Page 1 of Ruthless Possession

CHAPTER 1

William

The campus was alive with the kind of energy that only a Friday night could bring.The air was thick with the scent of cheap perfume, spilled beer, and sweat from bodies pressed too close together in the dimly lit frat house.Music thumped through the walls, bass vibrating in my chest as I leaned against the wall in the living room, a half cup of warm beer in my hand.

I hated parties.Hated the noise, the chaos, the way people looked at me like I didn’t belong—which was stupid.It’s a fucking party; everyone belongs.My roommate, Tim—that asshole—had dragged me here, insisting that I needed to “live a little”.As if I wasn’t living just because I didn’t want to be touched by sweaty strangers.

I agreed to come, but only because if I didn’t, that asshole would have given me another long lecture about how I spent too much time alone in my room, buried in my books or lost in my thoughts.Right now, that asshole was standing next to me, too busy hitting on a girl to give me any attention.

But let’s be honest—I had my own reason for coming tonight.

I scanned the party, searching for the real reason I was here.And there he was.Or rather,theywere.

The brothers were impossible to miss—tall, broad-shouldered, radiating the kind of confidence that came with knowing you were untouchable.But my eyes weren’t on all of them.Just one.Noah.

The first time I saw Noah was at football practice.Tim had dragged me there too, hoping to join the team.He didn’t make the cut, but I sawhim.Noah had been putting on his helmet, and I’d only caught a glimpse of his face.But that one second?It stuck with me.Then, as if the universe was playing a cruel joke, he turned—and his eyes found mine through his helmet.

My stupid heart did something it had never done before.Itskipped a beat.That’s when I knew I was fucked.

After that, I made sure to be in the same places he was.Same parties.Same hallways.I watched him from afar, but we had never spoken.

Which is why Ihatedhim.

Because why couldn’thebe the first to talk tome?

Okay, maybe I lied.Maybe he hadn’t really been looking at me during practice.Maybe I justwantedto believe it.

Back to the party.Noah, with his dark tousled hair and piercing green eyes, had his hand on the back of his teammate, laughing at something his brother said.As much as it pained me that he didn’t even know I existed, it didn’t stop me from imagining what it would feel like to have those hands onme.

I needed to stop staring before someone noticed.But before I could force myself to look away, I tried again—willedhim to look at me.

In 1...2...3…

His gaze swept over the room.For a heart-stopping moment, I thought he’d look my way.My pulse hammered.But then—nothing.He didn’t see me.Again.And my heart dropped.

Fuck this.I turned to interrupt Tim, needing a distraction.But he turned at the same time, causing me to spill both our beers.

“I’ll go get us another round,” I muttered, cutting him off before he could complain, and headed for the kitchen.There was a line.

Great.

“Well, well, well.What do we have here?”

The voice was low.Teasing.Andwaytoo close.

My stomach dropped.Iknewthat voice.

Noah.

He was standing right behind me.I couldfeelhis breath on my neck.How close was he?

“You’ve been staring at me all night,” Noah murmured, his voice a dangerous purr.“Here I am.Got something to say to me, pretty boy?”

My mouth went dry.My pulse pounded in my ears.How did heknowI’d been watching?He never looked my way once.

I wanted his attention—hadcravedit.But now that I had it, I felt like I should run.

Noah was like a tiger or a bear, he looks so welcoming and cuddly on the outside but the minute he gets close to you, you right away know the danger you are in.

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