Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The stadium had been filling for nearly an hour, but it wasn’t until the house lights dropped that the energy finally spiked. Thousands of voices surged all at once, echoing off the walls in that unmistakable sound of anticipation teetering on the edge of euphoria. Phones lit up the dark like stars, everyone reaching for a piece of what was about to unfold.

Ekko slid into his seat near the middle section, hood up, head low. He didn’t need VIP. Didn’t want it. The spotlight wasn’t for him tonight.

He’d flown in that afternoon—no entourage, no label involvement, not even a call to her team. The city was loud and unfamiliar, but the second he heard she had a stop here on tour, something in him said: go. Not because he had something to prove. Not even because of the history between them, however tangled and unresolved. He just wanted to hear her sing.

The crowd around him had no idea who he was. That was the way he liked it. A couple of teens nearby were arguing about whether she’d open with Feather or Already Over, each trying to outguess the setlist. Ekko leaned back in his chair, arms folded, breathing slow. He wasn’t here as an artist. Not as True Damage. Not even as a friend.

He was just a man in the crowd, waiting for her.

And when the first lights hit the stage, when the music swelled like the night itself had taken a breath, Ekko looked up.

Jinx appeared slowly—just a silhouette at first, carved against the brightness. Her walk was effortless, her presence immediate. She didn’t have to speak. Her body language told the whole story: power, control, playfulness wrapped in sharp heels and sharper intentions.

She didn’t know he was there. Didn’t look his way. Not even once.

She didn’t have to.

She was singing now, voice smooth and sultry, words rolling off her tongue like silk laced in fire. Every lyric sounded like it was meant for someone. Everyone in the crowd wanted it to be them.

Ekko didn’t.

He just listened.

The crowd had shifted the second the first song ended—something in their energy sharpened, electric, like they knew exactly what was coming. The band was already transitioning, weaving in that familiar, infectious beat. And Jinx didn’t have to say a word. The second that synth bounced through the air, the audience erupted.

“Espresso.”

She let them scream. Let them chant. It was a ritual by now, the way they begged for it—desperate, breathless, full of need. She stood still at the center of the stage, one hand on the mic, the other resting lightly on her thigh. And then, with a slow roll of her shoulders, she leaned into the first line.

“I’m working late, ‘cause I’m a singer…”

Her voice purred through the speakers, smooth and effortless. The crowd roared back, singing along, already moving like the whole place was synced to her rhythm. Her heels clicked in time with the beat as she walked down the runway, that confident sway in her hips, eyes flicking lazily across the faces blurring under the lights.

“Oh, he looks so cute wrapped ‘round my finger…”

She twirled once, sharp and slow, letting her ponytail swing behind her as she caught her reflection in one of the stage monitors. Everything was hitting. Hair. Lights. The outfit that hugged her just right. Every move she made was calculated to look like it wasn’t. That was the magic.

“I’m working late, he’s getting pressed now…”

And that’s when she saw him.

It was mid-step. Her heel hit the runway, she turned just slightly—and there he was. Not front row. Not backstage. Not flanked by a label handler or buried under flashing cameras.

Ekko.

Hood off, face calm, sitting alone in the middle of the crowd like this wasn’t strange. Like it wasn’t loaded. Like it didn’t feel like a thread from her past had suddenly wound its way into the most public moment of her present.

Her heart jumped—just once. Enough that she caught herself, blinked, refocused. Her lips curled slowly.

He hadn’t told her he was coming. He never did things like that.

“Now he’s thinkin’ ‘bout me every night, oh… is it that sweet? I guess so.”

She tilted her head slightly, as if she were just playing to the crowd, but her eyes stayed on him longer than they should’ve. Long enough that he’d know.

He wasn’t just some face in the dark anymore.

“Say you can’t sleep, baby, I know… that’s that me, espresso.”

The words hit different now. They curled out of her mouth like smoke—teasing, taunting, deliciously dangerous. She sang for the crowd, but every once in a while, just once every few lines, her voice dropped low, heavy with implication. Her hips moved sharper. Her steps hit harder.

“Move it up, down, left, right, oh… switch it up like Nintendo.”

She danced in rhythm, slow and sensual, working the beat like it owed her something. The stage lights caught the glint in her eyes, and the smirk on her lips deepened when she spotted a couple of fans losing their minds in the front row. But she didn’t forget him. Not for a second.

He was still watching. And she knew how Ekko looked when he was pretending not to feel something.

This wasn’t that.

He wasn’t here for show.

He was here for her.

And that realization slipped into her performance like heat under skin. She sang harder. Moved smoother. Gave them all the Jinx they’d come to see. But inside?

She was burning.

“Say you can’t sleep, baby, I know…”
She winked now—at no one in particular.
“That’s that me…”
One hand ran down her side,
“…espresso.”

The lights flashed again. The chorus faded out. The stage dimmed as the audience screamed louder than they had all night.

She turned, walking back to the center of the stage, her pulse wild, her face composed.

He wasn’t supposed to be here.

And yet now that he was—
She wanted to see what he’d do next.

The last echo of Espresso slipped into the air, replaced by the roar of the crowd. The lights pulsed around her, flashes of pink and silver lighting up the arena like the inside of a dream. Jinx stood there, one hand on her hip, the other loosely holding the mic, her chest rising and falling beneath the shimmer of her outfit.

She could’ve jumped into the next song.

Could’ve given them the clean, perfect set her team had planned to the second.

But Jinx didn’t always follow the script. Especially not when the past came walking into her present looking like that.

She let the silence stretch, her smirk slowly creeping into place as she looked out into the crowd. Her gaze drifted—and this time she didn’t pretend it was for effect.

She was looking for him.

And she found him right where she’d seen him before. Arms still folded, jaw sharp in the shadows, watching her like he’d never stopped.

“Y’all,” she said, voice low and velvet-smooth through the mic, “did you see who’s here tonight?”

The crowd roared, confused but hungry, their screams laced with curiosity. She turned, walking slowly down the runway with that same confident swing.

“I’m serious,” she called over her shoulder, letting her tone rise just enough to tease. “I’m up here trying to do a whole show and someone decides to sneak in like it’s nothing.”

Another pause.

Another smirk.

She turned back toward the crowd—and looked right at him.

“I see you, Ekko.”

The arena exploded.

Screams, laughter, the sound of three hundred phones unlocking all at once. The name echoed through the space like it belonged there. And for a second, just a second, all the lights and chaos blurred out.

She watched him.

And he—couldn’t help it.

He laughed. Not loud. Not over the top. Just this low, warm chuckle as he shook his head, like she’d caught him doing something he knew he shouldn’t be doing but did anyway.

Jinx heard it, even over the crowd. She knew that sound. She’d heard it years ago in hotel hallways, in late-night studio sessions, in the quiet corners of a green room when no one else was listening.

Her smile softened just a bit. Still playful, but something beneath it was warmer now.

“I was standing backstage like,” she said, lifting her mic again, “damn. I was really about to miss my merch drop with him in the crowd?”

Another round of screams. Fans were turning to look for him now. But Jinx didn’t care.

That moment wasn’t for them.

That was hers. And his.

And if he wanted to come to her show unannounced?

She’d make sure he knew—he wasn’t invisible.

The lights dimmed slowly, not all at once—like the stage was exhaling after too much heat. The shimmer from her previous set still clung to the floor, but it was fading now, swallowed by shadows that curled in around her.

Jinx stood center stage, perfectly still. Her chest rose and fell once, twice. Her lips hovered near the mic, but she let the crowd scream a little longer. Let them sit in the high, the electricity still running through them from Espresso. Her eyes scanned the sea of faces—but they stopped in the exact same spot.

Front-right. Third row.

Him.

Ekko.

And the second she saw him still there, still watching her with that unreadable face and arms crossed like he was trying to keep himself together—she smiled.

“Y’all ready for the one that’s been keeping you up at night?” she said, voice a little rough around the edges, breathless and playful all at once.

The screams went wild.

She laughed softly, leaned into the mic. “You know what time it is…”

A drumline kicked in low, the tempo shifting. The crowd buzzed with recognition.

“For the people who like a little… danger.”

She let that word linger. Drew it out like silk between her teeth.

The lights narrowed down into one perfect spotlight. Every other bulb around the arena died, throwing her into stark relief. Shadows wrapped around her body like a second costume—her silhouette sharp, elegant, untouchable.

And then, she said it—slow, with that slight breathiness that made the crowd lose it.

“This one’s called… Juno.”

The bass hit.

Heavy. Slow. Pulsing.

She didn’t sing right away. She moved. One leg slid forward with that dancer’s grace, hips swaying just enough. Her free hand found the curve of her waist, the other lifting the mic.

Then, with that same teasing cadence:

“Wanna try out some freaky positions…”

She let the words drip from her lips.

Then came the line that twisted the whole room into a scream:

“Have you ever tried this one?”

And that’s when she did it.

The pose.

She dipped low—knees bent smooth, one sliding out to the side as she dropped. Her back arched as she sank into the position, one arm draped across her thigh, the other lifting to gather her hair and pull it back off her shoulder in a single, sensual sweep. Her jaw angled toward the ceiling, lips parted, eyes half-lidded. A soft light kissed her skin, outlining the shimmer in her outfit, the dip of her waist, the exact way her body moved like she was dancing underwater.

Phones were flying up. Fans were screaming. Some were crying.

But her eyes?

Locked on him.

Ekko didn’t move.

Not at first.

But she saw the way his lips parted—just barely. How he leaned forward, a breath caught in his throat, like her name had just burned itself into his mind.

Then came that laugh.

That low, knowing chuckle that rumbled from deep in his chest. It was small. Like he didn’t want anyone else to hear it.

But she heard it.

And her smile deepened.

She held the pose a second longer. Let him feel it.

Then she rose—fluid, smooth, her body unfolding like a secret being whispered in the dark.

She twirled once, slowly, hair trailing behind her like a ribbon, and sang the next line like a confession:

“Maybe tonight you’ll learn, baby…”

Her voice dipped just slightly.

“…what kind of trouble I taste like.”

The crowd screamed.

Ekko watched.

And Jinx?

She didn’t miss a beat.

Because Juno had begun.

And she was in control.

His fingers curled into fists on his knees, and he leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing just a bit. Watching her. Studying her. Letting her performance wash over him like heat.

Because it was heat.

Every move she made stoked something low in his stomach. Something that made his pulse beat just a little harder in his neck. That made his thoughts run slower, thicker. All he could think about was the curve of her body, the way her voice wrapped around him like velvet, the way she sang to him like no one else was in the damn room.

The crowd roared, but it was noise behind glass.

Because in his head?

It was quiet.

Just her and the beat.

And the way she owned it—owned him—with every seductive flick of her hip.

He knew he was in trouble.

He just didn’t care.

⸻

The set was almost over. Ekko could feel the shift in the air—the tension that always came when the energy was about to peak. She’d cycled through her hits, from sultry ballads to pulse-pounding pop. The crowd was sweating, euphoric, high on her voice, her presence.

And then the screens cut to black.

A soft hum rolled through the stadium.

And suddenly, the massive screen behind her flickered to life again—not with lights or visuals, but a video.

A bathtub. Bubbles. The sound of water sloshing.

The camera panned to Jinx—lounging in the tub, one leg propped dramatically, her hair piled up in a messy bun, blinking at the camera like she’d just remembered something.

“Wait… I’m late?”

Laughter erupted in the crowd.

The music started faintly, somewhere in the background—flirty, teasing. Then her voice, from offscreen.

“I forgot I had a show to put on…”

The screen glitched—and then the spotlight hit the stage.

Jinx appeared.

Wrapped in nothing but a white towel, tucked tight around her chest, her skin glowing under the violet lights. Her bare shoulders shimmered with dusted glitter, and her legs—long, golden, powerful—were the only part of her on full display.

The crowd went wild. It was so loud it made Ekko’s heart stutter.

She walked slowly, her expression innocent, brows raised like she didn’t understand the fuss.

“What? You’ve never seen a girl late before?”

She twirled once, towel clinging to her form, giving a sly look toward the pit.

And Ekko?

He leaned forward, forearms on his thighs, eyes locked.

No damn way.

She stopped at the center of the stage. One foot pointed out, hand to her waist. And she spoke directly into the mic:

“Okay, okay, enough foreplay.”

Then she dropped the towel.

And the crowd exploded.

Underneath: a purple bodysuit—hand-beaded, glittering, and almost criminal in how good it looked on her. The light caught every sequin, every curve. Thin suspenders hung delicately over her shoulders, with high-cut sides that made her legs look endless. A sheer mesh panel danced across her waist, giving glimpses of toned skin, and silver detailing sculpted her body like art.

Ekko didn’t breathe.

Not once.

His jaw clenched as his eyes drank her in—every inch of her. He hadn’t seen her wear something like this since… ever. And now, she was wearing it like she was born in it.

Like she was born to make him lose his mind.

Her movements were sharper now. More fluid. She gave one long, slow spin—back arched slightly, the bodysuit catching the stage lights as she did it. Her fingers slid down her thigh during the turn, and Ekko felt heat slam into his gut.

Princess, you’re gonna make me go feral in public.

He shook his head, a breathy chuckle escaping before he realized it. He dragged a hand across his jaw, leaned back in his seat, but never—never—took his eyes off her.

And Jinx?

She turned to the crowd again, cocked a hand on her hip, and lifted the mic.

“Now that I’ve got your attention…”
“Let’s give ‘em what they’ve been waiting for.”

The beat dropped.

The crowd surged.

And Jinx launched into her finale.

⸻

Backstage.

The concert was over, but the heat still clung to Jinx’s skin.

Her chest was rising and falling from the final note. A light sheen of sweat shimmered over her collarbones, down her stomach, catching the reflections of the vanity bulbs in her dressing room. Her purple bodysuit hugged her like second skin, her hair was tousled from dancing, and her lips still tasted faintly like cherry lip gloss and microphone static.

She was alone for the first time in three hours.

Just her, the mirror, and the soft hum of noise from the hall. Crew scrambling to clean up, instruments being wheeled away. Fans still screaming from behind the walls. But in here? It was quiet.

She threw a white satin robe over her shoulders, not bothering to tie it just yet, and sat down slowly at the vanity, exhaling as her eyes met her own reflection.

“You really called him out, huh…”

Her fingers grazed the edge of a water bottle, but before she could unscrew the cap—

A knock.

Firm. Three taps. Then stillness.

She froze.

Wasn’t expecting anyone. Her manager was still out with the press. No assistant. No makeup artist. No label rep. And the security crew knew not to bother her right after a set.

Another knock.

Her heart jumped. She stood slowly.

One hand reached up to smooth her hair, the other wrapping the robe closed, though the purple of her suit still peeked through the slit as she crossed the floor barefoot.

She unlocked the door.

Pulled it open.

And there he was.

Ekko.

Still in the clothes he wore to the show—black pants, fitted shirt rolled to his elbows, chains catching in the hallway light. His curls were damp with sweat from the heat of the crowd, and his eyes?

Locked on her.

He didn’t say anything at first.

Just looked her over, slow and deliberate—from the messy waves of her hair, to the flush on her cheeks, to the sliver of purple glittering beneath the robe.

“You were on fire out there,” he said, voice low. A little hoarse. Still recovering from what she did to him on that stage.

Jinx leaned against the doorframe, lips curving into that wicked, teasing smirk—the same one she wore when she winked at him under the lights.

“You like the merch, or the girl selling it?”

Ekko chuckled, eyes dropping for just a beat to the gap in her robe before sliding back up to meet hers.

“Definitely the girl.”

And she stepped aside—just a little.

Enough to let him in.

Enough to close the door behind him.

He stepped into the room, taking in the sight of her in that loose robe. The way the fabric hung off her shoulders made his chest tighten just a little. She was still glowing from the stage, her hair slightly messy, eyes sparkling like she owned the world.

No words were needed.

Ekko crossed the room in a few steps, his hand reaching out as if drawn to her without thinking. He took both of her hands gently in his, bringing them up to his lips.

His kiss was light, but deliberate—his lips brushing her knuckles in a way that wasn’t just polite, but flirty, like he knew exactly how it would make her feel. He didn’t pull away immediately, keeping his gaze on hers the whole time.

“Incredible. You were perfect out there,” he said, his voice softer than before, almost a growl under his breath.

He kissed her other hand just as slowly, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, daring her to say something.

Jinx leaned in a little, her lips curling into a playful, mischievous grin.

“I know,” she purred, her voice teasing, breath warm against his ear. “I make it look easy.”

Her fingers slid up his shirt as she let go of his hands, stepping closer with a look of pure confidence in her eyes. She wasn’t playing hard to get—not with him. She wanted him here, wanted him close, and she wasn’t shy about letting him know.

