Jude was slouching back against the headrest, one knee propped lazily against the dash, looking far too pleased with himself. He’d been playing the role of passenger princess all evening — managing the playlist, complaining about your driving, and singing along to the radio off-key.

But for the last twenty miles, Jude had been unbearable.

It started with simple things. At first his legs started stretching out into your space, his foot tapping lazily against the dash while he changed the radio stations every thirty seconds just to mess with you. But as the highway melted into a never-ending sea of red brake lights and you weren’t so focused on the road anymore, his antics got bolder.

“I’m bored. I’m literally dying of boredom over here,” he sighed, dragging the words out as he leaned over the center console, invading your personal space.

Confidently, his hand drifted over to your thigh, his knuckles lightly dragging up from your knee while you were trying to keep your eyes on the road.

It felt like he was actively finding even more subtle ways to test your patience.

“Pay attention to me,” he mumbled. When you ignored him again, he leaned up, turning his head to steal a quick, wet kiss right on the corner of your mouth, humming in protest when you turned away slightly to look at the side mirror.

"Jude… I'm driving," you laughed, though your heart was starting to thump against your ribs as his palm rested heavy against the fabric of your skirt right above your knee.

“You're being boring,” he pouted, leaning back into his seat just enough to look at you with big, needy eyes, his thumb stroking the inside of your thigh. “We’re literally in the middle of a traffic jam.”

For a moment, it felt like he had calmed down, his stray hand resting on your thigh under the guise of "anchoring himself.” But then… you felt feather-like circles being traced over your skin, higher than before, distracting you. His thumb was pressing with just enough weight to send a low buzz straight to your stomach.

“Jude, take your hand off,” you warned.

“Why?” he hummed, his voice laced with an innocence that wouldn’t fool a soul. He didn’t listen to your words. His hand slid an inch higher, his warm palm pressing heavy against your inner thigh. “Am I distracting you?”

“You’re about two seconds away from walking home.”

He chuckled, his head tilting toward you. “You wouldn't make me walk.”

To prove his point, his fingers dug into your thigh, his gaze dropping to your hands squeezing the steering wheel. He thought he was pushing your buttons just to be playful, but he had no idea how thin your self-control actually was tonight — or how the mere idea of actually letting your thoughts win and ruining him while he was in your car, mumbling and whining, with the possibility of anyone looking through the dark tint of the windows and catching him like this was starting to make your blood run hot.

Long fingers squeezed your thigh tighter, a smug little grin tugging at Jude’s lips as he felt your pulse jump.

“Jude, seriously, keep your hands to yourself,” you warned, your eyes fixed on the rearview mirror, watching a massive SUV pull up directly alongside your driver's side.

“Why?” he hummed smoothly. “Not like anyone’s looking.”

“You’re playing a dangerous game.” you scoffed.

“Am I?” Jude smirked, leaning his head back against the headrest, thoroughly enjoying himself.

That was it. You finally decided to give into those dark thoughts. You were going to wipe that smug, self-satisfied smile right off his face.

You didn't say another word. You just reached down, caught his wrist, and dragged his hand off your leg. Before he could form a word, your hand slid straight across the center console, resting heavy and possessive on his upper thigh.

Jude’s breath hitched instantly, his smug expression freezing.

“What are you doing?” he asked, though the sudden drop in his voice proved he already knew.

“Fixing that attitude,” you murmured.

He thought he was being so smooth, so brave when it was his hand on your skirt. But Jude was all talk. The second you flipped the script, all that cocky confidence evaporated.

Slowly, you began to stroke the top of his thigh, your fingers touching him with a firm, deliberate pressure that made his leg muscles tense up beneath your palm. You smoothed your hand higher, inching toward the inseam of his soft grey sweatpants, until your knuckles brushed against the prominent bulge straining against the fabric.

It was hilarious how instantly quiet he became. The passenger princess completely evaporated, replaced by the sound of his sharp exhale cutting through the quiet car.

Taking his sudden silence as a green light, your fingers hooked into the band of his sweatpants and slowly dragged them down, taking their time as the cool air of the car hit his bare lower stomach. Jude gasped, his body squirming back into the leather seat as your knuckles slowly dragged over his sensitive skin, teasing him before your palm settled over the front of his briefs. He was already scalding hot, his length heavy and rock-hard against your touch even through the cotton.

Jude groaned quietly, his hand already slammed over his mouth to muffle it.

You flicked your eyes sideways to take in his face and his eyes wide with pure shock. He didn't protest, but the look on his face showed he was still trying to process that this was actually happening.

All around you, cars were creeping forward at an agonizing crawl, the drivers focused intently on the brake lights ahead, completely oblivious to what was unfolding just feet away.

Right beside your door, an eighteen-wheeler rumbled past, its massive engine vibrating through the car frame and buzzing right through your palm resting on his length.

You stroked him slowly over the cotton, feeling him grow impossibly harder under your hand, before you hooked your fingers under the elastic of his briefs and freed his length into the warm air of the car.

Ahead of you, the sudden flare of red brake lights cut through the fading twilight, casting sharp crimson shadows across his lap and highlighting his exposed, glistening tip.

The bead of slick pre-cum at his tip coated your thumb as you dragged it over his sensitive head. Jude let out a choked gasp into his palm, his hips twitching upward against your touch in desperation. You wrapped your fingers firmly around his shaft and began to pump him steadily. A deliberate drag from base to tip, over and over, was quickly turning him completely helpless right in the passenger seat.

Jude’s head snapped toward the window, noticing the commuter in the car next to you staring absentmindedly in your general direction. Panic instantly surged through him.

“Wait-” he squeaked out, his voice cracking slightly as his hands shot out, catching your wrist to freeze your movement. “There are people right there! They can see-“

You kept one hand cool and steady on the steering wheel, effortlessly maintaining your lane as traffic crept forward three feet.

