The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 142

Chapter 142

ASTRA

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I slowly made my way down the stairs, rubbing my eyes.

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It was already the next day, the clock on my nightstand had read 3:07 AM when I woke up with a dry throat. The house was completely dark, and every creak of the floorboards under my bare feet sounded too loud in the silence.

I shivered, rubbing my arms. My thin nightgown did nothing against the cool air.

I just needed water then I could go straight back to bed.

I padded into the kitchen, the only light coming from the soft glow of the moon through the tall windows. I opened the fridge, the sudden bright light making me squint. I grabbed a cold bottle of water, closed the door, and stood there in the sudden darkness again.

I was about to turn on the small under-cabinet light when I heard it.

Footsteps….coming from somewhere behind me.

I froze, heart slamming against my ribs.

*It’s nothing,* I told myself.

But the footsteps stopped when I stopped.”

I swallowed hard. “Who’s there?”

No answer.

Just the low hum of the fridge and my own heartbeat.

I took a shaky step toward the light switch, bottle clutched tight in my hand like a weapon.

Another footstep, even louder and closer this time.

I spun around.

A tall, dark figure stood just a few feet away, silhouetted against the faint moonlight.

Before I could scream, it moved with frightening speed and a large hand clamped over my mouth.

I was slammed back against the cold wall, the impact knocking the air from my lungs. Panic exploded through me and I thrashed wildly, trying to bite, kick, anything.

Then the familiar scent hit me.

Zane.

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Chapter 142

His deep voice rumbled against my ear.

“Shhh… Trouble.”

I bit down hard on his hand anyway.

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He yelped, a sharp, surprised sound, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, his body pressed closer, pinning me more firmly to the wall.

“Fuck…,” he hissed, voice strained but amused. “That hurt.”

I glared up at him in the darkness, heart still racing. He slowly removed his hand from my mouth, but kept one arm braced beside my head, caging me in.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” I whisper-yelled, shoving at his chest. “You scared me half to death!”

He didn’t move. His face was inches from mine, green eyes gleaming brightly like some demon in the moonlight.

I swallowed, trying to ignore how my body was already reacting to him, traitor that it was. “What are you even doing here, Zane? Did you…. follow me?”

A slow, crooked smirk tugged at his lips.

“Maybe,” he answered. “Or maybe I wasn’t sleeping.”

His thumb brushed over my bottom lip, and the touch sent an unwanted spark straight down my spine.

I slapped his hand away hard, my palm stinging. “Don’t.”

Zane’s smirk only widened, dark amusement flashing in his eyes. He caught my wrist before I could pull it back, pressing it against the wall beside my head.

“You’re feisty tonight, my star,” he said, almost purring the words.

Before I could snap back, Zane pressed forward, crowding me deeper into the wall with his much larger body. The cool surface bit into my back while his heat engulfed me, hard chest, strong thighs, every inch of pinning my soft curves like he was trying to fuse us together.

My nightgown rode up my thighs from the friction, and I felt every solid ridge of him against my pl stomach and hips.

“Zane, c..can you shift?” I breathed, voice shaky as I pushed at his chest again. My palms met unmoving muscle.

“Hmm?” He dipped his head lower, green eyes locked on mine like a predator playing with its prey. “Why, Trouble?”

I grit my teeth, heat flooding my face. God, he was aggravating. “Because you’re crushing me, you giant. Move.”

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Chapter 142

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Zane’s smirk deepened, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he rolled his hips once, making me feel exactly how much he wasn’t planning to go anywhere. “Okay… on one condition.”

“No,” I shot back immediately, heart racing.

His eyebrows lifted in fake innocence, lips pushing out into the most ridiculous pout I’d ever seen on someone so terrifying. “Why not?”

“Are you serious?” The word slipped out before I could stop it.

“Listen to it first, Trouble,” he continued, voice dropping into that dangerous smooth tone that always messed with my head. He waited, watching me with those devilish eyes until I finally just stared back at him, equal parts furious and flustered.

“Okay,” he continued, as if I’d agreed. “I’ve been starving.”

“What?”

He nodded slowly, expression dead serious. “Yes. I could not sleep.”

I blinked, caught off guard. Some of the tension in my shoulders eased. “You want me to make you something to eat? Is that it?”

“Hmm… not really.” His hand slid down to grip my waist again, fingers sinking into the soft fullness. “Not exactly.”

My stomach flipped. “W-what then?”

Zane leaned all the way down to my height, forehead nearly touching mine. His breath ghosted hot across my lips.

“I’m hungry for kisses from your lips.”

The words sank into me and for a second, the kitchen disappeared, the only things left were his mouth hovering so close, the heavy press of his body, and the way my traitor heart was racing for all the wrong

reasons.

I laughed, the sound breathless, slightly hysterical. “You’re actually mad. You sneak up on me like a damn serial killer at three in the morning for *kisses*?”

Zane chuckled, clearly unbothered about his insane thinking. “Not sneaking. I live here too, remember?” He brushed his nose against mine “And yes, Trouble. Kisses. Yours. Now.” His thumb traced my jaw, tilting my face up. “Feed me.”

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12:36 Wed, Jul 15

Chapter 143

Chapter 143

ASTRA

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“No,” I said firmly, trying to yank my wrist free from where his big hand had it pinned to the wall. “Absolutely not. Let me go, Zane.”

It was futile.

His grip was like iron, I pulled harder, twisting my arm, but he didn’t even flinch. The boy was built like a damn wall.

Zane’s eyes gleamed with that familiar psychotic delight.

“Aw, come on, Trouble,” he said leaning in so close his hot breath fanned across my lips. “Just one. I’ve been good all week. Starving for you.”

My heart kept pounding against the confines of my rib cage “This is not funny!”

Before I could say anything else, he moved with frightening speed. One second I was pinned against the wall, the next, the world tilted. His arms wrapped around me, lifting me effortlessly. I let out a surprised squeak as my bare feet left the floor.

The next thing I knew, my back hit the cool kitchen floor with a soft thud, the cold tile shocking against my skin through the thin nightgown. Zane was above me instantly, straddling my hips, knees bracketing my thighs. He caught both my wrists in one large hand again and pinned them above my head.

I struggled beneath him. “Zane, get off!”

He didn’t move. His free hand braced beside my head as he loomed over me.

“Shhh.” A smile tugged at his mouth. “You’re making too much noise, Star. Someone might hear.”

I shot him a look that could have started a fire, my face burning, my heart racing so hard I was sure he could feel it.

“Let me up!”

He corked his head to the side, studying me like I was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. His thumb brushed slowly over the inside of my wrist where he held me pinned.

“Why would I do that?” he asked, almost sweetly. “I’ve got you right where I want you. Soft, warm and all mine for the taking.”

My breath hitched. I tried to buck him off, but he only pressed down heavier, thighs tightening around my hips.

“Zane, I swear.

“Swear what?” He leaned down, nipping my jaw with his teeth. “That you don’t want this? That your heart isn’t

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