“But if you really want to see how well I can perform… maybe I should give you a private show,” she teased, brushing her fingertips down his chest.

Ekko chuckled, his grip on her waist tightening just slightly as he leaned in.

“I thought that’s what the concert was.”

Jinx’s grin only grew wider, her hand gently pushing him back against the door as she took another step forward, her voice dipping into something more sultry, more inviting.

“That was just the warm-up, babe.”

Jinx turned away from him, letting the robe fall from her shoulders with a fluid motion. She could feel Ekko’s gaze on her the entire time, but she didn’t rush it. No, she knew what she was doing. Every movement was deliberate, teasing, as she stepped toward the mirror, taking her time to admire her reflection.

Her bodysuit shimmered as it caught the light, and she could almost hear Ekko’s thoughts. He’d been watching her, paying attention to every detail. There was a subtle shift in the air—an electric tension that had always existed between them, but tonight it felt different, more intense.

She finally let her eyes flick toward him in the mirror, and she could see him leaning slightly against the doorway. His arms were crossed, a smirk tugging at his lips, but there was something more in his expression now—amusement, perhaps even a touch of adoration.

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a playful smile as she took another step closer to the mirror.

“You liked Juno, didn’t you?” she asked, her voice light but laced with a challenge. She didn’t expect a direct answer—she already knew. It wasn’t a question so much as an invitation to keep the conversation going.

She heard him chuckle lightly from behind her, a low, confident sound. He didn’t hold back this time.

“You know I did,” Ekko replied, his tone a mix of amusement and genuine appreciation. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, his gaze lingering on her with a little more intensity. “Who wouldn’t?”

Jinx turned fully toward him now, her eyes meeting his with a hint of challenge, as if she was daring him to keep up. She could feel the playful energy building, a familiar dance they’d done at industry events before—exchanges of glances, teasing remarks, unspoken promises. But this time, it was more than just a passing flirtation.

She slowly walked toward him, her hips swaying just enough to make sure he noticed, but she didn’t rush. No, she was drawing it out, enjoying the way Ekko’s eyes followed her every move. She stopped just in front of him, but she didn’t say anything. She simply let the silence stretch for a moment, a beat that was almost comfortable, but charged.

“I guess tonight was a little different,” she said softly, her voice lowering, just loud enough for him to hear. “You never know who’s really paying attention…”

Her lips parted just slightly as she let the words hang in the air. She wasn’t giving him everything, but she was giving him enough to keep him wondering.

Ekko’s lips curled into a smirk, and this time, he didn’t try to hold back. His voice was teasing, but there was a touch of something else there too—something more genuine.

“I’m sure you’ve got a lot of people paying attention,” he said, stepping just a little closer, his voice dropping to a lower, more intimate tone. “But I’ve been paying attention for a while now, Jinx.”

She could see the playfulness in his eyes, the way he wasn’t taking it too seriously, but the warmth in his tone told her that he was enjoying this as much as she was. There was something satisfying about knowing they were both on the same wavelength, both aware of the chemistry that had been building between them for so long.

Jinx tilted her head slightly, her eyes never leaving his. “Oh?” She raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly have you been paying attention to?”

Ekko’s smirk widened as he leaned in just slightly, his voice almost a whisper now.

“To you. To everything you’ve been doing. To how sweet you are… when you want to be.”

Jinx laughed softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She wasn’t that easy to read, but the hint of warmth in Ekko’s voice made her smile even more. She’d known for a while that Ekko could match her when it came to this playful back-and-forth. But tonight? Tonight, it felt like there was something else lingering in the air between them.

“You’re making it sound like I’m always sweet,” she teased, stepping back just a little, putting a touch of space between them. “I’m not always what I seem.”

Ekko chuckled, his gaze never leaving hers. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

The air between them felt heavier now, not because of any awkwardness, but because of the tension they’d built together, both aware that this wasn’t just friendly flirting anymore. It had turned into something more, something that neither of them were quite ready to put a name to. Yet.

“You know, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to really collaborate with you,” Jinx added with a smirk. “I mean, we’ve got the chemistry down when it comes to… other things, but what about in the studio? You’ve got the skills. I’ve got the fire.” She laughed lightly, her eyes sparkling with the possibility of something new. “Maybe one day, huh?”

Her words were playful, but there was an underlying seriousness to them. She wasn’t just teasing now; she was giving him a hint of what she thought could happen, and it wasn’t just about the tension between them. She genuinely wanted to see what they could create together. They’d been circling each other for too long, and now it felt like the perfect time to take that next step.

The robe had been long forgotten, left draped carelessly over the couch when she first stepped out of it like it was nothing. Now, Jinx sat in nothing but her glittering, form-hugging bodysuit, its purple fabric catching the light and shimmering with every little movement she made. The neckline dipped just enough to draw the eye, and the high-cut sides showed off the full length of her legs—legs that she slowly parted as she settled onto her vanity stool.

She leaned forward, resting one elbow on the vanity while her other hand toyed lazily with a brush lying across the table. The lights around the mirror cast her in a glow that made her look ethereal, seductive, and just a little dangerous.

Ekko hadn’t moved much, but his eyes had. They traced every line, every detail—her thighs flexing slightly as she adjusted her posture, the way the fabric clung to her waist and hips like it was made for her, how the dim lighting turned her skin into something golden and soft.

Jinx’s eyes met his through the mirror, and her lips curved into a knowing smile.

“You ever think about it?” she asked again, her voice lower now—more of a purr than a question. “Us. The two of us… if we stopped pretending this was just harmless.”

Her legs shifted slightly again, her knee brushing the edge of the vanity table, casual—but not really. There was intention in everything she did. She wasn’t throwing herself at him. She didn’t need to. Jinx knew the power she held when she moved like that, when she looked at someone like that.

Ekko let out a slow breath, and this time, he did move—just a step closer, letting the distance close by a foot or two, not all the way, not yet. He was still giving her space, but the tension in his body said he was feeling this.

“Think about it?” he repeated, a half-smile tugging at his lips. “Princess, I’ve thought about it since the first damn time you walked past me at that award show in that silver dress… the one you definitely wore on purpose.”

She laughed, low and smug, still watching him from the mirror. “So you admit you’ve been watching me?”

“Not just watching,” he said, stepping in a little more. “Studying. Enjoying. Waiting for you to stop playing around and let me in.”

That had her raising an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m not playing around now?”

He gave her a look, eyes dropping briefly to her parted legs, then back up to her face with a crooked grin. “Baby, you’re sitting in a skintight bodysuit with your legs open asking me if I think about us. If this is still a game, it’s a damn good one.”

Her lips twitched like she was holding back a smirk. She tilted her head, finally turning to face him fully—not through the mirror, but real, eye-to-eye.

“Maybe I’m just making it easy for you,” she said softly. “You’ve been circling for a while. Figured I’d give you a seat at the table.”

“You call that easy?” Ekko stepped in until he was right in front of her now, between her knees but still not touching her. His voice dropped lower, something rougher, darker behind it. “Sweetheart, this is the kind of temptation that makes a man lose his whole mind.”

She liked that. She really liked that.

But she didn’t lean in yet. She just dragged her fingers slowly across the tabletop, watching him with wide, playful eyes. “So then…” she purred. “What are you gonna do about it?”

And Ekko didn’t answer. Not with words.

He stepped in fully now, closing that last bit of space between them until he was standing between her parted thighs. The tension snapped tight, and he leaned in, his eyes never leaving hers. One hand came up, slow but certain, until his fingers grazed along the delicate column of her throat.

Not tight. Not forceful. But with intention—his palm firm against the side of her neck, thumb grazing the edge of her jaw, tilting her chin just slightly so she’d look up at him. His skin was warm, and his grip was confident—possessive in a way that made it clear he wasn’t asking anymore.

The other hand slid down, fingers brushing the curve of her waist before trailing lower to her thigh. His touch there was rougher—his palm spreading, fingers pressing in just enough to feel the flex of her muscle beneath his grip. His thumb stroked along her inner thigh, slow, teasing, and absolutely deliberate.

Jinx sucked in a breath. She didn’t move away. Didn’t even blink. But her legs shifted, just slightly—subtle, but she let them open a little more, like a silent surrender. Like she wanted him right there, grounding her.

Ekko’s mouth curved into a dark, amused smile as he leaned in close—so close she could feel his breath skim over her lips.

“You’ve been teasing me all night, princess,” he murmured, voice low and dangerous. “But you gotta know… there’s a limit to how long a man can watch you walk around like this without doing something about it.”

His thumb stroked the hollow of her throat gently, a contrast to the grip he had on her thigh.

“You knew what you were doing when you walked out on that stage in this,” he added, eyes dropping for a second to take in the full view of her in that bodysuit, shimmering under the vanity lights. “You knew exactly who was gonna be watching.”

Jinx’s smile returned, but this time it wasn’t playful—it was something darker, something hotter. She was letting him in now, letting the tension coil tighter.

“Maybe I did,” she whispered.

Ekko leaned in even closer, his mouth just shy of hers now, and that hand on her neck tilted her head a touch more.

“And maybe I’m done watching.”

Their breath mingled in the small space between them—so close now she could feel the heat of his chest against her legs, the weight of his hand on her thigh, the possessiveness in the way his fingers flexed just a little tighter around her throat.

Jinx’s lips parted slightly, and her eyes locked onto his.

That was it.

That moment of stillness before the chaos. Eye to eye, neither of them blinking. His gaze dropped to her lips, then back to her eyes. Her fingers twitched against the vanity, aching to touch him, to close the space.

And then it happened—fast, wild, inevitable.

Their mouths crashed together, not gentle or careful—desperate, hungry like they’d both been starving for this. Jinx immediately rose to her feet, pulling him down into her with both arms flung around his neck, fingers diving into his dreads, gripping them like she needed something to hold on to as the floor vanished beneath her.

Ekko groaned low in his throat, his hand sliding around her waist, yanking her flush against him as if he’d been dying to feel her like this. His other hand stayed on her thigh, fingers dragging upward, gripping her firmly—possessively—as their mouths moved in sync, messy and hot and unrelenting.

Jinx whimpered against his lips, not shy, not careful—just real. And it only made him kiss her harder, deeper, like he wanted to memorize the taste of her, like he couldn’t get enough.

Her body arched into his, one leg hooking loosely around his waist, and he caught her without hesitation, holding her up as if she weighed nothing. The edge of the vanity table pressed against her thighs, grounding them just barely in the chaos of the moment.

“Damn,” Ekko muttered between kisses, breathless and rough, lips brushing along her jaw, down to her neck. “You’re gonna ruin me, you know that?”

Jinx laughed softly, fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer.

“Good,” she whispered against his ear, voice ragged. “It’s about time.”

The kiss turned messier, hungrier, the moment Jinx pulled him closer, her lips parting to meet his with tongue and fire. It wasn’t slow anymore—Ekko kissed her like he’d been waiting his whole life to. Like every second they’d danced around this had built into a breaking point he had no intention of coming back from.

His tongue slid against hers, deep and possessive, and she moaned softly into his mouth, her fingers tightening in his dreads. The sound only pushed him further—his hands sliding down her body, gripping her thighs, her waist, her hips, as if he couldn’t figure out where to touch her first. He wanted all of her.

Jinx’s body arched into his, legs still parted around him as he leaned in fully now, pressing her back slightly against the vanity with the pressure of his body. Her bodysuit sparkled in the warm light, but her skin beneath it was heating like fire under his hands.

And then, without breaking the kiss, Ekko dropped his hands lower, one of them finding the heel of her boot. He tugged at it, slow but purposeful, and it slid off with a soft thump against the floor. He did the same with the other, fingers trailing up her bare calves after he freed her feet, palms gliding slowly back up her thighs—just enough to make her shiver.

Jinx pulled back for air, lips swollen, breathing hard. Her eyes found his—dark, intense, amused.

“You always this smooth?” she asked, voice breathless and teasing.

“Only when I actually want somethin’,” Ekko replied, grinning against her mouth before diving back in, tongue claiming hers again like he couldn’t stand the distance for even a second.

But just as her hands slid up under his shirt, nails grazing over his stomach—

Knock knock.

Both of them froze.

There was a pause—like the sound didn’t register at first—until the second knock came, firmer this time.

“Jinx?” a voice called from outside. Her manager. “We’ve got press waiting. Five minutes.”

Jinx dropped her forehead against Ekko’s chest with a frustrated little groan, still catching her breath, her hands still tangled in his shirt.

“Of course,” she muttered, voice muffled against him.

Ekko chuckled low, brushing a hand down her thigh again, playful now, eyes still burning.

“Press can wait,” he murmured against her temple. “Let ‘em wonder what’s got you glowing like that.”

Jinx snorted, smirking up at him as she licked her lips, still flushed.

“If they only knew…”

Their lips met again, softer now, but no less intense. A lazy, heated rhythm. Slower—like they were savoring it now that they knew what it tasted like. Jinx kissed him with a teasing sweetness, tongue brushing his in a way that made it impossible to focus on anything else.

Her fingers curled behind his neck, still tangled in his dreads, while his hands gripped her thighs possessively, thumbs stroking her skin in slow, deliberate patterns.

When they finally broke for air again, their lips were pink and swollen, breath short and tangled together in the space between them.

Jinx’s gaze was molten as she looked up at him, a wicked little smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Maybe…” she whispered, voice low and sultry, her thumb brushing just below his lip, “next time… you’ll get to experience Juno for real.”

She let the words linger—delicious, dangerous, tempting.

Ekko’s jaw clenched slightly, and the low sound he made in his throat was somewhere between a growl and a laugh. His eyes were locked on her, hot with unspoken thoughts.

But Jinx just stepped back, slow and unbothered, sauntering to the vanity like nothing had just happened. Like she hadn’t just kissed him breathless. Her bare legs moved with effortless grace, the deep purple bodysuit clinging perfectly to her hips.

She stopped at a mirror, leaned close, and tilted her head slightly. Her lipstick was smudged—kissed clean off in the center of her lips. Her eyes flicked to Ekko’s reflection behind her, then down to the vanity where her iconic purple lipstick sat waiting.

With a smirk, she uncapped it slowly, twisting the bullet out like it was something intimate. She raised it to her mouth, and as she began to reapply it—slow, careful, deliberate—her eyes never left his in the mirror.

She painted her bottom lip first, a glide of violet across her skin, then paused to blot it with a pout, her tongue briefly swiping the corner of her mouth.

“Can’t go out there looking like you’ve already ruined me,” she teased, voice husky, lips curving into something sly.

Ekko leaned against the wall behind her, arms crossed, watching every move.

“Not yet, anyway,” he muttered, eyes dark, but smiling.

She capped the lipstick, gave him a wink through the mirror, and stood up like a show was about to begin all over again.

“Then behave,” she purred. “Or I might just let them know who I sang Juno for.”

Jinx held his gaze a moment longer in the mirror, letting that last tease linger in the air like perfume. Then, without a word, she turned away from the vanity—her eyes smoldering, lips fresh with that deep, perfect purple—and walked past Ekko with a sway in her hips like it was choreographed.

Her fingers reached for the zipper at the back of her bodysuit. She pulled it down slowly, the fabric loosening around her shoulders, gliding down her sides like water. The sequins caught the light with every subtle movement, sparkling as they fell away from her skin.

Ekko didn’t say a word. He just stood there, watching her like a man hypnotized—his arms no longer crossed, hands now loose at his sides like he might reach for her again at any moment.

She peeled the bodysuit off her frame, inch by inch, exposing the long lines of her legs, the curve of her hips, the bare sheen of her back. No shame, no hesitation—this was her stage too, and he was still her audience.

“You always stay this quiet when a girl undresses in front of you?” she asked over her shoulder, a sly smile tugging at her lips.

Ekko exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slowly.

“Only when she looks like you,” he said, voice low, laced with something dangerous.

She gave a quiet laugh, stepping out of the last of the bodysuit, now left in nothing but a black satin thong and her confidence. With that same fluid grace, she reached for the sleek black dress hanging on the back of the chair—one she’d picked for press: simple but devastating, hugging every curve like it was made for her.

She slid it over her body, slow and deliberate, letting the hem glide over her hips and down her thighs. Her hands smoothed the fabric against her waist, fixing the neckline with a subtle tug that pushed her chest just right.

She turned to face Ekko again once it was zipped up, now a vision of poise and power, as if the Juno performance and the kisses they’d shared were part of some dream only they remembered.

“How do I look?” she asked, raising a brow.

Ekko’s gaze traveled up and down her figure, heat still in his eyes but a small, appreciative smile curving his lips now.

