under his control

The Morning After

Kale's POV

My phone buzzed right by my ear and scared the s**t out of me. I groaned into the pillow stuck under this stupid soft duvet in the penthouse bed. It felt like sleeping in a cloud. I reached out blind and my hand knocked stuff around on the nightstand before I found my phone. The screen was way too bright. Molly’s name kept flashing.

I swiped the green button and dragged the phone to my ear, my voice thick with sleep. “What do you want, Molly? It is literally the middle of the night.”

“Kale are you dumb?” Molly’s voice came in loud and fast. “It's literally nine in the morning, bestie. The lecture is about to start and the professor is here. Where the hell are you? Are you ghosting classes now, or did you finally get kidnapped by some sketchy music producer?”

It took my brain like three seconds to process her words before the reality of the situation hit me. Nine. School already started.

I sat up fast and the duvet got wrapped around my legs. I tripped trying to stand. “Oh s**t oh s**t oh s**t” I said, walking in circles on the floor. I pressed my thumb against the screen, switching the call to speakerphone before tossing the device onto the unmade bed so I could sprint toward the massive walk in closet.

“Whoa, calm your t**s, what is happening?” Molly yelled over the line, sounding lost by my sudden panic. “Why are you screaming like you just saw a ghost? Talk to me, what is the tea?”

“Molly, you have no f*****g idea what happened yesterday!” I yelled back, ripping a clean gray hoodie off a hanger and dragging it on.

I grabbed a pair of distressed black jeans from a shelf, hopping on one foot as I tried to pull them up over my legs.. “My life’s a whole mess. I forgot what time it was cause I’m not even home.”

“Wait wait” Molly cut in, voice going full gossip mode. “You’re not at home? You got a guy?? Is he rich?? Tell me everything right now don’t skip the gross stuff.”

“Not like that... Okay kinda but it’s messy," I panted, rushing back into the bedroom to grab my phone, holding it in front of my face as I sprinted toward the main bathroom to brush my teeth. “So yesterday before school ended I went to the bathroom. And you won’t believe who I saw hooking up in a stall.”

“Who? Do not gatekeep, Kale, I will literally drive to your house and punch you.”

“Noah!” I spit out, quickly rinsing my mouth with water. “The super hot, quiet guy from our class. He was in the stall with Perry, completely throwing down. It was wild, Molly. I ran out of there so fast I think I broke a speed record.”

“No... Way.” Molly screamed and it echoed in the bathroom. “Noah and Perry?? That’s unhinged. Noah acts like he owns the school and he’s out here doing that?? I’m screaming. But why’d that make you miss school though.”

“Because right after that, I went to JCM Studios to meet with Jace,” I explained, my hands shaking as I ran a brush through my messy hair.

I walked back into the massive living area, looking out at the sweeping views of the city. “And mid meeting, guess who walks through the door wearing a designer suit? Noah! He literally works for Jace. He is like his right-hand business guy. I thought I was going to pass away right there on the rug.”

“Oh my god, the plot gets even better,” Molly gasped, completely hooked on every word. “So Noah is a corporate baddie by day and a stall rider by night? That is insane. But where are you right now?”

“I’m in this huge expensive penthouse downtown” I said, looking around at all the white and black stuff. “Jace made me sign some contract then drove me here last night. Molly, he changed into this tight black polo and his arms and chest were huge. I thought I’d melt into the seat. He’s too hot and it’s annoying. But this place is so cold and empty. Like a rich person cage.”

“Okay, first of all, period, get that luxury lifestyle,” Molly cheered. “Second of all, your producer sounds like an absolute snack and I need an invitation to the function immediately. But you need to get your ass to campus now.”

“I know, I know! I am putting my shoes on right now,” I said, rushing over to the front entryway and shoving my feet into my sneakers. “I am going to grab an Uber and run through the back doors before third period starts. I will see you in...”

That’s when the elevator at the end of the hall opened with a soft ding.

My voice just stopped and I froze with one shoe half on. Jace stepped out. He was wearing a navy suit today, fit perfect on his shoulders, and that rose smell came in with him.

His dark eyes went straight to me. “Who are you talking to, Kale?” Jace asked. Voice was low and it filled the whole quiet apartment.

Then Molly’s voice came through the speaker cause I forgot to hang up. “Wait is that the hot producer?? Make him talk bossy Kale I’m begging...”

I slammed my thumb on the screen and ended the call before she said anything else dumb. Silence hit after and it was heavy. My face burned hot. I looked up at Jace, heart pounding hard.

“It was just a friend from Uni” I muttered, trying to act normal but I was panicking inside. “I’m late for class Jace. I was gonna go.”

Jace didn’t move. He just stood by the elevator, big and blocking the exit. His face went cold and his eyes narrowed as he stepped closer.

“You’re not leaving today, Kale” Jace said low and calm, like it wasn’t even a question. “We need to go over the rules for your new life with me.”