KARIMA HEART

I dropped to my knees beside Ellie, shaking her like that would magically wake her up. My heart raced with guilt. I hated myself for what I'd done, even if I had every right to be mad.

Then Nathan shoved me aside, and before I could blink, his hand cracked across my face.

I hit the ground, dazed.

"Do you always have to turn everything into a d*mn scene? What do you even gain from this?!" he barked.

His voice was thunder. "Just pray nothing happens to my girlfriend."

I sat there, soaked in silence like a stray cat caught in the rain.

His girlfriend? Wait! He just said his girlfriend?

If she was his girlfriend, what was I all along? His backup plan? His fool, who paid for everything and got nothing but heartbreak in return?

You name it... what didn't I do for Nathan?

Every lunch, I paid.

Every date, I picked up the bill.

When he broke down about his sister, I held him, wiped his tears, told him it would be okay... and still paid for everything.

If that wasn't love, then what the hell was?

But none of it mattered.

Because right there, in front of me, he picked her up, held her like she was fragile glass...

And I? I was nothing.

Like, I didn't even exist.

He really left me... This wasn't a nightmare. This was real.

Like a child abandoned in the storm, I crawled toward him, grabbing his ankle.

"Nate, please... I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean to push her-"

My voice cracked into a plea so pathetic, that it felt normal to be that shameless.

He didn't even glance back.

He just kicked my hand away.

And of course, Tyla stood there like she'd just won first prize.

She probably thought this was her big break. That now she had a chance with him.

"Get that camera out of my face, Tyla!" I snapped.

She knelt down, filming closer, grinning like the devil.

"And if I don't? You think I'm gonna miss the golden moment of watching you cry like a homeless puppy?"

As if her words lit a match inside me, something went off.

I didn't even know where the strength came from-maybe it was all the rage I had bottled up for Nathan and Ellie, now finding the nearest outlet.

I grabbed her phone.

And with just a BANG! It shattered against the floor.

I didn't give her a second to gasp. My hand flew to her hair.

She shrieked, twisting and struggling to fight me off.

Then, just like that, a hand yanked me back.

I thrashed, and tried to shake it off, but the grip tightened.

And then I saw him.

Lo and behold! It was Owain.

Oh, perfect.

What a beautiful d*mn timing. *In sarcasm*

I glared at him, my jaw clenched, and then I turned in Ethan's direction.

But before I could take a step, Owain shoved me aside.

"What do you want from me? Can you just stay out of my d*mn business!" I yelled, my voice cracking through the air.

He didn't flinch, he just stood there, staring at me like we were in a theater act, and he was the director trying to figure out which scene needed fixing.

I shoved past Tyla, who was still trying to untangle the mess I left in her hair. Honestly, she looked like a clown whose head had just been set on fire.

"Stop making a fool of yourself, Karima," Owain said, calm as ever.

"Oh, I'm the one being the fool?" I scoffed. "You don't even know what happened, and you're already pinning it on me?"

I let out a long, shaky breath. My chest burned from yelling, but slowly the storm inside me began to settle. The tremble in my nerves dulled a little.

I marched to the table and snatched my bag.

He moved closer, his hands shoved in his pockets like this was some casual stroll.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Let me be... Ellie fainted earlier, and I need to f*cking see her. So, kindly move away."

"No, you're not. Not while you're still breathing like fire."

I blinked at him. "Why? Who the hell do you think you are? My boyfriend? Move the hell out of my way!"

"I'm not moving just because you said so," he replied, his voice steady. "And yes, I am your boyfriend. We had a deal, remember?"

Jesus Christ...

Tyla's head jerked up at that. She didn't care about her hair or her phone anymore. "What do you mean you're her boyfriend? You liked me first!"

Seriously? Does every single hot guy she stumbles on have to be her crush?

She shoved me, and for a second, I thought she might just bite me.

Whatever. She could have the stage. I stormed to the door, ready to leave the whole drama behind.

But I didn't make it far.

Something swept my feet off the floor.

"Put me down, you pervert!" I screamed, thrashing over Owain's shoulder.

He didn't flinch. His grip tightened around my waist.

Was he insane?

"I swear to God, I'll sue you for sexual harassment! Let me the hell down!"

Still nothing. My words bounced off him like rubber bullets.

He went straight to his sleek black luxury car, and flung open the door, tossed me inside, and slammed it shut.