“Like trouble,” he said, “but the kind I’d gladly get into.”

She smiled, took a final glance in the mirror, and grabbed her clutch.

“Then wish me luck, superstar,” she said, heading toward the door. “The press is waiting.”

But before she opened it, she looked back at him once more—lips still painted, eyes still wild—and gave one last wicked grin.

“Don’t go too far. I’m not done with you yet.”

⸻

The flashbulbs were still popping.

Jinx stood poised in the middle of the press line, smiling for the cameras with that signature curve of her lips—purple, perfect, and kissed not long ago. Her answers were flirty but measured, her laugh carrying above the noise like the tail end of a song. Every light in the room pointed at her, and yet her eyes kept flicking past the cameras. Looking.

And then she saw him.

Ekko moved through the crowd like he didn’t owe anyone an explanation. No security, no announcement—he just walked straight up to her, right past the barrier, right past the stunned looks from press assistants and stylists.

Jinx blinked in surprise, her smirk sharpening into something real.

“Excuse me, princess needs a minute,” he said to the cluster of reporters, not even glancing at them.

And just like that, he took her hand.

It wasn’t rough or rushed—it was casual, confident. Like they’d done this a hundred times before. He tugged her gently from the spotlight and around the corner of the hallway, out of sight. Just them now. The noise dulled behind the door.

Jinx let out a quiet, breathy laugh, brushing hair from her face.

“Wow. Someone couldn’t wait,” she teased, her voice low, curious, still a little breathless from the press high.

Ekko didn’t let go of her hand.

“Didn’t come here to steal the show,” he said, eyes locked on hers, “but I had to see you again.”

He stepped closer, thumb brushing over her knuckles. His voice dropped just enough to make her breath catch.

She turned toward him slightly, enough that their faces nearly touched again—but before it could go further, he pulled back just an inch. His voice gentled, something softer hidden behind the heat.

“I gotta go.”

Her smile faltered slightly, eyes flickering over his face.

“Leaving already?” she asked, not masking the hint of disappointment.

“Yeah,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Business. Music. Life. You know how it goes.”

There was a pause, like neither of them really wanted to let the moment go.

“But,” he added, lifting her hand again to press a soft kiss to the back of it, “I meant it. I want to see you again. Just us next time.”

Her expression softened, and for once, the playful sparkle in her eyes was edged with something real.

“Then don’t keep me waiting, superstar,” she murmured.

He grinned, starting to back away, still holding her hand until the last second.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, princess.”

And with that, he turned, disappearing back into the chaos—leaving her standing there, heart just a little faster, lips tingling, and cheeks flushed in a way the cameras could never quite capture.

Chapter Text

The scent of burning sage mixed with stale Red Bull clung to the studio air. The beat in the background was low, experimental, echoing off the glass. Ekko sat in the corner chair, hoodie thrown back, elbows on his knees as he stared at the glowing screen in front of him—but the track wasn’t moving. Neither were his fingers.

He kept replaying it.

That moment she’d looked at him mid-song. The way her lips wrapped around “Have you ever tried this one?” and how her eyes found him. The towel drop. The bodysuit. The kiss. Her mouth, stained in purple. That slow lean toward the mirror when she hinted Juno was his.

“Yo,” Qiyana said, snapping her fingers near his face. “Earth to Ekko. You’re staring at that screen like it owes you money.”

Ekko blinked, dragging a hand over his face.

“Yeah. Nah. I’m here.”

“You sure?” K’Sante asked from the booth, smirking. “You been zoning out since you walked in. That concert mess you up or something?”

Yasuo looked up from his soundboard, all calm grin and low voice.

“Don’t tell me the king of cool got flustered at a pop show.”

Ekko scoffed, leaning back with a crooked smirk, trying to play it off.

“Flustered? Nah. I just—y’all don’t get it. She’s… different.”

That was enough to set the room off.

Qiyana laughed first, tossing a crumpled napkin at him. “You mean Jinx? Purple lipstick, chaos energy, walking temptation Jinx?”

“Exactly that one,” Ekko said under his breath, half to himself, half to the mic.

“Bro, you really went,” K’Sante said, grinning wide. “Didn’t even tell us.”

“He was third row,” Qiyana chimed in. “Whole internet’s talking about it. Jinx smirking mid-song, Ekko in the shadows like a damn romance movie.”

Ekko chuckled, but didn’t deny it.

“She saw me,” he said, a little quieter now. “Mid-Espresso, locked eyes. Swear I felt the whole room melt.”

The others gave a collective oooh, laughing like it was high school again.

“Man’s in trouble,” Yasuo muttered with a smirk. “Next thing you know, he’ll be writing love songs with synth-pop bridges.”

“Shut up,” Ekko said, but he was grinning, couldn’t help it. He ran a hand over his dreads, finally pulling up the beat again.

“I’m just sayin’… she’s not like the others.”

There was a pause.

Then Qiyana leaned back, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in amusement.

“So what now? You gonna text her?”

Ekko paused. His thumb already hovered near his phone.

“Nah,” he said slowly, smile turning sly. “Not yet.”

“Why not?” K’Sante asked.

“Because she told me not to keep her waiting,” Ekko said, eyes on the screen, that beat finally starting to thrum again under his fingers. “And I won’t. But when I do? It won’t be a text.”

⸻

The city lights glittered below her window like spilled diamonds. Inside, the world was silent—except for the gentle drip of water and the faint hum of her speaker playing some slow, sultry instrumental she barely registered.

The tub was carved marble, big enough to swim in, and Jinx was sunk deep into it—arms resting along the edges, eyes half-lidded as steam danced along her collarbone. Her makeup was wiped clean, hair pulled up messily, but her lips were still stained the soft ghost of purple.

She tilted her head back, sighing as hot water lapped at her skin… but her mind refused to settle.

Ekko.

He just showed up.

No heads-up, no backstage pass. He was there, in the crowd, leaning against the rail like he owned the building—like he came just for her. That smile when she called him out mid-show? Burned in her skull. That kiss on her hands in the dressing room? Still tingled on her skin.

Her eyes drifted shut, the scent of vanilla and salt soaking the air.

“I want to see you again,” he’d said.

So bold. So Ekko.

And when he left? He did it with that calm, knowing look, like he was already planning the next time. Like he wasn’t worried at all.

“Cocky little thing,” she murmured to herself, a lazy smirk curling her lips.

Her legs stretched beneath the water, toes brushing the edge of the tub. She reached out, lazily grabbing her wine glass from the stool beside her, crimson glinting in the low candlelight. One sip. Slow.

He hadn’t even touched her past the kiss on her hands, not really. And still, she felt branded.

“You gonna play the long game with me, huh?” she whispered to no one, swirling the wine in her glass.

She slid deeper into the water until it hugged her jawline, thoughts wandering back to the way he’d looked at her during Juno—like he knew. Like every lyric, every sway of her hips was for him.

Because… maybe it was.

A faint chuckle escaped her throat as she rested her head against the bath’s edge. No cameras. No press. Just her and the silence—and his voice still echoing in her head.

“Don’t keep me waiting, superstar.”

She bit her lip, eyes flicking to her phone screen dimly glowing across the room. One text and he’d be back in her space. But Jinx wasn’t in a rush.

No—she wanted him to come knocking again.

The bath left her flushed, relaxed in that way only perfect heat and candlelight could make her. Her silk robe clung to damp skin as she padded barefoot across her villa’s polished floors, wine glass still in hand. The place was dim—only the soft glow of her sconces lighting the way as she moved to the bedroom.

Her bed, wide and inviting, sat like a throne in the center of the room. She collapsed onto it without grace, legs tucked under her, hair damp and wild over one shoulder. She reached for her phone on the side table, intending to check her messages—or maybe scroll through the photos from the concert.

But the first thing on her feed?

Ekko.

A new ad—Kelvin Clive, all moody lighting and monochrome aesthetic. Jinx stilled.

The clip auto-played: Ekko in a suit, then shirtless, water dripping from his collarbones, jaw clenched, chains catching the light. His voice came low in the background:

“This isn’t about what you wear. It’s about how they remember you.”

Her lips parted.

The camera cut to him walking in slow motion, his body lean and fluid, muscles coiled under perfect tailoring. The kind of look that made you feel it. Made you wonder how his hands moved when no one was looking. One shot, he’s tugging the jacket off his shoulders. Another—his eyes, dark and locked onto the lens like he could see right through it.

Jinx exhaled sharply.

“Okay… damn,” she whispered, biting her lip.

She couldn’t tear her eyes away. Every second of that ad pulled her deeper, made her remember how his hands felt holding hers, how his voice dropped low when he leaned in backstage.

She tilted her head back against the headboard, the robe slipping open just a little as the warmth from the bath and the image of him started to pool between her thighs. One hand still clutched her wine. The other slowly traced her thigh, teasing the edge of the silk.

He looked dangerous in that ad. In control. Like the kind of man who didn’t just touch—you felt him.

And she had. A glimpse.

Now she wanted the rest.

“You’re such a problem,” she murmured, smiling to herself.

She replayed the clip. Once. Twice. Just to see the way he looked at the camera. Just to remember how it felt when those eyes had been locked on her instead.

And this time?

She didn’t stop her fingers from wandering.

The room felt too hot. Not from the bath, not from the wine—but from him. The version of him now permanently burned into her brain. Ekko, standing half-drenched in the Kelvin Clive commercial playing on her phone. A shadow-drenched silhouette, sharp lines of muscle, low voice curling through the speakers like smoke.

She laid back in the center of her bed, body still damp, her silk robe long discarded and forgotten… now she was bare underneath the sheets, her thighs parted and pulsing.

Her fingers ghosted down the inside of her thigh, slow, teasing.

“You’d take me so good, wouldn’t you, sweetheart?”

The voice wasn’t real—just the fantasy of him, rough and smooth, the way he’d speak when he had her under him, panting his name. Her breath caught. Her fingertips found that sweet ache between her legs, and she gasped.

She imagined his hands first—how they’d feel gripping her hips, pinning her down, spreading her wider. Then his mouth, trailing heat down her neck, across her chest. And then… him.

His length.

Thick. Heavy. Stretching her slowly, perfectly, as he whispered in her ear just how good she felt.

“You’re dripping for me already?”
“Look at you—can’t even wait, can you?”

A moan slipped out, soft and breathless. Her fingers worked in slow circles now, hips lifting into her hand.

She imagined the first thrust. Deep. Controlled. His jaw clenched, his voice rasping a curse when he felt how tight she was. He wouldn’t rush—not Ekko. He’d make her feel every inch of him, every second.

“Taking me so well, baby,” he’d groan, one hand around her throat, the other tangled in her hair.
“You like being stretched like that, huh?”
“Say my name.”

Her body trembled. She did—gasped it like a prayer. “Ekko…”

She could feel it—his hips rocking into hers, slow at first, just to watch her lose it. The way his dreadlocks would brush against her cheek, the way his muscles would flex with every roll of his body. He’d pin her wrists. He’d kiss her until she couldn’t think.

And then he’d ruin her.

Her legs shook as she picked up the pace, hand slick, breath coming in ragged gasps. The sheets were twisted under her, her hair wild around her flushed face.

“You’re mine, Jinx,” he’d growl against her skin.
“No one gets you like I do.”
“Wanna feel you cum on me.”

That did it. Her head tilted back with a soft cry, the tension exploding inside her like fireworks behind her eyes. Her moans echoed in the silence, breath stuttering as her thighs clenched around her hand.

Her whole body trembled as the wave crashed over her—her free hand gripping the sheets, chest rising and falling fast, lips still parted like she might moan his name again.

And for a second, she swore she could feel him. The weight of him. The warmth of his breath at her neck.

The silence that followed was almost cruel.

Jinx blinked up at the ceiling, panting, glowing, her heart racing like she’d just been touched by fire.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” she whispered into the quiet, smirking through the afterglow.

Her phone buzzed. A notification.

She didn’t even check it. She already knew—if it was him? He’d just make it worse.

And god, she hoped he did.

Please be him.

She flipped her phone over, heart giving a hopeful flutter—only to see the name glowing across the screen.

Lux.

Her smile dropped. “No. No no no,” Jinx muttered, hitting the green button out of sheer disbelief.

“Heyyy, babe!” Lux’s chipper voice rang through the speaker before Jinx could even say a word. “Did I wake you? I had to tell you something—Ezreal just did this stupid thing with his hair and I couldn’t stop laughing, like you have to see it—”

Jinx groaned dramatically, dragging her hand down her face. “Lux. Do you have any idea what you just ruined?”

Lux paused. “Um… your sleep?”

“No, worse,” Jinx huffed, flopping back onto her pillows with a loud sigh. “You ruined my fantasy.”

“…Your what now?”

“I was in the middle of—” She sat up, her voice growing dramatically tragic, “—a very important, very intimate mental scene involving Ekko, no clothes, a whole lot of praise, and things I’m absolutely not allowed to say on a call with you.”

Lux gasped. “Jinx!”

Jinx groaned again, burying her face in a pillow. “It was so good, Lux. I had him saying all the right things. He had his hands everywhere. And then you show up and destroy it like a rom-com villain.”

Lux laughed on the other end, trying—and failing—to hold it in. “Okay but… that’s not my fault you’re thirsting over him like this.”

“I’m not thirsting,” Jinx muttered, even as her legs were still tangled in the sheets and her body still tingled from earlier. “I’m just… appreciating the visuals.”

“Uh huh.”

“He had that Clive campaign playing and I just—” Jinx covered her face with both hands, letting out a muffled scream. “God, he’d wreck me.”

“Okay wow,” Lux laughed. “Noted. So next time you don’t answer my call I’ll just assume Ekko’s breaking your bed in half.”

“Please do,” Jinx said dryly. “And next time? Text first. I might be… busy.”

Lux giggled. “You’re impossible.”

Jinx smirked. “No, he’s impossible. And now I have to start the fantasy all over again from scratch.”

“Don’t let me stop you.”

“Oh I won’t.”

They both burst into laughter.

Wrapped in the silk sheets, her skin still warm from her bath and everything else, Jinx laid on her side with the phone tucked between her cheek and shoulder. Her voice was lower now, more languid, a sweet little purr as she kept teasing Lux.

“I’m telling you,” she murmured, lazily dragging her fingers through her damp hair, “if Ekko ever did touch me the way I imagined tonight… I wouldn’t survive it.”

Lux’s laugh crackled through the line. “You sound like you’re halfway in love with him.”

Jinx smirked, eyes fluttering shut. “No, babe. I’m halfway gone.”

She could still feel it—his hands on her waist, the dangerous glide of his palm up her thigh, the weight of him pressing her into that mirror as their mouths devoured each other. Her lips tingled from where he kissed them raw.

That wasn’t a fantasy. That happened.

Lux was still rambling about how Ezreal would die if he knew she was on the phone during all this when Jinx’s phone buzzed in her palm.

Another message.

She blinked, thumb hovering.

Then she saw the name.

Ekko.

Her breath hitched—but she didn’t squeal, didn’t gasp. No, she bit her bottom lip slow, smile curling like smoke as her heart skipped in her chest. That boy was really gonna do this to her tonight?

“Hold on,” she told Lux, voice turning syrupy as she opened the message with a single tap.

Ekko:
You always taste that sweet, or was it just the lipstick?

Jinx stared at the screen, mouth slowly falling open.

Oh, he was good.

“Lux,” she whispered, interrupting her mid-story.

“Yeah?”

“He texted.”

A beat.

Lux squealed. “Wait—Ekko?”

“Mhm.” Jinx exhaled like she was high off the moment. “And he’s not playing fair anymore.”

Still cradling the phone to her ear, Jinx could barely hear Lux anymore. Her fingers lingered over Ekko’s message, rereading it once, twice… her lips curling slowly as the warmth in her chest spread lower.

“Mmh,” she murmured into the speaker, cutting Lux off mid-sentence. “Hey, sweetie? I’m gonna let you go.”

“What? Why?”

“I’ve got someone else I need to hear from tonight.”

Lux didn’t even need to ask—she groaned and laughed. “You better call me in the morning, you little—”

Jinx hung up with a grin and immediately hit call on Ekko’s contact.

It rang once.

Twice.

Then his voice, deep and rich, filled her ear.

“Didn’t expect you to call, princess,” Ekko said, and he sounded amused, like he already knew exactly what he was doing to her.

Jinx leaned back into her pillows, her voice a low, sultry hum. “You drop a message like that, and you expect me to not call?”

She could hear the smirk in his voice. “Was wondering how long you’d take. You good, superstar?”

“Better now,” she purred, shifting slightly. The soft rustle of her sheets followed her. “Can’t lie… I’ve been thinking about that kiss.”

