I knew this morning was going to be rough when I forced myself out of bed and caught my reflection in the mirror. My hair was messier than usual, which is normal because of how I sleep, and there were dark circles under my eyes that screamed "delirious." Not surprising, really. After what happened last night with Dash, I was restless, my mind replaying every moment over and over again. I thought that after we talked—and well, got physical—things would calm down, but no. If anything, the air between us was thicker, like we'd stepped into a new territory neither of us had fully mapped out.

I leaned against the sink, letting out a long sigh. Dash's spot on my bed was empty, the sheets rumpled where his broad frame had been. He left earlier for practice, kissing me briefly on the forehead before heading out, all confident swagger and protective energy. That's just him—always sure, always in control. I envy it sometimes, the way he knows what he wants and isn't afraid to take it.

Me? I'm still trying to figure it out.

I splashed some cold water on my face and tried to shake off the weird feeling lingering in my chest. It wasn't unease per se, but more like anticipation. As if something was coming. I couldn't put my finger on what exactly was coming, though. The campus was quiet this morning, the typical sound of students and activities not yet in full effect. I mean, come on. It's the week after homecoming week. So glad we only have three days of classes this week. The football game was on Saturday night, and even though Dash and I had spent most of the after-party with the few people we were close to, I knew he was on edge. Kwan had been there, lurking, watching us, and while nothing happened then, I had a feeling it wasn't over between them.

That feeling followed me all the way to my first class.

I slid into my usual seat at the back of the lecture hall, pulling my hoodie up over my head. I desperately needed the comfort of anonymity right now, something to ground me while my mind kept running through the events of the last week. About nine days ago, the night of the homecoming game after-party to be exact, Dash and I had crossed a line—one that was both thrilling and terrifying. I knew he was overprotective, but that night had pushed things to another level. Not that I'm complaining, of course. It's just… different. There's something about the way Dash looks at me now—something fiery and fierce. He's always been protective, but now it's like he's ready to tear apart anyone who even dares to look at me the wrong way. Part of me likes it, the part that's always been unsure, always hidden behind shadows. But another part of me wonders how far that side of him can go. I want him to go further.

Before I could get too lost in my thoughts, I felt it. The familiar icy chill that ran down my spine whenever something… wrong was about to happen. I stepped out into the hallway in front of my class, and didn't need to think twice to know Kwan had entered the building. I also didn't need to think twice to know he was coming up right behind me, either.

He wasn't supposed to be here. This wasn't his scene, wasn't his class. He doesn't even have any classes on this side of campus. But of course, he wouldn't pass up a chance to mess with me. Not after everything that went down in the past number of days.

I kept my eyes forward, pretending I didn't notice the way he was breathing angrily, but it was no use. His presence was impossible to ignore. Heavy footsteps stopped right behind me.

"So, Fenton." Kwan's voice oozed with disdain, the smug arrogance I'd come to associate with him. "What the hell were you and Dash doing at my party Saturday night?"

I blinked, knowing that this would not end well for either one of us. I slowly turned to face him. He was standing too close, his arms crossed, muscles straining against his football jacket, and a face mask to hide his broken nose. The same jacket Dash wore, only Dash made it look… better. Kwan's jaw was clenched, and there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kwan." I replied, calm yet irritated. "But I do know you shouldn't be here. You shouldn't be fucking with me, either." Maybe if I acted uninterested, he'd get bored and go away.

But of course, Kwan wasn't one to take a hint. He snorted, leaning closer, his voice low and menacing. "Don't play dumb with me, Fenton. I saw you sneaking off with Dash after the game. In my frat house. Don't think I didn't notice."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "We were just talking to each other. Plus, you were drunk like the rest of us were." I answered, not giving him the satisfaction of a real response. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Talking, huh?" Kwan scoffed. "You expect me to believe that? You're full of shit."

My fingers tightened around my phone in my pocket, irritation bubbling under my skin. Kwan had always been a pain, but lately, he'd been worse. I guess seeing Dash and me together was driving him nuts. He couldn't stand the idea that someone like me—quiet, shy, different even—had anything to do with his friend, his teammate. And honestly, I didn't owe him any explanation.

"You're one to talk. That's how you got your face shattered."

He was clearly getting more upset, but I just chuckled in his face. "I know that."

"Honestly…" I said, my voice steady but firm. "I really don't care what you believe, Kwan. You can respectfully go fuck yourself for all I care."

That did it. His eyes flared with rage, and before I could even react, his hand shot out, grabbing the front of my hoodie and yanking me to my feet. I remained calm, but for a split second, I saw the intent in his eyes and the way his fingers curled into fists. He was going to hit me. "I'll break your fucking face."