I scrambled for the handle, but he was faster. In one smooth move, he slid into the driver's seat and yanked me back.

Before I could speak, he leaned over and strapped the seatbelt around me, tight.

And without another word, he sped off.

***

OWAIN LUTHER

She's so d*mn stubborn. Hard meat to grind, no doubt. But if I'm being honest... I was starting to love every ounce of drama she kept throwing at me. It was like she didn't know how intoxicating her fire was.

The second we pulled into the parking space, she turned to me sharply, those eyes of hers already shouting a thousand things before her lips could even catch up.

And hell, I'd be lying if I said that look didn't do something to me.

"What? Need me to open the door for you?" I smirked.

She didn't have it. Not even a twitch of amusement.

"Why are we here?" she asked, throwing me a glare that could melt steel.

"Why else?" I shrugged. "Brought you home to clear your head. It's the only place you actually stay calm."

"And you think being stuck at home with you would calm me? Is that supposed to be funny?"

"No. Unless you want it to be." I leaned back casually. "You said it yourself, staying indoors keeps you calm."

I didn't even mean to say that. But it came out anyway. And yeah, it was a little embarrassing that I remembered something she said years ago.

Her brows twitched, surprise flickering across her face, but she said nothing. Just opened the door and stormed out like I hadn't just exposed myself.

We barely got inside before she shot straight to her room.

And like the fool I was, I followed right after her, catching the door before she could slam it in my face.

"What now?" she snapped, whirling at me.

"You're seriously going in without me?"

"Was I supposed to invite you in?"

I didn't bother answering. I just pushed the door open and walked in like I owned the place.

The room screamed pinky girl, sweet, soft, too neat. But my eyes found what they needed.

Lying on the reading table... was a frame. The photo we took ten years ago.

Seriously?

She saw what I'd seen and ran for it, then, snatched it like it was her last defense.

"There's no point hiding that," I said, moving closer, my eyes locked on hers.

She clutched the frame behind her, like it could save her from the heat she knew was about to rise between us.

But it wouldn't. Not this time.

***

KARIMA HEART

My eyes stayed locked on Owain as he moved closer, that smug calmness written all over his face.

"Look, I was just clearing out some old stuff and... I found it in the junk pile. It's not what you think," I blurted, even though he hadn't asked for a single d*mn explanation.

Why did I even say that?

"Yeah," he murmured, his voice low like a whisper, "I believe you."

He was already standing right in front of me now, his lips hovering just inches from mine.

I swallowed hard.

My knees gave in a little, but his arms slid around my waist, catching me before I completely lost balance.

God, I hated how that made me feel.

How my body reacted to him, like I had no say in it.

How his dark smirk crawled under my skin, annoying... and yet, frustratingly inviting.

I shouldn't be feeling this way. Not when I was still dealing with heartbreak.

But then his hand shifted slightly lower and my breath hitched.

I bit down on my lower lip, cursing my own body for responding.

He didn't move.

He just stood there, looking at me like he could read every thought I was trying to bury.

I slowly shut my eyes, bracing myself for whatever came next.

Then... the door flung open.

Malcom stepped in.

For a second, he just stared blankly, trying to process what he walked in on.

Then his gaze dropped straight to Owain's arm, wrapped tightly around my waist.

His face turned into stone. "What the hell is going on here?"

OWAIN LUTHER

I didn't plan for Malcom to show up early, but it wasn't exactly shocking either. The guy had a sixth sense for walking in at the worst possible moment... And we weren't even doing anything illegal, just her in my arms, that's all, but...

When his eyes locked on us-Karima in my arms, her lips parted like she'd just caught herself wanting something she shouldn't. For a second, he froze. Then his brain finally registered the scene.

Before I could blink, he was moving. I could swear he wanted to murder me, with that fury in his eyes... Karima broke out of my hold as if he hadn't seen everything-stepping between us just as he closed the distance.

"We... Owain was just comforting me. That's all. It's been a rough day," she rushed out.

I didn't say a word. There was really no point. The lie was weak, but she tried. Which meant something. She wasn't really the hard girl she pretended to be.

Exactly why she needed someone like me to bring out that wild in her and maybe with a little bit of learning and Devil's spice, she'd catch up quick.

Malcom's eyes narrowed. "Are you serious? That's supposed to mean anything to me?"

Karima's tough-girl act slipped. Her body edged slightly back like his voice alone could break her. She swallowed hard.