“You had no problem risking it when it was your hand on my thigh,” you teased. “Not so brave now that it’s your turn, huh?”

Suddenly, the loud, blaring horn of an angry driver cut through the quiet interior, followed by a muffled burst of swearing.

Jude practically leaped out of his skin, a terrified gasp punching out of his throat as his hands instinctively covered his exposed lap.

To be fair, even your own heart sped up for a second, your grip tightening on the steering wheel as your eyes darted straight to the side mirror.

For two breathless seconds, absolute silence hung in the car, until you realized the honk was just a frustrated commuter three cars back, venting at someone for cutting them off.

Nobody was looking at you. Nobody knew a thing.

A slow smirk returned to your lips as you felt Jude’s chest heaving next to you, his entire body trembling from the sudden wave of adrenaline.

“Holy fucking shit…” he muttered under his breath.

Underneath his frantic grip on your wrist, you gave his leaking length a firm squeeze, making his hips involuntarily pop up off the leather seat. Even while his brain panicked about the cars outside, his body betrayed him instantly.

“Wait- someone’s actually gonna look!” he whispered frantically as he looked around at the surrounding cars. He was totally caught between sheer terror of getting caught and the dizzying heat of your hand holding him captive.

You chuckled and immediately withdrew your hand.

You casually returned both hands to the steering wheel, leaving his pants lowered and his bare, slick length exposed to the cool air.

“Alright then,” you said, your voice completely nonchalant as if you hadn't just had him in the palm of your hand. “Guess you don't want it.”

The sudden loss of your touch was too harsh for his turned-on brain to process.

Jude froze, staring at you in absolute disbelief. The panic evaporated in a fraction of a second, completely overwhelmed by the sudden realization that he’d just talked himself out of your hands.

“No, no- wait,” Jude gasped, his voice dropping into a needy plea. All his bravado, all his panic, vanished instantly. His hands reached for yours, his eyes wide and pleading all of a sudden. “No, don't stop. I want it. Please.”

You kept your gaze on the road, a faint smirk curling the corner of your lips. “I thought you just said people could see.”

“I don't care,” he blurted out, his fingers wrapping around your hand on the gearshift, tugging it weakly toward his lap. He looked so undone, completely at your mercy, practically squirming in the passenger seat. “Please... just pull off somewhere. Please.”

You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye, taking in the heat radiating off his skin, his parted lips, and the helpless way he was looking at you.

Up ahead, you spotted a narrow, dark exit ramp veering off the highway toward an unlit service road. Without giving any warning, you ruthlessly cut the wheel to the left, aggressively cutting off a sedan in the next lane just to make the turn.

A loud chorus of angry car horns blared behind you, a driver shouting obscenities out their window as you yanked the car completely out of the standstill traffic. You didn't care.

You swung the car down the side road. You couldn't just stop instantly on the shoulder by law, so you kept rolling deeper into the pitch-black stretch of road, searching for a secluded spot.

Jude didn't say a single word. The desperate pleading was gone, but his absolute impatience was practically vibrating through the leather seat. The only sound in the quiet car was the rhythmic tapping of his fingers against the passenger door handle, his eyes fixed on your hands on the wheel, silently counting down every second until you finally put the car in park.

The exit peeled off from the main highway and the road narrowed. Trees closed in on either side and the asphalt grew rougher, patched in places, the kind of road that didn’t get much traffic. The kind of road that led exactly nowhere important.

The scenic overlook announced itself with a gravel turnout and a wooden guardrail bleached gray by the sun. Beyond it, the valley sprawled out in shades of dark green, hazy and still, completely empty of other cars or people or anything resembling witnesses.

You killed the engine.

Silence rushed in — the tick of the cooling motor, the distant buzz of cicadas, and Jude’s breathing which had gone completely uneven.

The sun had set so low that only your dark silhouettes were visible from the outside. If you leaned down, anyone passing by would only be able to see him.

You caught yourself wondering briefly what time you'd actually end up getting home, considering you had pulled off onto some forgotten backroad leading to nowhere. But the thought dissolved as soon as you looked over at Jude.

His cock was fully exposed, flushed, slick, and heavy, curving up toward his belly. There was no smug smirk on his face now—just his mouth hanging open, his chest rising and falling in frantic bursts.

You unbuckled your seatbelt and leaned across the console. One hand braced firmly against the leather of the center console to balance yourself, while your other hand curled around the base of him. His breath punched out in a jagged exhale.

“Look at you,” you murmured, close enough that your lips brushed the tip of his cock. “Forty minutes of running your mouth and now you can’t even form a sentence.”

“I- fuck.” His head tipped back, thumping against the headrest. His hands reached out blindly, finding no anchor until his fingers clamped tightly around the back of your shoulder, holding on like you were the only solid thing in a world that had suddenly tilted sideways.

“You wanted my attention so bad,” you said softly, your thumb dragging over the wet bead at his tip. “Now you’ve got it.”

“Please,” he whimpered.

That was the thing about Jude. Most guys got louder, more aggressive, when they got turned on. Jude went the other direction. His voice got higher, needier. Every noise he made sounded surprised out of him, like he couldn’t help it, like the pleasure was so sharp he forgot to be embarrassed.

You leaned down.

The first lick was flat and broad, from base to tip, following the vein that ran along the underside. Jude’s whole body jerked and he bucked into your hand. He’d been waiting for it.

“Uh-uh.” You pulled off just long enough to speak, your lips dragging against him. “You don’t move unless I tell you to move. You wanted to be a needy little passenger princess? Fine. Now you’re going to sit there and let me use your cock however I fucking want. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” he whispered.

The sound that leaked out of him wasn’t a moan exactly. More like a breathless whimper, raw and entirely stripped of his pride.

You circled the head with your tongue, tasting salt and skin and the bitter pre-cum that beaded at the slit. Then you took him into your throat in one slow descent.

