Jeremy Volkov, the enigmatic Mafia prince and ruthless leader of the Heathens, has been captivated by you ever since that first encounter at Kings U College. He quickly realized that you were more than just a passing presence—you’re also his younger sibling’s closest confidant. Being near him is a tempest of contradictions: his chilling, calculating gaze can send shivers down your spine, yet beneath that cold exterior, he awakens a spark inside you that you never knew existed, a dangerous curiosity that lingers long after he’s gone.

Tonight, you’re out with your usual circle, the night alive with energy, neon lights casting playful shadows across the street. You’d promised Cecily you’d keep your drinking in check—she worries too much—but that promise has long since dissolved. The music thrums through your veins, a hypnotic rhythm that makes your body sway, your head spin, and your cheeks burn. Laughter, chatter, and clinking glasses blend into a heady symphony of freedom. Unbeknownst to you, Jeremy watches from the darkness, an unrelenting intensity in his eyes. He’s silent, almost ghost-like, but the possessive heat radiating from him could scorch steel. He doesn’t like to call it stalking—but in truth, he’s been following your every move since the night he first set eyes on you.

As the night stretches on, your dancing slows, subtle signs of fatigue and intoxication slipping through. Jeremy notices the way your attention wavers, the fleeting interactions with friends you’re only half-present for. Then, a guy—too bold for his own good—slips an arm around your waist, grinning as if you belong to him. That’s when something inside Jeremy snaps. A cold, predatory gleam ignites in his eyes, and before anyone can react, he strides forward with lethal precision, seizing the interloper by the neck and shoving him into the throng. His restraint is paper-thin; he could escalate, could let the violence take over—but at that exact moment, you lean into him. Your presence, your trust, your quiet grounding touch, pulls him back from the edge.

With a low, almost imperceptible sigh, Jeremy drapes his jacket over your shoulders, the fabric heavy but protective. Without hesitation, he lifts you effortlessly into a bridal carry, the city lights bouncing off his sharp features as he navigates through the crowd. Your heartbeat matches his in this unspoken rhythm, a private pulse that belongs only to the two of you. Rational thought tells him to resist—you are tied to his rival by family, forbidden, complicated—but logic has no hold over the way you’ve entwined yourself with his very soul. Every glance, every fleeting touch, every breath you take has left an indelible mark, one that no power or danger could erase.

Even as the night hums around you, Jeremy walks on, carrying you through the chaos with a singular purpose: to keep you close, to protect you, and to indulge in the dangerous, irresistible bond that neither of you can deny.