章 8: Dark Alley Villain

Ella's POV:

"Thank goodness those idiot jocks didn't wait for me today because I was so ready to commit murder," I muttered under my breath as I walked home. The only thing I wanted was a hot shower and to crash into bed.

It was a quiet night, the streets mostly empty. The diner had drained every ounce of energy from me, and my feet felt like they were made of lead. My apartment wasn't far now, just a couple more blocks. But as I passed by the dark alley that was just before my apartment building, something—or someone—caught me by surprise.

A hand gripped my arm, tight and unexpected.

"Didn't your father teach you not to walk alone in the dark?" a low, familiar voice growled.

Before I even had time to process who it was, instinct kicked in. Without thinking, I whipped out my pepper spray and sprayed it directly into his eyes. The guy howled in pain, doubling over. Not wasting a second, I drove my knee hard into the place where the sun doesn't shine.

He collapsed to the ground, clutching his face and groaning.

"Ugh, my eyes! What the hell?" he cursed.

I stepped back, adrenaline rushing through me, still clutching my pepper spray like a weapon. Then it hit me. That voice…

Holy molly, I had kneed Jason Knight!

But I didn't let the shock last long before fury set in. I glared at him, my pulse racing. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I demanded, my voice sharp with anger. Did he follow me to find out where I lived? Was he planning to get me kicked out or send goons to trash my place as part of his petty revenge?

Jason groaned again, slowly getting to his feet, still covering his face. "For fuck's sake, woman! If I don't give my mother any grandchildren, it'll be on you!"

"Yeah, well, she didn't teach you not to creep on women," I shot back.

Jason cursed under his breath again, his voice muffled by pain. I had to fight back the smirk tugging at my lips. Serves him right for sneaking up on me like that.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Jason sputtered, finally managing to stand up, though he was still wincing from the pain in his eyes—and his... well, other parts.

I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "What's wrong with *me*? You're the one creeping around in dark alleys grabbing girls like some serial killer!"

Jason wiped at his face, blinking furiously as the sting of the pepper spray clearly hadn't worn off. "I wasn't trying to creep on you," he snapped, though his voice still sounded strained. "I just wanted to talk."

I raised an eyebrow, not buying it for a second. "In an alley? At night? Oh, that's *totally* how normal people have conversations."

Jason groaned, still half-blinded by the spray, but finally managed to open his eyes just enough to glare at me. "Yeah, well... I didn't think you'd go full *Rambo* on me."

I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips. "Yeah? Well, maybe don't sneak up on girls in the dark and you won't get your ass handed to you."

He stood up straighter, clearly trying to regain some of his dignity, though it wasn't working very well. He was still hunched over slightly, wincing with every move. "Point taken," he muttered, his usual arrogance replaced with something more... human.

I took a step back, giving him space, but still not lowering my guard. "What do you want, Jason?"

He ran a hand through his hair, still looking frustrated and embarrassed. "I was just… I don't know. I saw you leaving and I figured—"

"You figured what? That you'd pull some macho stunt and intimidate me?" I shot back.

Jason sighed, clearly frustrated. "No. I just wanted to—hell, I don't know, talk to you. I wasn't trying to scare you."

"Well, you failed," I said dryly. "If you're done playing the dark alley villain, I'd like to go home now."

Jason didn't stop me this time. He just stood there, still half-reeling from the pepper spray and the embarrassment, watching as I turned and walked away.

As I left him standing in that alley, I couldn't help but feel a strange mix of satisfaction and confusion. What was Jason Knight up to now? And why the hell did he care so much about getting to me?

Whatever it was, I wasn't about to let my guard down.

Not for him. Not for anyone.

Jason's POV:

I can't believe that stupid bitch pepper-sprayed me and kneed me right in the nuts. I hope the future generation isn't hurt because of it. Tonight was supposed to be my night to try out my charm, but I failed miserably.

I had laughed at my friends when they reported their failed attempts on our WhatsApp group—which we've hilariously named *The Waitress Challenge*. Well, joke's on me now. They probably had it better than I did, considering my future children are in jeopardy, and my eyes are still stinging like hell. And there's no way in hell anyone's finding out about this.

She's officially my first... and in the worst way possible. First woman to embarrass me, kick me in the jewels, and blind me with pepper spray. Who would've thought the great Jason Knight would ever fall this low? The sting of it all—both literally and figuratively—was enough to make my blood boil. Her unyielding attitude made her more interesting, though. The more she resisted, the more satisfying it would be to finally break her. That moment is going to feel like a win for the ages.

I couldn't help but think back to Amber earlier tonight. She was doing a great job of ticking the waitress off, but then my idiot friends had to step in, playing heroes. Did they think being the knight in shining armor would have her falling into their laps? Please. I was actually looking forward to seeing her explode—would've been something worth watching.

Back at my place, I washed my eyes thoroughly, but the sting wouldn't go away. It was like the damned spray had been specially made to torment me. My poor knuckles were a different story—I had to ice them to numb the pain. How could one woman kick like a damn soldier?

I grabbed my phone and just typed *Mission failed* in the group chat. Predictably, my message earned me a barrage of jeers and laughs from the guys. We were all in the same boat, though—none of us had managed to get her number or even her name. She was playing hard to get, but that only made the bet even more enticing.

Lying in bed, I tried to figure out what lie I'd tell my friends tomorrow about my red, swollen eyes. Sunglasses might fool the rest of the students, but not my crew. And I can't exactly claim it's from using drugs, not when they all know how much I loathe them. No, I'll need something better—something that doesn't make me look like a complete idiot.

And most definitely not the truth!