Good Girl

Chapter ONE

ONE

THE PAST

Ariana

Ihad a habit of ruining anything good in my life.

That wasn’t just self-pity talking. It was a fact, one my mother never hesitated to remind me of.

I’d killed plants just by existing near them, let a dozen fish float belly-up in their tanks despite my best efforts.

That was enough to make me swear off real pets—no cats, no dogs, nothing that could suffer under my care.

So what the hell made me think I could hold on to a boyfriend?

That may or may not have been why I’d never had one until I was twenty.

But according to my best friend, Hannah, it had less to do with my supposed curse and more to do with the fact that I always looked like I was one wrong move away from murdering someone.

Apparently, a perpetual scowl wasn’t exactly boyfriend material.

That, and my flair for drama, she said.

But then Grayson came along.

Grayson.

A six-foot-four-toned god, a basketball star with the lightest honey-colored skin, sharp gray eyes, and inky black hair, topped off with a lopsided grin that made girls turn stupid and their hearts stutter.

He wasn’t traditionally handsome. His nose was crooked, his lips full and wide, and something about his face defied easy description.

But somehow, all of it together just worked. He was gorgeous. Scorching hot.

Ask any girl on campus, and they’d say the same thing.

For the first time in my life, a guy actually captured my attention.

And not just any guy—he was the guy, infamous for offering up his wandering weenie to any warm body with a pulse and a pulse-adjacent IQ. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a Google Form and a group chat for scheduling.

He was exactly the kind of guy my parents had warned me about.

A walking red flag, the textbook definition of bad news.

He ticked every damn box: reckless, cocky, a serial heartbreaker who collected girls like trophies and discarded them just as easily.

The type who left a trail of wreckage behind him, with no apologies and no second glances.

And yet, they still lined up, one after another, just for a taste of him.

But of course, someone like him was never supposed to notice someone like me.

The first time I met him, I was in the library, tucked away in the farthest corner, trying to sneak in a quick nap between classes. The silence was perfect. Until it wasn’t.

At first, it was just faint noises drifting from behind the shelves. Then it got clearer—soft moans, uneven breathing, and the unmistakable, sloppy sound of mouths locked in a mess of spit and desperation.

I sat up, instantly alert, curiosity prickling down my spine.

At first, I had no idea who he was. All I heard was that voice—low, husky, laced with lazy arrogance as he murmured, “Suck me deeper, gorgeous... yeah, just like that.”

Holy. Shit.

I glanced around, realizing that besides them, I was the only one there.

Then curiosity sank its claws into me. I had to look.

I got up, tiptoeing toward the shelf, my heart hammering as the sounds grew louder. They clearly didn’t care that they were in a campus library, where anyone could walk by at any moment, where they could get caught mid-thrust without so much as a warning.

I searched for a spot where I could see without being seen, scanning the shelves up and down until I found it. A small gap between the books. I crouched lower, holding my breath.

And then, I saw it.

His... thing. In her mouth. Sliding in and out.

I didn’t know it was him at that moment.

Because I only saw that specific part of him. I didn’t see his face.

And for the love of everything holy, that thing was scary.

Seriously, I got it now. That’s why those girls were so desperate for a taste.

I kept watching like a total creep, holding my breath as his movements turned frantic.

His hands gripped the girl’s face, his hips snapping forward without restraint, destroying that girl’s jaw with every thrust. The wet sounds of gagging replaced her moans, and then he groaned, a deep, guttural sound, as he came in her mouth.

His body shuddered, muscles tensing, fingers still tangled in her hair, holding her there like he owned her.

Slowly, he slid out of her mouth, inch by inch, as she tried to swallow around it, and I had to bite my lip hard to keep from making a sound. The sight was so raw, so downright filthy, that if I so much as parted my lips, I was sure a moan would slip out before I could stop it.

The girl stood, and I heard the wet sounds of kissing. Then, to my absolute shock, she said, “Thank you.”

And all I could think was—What the hell? She was the one thanking him?

Asshole.

But then she added, “For letting me return the favor.”

Oh, okay then. He must have already handled it before I got here.

But still, doing it in a public place? Not cool.

It was time for me to go before they realized I was there. Moving on tiptoe, I grabbed my backpack from the desk and half-sprinted out of the library.

At the cafeteria, I got myself a cup of steaming coffee and pulled out a textbook, trying to read. It was a completely futile attempt. My mind was still stuck on the erotic scene I had just witnessed.

