The Flawless Victim

My boyfriend dropped my private photos right into his frat's group chat. "A little bonus for the boys!" When I found out, my clothes just got skimpier.

My camera angles got a hell of a lot more creative. Eden stared at me like I'd grown a second head. "He's openly humiliating you. How are you not pissed?" Pissed?

I pictured that ruinyourlife, dropdead gorgeous face of his. Honestly? I couldn't even bring myself to care.

I unlocked my phone, pulled up my pending friend requests, and shoved the screen under her nose. A neverending scroll of guys.

Every single one of them was from his inner circle. "Don't you get it?" I tapped the glass. "Birds of a feather." "Collecting the icecold untouchable, the obsessed psycho, and the filthyrich playboy all at once… this is way more thrilling than some dark reality dating show." I slipped the phone back into my pocket with a smirk. "We shouldn't give up the game too early." Chapter 1 "Wren, you are completely hopeless!" Eden's voice blasted through the phone speaker, so loud I had to pull the screen away from my ear.

I thumbed the screen dark. A soft, dry laugh slipped past my lips. I fell for absolute trash. Hopeless didn't even begin to cover it.

The second my eyes locked onto Declan's frat group chat, my life derailed. The photo was from his birthday night. He begged me for it.

He wore me down, swearing up and down that it was just for his eyes, that it would never leave his camera roll. I caved.

But I never imagined the bastard would immediately drop the photo into his group chat, treating my body like some twisted bonus for his boys.

The messages trailing underneath it made bile rise in my throat. [Kyler: Holy shit! This is your precious little fullride scholar, Declan?

I thought she was just some nerd, but goddamn, she's fire under that skirt!] [Bennett: Definitely packed. She looks pretty loose in the picture.

But Declan, didn't you always complain that these broke scholars were prudish and boring?

Like she'd bite your head off if you even brushed against her?] [Declan: I really thought this kind of fullride beggar was an untouchable iceberg.

Thought I'd have to burn serious cash on her. Turns out, it just took a couple of cheap gifts to get her into bed.

She's way cheaper and easier to manipulate than I expected.] [Declan: As for how loose she is…] [Declan: Heh, it's whatever.] [Declan: She's like a lifeless log in bed.

I have to initiate everything.

If it wasn't for the fact that she was a clean virgin, I would have dumped her ages ago.] [Declan: Her face and body are the only things worth looking at.

Snapping some pics to let the boys have a laugh is just putting her to good use.] My lungs seized. The air rushed out of the room.

My fingertips turned white against the metallic edge of his phone. Eden was right.

Any sane person would have packed their bags immediately and ran as far away from this pack of scum as possible. But why the hell should I?

I handed him my heart, and he used it as a bargaining chip to trade nudes with his frat brothers. I thought about calling the cops.

But what could a penniless, nobody student do against the untouchable elite of the city? They wouldn't even have to lift a finger.

Their family legal teams would crush me into dust and teach me exactly what absolute humiliation felt like. Just walking away? Letting them off the hook? That was too damn easy.

I didn't make a sound. I placed Declan's phone exactly where I found it, slid back under the covers next to him, and closed my eyes as if the world hadn't just shattered.

I stopped rejecting his invitations into his exclusive world. I started demanding them.

At the frat's VIP booth party that weekend, Declan gripped my waist tight, parading me like a prize trophy in front of his trustfund circle. "My girlfriend, Wren." I wore a pure white dress tonight.

The neckline dipped just enough, exposing a deliberate sliver of soft skin and my collarbones.

My makeup was a carefully constructed 'nomakeup' look—pure and innocent at first glance, but entirely calculated to hook the eye. "Whoa, Declan, is this the legendary little scholar?" A guy with ashblonde hair let out a low whistle.

That was Kyler.

I shrank perfectly into Declan's chest, my fingertips nervously twisting the fabric of my dress, gazing up with the wide, startled eyes of a cornered deer. "Hi." My voice was a breathy, soft whisper.

Declan ate it right up. His arm tightened around me, his jaw resting heavily on the top of my head, dripping with pure male vanity and possession. "You're scaring her.

Reel it in, boys." Chapter 2 I lowered my lashes, burying the flash of ice in my eyes.

The VIP booth was bathed in dim lighting, the bass from the club's speakers vibrating straight through the floorboards.

Declan got dragged away by a few guys to play dice, leaving me abandoned in the corner of the leather sofa.

It barely took five minutes before Kyler slid onto the cushion next to me, two glasses of liquor in his hands. "Little scholar, looking awfully bored all by yourself.

Drink?" I instinctively shifted an inch away, my fingers tightly gripping the hem of my dress. "I… I don't really drink." "You can always learn." Kyler flashed a frivolous smirk, pushing the rim of the glass right up against my lips. "It's not strong.

It's sweet. Girls love it." His fingertips brushed against my lower lip—too lingering to be an accident. I jerked back like I'd been burned.

The juice glass in my hand tilted, spilling the dark liquid all over his chest. "Ah! I'm sorry!

I'm so sorry!" I scrambled to my feet in a panic, frantically grabbing a fistful of napkins to wipe down his expensive shirt. "I didn't mean to…" Kyler grabbed my wrist, stopping my frantic wiping.

His thumb stroked suggestively over my pulse point. "It's fine. Just a limitededition shirt.

How are you going to make it up to me?" I tilted my head up, letting tears well in my eyes until my vision blurred.

I bit my lower lip, trembling just enough to trigger a man's protective instincts. And out of the corner of my eye, I perfectly locked onto Declan standing across the room.