“Which one?” he asked, teasing.

She bit her lip. “The one where your hand was on my thigh, and your tongue was in my mouth, and you whispered like I belonged to you.”

Ekko let out a low chuckle, and damn if that didn’t send a pulse straight down her spine.

“You looked like you wanted more.”

Jinx turned onto her stomach again, letting her voice melt into the line. “What if I called to tell you I did?”

A short pause.

“I’d tell you I already knew.”

They both went quiet for a moment, heat crackling over the phone. Jinx’s eyes fluttered shut.

“You always talk like that,” she whispered, “or is it just with me?”

“You?” His tone dipped even lower, rougher. “With you, I don’t gotta hold back.”

Jinx exhaled, lips parted, body humming with anticipation.

“Good,” she murmured. “’Cause I don’t want you to.”

The phone line held a thick, charged silence—comfortable, electric. Jinx was still sprawled across her bed, a lazy smile tugging at her lips as she listened to the low sound of Ekko’s breathing on the other end. It felt close. Like he was right there beside her again, fingers on her skin, voice in her ear.

“You know,” he said suddenly, voice smooth and steady, “I didn’t just come to that concert tonight for the music.”

Jinx smirked, eyes fluttering shut. “No?”

“Nah,” he said, and his tone dropped just enough to make her stomach flip. “I came to see you. I wanted to hear you sing, sure—but mostly, I wanted to watch you move. Hear how the crowd loses it when you smile. How your voice owns the room.”

Jinx’s breath caught slightly. He wasn’t teasing now. This was real. Honest. And it melted her like butter.

“And now?” he continued. “I don’t wanna wait for another concert.”

She turned on her side again, heartbeat picking up. “So what do you want?”

Ekko let the silence stretch a second, just to savor the moment.

“I want to take you out,” he said finally. “No lights. No mics. No cameras. Just you and me.”

Jinx’s lips parted, a soft laugh bubbling up—more from surprise than amusement. “You asking me on a date, True Damage?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, princess. I am.”

She bit her lip, already picturing it: his hoodie pulled low over his brow, her sneaking into some quiet restaurant with him, boots kicked up on the table like the two of them didn’t have entire industries watching their every move.

“Pick me up tomorrow night,” she said, voice honey-sweet. “But if we’re keeping it low, you better come in something boring. I don’t need you turning heads before I get to enjoy you properly.”

Ekko laughed. “So long as you’re wearing that purple lipstick again.”

Jinx smirked. “Maybe I’ll let you ruin it.”

⸻

The streets were quiet, humming with the soft glow of red brake lights and flickering neon signs as Ekko cruised through the city, windows cracked just enough to let the night air cut through the heat still clinging to his skin.

He hadn’t even turned the radio on—her voice was still echoing in his head. That soft, teasing hum, the way she’d said “pick me up tomorrow” like it was both a challenge and a promise. Ekko smirked to himself, drumming his fingers against the wheel.

And then—he saw it.

Her.

Jinx. Legs up, blue heels sky high. The “Short n’ Sweet” billboard towered above the buildings, her body stretched across it like she was lounging in his memory, haunting him.

His foot eased off the gas as he coasted to a crawl.

“Damn…” he muttered, jaw clenching, eyes glued to her.

She was looking right at him—well, not really, but it sure as hell felt like it. That smirk on her lips, that glittering gaze. Even ten feet tall, she still looked like she knew exactly what she was doing to him.

“You’re haunting me, princess.”

He shook his head and gave a quiet chuckle, trying not to grin like an idiot alone in his car. But he couldn’t help it. Every inch of her—her body in that tiny outfit, her attitude, the way she’d moaned his name in his mind earlier—was now splashed across a billboard like the universe was mocking him.

Or maybe rewarding him.

Ekko leaned back in his seat for a second, arms resting on the wheel as he stared up at her.

“Alright, alright…” he whispered to himself. “Tomorrow, I make a move you won’t forget.”

With that, he hit the gas again, heart hammering, already counting down the hours until he saw her—really saw her—again.

Chapter Text

Ekko’s ride rolled up like it belonged in a music video—matte black finish, engine purring like it had something to prove. The sun was slipping low, casting gold light over the hills as he stepped out, dressed clean but low-key. Black jeans, fitted tee, a silver chain catching the light at his collarbone. Nothing flashy—but him. Effortless.

He hadn’t even made it to the front door when the villa’s entrance creaked open.

And there she was.

Jinx.

Standing on the edge of the doorway like she owned the sunset behind her. A short, silky lavender slip dress hugging her figure just right. Her signature purple lipstick painted on like a warning. Hair wild and perfect, like she didn’t try—like perfection was just a side effect of being her.

Ekko let out a slow, amused whistle, hands slipping into his pockets.

“You always answer the door lookin’ like a daydream?” he asked, head tilted, eyes roaming her without apology.

Jinx smirked, leaning against the doorframe with one bare leg crossed over the other. “Only when the person on the other side’s worth dreaming about.”

He stepped closer, closing the space between them.

“That billboard didn’t do you justice,” he murmured. “I almost crashed.”

She giggled low in her throat, playful but smug. “Good. Maybe next time you’ll pull over and admire me properly.”

Ekko chuckled, fingers twitching to reach for her, but he kept them at bay. Just for now.

“You ready?” he asked, eyes locked on hers.

Jinx gave a little spin before walking past him, hips swaying like a song he already knew the beat to. “Lead the way, superstar.”

He opened the car door for her, watching her slide in like temptation dressed in lilac.

As he circled around to the driver’s side, Ekko ran a hand over his mouth, trying to ground himself.

This wasn’t just a date.

This was about to be war on his self-control.

⸻

The car sliced through the streets like a quiet promise, headlights washing over the pavement as the city lit up around them. Ekko had one hand on the wheel, the other resting easily on the center console—close enough that his fingers brushed her knee now and then, casual, teasing.

Jinx leaned back in the passenger seat, one leg crossed, hand toying with the hem of her silk dress. The wind played with her hair, a soft breeze dancing through the open windows, catching the scent of her perfume and dragging it into his lungs.

“You always drive like this?” she asked, eyes half-lidded, voice like warm velvet.

Ekko glanced her way, a lazy grin forming. “Like what?”

“Like you’re trying to make me fall in love on a freeway.”

He laughed, deep and low. “Baby, I didn’t even touch the pedal yet.”

Jinx bit her lip, clearly enjoying every second of it. And then—

Flash.

A flicker of white light hit her from the side.

She turned her head slowly, and sure enough—on the far corner of the next intersection, a black car trailing behind them.

Paparazzi.

Of course.

Ekko noticed it too. His grip on the wheel shifted, not tensed—but aware. He looked over at her, smirk still intact.

“You wanna disappear?” he asked, thumb now sliding up and down her bare thigh.

Jinx didn’t even flinch.

“Let them watch,” she said, chin tilted up with a devilish gleam in her eyes. “They’ll only get the outside of the story.”

Ekko raised an eyebrow. “And what’s the inside look like?”

She turned toward him, slow and sultry. “Like me in your passenger seat, not wearing anything tomorrow.”

He groaned under his breath, knuckles tightening slightly on the wheel. “Girl, I’m tryin’ to drive.”

Jinx laughed like she had all the control in the world.

More flashes followed at the next red light. Some shouts. Camera clicks. The world was starting to take notice—but in here, in their space, it was just the two of them. Heat, teasing, music low in the background, and that unbearable pull that neither of them seemed willing to fight anymore.

As the light turned green and Ekko turned onto a more secluded street, he leaned a bit closer, his voice like a secret under his breath.

“You better not test me tonight, princess.”

Jinx didn’t look away. “And if I do?”

Ekko’s tongue ran along the inside of his cheek. “Then I’ll stop being a gentleman.”

The car slowed as they reached the edge of the coast, where the city lights faded into dark dunes and moonlit surf. Jinx raised an eyebrow as the tires crunched softly over sand, until—

She saw it.

A low table set on a private stretch of beach, surrounded by soft lanterns and flickering candles sunk into the sand. Sheer white curtains billowed around a tented canopy, the gentle hum of slow music humming from hidden speakers, and a spread of food laid out like it belonged in a glossy magazine.

Jinx’s mouth parted slightly. “You did not plan all this.”

Ekko killed the engine, looking smug. “I’m True Damage, baby. I could’ve flown you to Paris if you’d answered faster.”

Jinx laughed, stepping out of the car as her heels pressed into the sand. “You would’ve hated me if I made you wear a tux.”

“Depends. You gonna wear this again?” he asked, eyes trailing from her calves up her thighs to that lilac silk hugging every dip and curve.

She smirked, brushing past him with a wink. “Only if you keep feeding me.”

They walked barefoot the rest of the way, her heels dangling from one hand, his palm ghosting her lower back. She didn’t stop him. The tension from the ride hadn’t died—it had only cooled into something heavier, thicker, more real.

They sat across from each other at the candlelit table, plates of grilled seafood, fruit, and chilled wine between them. But food wasn’t what either of them were hungry for.

“So,” Jinx murmured, fingers tracing the rim of her glass. “What exactly are you trying to prove with all this?”

Ekko leaned back in his chair, wine glass in hand, watching her through half-lidded eyes.

“That I see you,” he said simply. “Not the girl on billboards. Not the girl in heels and bodysuits and cameras chasing her car. You.”

Jinx blinked slowly, lips parting just barely.

“And you still wanna risk it?”

He smirked. “Already have.”

The ocean stretched behind her like a painting, waves catching the moonlight as it poured down over her bare shoulders. Jinx bit into a strawberry, slow and knowing.

“I hope you’re not scared of what comes with me.”

Ekko chuckled. “Princess, I already survived your lipstick. I think I can handle the rest.”

Her laugh was softer this time. Warmer. She leaned on her elbows, chin resting in her palm as she studied him across the flickering table.

“Okay, superstar,” she said. “Show me how you handle me.”

He raised his glass with a glint in his eye. “One bite at a time.”

⸻

The last candle had burned down low by the time they pushed their chairs back. The stars above were brighter now, uninhibited by the city’s glow. The only sounds were the occasional clink of glass, the soft breath of wind, and the ocean—always the ocean.

Jinx brushed her fingers on a napkin and stood first, barefoot again, her heels abandoned somewhere by the tent. Her lilac dress shimmered in the moonlight like it was made of starlight.

“Walk with me?” she asked without looking at him, already heading toward the shore.

Ekko rose without hesitation, slipping his hands into his pockets, watching her silhouette sway ahead of him before catching up with a quiet smile. “What, not done with me yet?”

She cast him a glance over her shoulder, playful. “Not even close.”

The sand was cool underfoot now, damp from the tide, and the air had that salty bite that stuck in your hair and lingered on your skin. The waves lapped lazily beside them as they walked in step, not speaking, not needing to.

At one point, she veered closer to the water,
she didn’t flinch. Just let the cold bite at her ankles, eyes locked on the horizon.

Ekko watched her, really watched her. The real her—without cameras, without stage lights, just the woman who made songs feel like secrets whispered at midnight.

“You’re quiet,” she said eventually, her voice soft like the breeze.

He looked down at her, then up at the stars. “Trying to figure out if this night is real.”

Jinx laughed, eyes gleaming as she turned to face him. “Well, I am wearing silk on a beach after three courses and two glasses of wine… You might be dreaming.”

“Then don’t wake me up.”

She tilted her head, something softer creeping into her features. “You always flirt like this?”

“Only when I mean it.”

They paused, waves curling around their feet. For a moment, it felt like time stretched thin—like the world paused just long enough for them to step out of it.

Jinx reached for his hand—lightly, almost testing him. He took it, no hesitation. Her fingers were warm. His grip, firmer.

“Ekko,” she murmured, stepping closer, their shadows melting into one.

“Yeah?”

“Next time you plan something like this… invite me earlier. I wanna pick the wine.”

He grinned. “Next time, huh?”

She bumped her shoulder into his. “Don’t push your luck.”

But her fingers didn’t let go.

They kept walking until the canopy of lantern light faded behind them, leaving only moonlight and the rhythmic hush of waves rolling in. Jinx let go of his hand and walked a little ahead, eyes flicking between the water and him with a slow smile creeping in.

“I’ve got an idea,” she said, the mischief already in her voice.

Ekko caught the change in her tone instantly. “That look usually means trouble.”

“Oh, it is,” she grinned, stepping closer to the water again. “But the fun kind.”

She dipped a toe into the ocean, testing it. Cold. But not unbearable. Then she looked over her shoulder at him and raised an eyebrow.

“Ever swam under a full moon with a pop star?”

Ekko chuckled, running a hand through his dreads. “Can’t say I have.”

“Then this is your lucky night, leader of True Damage.”

Before he could say anything else, she walked in.

Not fast—slow, teasing—just enough to let the water climb up her calves, then her knees, her dress clinging tighter as the waves lapped against it. She paused when the tide hit mid-thigh, turning slightly.

“You coming, or are you scared of a little salt?”

He raised both brows, then reached for the hem of his shirt and tugged it off in one smooth motion. Her eyes flicked over his chest, then his arms, jaw tilted like she wasn’t hiding how much she liked what she saw.

Ekko stepped into the water with her, jeans rolled up but soaked instantly. He didn’t care. She didn’t either.

By the time they were waist-deep, Jinx spun around and flicked water at him. He caught her wrist mid-splash, pulling her a little closer than expected. Her breath hitched.

“Trying to start a war?” he asked, voice low and amused.

She grinned, eyes wild in the moonlight. “Trying to see if you’ll chase me.”

He did.

The next few minutes blurred into laughter and splashes and water rushing between them as she tried to dart away and he caught her, arms wrapped around her waist as she twisted in his grip.

Eventually, they stilled—her legs tangled with his, bodies half-floating, skin slick and chilled but the heat between them never fading.

Jinx leaned into him, her head resting briefly on his shoulder. “Told you this was better than dessert.”

Ekko looked down at her, his lips brushing her temple. “Nah, sweetheart… you were dessert.”

She chuckled, arms around his neck now, her wet hair clinging to her back and shoulders. They stayed there in the water, swaying with the current, the moon above them like a spotlight no one could dim.

The ocean around them had quieted, like even the waves didn’t want to interrupt. The moon hung high, bold and silver, casting its glow over Jinx as she leaned against Ekko in the water—her silk dress clinging like a second skin, her breath still shallow from their laughter and chase.

Her fingers rose, wet and trembling slightly from the cold, and reached for his face. Slowly, she pushed a few dreads from his forehead, tucking them gently behind his ear. Her knuckles grazed his skin as she did it, and Ekko’s eyes fell half-lidded—watching her, not moving, letting her do whatever she wanted.

She smiled faintly, lips parted like she might say something—but she didn’t. Instead, she leaned forward. Her kiss landed just on the side of his face, soft, warm, deliberate. The kind of kiss that felt like an exhale. A thank you. A promise.

Ekko’s mouth twitched into a grin the second she pulled back. Her lips lingered close—her breath still brushing his cheek—and that’s when he chuckled. Low, smooth, flirtatious.

“Damn…” he said under his breath, that deep rasp curling right at her ear. “I get it now.”

Jinx blinked, drawing back an inch, caught in his voice. “Get what?”

Ekko’s hand found her waist, grounding her lightly in the water, his thumb brushing over her soaked dress as he grinned. His eyes drank her in, from her damp lashes to the shimmer of moonlight on her collarbone.

“Why your album’s called Short n’ Sweet.”

Jinx burst into a laugh—light and musical, the kind that tugged straight at his chest. She shook her head, biting her lower lip as she tilted her head toward him again.

“Guess you’ll have to find out what the deluxe edition sounds like then,” she murmured, her voice velvet in the dark.

He stepped closer. “You offering a private listen?”

She hummed. “Might add a bonus track just for you.”

Ekko chuckled again, tugging her just slightly closer, until there was barely space between them—only heat, saltwater, and tension crackling like static.

“Princess,” he whispered, “I’m already addicted to your sound.”

And there, in the waves and moonlight, her arms wrapped around his neck once more, bodies swaying in rhythm with the tide. The night wasn’t over—it was just finding its melody.

The water clung to them, silk and skin slick with salt, the moonlight shimmering off every ripple. Jinx’s laughter still echoed softly between them, her breath warm against Ekko’s collarbone as they swayed chest to chest.

But then, Ekko’s fingers slid up her back, noticing the subtle shiver she didn’t quite hide. Goosebumps had started to rise along her arms, and even though the night was gorgeous, the breeze had sharpened slightly—cold clinging to wet skin like a whisper of warning.

“You cold, baby?” he murmured, his lips brushing her temple.