And just like that.. Jude was already sobbing. Raw and high and completely wrecked, releasing the sounds that would carry straight through the car windows if anyone was walking past. That thought — the image of some hiker glancing over, seeing Jude’s face twisted up, his cock disappearing between your lips — only made you press down further until he hit the back of your throat and your eyes watered.

“Fuck,” he babbled. “Your throat, I can feel your fucking throat, it’s so tight, you’re so fucking hot, I can’t- I can’t-“

You pulled back until just the tip rested on your tongue, looking up at him through wet lashes. A strand of saliva connected your bottom lip to his cock. “You can’t what.”

“I can’t be quiet.” His voice climbed. “I can’t fucking- someone’s gonna hear me-“

“Good.”

You sucked him back down.

Your head bobbed, setting a rhythm that had Jude’s hips twitching up to meet you halfway. The car filled with the wet sounds of the slide and pull, the obscene little noises your mouth made every time you hollowed your cheeks and dragged upward. Your hand worked what you couldn’t fit, twisting at the base, while your tongue pressed flat against that sensitive spot just beneath the head.

Jude’s rambling dissolved into another broken moan as you took him deep again, your nose pressing into the hair at the base. You stayed there, swallowing around him, and his whole body seized.

Jude was falling apart.

“Please,” he whispered. “Please please please-”

You wrapped your fingers around him again, tight enough that he hissed, and started stroking. Fast and slick, the wet sounds filling the car. Jude’s head rolled to the side, his mouth open, every exhale a punched-out little “ah- ah- ah-“

“Look at me,” you said.

He did. His eyes were glassy, unfocused, a sheen of sweat glinting on his skin all the way down his neck. His chest heaved.

“This what you wanted?” You twisted your wrist on the upstroke, thumb pressing into the slit. “My hand on your fucking cock in a parking lot where anyone could see?”

“Yes,” he sobbed. “Yes, fuck, I’m gonna-“

Suddenly, a sound vibrated through the gravel outside. Bright headlights swept across the overlook.

Jude’s whole body locked up in absolute terror. “Stop, stop- fuck, someone’s here- there’s a car!”

The light cut through the fogged glass, painting the interior in stark white — his exposed thighs, the shine of your spit on his cock, the desperate clench of his jaw — before arcing toward the guardrail as the other vehicle pulled into one of the empty spaces just three spots away.

You didn’t stop.

Your mouth sank down his cock with a wet, deliberate glide, taking him deeper than before, until the head nudged the back of your throat. You kept your mouth moving, kept sucking him straight through his sudden panic.

“Oh my god- oh fuck- they’re gonna see, they’re gonna fucking see us-“ Jude babbled, his voice cracking in half. The terror and the pleasure tangled together, his hips twitching up into your mouth even as his hands weakly tried to push your shoulders back. “You have to stop, someone’s gonna see-“

You looked up. Met his wide, terrified eyes. And shook your head, just slightly, with him still filling your mouth.

The sound Jude made then was completely desperate. He immediately tried to muffle it by shoving his own fist against his mouth, biting down on his knuckles.

Down the empty row of spaces, two car doors slammed shut. Voices drifted across the gravel, faint and muffled. Probably tourists were stretching their legs, completely unaware that twenty yards away, a boy was falling apart with his pants around his thighs.

You wrapped your lips tight and took him down in one smooth slide. Jude’s free hand flew to the side of his own seat, fingers digging into the leather, while his other fist remained jammed against his mouth to smother his own cries. A whimper — high and thin and desperately needy — leaked through his fingers like steam.

“That’s it,” you murmured against his wet skin, pulling back just far enough to breathe, your breath hot on his slick length. “Cover your mouth like a good boy. Don’t let them hear how badly you wanted this.”

His eyes — wet, wide, drowned out by his blown pupils — met yours over his knuckles. He looked terrified. He looked more turned on than you’d ever seen him.

You dragged your tongue along the underside, tracing the ridge, dipping into the slit. Jude shuddered so violently that his elbow knocked sharply against the passenger window.

You both froze.

The voices outside didn't stop. “…pretty view, though,” a woman’s voice drifted over faintly.

“Yeah, nice spot,” a man answered.

Jude exhaled, trembling, his chest heaving up and down.

“You like this, don’t you?” you whispered.

Your hand pumped him slowly with a wet, twisting stroke that made his eyes roll back into his head.

“You like that they could look over and see you like this with your cock out and your mouth hanging open, getting your brains sucked out in the passenger seat while strangers talk about the scenery.”

“No,” he whispered, but the word came out broken, a total lie. “… Fuck, yes, okay, yes... I love it, please don’t stop-“

You stopped instantly.

You pulled your mouth off him completely, sat back in your seat, wiped the corner of your lips with your thumb, and looked at him.

His cock twitched in the open air, slick and neglected.

“Why’d you stop?” The words tumbled out desperate, cracking at the edges. “Why- I said please-“

“You said stop earlier.” You tilted your head, letting your gaze drift to the shadows outside, then back to his face. “Now you’re saying don’t stop. You need to make up your fucking mind, Jude.”

“I made it up. I made it up,” he nodded frantically, his sweaty curls clinging to his forehead. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop. I don’t care about them. Just… your mouth. I need your mouth-“

Outside, the car doors thunked shut again. The engine turned over, headlights swung away, and the crunch of gravel faded into the distance as the strangers drove off.

You were completely alone again.

“There,” you said softly. “They’re gone. Just us now. You want to come, baby?”

Jude nodded so fast you thought his neck would break. “Yes. Yes. Fuck. I want to come. Please let me come. I’ll be good. I’ll be so good. I won’t tease you anymore while you’re driving, I swear to god—”

“No, you won’t,” you agreed smoothly. “Because next time, I’ll pull over and edge you until you’re crying so hard you can’t see straight. Now... where do you want to come?”

His voice shattered completely. “Your mouth. In your mouth. Please, please, in your fucking mouth.”

