Legally Not Yours

The Tension Builds

POV Leah

I told myself I didn’t care about the kiss. That it didn’t bother me at all. Sure, I could rationalize it.

I could tell myself that Jared Connors was just another guy in a long line of random men I’d kissed on a whim, some kind of dare or accident, a fleeting moment that meant nothing.

But the truth was much harder to swallow.

Watching Jared across the room, effortlessly charming the girl beside him with that perfect smile and the same polished lines he used on me, made something in my chest twist.

It didn’t help that it was clear he was playing some kind of game.

The girl beside him was hanging on his every word, her tight red dress practically glued to her body. When Jared leaned in to whisper something in her ear, she responded with that high-pitched, almost artificial laugh, her eyes bright and full of infatuation.

I didn’t need to hear the words coming from his lips, I could already imagine them. Yet, I still couldn’t tear my eyes away.

Sitting across the room, my fingers glued to the keyboard and typing as though I was deeply invested in my notes. But that was just a lie I was telling myself. I hadn’t looked up for what felt like ten minutes, but in reality, I had glanced over at Jared like seven times.

‘You don’t care’, I reminded myself. But the truth was—my body was saying otherwise.

And then, as if fate had decided to make it even harder, Jared glanced over his shoulder, locking eyes with me for the briefest moment.

His lips curled into that slow, knowing smirk—the kind that said, ‘I see you watching’.

My eyes burned with rage, I could feel the heat of it on my skin, but I refused to let him see how much he affected me. Instead, I turned away, fighting the urge to throw something at him—anything, really.

I needed to get out of there. I couldn’t stay in that room with him. Not now, not with the way he made me feel like a fool.

I didn’t know how long I had been pacing around the student garden before Carlson’s voice broke the silence.

“Leah,” he said, stepping up beside me. “You okay?”

I turned, forcing a smile. “Hey, yeah. Just needed a break from all the… noise.”

“Rough morning?” Carlson raised an eyebrow, his concern evident in the way he looked at me.

“More like rough air quality.” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Too much testosterone indoors.”

Carlson laughed, the sound soft and easy. “Fair enough.”

I leaned against the stone ledge, the cool breeze offering me some small sense of relief. Carlson stood beside me, a steady presence. He was always calm, always warm.

The complete opposite of Jared—who was like a hurricane, chaotic and destructive, ripping through everything in his path. That’s when I made the decision.

If Jared wanted to play games, then I was more than capable of playing, too. I turned toward Carlson, letting the smile on my lips soften into something more genuine.

“Thanks again for the laptop that day. I think you saved me from total disaster.”

“Anytime.” Carlson’s face lit up with a friendly smile. “You’re pretty impressive, you know that?”

My brows lifted in surprise. “Am I?”

“You’re smart. You’re clear.” He nodded, his expression sincere. “Everyone saw it.”

I felt a rush of warmth spread through me at the compliment. There was something about Carlson’s approval that felt like a balm to my frayed nerves.

I took a small step closer, letting the air between us shift, just a little.

“Well,” I said, letting my voice drop to a softer tone, “maybe I should keep you around. For good luck, you know?”

“Yeah?” Carlson’s eyes flickered to my mouth, and I saw the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I wouldn’t mind that.”

I let my hand brush across his shoulder, purposefully, brushing off a nonexistent piece of lint. It was subtle but deliberate.

“You’re nothing like that asshole,” I said, my voice carrying just a touch of mockery.

“Wait, that asshole?” Carlson blinked, his expression turning confused. “You mean Jared?”

“Who else?” I nodded, feeling the bitterness rise in my throat. “He’s trying to ruin my life.”

Carlson let out a heavy sigh. “That explains a lot.”

My heart skipped a beat. “You know him?”

Carlson hesitated, glancing away before meeting my eyes. “I’m his brother.”

“What?” I froze, my mouth dropping open in shock. “You’re… his brother?”

Carlson nodded. I took a step back, processing the words.

“You both look nothing alike,” I said, almost in disbelief as I studied his face. But before I could ask more, I saw movement from the path beyond the garden.

My eyes snapped to it, and my heart skipped in my chest.

Jared wasn’t close enough to confront me, but I could feel his gaze on me near his brother. His eyes locked with mine for a fraction of a second, and I could see it—the hardness in his jaw, the tension in the way he carried himself.

Then, as if realizing he’d been caught, he turned and walked away.

I turned my attention back to Carlson, determined to ignore the tension still crackling in the air. We continued talking, but my mind kept drifting back to the confrontation I had just witnessed.

An hour later, I was back in the shared workspace, typing up revisions, trying to focus, when the door swung open with a force that rattled the walls.

Jared walked in like he owned the place, his jacket off and sleeves rolled up, eyes darker than usual. I didn’t look up from my screen, pretending to be absorbed in my work, so he threw his case file down on the desk with a harsh thud, the sound making me flinch.

“Carlson, huh?” he said, his voice clipped. “Clinging to my brother? Really?”

“Are you asking or stalking me again?” I glanced at him then, finally meeting his gaze.

“He’s boring.” Jared’s voice was dismissive, his jaw tight.

“At least, he’s not trying to manipulate me into signing some filthy contract. That’s a pretty solid starting point.”

Jared scoffed, a derisive sound escaping him. “You’re flirting with him to get to me.”

“Why would I waste effort on you?” I shot back, my voice sharp.

“Because you want to piss me off,” he said, his eyes flashing with something dangerous.

“And what if I do?” I asked, stepping closer to him, looking at how his eyes burned with intensity.

“Then congratulations. It’s working.”

We stared at each other across the desk, the air thick with unspoken tension. My breath came in shallow bursts, my pulse quickening in my veins.

Then, as if he couldn’t help himself, Jared added, “You shouldn’t touch him like that in public.”

I raised an eyebrow, my lips curling into a smile.

“You mean like this?” I slowly, deliberately traced my finger down my own arm, mimicking what I had done to Carlson earlier, all the while keeping my eyes locked on Jared.

Before I could blink, Jared was around the table in a flash, his hand gripping the edge with enough force to make the wood creak.

“You don’t get to play both sides,” he said, his voice low and menacing.

“I’ll play what I want,” I replied, my own voice equally dangerous.

Jared’s face darkened. “Not when you’ve already signed with me.”