CHAPTER TWO

EYES ON ICE

ISLA

The second time I realized things had changed, it wasn't because Rowan touched me again. It was because Ellis Grant smiled at me from the ice.

I was sitting in my usual seat at their practice, my knees tucked to my chest, sketchbook balanced on my thighs. The rink buzzed with noise, skates cutting ice, pucks slamming into boards, and Asher's voice and their coach's voice louder than the rest.

You know, it was just the normal flow, the one that made me feel safe. Until Ellis looked up.

He was skating backward, listening to Asher bark instructions, when his gaze flicked toward the stands like they were searching for something until they landed on me. His mouth curved into a soft, knowing smile, small enough that no one else noticed.

But I did.

And that little action disrupted my momentum, and my pencil faltered.

His eyes rolled back to the rink lazily, taking it away from me like it had never happened. Like he hadn't just reached across a rink full of distance and pulled my attention to center around him.

For some weird reasons, Rowan wouldn't look at me, and as much as it hurts, I couldn't voice out my frustration.

I tried to focus on my sketchbook, my pencil moving at the direction of my fingers, doodling shapes and shadows, anything that could distract me from the heat of their gazes-Noah had joined Ellis in his little sneaky peek game.

Then I felt the hair at the back of my neck rise... and I knew he had finally looked at me.

I could feel Rowan watching me long before my own eyes had time to wander toward him. It made my hands shake, and my sketches came out jagged.

"Isla?"

My head snapped up, Asher's voice disrupting my thoughts as I brought my gaze to focus on him.

"Yes?" I replied, keeping my voice level. My cheeks burned even though the stands were mostly empty.

"Don't block the view," he said, gesturing to the side where he knew I always perched. "Or are you just planning to disappear into that sketchbook forever?"

Why did I choose another place to sit? The feeling of three pairs of eyes burning into me made me feel something in the pit of my stomach. Something I've never felt before.

I forced a laugh, pretending I hadn't noticed the way Rowan's eyes had flicked to me at that moment. My brother leaned back on his stick, scanning the ice. "Just... stay here, alright? I can watch you better."

I nodded, trying not to look toward the benches where the other three were huddled together. Ellis adjusted his helmet, Noah yawned, leaning lazily against the boards, while Rowan was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, his eyes burning and fixed.

My throat went dry.

It was maddening, trying to ignore them when every movement they made, every subtle glance, felt like a spotlight on me, and yet I was supposed to act invisible.

Later, after practice, I stayed back to pack my things slowly, telling myself it was only because I liked drawing the ice itself. I mean, the reflections and the cold light felt like magic. My brother had gone to speak with the coach, leaving me alone near the boards.

And that's when Rowan appeared.

"Heading out?" His voice was low and calm, but it made my heart hammer.

I swallowed, trying not to meet his gaze. "Yeah... just... finishing up."

"Want a hand carrying your stuff?"

I hesitated, my hands clutching the straps of my bag like it was a lifeline. "I-I can manage," I said quickly, forcing a polite distance.

Distance... distance is the only way for you to stay sane, Isla.

But Rowan closed that distance anyway, careful not to crowd me, lifting a corner of my sketchbook. "You really shouldn't hide this from everyone just the way you hide that beautiful face. It's... good."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks and shook my head. Rowan just called me beautiful!

"Thanks. I just... I don't like showing it."

"Doesn't mean people don't notice." His words lingered, teasing at the line between observation and something more dangerous. I kept my gaze down, refusing to let him see that his presence alone made my pulse spike and his words painted my cheeks.

"Is he bothering you?"

I turned at the sound of Ellis's voice, and there was that smile of his.

Oh God...

"Yo, yo, yo!"

Rowan rolled his eyes at the sound of Noah's voice, and suddenly all three men were stealing my oxygen.

"Hi, captain's little sister," Noah called cheerily, waving his fingers while leaning against Rowan. Rowan shrugged him away.

"It's Isla," I corrected.

"Captain's little sister," he repeated, and I rolled my eyes.