You waited until his breathing slowed, just a fraction. Then you leaned over and took him back into your mouth, and this time he let out a sharp, choked cry. His hand finally landed on your head, his palm pressing against the nape of your neck, holding on but not directing, just anchoring himself.

You swallowed him down deep, until your nose pressed against his dark pubic hair, until your throat worked around him in tight, rhythmic contractions. His hands clutched tight to your shirt and the sound he made was a raw, wordless wail that bounced off the fogged windows.

“I’m gonna- I’m- fuck, I’m coming, I’m coming-“

His hips jerked in helpless, pathetic thrusts he couldn't control as he pulsed against your tongue, hot and thick, filling your mouth. You swallowed around him, milking every drop, letting him ride out the last shuddering aftershocks until his thighs stopped shaking.

Slowly, you released him with a quiet pop. You sat up, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand.

Jude stared at you like you’d just rearranged the universe. His shirt was twisted and damp, his lips swollen red from biting them, eyes glassy and dazed.

“You…” He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. “That was…”

You reached over, tucked him back into his briefs, and pulled his sweatpants up. You snapped the waist, and gave his thigh two brisk, businesslike pats.

“Put your seatbelt on,” you said, turning the key in the ignition. The engine hummed to life, cutting through the heavy silence in the car. “We’ve still got twenty more minutes of driving minimum, and you’re going to be a good passenger this time.”

Jude let out a breathy exhale, resting his head back against the leather headrest. He was completely spent, his body limp and his chest rising in heavy breaths as he stared straight ahead with a glazed, thoroughly ruined expression.

His fingers trembled just a little when he weakly reached for the seatbelt and clicked it into place. He didn't touch the radio, he didn't touch your thigh, and for the rest of the drive home, the passenger princess didn't say another word.

-> reblog to support me, if you enjoyed reading this and please let me know your thoughts in the comments! ཐི❤︎ཋྀ

you had chosen to sleep alone in the speakeasy, wanting to escape the noise of the bedroom and avoid sharing a bed with any of the new boys.

the quiet room was dim and still. you pulled the duvet up to your shoulders, closing your eyes and letting out long, low breaths as you fought to keep it together.

your right hand clutched djed’s chain for dear life, your thumb running over the smooth, cold metal again and again like a comforting prayer.

“if he isn’t the one for me, please give me some kind of sign,” you muttered aloud to the empty room, your voice barely above a whisper.

you squeezed the metal tightly against your chest. held together by the quiet hope that he was thinking of you just as deeply on the other side of the island, you finally drifted off to sleep.

the next morning, you were sitting at your vanity in the dressing room, gently applying your morning moisturizer, when cameron walked through the door holding a plate and a cup full of juice.

“good morning, gorgeous,” he said, flashing a bright, hopeful smile as he set the plate down beside your makeup bag.

he had put in serious effort. a warm plate of fluffy scrambled eggs, a side of fresh berries, and two thick slices of toast generously slathered with peanut butter, drizzled with honey, and topped with slices of banana.

the gesture was sweet, but as soon as the smell hit you, your stomach dropped. what cameron didn't know was that you hated peanut butter. insanely. the smell alone made you want to gag.

regardless, you flashed him a polite, appreciative smile, touched by the effort. “cameron, wow... thank you so much! this is so sweet of you, seriously.”

“of course,” he beamed, looking proud of himself. “i’ll let you finish getting ready”

the second he turned his heel and walked out of the room, you let out a long breath and looked at the plate in front of you.

“girl, what is that face?” ken asked, turning around from her mirror with her hair straightener in hand.

“i fuckin hate peanut butter,” you whispered, laughing as you carefully picked up the toast by the very edge of the crust. “he tried, though! bless his heart.”

you happily ate the eggs and the fresh fruit, then immediately slid the peanut butter and banana toast onto ken’s plate.

ken giggled, taking a big bite out of the toast while your lips turned up into disgust.

over in casa amor, the morning sun was beating down as everyone lounged around the garden, sipping from their water bottles and getting to know each other.

djed sat on one of the large blue beanbags near the edge of the lawn, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared blankly into the clear water of the pool. his mind was already miles away, back at the main villa, wondering what you were doing, what you had for breakfast.

"hey, can i pull you for a chat?"

djed blinked, looking up to see zaria standing over him in a neutral-toned bikini, shifting her weight onto one hip with a confident, expectant smirk.

he offered a polite, quiet smile, pushing himself up off the beanbag. "yeah, course. lead the way."

he followed her across the garden, keeping a good distance behind her until they reached the daybeds tucked away in the far corner of the casa villa. zaria sat down, tucking one leg beneath her, while djed took a seat on the opposite end, resting his back against the frame.

"how are you feeling?" she asked, leaning in slightly as she wrapped her hands around her bottle. "and thank you for breakfast again, by the way. that was really sweet."

"no problem at all," he responded, his accent smooth and low. running a hand over his locs before meeting her gaze. "truthfully speaking, being in here is killing me.” he says with a chuckle, “i am still open to getting to know new people and whatnot, but at the same time... it's tough for me to pull away from what i already have.”

zaria tilted her head, her dark eyes locking onto his as a knowing, playful smirk touched her lips.

"i understand that, i really do," she said softly, taking his hand into hers. "but i think it’s only fair to yourself that you do explore and get to know everyone while you're here. not just me, but all the girls. you never know... we might surprise you."

djed just let out a light, breathy laugh, shaking his head gently. he leaned his back against the edge of the couch, still keeping his distance.

"i hear you," he said, "i’m not closed off. just trying to be respectful, you know?"

zaria chuckled, impressed by his unwavering composure, even as she adjusted her position on the daybed to keep his full attention. “yeah, i know. i’ll be good i promise.”

from across the way, the other villa boys sat grouped together on the poolside loungers, their sunglasses on as they watched the conversation happening on the daybeds.

