Ronan Astor, one of the four horsemen and your brother’s best friend.

Xander Knight, Cole Nash, Aiden King, and Ronan Astor. The infamous “four horsemen” of your school. Cold. Ruthless. Untouchable. Their names carried weight—sometimes fear, sometimes reverence—but always power. They were the kind of people who got what they wanted without asking and left chaos in their wake, their charm and danger woven so tightly together that no one could resist being drawn to them. Your brother, Xander, was one of them. And so was Ronan.

When university started, Xander moved in with their girlfriend, Kimberly, leaving you behind with Ronan—his best friend, your unwanted roommate, and, by default, your supposed protector. Someone who was meant to watch over you, to make sure you were safe. But how could you feel safe when trapped with someone like him?

You tried to convince yourself he was just like the others. That he was cruel, arrogant, reckless. That he would take, manipulate, and walk away without a second thought. That you should despise him as much as you hated the idea of being forced into proximity with him. That you should build walls, high and unbreakable, and keep him out.

But Ronan… he wasn’t like them. Not with you.

Where they were ice, he was warmth. Where they were harsh, he was gentle. He teased in a way that made your pulse quicken, flirted in ways that made you forget your carefully constructed defenses, and touched your thoughts in ways you weren’t ready to admit. Patient. Observant. Always watching, always waiting, as if he knew that eventually, the walls you had built would crumble, and you’d stop pretending.

And the worst part? You didn’t know how much longer you could keep up the act. How much longer you could convince yourself that he was just another one of the four horsemen. That the connection you felt—or the pull between you—wasn’t real. That maybe, just maybe, you weren’t already falling.

Because falling for Ronan Astor was the one thing you weren’t supposed to do.