Chapter 1
Chapter One — Sparks and Bruises
The first time Ren saw Kai in three years, he was bleeding.
Not the tragic kind of bleeding, just a shallow cut across the cheek — but Ren would’ve been lying if he said he didn’t enjoy the sight a little too much.
Kai stood there in the doorway of the underground boxing gym, shoulders squared, eyes sharp, and that same infuriating half-smile that had gotten Ren into trouble more than once. His hair was damp from the rain, his shirt clung to his chest, and he looked like every bad decision Ren swore he’d never make again.
“Still getting your face rearranged, I see,” Ren said, leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed.
Kai’s gaze flicked over him, slow and deliberate. “Still watching me like you want to fix it.”
Ren’s jaw tightened. “I don’t.”
Kai stepped closer, boots echoing against the concrete. “Sure.”
The air between them felt heavy, like static before a storm. Kai smelled faintly of sweat and rain, and when he stopped just inches away, Ren had to fight the urge to step back — or forward.
“You’re in my way,” Ren muttered.
Kai tilted his head, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Or maybe I’m exactly where you want me to be.”
Ren hated him. He hated the way his pulse spiked, the way Kai’s voice dropped just enough to feel like it was meant for him alone. He hated that after all this time, Kai still knew how to corner him without even trying.
“Move,” Ren said, but his voice didn’t sound convincing — not even to himself.
Kai didn’t move. He just smiled, slow and smug, and reached out to brush his thumb lightly against the cut on his cheek. “Guess I’ll see you around, Ren.”
And then he was gone, leaving Ren standing there, heat crawling up his neck, wondering why it felt like the fight between them had only just begun.