“this is good for him,” sam said, taking a sip of his water and gesturing subtly with his chin toward djed and zaria. “he’s been all about you-know-who since the day he’s gotten here.”

“literally from day one,” trey agreed, leaning back against his towel. “he hasn't even looked in another direction. but he needs to at least talk to these girls, man.”

the guys all nodded, genuinely wanting him to open up and get to know the casa girls. they knew how deep djed was in with you, and they believed he deserved to have some fun. without you by his side.

“zaria’s laying it on thick, though,” dave chuckled, watching as she leaned closer to djed on the cushions. “let’s see if he actually takes the bait.”

over on the daybed, completely oblivious to the boys' commentary, djed just kept his cool, nodding along politely while his mind constantly drifted back to you.

back at the villa, after chatting with the casa boys and your girls all day, it was time to get dressed for another night in paradise.

you put on a cute black lace top paired with fitted capris and sky-high stilettos, figuring if you didn’t feel good on the inside, you could at least look the part on the outside. your braids were pulled back into a high pony, highlighting your face perfectly.

standing in front of the full-length mirror in the dressing room, your eyes focused strictly on djed’s ankh hanging around your neck. the chain was completely clashing with your delicate lace top, throwing off the whole outfit, but the thought of taking it off felt like a betrayal. you knew that it was dramatic, but you couldn’t help but think of how rude it was to leave behind something he’d given you.

imani stepped up right beside you in the mirror, resting a soft hand on your shoulder before turning you around to face her directly.

“girl. my sweet girl, i really do love you. but stand the fuck up for real,” imani said, her eyes dead serious as she looked into your eyes. “like, what’s the plan here? you gone keep being sad while he’s over there doing him? or are you gonna have a good fucking time? i hate to be like that, but you moping around is not gonna bring him back, and it’s not gonna make him stay loyal to you either. you’re here for you. not djed fucking spence.”

her words hung in the air, a blunt dose of tough love that hit you right in the chest.

you stared at her, the truth stinging just enough to wake you up out of your funk. you looked back into the glass, taking a deep breath as you reached up to the clasp behind your neck. with a shaky hand, you unfastened the heavy silver chain, letting it fall gently into your palm. you placed it carefully inside your jewelry pouch on the vanity, setting it down with a soft sigh.

"you're right," you murmured, smoothing down your lace top and straightening your shoulders.

"damn right i am," imani grinned, grabbing your hand and giving it a squeeze. you tried to force a smile on your face as you looked at your bare chest in the mirror, but your chest tightened. you couldn’t help but feel like you’d just made the absolute worst mistake.

selah squeezed your shoulder reassuringly, completely unaware of the sudden, suffocating knot forming in your throat. "there she is! now come on, let's go get a drink."

you nodded, turning away from the vanity. the six new casa boys were lined up near the stairs, looking at you with like meat now that his chain was missing from your neck. cameron immediately caught your eye, flashing a warm smile as he stepped forward, his hand out to assist you.

"you look incredible tonight," he said softly.

"thank you," you forced out. you all gathered around the bar, toasting your wine to the boys’ second night in the villa.

taking a sip to swallow down the lump in your throat. you took a deep breath, you were gonna have fun and survive the night, but inside, your heart was still screaming for the man sitting on the other side of the island.

suddenly, ken’s phone buzzed with the unmistakable, loud chime of a villa text, cutting through the chatter.

“i got a text!” ken screamed, holding her phone up as everyone gathered around the main fire pit.

“islanders, tonight, the villa and casa amor will go head-to-head in a game of ‘raunchy races’!”

your nose crinkled at the name, “the fuck?” you muttered, shifting uncomfortably in your stilettos.

“#who’s on top, #moving quickly,” she finished, sliding her phone into her lap as the villa erupted into screams and high-fives.

“this means we have to go crazy, y’all!” mari yelled, jumping up and down on the cushions. “we cannot let the boys beat us!“

everyone sat in a tight circle around the fire pit. the rules were simple, casa amor and the main villa would both receive identical text messages at the exact same time containing a task, and whichever house completed the challenge fastest would win a point.

meanwhile, over in casa amor, the exact same text hit trey’s phone, sending their villa yard into absolute chaos.

“fuck the villa! it’s time to get nasty!” trey screamed at the top of his lungs, slamming his fist onto the coffee table as all the casa girls went crazy, cheering and tossing their hair back.

djed sat on the edge of the couch, watching the casa boys hype each other up like absolute madmen. he looked down at his bare hands, running a palm over his face as he let out a heavy, exhausted sigh.

“fuck me, man,” he muttered to himself, the dread settling heavy in his stomach as he realized what this game was going to require.

sam’s phone pinged first with a loud chime, and he instantly read it aloud: “demonstrate your favorite move while kissing the shortest boy or girl of the opposite sex.”

savannah immediately stood up, being the shortest girl in casa, and sam grabbed her hand. the two of them raced to the center of the patio in an attempt to beat the main villa, sam dipping her back low and pulling her into a dramatic kiss as the casa crew screamed at the top of their lungs.

over in the main villa, selah received the exact same text.

"shortest! shortest! who's the shortest?!" selah yelled, scanning the lineup before grabbing cameron, who happened to be the shortest boy present. she yanked him into the center of the firepit and locked lips with him in a frenzy.

both villas went absolutely crazy, echoing with deafening cheers and whistles. they finally broke away and a second later you got a text announcing the winner.

casa amor got the point.

the casa guys and girls jumped into a massive group hug, roaring with victory, while over in the main villa, mari clutched her head.

"come on, y'all! we gotta be faster!" mari yelled, bouncing on her toes as everyone leaned in close to the fire pit, waiting anxiously for the next text to drop.

in casa, maya’s phone pinged with the next text: “kiss the islander born in a foreign country.”