"Your eyes are pretty when you roll them."

I cleared my throat to keep my cheeks from warming at Ellis's words.

"I swear if you're bothering my sister, I'll cut off your balls!"

They all raised their hands in surrender at my brother's words, and I chuckled. Noah threw me a discreet wink, and I looked away.

The ride back to my dorm was quiet, my thoughts louder than the street traffic. I had to keep reminding myself: Rowan is my brother's best friend. He's off-limits. That's the rule. And yet, every time I closed my eyes, I could still feel his hand brushing mine on the boards and the heat of his body against mine.

And somewhere in-between, Ellis and Noah popped up too. I mean, Ellis has a charming smile, and Noah is just... Noah.

That's it! I'm going fucking crazy!

I didn't realize how tense I'd been until I leaned back against my dorm door, exhaling sharply. My roommate, Sonia, had been in the room when I arrived, headphones in, lost in her music.

"You look... weird," she said, peeking up at me. "Did something happen at practice?"

I bit my lip. "No. Nothing."

She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, and was about to go back to her music when she spoke.

"It's a far stretch, but there's a party I want you to come with me to tonight. And don't you dare say no! You deserve to live a life that doesn't have Asher North in it."

I opened my mouth. I refused, but she was right. Maybe going out a bit would wipe those sinful men out of my thoughts.

We just walked into the frat house-Sonia didn't tell me it was a fucking frat house party-when she grabbed a drink, tapped me on my shoulder, and wandered off, telling me to "mingle and find my clique."

Mingling was what I planned, until a pair of grey eyes crashed into mine.

CHAPTER THREE

GREY EYES & BAD IDEAS

ISLA

Oh my fucking God!

Grey eyes... That was the first thing I noticed.

Not the noise, not the bass rattling the walls of the frat house, not even the heat pressing into my skin the moment Sonia abandoned me. Just the color of his eyes as they locked onto mine from across the room, like he'd been waiting for me to look up.

Rowan Pierce, sitting like he owned the place, a girl draped over his arm as he stared at me. He didn't wave or even move; he just stared.

And somehow, that tightened a knot in my stomach, much tighter than I wanted it to.

My heart stumbled, then picked up its pace as my grip tightened around the plastic cup Sonia had shoved into my hand before disappearing into the crowd.

Look away, Isla... This means nothing, and you don't even belong in this scenario!

But none of my self pep talk worked.

The room was packed, of course. Bodies were swaying, laughter was spilling, and the music was pounding, but the space between Rowan and me felt fragile, like one wrong move would snap it.

I turned slightly, pretending to scan the room and pretending I wasn't acutely aware of him pushing his weight off where he was seated and weaving through the crowd.

And there it was again, that low heat in my chest as the noise dulled.

"You look like you're about to bolt."

His voice came from behind me, low enough to curl straight down my spine. He was close... too close.

I inhaled slowly before turning around. "I might."

His mouth twitched, his grey eyes boring into my brown ones. "Why'd you come, then?"

"I didn't know it was... this." I gestured vaguely to the chaos around us.

"Yeah," he said, eyes flicking over my dress and lingering for two seconds too long. "You don't really scream frat party."

"Neither do you," I shot back before I could stop myself, meeting his gaze and trying not to go jelly under the intensity of his.

That earned me a full smile, one that came out very slow.

"Careful," he murmured. "You might hurt my feelings."

I snorted despite myself, weaving my fingers through my hair. "I'll survive."

"Maybe." His gaze dipped again, this time unapologetic as they raked all over me. "You look beautiful, love."

My throat tightened. Okay... okay... Don't pass out!

"You shouldn't say things like that."

"Why?" he asked softly, his head tilting a bit as his eyebrows raised in amusement. "Because of your brother?"

"Yes," I said immediately, like I was trying to remind myself he was off limits.

He tilted his head. "Or because you don't want me to?"

The question landed too close to something I didn't want to examine. He stepped even closer, getting rid of the little space that was between us before.

