Chapter 2
Lacy’s POV
“Jim, shut up!” I practically shouted, trying tosnatch the Kindle
out of his hands but I failed.
Kol leaned back in his chair, water dripping from his messy
curls, his smirk as sharp as ever. He looked far too pleased with
himself, like he’d uncovered some grand secret.
“Lacy, seriously? You’re readingeroticliterature?” Kol teased, his voice dripping with mock disbelief. “You should rather watch it,
you know. It’s more fun.”
My face burned as I snatched the Kindle out of Jim’s hand
before he could take another look. “Shut up! It’s not erotic,” I shot back, clutching the device like my life depended on it. “It’s dark romance. What would you know about it.”
Kol’s laughter grew louder, his head tilting back. “Dark
romance?”
“It’s… complicated. It’s about emotions and trust and-”
“Yeah, trust,” Jim cut in, miming air quotes with a sly grin. “And a whole lot ofhands traveling down bodies.” He wiggled his
Chapter 2
eyebrows and leaned back.
Kol snorted, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, come on,
Lacy. Don’t pretend. You’re into all that steamy stuff because
you’ve never actually experienced it.” He cocked his head, his
smirk growing wider. “Am I right?”
My cheeks burned hotter than the sun overhead. “That is none
of your business,” I snapped, clutching my Kindle to my chest
like it could shield me from their teasing.
But Kol’s words hit too close to home, and my obvious
embarrassment was like blood in the water. Jim made an
exaggerated kissing sound, followed by an obnoxious smirk.
“She’s blushing! You totally nailed it, man.”
“I’m not blushing!” I protested, though my traitorous face said
otherwise. My fingers tightened around the Kindle as Kol and
Jim burst into another round of laughter.
“You know,” Kol said, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his
knees as he stared me down. “It’s not a big deal, Lacy. Everyone
has their… curiosities. But reading about it doesn’t exactly count
as experience.”
I couldn’t stand another second of their mocking grins. Without
a word, I spun on my heel and marched toward the house, ignoring the sound of their laughter following me all the way to
Chapter 2
the door. Slamming it behind me, I leaned against the wall,
letting out a shaky breath.
Later that evening, I video–called my bestfriend Nancy on Zoom.
Seeing her wide grin instantly lifted my mood. Nancy was the
only one who had stuck by me since kindergarten. She was
more than just a friend–she was my anchor.
“What’s up, Lacy? You look like someone just stole your pocket
money.”
I told her everything.
“You lucky bitch!” she teased, holding her hands up. “Honestly,
though, you’re living the dream. I mean, think about it. Two hot
guys under the same roof, teasing you constantly? It’s like one
of those bullies–to–lovers stories we’re obsessed with.” Nancy
wild, outrageous, and outspoken, with a sense of humor
that was my favorite thing about her.
Was
“God please, stop it.” I rolled my eyes. “Do you have any idea
what it’s like to live with those two? It’s not a romance novel–it’
s a nightmare.” “Sure, sure,” she said, waving me off. “But come
- on. Kol and Jim are tall, athletic, and ridiculously good–looking. I
bet half the girls in high school would kill to trade places with
you.”
I could admit that both of them were undeniably handsome.
Chapter 2
Back in high school, they towered over everyone else. When they
walked down the hallways, kids parted before them like gods.
Beyond their height, they were both muscular from years of
sports. Both had dark hair and classically striking features. Kol’s
hair was thick and tended to get wavy if left unstyled, while Jim‘
s was straighter and even darker. Kol had piercing blue eyes and
sun–kissed skin; With black eyes, and faint freckles sprinkled
across his nose, Jim could almost pass for someone sweet–if
you didn’t know him. There were always girls vying for their
attention.
But I was sure of that, neither Kol nor Jim were virgins.
“So, about Kol and Jim… are they still ridiculously hot? I mean, just for research purposes.“Nancy stuck out her tongue, then leaned forward eagerly.
“Research?” I raised an eyebrow.
“For the podcast!” she said, clapping her hands. “Our episode on bullies–to–lovers romance. You know, we could totally use you as
a case study.”
“Oh, no, no, no,” I said, sitting up straight.
Nancy shrugged, “Anyway, let’s get started on the episode. I’ve
got my notes ready.”
Chapter 2
The podcast had become a creative outlet for both of us over
the past few months. It started with a shared obsession over a
Nora Roberts novel I found in my mom’s collection. From there,
we discovered dark romance and fell headfirst into the genre.
Obscenity, as Nancy called it, was an art form–and we were its
devoted students.
“Fine,” I said, pulling out my laptop and adjusting my
microphone. “But no personal anecdotes about me.”
Nancy gave me an exaggerated pout. “You’re no fun.”
I rolled my eyes and hit record. “Welcome back toHearts
Unhinged,the podcast where we dive into the steamiest,
dreamiest, and sometimes darkest corners of romance novels.
I’m Lacy, and joining me, as always, is Nancy.”
“And today,” Nancy chimed in, “we’re tackling one of the hottest
tropes in romance: bullies–to–lovers.” she continued, “We’ve
actually got the perfect real–life tie–in”
“God no“l groaned.
“Oh yes, not only is my best friend Lacy living with the most
handsome man she’s ever met, but she’s also practically besties
with his equally sexy sidekick.‘ It’s gold!”
