At night, Ben found himself outside Seya’s apartment, pacing. He had not planned it, but his legs brought him there. He raised a hand to knock, hesitated, then lowered it. He was about to walk away when the door softly creaked open.

Seya stood there in a silk robe, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders. The sight nearly undid him.

“Ben,” she said softly, as if she had expected him.

“I shouldn’t be here.”

“Then leave.” She tilted her head, but her eyes did not tell him to go.

“I can’t.” His voice was rough, broken. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Her lips curved, almost cruel. “Don’t confuse lust with love, Ben. You and your friend both seem to struggle with that.”

He stepped closer, close enough to smell the sweet scent on her skin. “No. I know the difference. What I felt with you last night, it wasn’t just lust. You know it too.”

Seya’s breath hitched. She wanted to deny him, to laugh in his face. But his sincerity burned hotter than Jason’s lie ever had. Against her better judgment, she opened the door wider.

“Come in. One last time,” she whispered.

Ben did not wait for a second invitation. The moment the door closed, he had her pinned against it, their mouths colliding with desperate hunger. This time was not hurried or reckless. It was slow, sensual, and devastatingly tender, every kiss a promise, every touch a plea.

By the time they collapsed on her bed, Seya’s robe discarded and Ben’s shirt torn open, the world outside ceased to exist. All that mattered was the way she melted beneath him, and the way he whispered her name like a prayer he was afraid to lose.

But just as dawn crept through the curtains, a shadow fell across their tangled bodies. Jason stood at the doorway, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with betrayal.

“Interesting,” he said, his voice deceptively calm. “My best friend and my girl. What a perfect pair.”

Seya gasped and pulled the sheet over herself. Ben sat up, his chest bare, his fists clenching.

Jason smirked, stepping further into the room. “Well, Seya, I guess you failed my test after all.”

Ben’s blood turned to ice at Jason’s words.

Seya’s nails dug into the sheet as her chest rose and fell. “Jason, you’re an arrogant bastard.”

“Shh.” Jason lifted a hand, his smirk widening. “Don’t waste your breath, Seya. I already know. You chose him.” His eyes flicked to Ben. “The one man who was supposed to have my back.”

Ben stood, the sheet slipping from his waist. He did not care that he was naked, did not care that Jason’s eyes glittered with both rage and amusement. “You don’t get to talk about her like she’s some prize. She’s not your toy, Jason.”

Jason’s laughter was low, dangerous. “Oh, listen to you. The guilty knight, swooping in with noble words. Tell me, Ben, how many times did you think about me while you were inside her?”

Seya gasped. “Stop it!” Her voice cracked, but her fury was clear. She shoved herself out of bed, grabbing her robe. “You set me up. You wanted to see if I’d stay loyal to a man who treats women like playthings. And you failed.”

Jason’s jaw twitched, but he masked it with a lazy shrug. “Funny, because the last I checked, you’re in his bed, not mine. That looks like my win.”

Ben stepped between them, his fists trembling. “Get out, Jason.”

“Or what?” Jason’s voice was arrogantly cold. “You’ll fight me? Ruin our friendship over a woman you barely know?”

Ben’s throat tightened. Seya’s hand found his shoulder, grounding him, reminding him that yes, he would risk everything.

“Not just a woman,” Ben growled. “The woman.”

Jason’s smile faltered, just for a second, before pride rebuilt it. “Unbelievable. You think you love her? You don’t even know her flaws. You’re just drunk on lust.”

Seya stepped forward, her robe tied tightly now, her eyes blazing. “Then let me make it clear, Jason. I would rather risk everything with Ben than stay another second being your test.”

The silence that followed was thick, dangerous. Jason’s gaze lingered on her, then on Ben, and finally he laughed, a harsh, hollow sound.

“You two deserve each other. And trust me, you’ll regret it.”

He turned sharply, storming out. The slam of the bedroom door rattled some objects. Jason slammed his fist on the closed door. Instead of admitting his twisted little test had backfired, Jason’s pride flared. He wanted her even more now. A woman who slipped through his fingers was a woman worth chasing.

Ben exhaled shakily, his body still wired from both passion and confrontation. He turned to Seya, searching her face for doubt. Instead, she cupped his jaw, her thumb brushing the stubble on his cheek.

“You meant it?” she whispered. “The woman?”

His eyes softened, but his voice was raw. “I meant every damn word.”

Her lips parted, trembling. For the first time in years, Seya felt her walls cracking, not for Jason’s games, but for Ben’s devastating honesty.

Then her mouth met his again, hard and needy, sealing the choice she had just made. But even as they kissed, both of them knew, Jason was not done. And the next time he came for them, it would not just be words.