You looked closer, barely peering through the doorway. There, beside the desk, was your boss. Fucking someone.

The stranger looked about your age; blond, curly hair, slim, his face bright red as your boss fucked him. Yet you were wise enough to know his moans weren’t authentic, faux pleas of “fuck me daddy,” ringing hollow.

You watched them for a little longer than you'd care to admit, stunned by what you were witnessing. Only then did you remember why Rennyn ordered you back inside. You grabbed your phone from your pocket, double-checking it was on silent before dimming the brightness.

Then, you started filming them.

Thirty seconds would be more than enough, your palms sweaty as you struggled to keep the phone steady. You did your best to breathe slowly, not wanting to be heard.

Shit!

Your phone slipped through your hands, falling onto the hardwood floor with a crack.

They both paused, but you wasted no time checking to see if they noticed you. You snatched your phone off the ground, and ran back outside.

Cold air hit your face near immediately, a cacophony of noise surrounding the city streets. You moved away from the building into an alleyway before pulling your phone back out; a large crack now in the middle.

Fuck.

You sent the video to Rennyn, calling him as it uploaded. With each ring, you looked out at the sidewalk; ensuring no one was following you.

Rennyn didn't take long to answer, yet still sounded annoyed. "What?”

"I found something, I'm sending it to you. It’s… uh…are you around people?"

"The fuck does that matter? I-" he paused, mumbling his next words. "Oh, holy shit."

"Yeah, uh…can you come pick me up? Like, now? I don't wanna be here when they…finish."

————————————

Rennyn held your phone as he laughed, the two of you sitting in his bedroom as he reviewed the footage. "Holy shit. You just got the blackmail material of the century."

"Yeah, there's…not really a positive way to spin that, I guess." You couldn't help but feel somewhat uncomfortable, nervously scratching your arm. "Are…are you gonna like, leak it?"

"No, are you fucking crazy?" He pointed back at the screen. "Do you know who that is?"

"…my boss?"

"No," he groaned. "The guy he's fucking."

You looked him over once more, nothing jogging your memory. "Nope."

"That, my friend, is Callon Vedrexa. Last name ring a bell?"

You had vaguely heard the surname in a few financial news columns. "Like Vedrexa Holdings? The people that own a bunch of casinos, right?"

"That, and the biggest drug empire in the country. Callon’s dad and his uncle own it. He's also Leona's best friend, which makes him a cunt by association. Basically...his family and mine have a...partnership going on, you could call it."

Your eyes narrowed. "Why's he fucking that guy then? If he comes from a powerful family, he’s not gonna be doing shit like that, right?”

"Could be the same thing we're doing, gathering intel. Maybe blondie’s his type.” He stopped the video. “But if we leak it like this, the alliance between my family and his family is fucked. I’ll bring it to my dad, and…well, I’m sure you can figure out what’ll happen next.”

You raised an eyebrow. “But you just said you couldn’t leak it like that.”

“Yeah, but the creep doesn’t need to know that,” Rennyn set his phone down, lying back on the bed. “Guys like this, just getting caught sometimes is enough to shake them. We may not even have to show him the video. And hey, friends can become enemies pretty fast in this business. The Vedrexa's start fucking up, then bam," he gestured to the phone. "Either way, this is a winning lottery ticket of material.” He looked up at you, a proud smile on his face. “Good work.”

You moved beside him, oddly pleased with yourself. So often, if you came to Rennyn’s room, it meant sex. You didn’t mind that fact. Yet the feeling of just sitting together on the bed in silence…in a strange way, you liked it.

“Rennyn?” You spoke up.

He stared up at the ceiling, looking almost lost in thought. “Yeah?”

“You okay? You’re all quiet.”

“I’m fine,” he rolled his eyes. “Just…thinking. That’s all.”

“Oh, that’s new,” you teased.

He smirked at you; not a frown, but a smirk. Was this how you got him to like you? By getting blackmail material on his family’s enemies?