Jinx tried to shrug it off, ever the tease. “Maybe just a little. Or maybe I just want you closer.”

“Oh, I can do better than that,” he said, voice dipping lower, laced with mischief.

Before she could react, his hands found her waist—and in one smooth, effortless motion, he hoisted her up and over his shoulder.

“Ekko—!” she gasped, laughing, her hair spilling down his back as she smacked his shoulder with a soaked hand. “What the hell are you—”

“Getting you warm before you turn into a popsicle,” he grinned, carrying her like she weighed nothing.

Her legs kicked slightly in protest, but she didn’t really want down. Not when his hand had found the back of her thigh, steady and claiming, and the other held her firmly around the waist.

“You’re ridiculous,” she said between giggles, her voice muffled slightly by the fall of her hair.

He started walking up the beach toward where the car was parked at the edge of the private cove. “Nah, princess. I’m a gentleman. You? You’re the one who dragged me into a moonlit swim like it was a scene outta your own damn music video.”

She smirked upside down, her cheek against his back. “And you loved every second of it.”

Ekko chuckled, deep and smooth. “You have no idea.”

⸻

By the time they reached the car, the chill had really crept in, but inside the sleek black vehicle, the heat was already on. He opened the door with one hand and gently set her down into the passenger seat, eyes scanning her flushed, glowing face.

The car’s engine purred quietly as warmth filled the space, cutting through the lingering chill from the swim. The ocean roared faintly in the distance, but inside, it was all heavy breaths and shared glances.

Jinx was curled in the passenger seat, her damp dress clinging to her like it was part of her skin. Her cheeks were still flushed, and she let her head fall back against the seat, legs slightly pulled up, her bare thighs catching the soft glow of the dashboard lights.

Ekko glanced at her, quiet for a beat.

Without saying a word, he reached into the back seat, his arm stretching behind him with practiced ease. From the shadows, he pulled his jacket—dark, oversized, worn in the best way—and brought it forward.

Jinx turned her head just as he held it out toward her.

“What’s that for?” she asked with a playful smirk, already knowing the answer.

Ekko didn’t even look away from the road. “You’re shivering, princess.”

She hadn’t even realized she was until he said it.

Still watching him, she took the jacket slowly, unfolding it. It was warm, heavy with the scent of him—woodsmoke, something faintly citrus, and sea air. She slipped it on, oversized enough to nearly swallow her frame. The sleeves fell past her hands, the hem riding down over her thighs.

“You always take care of your girls like this?” she teased, voice low.

He turned to her now, one brow raised, that slow, familiar grin pulling at his mouth.

“Only the ones who sing songs like Juno to me.”

Jinx bit her lip, snorting softly, hiding her flushed smile beneath the jacket’s collar. “Tch. Flirt.”

Ekko leaned back against the headrest, drumming his fingers on the wheel, eyes on her—more gentle now, but still burning under the surface.

“You started it,” he murmured, gaze flicking to her legs tucked into his jacket.

“And you liked it,” she shot back, adjusting the collar around her neck.

He chuckled, voice deep and warm. “You don’t even know, baby.”

The car rolled smoothly along the coastal road, the sky ink-dark, stars scattered above like a quiet audience to their unfolding chemistry. The windows fogged slightly from the combination of ocean air and their still-damp skin, the scent of salt and something warmer lingering.

Soft music played through the speakers—something chill and random, low enough that their silence felt comfortable rather than awkward. Ekko’s hand rested lazily on the wheel, the other tapping along to the beat against his thigh.

Jinx had curled her legs up on the seat, his oversized jacket wrapped around her like a cocoon. She glanced out at the passing palms and flickering streetlights, but her eyes kept drifting to him, drawn in by the way the lights danced across his skin, the way he chewed slightly on his bottom lip when he focused on the road.

Then the next song started.

A familiar beat. The playful, sultry rhythm of Taste.

Jinx’s eyes shot toward the speaker, then back to Ekko. “Oh my god.”

He didn’t look at her. Just smirked.

“You have my song in your playlist?” she teased, lifting a brow, leaning her elbow against the door, chin in hand. “Didn’t think you were into bubblegum pop.”

“First off,” he said, finally sparing her a glance, “your voice is candy, yeah. But the lyrics? That song is savage.”

Jinx blinked, then smirked. “Oh, so you actually listened to it.”

He gave a low chuckle, one hand sliding to the volume knob, turning it up just enough for the chorus to hit a little harder.

“Listened, memorized, maybe ran it back more than once,” he said casually, eyes back on the road but lips curved in that infuriating, boyish grin.

She let out a laugh, shaking her head, her voice almost mocking. “What, True Damage frontman secretly a pop girlie?”

“Only when it’s your voice,” he muttered, and this time, his tone dropped into something darker, more serious.

The words hit low in her belly, making her shift in her seat.

Jinx pulled the jacket tighter around her and smiled to herself. “Good to know you’ve got taste.”

Ekko glanced sideways, smirk still tugging at his lips. “Yeah… and right now, I’m sittin’ next to my favorite one.”

Chapter Text

The car eventually eased into the driveway of Jinx’s villa—quiet, sleek, tucked into the hills with a view of the city lights winking in the distance. Ekko shifted into park, the engine rumbling low for a moment before silence settled in.

Inside, the air still carried the scent of saltwater and her perfume. Her fingers were curled into the sleeves of his jacket, the collar pulled up around her jaw as she looked out toward her front door. But she didn’t move to get out.

Not yet.

Ekko drummed his fingers on the steering wheel once before turning to her. “So…”

She turned toward him, eyes soft but sparkling. “So…”

They shared a beat of silence, eyes locked. Then she tilted her head slightly, lips curling into that slow, unmistakable smile. The one he’d seen backstage. On stage. In every magazine and music video—but now it was just for him.

“You wanna come in?” she asked, voice like silk, playful and airy but not hiding what she meant. “I’ve got drinks. Good ones. Cold. Maybe… something stronger.”

Ekko raised a brow, amused. “Drinks, huh?”

“Mmhm,” she nodded, tugging his jacket closer around her. “Unless you’re scared.”

He laughed under his breath, low and rich. “You’re really out here trying to punk me with some liquor invites?”

Jinx leaned in a little, her knee brushing his. “If I wanted to punk you, baby, I’d leave you out here wondering what it would’ve been like.”

That made him go still for a second.

His eyes dropped to her lips, then slowly back up to her eyes. “Dangerous little thing, huh?”

She smirked, already cracking the door open. “You comin’ or not?”

Ekko didn’t say anything at first. Just reached to kill the engine, grabbed his keys, and stepped out.

By the time she opened the front door, she could already hear his footsteps behind her—slow, confident, and steady.

And he hadn’t taken his eyes off her once.

Jinx’s heels clicked lightly against the tile as she stepped into the kitchen, flicking on a warm, golden light. The space was sleek and modern, but with that distinct feminine touch—fresh-cut flowers on the counter, a few framed polaroids tacked on the fridge, a neon sign glowing softly above the bar that read short & sweet.

Ekko followed her in, silent but heavy with presence. His jacket still hung around her frame, nearly swallowing her, the hem brushing the backs of her thighs.

She went straight to the bar, reaching for two crystal tumblers and a bottle of something expensive. His eyes followed every movement. She didn’t rush—everything she did, she did with purpose, like she knew he was watching.

She poured the drinks with a smirk. “Hope you like whiskey. Or are you more of a ‘whatever-she’s-having’ kinda guy?”

Ekko leaned against the counter, eyes never leaving her. “I’m more of a ‘I’m-having-you’ kinda guy.”

That earned him a low laugh, her back turned as she slid him a glass across the island.

“Smooth,” she said, finally shrugging off his jacket and folding it on a stool.

And just like that—without ceremony or apology—she reached behind her neck, fingers slipping beneath the soaked straps of her dress. With one slow tug, the fabric peeled down over her arms, clinging for a moment before sliding to the floor in a soft, wet heap.

Ekko’s breath caught—quiet, sharp.

Beneath it, she wore a black lacy lingerie set. Strappy, delicate, almost sheer in the kitchen light. The kind of set that wasn’t for comfort—it was for exactly this moment.

Jinx turned around, her expression innocent, almost playful. “What?” she asked softly, like she didn’t already know.

Ekko’s eyes dropped, scanned, took in every inch of her—long legs, curve of her hips, the way that lace hugged her like it was stitched to her skin.

He took a slow sip from the glass, voice deeper now. “You’re not gonna kill me with that, are you?”

She stepped around the counter toward him, barefoot, trailing one finger along the marble edge.

“That depends,” she murmured. “You good at surviving?”

Their drinks sat untouched now, the air around them thick. She stopped just in front of him, tilting her head up, looking like sin wrapped in lace and mischief.

Ekko let his tongue swipe across his lower lip, eyes dark. “Guess we’ll find out.”

Jinx took one slow step back from him, her eyes dragging down his chest and back up again—teasing, testing. Then, with a wicked little smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, she raised her arms and spread them slightly—an open, effortless invitation. A dare disguised as sweetness.

“Come here…” she breathed, voice low and velvet-soft, like the words barely escaped her lips.

Ekko didn’t hesitate.

As he stepped into her space, she moved to meet him—like magnets pulled together, heat finding heat. Her arms slid around his neck slowly, lazily, her fingertips tracing the base of his dreads as if she were memorizing them all over again.

She pressed her body up against him, lace against cotton, heat against skin.

Her lips brushed his ear, voice barely there—closer to a moan than a whisper.

“You like the view, baby?” she murmured, every syllable a sin, breath warm against his neck.

Ekko’s hands instinctively found her waist, gripping tight—not rough, not yet, but like he was holding back a storm. His jaw clenched, and he let out a low chuckle, like she was playing with fire and he was deciding whether to let her burn.

“You’re makin’ it hard to behave,” he said, voice rough, words dragging over his tongue like gravel and honey.

Jinx leaned in more, tilting her head so her lips brushed his jaw as she spoke, her breath trembling just a little. “Good. I don’t want you to behave.”

And even softer—so close to his mouth now, with her thighs gently brushing his—

“I want you to ruin me, Ekko.”

His fingers tightened at her waist—firm, grounding, like he needed to anchor himself or he’d lose all sense. The lace beneath his palms did nothing to help. Her skin was warm, soft, and impossibly close.

Jinx tilted her head back just enough to meet his eyes again, her mouth parted in the faintest breath. That damn smirk lingered there—sweet, knowing, like she could feel the war in his chest and liked that she was winning.

Ekko’s jaw flexed. His throat worked around a swallow. Every cell in his body screamed to give in.

But he didn’t.

Not yet.

His grip on her waist only tightened, one hand sliding to the small of her back, pressing her into him like he needed the friction to stay sane. The other rose—slow, deliberate—to cup the side of her face. His thumb brushed along her cheekbone, then dipped lower, tracing the line of her jaw, grazing the corner of her mouth.

“You don’t play fair,” he murmured, voice low and strained, so close to her lips they almost touched with each syllable.

Jinx leaned into his touch like she was drunk on it, her lashes fluttering. “I wasn’t trying to.”

Her voice cracked slightly on the last word, a tiny moan tangled into it, and that almost shattered him.

His grip faltered—just for a second—then tightened again, more desperate this time, almost possessive.

“You really want me to lose control, huh?”

Jinx dragged her nails lightly down the back of his neck, then slid her hands to his chest. She pressed herself up again, hips shifting ever so slightly.

“I want you to try not to,” she whispered.

And then she kissed him again—soft, slow, and maddening. Not like someone chasing lust, but like someone savoring every second of the build-up before the fall.

Ekko groaned against her mouth, barely audible, and it vibrated through both of them.

But still—he didn’t let go.

Not yet.

The kiss burned—slow, deep, and drugging. Ekko tasted like heat and hunger, every brush of his mouth pulling her deeper into him. His hand stayed tight at her waist, the other tangled gently in her hair, trying—failing—to keep his composure.

And then Jinx pulled away.

Not far. Just enough.

Just enough to make him chase her.

Ekko leaned in after her, lips parted, breath uneven, his eyes heavy with need. But she kept him at bay—her hand pressed to his chest, holding him back just barely, teasing him with that almost-kiss. Her lashes lifted, blue eyes dark with heat, and her breath was hot when it spilled from her lips, shaky and delicious.

“Fuck me, Ekko…”

It came out in a low, wanton moan, like she couldn’t stop herself even if she tried.

Her voice cracked with need, with tension that had been building for too long. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, dragging him just a little closer as her head tilted back, chest rising against him.

That was it.

That was it.

His hands slid down—harder now—gripping her thighs and lifting her effortlessly onto the kitchen counter. The glass tumblers clinked as they shifted aside, forgotten. Her legs wrapped around his waist like instinct, pulling him into her body as his mouth crashed back to hers—no hesitation, no restraint this time.

Heat flooded between them like lightning.

His control? Gone.

All that was left was the man who’d wanted her since the first time he heard her sing—and now had her begging for him in black lace and moaned confessions.

The counter beneath her was cold marble, but Jinx didn’t feel it—she only felt him. Ekko pressed between her thighs, his hands sliding along her waist like he couldn’t touch her fast enough. His breath was rough, uneven, his mouth already at her neck, planting kisses that quickly turned to nips and open-mouthed heat.

Jinx let out a soft moan, head falling back, one leg hooking tighter around his waist. Her fingers dove into his dreads, tangling, pulling—urging him to keep going, to devour her.

He didn’t need any encouragement.

“You don’t even know what you do to me,” Ekko muttered against her skin, voice thick and low, barely intelligible between kisses.

He kissed lower, his lips skimming down her collarbone, then along the lace of her bra. His hands were already slipping beneath the delicate straps, thumbs brushing over her bare skin as if memorizing her, like he’d waited years for this.

And maybe he had.

Jinx arched into him, her chest rising with every shaky breath. Her fingers stayed tangled in his hair, guiding him, pressing him closer when his mouth trailed over the top of her breast, her skin warm and flushed.

His tongue teased along the edge of the lace, every movement slow—too slow—and when she whimpered his name, he let out a deep, appreciative groan.

“Mm… yeah, baby… let me hear that again.”

He kissed lower, down the line of her stomach, worshipful and starved all at once. Each kiss felt like fire, like she was the only thing in his world. His hands slid down to her thighs, gripping them as he dipped lower, lips brushing just above where the lace of her panties sat.

Jinx was a mess already—moaning softly, grinding into his touch, her fingers tight in his dreads as her hips rocked forward on instinct.

“Ekko…” she breathed, barely able to get his name out.

He looked up at her from where he knelt between her legs, eyes dark, wild, and so sure of himself.

“I told you I don’t behave.”

Ekko’s hands gripped her thighs like they were sacred—his fingers spreading along her soft skin, thumbs grazing the inner curve just enough to make her gasp. He didn’t rush. Didn’t need to. Jinx was already breathless, her back arched ever so slightly on the counter, her hands still tangled in his dreads like she couldn’t bear to let go.

He leaned in closer, lips barely brushing the inside of her thigh, and kissed her there—slow, open-mouthed, like he meant every second of it. His nose grazed along her skin, and she shivered, a small moan escaping her lips as her head tilted back.

“You feel that?” he murmured against her skin, voice thick and deep. “How soft you are… how warm?”

Jinx whimpered softly, her hips shifting toward him, needing more. Needing him. Her hands pulled at his hair gently, not to guide him but because she was already falling apart from the way he worshipped her.

Ekko kissed higher, then lower again—languid, teasing—his lips brushing her skin like he was tracing every inch of her with reverence. He let his tongue flick against the sensitive part of her inner thigh, grinning when her breath caught in her throat.

“You’re already trembling for me, princess,” he whispered, his voice vibrating against her skin.

She moaned again, her legs tightening around him just slightly, and he kissed her thigh one more time—closer now, just on the edge of where she needed him most.

But he was in no hurry.

He wanted her begging.

And damn, she was close.

Ekko’s breath was hot against her skin as he hovered just above where she needed him most. Jinx could barely think—her body already humming, her thighs trembling under his grip. He looked up at her once, and the way his eyes locked onto hers sent a whole new wave of heat through her.

He dipped lower.

And then—

His lips pressed against the thin lace of her panties. A kiss, slow and deliberate, right over the soaked fabric.

Jinx’s entire body jolted.

Her fingers clenched tighter in his dreads as she gasped, the contact both maddening and perfect, not enough but too much all at once. She could feel the heat of his mouth through the lace, his lips moving softly, teasing her with barely-there pressure.

Ekko chuckled low against her, the vibration sending a sharp shiver straight through her spine.

“You’re this wet for me already?” he murmured, voice rough, laced with cocky amusement.