"Does Asher know you're here?" He asked, and for some weird reason, his question sparked something angry inside me.

"What do you mean? That I don't take a breath without my brother knowing?"

One would think he'd back off at my angry tone, but Rowan proved me wrong.

"You don't?"

Before I could answer, a sharp laugh cut through the moment.

"Well, this is interesting."

I turned to see a blonde girl leaning against the counter beside us, the same one draped over his arms when I walked in. Her eyes were bright with curiosity and something sharper underneath. She looked me up and down like she was assessing a threat.

"Didn't know Asher North's little sister did parties," she said, lips curling. "Thought you lived in the library."

Rowan's jaw tightened as he turned to glance at her. "Lara."

She ignored him. "Guess the quiet ones always surprise you."

Heat flared in my chest, in addition to the one that had been there earlier.

"I guess the loud ones don't," I said under my breath before I could stop myself.

Rowan barked a laugh before he could stop himself, and Lara's smile slipped.

"Cute," she said coolly. "You should be careful, though. Parties like this aren't for girls who hide behind their brothers. Because I'm sure you can't even kiss a boy without your brother's permission."

These words stabbed my heart and earned mockery laughter from those around us that had begun to notice the drama. I wanted the ground to open and swallow me up.

"Seems I was right," she continued, a coy smile on her face. "You're really just living pathetically off Big Brother, virgin little sister."

My eyes blurred, and before I could think, I was pushing past them and running away.

The whole sound had dulled in my head, and I could only hear the sound of my beating heart. Until someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into a room.

"Hey," Rowan's voice interrupted my thoughts as his palm cupped my cheeks and a tear slid free. His thumb grazed the tears away gently, and before I knew it, I was getting lost in the ocean of his grey eyes.

He leaned in, close enough that I could smell him. "I should've let you leave because if you stay," he said, voice dropping together with his hands, "I don't know if I'll keep pretending."

He walked until he was backing me against the door.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Pretending what?"

"That I don't think about you." His eyes darkened. "That I don't want you."

My heart slammed so hard I could swear he could hear it.

"This is a bad idea. My brother would kill the both of us." I whispered, Lara completely forgotten.

His hand brushed the wood beside my head, trapping me without touching me. "Yeah," he said. "But you haven't walked away."

I didn't answer; I couldn't. After all, he was right.

The world narrowed to the space between us, to the way his gaze flicked to my lips, and to the way my body leaned in before my mind could catch up.

His hands slipped to my waist, holding me firmly against him. Crazy signals shot through my body and straight to my brain, and all I could think of was his lips against mine as he leaned in until our lips were inches apart.

Then he whispered. "Fuck Asher's rules."

CHAPTER FOUR

BAD DECISIONS TASTE BETTER.

ISLA

"Fuck Asher's rules."

Those were the last words that left his mouth, and those words shouldn't have done what they did to me.

They shouldn't have sent a reckless pulse through my chest or made my fingers curl against Rowan's shirt like I was anchoring myself to him. They shouldn't have made me forget-just for a second-that this was dangerous, and the moment I let his soft lips touch mine, there was no going back.

But they did.

The moment Rowan's lips claimed mine, all sense of reasoning flew out the window. My fingers instinctively found his hair, and I was pulling him closer into me.

His hands snaked around my waist, pulling me into him like I was a second skin, one hand slipping down and cupping my ass.

Oh God...

A shameless moan racked through my chest and into the kiss as his touch sent shock waves through every nerve in my body. Butterflies flew endlessly in the pits of my stomach, my ears tingled, and something warm and wet slipped out from between my legs and wet my panties.

Isla, stop!

My mind called out to me, but my body betrayed me shamelessly. His hands slid down and rested on my hips, and in one move, he lifted me. My legs wrapped around his waist as he backed me harder into the door, his lips moving dangerously against mine.

His teeth sank into my lower lip, and the little pain made me gasp, giving him just enough room for him to delve his tongue into my mouth. His tongue roamed the corners of my mouth, looking for a perfect place to rest, but found none before it engaged in a battle with my own tongue.

