"Thought you were out with Mia," Louis mutters in an off-tone. He's unhappy with Jace's presence, and I can't lie. I am too.

"Not until later," Jace replies before his eyes are on me. He keeps looking at me like I'm a sad puppy. I'd rather disappear than witness this.

"Before you ask, I'm fine. You don't have to look at me like that," I announce quietly, trying to appear somewhat confident despite my voice faltering.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was doing that," he apologises, wrinkles forming on his forehead as he raises his eyebrows. "I'm sorry about last night, and I didn't realise and just got protective after everything he," he starts.

"Alright, we're going to my room," Louis interrupts with a clear of his throat. So sudden to cut him off with the mention of Jace being so protective, due to something Louis has been through. I want to know more, but I try to pass it off.

"It's alright," I give a simple little shake of my head with a timid smile. Louis takes no time to place his hand on my lower back and guide me toward the bedroom. With Jace being here, I doubt we'll be doing anything anyways, but I'll be relieved to get away from that pitiful stare.

Louis shuts the two of us inside the room, and I remove my peacoat. For the first time, I can take an actual look around. A large bed with a white duvet, contrasting with two dark oak bedside tables and a cupboard near the closet door. The tables have little lamps on them, but not a single photo or personal flare is in this room. He wasn't kidding when he said he wouldn't personalise it because he hopes to leave by the end of the semester.

"I didn't think he'd be here," Louis mumbles lowly, and I catch his eye roll.

"Well, it looks like we'll just have to talk," I scrunch my nose, despite being disappointed in that. However, I'd love a chance to actually sit and talk. We barely get the opportunity to do so. I sit at the foot of his bed and drop my coat beside me. "I hate you, by the way."

"Why?" his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Touching me, right in front of Shane, and then telling him your type. If he caught on," I start, and he lets out a snort of a laugh, pushing his shirt sleeves up. He sits beside me, and my eyes stray over that beautiful art on his skin.

"I could have gone further up and messed with you," he whispers, and my breath hitches in my throat. Flustered, I look away. I almost worry that Jace has his ear pressed to the door to listen in on us and find out more about the two of us. I doubt it, but I am naturally an overthinker. "You get red so fast," he observes with a hint of a laugh.

"Shut up," I click my tongue before moving my hair behind my shoulder. "You did really well last night. Pretty decent at football," I change the topic, looking for something else to talk about. "Josh absolutely hated it. Manchester United and some other team are possibly looking at him this season for a deal after uni, so he isn't happy that the attention wasn't solely on him last night."

"Really? Manchester United?" Louis raises an eyebrow, surprised to hear of this. "They actually reached out to him? That isn't just him being delusional?"

"No, he isn't delusional. Hannah and I were there when they reached out to him, and of course, that made his ego even bigger," I roll my eyes. I look away and play a little with the sleeves of my black sweater. "When he first found out, he thought he was better than everyone else, but that made me even more uninterested in him. I have been vile about it, hoping he doesn't get picked to be on the team. He's such a miserable person that really has everyone wrapped around his finger. Why does he deserve fame or success? Maybe I'm just being petty, but still."

He hums but doesn't say much else. In a way, I kind of hope someone like him gets picked over Josh. That's an awful thing for me to even wish for, but I don't care. Josh already isn't thrilled about Louis, and someone as good as Louis could easily take that position from him.

"You must be a fan of football, being friends with them all," he starts, and I burst into a laugh.

"I hate football. No offence. I grew up with Jason and Tom obsessing over it to being around three guys talking about it to death. It gets annoying after a while," I reply honestly. He has a raised eyebrow, staring me down. I smile sheepishly, knowing that's not what he wants to hear. "I know nothing about football. In one ear and out the other."

"Yeah, I find that hard to believe," he chuckles. I bite down on my smile. Truthfully, I do know more than I ever cared to, and I listen, despite getting bored quickly. How often can they talk about the same sport without getting bored?

"What got you into the sport?" I ask, hoping I can dwell some more into his personal life before Jace leaves and we end up no longer talking.