Jinx’s legs quivered, her breath stuttering in her throat. She arched her hips toward him, chasing more, her voice nothing more than a breathy moan.

“Ekko…”

He kissed her again—slightly firmer this time, just enough to draw another gasp from her lips—then slowly dragged his tongue along the soaked line of her panties.

And then he grinned up at her like a man who knew exactly what he was doing.

“You taste sweet through this,” he whispered, voice deep and dark. “But I want all of you.”

Ekko’s mouth lingered against the lace, his breath warm, his lips leaving slow, aching kisses that made Jinx tremble under him. Her thighs tensed around his shoulders, her hands still tangled in his dreads like she couldn’t bear to lose contact—her head back, mouth parted, chest rising in shallow, uneven breaths.

Then his voice came—deep, thick, laced with that low rasp she had only heard in her fantasies.

“Lift that pretty ass for me, sweetheart…”

His hand slid up, palm firm on her lower back as his eyes flicked up to hers, dark and hungry. “Let me take these off… I wanna see all of you.”

Jinx’s breath caught—her lips twitching into the faintest smile as heat surged through her, wild and needy. She lifted her hips obediently, slow and teasing, watching the way his gaze never left her body. The lace peeled away from her skin as his fingers hooked into her panties, dragging them down with an agonizing slowness.

Ekko let out a breath, low and sharp.

“Damn…”

He tossed the lace aside without even looking, hands returning instantly to her thighs as he leaned in, his face just inches from her now-bare heat. He kissed her again, no barrier this time—just him and her, skin to skin, no distance left between want and having.

Jinx gasped, her fingers flexing tighter in his hair.

And Ekko?

He grinned against her, like this was exactly where he wanted to be.

Ekko’s mouth was back on her, slow at first—like he was savoring every taste, every reaction she gave him. His tongue moved in slow, deliberate strokes, teasing her until her thighs trembled, until the only thing leaving her lips were desperate, breathy whimpers.

Jinx could barely breathe.

Her fingers were buried in his dreads again, tugging gently, her head tilted back as soft moans spilled out between gasps.

And then he pulled back just enough, lips glistening, voice low and full of heat.

“Shit, baby…” He looked up at her, eyes hooded, intense. “Your pussy’s as sweet as your music.”

He smirked, cocky and breathless, like he’d just discovered something addictive—and Jinx was already a mess.

She let out a breathy laugh, shaky and caught between pleasure and disbelief at how good he made her feel. “Guess you’re a real fan, huh?” she teased, her voice barely stable.

Ekko chuckled, kissing the inside of her thigh, then her hip. “Sweetheart,” he murmured, letting his fingers glide slowly up her slick warmth again, “I’ve always been a fan.”

And then he was back at it—tongue and lips diving in again with more pressure, more hunger, like he wasn’t done worshiping her yet.

And Jinx?

She was gone—lost in the way he moved, tasted, touched—falling apart under the rhythm of the one man who could make her feel like a song written just for him.

Jinx was already unraveling, her breaths short, her chest heaving with every pass of his tongue. Ekko was relentless—taking his time, learning what made her twitch, what made her moan, what made her melt. But then—

His tongue dragged a little deeper, a little higher, and hit that spot.

Her whole body jolted.

“Ah—!” she cried out, hips instinctively bucking into his mouth, thighs clamping tighter around his head as her back arched off the counter. The moan that followed was sharp and needy, spilling from her lips with no restraint.

Ekko grinned against her.

“There it is,” he murmured, breath brushing hot against her soaked skin. “Sensitive little spot, huh, baby?”

He didn’t wait for her answer. His mouth was right back on it—tongue moving in tight, focused circles now, over and over, deliberately cruel in the best way. His hands held her steady, firm on her hips, as she writhed beneath his mouth.

Jinx couldn’t stop moaning, couldn’t stop the way her legs trembled or the way her nails dragged along his scalp. “E—Ekko, fuck—” she gasped, voice breaking as she shuddered.

He only groaned low in response, the sound vibrating through her, only adding to the wave already building fast inside her.

She was close. Too close. And he knew it.

He wanted it.

Jinx was barely holding on.

The second Ekko’s mouth closed around her clit—his tongue flicking and sucking with just the right pressure—her head dropped back, lips parted in a gasp that caught in her throat. Her eyes rolled back, lids fluttering as the pleasure overwhelmed her senses.

“Oh… fuck,” she breathed, voice thin, trembling.

Her fingers clawed at the edge of the counter, at his dreads, at anything to ground her. But there was no grounding now—Ekko had her completely undone.

His tongue moved with purpose, alternating between slow licks along her folds and tight, rhythmic sucks against her clit, pulling every sound she had out of her mouth. His grip on her hips tightened as her legs began to shake, her thighs trembling around his face.

She couldn’t stop them—her legs buckling slightly, body twitching as her stomach clenched. Her moans turned into soft cries, fingers tugging his hair tighter as her body begged for release.

Ekko didn’t let up for a second. If anything, he leaned in closer, groaning into her—deep and low—as if her taste alone was enough to ruin him.

“You gonna cum for me, princess?” he muttered between sucks, his breath hot and teasing. “C’mon… let me have it.”

Jinx whimpered, overwhelmed, lost in the wave that was dragging her under. She was seconds from falling apart, and he knew it.

And he loved it.

Jinx was already unraveling under his mouth—her body trembling, thighs clenched tight around his head, soft moans spilling from her parted lips in quick, shaky breaths. Every pass of his tongue against her clit sent another pulse of heat spiraling up her spine, and she could feel her orgasm edging closer—taunting her, begging to be let go.

And then she felt it.

Ekko’s hand moved from her thigh, fingers trailing along her soaked folds, slick with everything he’d already pulled from her. And then slowly, carefully—he slipped one thick finger inside her.

Her entire body tensed, a desperate gasp catching in her throat.

“Shit…” Ekko breathed, more to himself than to her. He paused, buried inside her knuckle-deep, marveling at the way her body gripped him like it never wanted to let go. “You feel…” His voice dipped low, strained, almost reverent. “You’re so fucking soft, baby. Tight as hell.”

Jinx let out a weak moan, her back arching off the counter, one hand flying to her mouth as her body fluttered around his finger, instinctively clenching. “E–Ekko—” she whimpered, thighs twitching.

His mouth was back on her clit before she could even finish, sucking with just the right pressure, tongue swirling and flicking in sync with the slow curl of his finger inside her.

That was it. Her breaking point.

Her moan was raw, pulled from the pit of her stomach, and her whole body spasmed—legs shaking, her core clenching around him as her orgasm tore through her like fire. Her fingers twisted in his dreads, holding him close as her hips bucked uncontrollably, chasing every last wave of it.

“F-fuck—” she cried out, barely able to breathe as she came hard, stars behind her eyes, lips trembling as the aftershocks made her twitch and moan through it.

Ekko eased her down slowly, letting his mouth and hands stay with her until her body stopped shaking. He finally rose from between her legs, lips wet, a lazy grin on his face. He looked wrecked in the best way—like tasting her had done something to him.

Jinx could barely lift her head. She laughed, breathless and in awe, brushing her damp hair from her face as she met his eyes.

“You…” she panted, “You didn’t even fuck me… and you still gave me the best orgasm of my life.”

Ekko leaned in close, fingers still teasing against her thigh, voice husky and full of that cocky heat.

“Sweetheart,” he murmured, brushing a kiss against her lips. “That was just the pre-show.”

He smirked, slow and dangerous, like he was already planning how he’d make her fall apart again.

Ekko didn’t even let her fully recover. As her breath still hitched and her thighs trembled from the orgasm he’d just given her, he stood tall—his body radiating heat, hunger still etched into every line of his face.

He leaned in close again, his hands framing her hips like she was something precious. But his mouth was anything but gentle. He dipped low, his lips finding the curve of her neck—and then he bit.

Not hard, not enough to bruise—just enough to make her feel it. His teeth dragged along her skin, warm breath teasing the sensitive spot beneath her ear.

Jinx gasped—her eyes fluttering closed as her head fell back, exposing more of her throat to him. “Shit…” she breathed, her voice cracking into a moan as her fingers gripped the counter behind her. Her eyes rolled back, lips parted as a wave of fresh heat coiled in her belly.

Then she felt it—his fingers sliding back between her thighs, slow and firm. He rubbed lazy, deliberate circles over her swollen clit, her whole body twitching under his touch. Her breath hitched, her hips shifting toward his hand on instinct.

“Already so sensitive,” he muttered into her skin, his voice like honey and smoke. “And still so greedy for more, huh?”

“Ekko—” she moaned, a plea and a warning wrapped in one.

But just when she was about to lose herself again—right when her body started to tighten, chasing another high—he stopped.

His fingers left her. His mouth pulled back.

And the air between them buzzed with electricity.

Jinx blinked in disbelief, her chest rising and falling, her body still begging.

She looked up at him with wide, dazed eyes. “What the hell was that?”

Ekko only smirked, brushing his thumb along her flushed jawline as if he hadn’t just denied her the edge of heaven. His voice dropped low, teasing and dark.

“Gotta keep my pop princess on her toes.”

Jinx stared at him, chest still heaving, her whole body flushed and trembling. Her eyes were wide, pupils blown, lips slightly parted as she tried to catch her breath and understand why the hell he stopped.

“Ekko,” she breathed, voice rough with need, frustration curling into every syllable. “What the fuck—”

He leaned in again, slowly—his hands cupping her thighs, his mouth ghosting over hers, not kissing her, just close. She could feel the heat radiating off him, the tension thick and heavy between them.

His smirk was slow and sinful. “You think I’m gonna let you fall apart again,” he murmured, “before I even get to be inside you?”

That hit her deep.

Her body shuddered, a soft whimper slipping past her lips as her thighs clenched involuntarily.

Ekko’s hands slid up her body, smoothing over her waist, up her ribs, his thumbs brushing under the curve of her breasts. His voice dropped even lower, rough and indulgent. “Nah, sweetheart. I want you full of me when you come next. Wanna feel that tight little body squeeze around me when you lose it.”

He kissed her neck again, softer this time—his hands holding her like a secret, a promise.

“You don’t get to be exhausted just yet,” he whispered against her skin. “Not when we’ve barely started.”

And the way she looked at him—eyes half-lidded, breath caught in her throat, lips trembling—told him she was ready to beg.

Jinx’s eyes stayed locked on him, her body still pulsing with need, but now there was something new glinting behind her half-lidded gaze—mischief.

Her hands slid up his chest, dragging her nails lightly along his skin through his shirt, her head tilting just enough to look deliciously coy. She licked her lips slowly, deliberately, and let her voice drop into something sweet and sultry.

“Okay, tough guy…” she breathed, fingers dipping down to the waistband of his pants, teasing at the edge. “You’re talking a lot of game—”

Her fingertips hooked slightly in the band, eyes flicking up to meet his.

“—but you’re still fully dressed.”

Ekko raised a brow, amused, lips twitching at the corner. “You tryin’ to say something, baby?”

“I’m saying,” she said, leaning forward, her voice brushing his lips like silk, “if you’re gonna keep denying me… the least you can do is show me what you’re hiding in those pants.”

She grinned, wicked and sweet all at once, her nails now gliding down his stomach as she leaned back just a little—enough to take him in with a hungry, expectant gaze.

“Strip for me, champ. Let me see what I’ve been thinking about since your damn underwear ads dropped.”

Ekko chuckled low in his throat, a dangerous sound that rumbled through his chest. His eyes darkened as he took a slow step back, reaching for the hem of his shirt, his gaze never leaving hers.

“You want a show?” he said, voice like velvet and fire. “You got it, princess.”

Ekko didn’t rush. Oh no—he dragged it out, knowing exactly the effect he had on her.

First, he peeled off his shirt, slow and smooth, the fabric gliding up over his abs and chest. Muscles rippled under caramel skin, abs cut and defined like they were chiseled for sin. He dropped the shirt to the floor without a care, never breaking eye contact.

Jinx sat frozen at the edge of the kitchen counter, legs still parted, her breath caught somewhere between her lungs and her throat. Her mouth parted just slightly, the tip of her tongue brushing her bottom lip as she drank him in.

His hands slid down to his belt next, unbuckling it with one sharp tug that made her thighs twitch. He took his time undoing the button, the slow sound of the zipper dragging down making her core throb all over again.

When he finally slid his pants off his hips, she exhaled a shaky breath—fuck. He stood in front of her in nothing but his black boxer-briefs, and it was everything. Everything.

Her eyes flicked down to the thick outline pressing against the fabric—heavy, hard, and unapologetically big.

She swallowed and looked up at him through her lashes, voice raspy, breathless.

“Shit,” she murmured. “The real thing’s even better than the ad…”

Ekko let out a low laugh, walking toward her with all the confidence in the damn world. His hands slid to her thighs again, pushing them open wider as he leaned in.

“I told you,” he said, his lips brushing hers. “I don’t do filters.”

Jinx didn’t touch him yet—she just stared, jaw slack, breath shaky, eyes wide with unfiltered hunger. Her gaze flicked from the outline straining against the fabric of his boxer-briefs to his face, then back again, like her brain couldn’t compute just how much he was packing.

And then she let out the softest little moan. Barely audible, but he heard it.

Her hand finally lifted, just the pads of her fingers brushing along the curve of him through the black fabric—and that’s when it hit him.

Ekko’s breath stuttered, a low, raw sound caught in his throat as his hips gave the smallest jerk forward. A whimper escaped his lips—sharp, needy, real—the kind of sound that cracked through the air like lightning.

“Fuck,” he muttered, eyes fluttering shut for just a second, jaw clenched. He wasn’t used to losing control, but the way she touched him—like she couldn’t believe he was real—made him feel like he was the one falling apart.

Jinx smiled slowly, her fingers now sliding back and forth, teasing him, watching the twitch in his jaw, the way his abs tightened.

“Didn’t think I could make you whimper,” she purred, her voice soaked in wicked satisfaction. “Thought you were the one in control.”

Ekko opened his eyes again, dark with want, a breathless chuckle spilling past his lips as he leaned down to nip at her bottom lip.

“Keep touchin’ me like that, baby,” he rasped, “and I might just let you take control tonight.”

Jinx stayed right there on the counter, bare skin kissed by the faint kitchen light, her black lace lingerie hugging her like a secret. Her legs were still parted for him, her hands no longer teasing but resting—possessively, deliberately—on his hips.

She looked up at him like she was tasting him with her eyes alone. Her fingers had stopped moving, just holding him now, palm warm over the thick, pulsing outline of him. She could feel the heat of him even through the fabric, and her breath came shallow as the weight of the moment settled.

Ekko was barely holding it together—his jaw clenched, hands fisting at his sides like he was fighting the urge to rip the damn boxers off himself. His eyes burned into her, waiting for her to tip the scale.

Jinx tilted her head slowly, lips slightly parted, her voice low and syrupy, melting between them.

“I could ride you,” she murmured, her thumb brushing a slow, teasing circle over him. “Tie you to that chair and have you begging for it… again and again.”

Ekko’s breath caught—shaky and sharp—and his hips shifted toward her hand like his body had a mind of its own.

She smiled, wicked and soft all at once, and leaned in just enough for her lips to ghost over the corner of his mouth.

“But not tonight.”

Her voice dropped even lower, a breath against his skin.

“Tonight, I don’t wanna be in control.”

She kissed the edge of his jaw, then pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. Her gaze was dark and shining, lips barely containing the curve of a smirk.

“There’s definitely gonna be a next time,” she whispered, the promise heavy in the air, “and when that comes, baby… I’ll make you fall apart.”

She let her nails drag lightly down his stomach, stopping just above the band of his boxers, and added—barely above a moan:

“But tonight… I want you to fuck me. Good.”

And there was nothing bashful in her tone. Just pure need wrapped in velvet and fire. She wanted to be taken, owned for the night, and she wasn’t afraid to say it.

Ekko’s breath came out in a sharp hiss. His hands shot forward, gripping her thighs again, tighter this time. His mouth was inches from hers, eyes burning.

“Say less, sweetheart.”

The second those words left her lips—I want you to fuck me good—Ekko snapped.

His gaze dropped down to her chest, to that lacy black bra still clinging to her like it had a right to be there. His hands slid up her waist, fingers curling into the delicate fabric with zero hesitation.

“This,” he growled under his breath, “has overstayed its welcome.”

With one swift, sharp pull, the lace gave way under his grip—ripping clean apart with a low tear that echoed in the quiet room. Jinx gasped, her body jolting as the ruined bra slid down her arms and hit the floor, leaving her completely bare before him.