Apparently so.

He moved on top of you, pinning your wrists to the bed. For a moment, he just stared, looking down at you with something you could almost describe as admiration.

It was weird.

“What are you doing?” You asked, feeling his breath on your lips.

“I don’t know. Just try not to think about it too hard.”

He leaned down to kiss you, his lips clashing against yours as you embraced. There was always a quickness to these moments, a feverish rush to get your clothes off, to fuck you, to devour you. Yet as minutes passed, he continued to kiss you, tongue dancing against yours. You could’ve stayed like this for hours.

When he finally pulled away, his face shifted, as if realizing something.

What the fuck is he thinking?

Before you could ponder the thought any longer, he grabbed you by your hips, roughly turning you onto your stomach.

“I can’t look at you,” he mumbled under his breath. “I can’t. But I just can’t help myself.”

Before you could question his statement, you felt him pull your skirt off, your underwear coming shortly after. You were already wet, but the sensation of his tongue on your clit made it impossible to think clearly.

That was one of the strangest things about Rennyn. He was undeniably selfish, undeniably violent; yet he ate you out like you were the center of his world, his tongue lapping at all the best places.

He held you tightly, spanking your ass when you started to squirm. “Quit it,” he mumbled between licks. “It’ll be better if you stay still.”

When you tried to lift your head up to look behind you, he paused, taken aback for just a moment before straightening his back and pushing your head into the pillow.

"Just like that," he purred as he lined his cock up with your cunt. "This..." he thrust inside you aggressively, the gentle touch from before clearly a thought of the past. "This is your best angle. By far."

Every time you turned to look at him, he pushed your face back down into the pillow. He held you tight, skin slapping against skin; there was no denying it felt incredible.

No matter how much he annoyed you, how cruel he could be, his cock always managed to hit you in all the right places.

Yet you weren’t sure why he wouldn’t look at you.

You simply went along, happy to be fucked, your cunt begging for more as you moaned into the pillow. He slowed his pace, and just barely, you could hear his voice.

“Fuck it.”

He pulled you onto your back once more, spreading your legs as he found his way back in between you. He pushed back inside you, leaning down to kiss you once more.

Instinctively, you wrapped your arms and legs around him, as close to him as physically possible. Never before had he fucked you so passionately, every kiss messier than the last. You ran your fingernails down his back, feeling yourself getting tighter.

“You’re close,” he rasped between breaths. “I can feel it. Cum with me.” A demand, yet his tone was softer than you were used to.

You nodded, unable to speak as he slammed against your g-spot, the space between your legs soaked. His moans grew louder and louder, and he pulled you into one last kiss before cumming inside you.

It was unlike any encounter you had ever had with him. Yet if his feelings for you truly had changed, he said nothing about it.

—————————

When you went in to your internship the next morning, it was as if nothing had happened. The portrait of your boss’s grandson on his desk made you uneasy.

You thought back to Rennyn’s original proposition.

"Problem is, he’s not making good on his side of the deal."

What could that mean?

You still weren't entirely sure what Rennyn's family did. Nothing legal, that you were sure of. Yet there was a difference between white collar crime, and someone getting hurt.

You thought back to the boy from yesterday. For a moment, you felt bad for him; being from another crime family, there was no telling the things he had been asked to do. The boy being forced to use his body for information wasn't out of the question.

"He's also Leona's best friend, which makes him a cunt by association."

Selfishly, you felt a little less bad.

The day was slow, leaving your mind with plenty of time to wander. What had your boss done? How did Rennyn's family make their money?

You did what anyone would've done. You started looking shit up.

Nearly all the articles that appeared when you searched the name 'Arzell' were about his sister, Leona. A breakout model. An influencer with hundreds of brand deals. An aspiring recording artist.

And a huge bitch.

You kept scrolling, further and further, page after page. It was only when you got to the third page you found information about Rennyn's father's line of work. You already knew he owned several companies, including a small chain of luxury hotels.

