River Williams is a master at playing the happy, normal college student. But behind her easy smile is a girl fighting a silent war against her own mind, living in the shadow of a high school mistake that cost her everything. She doesn't deserve love, and she certainly doesn't deserve JJ Belmont, the arrogant, fiercely protective hockey captain she accidentally shot down at a party two years ago. JJ Belmont doesn't do rejection. He definitely doesn't do River, the icy English major who has been a thorn in his side ever since she blew him off. But when his grades plummet, and his captaincy is threatened, he's forced to swallow his pride and beg his favorite enemy for help. The plan is simple: she tutors him, he passes, and they go back to ignoring each other. But behind closed doors, the animosity starts to blur into something scorching hot. But River's past is a landmine, and a single hidden secret is waiting to explode the trust they've built. *UNEDITED* ____________________ ✩ rankings: #5 MICHEGAN (02/06/2026) #7 JOCK (04/06/2026) [Word Count: ???] Copyright ©2026 by Annabella May