Grace Monroe, laid awake in bed as she stared at the ceiling like it was taunting her. Her phone rested on the night stand silently. But she swore she could feel Jax's video sitting on his phone like a loaded gun aimed at her head.
She dragged a hand through her long dark brown hair, as her thoughts fought in her head relentlessly. "I can't let him control me. I won't."
She flipped onto her side as she glared at the shadows on her wall, her fingers twitching relentlessly against the sheets, "He saw me and recorded me. How do I even get back at him?"
Her mind flashed to her father's disappointed scowl that morning and her mother's agreement that seemed unforgiving, reminding her of last semester's dip, "I had no choice, they expect perfection and if I make one more mistake, I'm done."
Her chest tightened, but she pushed it down with control and discipline, that was who she was. She sat up briefly, staring at her closed laptop across the room and then laid back down staring into nothing.
"Tomorrow, I'll confront him, I'll make him delete it."
She closed her eyes, but sleep didn't come easily. When it finally did, her hand was still balled into a fist on the covers, like she was bracing for a fight.
---
Grace stepped out of their sleek black car, slamming the door harder than necessary. She was usually composed and precise. But today, there was fire in her eyes and her blazer was half-buttoned.
She didn't even have the patience to touch her breakfast. She stormed through the campus courtyard, ignoring the usual polite nods and stares she always got.
Then she saw Jax. He was leaning against a pillar, surrounded by his usual crew of jock friends, looking infuriatingly casual. He was laughing at something one of them said, his grin was easy and reckless.
Grace didn't slow down, she grabbed his arm firmly and without hesitation, yanked him away, "Whoa. Monroe, at least buy me dinner first."
His friends hooted and whistled behind them as they watched with gleeful curiosity. More students paused to stare. This wasn't uncommon, their spats were legendary, but this? Looked very serious.
"Shut up and move." Grace demanded.
She dragged him through the old theater hall as her nails bit into his black leather jacket. Jax wasn't resisting. If anything, he was enjoying the show, "Feisty this morning. I like it."
She threw open the heavy theater doors and shoved him aside. The hall was quiet. Echoes of their footsteps bounced off the walls as she marched him to the front of the stage.
Grace spun to face him, her breath sharp and fast. Jax leaned back against the edge of the stage like he had all the time in the world, and he said with a smirk, "You missed me that much?"
"Delete. The. Video."
Her voice sounded dangerous. Jax's smirk deepened, his eyes glinting with an unreadable thought. "Mmm. I don't think I will."
Grace stepped closer, her face inches from his, "What do you want Jax?"
He looked at her for a long moment and then his gaze dropped briefly to her lips before returning to her glare with a soft tease, "You'll find out soon enough."
He locked his jaw but she didn't back down. Jax chuckled under his breath, pushing off the stage and brushed past her like he had the upper hand, 'See you in class, Monroe."
---
The lecture hall was filled with conversations as students settled into their seats.
At the front, Professor Callahan adjusted his glasses, shuffling papers as the last few stragglers entered.
Grace slid into her usual spot with her notebooks stacked neatly. Her mind was racing but outwardly she was calm and composed back to her usual self. Until Jax dropped into the seat beside her. Close, too close.
He leaned back in the chair with his usual dominant aura like he owned the place, an ankle popping on his knee. He didn't look at her but she could feel the grin.
Professor Callahan who was firm but calm, spoke, "Today, we continue the discussion on the foundations of moral obligation. Kantian ethics, duty for duty's sake. What is right because it is right, regardless of personal gain." He paced slowly in front of the class.
"Who can tell me what the Categorical Imperative demands of us?" asked Professor Callahan.
A hand shot up in the front. Delilah, the eager scholar answered smoothly, "That we act only according to maxims that we could or will become universal laws."
Callahan nodded looking pleased, "Very good. Now, let's complicate that. What happens when doing your duty comes at the cost of someone you love?"
Then there was a pause. Suddenly, Jax's voice cut through lazily, "Depends on whether you think love is worth the price of your soul."
Murmurs rippled through the room. Callahan lifted his brow but he said nothing while Grace glanced sideways at Jax.
"Or whether you're just using duty as an excuse to avoid consequences," said Grace coolly.
Jax shifted his eyes to her with an amused expression and then he leaned in a fraction, mocking her softly, "Spoken like someone who knows a thing or two about avoiding consequences."
Grace dug her nails into her slippery pen as the room waited with expectancy. This was a familiar ground: Monroe versus Reed.
"Better than speaking like someone who's never faced one." Grace lashed back.
The class grimaced again and Jax's grin widened. He opened his mouth to retort but Callahan cut in, "Enough. This isn't a debate club."
But the corner of Callahan's mouth twitched. He enjoyed them as much as the students did. He moved on, scribbling on the board, 'KANT - UTILITARIANISM - MORAL RELATIVISM.'
"And so, next week, we test your understanding. There will be an exam. Ethics in theory and in practice."
It seemed like a nerve had struck Grace. That exam. She had transferred the answers she stole and they were now sitting on a USB drive in her backpack.
Jax, as if sensing her tense, stretched lazily and glanced at her with hooded eyes.
After some minutes, the class ended with the scraping of chairs and the low buzz of conversation.
As students drifted out, Jax didn't move, he waited until Grace stood then he followed her.
Jax suddenly grabbed her wrist, tugging her along with a surprising ease. She stiffened but she didn't pull away because there were too many eyes for her to make a sudden commotion.
They walked in silence, past the quad, past the art building until they reached the old greenhouses, where it was secluded and overgrown. It was sort of like a private area.
Then Jax spoke quietly, "You're not as perfect as everyone thinks Grace."
She yanked her hand away from him, "What do you want?"
He studied her as the wind ruffled his dark hair, "You. On my terms."
Her stomach flipped as the heat crawled up her neck, but she held his gaze, "You're insane."
"Probably, but here we are," Jax shrugged casually.
He stepped closer, "Be mine. No strings. No hearts. No lies. You do what I say, when I say. In exchange? That video disappears."
Grace was taken aback, her mind was spinning. She wanted to say no then she thought of her father and her mother's disappointment, and of losing everything.
She then met his eyes. Jax was not bluffing. He was offering her a trap dressed as mercy, "Fine," she said resigning from her thoughts coldly.
Jax smiled slowly and predatorily. "Good girl."
She hated the shiver that ran through her and she even hated it more that he noticed.
"We'll start soon." Jax said softly.
He turned and walked away like he hadn't just torn her world apart. Grace stood there trying to steady her breath, wondering how far she had just fallen.