"My father," he murmurs reluctantly. Shock makes my eyebrows raise as I gaze at him. His father got him into it, who he hates so much. "He got me to play when I was younger, and I kept with it, despite everything that has happened since I started to push myself away from him."

"I know he cheated on your mum and all, but what else has he done? You really despise him, and it looks like there is so much more to it," I ask hesitantly, wanting so desperately to know why he's so closed off. Instead, he shakes his head and purses his lips together to keep quiet. My head falls to the side with defeat. "Oh, come on, you don't have to tell me everything. I feel like there is more to the story, though."

"I don't want to talk about him," he states, his voice dropping to a deeper level of aggravation. My throat closes off, and I look away. Don't push him.

"Alright, uh," I stammer softly, unsure where else to go with this conversation. I also wanted to ask what had happened the other night when his father caught me here and I had left, but that doesn't seem to be up for discussion. "Are you actually friends with Shane? You told me you only stuck around the group because of me, but I found the two of you together a couple of times." At least this topic doesn't appear too sensitive for his liking.

"He kept talking to me first and inviting me to be around the others. I don't care about Josh at all, especially after finding out what he does to you, and I just haven't talked to Derek that much unless Shane is around," he mutters.

"But you do like hanging out with Shane at least, which is beyond me because he is such a sarcastic, wise-ass," I let out the tiniest laugh. It probably appears like I'm talking crap about him, but I'm messing around. I do love him as one of my closest friends. As annoying as he can get, he does care a lot for us and is one of the best people to be around.

Louis chuckles with a subtle shake of his head. He agrees, though. "I'm only here until December anyways. Doesn't really matter," his statement brings my mood down like a sinking anchor.

"Yeah, it's only temporary," I nod and look away. Yet again, it's disappointing to hear. I'm just now getting closer to him, but it's like a sharp knife in my gut.

"You sound upset," he observes quietly.

"I mean," I start, gulping. A hollowed-out numbness follows the tension in my chest. My eyes move wherever to keep off of him. "You are the only person that knows what is going on...correction, you three," I fix myself, reminding myself of Jace and Mia. The girl I never even properly met yet. "I already felt so alone before you came along. I have all of these friends, but I'm distant from them because of Josh. I finally have someone I can trust to talk to, even though you still don't care to open up too much to me. You'll leave, and I'll just permanently feel alone."

He stays silent, the atmosphere in this room darkening from what I had just said. I didn't mean to cause such negative energy to fill this silence. It's almost like an impromptu therapy session, considering I will never actually go to any therapy.

"Mark only cares about himself and his business," Louis suddenly mumbles lowly. I look at him, not expecting him to bring up his father. Did I unknowingly convince him to open up? His eyes stay off me, looking towards the door distantly. "Not only did he cheat on my mum and leave us all for that woman, he randomly reached out and forced my mum to make me come here. He wants me to take over his business and only reached out to my sisters about the same thing, but they have their minds set on what they want to do. I did not, so that's why I'm here, and he has isolated them entirely. He's a prick. He had my mum sign a prenup early on and manipulated her to stop working, reassuring her that he would cover everything over the years. The day she found him and his mistress, he left us all in the dust, and we had to leave Surrey for a home she could barely afford and struggled to make amends with."

"That's all?" I whisper. He shakes his head with a tight jaw.

"He's controlling. The kind of person that will threaten you to get what he wants. He wasn't abusive, as you had asked before, but definitely controlling. I could see that in Josh the moment I laid eyes on him. I didn't realise he was abusive until I found him hurting you, and you had lied to me and told me it was the first time. Anyway, my father has manipulated too many people to the point that we lost contact with many family and friends. There was one time he manipulated a situation so bad...I can't talk about it. I've never looked at him the same, and I will never again. He's toxic, and I don't want anyone I care about to ever talk to him. When he saw you the other day and tried talking to you, I was so angry, but I couldn't speak. Even you mentioning that you wanted to vent to me about something is something he could easily use against you later on if he needs something."

