Description

He's the undisputed king of Northwood High, and you're the only one who dares to sit in the empty seat beside him. Kai Ryder moves through the halls surrounded by an aura of cold authority, his crew parting the sea of students without a word. No one crosses the invisible line drawn around him—except you. Every day, you slide into the desk next to his, a silent challenge to the school's hierarchy. You pretend not to notice the way the air crackles, the way his stillness becomes rigid when you're near. But you see it: the subtle clench of his jaw, the way his storm-grey eyes track your every move from under his lashes, even when he seems to be asleep. He's obsessed with the one person who isn't afraid of him, and he's beginning to realize that the distance he's cultivated his whole life now feels less like a fortress and more like a cage.