The living room of Hughie Biggs’ house was a blur of flashing lights, thumping bass, and laughter. His birthday-slash-Halloween party was in full swing, the rugby lads and half their school squeezed into every corner. Hughie leaned against the drinks table, Bugs Bunny ears perched crookedly on his head, a grin tugging at his lips as he watched the chaos unfold.

Johnny Kavanagh elbowed him with a smirk. “Mate, tell me I’m not losing it—Jiji looks unreal tonight.”

Patrick Feely let out a low whistle. “Unreal? She’s a bleeding knockout. Who knew Lola Bunny could look like that?”

Joey Lynch chuckled, leaning back on the counter. “You’re telling me. That girl’s dangerous. Look at her—every lad in this place is tripping over themselves just to get near her.”

Hughie’s grin faltered, a sharp twist of annoyance running through him. He followed their gaze, and there she was—Jiji—laughing with her friends in the middle of the dance floor, swaying to the beat like the music belonged to her. The cropped top and gold shorts of her Lola Bunny costume hugged her in all the right places, and every other guy in the room seemed to be looking at her the same way his mates were.

And he hated it.

He hated that they didn’t know she was his. That he couldn’t say anything without blowing their secret. He hated that the rugby lad dancing near her was edging closer, trying to steal her attention.

“Damn,” Johnny said, shaking his head. “If I wasn’t me—”

“That’s enough,” Hughie cut in, voice rougher than he intended.

Patrick blinked at him. “Whoa, calm down, mate. Just saying she’s—”

“I heard you the first time,” Hughie said, jaw tight. He downed the rest of his drink, slammed the cup on the counter, and walked away.

The crowd parted as Hughie moved through it, his tall frame impossible to miss, his expression set with something darker than his usual easygoing grin. Jiji spotted him instantly, her face lighting up in that soft, secret way she only ever looked at him. But before she could say anything, his hand was on her waist.

“Hughie—” she started, startled.

He didn’t let her finish.

He pulled her to him, lips crashing onto hers in a kiss that stole her breath and silenced the room around them. Her hands instinctively curled into the front of his Bugs Bunny jersey, and for a split second, everything—the party, the crowd, the lads watching—faded away.

The room exploded.

Someone—probably Joey—let out a loud, “Holy shite, Biggs!” Patrick’s drink sloshed onto the floor. Johnny just stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

When Hughie finally pulled back, Jiji’s cheeks were flushed, her Lola ears slightly askew. “What was that?” she whispered, eyes darting nervously around the room at all the shocked faces.

Hughie didn’t care. He grinned, breathless but sure. “Couldn’t take it anymore, Ji. They all keep looking at you like you’re theirs when you’re not. You’re mine.”