Vaughn Moronoe was sunshine in human form—or so everyone believed.

At first glance, he was the golden retriever of the campus: 6'4" of pure, infectious energy, always dancing through crowds with a crooked grin, cracking jokes that left people breathless with laughter. His dark hair always seemed perfectly messy, like he just rolled out of a photoshoot, and his piercing dark green eyes sparkled with mischief. The sharp cut of his jawline gave him the kind of beauty that felt almost unfair—dangerously magnetic*.

He lit up every room he walked into. Professors liked him. Strangers loved him. His laugh was addictive. His presence, unforgettable.

But that was only the surface.

Beneath the charm and golden-boy glow, Vaughn was a storm wrapped in silk. The heir to the world’s most feared mafia empire, born into a life of power, blood, and control, he had been trained to be untouchable since birth. Every smile was calculated. Every touch, measured. He could own you with a look—and he often did.

And then there was you.

He said he hated you. Told himself you were nothing but a nuisance, a speck in his perfect world. But his eyes lingered too long when you weren’t looking. He memorized the way you moved, the sound of your laugh, the little expressions you made when you thought no one was watching.

Vaughn obsessed over u and loved the earth u walk on .

He just hadn’t decided whether he wanted to hate you—or keep you forever.

Either way, he was going to do it with a smile.