to take another “first” from me. My body has never betrayed me like that. She took that from me and I’m not planning on letting her go. Not until my curiosity burns out and I can bury her memory with the rest.

“Hunter!” Kyle’s voice pierce through my thoughts.

I look up. He’s sliding into the seat next to me.

“You okay? You zoned out. That’s not like you at all.” He dishes food onto our plates. “I called your name five times, Hunter. How are you doing?”

“Good,” I answer curtly.

But it’s not the same. It’s not like when she says my name.

What the hell is so different about her?

I shake my head, focus on Kyle, and finish dinner with him.

“Did you meet Dad?” he asks me.

I shake my head. 

I don’t want to see his face. Not now, not ever. How am I supposed to tell Kyle that the same man he calls Dad once tried to send him away from me? That he’s hated him from the moment he was born?

I’ve been carrying this secret for years.

Since Steven promised to keep his hands off Kyle, he’s kept up the façade and never openly showed hostility. The older Kyle got, the more eager he became to earn his father’s pride. But Steven never cared. Not about Kyle’s achievements, his grades, or even his health.

Whenever Kyle got sick, it wasn’t Steven who noticed but the maid. She’d call me, and I’d rush him to the hospital until he was okay again.

When I started college, I got out of that house and lived on my own. Picked up part-time jobs just to make it work. But then Steven gave me an ultimatum.

I would become the heir of Kingston Inc. I would inherit his place.

Or he would do anything to Kyle.

And I believe him. The man would burn the world for his company. I can’t gamble with my brother’s life.

The weekend passes in a blur of time with Kyle. I drop him off at school, then head straight to the university. Logan’s probably sharpening his tongue, ready to tear into me for ditching the meeting.

I slam my fist into the steering wheel harder than I mean to before stepping out of the car. That’s when I hear a voice I could recognize in a hurricane.

A smirk pulls at my lips as I glance over.

Diya’s leaning against her car, one hip cocked, talking into her phone. She looks like a damn fun-sized golden retriever.

“I miss you, Ajju,” she whines.

So she’s capable of that voice too. Interesting. But who the hell is she talking to?

Curiosity takes over. I walk toward her silently. She doesn’t notice me, too caught up in her conversation.

A male voice flows from her phone. “I’ll be there soon, Diya. Promise me you’ll take me to places.”

My eyes narrow. Before I can think better of it, my hand moves on instinct. I snatch the phone from her grip and press it to my ear.

“What the—?” She jumps, spinning around to face me.

I keep my glare locked on her as the man keeps talking. “I don’t want to be here, Diya. My senior’s still irritating me. I’m going to submit my resignation tomorrow. My dad’s already started nagging me to find a new job here—”

I end the call without a word. “Who’s that?”

She glares at me, hand outstretched. “Give me my phone back.”

“I asked you a question,” I say, voice like steel.

Her throat works as she swallows, my eyes follow. My jeans feel suddenly, uncomfortably tight.

With a click of my tongue, I toss the phone back to her and walk away from the parking lot without looking back.

Jesus, what is she doing to me? I swear, I want to take my brain out, dust it off, and shove it back in just to make sense of myself.

I step into class and spot Logan and Axel in their usual seats. Logan glances over, then jerks his chin, motioning for me to come over.

I drop my bag on my chair and stroll to his desk.

“Did you talk to Diya?” he asks.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because we didn’t see her after I dropped you off at her house.”

She didn’t attend classes either? My brows lift slightly, but I shrug. “She said she was going to talk to Leah. I just saw her in the parking lot.”

Not just her but she was talking to a man. With a voice I can’t get out of my head. 

“Do you know anyone close to her, Logan? Someone… very close?” I ask, my mind already stacking a dozen theories.

“Details, Hunter,” Logan mutters, eyes narrowing as he studies me.

“When I saw her, she was on the phone. The way she spoke to him… they seemed close. She called him Ajju or something.”

That voice she used with him is still grinding against my nerves.

“Ah! Arjun. He’s her cousin,” Logan says without hesitation.

I nod and head back to my seat as the professor strolls in and begins the lecture. I don’t hear a damn thing he says. My mind is somewhere else entirely.

Should I ask her?

But why the hell should I? It’s not like she’s important to me.