His biggest source of income by far was a conglomerate listed as A.Z. Diagnostics and Lab Sciences.

You had seen the logo before. You'd struggle to find a person who hadn't. Anytime you needed your blood drawn, you were sent to an A.Z. Lab building. Pharmaceuticals, genetic testing, blood testing, medical devices; it seemed as if they did it all, with hundreds of labs across the country.

It was certainly legitimate. There were plenty of public documents to prove it.

Then why would Rennyn be so...weird?

You kept looking for information. There had to be something off. Eleven pages of results in, you found it.

Missing Man Found: Claims Kidnapping by A.Z. Scientist

You clicked the news article, greeted with a blurry video of a naked man running across the street. His body was nothing but skin and bones, covered in blood. You started to watch the news report.

"'They took me! They-they took me in the middle of the night, and-and I was...I was hooked up to this machine! They-they stole my blood. I know it. I-I was lightheaded, and I kept passing out, but I know! I know what they did! I'm not crazy!"

The article ended with a generic statement from the company, followed by an 'expert opinion' that the man was simply having a mental health crisis. Of course, the company had offered to pay for the man’s ‘treatment’.

You felt footsteps behind you, quickly moving to hide your plethora of open tabs. Whatever Rennyn's family was behind, your gut knew; it couldn't be good.

—————————

asshole: did u get the festival budget approved You: you said you'd take over my shit while I was doing my internship asshole: uhhhh no I didn't. asshole: go do it <3

And so, your Saturday morning was spent heading towards the Great Hall, a room filled with offices surrounding the largest auditorium on campus.

If nothing, Rennyn was dedicated to what the student body wanted. The budget for a simple school dance seemed astronomical; yet you persisted, and with the power of persuasion, you got every item approved. Even the ice sculptures, somehow.

You walked past the auditorium, ready to go home. Echoing through the hall was the sound of a cello; you weren't sure why, but you couldn't help but pause, instead moving back towards the sound.

You found yourself at the entrance to the auditorium. The doors were open, yet the rows of velvet seats were empty. Sitting on the stage was a boy with short, dark hair and circle-rimmed glasses, wearing a forest green polo-shirt and slacks as he performed, fingers moving in rapid succession as pulled the bow across the cello.

Something compelled you to listen. You stood still as you watched him play; the way the boy's body moved, it was as if every breath he took the cello breathed with him, his wrist methodically placing each vibrato.

Standing at the edge of the stage was a mess of blond hair. A boy, wearing a blue crop top and low rise jeans, a thin sweater all the protected him from the autumn weather. He leaned against the stage floor, watching in awe. You watched as the cellist looked down at the boy and smiled, the boy clearly his muse.

You looked closer, and you quickly realized that blond boy wasn't a stranger. That was the boy you saw your boss fucking. That was Callon Vedrexa.

The cellist lifted his bow, relaxing his shoulders as the piece concluded.

"That was good!" Callon said happily; his voice wasn't at all what you'd expect. He didn't sound at all intimidating, not like Rennyn. His pitch was elevated, his voice almost nasally.

Frankly, he sounded annoying.

"It was fine," the cellist sighed, picking up the cello and beginning to adjust the endpin. His face barely moved, his demeanor a monotone juxtaposition to Callon’s

Callon turned around, your eyes locking with yours for only a moment. Your heart stopped; did he know? Did he see you? Did he know you were working with Rennyn?

You scampered away before you could find out.

—————————

Sunday came, and the entire situation still felt strange.

"It was weird," you said, sitting on-top of one of the tables in the Student Government meeting room, you and Rennyn alone after an executive board meeting. "He was with this guy, maybe they're friends?”

“Short black hair, dorky glasses?”

“Yeah.”

Rennyn was unfazed, looking as if he was barely paying attention, jotting down notes. "Yeah, that’s his boyfriend. He’s weird.”