“foreign country! foreign country!” maya yelled, her eyes instantly locking onto djed.

she sprinted across the patio and jumped straight into his lap, catching him off guard. djed caught her, his instincts taking over as he locked lips with her to secure the point, his hands resting on her waist to keep her steady.

“yes! go on, djed! dig in, boy!” the casa boys roared from the sidelines, pumping their fists and screaming at them to take it further.

obeying their orders, maya threw her head back, pressing in close and grinding her hips onto his to crank up the energy. he broke away and couldn't help but sigh in deep relief when it was finally over, running a hand over his mouth as he sat back.

meanwhile, over in the main villa, damian and imani were already on top of each other, her legs behind his head, locking lips in a sloppy kiss to get the win.

point: villa.

everyone in casa groaned in unison, the guys throwing their arms up in frustration while djed just leaned back against the couch, wondering what the fuck you girls were doing over there.

“kiss the islander with the best tattoos.”

amari was up in the main villa, grabbing chase by the back of his neck and pulling him down into a kiss so intense her head was damn near in the bushes behind you.

“yes, amari!” andreina screamed, clapping her hands violently while you laughed, trying to shield your eyes from the sheer chaos.

meanwhile in casa, cleo and dave didn't waste a single second. they dropped straight to the floor, cleo pinning dave down and straddling him as they kissed. dave picked her up off the ground and ran with her her bridal-style all the way into the bedroom while the casa boys went absolutely feral.

point: casa.

the villa girls groaned, slumping back into the fire pit cushions in defeat, while over in casa, the boys lifted dave onto their shoulders like he’d just won a championship belt.

back in the villa, cameron’s phone pinged. “kiss the islander you’re most attracted to.”

without missing a single beat, cameron turned, scooped you up into his arms like you weighed nothing, and sprinted straight into the kitchen. he hoisted you onto the marble kitchen island, climbing in between your legs, leaning over you.

“this okay?” he asked quickly, his breathing heavy as he checked in.

you gave him a brief nod, and he immediately leaned in, catching your lips in a deep kiss. the whole villa went wild, mari and ken screaming and banging on the counters to hype you up.

meanwhile, over in casa, djed’s own phone pinged with the exact same text. he grabbed zaria, picking her up with his heavy hands locked firmly under her ass while her fingers tangled into his thick locs. they locked lips in an intense kiss before she slid back down his body, leaving a trail of lipstick down his neck and cheekily licking down his open chest.

point: casa.

the boys in casa went crazy, jumping on djed as he wiped his chest with a heavy breath.

back at the fire pit, the loss hit the girls hard. you slid off the kitchen island, smoothing down your lace top with a sour look on your face.

“i’m so fucking irritated,” you sighed, rolling your eyes as you dropped back onto the cushions, really wanting this fuck ass challenge to be over.

your phone rang with the loud ping of another text. you snapped it open, reading the message aloud: “everyone pick a fellow islander and make out like it’s the last night on earth.”

not wanting to lose another point—and honestly just trying to get the nightmare over with as fast as humanly possible—you didn't even look twice. you turned to whoever you saw first, grabbing malik by his collar and pulling him down into a fast, frantic kiss. around you, the fire pit instantly erupted into absolute, unhinged chaos as every single person locked lips, hands flying everywhere as everyone got busy trying to get the win.

meanwhile, over in casa, the boys and girls threw themselves into the exact same challenge desperate to win as well.

soon enough, you got another text: casa wins the game.

the main villa broke apart, everyone groaning in utter defeat and breathless frustration as you wiped your lips with the back of your hand, pulling your top back into place.

"i hate it here," mari gasped, collapsing back onto the cushions with a groan while the girls tossed their hands up in the air.

you sat down beside her, staring blankly into the fire pit with your heart pounding against your chest, deeply regretting every single kiss you had just given out while wondering once again what the hell was happening over on the other side of the island.

over in casa, djed was sitting in the corner of the bedroom chatting with zaria, the faint sound of laughter from the rest of the house floating in through the open door.

after chatting for a while, zaria shifted on the edge of the bed, her eyes locking onto his as her voice softened. “i just want you to know that i do respect your connection in the villa, but it’s kind of hard for me to be fully present with you and be myself at the same time.”

“what do you mean?” djed asked, rubbing his jaw as he looked at her.

“i consider myself a very touchy person... i like cuddling, and kissing, and such,” she murmured, a playful, tempting smile spreading across her lips. before he could digest her words, she leaned in, her soft lips planting a string of lingering, warm kisses along the side of his neck.

djed’s breath hitched, his hands resting flat on the mattress behind him.

“and didn’t you have so much fun in the challenge with me?” she whispered against his skin.

“i-“ before he could even finish his sentence, zaria swung her leg over and climbed straight into his lap, cupping his face in her hands and finally capturing his lips in a slow kiss.

for a second, djed let the momentum of the moment carry him. but as her hands moved to his shoulders, a sharp feeling of pure guilt pierced through his chest. he gently grabbed her wrists, pulling back and breaking the kiss.

he kept his eyes tightly closed, resting his forehead against her shoulder for a brief second while his pulse raced in his ears. he was mentally kicking the absolute shit out of himself for giving in, even for a second.

the taste of her lips felt wrong. the feeling of her in his lap felt wrong. every single instinct in his body was screaming at him, telling him he belonged back in the speakeasy with you.

djed swallowed hard, opening his eyes and gently shifting zaria back onto the mattress beside him. he gave her a quick smile before excusing himself to the bathroom.

he ran both palms over his face, staring at the floorboards in dead silence as a cold knot settled heavy in his stomach. he missed you more than anything, and now he was terrified that he’d just ruined it.

when the two of you finally got out of bed, he never let you make your own coffee even after he’d already made you breakfast. he’d make your iced coffee just how you liked it with hella sugar and hazelnut creamer, bringing it straight to you on the sunbeds before coming back to sit right between your legs so you could eat together.

