Book one | Alexa Harvey, a celebrated actress known for her fierce independence and uncompromising nature, has always steered clear of the sports world. But when her latest film role requires her to shadow Jude Bellingham, a rising football star wit...
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The evening sky was streaked with shades of orange and pink as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a soft glow over the city.
Alexa walked briskly down the street, trying to outrun her thoughts, her emotions, and most of all, the ever-present paparazzi. Jude had offered to walk her home after their coffee, but she'd declined, needing space to clear her head.
They had managed to avoid more confrontation with the photographers, but she knew they'd be waiting at every corner, ready to pounce on her the moment she let her guard down.
The tension between her and Jude was still palpable, even after their brief moment of understanding at the café. Their truce felt fragile, like it could shatter with the slightest wrong move. And with the constant scrutiny from the media, it seemed like only a matter of time before that happened.
As she turned the corner onto her street, she noticed a familiar figure leaning against the wall of her apartment building. The sinking feeling in her stomach confirmed what her eyes had already told her—it was Jude.
He looked up as she approached, his expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of their unresolved issues hanging in the air between them.
"What are you doing here?" Alexa finally asked, her voice sharper than she intended.
Jude pushed off the wall, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "I wanted to talk to you. Properly."
Alexa's shoulders tensed. "We already talked."
"Not really," he said, stepping closer. "We danced around the issue, but we didn't actually resolve anything."
She crossed her arms over her chest, a defensive stance she'd perfected over years of dealing with difficult situations. "What is there to resolve, Jude? We've established that we're stuck in this mess together. What more is there to say?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Plenty. I just—" He hesitated, as if searching for the right words. "I just want to understand what's going on between us."
Alexa's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'what's going on between us'? You made it perfectly clear that you think I'm a problem. So why are you here, Jude?"
He looked away, his jaw tightening. "I didn't mean it like that."
"Then how did you mean it?" Alexa shot back, her anger flaring. "Because all I've gotten from you is mixed signals. One minute, we're at each other's throats, and the next, you're trying to play nice. What do you want from me?"
Jude's eyes met hers, and for the first time, she saw something raw and unguarded in his expression. "I don't know," he admitted quietly. "I don't know what I want, Alexa. All I know is that every time I'm around you, I can't think straight. You get under my skin, and I don't know how to deal with that."
