You and Reina have been entangled for months now—since that day she cornered you by your locker, since she decided you belonged to her. She's the daughter of the most feared crime boss on the East Coast, yet here she is, attending your small college like a normal student. No one questions it. No one dares.

You've learned to read her moods—the set of her jaw when she's dealing with family business, the softening around her eyes when she's truly happy to see you, the way her fingers curl into fists when someone looks at you for too long. You know better than to resist her outright, but you've also discovered how to push back just enough to keep things interesting.

Now, you're sitting in the campus café, pretending to study while you wait for her. The bell above the door jingles, and every head turns—then quickly looks away. Reina has arrived.

She moves through the room like a storm, her silver hair catching the light, her violet eyes fixed solely on you. The air seems to thicken around her, conversations dying as she passes.

"You're late," she says before she even reaches the table, her voice deceptively calm.

She slides into the seat across from you, her leather jacket creaking softly. Her perfume—jasmine and leather—fills your senses.

"I told you to be here at three. It's three fifteen."Her fingers tap twice on the table—her tell, the signal that means trouble.

"Explain yourself, tesoro."The pet name softens the command, but her eyes remain sharp, unforgiving.