his hands were always touching you. whether his fingers were lightly tracing patterns on your bare knee, gently playing with the ends of your hair, or giving your waist a quick, reassuring squeeze every time he walked past you in the kitchen.

afternoon poolside was the best. you’d lay flat on your stomach with his hand resting heavy and warm on the small of your back while you bickered playfully about who was the better cook or who’d make the worst parent if the villa did baby challenge like previous seasons. he had this nerdy laugh that made your heart flutter every single time.

by the time evening rolled around and everyone was drinking wine by the pool, you’d sit tucked into his side under the villa lights. he’d rest his chin right on top of your head, resting his hand firmly on your thigh under the wooden table, making you feel completely secure, completely taken care of, and entirely his.

the grand entry happened right in the middle of a challenge, foam and paint everywhere when the two of them waltzed in. you along with everyone else were completely taken aback.

ken was brazilian and ridiculously beautiful. glowing tan skin, thick thighs, dark hair, and a crazy gorgeous smile. then there was deja, another black girl like yourself, and she was just stunning. chocolate skin, almond eyes, and honestly, she reminded you a lot of yourself.

and within five minutes of stepping foot into the villa, it was painfully clear that both of them had their eyes locked on djed.

yes, they were beautiful, funny from what you could tell, and honestly, it didn’t help that they were so nice to you. it made it hurt that much more when the both of them started pulling djed for back-to-back chats around the garden. this was the exact part of love island you hated. how in the hell are you supposed to just sit there and watch the man you like talk to two women all day, right in front of your face?

“girl, you have nothing to worry about. djed is literally crazy about you,” mari told you, sitting on the vanity bench in the dressing room.

you’d just gotten out of the shower, a towel wrapped tight around your chest while mari lounged in her pjs. it was just the two of you in the quiet room.

“i know, i just... i like him so much,” you admitted softly, sitting down across from her and staring at your hands. “and i’ve explored before he got here, but he hasn’t. i’ve been his only connection, so i want him to explore. i want him to get to know other people and be sure. but i don’t want him to walk away from me, you know? i don’t want anyone else here.”

mari reached across the space between you, giving your knee a soft squeeze. “just talk to him. see where his head’s at. i promise you’re just overthinking it, baby.”

you took a deep breath, nodding. mari was right. bottling it up was only making you spiral, and the distance you were putting between yourself and djed out of fear was just creating a problem that wasn't even there yet.

that brings everything right back to soul ties, where you’re currently sitting across from him in the dark after dinner.

djed listens to every single word as you confess how self-conscious the new bombshells made you feel, and how terrified you were of losing the rhythm you two had just built.

as soon as the words leave your mouth, djed’s expression softens completely. the small line of tension between his brows vanishes. he lets out a quiet breath, shaking his head slowly as a warm, tender smile breaks across his face.

“come here,” he says softly.

he doesn't wait—he reaches out, pulling you by your waist until you’re sitting directly in his lap, your legs draped over his thighs. he wraps his arms tight around you, burying his face into the crook of your neck for a long moment, taking a deep breath before pulling back just enough to look into your eyes.

“you silly girl,” he murmurs, his thumb coming up to trace your cheekbone. “you really had yourself sitting here stressing over that?”

“djed, im being serious,” you whisper, your hands resting on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. “i just don’t want to be that girl standing in your way—”

“listen to me,” he interrupts, his tone firm but incredibly gentle. his hand moves to the back of your neck, fingers tangling softly in your hair so you can’t look away. “ken and deja are nice girls. but they aren't you. i don’t care who walks through those doors. my eyes have been on you since the second i stepped into this villa, and that hasn't changed for a single second.”

he leans down, resting his forehead against yours so your breath mingles in the quiet night air.

“there’s nothing for you to be worried about, love,” he whispers, his thumb gently smoothing over your bottom lip. “i want you. i want us.”

a overwhelming wave of relief washes over you, all the tightness in your chest melting away in an instant. you let out a breathless laugh, wrapping your arms tight around his neck and burying your face into his shoulder.

djed tightens his grip around your waist, pulling you against him, before shifting his head to press a slow, deep kiss to your lips. putting an end to every single doubt in your mind.

that night, the bedroom was entirely pitch black, filled only with the faint sound of soft breathing and low air conditioning. but neither of you could even think about sleep.

djed had pulled the heavy duvet completely over both of your heads, so the cameras couldn't see a thing. only the silhouettes of your bodies.

he was shifted entirely over you, his broad chest pinning you down into the mattress, his heavy thighs sliding between yours. you couldn't keep your hands to yourself. your fingers were tangled tight in his hair, pulling his head down every single time he tried to catch his breath.

his lips worked over yours with a desperate hunger. the kisses were deep and slick. every time his tongue slid against yours, a breathless, broken moan bubbled up in your throat, and djed would instantly swallow it, his mouth bruising yours to keep you quiet so you wouldn't wake up the room.

his warm, calloused hands slid under your shirt, gripping your waist tight, his thumbs tracing lines up your ribs. every touch made your skin hot. you arched up into him, feeling the heavy, steady weight of his body pressed completely flush against yours, leaving absolutely zero space between you.

"you're driving me crazy, baby," he growled against your lips, his deep voice barely a raspy thread of air in the dark.

he trailed his mouth down your jaw, taking nips at the sensitive skin of your throat, making you gasp and tighten your grip on his shoulders. when he dragged his mouth back up to yours, the kiss was even messier, his hand coming up to cup your face, holding you still while he drank you in.

you kissed him like you were starved for it, all the built-up tension, jealousy, and fear from the last few days completely burning away in the dark. by the time he finally let your lips go, both of your chests were heaving against each other, completely drenched in heat and gasping for air in the quiet bubble under the sheets.

djed rested his forehead against yours, his thumb softly stroking your bottom lip, a low, satisfied chuckle rumbling deep in his chest before he pulled you tight into his side for the rest of the night.

a couple hours later, you were awoken not by production’s loud morning alarms, but by the soft, choked cries of nikki and the loud sighs of absolute exhaustion coming from sam across the room.

djed was still sleeping peacefully next to you, both of his heavy arms wrapped securely around your waist, his breath slow and deep against your shoulder. if we’re being completely honest, you tried to ignore it at first. y’all barely got enough sleep as is, and the last thing you wanted to do was move out of djed's arms.

but as nikki's quiet sniffling continued, you couldn’t help but feel bad for her.

gently, you untangled yourself from djed’s grip. him letting out a low, sleepy grunt as his arms reached blindly for you before settling back into the pillows. you slipped out of bed, tiptoed over to nikki, and took her hand, quietly guiding her out of the dark bedroom and upstairs to the empty dressing room.

you sat her down on one of the plush velvet ottomans and grabbed a tissue for her.