"I swear, Malcom. You can ask Owain... I just found out Nathan and Ellie were dating behind my back," she said, her voice softer now, but a little cracked. "I lost it, okay? Owain stopped me before I did something stupid."

Malcom turned to me, that unspoken you'd-better-confirm-this-look in his eyes. I gave him a calm shrug. Nothing else.

She covered for me. I could return the favor. She was already playing well, though.

He sighed, his jaw tight. Then, his anger shifted but still a little protective, but less ready to kill like before.

The only thing holding Malcom back was Karima standing there, and that hurt in her eyes, he couldn't bring himself to add more weight to it.

"You could've called me," he muttered to her, his voice thick with guilt. "I'd have shown up and handled that *ssh*l* myself."

"You wouldn't have made it in time, bro," I said under my breath.

He didn't look at me. He just placed a hand on her shoulder, the other brushing over her cheek with that quiet big-brother tenderness.

"Go fix us something to eat, alright? We'll be out in a minute."

She nodded, her eyes lowering to the ground, before she walked out without another word.

The door clicked shut.

And just like that, Malcom's eyes cut straight to me.

"Stay away from my little sister, Owain. That's not a suggestion, it's a warning."

I almost laughed. Seriously? Calling her little. Was that supposed to be a joke?"

"You sure she's still little?" I muttered with a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth.

His jaw tightened. "Don't push me. She's not one of your girls you can play games with."

"Relax, man," I held my hands up in mock surrender. "She told you I was just comforting her. Why are you still wound up? Don't you trust her?"

His eyes narrowed, his fists clenched at his side. "I trust her. It's you I don't."

He stepped closer, invading my space, his voice lower but sharper this time. "So just do what I said. Stay. Away."

I chuckled. "Alright, fine. I'll stay off her lane... but you better pray she doesn't come back to mine. I'm not the one chasing her."

He shot me a death glare. "I'm watching you, Owain."

I leaned my head back, letting the silence sit between us before meeting his gaze dead-on. His forehead was pulsing with veins bulging like they were about to explode. That's how you know Malcom's boiling.

I gave a low whistle. "You're acting like she's your girlfriend, not your sister. Might want to tone down that possessiveness a little."

That was it.

His fist slammed into my jaw.

My head jerked sideways, but I didn't stagger. Nah, I'd been expecting it. He needed to blow off steam, and I gave him the spark.

"You don't f*cking tell me how to protect my own blood!" he growled. "Especially not from a s*x-crazed freaks like you."

I rubbed my jaw with a laugh, with a slow and sharp move. "Okay. As you wish. Just try not to make it so obvious you're in love with her. I've done my part keeping your little secret... I'm done now."

That hit home. Exactly, how I imagined it.

He charged forward, and this time I didn't play nice. I caught him mid-swing, twisted him around and drove my fist across his face once, then another shot to his ribs. That first punch was payback, the second was just for fun.

He tackled me again, and we rolled hard across the floor, knocking over a chair and slamming into the side table. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't better than me. Not in a fight.

He obviously did some work out, he'd improved a little but he was still behind me.

Right in the middle of the chaos, there was a knock. It came sharp and fast.

We froze, both of us breathing hard as if we just ran a marathon.

The door creaked open slowly.

And there she was. Karima Heart.

And behind her was... Yasmin.

My d*mm girlfriend.

Sh*t!

My jaw locked immediately.

Yasmin's eyes darted between our blood-flushed faces, the mess on the floor, and our stiff bodies. She blinked.

"Were you guys... fighting?" she asked, her voice low and confused.

Karima said nothing.

And me?

I knew right there, I was officially screwed.

OWAIN LUTHER

I staggered away from Malcom, my fingers threading through my hair in frustration.

Malcom wouldn't lift his head, guilt branded on his face, not because Yasmin caught us mid-fight, but because Karima just witnessed it all.

I strolled up to Yasmin, draping an arm around her waist. "Yasmin, you didn't mention you'd be flying in." I met her gaze.

Karima had already stepped in, pulling Malcom to his feet, though he still avoided her eyes.

Yasmin? She brushed my arm off like I was contaminated.

I would be lying if I said that little stunt could actually shrug off the scene she just witnessed.

"I asked you a question, Owain. What the hell happened?" She snapped. Her eyes flicked to my swollen, bloodied lip.