She didn’t have time to smirk or tease. Ekko was already there—his mouth closing hot and desperate around her nipple, sucking like he’d been starving for her. His hand came up to cup her other breast, thumb dragging over her sensitive peak while his tongue worked relentless circles around the other.

Jinx let out a broken moan, her head falling back against the cabinets, fingers threading into his dreads like instinct. Her body arched into him, chest rising, chasing the friction like she couldn’t get enough. The way he devoured her, the way he groaned low against her skin—it sent fire rushing between her legs all over again.

“Shit,” she gasped, voice cracking as he moved to her other breast without warning, his teeth grazing just enough to make her buck against him.

Ekko chuckled against her skin, low and dark, like he knew exactly how much power he had over her body right now.

“You taste so good, baby,” he murmured, tongue flicking her nipple before sucking it into his mouth again. “Could stay right here all night.”

But the way her legs were trembling, the way her hands were pulling him closer, more—he knew neither of them had that kind of patience left.

Ekko’s mouth was latched onto her nipple, tongue working slow, deliberate circles while his hand massaged the other with a grip that had Jinx breathless. His groans vibrated against her skin, sending goosebumps through her chest, and her thighs squeezed tighter around his waist. She was melting for him, every nerve on fire, fingers tangled in his dreads, eyes fluttering shut.

Then—bzzzz. A vibration against the marble counter.

Jinx barely noticed it, lost in the way his teeth grazed her sensitive peak.

Bzzzz-bzzzz. Again. Louder. Insistent.

Ekko glanced up at her from where he was kissing, lips still wet and curved in a smirk. “Someone’s really trying to kill the mood.”

Jinx groaned and leaned back just enough to glance at the phone’s screen lighting up the counter beside them.

Lux.

“Of course,” she muttered, rolling her eyes, but that third buzz hit and Ekko paused entirely, lifting his brows.

“You sure you wanna ignore that?” he asked, voice low and teasing, his hands still settled against her thighs. “Could be serious.”

She sighed, dragging her palm down her flushed face and answered mid-breath. “Lux, unless someone’s dying—”

“Let me guess,” came Lux’s voice, crystal-clear, loud enough for even Ekko to hear, “you’re masturbating again thinking about him?”

Jinx froze.

A thick silence.

Ekko blinked. Slowly. Then a smirk spread across his lips, and he let out a low, amused laugh—shoulders shaking with it. “Damn,” he said under his breath, looking up at her like she’d just confessed her darkest secret. “Didn’t think I was haunting you that bad, princess.”

Jinx’s mouth dropped open, a horrified gasp caught in her throat. “Lux!” she hissed into the phone, smacking her forehead. “Why—why would you even say that?!”

“Wait—hold up.” Lux paused. “Are you actually with him right now?”

“Kind of…” Jinx mumbled, trying to find the words while completely topless, legs still wrapped around Ekko’s hips, his hands comfortably resting on her bare skin. She looked at Ekko, who was watching her like she was the best show he’d ever seen—grinning, amused, and clearly loving every second of her humiliation.

“Lux,” she said, her voice sharp and pained, “I’m literally naked right now, and he’s between my thighs. I beg you to hang up.”

There was a screech on the other end, some kind of jumbled scream-laugh-yell combo, before Lux finally said, “OH MY GOD—bye!” and hung up.

The line went dead.

Jinx dropped the phone on the counter like it was cursed, then buried her face in both hands.

Ekko tilted his head, one brow arched as he leaned in to nuzzle her cheek. “So…” His voice was low, velvet-smooth. “That what you’ve been doing when you call me late at night and act all sweet?”

She groaned again, lifting her head just enough to glare at him—except it was weak, flustered, and a little breathless.

“Shut up,” she muttered.

He smirked, brushing his lips over her jaw, moving toward her ear. “Nah, I like this. Gives me ideas.”

She pushed his chest playfully, but he didn’t budge. Instead, his hands gripped her thighs tighter, dragging her forward on the counter until their hips were flush again.

“No more interruptions,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her throat.

“No more,” she whispered, already sinking into his touch again.

Ekko didn’t move fast—he didn’t have to. His presence was overwhelming in the best way, and the way he looked at her just then made everything else fade. With her still perched on the counter, chest rising and falling from the high of their teasing, her skin flushed and glowing in the dim kitchen light, he reached up gently.

His fingers brushed against her temple, then slipped into the edge of her hairline. He pushed a soft strand away from her face, curling it behind her ear with a tenderness that almost didn’t belong in a night like this. His thumb lingered at her cheekbone, dragging down slowly until it rested just beneath her jaw, tilting her chin slightly so she was looking straight into his eyes.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured.

Not cocky. Not playful. Just honest, his voice dipped in that deep velvet tone that always made her knees weak. His eyes didn’t roam over her like before—instead, they settled on her face, drinking in every little shift in her expression. And Jinx… melted.

Not because he was praising her figure, or saying something for effect. No, it was the way he said it, like he meant all of her—the wild, the sweet, the chaos and the softness. Her breath caught in her throat. Her lips parted. She didn’t know what to do with that kind of sincerity.

Then Ekko leaned in and kissed her again.

This kiss wasn’t like the others. It was deep but slow, reverent, like he wanted to memorize her lips. His hands settled on her hips, not pulling, not pushing—just holding, grounding her. And Jinx, usually the wild one, the one in control, let go completely. Her body melted into his, arms sliding around his shoulders, fingers threading through his dreads like they were meant to be there.

He kissed her like she was his whole world in that moment. And she kissed him back like she didn’t want to be anyone else’s.

When he finally pulled away, just far enough to rest his forehead against hers, both of them catching their breath, she exhaled something soft—something fragile.

“I want it, Ekko…” her voice was barely a whisper, but it trembled with how much she meant it.

Her thighs instinctively squeezed around his waist again, holding him there, her hands still in his hair. “I want you.”

The need in her tone, the flicker of vulnerability in her eyes—it cracked something open between them.

And Ekko just stared at her for a second, hands gripping her thighs tighter, lips parted like he was tasting those words.

“Then I got you, baby,” he whispered back, voice low, warm, and full of promise. “Every inch of me.”

Jinx’s breath was shallow now, her skin flushed and warm where Ekko’s hands held her. Her fingers stayed tangled in his dreads, and her lips were swollen from their kisses, parted in the most inviting way.

She let her eyes drift down between them—lingering where the fabric of his boxers strained against him, not hiding a thing. Her gaze flicked back up to his face, dark with desire, but still teasing at the edges like he knew exactly how undone she was becoming.

Her hands slid down his chest, slow and hungry, until they reached the waistband. She hooked her fingers there and tugged—not hard, not aggressive—but wanting.

“You gonna make me beg, or what?” she whispered, voice breathy and low, eyes glinting with challenge and need. “Take them off, Ekko…”

He didn’t move right away. His lips curved into a smirk, the kind that told her he was enjoying just how desperate she was for him.

But then, his hands joined hers.

He leaned in, murmuring against her jaw, “You sure you’re ready for this, sweetheart?”

And when she nodded, biting her bottom lip, he finally—finally—tugged the boxers down.

And there he stood—bare, hard, and beautiful.

Jinx’s breath hitched.

“Damn…” she whispered, blinking once, lips parted in awe and something far more wicked.

She wasn’t done teasing—just like he wasn’t done driving her wild.

Jinx’s breath caught in her throat as her eyes dropped to take him in fully—bare and standing confidently before her, the tension in the room thick with want. He wasn’t just fit; he was sculpted, defined in all the right places, and more than lived up to the fantasy she’d let spiral too many times in her head.

She blinked slowly, almost dazed, her lips parting just enough for a soft, surprised exhale.

Holy shit.

The flicker of a wicked smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but her mind was racing—not with nerves, but with the raw realization of what she’d gotten herself into.

He might actually break me.

The thought wasn’t fearful—it was thrilling. Her thighs pressed together instinctively as a warm flush rolled through her, deeper than anything she’d felt all night. All the teasing, the flirting at events, the stolen glances—this was what it had been leading to. And now that she had him like this, standing there, cocky and gorgeous and hard for her, she finally understood what those fangirls were screaming about online.

No wonder they lose their minds… I’d sell out my own tour for a night like this.

Her gaze dragged back up his body slowly, drinking in every detail, until their eyes locked again—and the hunger she saw in his matched her own.

She licked her lips, barely keeping her voice steady. “So… you gonna be nice?” she asked with a teasing tilt of her head, even though every inch of her wanted the opposite.

Ekko stepped forward, hands slipping around her waist like he owned her already. “Oh, princess,” he said, lips brushing her ear, “I’ve been too nice.”

Ekko’s hands gripped her waist like he couldn’t bear to be apart from her even for a second. The way she looked up at him—flushed, lips parted, eyes wide with hunger—had him reeling. But there was a calm confidence in his touch, in his voice, like he’d been holding this in for a while.

He leaned down, his lips brushing her neck, just below her ear, where he knew she was most sensitive. His breath was hot, voice rough with restraint.

“You don’t know what you did to me that night…” he murmured, one hand sliding down her spine, pulling her closer. “Up there on that stage, singing Juno like it was just for me…”

Jinx’s breath hitched, her fingers tightening slightly against his bare back.

Ekko’s hand traveled lower, his palm skimming over the curve of her ass with a slow, reverent grip.

“I’ve been thinkin’ about this sweet pussy since then,” he whispered, lips curling into a dark, amused smirk against her skin. “You had me messed up… sittin’ in the crowd, jaw tight, imagining what you’d feel like, taste like…”

She let out the softest moan, her body arching toward him instinctively.

“And now that I’ve had a taste?” he pulled back just enough to look at her, his gaze heavy with lust and affection. “I ain’t ever gettin’ that song outta my head.”

Ekko’s grip on her hips tightened as he kissed her again—slow, deep, like he was trying to savor every second before everything changed between them. Jinx was breathless under him, her body hot and open, pupils blown wide with anticipation.

He shifted just enough to line himself up, dragging the tip against her slowly—teasingly—until he found that perfect, sensitive spot that made her gasp.

Then, with a low groan, he began to push in, just the tip.

Jinx’s breath hitched, her nails digging lightly into his shoulders. Her body arched toward him, her chest rising with a shaky exhale. Her lips trembled into a soft, broken moan, and her eyes fluttered half-shut.

“Shit…” she whispered, voice already wrecked as she felt the stretch, the pressure, the heat of him just beginning to sink in.

Ekko paused there, his forehead pressing to hers, his voice low and warm. “You good, baby?”

She nodded, lips barely brushing his. “Yeah… just—keep going,” she breathed, the need in her voice thick and aching. “I want all of you.”

Ekko’s jaw clenched as he slowly pressed forward, easing himself deeper into her with steady, deliberate care. The heat of her, the way her body pulled him in—it nearly made him lose his breath.

Jinx let out a soft, trembling moan, her head falling back slightly as her hands gripped his arms like he was the only thing keeping her grounded. She could feel every inch of him, feel how he stretched her inch by inch, and it was too much in the best way possible.

Her breath was coming in short, shallow pants now. “Ekko…” she gasped, her voice barely a whisper, already wrecked. “God—how are you not all the way in?”

That earned a low, amused groan from him, the sound rumbling from his chest as he leaned in to kiss the corner of her mouth. “Told you, princess,” he murmured against her skin, “I’ve been dreamin’ about this since the concert. Wasn’t gonna rush it.”

She whimpered at the way his voice vibrated through her, the heat of his words hitting just as hard as his body did.

Her legs instinctively tried to close around him, thighs trembling from how full she already felt—but his hands kept her open, grounded. Gentle, but firm.

“You feel so good,” he breathed, forehead resting against hers now. “So damn soft… tight…”

Jinx could barely form a response, her lips parted in shock, pleasure clouding her thoughts like fog. She wasn’t even sure what she’d expected from him—but this? This slow, deep invasion, the way he made her feel like she was falling apart before he was even fully inside?

She’d never had anything like it.

She whispered his name like a prayer, eyes glassy, body shaking, needing more but completely overwhelmed by just how deep he already was.

And Ekko—watching her unravel for him, just from the slow stretch—was already holding on to the last threads of his control, knowing this was only the beginning.

Ekko exhaled through gritted teeth as he finally pushed all the way in, his hips pressing flush against hers. The moment their bodies fully met, a sharp moan tore from Jinx’s throat—raw, breathless, involuntary. Her back arched under him, fingers clawing at his back like she didn’t know what else to hold on to. Her body was trembling, overwhelmed, already slipping into something that felt like bliss and madness all at once.

“F—fuck,” she whined, her head tossing slightly to the side, lips parted, her breath catching with every inch he filled her with. “You’re so—big, Ekko, I can’t—”

“You can,” he whispered against her ear, voice low, dark, and reverent. “You’re takin’ me so good, baby.”

He didn’t move—not yet. He wanted to watch her. Wanted to feel her fall apart while he stayed deep, letting her adjust to him, letting her realize how much he wanted her wrecked for him alone.

Her legs were wrapped around his waist now, her thighs trembling with need, but her voice—sweet, breathy little moans—was what nearly undid him.

She was a mess already. Just from him being inside.

Ekko grinned, wicked and slow, dipping his head to kiss the corner of her mouth, then her cheek, then the pulse thudding in her neck. “You feel that?” he murmured, letting his hips shift just enough to draw the slightest reaction. “That’s all you, sweetheart. Already losing it for me, and I haven’t even moved.”

Jinx nodded quickly, her breath stuttering, her eyes glossy and unfocused. “I’m—god, Ekko, I’m yours, just—fuck…”

He chuckled darkly, pressing his forehead to hers as his hips finally rolled back, just enough to build the tension. “I know, princess,” he whispered, watching the way her jaw dropped in a silent moan. “Now let me see you fall apart on this dick.”

Ekko couldn’t hold back anymore.

He pulled out halfway—slow, deliberate—before driving back in with a smooth, deep thrust that made Jinx cry out. Her whole body jolted under him, her mouth open in a breathless moan that barely formed his name.

“That’s it,” he grunted, dragging his hips back and pushing in again, a little harder this time. The way she clung to him, how tight and perfect she felt—it was driving him crazy. “Fuck, baby…”

His pace built—steady, rhythmic, each stroke sending little gasps and curses spilling from her lips as her body rocked with his. Jinx had never felt anything like it. He wasn’t just fucking her—he was ruining her, slow and good and deep, like he wanted her to remember this every time she tried to sleep.

And she would.

Ekko leaned over her again, his mouth at her ear, his voice low and thick with lust. “This pussy?” he said, groaning as her walls clenched around him, “This pussy’s better than my whole fuckin’ career.”

Jinx moaned, loud and uncontrollable, nails dragging down his back as he hit that spot inside her again and again. Her body was slick with heat, wrapped around him, trembling from the way he filled her up so completely, like he was made for her.

Her eyes fluttered closed, lips parted, and he watched her fall apart underneath him—just like he wanted.

And he wasn’t letting up. Not until she screamed for him.

Ekko’s control snapped the moment her hips lifted to meet his, her soft gasps turning into full-blown moans. He grabbed onto her thighs, spreading her open wider beneath him as he picked up the pace—his thrusts deeper, rougher, the kind that made her back arch off the counter and her hands scramble to hold onto anything, him.

“Ekko—!” she cried out, voice cracking as his rhythm became relentless.

He was all over her—his hands, his mouth, the sound of skin meeting skin echoing through the dimly lit kitchen, her soaked lingerie abandoned somewhere on the floor. He kissed the inside of her knee, her thigh, even as he drove into her, and when her head tipped back with a loud, pleading moan, his lips found her neck again.

“Sound so fuckin’ good, baby,” he growled, voice low and strained, breath hot against her throat. “You hear yourself? This is what you do to me.”

Her hands were in his dreads again, tugging, trying to ground herself, but she was slipping. Falling. She could barely speak, her voice nothing but soft, high-pitched whimpers between the desperate gasps of his name.

He shifted his angle just slightly and hit that spot that had her practically screaming.

“Right there, right there—oh my god, Ekko!” she begged, her voice trembling, soaked in need.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Let me hear you,” he said through gritted teeth, watching her face twist in bliss. He was close too, but he wanted her to break first. To come undone around him so hard she’d feel him for days.

Her legs started to shake again, her walls pulsing around him, and Ekko smirked as he leaned in closer, barely holding himself together.

“You’re about to come, huh?” he whispered against her lips, still driving into her like a man possessed. “Go on then, Jinx. Be a good girl and come all over this dick.”

Jinx shattered beneath him.

Her cry was sharp and raw, echoing through the room as her entire body locked up—legs trembling, back arching, her soaked walls clenching down around him in a vice. “E-Ekko—!” she screamed, her voice breaking into a high, desperate pitch. She couldn’t stop squirming, couldn’t stop feeling—the pleasure ripping through her so violently it left her trembling, broken open, drenched.

