Killian

ASTRID POV

I stormed into the gym, still fuming from earlier. My blood was boiling, my jaw tight. Bianca had really pushed it today, and Jason just standing there like a damn statue? That was the final straw.

I needed to hit something.

Slipping into my gloves, I went straight for the punching bag, tuning out the world as I threw punch after punch. My muscles burned, but I welcomed the pain. It was better than thinking about Jason. Better than hearing Bianca’s voice echo in my head.

But, of course, the universe wasn’t done testing me.

A slow clap echoed through the gym, cutting through the rhythmic sound of my fists slamming into the bag. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Bianca’s minions.

I let out a slow breath, trying to ignore them, but they weren’t having it.

“Wow, look at her go,” one of them sneered. “Maybe if you hit that bag hard enough, Jason will finally notice you.”

I froze for half a second before shaking it off. Not worth it.

“Or maybe,” another voice chimed in, sickly sweet, “she’s trying to work out all that pent-up frustration. Poor thing. Must be hard watching someone else have what you want.”

I clenched my fists but still didn’t react. They wanted me mad. Wanted me to snap.

Then one of them shoved me.

Not hard, just enough to make me stagger back a step. Enough to test me.

I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to stay calm.

Another poke. This time to my shoulder.

Something inside me snapped.

Before I could think, my body moved on its own—fast, too fast. One second, they were standing there, laughing, and the next, they were on the ground, groaning in pain.

I blinked, my breath coming out in short bursts.

What the hell just happened?

I didn’t even hit them that hard… did I?

Did I even hit them?

Footsteps approached, and I turned to see Jason standing there, staring.

His face was unreadable, his blue eyes locked onto me like he was seeing me for the first time.

“How long have you been able to do that?” His voice was calm, but there was something else beneath it. Something almost… wary.

I scoffed, still riding the adrenaline high. “It’s called taekwondo, genius. I’ve been training for years.”

But Jason didn’t look convinced. His gaze flickered between me and the two girls on the floor, his brows furrowed like he was trying to figure something out.

Like I had just done something impossible.

I narrowed my eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Jason didn’t answer right away. His jaw tensed, his hands curling into fists at his sides.

And then I saw it.

Fear.

Not for me.

Of me.

My stomach twisted, but I shoved the feeling down. I was still pissed at him, and this whole conversation was just making me angrier.

So I did the only thing I could think of.

I pushed past him, shoving his shoulder as I walked away.

“Fuck off.” I muttered

Behind me, his voice called out, low and tense.

“Astrid—”

I didn’t stop.

The minions were still on the ground, groaning in pain.

Jason was left standing there, watching me go.

JASON POV

What the hell just happened?

I stood there, staring at Bianca’s minions writhing on the ground, but my mind wasn’t on them. It was on Astrid.

She moved too fast. Too strong. That wasn’t just taekwondo—no way in hell. I’ve seen her train for years, but this… this was something else.

My heart pounded as I looked around, searching for her, but she was already gone. Of course, she was. She always ran when she was pissed.

I cursed under my breath and took off after her, shoving past the gym doors. But by the time I stepped outside, there was no sign of her.

She was gone.

Astrid POV

I got more than angry that I didn’t want to stay around Jason or even the school so I left the school and took a cab home.

The moment I stepped through the front door, my mom looked up from the couch, raising an eyebrow.

“Bad day already?”

I let out a humorless chuckle, kicking my shoes off. “Something like that,” I muttered before storming straight to my room.

I didn’t bother stopping, didn’t bother explaining. I just needed space.

Once inside, I yanked off my jacket and headed straight for the bathroom. The cool water hit my face, washing away the heat of my frustration, but my mind was still replaying everything that had happened.

The way I moved in the gym. The way I flipped those girls like they weighed nothing.

That wasn’t normal.

And then there were the nightmares. The same ones that haunted me night after night. The ones I hadn’t told Jason about—not that I even had the chance. He’d been too busy with his godforsaken girlfriend.

I sighed, rubbing a hand down my face. Maybe I was just stressed. Maybe I was overthinking everything.

But as I glanced down at the small scrape on my hand—the one I was sure I’d gotten when I staggered back—I froze.

It was gone. Completely healed.

I blinked. What the—

No. No way.

I shook my head, forcing a laugh. “I’m hallucinating,” I muttered to myself. That was the only explanation. Lack of sleep. Stress. All of it messing with my head.

Shoving the thought away, I walked back into my room and threw myself onto my bed with a heavy sigh.

~~~~

Night had settled in, casting a soft glow over the living room as I sat on the couch with my mom. The TV was on, but I wasn’t really watching. My mind was still tangled in the events of the day—the fight, the way I moved, the way I healed too fast.

I barely heard my phone buzz on the table.

I grabbed it, squinting at the screen.

Jason: We need to talk. Come outside.

I rolled my eyes so hard I almost saw my brain.

Seriously?

After everything that happened, he had the nerve to text me like this? I huffed, pushing up from the couch. “I’ll be back,” I muttered to my mom. She gave me a questioning look, but I was already heading for the door.

Outside, Jason stood near the curb, hood pulled up, hands stuffed into his pockets. He looked uncomfortable, like he didn’t want to be here just as much as I didn’t.

“Really?” I scoffed, crossing my arms as I stepped toward him. “You’re calling me out in the middle of the night for what, exactly?”

He sighed, looking down at the pavement before meeting my gaze. “I just wanted to apologize.”

I let out a dry laugh. “Oh, now you want to apologize?” I took a step closer, jabbing a finger into his chest. “You just stood there, Jason! You let your girlfriend talk down to me like I was nothing. You didn’t say a damn word!”

Jason flinched but said nothing.

I could feel my blood boiling all over again. “After everything, after all these years—how could you just stand there and let that happen?” My voice rose with each word, frustration and anger mixing together into something I could barely control.

Jason opened his mouth, but before he could respond, a sleek black car pulled up beside us, headlights cutting through the dark.

We both froze, turning toward it.

The engine cut off. The door swung open.

And out stepped HIM

Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in dark jeans and a fitted shirt that clung to his frame like it was meant for him. His hair was a messy mix of dark and light brown, tousled like he’d just run a hand through it. Sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and piercing green eyes that seemed to glow under the streetlight.

He slammed the door shut, phone in hand, looking straight at Jason with a smirk.

“Thank goodness I was able to track you,” he said smoothly, his voice rich and confident. “You’re supposed to be home, little brother.”

I blinked. What?

Jason stiffened beside me.

“Brother?” I blurted out, my head snapping toward Jason.

Jason looked just as shocked as I felt. “Killian!?”

The guy—Killian—chuckled, shifting his gaze to me for the first time. His lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.

“Great,” he said, tilting his head. “You didn’t tell your girlfriend you have an elder brother? Bet you’re not proud of me.”

I whipped back to Jason, eyes wide.

“You have a “brother?”