I swallow, feeling slightly uneasy. By his darkened tone and distant look, I don't want to be anywhere near that man. He's sparing specifics, like the one thing that he will never forgive him for, but he's at least talking to me. I didn't think I'd even get this much out of him.

"What's ironic is that he has businesses meant to help people, like that one involving Social Work you attended the convention for. It's pathetic. He's an absolute joke, just using that to make money and look good in the press. The type of person that wants to be better than everyone else, much like Josh," he adds.

"Well, as long as you don't follow down his path and stay close to your mum and sisters, that's all that matters," I try to lighten the mood just a little. He clears his throat, and my eyes skim over his tensed muscles. "Your mum and sisters are all beautiful," I change the subject. His eyebrows furrow for a moment before he lets out a hint of a laugh. He didn't expect me to change the topic like that. "I almost wanted to talk to them, but that isn't the best idea since you didn't even want Jace to know about the two of us."

"Yeah, they have no clue I'm even talking to anyone," he sighs.

"Mark looked taken back as well," I murmur. Even Jace had mentioned that he had been through so much and hadn't talked to anyone in so long. I can't help but wonder who hurt him so badly, but I won't push him after he has already revealed more about his father.

"You're going to get out of this relationship with Josh," he looks me straight in the eyes. My face falls subtly. I don't believe that statement whatsoever. "You keep mentioning how alone you've been and how much you want out of this life. I'll help you out of it. I don't care. I'm not leaving until I know you're out of it."

I start to feel like an emotional train wreck. Those words mean more than he can even know, but I'm scared to leave Josh. Somehow one night on that holiday brought me someone that is starting to mean so much to me. I've never had such a heavy heart. I move into him, kissing him with this intense need. His hand laces through my hair, and I melt into his lips. The warmth they bring me internally is something I've never felt with anyone else. I pulled back a little for air, focusing on those soft lips. His hand finds my leg, gently trying to bring me over. I find myself on top of him, straddling him and the air between us is thin. It's risky with Jace out there, but I don't care. My hand is on his hard chest. The beat of his heart is felt beneath my fingertips. The position between us is intimate. Raw.

My lips meet his once more, fulfilling this need for him. Being with him was everything I didn't think I needed. Our lips move slowly together as one, his hand tracing down my side and leaving a trail of goosebumps. I'm breathless, and I want more.

My phone interrupts us with the familiar ring, and I let out a small whimper, pulling away. My head falls into the crook of his neck, his hot breath felt against my skin. Why wouldn't it ring?

Finally, I move a little, holding onto his arm as I reach around him to my jacket. I take my phone out, staying on his lap and groaning at the sight of Josh's name. Of course. I answer, my hand resting on Louis' bicep. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" Josh grumbles. Well, I guess this marks the end of this.

"About to leave the library," I answer quietly. Louis' lips are suddenly on my neck, and my heart accelerates. My lashes fall to my cheeks, and my eyes are closed as I take in the warm feeling. My hand tightens on his arm, trying to contain myself.

"My mum fucking called. I need to go home to help her with a few things and might just stay the night there because my head kills. Keep me updated," he grumbles, the hangover evident in his voice. I bite down on my smile and hum. He mutters under his breath about her calling again, and he drops the call—excitement pulses through me as I drop my phone on the bed.

"He's going home tonight," I whisper, lowering my head so my hazel eyes can meet those blue ones. He breathes out heavily, those blue eyes becoming that beautiful, darkened shade I love to witness. For my eyes only, or at least I hope. Before I know it, my lips are back on his, and my chest swells. My arms wrap around his neck, and I can't help but smile into the kiss. I don't remember the last time I took a risk before Louis, and it only heightens this anticipation.

Our lips part as my fingers tug a little at his shirt. It comes off, over his head, and I marvel at his beautifully toned body. I don't deserve this one bit. His lips are back on my own, his hand lacing through my hair. My hands trail over him, feeling those muscular arms and hardened chest. I can't help but moan into the kiss the moment it deepens. My breathing is unsteady. He's already between my legs, and I want to remove the rest of these clothes to feel him more intimately.

