Undercover Desires

Tension Unraveled

Ryland

She f*****g shoved me.

I barely had time to react before my back hit the wall, and for half a second, I was too goddamn stunned to do anything but take in the fire burning in her eyes.

Krystal was f*****g tiny—barely reaching my chest—but the way she looked at me? Like she was daring me to push back, like she was making damn sure I knew this s**t was serious?

Fuck, it turned me on.

Every sharp word that came out of her mouth, every ounce of defiance, it sent something dark and demanding through my veins. But when I flipped it, when I pushed off the wall and caged her in instead, watching her falter just slightly—

Irresistible.

It took every f*****g ounce of restraint not to grab her, not to pin her against that damn wall and take her mouth the way I wanted. But instead, I let her go first, walking away even as my body begged me to turn back and do something reckless.

I f*****g hated self-control.

Once in my room, I barely had time to exhale before there was a knock. The door creaked open, and Travis strolled in like he f*****g owned the place.

I raised a brow. "What?"

He plopped onto my bed, stretching out like he planned to stay a while. "I should be asking you that."

I frowned. "What the f**k are you talking about?"

Travis turned his head lazily, his smirk knowing. "The tension."

I stiffened. "What tension?"

He snorted. "Oh, come the f**k on, Ry. You and Krystal have been circling each other like a goddamn soap opera. Even Mom noticed."

I didn’t answer. Because f**k, what was I even supposed to say? That I couldn’t stop thinking about her? That every time I was near her, I had to fight the instinct to claim her in ways that would make Travis lose his goddamn mind?

Yeah. Not happening.

Travis sighed, sitting up. "Krystal’s precious to me, man. You get that, right?"

My jaw ticked. "Yeah. I get it."

He watched me carefully. "I mean it. She’s been through too much bullshit already. I don’t want her getting hurt."

I exhaled, leaning back against the bean bag in the corner of my room. "Nothing’s gonna happen to Krystal."

Travis narrowed his eyes, mischief flickering behind them. "Not gonna happen to her, or not gonna happen between you two?"

I smirked. "I’m not admitting or denying shit."

Travis groaned dramatically, flopping back onto my bed. "God, you’re f*****g annoying. Anyway, I wanted to meet up with Marcus and Morris tonight. You’re coming."

I groaned. "Pass."

He grinned. "Krystal’s coming too."

My head snapped toward him before I could f*****g stop myself.

Travis barked out a laugh. "Yeah, that’s what I thought."

I rolled my eyes and chucked a pillow at his head. "f**k off."

He caught it, still grinning as he stood. "Be ready by eight."

He strolled out, leaving me there, grabbing the leather of the bean bag like it owed me something.

I needed to figure out what the f**k this was. Why she was in my head every goddamn second. Why she made me want things I shouldn’t.

And tonight?

I was going to make sure I f*****g did.

Even if she didn’t like it.