"It's nothing, alright? Can we focus on why you're here?" I insisted.

D*mn. Wrong move. Her eyes narrowed, sharp as daggers.

"Seriously? That's what's important now, huh?" She shot a glance at Karima who instantly avoided her gaze. "Because you sure aren't thrilled to see me. All you care about is why I'm here. Well, guess what, honey... I came to clean up your mess."

That was all she said then, spun on her heel and stormed off.

That's Yasmin for you. What was I expecting? An honest conversation? Not when she's this p*ss*d.

And now, her unexpected arrival in New York has thrown my plans into turmoil.

She was supposed to wait for me to return to Thailand-not just hop on a flight and show up here like this.

"You know I don't know my way around here, Owain. Why are you dragging behind?" Her voice cut through the silence.

Right. I snapped out of my head and picked up my pace, leading her toward my room.

I didn't bother glancing back... but I didn't need to. I could feel Karima's eyes burning into my back, watching me walk away.

***

KARIMA HEART

The moment Owain strutted off with his sassy handbag of a girlfriend, I turned to Malcom.

He was staring down at his palm like it held some invisible secret, like it could somehow shield him from what I was about to say.

Owain picking a fight? That was expected. But Malcom? He'd never been the type. Always the level-headed one, always preaching self-control and keeping your cool.So whatever led him to throw hands with Owain had to be serious.

But... He was obviously not ready to talk about it so I'd cut him a slack.

"I should get you some ice pack for that lip," I said, already getting up.

He didn't answer. Just stayed still until he caught my wrist and gently tugged me back down.

"I'm sorry, Karry," he muttered, his voice low with guilt. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

I gave a soft nod, forcing a small smile. "It's okay. I'm sure Owain started it anyway. But what I really want to know is... what the hell did he say to get you so riled up? You've been best friends forever. He's a pain in the *ss, yeah, but you've always handled him. Why snap now?"

Malcom looked away, his jaw tightened. I was actually expecting him to spill it. Maybe the part I really needed him to clarify. "He thinks I'm too protective... as a brother."

I narrowed my eyes. That was it?

His expression said he was done talking, but mine said I wasn't buying it.

But I still waited for him to probably add to it... But his silence said it all... That was all to it.

"Seriously? You two threw punches over that?" I asked, giving him my best I-know-you're-lying stare.

He sighed, catching it. "That look tells me you don't believe me."

"You're right. Because it doesn't make any d*mn sense, Malcom."

"I told you the truth."

"Okay, fine. Can I go get the ice now?"

"You still don't believe me?"

"It's not that. It's just... I don't care if you fought him. I care that you're lying to me. You're holding something back, and I can feel it. I'm sure of it."

"There's nothing else to say! You're blowing this out of proportion." His voice rose sharper now. "Just say what you really want to ask."

"Fine." I shifted on the bed, my voice slicing through the room. "What was he talking about?"

He blinked, confused.

"I heard it," I said, slower now. "That you're in love with me and definitely keeping a secret too. I heard it, Malcom. So start explaining because none of this is making any d*mn sense."

His expression twisted into genuine confusion.

"Silly," he said, a faint, unconvincing smile tugging at his lips. "You're my sister... who else would I love?"

He wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Don't make me feel like I'm crazy for asking this, Malcom."

"But you are," he said quickly. "This is ridiculous. I don't even know what you think you heard."

I let out a sharp breath, my patience thinning. "Fine. I'll just go ask Owain. He seemed pretty sure about it."

I turned to leave, and that's when his voice came harder, way too sharper than the last.

"You need to stay away from Owain. He's a bad guy, Karima. I don't want you near him."

I spun around, narrowing my eyes. "And now he's the villain? Really?"

"Since when do you question me like this?"

"Since you started lying to my face. I'm not stupid, Malcom."

He clenched his jaw. "I told you the truth."

"No, you told me what you thought would shut me up."

I stepped back, every part of me burning. "I don't care if you fought Owain. But I do care that you're hiding something from me. Something big."

"There's nothing else to say." He murmured.

"Fine," I bit out. "Keep your secrets. Just don't expect me to stick around while you lie to me."

And with that, I walked out the door, not waiting for whatever excuse he was still holding onto.

But deep down... I couldn't lie to myself... maybe I'd pushed too far.

After all, I had my own secret too. One I hadn't told him either.

I felt guilty.

But even with the guilt weighing on me, I still needed the truth.