My face didn't budge for a moment, but when I saw someone standing behind him, I got the biggest grin on my face. "Not if he has anything to say about it."

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Dash didn't say a word as he quietly waited, his eyes appearing as if they were set on fire, and his face a mask of cold fury. His teal eyes were locked onto Kwan, and for a moment, I thought the entire room might burst into flames from the intensity of it.

Kwan dropped his hand, let me go, and turned to face Dash.

"You got a problem, Kwan?" Dash's voice was low and dangerous. He spoke in the kind of voice that would've made anyone in the vicinity stop what they were doing.

Kwan's bravado faltered for a second, but then he straightened, trying to play it cool. "We were just having a conversation, man. Nothing too much." He said, but his voice lacked the earlier confidence.

"Yeah, I bet." Dash's lips curled into a sinister smirk, and in one swift motion, he grabbed Kwan's wrist. The same hand he was going to hit me with. I heard the sickening crack before I even realized what was happening.

Kwan let out a pained scream, one that could've sent security up to where we were. He clutched his hand as Dash stepped closer, his voice cold and lethal. "Touch him again, you're dead."

That wasn't a threat. It was a promise.

Kwan's face paled, and he stumbled back, cradling his broken fingers as he muttered something under his breath. He shot one last glare at me before turning and rushing down the hall.

The moment he was gone, the tension in my shoulders melted, but it didn't last long. Dash turned to me, his expression softening but still filled with that fierce protectiveness.

"You okay?" He asked, his hand resting on my shoulder now, gentle where it had been forceful before.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks."

He didn't say anything for a moment, just looked at me like he was trying to read my mind, to make sure I really was okay. I knew this side of him—the overprotective, possessive side—wasn't going away. However, there was something reassuring in it too, something that made me feel… safe.

"You didn't have to do that, Dashi." I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dash tilted his head, his brow furrowed. There was a slight growl to his tone, and it drove me crazy. "Yes, I did."

There was no arguing with him. Not when he was like this. And, honestly, I wasn't in the mood to fight him on it. I was just relieved Kwan was gone, and that I didn't have to deal with any more of his drama.

Dash's hand slid down from my shoulder, and before I knew it, he was pulling me into him, wrapping his arms around me in a protective embrace. My face was pressed against his chest, the scent of his cologne filling my senses, and for the first time today, I felt like I could finally breathe.

"Don't worry about Kwan, baby boy." He murmured, his voice soft now, like the storm had passed. "He won't bother you again. Not after this."

I nodded into his chest, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. Dash was always so warm, so solid, and being close to him like this made everything else seem distant, unimportant.

"Why… You don't have to keep doing this." I repeated, my voice muffled against his shirt, emotion invading my heart. "You don't have to keep saving me."

Dash pulled back just enough to look down at me, his blue eyes intense but full of something else—something deeper than that. "I'm not saving you, Danny. I'm protecting what's mine. You're mine."

The words sent a shiver down my spine, but not in a bad way. There was something possessive in the way he said it, but also something incredibly… sincere. I didn't argue with him. Not because I couldn't, but because, in a way, I wanted to be his. Wanted to belong to him, to let him protect me, even if it meant dealing with the intensity that came with it.

Dash brushed a thumb across my cheek, his touch light and careful, like I might break if he wasn't gentle. "Your heart may not understand this 100%, but you mean a lot to me, Danny. More than I think you realize. And anyone that threatens you will have to deal with me."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly tight with emotions I wasn't sure how to express. "You mean a lot to me too, Dash. Thank you." I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"You're welcome, Danny."

For a moment, the world around us seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us in this small, quiet moment. There were no more questions, no more threats, just the steady beat of Dash's heart under my ear and the comfort of being in his arms.

When Dash and I returned to our dorm that night, something took over him and before I could even get into something more comfortable, I found myself in some huge trouble. Dash somehow, someway, managed to tackle me onto the king-sized mattress and pin me down.

"Dash, what—"

"You must love getting in trouble with me, ghost boy." He spoke in a very seductive and husky way.

"Dash…" I started calmly, praying that this plan would work. "What are you doing, love? You know, I'd like to get into something a little more—oh, I don't know—comfortable before you try to play fight with me again. So, I'm gonna need you to let me get up, okay baby? Just let me get up and get changed, then I'm all yours."

His eyes brightened, which led me to think he heard me. A smile spread on his face and he let go of my wrists. I didn't move from where I was because I wasn't sure if he would just pounce right back on me. "How long do you think it'll take you, angel?"

"Two minutes, maybe less."