I could feel something hard press against my throbbing warmth, and that sparked more intensity in my brain, and his kisses became sloppier.

And just when my fingers were tugging his hair harder and I had damned all the consequences in my head, Rowan stopped. Actually stopped.

He froze so suddenly it felt like the air shifted with him. His jaw tightened and his eyes darkened. And you didn't need a sorcerer to know they were darkened not with lust, but with restraint. It was clear he was holding something feral back.

He swore under his breath and dropped me before stepping away and dragging his hands from my waist like it physically hurt him to do it.

"Fuck," he muttered, turning his back to me and scrubbing a hand down his face. "This is a bad idea."

I laughed weakly, my heart still racing and my lips swollen from the heat of the moment. "You're just realizing that?"

He turned back, slower this time, those chaotic grey eyes boring into me again.

Those eyes would be the beginning of my destruction...

"I realized it the first time I looked at you. I just didn't think I'd lose my damn mind over it."

He sounded frustrated, but his words did something to me, something quiet and heavy.

"You should go," he said hoarsely.

I stared at him, my chest aching in a way it had never ached before. "Rowan-"

"Go," he repeated, avoiding my gaze. "Before I forget why I'm trying to be good."

But I couldn't bring myself to move.

Seeing as I was reluctant to move, he stepped to the side and opened the door. And then he was gone. The door shut, and just like that, I was alone.

I stood there for a full minute, staring at the spot where he'd been, my body still buzzing like something dangerous had been carved into my skin. My lips felt warm, and my waist felt empty.

Idiot, Isla. Stupid! Naive! Emotional!

I fixed my dress, wiped the corners of my eyes, and straightened my spine. I stepped back into the party.

The music became loud again, and the party was still moving like my life had not become complicated by just a kiss. I grabbed another cup without caring what was in it and took a long sip.

I danced, just enough to lose myself in the movement, in the noise, and in the lie that tonight didn't matter.

By the time I checked my phone, it was past midnight. There were a lot of unread messages and missed calls from Sonia. Great.

I slipped out of the frat house quietly, the night air cool against my overheated skin as I tried calling a cab. But no luck. I tried another one, and still nothing.

"Perfect," I muttered as I began walking.

The streetlights were sparse, and the road was too quiet for comfort. My heels clicked softly against the pavement as I hugged my jacket closer, nerves beginning to creep in now that the adrenaline had faded.

Then headlights flashed behind me. I froze as a car slowed and rolled beside me. Every bad thought rushed in at once.

And the moment the window slid down, I jumped in fear.

"Jesus," a familiar voice said. "Relax. I'm not about to kidnap you."

Noah Bennett.

He leaned over the wheel, one arm draped casually, the other tapping the steering wheel, grinning like he hadn't scared ten years off my life.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I snapped.

"Wow," he said. "And here I was thinking I'd get a thank-you for not letting you get murdered."

"I was fine," I lied.

"At midnight. Alone. On this road?" He hummed. "Sure."

I rolled my eyes.

"Are you coming from a party?" He asked, and when I nodded, there was an amusement on his face, the kind that came before "Oh, I didn't know Asher let you move around like that."

"Don't even say what I think you're about to say."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Get in, I'll drop you off."

I studied him for a moment before opening the door, and the moment I buckled in, he took off.

Fast.

"Are you insane?!" I grabbed my seatbelt instinctively.

He laughed carelessly. "Relax, North. I know this road."

"You're going to kill us."

"Only a little," he said cheerfully.

Despite myself, I laughed. He cracked jokes the whole drive, stupid ones, sarcastic ones, and ones that distracted me from how fast the city lights blurred past.

Somewhere between my third eye roll and realizing I haven't laughed as much as I did with him, we pulled up to my dorm.

"Wow," I said dryly. "Thanks for not killing me."

"Anytime," he replied. "I try to keep my passengers alive."

He threw me a wink and drove off. I had barely gotten my cheeks to relax when I turned and saw Asher standing in front of my dorm door.