I forced myself to focus, squinting at the words on the page, desperate to drown my thoughts in theories. But then a shadow fell over me. A chair scraped against the floor. Someone sat down across from me.

I glanced up and let out a tiny squeal.

It was him. Grayson Mercer. The guy who had captivated me so completely he’d even found his way into my dreams.

His elbows rested on the table as he smiled at me, and for a long, tense moment, we just stared at each other. His gray eyes met mine, haunting and captivating all at once.

My heartbeat spiked, and a tightness spread through my chest. It was like a wound wrapped in the softness of silk, both aching and strangely gentle.

Then he extended his hand for a handshake and said, “Hi. I’m Grayson Mercer. I believe you just witnessed me getting sucked by a chick. Nice to meet you.”

I froze for a moment. I was at a loss for words at the realization that it was him in that library. But I forced myself to recover quickly. Then, shaking off the spell he had cast on me, I took his hand and gave it a firm shake.

“Ariana Sutton. Nice to meet you, too.”

That was how I met the love of my life. The one who claimed my heart, consumed my thoughts, and became entwined with my very soul. No matter how much time passed or how hard I tried, forgetting him was impossible, and letting go was the hardest thing I had ever had to do.

Since that day, for reasons I couldn’t explain, he became my shadow. He followed me everywhere, even sat through my lectures, despite being two years ahead of me, even though we were both business majors.

Maybe it was because I was the only girl who had met him and hadn’t rushed to join his fan club.

Being the center of his attention was intoxicating, even when I tried my hardest to ignore it. But it was terrifying too. Because the closer he got, the harder it became to keep my guard up. And I needed that guard. No matter how captivating he was, a guy like him could only end in heartbreak.

Every morning, he was there the moment I stepped through the campus gate, a big smile on his face, gray eyes alight with mischief.

“Morning, Sunshine,” he’d greet me cheerfully. Same greeting every morning.

I shot him a frown, and he gave his usual exaggerated sigh. “You wound me, Ari. Every time you do that, I die a little inside.”

But the jerk was grinning.

He was enjoying himself way too much.

I walked faster. He followed me and quickly matched my steps with his long legs.

“Go away, Grayson,” I grumbled.

He laughed. “Haven’t you learned by now? The more you push me away, the more I want to be near you.”

I shot him a look. “That’s the cheapest line I’ve ever heard.”

He just shrugged. “It works. So why fight it?”

I rolled my eyes and continued walking.

“Ari,” he said, almost breathless. “Have a date with me.”

This was probably the fifth time he’d asked.

“No.” Same response as always.

“Why not?” Same question, every time.

“Because I don’t want to.” Honestly, he should’ve figured that out already.

He grinned, hitting me with a new response this time. “You’ve already seen my dick, so the logical next step is for us to have a date.”

I blinked at him, deadpan. “That is, without a doubt, the worst reasoning I’ve ever heard.”

He just shrugged. “Doesn’t make it any less true.”

I almost laughed at that. “Not happening, Grayson.” I started walking again.

“Ari, seriously.” His voice softened, turning earnest. “Go on a date with me. Dinner, lunch—hell, I’ll even take breakfast.”

I opened my mouth, ready to point out that we’d eaten together in the cafeteria plenty of times—where I ignored him, and he never seemed the least bit affected—but he cut me off like he had read my mind.

“Somewhere outside this campus,” he clarified. “Where we both dress up, sit down for a proper meal, and actually call it a date.”

I stared at him, genuinely baffled. “Why are you like this, Grayson? There are plenty of girls who would be more than willing to go out with you. Is it because I said no? Am I just some kind of challenge to you?”

His expression softened, his gaze drifting over my face with affection.

“It’s because you have the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen.

Because your unruly black hair makes me want to sink my hands into it.

Because that perpetual frown of yours makes me wonder just how incredible you’d look if you smiled. ”

I froze, completely stunned. His words sank in too slowly for me to fully process.

He leaned in, his nose nearly brushing mine as he whispered, “How’s that for a cheesy line?”

My frown snapped back into place in an instant. With a huff, I spun on my heel and marched away.

“Oh, come on, Ari!” he called after me. “It’s the truth! I’m not lying!”

Then, as if subtlety had never been a concept he cared for, he shouted loud enough for every student lounging on the grass in front of the building to hear.

“Have a date with me!”