Not even the cool breeze sweeping across Belford’s open field could calm Craig Lesnar’s nerves.
He stood with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. His teeth locked together, sharp with restrained frustration, the gravel beneath his sneakers crunching as he shifted weight from one foot to the other.
He wasn’t just out here wandering, he was waiting for Adriana. At least, that had been the plan. But ever since rlina’s voice clung to his thoughts, it was like nothing else could register.
’Especially if they live off your pockets.’
’Get in the middle, defend your brother, back him up? Is that your entire existence?’
The words cut deep, too sharp, too specific to be hers alone. Louis had to be behind it. How else would she have the nerve to throw around accusations with no proof?
His eyes stayed fixed on the grass in front of him, like it might swallow his frustration if he stared long enough. He scoffed. "She must’ve watched too much Scooby-Doo," he muttered.
"Talking to yourself now, Craig?"
The voice was sugary sweet. Too sweet.
He looked up to see one of the girls from his business ethics class... Tina or Tiana or sothing. Always hovering too close. Always trying a little too hard.
She smiled like she thought she was being cute, tugging at her cropped jacket. "I an, if you need soone to talk to..."
Craig barely glanced at her. "I’m good."
That should’ve been the end of it, but she lingered, biting her lip and shifting weight on her hip. "You sure? You look kinda...tense."
He didn’t answer.
She got the ssage eventually, blinking fast and laughing awkwardly. "Okay, okay... Mr. Taken." Then she turned and walked off, her disappointnt almost comical.
But Craig had already locked onto sothing else.
Across the field.
Louis O’Connor.
Of course he was here.
Craig’s lips twitched. His body moved before the decision even registered. Long strides, sharp edges. All muscle and irritation.
Students noticed. They always did. So slowed down. So straight-up stopped walking. A couple of freshn subtly pulled out their phones, whispering with that giddy, nosy energy Belford thrived on.
Belford’s golden boy didn’t move like that unless sothing was about to go down.
Craig stopped in front of him, cold and ready. "You."
Louis turned like this was the most boring interruption of his day. He popped his gum. Smirked. "Hmm. If it isn’t the Prince of Belford."
Craig didn’t hesitate. "If it isn’t the Pauper."
Louis laughed instantly—mocking, over the top, full of that O’Connor-brand cockiness. It echoed across the field, calling the attention of more college students.
Craig’s fists stayed clenched in his pockets.
"I see you’ve got your girlfriend doing your dirty work now," he snapped, eyes hard.
Louis’s laugh faltered. His eyes flickered, barely. Girlfriend?
He didn’t say it, but the confusion flashed for just a beat before his face reset.
"Well," he said coolly, "if getting Justice is dirty work now, then sure. She’s filthy."
Craig stepped in, just enough to test him. "Why don’t you co to us direct, like a real man. Let’s see if you still stand after we knock you down again."
Louis tilted his head, amused. "There it is. Always the defender, always the middle man. Big bro throws the punch, baby bro wipes the blood. Family goals."
Craig scoffed. "Exactly what rlina said."
Louis’s face tensed slightly at the ntion of her na.
"Keep feeding her lies, O’Connor," Craig said, his tone dark. "Let’s see how far she goes before it blows up in her face."
Louis didn’t flinch. His voice was low and level now. "If Conor’s so clean," he said, "why are you so scared of a grieving daughter who just wants answers?"
Craig didn’t respond.
He didn’t need to.
Around them, the buzz had grown louder. A full-blown audience had ford, so pretending to scroll their phones, so blatantly recording, others just living for the chaos.
Craig glanced past Louis.
Adriana still hadn’t shown.
Typical.
He exhaled, a frustrated huff escaping his lips. This wasn’t over.
He stepped back, eyes sharp. "You better hope you’re right," he muttered. "For her sake."
Then he turned and walked off, heat in his chest, tension riding his spine like armor.
rlina sat across from Louis, but her mind was miles away. Stay away from the Lesnars. This is your only warning. The ssage burned behind her eyes, impossible to shake.
She turned to him, jaw clenched. "Who the hell is sending these ssages?" Her voice was sharp. "Soone trying to protect them? Threaten ? I don’t even know anymore."
Louis leaned back, calm but watchful. She couldn’t help but notice how grounded he looked, how safe it made her feel.
"If they wanted to hurt you, they would’ve," he said evenly. "This is head-ga stuff. They want you rattled."
"Then why bring up the Lesnars at all?" she pressed. "Why not just go after directly?"
He shrugged. "There’s a motive. We just haven’t cracked it yet."
rlina crossed her arms, mind racing. "It feels personal. Like they’ve been watching . They know too much."
Louis’s brow lifted. "Could it be Craig Lesnar?"
"No," she said instantly. "Craig’s too direct. He wouldn’t hide behind a ssage."
Louis nodded slowly. "So... Conor?"
That hit different.
She looked away. "I don’t know. But the ssages started before I even knew Conor’s na. First week of school. Back when I thought they were random."
Could Conor Lesnar have known who she was the second she stepped foot on campus? Was that why Craig had been so cold to her, even from the start? Wasn’t it weird that Conor hadn’t even been in school since she arrived?
She blinked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe he knew. Maybe both of them knew."
Louis gave her a sideways glance. "Knew what?"
"About , who my mom was..." rlina’s voice trailed off. Her gaze dropped to her hands, fingers twisting around each other. "But if he knew, he wouldn’t have accused ."
Louis leaned in slightly. "Accused you?" His voice was quiet now, asured, but not without weight.
rlina hesitated. The mory still stung more than she wanted to admit. "Yeah. He said I was calculating. Like I’d planned it all....talking to him, asking questions, borrowing that stupid handbook. He thinks I was playing so long ga."
She looked up then, her eyes sharp with frustration, but there was sothing vulnerable behind them too, like the accusation had gotten under her skin deeper than she wanted it to.
Louis’s jaw tensed, but he didn’t interrupt.
"I wasn’t," she added, softer this ti. "I didn’t even know who he was. Not at first. But now...now I’m starting to wonder if he knew exactly who I was. He was so cold to at first, suddenly there was this..." she trails off and stops herself mid-sentence.
"What?" Louis asked.
She sighs. "I don’t know."
A heavy silence followed, thick and uncomfortable. rlina didn’t want to explain. She couldn’t. Not without unraveling everything between her and Craig. Not without admitting how much it had affected her.
Louis broke the silence, his voice cutting through the tension. "What exactly were you talking about with Craig Lesnar before the ssage ca in?"
rlina glanced up, hesitation flickering in her eyes. "Um...nothing. Just my visit to the guesthouse," she said quickly, trying to brush it off.
Louis raised an eyebrow. "Well, whatever it was, it wasn’t nothing. He just ca at like he was itching for a fight."
"Wait... Craig ca at you?" Her eyes widened, disbelief clear on her face. Louis nodded.
"And all this ti, you let ramble about a faceless stalker?" rlina gasped, incredulous.
Louis chuckled low, the sound teasing but also kind of amused.
"What did he want?" rlina asked, still watching him closely, though her curiosity was wrapped in a guarded tone.
Louis’s lips curved into a sly grin, his eyes gleaming with amusent. "He called you my girlfriend."
rlina froze. "Oh..."
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