The next thing I know, my shirt is off, and those lips are teasing my neck. My fingers knot through his soft hair, and I try to stifle any sound of pleasure. I can't help it when I let out a staggered breath as he starts to suck on my skin, but he immediately stops and shushes me quietly. We aren't alone in this flat after all. I swallow, a blush creeping over my cheeks. It's hard to keep quiet with him teasing my skin.

Maybe it isn't the best idea with his roommate here.

"You don't know how much I've been thinking about you on this bed again," he whispers. A shiver runs down my spine, and this heat is already taking over every inch of me. I press his chest and move off his lap, standing on the floor. His eyebrows instantly furrow, his lips slightly parted. He didn't want me to get off, but these clothes are becoming unbearable at this point.

I unbutton my jeans and push them down, feeling exposed in my bra and panties. I'm beyond grateful that I decided to match. I usually don't care about the combination. His eyes are trailing over me, and my chest is tight. The last two times I had been with him, I had a dress both times and never fully undressed before him. I'm almost scared to undress fully, the bra feeling like some sort of safe haven. And yet, I want to show off everything.

My cheeks are hot as I slowly undo my bra and bring it off my chest. Those eyes fill with such lust. I feel new beneath his stare. I feel wanted. The bra drops to the floor, and he curses so lowly, for my ears only. I nibble on my bottom lip, these nerves plucking at my insides. I slip my panties off to the floor, and he grabs my arm to pull me back to him. He twists me, so I fall back onto the bed beside him, and his lips instantly attack mine. This kind of control I don't mind at all.

His hand is on the bare skin of my hip, and he kisses me with this need that drives me crazy. I'm pressed onto my back, him hovering over me. Slow, deep kisses that make me short of breath. My fingertips move down the line of his abdomen, feeling how his breath gets stuck. I find the button of his jeans and undo it before eagerly pushing his pants and boxers down. His hand cups my breast, and his lips move back to my neck. A whimper tries to escape my lips, and I fight it off. My head falls back, so he has more room to play with my neck. The mixture of that stubble and his soft lips tickle and give me chills.

His head dips, kissing right above my breast and my eyes flutter shut to capture the feeling. They move slowly over to my nipple, and immediately I can feel the same kind of pleasure and warmth down there. His hand slips down, leaving a trail of goosebumps down my body. His fingers suddenly press over where I want him the most and I let out a small gasp, clenching my thighs. I'm already wet, making it easier for his fingers to feel me slowly. His lips meet mine once more, suppressing a soft moan.

He moves his fingers in slow, rhythmic circles that match the pace of his kiss. Around and around. It's torture because I can't make a sound. Those fingers suddenly dip into me, and my entire body tightens. His thumb stays pressed against me, those fingers slowly moving in and out. My legs won't stop moving, opening further and then closing a little as my toes curl.

I want so badly to moan his name. My back arches, and my lungs are unsteady. In and out, while his thumb is pressed against me. Already I can feel myself building up, getting closer. His lips leave mine, those eyes moving down my body. Suddenly his fingers leave me right as the pressure starts to form, and I start to let out a cry of a sound. His hand clasps over my mouth, amusement flickering in his eyes. Why did he stop? I was nearly there, and he knew it.

His hand leaves my mouth, and I try to catch my breath. The throbbing ache down below is too much. My eyebrows furrow and my bottom lip falls. I'd yell if I could, but Jace is right in the other room. Suddenly he stands and removes his pants entirely. Oh god, he is hard, and I can't keep my eyes off. As much as I love the sight of him, my body feels like it has been left hanging after getting so close. One touch, and he could probably finish me.

He grabs a condom, and I am practically squirming, waiting for him. He moves back onto the bed, between my legs, and the intensity in my chest picks up. His lips are back on mine, and he is suddenly inside. I almost whimper, but he kisses me harder to keep me quiet. He pushes in, deep, right where I am most sensitive. His hand slips down, finding my sex once more, and I tremble. Deep, slow thrusts with equally slow circles over me. I was already so close that this pressure is deep down in my stomach, and these nerves are flooding right down my legs.