I close my eyes for a moment, trying to strangle the curiosity curling in my gut. What is it about her? Is it her body? That smile I can’t unsee? What the fuck is pulling me toward her?

Fine. She’s not going to bite me for keeping her close for a while. Whatever. I’ll deal with the consequences later.

The bell finally rings, ending the class. I’m about to gather my things when Logan grabs my arm and yanks me up.

“Jesus, Logan, what the hell?”

“Just come with me,” he mutters, dragging me out.

Axel trails behind with a lovesick grin, tapping away on his phone.

Logan leads us into the cafeteria. My eyes land on Diya instantly, sitting with Leah and Emma. An involuntary smirk pulls at my lips.

Logan drops into the seat beside Emma. Axel slides in next to Leah. Diya’s glare zeroes in on Leah, sharp enough to almost make me laugh.

Kitten. I should call her kitten instead. Because she looks like a tiny ball of fluff trying to bare soft claws.

I chuckle and take the empty seat beside her. “Hey, Pup.” My arm drapes casually over her shoulder, pulling her closer without asking.

Her glare snaps to me. “What the hell, Hunter?” she hisses.

“What?” I lean in, my voice dropping low, my lips brushing deliberately against her earlobe. “You wanna look less pathetic, don’t you? Because right now, you’re giving them full-on jealous girlfriend vibes. Tell me, Pup, are you Axel’s girlfriend?”

Her glare lingers on me for a moment before she looks away without answering.

God, she’s so damn obedient. A chuckle slips out before I can stop it.

Axel speaks first. “Okay… I don’t know what’s going on between you and Leah, but let me just apologize for whatever happened.”

My brows lift, and instantly, every gaze at the table swings toward him. Diya’s glare sharpens like a blade.

“Can you go buy me something to drink, Axel?” she says, not even bothering to look at him.

“Uh… yeah.” He hesitates, then pushes back from the table and leaves.

The silence that follows is thick enough to choke on. Finally, Leah clears her throat and speaks.

“I’m really sorry, Diya. I should’ve told you sooner. But you also have a—” She cuts herself off and flicks her eyes toward me.

“He knows,” Diya says flatly.

Leah nods, her voice softening. “I know it was wrong. I was going to talk to you after Axel’s party, but then everything blew up that night. And when you started avoiding everyone… I never got the chance.”

Diya’s gaze drops, guilt shadowing her features.

I lean in close, my voice low enough for only her to hear. “Told you, you’re not as easygoing as you like to think.”

“Can you stop whispering in my ear?” she mutters, slapping my chest, which only makes me laugh.

“Okay,” Logan cuts in, “what the hell is going on between you two? And Hunter, since when do you talk nonstop?”

I turn to him with a lazy, unapologetic look. “Oh, I just tamed my puppy when I went to see her. So now… we’re close.” My hand tightens slightly on her shoulder to drive the point home.

“What’s with the weird nickname?” Logan presses.

“I have my reasons. And you call Emma ‘Petal,’ which, let’s be real, doesn’t suit her at all. So why don’t you guys keep your noses in your own business and let me be with my puppy?”

I pull her closer, enough that her shoulder flushes my chest.

And then it happens, my heart kicks into overdrive for no damn reason. My eyes drop, and I meet her gaze. Wide and unblinking.

My fist curls against the table. “Don’t look at me like that,” I murmur.

She doesn’t move, doesn’t even look like she registered my words.

“Don’t make me kiss you in front of everyone, Diya,” I add, my voice low, rough. “Because those eyes of yours are begging for it now.”

Her lashes flutter, and she whips her head away, heat blooming down her neck and into her ears.

My gaze drops lower, straight to the curve of her cleavage. My mind flashes uninvited images of how they feel beneath my hands.

A loud throat-clearing snaps me back. I glance up to find Logan staring at me.

“What’s happening here?” he asks flatly.

“Let’s focus on the actual problem,” Emma says, cutting the tension as her eyes flick to me and then settle on Diya.

“I’m really sorry, Diya. I don’t have any excuses… but will you forgive me?” Leah pleads.

My puppy finally nods. “Just… don’t be too lovey-dovey in front of me.”

Leah’s eyes widen. “That’s it? Seriously?”