“girl, what’s the matter?” you asked softly, sitting right beside her.

she let out a long sigh, wiping beneath her eyes. “i just feel so stupid,” she sniffled, pulling her knees up to her chest. “i feel like he doesn’t give a shit about me.”

“nikki, honey, that’s not true,” you reassured her gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. “if he didn’t care about you, why would he even be making an effort to talk to you? let alone make both you and imani breakfast this morning? why would he still check in on you even though you’re not in a couple anymore?”

“that’s the thing!” she blurted out, her voice trembling. “there shouldn’t even be a ‘you and imani’! if he would’ve just let me know he was interested in getting to know other people from the very beginning, it wouldn’t be like this!”

“nik, i hear you. i really do,” you told her, keeping your voice calm and steady. “but when imani came in, it was still fairly early. it was too early for anyone to completely close themselves off. you can’t blame him for exploring his options. that’s what we all came here to do. if anything, you should be doing the exact same thing.”

you squeezed her hand, looking her dead in the eye.

“stop worrying about him and start prioritizing yourself. because this? this constant back-and-forth? this arguing in the middle of the night? it isn’t healthy for you, for either of you. you deserve to actually enjoy your time here.”

nikki lets out a long breath, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes, and pulls you into a tight, grateful hug.

“thank you,” she whispers into your shoulder. “i really needed to hear that.”

“always. go get some rest,” you say softly, before the two of you walk back down the stairs to the dark bedroom.

she tiptoes over to her side of the room and climbs back into bed with alex, while you slip quietly back under the heavy duvet next to djed.

the moment the sheets move, djed’s long arm instantly stretches out, pulling you right back against his warm chest.

“where’d you go, baby?” he mumbles, his voice thick with sleep, eyes still closed as he buries his face into your bonnet.

“we’ll talk later, go back to sleep,” you whisper, smiling into the dark as you plant a few soft, tender kisses along his broad chest.

he lets out a low, satisfied hum, his grip on your waist tightening just a little more as he drifts right back off, holding you close until morning.

the bright villa lights turned on, flooding the room and instantly signaling the start of another long filming day. you let out a groaning whine, grabbing the heavy duvet and pulling it completely over your head, pressing yourself further into djed’s warm chest in a desperate attempt to ignore reality.

"baby," djed called out softly, his voice gravelly and thick with morning sleep.

it was crazy to realize, but your actual name had become practically foreign to him. ever since you two coupled up, he’d dropped it completely. you honestly couldn't remember the last time he’d called you anything other than baby or love in that cute english accent.

"no, djed," you grumbled from under the dark blanket, tightening your arms around his waist.

"baby," he chuckled softly, his chest rumbling right against your cheek as he called out once more.

"i'm sleepy..."

"i know, love," he murmured, his fingers gently stroking your face. "go get dressed, and i'll make you some coffee, okay? just how you like it."

you slowly pulled your head out from under the covers at the promise of caffeine, immediately wincing and screwing your eyes shut as the blinding lights hit your face.

"i'm so irritated," you grumbled, burying your face right into the crook of his neck to hide from the glare.

djed just let out another low, warm laugh, wrapping both of his massive arms tight around you and pulling you flush against his chest. "i know, baby. i know," he smiled, pressing a long, sweet kiss on your forehead.

after you’d gotten dressed and fed, you were laying in djed’s lap on one of the couches in the shade. trying your hardest to stay awake so the producers weren’t on your ass about napping as he ran his fingers lazily through your hair.

"why did you leave me last night?" he asked softly. “i was looking for you.”

"nikki and sam... i guess they got into an argument? i don't know," you explained, turning your head slightly to look up at him. "she was crying, and i couldn't just leave her there. she's still hurt by the recoupling."

"wow," he said, shaking his head slowly as he looked across the yard toward where sam was sitting alone by the pool.

"yeah," you sighed, resting your cheek against his thigh. "she feels like he blew her off the second imani walked in. i just told her she needs to stop stressing over him and focus on herself, because arguing at three in the morning every night isn't helping anybody."

djed let out a quiet scoff, his thumb gently smoothing over your hip. he leaned down, blocking out the bright afternoon glare, and pressed a slow kiss to your forehead. "i’m glad you came back to bed. sleeping without you for even twenty minutes was trash."

just as you were about to joke with him about how needy he was being, someone’s phone blared out that dreaded, text alert across the villa.

a collective groan echoed around the pool. everyone slowly dragged themselves over to the main couches, gathering around trey as he held up his phone, stepping into the middle of the circle to read out loud.

“islanders, it’s time to share your honest opinions about one another and get everything off your chest in tonight’s villa game: stand on business!”

“this early?” you responded.

less than ten seconds later, ken’s phone buzzed with the follow up text. she held it up, her eyes wide as she read, “you will each receive blank postcards to send to your fellow islanders telling them how you really feel. it’s up to you if you want to sign your name or not. clear the air and leave nothing unsaid.”

“this is so messy,” amari whispered, leaning over to you from the adjacent couch.

“definitely,” you murmured back. “somebody’s about to get their feelings hurt.”