Boyfriend?

“But…but he’s fucking my boss.”

“People have lives outside their jobs. I mean,” he looked back up at you. “You fucked my dad, and we’re fine.”

You crossed your arms, “are you gonna hold that over me forever?”

“Probably.”

You frowned, letting out a sigh. “It was weird. He didn't seem like an asshole, he seemed like just some…some guy. It was cute, he was like, laying there watching him play. He seemed like, nice."

"Cause he's a manipulative little fucker," Rennyn spat back.

You resisted the urge to note that Callon was taller than him.

Rennyn continued, "Leona's a bitch to your face. Callon’s different. He’s good at being personable, he’s patient. Leona’s bad at both those things, and it drives her up the wall. He's like a..." he snapped his fingers. "He's like a puppy. But with rabies."

You furrowed your brow; analogies clearly weren't his strong suit. "...what?"

"Like, he seems nice, you get close, he bites you, and then you’re fucked. You know? I mean, for fuck's sake. His boyfriend probably has no idea he's fucking some old dude," Rennyn shrugged.

“…does he have a choice?”

“I don’t know. His dad’s always been an asshole, but Ronan—his uncle, he’s the opposite. The most strait laced a criminal could be. But it doesn’t really matter,” he sighed. "Although, that reminds me,” he set his pencil down. "You know, we could go to the Festival together," he grinned.

If he were anyone else, you might've been flattered; but the smirk on his face made you think twice.

“What’s the catch?"

"The catch...well, word on the street is Ronan's going after some scientist. Someone who's been putting his nose where it doesn't belong, doing research on the shit he sells under the University’s nose.”

“Why would he have to go under the University?”

“Because both my family and Callon’s family pays them off. But that scientist works here, as a professor. Teaches blood magic, or some shit. My dad says Ronan’s planning to kidnap him, try to shake him up, but…the guy’s said to be a pretty stubborn war vet. He’s not gonna talk.”

You slowly nodded your head. "Okay...and what does this have to do with the Festival?"

"All the halls will be empty,” he smiled. “Nearly every security guard is going to be manning that shit-show. Which means...his office is up for grabs. While Ronan's busy torturing a bastard who isn't going to talk anyway, I- I mean, we can just break inside and grab all his documentation for ourselves. Get another bargaining chip against the Vedrexa’s. You in?”

No. No. Absolutely not.

Yet you nodded your head nonetheless.

FUCK SO

I basically abandoned all the stories in this series cause I wrote a wholeass novel in this world, and I was burnt out. But I decided I have some other ideas I want to explore, so it's no longer connected to my other stories, outside of Ronan's. Maybe. For now. Idfk.

Nothing in this is getting retconned, so if you've only read this one or Ronan's, you don't got anything to worry about.

If you read Taleisin/Alex and Callon's/Anthony's story, a few notes;

While fucking with canon isn't...great, it did give me the willpower to continue these stories. So a win is a win.

Taleisin's story and Alex/Callon's stories are now in separate AUs of their own. Taleisin's I may come back to, Alex and Callon's absolutely will be discontinued. I wrote 89k words of them. I never thought I'd overdose on yaoi cocaine, but I did. The gays. They killed me. I am really proud of it though, and am always looking for more alpha readers if anyone is interested :3 but I decided for my own funsies this takes place before my novel. So Alex isn’t dead or anything, bro is just in medical school. He’s booked and busy.

However, the man Ronan's going to kidnap in his story is still Taleisin's father. Taleisin's just like, still in his room being a hiki at this moment in time. He is playing World of Warcraft or League or something. He's busy.

Anthony's solo story is also in a universe on its own. Here, he's dating Callon. No spoilers in the comments for those who know how that's gonna end ;D

Also, here's the cello concerto someone was playing :D

But yeah! We are now starting the arc of 'reader slowly does more and more crime until she no longer recognizes herself' :) yay!