His stare was heavy, piercing straight through the crowd, dark with displeasure. He saw me getting "bullied." Declan strode over.

He grabbed my arm and yanked me firmly behind his back.

There was nothing gentle about his grip. "What the hell are you doing, Kyler?" His voice was deadpan, giving away absolutely nothing.

Kyler threw both hands up in surrender, feigning complete innocence. "What could I possibly be doing? Your little scholar accidentally spilled her drink on me.

Just giving her some comfort, man." He glanced down at the massive wet patch on his shirt, then looked back at my red, teary eyes.

A knowing smirk curled his lips. "Declan, your girl is way too pure. Blushes if you even look at her, drops tears if you speak. She's like a porcelain doll.

Better keep her locked up safe." It sounded like a compliment, but the undertone was sharp—mocking Declan for overreacting and calling me a total lightweight who couldn't take a joke.

Hidden behind Declan's broad back, I quietly tugged at the hem of his jacket. I dropped my voice to a whisper meant only for him. "Declan, it's not his fault.

I was just clumsy… Don't ruin the night over this." After months of dealing with Declan, I had him completely figured out.

He was arrogant and hypocritical straight down to his bone marrow.

He could treat me like a cheap toy for his frat brothers to laugh at, but the second another guy looked at me too long, he'd burn with territorial rage.

A man's ego and his possessiveness. The easiest fuses in the world to light. He stared Kyler down, his eyes turning to ice. "She's my girlfriend.

Do I need you to teach me how to protect what's mine?" "Alright, alright. Yours. She's all yours." Kyler shrugged, dropping the argument.

But his lazy, nonchalant posture made it obvious he didn't give a damn about Declan's warning. The tension in the booth instantly plummeted to zero.

Bennett, the guy sitting on the other side, immediately stood up to defuse the bomb. "Alright, break it up. It's not a big deal. Let's just drink.

Declan, you better not lose this next round, man!" Declan didn't say another word. He hauled me back to our seats by my wrist, his jaw clenched tight.

He threw back a massive gulp of liquor, his fingers gripping the glass so hard the crystal threatened to shatter.

Chapter 3 For the rest of the night, Declan stuck to me like a second skin. He kept me caged against his chest, his posture aggressive, staking his absolute claim.

Kyler didn't approach again. He just threw mocking glances our way, his eyes practically laughing at Declan's pathetic territorial display.

I played the perfect role—a startled, helpless little thing clinging to her boyfriend. They downed liquor; I sipped my juice.

They talked luxury cars, watches, and women; I kept my eyes glued to my phone, perfectly silent. Near the end of the party, I slipped away to the restroom.

I stepped out of the stall and leaned over the sink to touch up my lipstick. Kyler's reflection materialized in the mirror behind me.

He leaned casually against the doorframe, both hands shoved in his pockets, watching me with infuriating amusement. "Little scholar.

Doesn't keeping up that act exhaust you?" My hand froze midswipe.

I met his eyes in the mirror, letting just the right amount of panic bleed onto my face. "WWhat are you talking about? I don't understand." "You don't understand?" Kyler scoffed.

He pushed off the doorframe, closing the distance between us slow and deliberate. "You purposely spilled that drink on me. You played the pathetic victim right in front of Declan.

Aren't you just manipulating his possessiveness so he'll follow you around like a loyal dog?" He boxed me in, trapping me between the cold marble sink and his hard chest.

He dipped his head, his lips hovering right next to my ear. "Nice trick." His hot breath fanned over the shell of my ear, heavy with dangerous, predatory intent. "But your little games?

They only work on a moron like Declan. Drop the innocent act when you're with me." My spine went rigid. My pulse slammed against my throat. But I didn't push him away.

Instead, I tilted my chin up, locking eyes with him dead on. We were inches apart.

Those playboy eyes of his, always so full of careless amusement, were focused now—sharp, calculating, and certain. I let the terrified doeeyed mask shatter.

The softness bled out of my face, leaving behind nothing but cold, hard ice. "And what if I am?" Kyler's pupils blew wide. I watched the microexpression hit him.

He clearly didn't expect me to admit it without a fight. "Aren't you terrified I'll tell Declan?" He raised an eyebrow, his gaze dropping slowly to my lips. "You won't." A razorsharp smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth.

My voice was low, but ringing with absolute certainty. "Telling him means admitting you're trying to steal his girl. Knowing Declan's ego, do you really think he'd believe you?

Or would he just destroy you first?" Kyler let out a dark chuckle.

He raised his brows, shifting his weight as he stared me down, his tone sliding back into lazy arrogance. "Little scholar, where is all this confidence coming from?" "What makes you think I'd risk stealing Declan's girl just for you?" He closed in on me.

The scent of his expensive cologne invaded my lungs. I didn't back down a single inch. I tilted my head back, my gaze raking brazenly over his halfunbuttoned collar.

My fingertip traced a slow, deliberate line down the sticky stain on his dress shirt. My voice dripped with lazy confidence. "Because I just saw your lock screen.

It's a picture of me." "And…" I leaned my body flush against his, dropping my voice to a husky whisper. "Instead of playing the clueless idiot… don't you think being an accomplice is so much more fun?" Kyler froze completely.

His eyes locked onto mine, unblinking. I watched the shock rip through him, followed by intense calculation, and finally, the exact emotion I was hunting for… absolute thrill.

Declan's irritated voice echoed from the end of the hallway. "Wren? Are you in there?" Chapter 4