And I was right. It took me all of thirty seconds to get my shoes, shorts, and my shirt off. I threw my hoodie back on and zipped it up. To my shock, Dash stared at me the entire time. More importantly, he was staring at my body. I mean, I couldn't blame him. While I may not be as muscular as he is, I definitely have a good physique for a non-athlete.

"Okay. Now, would you mind explaining to me why you tackled me down to this bed and pinned me as if I was a wrestler?"

He didn't answer right away, but judging by how focused he looked, I could tell he was thinking of an answer. "I've been thinking. You don't happen to remember what you said to me a few days ago, do you?"

"Uh, no." I don't have the energy for him to be questioning me right now, mostly because I'm tired and hungry. So, I don't care what I did, Dash. Just do something about it.

"Well, let me remind you."

In the snap of a finger, I was once again back first on the mattress, pinned by my wrists, and struggling to get free. I looked up into his eyes and that look—the one I used to be scared of, the one that entailed chaos and destruction—was right there. In fact, that was the look he had earlier, but this time… it's mixed with something sincere. For what it's worth, our way of communicating has improved vastly over the last few months. Well, verbally, anyways. Non-verbal communication, though? We had that mastered years ago. One of the common ways we communicate nonverbally is actually through oculesics. If I blink twice and roll my eyes, he immediately knows that I'm irritated. If he blinks once and smirks, then I know that he's about to start some trouble. Finally, if I give him puppy dog eyes and frown with my arms out, then he knows to give me a hug because I've either had a bad day or just want to cuddle with him.

As I'm still trying to break myself out of his grip, his eyes are locked onto me. There's a hardened expression on his face, and his brows are furrowed. "Danny, stop moving. NOW."

I slowly stop moving, and soon enough, lock eyes with him. I take a deep breath and blink. "Yes?"

He smirks and narrows his eyes. "You're in trouble." He whispered, his voice low and authoritative.

I blinked, confusion clouding my thoughts. I didn't know what I'd done. My breath caught in my throat as I tried to think back, but my mind came up blank. Dash's eyes didn't leave mine, the weight of his stare pressing into me, demanding something I couldn't remember.

My brows furrowed slightly, the silent question clear. "What did I do?"

Dash's gaze darkened, his grip on my wrists tightening just enough to make me squirm beneath him. His pupils flared, a warning. "You know what you did."

I swallowed, feeling my heartbeat quicken as I stared back into his eyes, trying to piece together what had gone wrong. But the longer he held me there, the more helpless I felt. My lips parted slightly, but no words came out. My eyes pleaded, softening as I silently begged for mercy. "I don't know, Dash. Please… tell me."

Dash's head tilted ever so slightly, and his smirk faded. His eyes narrowed in challenge. "Don't play innocent." His expression shifted from teasing to something darker, more serious, and my stomach twisted.

I blinked again, trying to understand, my chest rising and falling with nervous breaths. There had to be something. My gaze darted down, then quickly back up, searching for clues. His eyes followed the movement, catching every detail, every hesitation.

"Look at me." He commanded. "Don't hide."

I met his stare again, and the unspoken tension hung between us like a storm about to break. He leaned in closer, his breath warm against my face, his eyes demanding my submission. I knew better than to look away. My pulse raced as I gave in, a silent surrender in the way my body relaxed beneath him.

His brow arched slightly, his lips twitching upward in a way that told me he wasn't going to let this slide easily. "You're not getting off that easy."

I bit my lip, my eyes widening as I silently asked him the ill-fated question. "How bad is this going to be?"

He didn't answer with words. Instead, his gaze shifted down to my lips, then back up to my eyes. "I'll decide when you've had enough."

A small gasp escaped me as he leaned down further, his forehead nearly touching mine, his eyes never breaking contact. The heat between us flared, and I knew Dash had already decided how this was going to end. And I knew there was no getting out of it now.

"You're mine to handle, you're mine to control, and I promise you… once this is over, you'll never disrespect me again."

Disrespect him? When did I—no. He can't be serious. There's no way. My eyes widen in shock as I look at him, as if the answer flashed in my mind. "A-Are you serious?!" I stuttered.

Another smirk appears and he nods. "As a heart attack. Once I'm done, you'll know your place."

Something tells me that whatever it is he's got up his sleeve, I'm going to have to endure all of it. A part of me thinks that maybe I should've kept my fucking mouth shut a few days ago. Had I done that, I wouldn't be in this mess with him. Then again, a part of me loves when Dash is dominant and aggressive. It just scratches a certain part of me that words couldn't do it justice. In all seriousness, though, I don't know what he's going to do, but I'm ready for his fury. If I have to be honest, though…

I'm scared.