Axel returns, balancing drinks. He offers one to Diya, but she refuses and turns away.

I chuckle. “Don’t be stubborn,” I murmur, taking the glass from his hand and pressing it lightly to her lips.

“I don’t want—”

Her protest dies as I tilt the glass just enough for juice to slip past her lips. She shoots me a glare but takes the glass from my hand and drinks.

“Okay. Now, Hunter, I need an explanation.” Logan folds his arms, his gaze narrowing.

“I don’t think I owe you one,” I say coolly. “Like I told you earlier, deal with your own problem. And Axel… about the sleepover?” I remind him.

Leah’s been pestering Axel for a week about having one. Emma, of course, refused to join unless Diya agreed. Now that she has, everything appears set. I can’t see any reason it shouldn’t happen.

I’m not the type who enjoys company. But this gnawing curiosity about her has been chewing at me, and the only way to understand it is to spend more time with her.

“Yes. How about tonight?” Axel asks.

I nod, lowering my gaze to Diya. Her brows are already drawn together in a stormy frown. “Aren’t you coming, Pup?”

She shakes her head, looking away.

“Look at me.” My hand rests on her shoulder, then trails deliberately down to her waist. “I said, look at me.”

Her hands fly to mine, trying to pry my grip loose. The more she resists, the tighter my hold becomes. “I want to talk to her alone.” I stand, haul her up to her feet, and snag her bag before dragging her with me.

“What the hell, Hunter?!” she squeaks.

“Shh.” My tone slices the air as I lead her straight to the parking lot. I unlock my car, swing open the backseat door, and push her inside before following. The door shuts with a solid thud, trapping us together.

“What do you want?” she snaps.

“Let me fuck you once.” My words are blunt, unflinching.

She stares at me like I’ve sprouted horns. “Has something happened to your head, Hunter?” She even pokes the side of my skull as if testing for damage.

“I don’t know. Maybe.” I shrug. “So, what’s your answer?”

“I won’t. Who the hell are you to ask me to sleep with you? I don’t even know you. And… are you actually an idiot?” she fires back, her questions stacking in rapid succession.

My hands move without thought, cupping her ass and pulling her onto my lap.

She gasps. “Hunter!”

My breathing grows ragged. My lips find her neck—grazing, pressing, tasting with the flick of my tongue. “Yeah… keep saying my name,” I whisper against her skin, kissing along her jaw, cheek and neck but deliberately avoiding her lips.

She shoves at me, her hands hitting my chest and shoulders, but her fight slowly melts away. Her grip tightens on my shoulders, her breathing and soft gasps betraying her.

It’s real. This pull between us isn’t in my head. I’ve never felt anything like it with anyone else.

“Why?” I murmur against her, my lips trailing lower to her chest.

“What?” she breathes, her voice trembling.

I pull back just enough to meet her eyes. “Why did you make me notice you? Why did you smile like that? Why the hell do you have to be so damn infuriating? Why did you blush when I touched you? Why do you respond to my every word? Why the fuck did you catch my attention? I hated you.” The anger rises hot and sharp in my veins, my grip on her tightening. 

“I thought I hated you. But for three fucking years, Diya, you kept making me look at you. What’s so special about you, huh? Why do you always smile and laugh like you’ve got the whole damn world in your hands? Why did I get angry over some faceless man on the phone with you? Why couldn’t I look away, even when I swore I hated you?”

Her eyes flicker, unreadable. “Three years?” she whispers.

“Do you have answers for any of those questions, Diya? Because I’m losing my mind thinking about them…thinking about you. I can’t focus on anything. You’re here.” I tap my temple hard. “For three years, from the moment you walked into this place for admission, you’ve been torturing me.”

“Hunter…” her voice softens, her eyes shadowed with something dangerously close to pity.

“Don’t pity me.” I snarl, sliding my hands up her back and pulling her flush against my chest. She whimpers softly. “Let me find the answers, Diya. Can you stay with me until then?”

She hesitates, silent for a long moment. “Do I have a choice in this?”

Despite the storm still burning in me, a slow smile curves my lips. “If you ask me… no.”

"It's still a no."

"You're stuck with me for the time being."

And with that, I claim her mouth in a searing kiss.