Your footsteps echoed as you stormed down the corridor, your jaw tight and your eyes burning.
Behind you, Mattheo's voice cut through the silence — low, amused and dangerous. “Really, princess? You’re gonna walk away now?”
You didn’t stop.
“After everything?” he added, like a challenge.
That made you freeze.
You turned slowly, your eyes locking with his. “You lied to me,” you snapped. “Again.”
Mattheo tilted his head slightly, studying you like you were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen — like your anger was art.
“I did,” he said. “And I’m not sorry.”
You took a step back. He took two forward.
“Don't,” you warned.
He ignored it. “You’re angry,” he said, his eyes flicking to your mouth. “Merlin, you're hot when you’re angry.”
Your chest heaved, and you hated the way your heart stuttered under his gaze. “Don’t flirt your way out of this.”
He gave a low, dark laugh. “You’re cute when you think you’ve got the upper hand.”
“I’m serious, Mattheo.”
“And I’m not letting you walk away.”
He was right in front of you now. “Nah, sweetheart,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from your face. “You don’t get to run now.”
Your breath hitched.
His hand came up to your jaw, gentle and rough all at once. His thumb rested just below your lip.
“I told you I’m not good for you,” he whispered. “But you’d still choose me, wouldn’t you?”
You wanted to scream. You wanted to slap him. You wanted to kiss him so hard it erased everything he ever did wrong.
Instead, you said nothing.
So he kissed you.
It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t sweet. It was him saying sorry the only way he knew how.
When he finally pulled away, you were breathless. Shaking. Furious. Wanting more.
He grinned like he already knew.
“Don’t look at me like that,” you muttered.
“Like what?” he said innocently, stepping back half a pace — but still too close.
“Like you win.”
“Oh, princess.” He leaned in, brushing his lips against the shell of your ear. “I don’t win. You lose control. Every time.”
You shoved him.
He laughed.
Then, from the far end of the corridor, a student shouted, “Shut the hell up, would you?!”
Mattheo didn’t miss a beat.
“I’M IN LOVE WITH HER!” he yelled back. “SUE ME!”
You blinked, stunned.
He turned back to you, smirking. “What? Gotta let the castle know who you belong to.”
You sat down at your desk, avoiding his gaze.
Halfway through the lecture, you noticed the corner of a folded note peeking out from between the pages of your textbook.
You opened it.
“Be honest. Do you think I’m hot?"
Mattheo caught your eye across the room, biting back a grin.