She was creaming all over him, a messy, slick wave of release that soaked his thighs, her own, everything in between. Her eyes were rolled back, her nails dug into his shoulders, and she was panting like she couldn’t catch her breath, mouth hanging open in stunned bliss.

Ekko groaned, gritting his teeth as her orgasm pulsed around him, gripping his length so tightly he nearly lost it right there.

“Fuck, baby…” he growled, breathless, completely in awe. “That’s it. Just like that. Creamin’ all over me—look at you.” He cupped her face, watching her fall apart with pure pride in his eyes, forehead pressed to hers. “So damn perfect. You give it up so sweet, don’t you?”

She whimpered at the praise, tears pricking her eyes from how hard it hit, from how full she still was, his cock pulsing inside her, stretching her out even now.

Ekko kissed her jaw, her temple, his lips brushing over her skin with reverence and hunger all at once.

“Did so good for me, sweetheart,” he murmured against her ear. “Took it like a fuckin’ dream. Made a mess, just like I wanted.”

And she had. A beautiful, trembling mess—his favorite kind.

Ekko didn’t move right away, his chest rising and falling as he looked down at her—completely wrecked, glowing with satisfaction, her skin flushed and slick. But the hunger in his eyes hadn’t dulled. If anything, it was sharper now, deeper.

He ran his hand slowly down the curve of her waist, lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, voice low and teasing, “You think I’m done with you, baby?”

Jinx let out a soft breath, already knowing the answer before he gave it. Her body still trembled, but her eyes fluttered open with anticipation.

“Turn around,” he murmured, fingers trailing over her hip, firm and commanding. “Bend over for me.”

She did—eager, obedient, wanting. Her palms met the cool surface of the table as she arched her back, presenting herself with a soft sigh, her long hair falling over her shoulder, and her hips swaying slightly like she knew she was irresistible.

Ekko stood there for a beat, jaw clenched, watching her with that half-smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath, stepping in close behind her, both hands gripping her waist. “You really tryna ruin me, huh?”

Jinx looked back at him over her shoulder, eyes half-lidded, lips parted, and her voice a sweet, sultry whisper.

“Only fair,” she said, “since you just ruined me.”

And she meant every word. He was the best she’d ever had—by far.

Ekko stood behind her for a moment, just looking. Jinx, bent over with her hands planted firmly on the counter, was the perfect picture of surrender and want. Her breath came in short, shaky pulls, her back arched just right, and her skin glowing with the aftermath of what they’d already shared. But he wasn’t done—not even close.

His hands slid up her sides, warm and steady, fingertips dragging over her ribs and then down to her waist. She shivered, not from the cold, but from the heat radiating off of him—the way he touched her like she was something delicate and dangerous all at once.

“You ready for more, baby?” His voice was low, edged with gravel, but there was a softness underneath it—like even when he was taking her apart, he was holding her together.

Jinx looked back over her shoulder, lips parted, eyes half-lidded, cheeks flushed. “I never stopped wanting you,” she whispered, and that was all he needed.

He pressed forward, slowly this time, deliberately. She gasped the moment the head of him nudged against her—he was big, thick, and he pushed in with a patience that was torturous in the best way. Jinx gripped the counter tighter, her knuckles white, a cry slipping from her lips as he slid in deeper… and deeper.

“F-fuck…” Her voice broke, her head falling forward as he filled her inch by inch.

Ekko’s grip on her hips tightened, his jaw clenched, breath hot against her spine as he leaned in. “You take me so well, sweetheart. Still so tight.” His voice was full of awe and something darker, something possessive. “Like you were made for me.”

A moan escaped her, higher-pitched, needy. Her thighs trembled as he bottomed out, fully seated inside her. It was too much and still not enough—her body was overwhelmed, every nerve on fire, but the ache for more didn’t fade.

He didn’t move yet, just stayed there, letting her feel the weight and stretch of him while his fingers kneaded her hips like he was memorizing her curves.

Jinx whimpered, her hips subtly pushing back against his. “Please, Ekko…”

He exhaled a soft, disbelieving laugh, brushing his thumb along the dip of her spine. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”

And with that, he pulled back slightly—then thrust forward, slow and deep again. She cried out, her legs nearly giving out, her body clenching around him like she never wanted to let go.

It was too good. He was too deep. And Jinx? She didn’t just want more.

She needed it.

Her fingers clawed at the edge of the counter, trying to ground herself, but there was no anchoring the way Ekko moved inside her—not with that kind of depth, not with that kind of control. Every roll of his hips made her breath hitch, every deep, dragging thrust pulled a needy moan from her throat.

Jinx was losing her mind, unraveling piece by piece, and she didn’t even want to stop it.

“Ah—fuck, Ekko…” Her voice cracked, high and wrecked, like she was trying to form words but her body was too focused on taking him in. She could feel everything—every thick inch of him stretching her, pushing her to the edge again.

He leaned over her slightly, one hand gripping her hip to keep her steady while the other slid up her back, possessive and tender all at once.

“Good girl,” he breathed against her ear, voice all heat and praise, and that did something to her. Her knees buckled, body shuddering, brain blanking out like someone cut the power. “Taking it all like that. Letting me fuck you this deep.”

Jinx sobbed out a moan, head dropping forward, her hair falling around her flushed face as her body gave in completely. She was soaked, trembling, tight around him, and every stroke only sent her spiraling further.

“I can’t—” she gasped, but the words dissolved into a whimper as he drove back into her, harder now. “Ekko, I can’t think—”

“That’s the point, baby.” He groaned, kissing the back of her neck. “You don’t need to think. Just feel me.”

And she did.

With every thrust, her cries grew louder, messier—sweet, desperate sounds echoing in the kitchen like a melody made just for him. Her body rocked with his rhythm, her hips moving back to meet him now, helplessly obedient.

She was taking it all. Like a good girl. Like his good girl. And she was falling apart for him, beautifully.

Her voice cracked beneath the weight of her own pleasure, body limp yet shivering under the relentless rhythm Ekko kept driving into her. Her knees were weak, her breath caught somewhere between sobs and moans, eyes wet, lips swollen from earlier kisses. She was wrecked—utterly undone—and she had never felt this good.

“Th-Thank you,” she whimpered, voice trembling, barely coherent as it slipped through gasps and cries. “T-thank you, Ekko—oh my god—thank you…”

It wasn’t even clear what she was thanking him for anymore—his hands, his mouth, his praise, his everything. Maybe it was the way he touched her like she was sacred and ruined her like she was his to break.

Ekko’s grip on her tightened at that. His name falling from her lips like that, her gratitude—like a girl too far gone, like she didn’t know where she ended and he began—it did something to him.

“You’re so fuckin’ sweet when you fall apart for me,” he growled, hips slamming into her again as she let out a full-bodied scream, sharp and helpless, echoing off the walls. “Sound even better than you sing, baby.”

Jinx cried out again, louder this time, her whole body arching, collapsing, trembling under the weight of everything he was giving her. She couldn’t stop shaking, couldn’t stop thanking him like she was floating in ecstasy, her mind gone hazy and useless.

“Please—please don’t stop,” she begged like a broken doll, soft and breathless and soaking wet. “I need more, Ekko, please—”

He groaned low, pulling her hips tighter against him, not ready to stop, not when she was falling apart so beautifully beneath his hands. Not when she was his like this.

She was trembling, hands flat on the counter, hair wild and sticking to her flushed skin. Her black lace clung to her in damp patches, still half on, half forgotten, as Ekko moved behind her—slow at first, like he was savoring every second of it. Like she was art, and he was the only one who knew how to handle her right.

Jinx whimpered, head hanging low, back arching as her body adjusted to the depth of him. She was so full—so completely filled—and the stretch, the pressure, the way his hips met hers over and over was making her lose herself.

“Still with me, baby?” Ekko rasped against her ear, one hand sliding up her side, rough and steady. “Talk to me.”

“I love it,” Jinx gasped, her voice high and breathless. “Ekko—oh my god—I love it, I love you like this—don’t stop—please don’t stop—”

He grinned, eyes dark, hair falling over his forehead. His hand moved from her waist to her lower back, holding her down just enough to keep her still as he picked up his pace. “Yeah? You love getting fucked like this, huh?” His voice was low, hungry. “You’re takin’ it so damn good, princess. Knew this body would be sweet—but damn.”

Jinx could barely breathe. Her thighs shook, her eyes rolled back, and she was saying his name in broken pieces—Ekko, Ekko, Ekko—like it was the only word that still made sense.

He leaned over her, chest to her back, his breath hot against her cheek as he thrust in deep and slow. “This pussy’s better than anything I’ve had.”

She let out a choked cry, one hand flying back to grip his hip, needing him—needing all of him. “I can’t—I’m gonna—”

“You can,” he growled, kissing her shoulder, fingers digging into her hips. “Come for me, sweetheart. Let me feel it.”

And when she did—legs shaking, body convulsing, moaning his name like it was carved into her soul—he never stopped praising her. “That’s it. That’s my girl. So damn good for me.”

She wasn’t just loving it—she was craving it. Addicted to the way he made her feel, like nothing and no one else existed. Just him. Just this.

Jinx was still trembling, breath stuttering in her throat, the air thick with heat and heartbeat. Her body felt boneless, ruined in the best way, every nerve still buzzing with the echo of Ekko’s touch. And yet, despite the chaos of what they’d just shared, there was something achingly sweet in the way she moved now.

Her hand reached back, soft fingers curling around his hip, a silent thank you in the way she held onto him—like she wasn’t ready to let go just yet. Her other hand, trembling slightly, drifted down between her thighs. She let it rest there for a second, her fingers brushing her sore skin gently, almost protectively. She winced, but then smiled, her head turning just enough for him to see the way her lips curled with affection, amusement, and something deeper. Something real.

“You really did a number on me,” she whispered with a breathless laugh, cheeks flushed, lashes heavy. “She’s gonna be mad at me tomorrow.”

Ekko leaned over, brushing a damp strand of her hair from her face, his touch suddenly soft, almost reverent. “Yeah?” he murmured, eyes locking with hers. “Tell her I said she did amazing.”

Jinx giggled, breath still catching. Her free hand slid from his hip up to his back, holding him close. “I’m serious,” she murmured sweetly. “No one’s ever… done that to me. Not like that.”

Ekko leaned in and kissed her shoulder, slow and warm. “That’s ‘cause no one else knows what to do with a girl like you,” he whispered into her skin. “But I do.”

She melted at that—completely, fully. Her arms wrapped around him, pulling him down, needing to feel him close. “Stay?” she asked, soft and small, her lips brushing the curve of his jaw.

“Didn’t plan on going anywhere, princess,” he said with a smile, pressing his forehead to hers. “Not after this.”

⸻

The water was warm, fragrant with soft florals and hints of coconut, steam curling lazily through the marble bathroom. Candles flickered along the ledge of the oversized tub, casting gold on damp skin. Jinx sank in first, a satisfied sigh slipping past her lips as the water embraced her body. Her hair was pinned up messily, a few strands clinging to her temples as she settled against the edge.

Ekko stepped in after her, muscles still taut from everything they’d shared, the sharp lines of his torso catching in the candlelight. He settled behind her, legs framing hers, his arms lazily draped along the rim of the tub behind her shoulders.

Jinx tilted her head, resting it against his chest. “You know…” she began, voice all teasing sweetness, “I knew it’d be good with you.”

Ekko chuckled low in his throat, the sound vibrating against her back. “Yeah?” His hand traced the waterline up her thigh. “You thinkin’ about that since our first music panel?”

She hummed, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. “Since that afterparty,” she admitted, her lips curving. “You in that all-black suit, barely saying a word but looking at me like you already knew what kind of sounds I’d make.”

He leaned in, lips brushing just behind her ear. “I did know,” he whispered, biting back a grin when she shivered. “You talk a big game, princess, but I saw right through you. Could tell from the second you laughed at one of my lyrics backstage—you wanted me.”

She turned slightly, her lips inches from his now, voice sultry but teasing. “I wanted to ruin you.”

He smirked, fingers sliding over her hip under the water. “Too late for that,” he murmured. “You wrecked me the moment you moaned my name in that mic check rehearsal last month.”

Jinx giggled, a low and delicious sound. “Guess we were both doomed.”

Ekko leaned in and kissed her shoulder slowly, lips dragging over her wet skin. “Tell me,” he murmured, “was it everything you imagined?”

She let her eyes flutter open, meeting his with a lazy smile. “No,” she whispered. “It was better. So much better.”

He grinned, one hand now trailing up her inner thigh again, teasing but slow. “Then I guess we’ll have to keep proving that, over and over again.”

Jinx turned in the tub, facing him now, eyes glinting with that familiar spark. “Good,” she breathed, straddling him gently beneath the water. “Because I don’t think I’m done with you yet.”

⸻

The warm water lapped softly against porcelain, a subtle rhythm that echoed the lazy, satisfied beat of Jinx’s heart. Her bare legs were draped over Ekko’s lap, her back resting comfortably against his chest. His arms circled her waist beneath the water, possessive and warm, and his breath tickled her damp shoulder every time he kissed her skin just to feel it again.

Jinx was in a daze—the good kind. Post-pleasure, post-chaos, post-him. She could still feel his touch in the lingering ache between her thighs, in the dull tremble in her knees even as they floated together in the tub. His fingers had never really left her; they were just gentler now, slow under the water as they skimmed her sides.

Then, the soft hum of her phone broke the stillness.

Buzz.
Buzz.
Buzz.

She groaned dramatically, hiding her face in his neck. “Nooo, don’t make me move. I’ve been through war tonight.”

Ekko chuckled, voice raspy with the leftover edge of everything they’d just done. “Could be important, princess. Might be that platinum plaque calling.”

Jinx sighed and shifted in his lap, water trailing down her curves as she reached across the edge of the tub for her phone. “Unless someone’s handing me a crown or money, I’m ignoring it.”

But the moment she saw the name lighting up her screen—Max—her brows shot up.

Her manager.

She hit answer, then speaker, raising the phone between them. “Max? I swear, if this is about another press look—”

“JINX,” Max’s voice came through loud, breathless, excited. “I hope you’re sitting down. Hell, even if you’re upside down—I don’t care. Listen to me. You’ve been nominated.”

Jinx blinked. “Nominated? What—”

“Two Grammy nominations,” Max shouted. “Best Pop Artist, and Espresso is up for Best Song of the Year!”

For a moment, there was silence in the tub. Then—

“Holy sh—” Jinx choked on a laugh, twisting to stare at Ekko like she couldn’t believe it. “Did you—did you hear that?!”

Ekko’s eyes lit up, that same magnetic fire she always fell for. He gave her the kind of grin that made her stomach flip all over again. “I told you, baby. You’re unstoppable. It was always you.”

Max was still rambling on the other end, half shouting, “The label’s going nuts, social media is blowing up, we’ve got to prep statements, appearances, everything. Jinx, you’re in the running for Song of the Year. This is it!”

Jinx could barely breathe. Her fingers trembled as she brushed hair out of her face, and she was still half-sitting in the water on top of the man who had just made her see stars. She bit back a breathless laugh and finally managed, “Max, I’ll call you back. Just—give me a second to exist, okay?”

“Sure, yeah, yeah—take a breath. Just had to tell you first. You earned this.” Then the call ended with a click.

She let the phone fall gently onto the nearby towel, her mind still reeling. Then she turned back to Ekko, eyes shining. “Two nominations. I—can you believe that?”

He cupped her jaw, his thumb brushing her cheekbone, proud and a little smug. “I can. You killed it, Jinx. The world’s just catching up to what I already knew.”

She laughed softly, still in awe. “Grammys.”

He kissed her shoulder. “And they still don’t even know the best thing about you.”

Her brows lifted, teasing. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

His voice dropped to a husky whisper against her ear. “How you taste when you moan my name like that.”

Her cheeks flushed instantly as she shoved him with a breathless laugh, leaning into him anyway. “You’re a menace.”

“I’m your menace.” He wrapped both arms tighter around her, the heat between them not even close to fading. “So… what’s the plan, Grammy-nominated superstar? How we celebrating?”

Jinx tilted her head, lips twitching in a smirk. “That depends. You planning on making me see stars again tonight? Because that sounds like a proper award celebration to me.”

Ekko leaned in, his lips brushing hers, his voice like silk. “You’re the only trophy I want to hold, baby.”

And just like that, her world—already spinning—tilted again.

The warm water had long turned tepid, but neither of them had moved. Jinx lay with her head nestled against Ekko’s shoulder, her fingers tracing lazy, invisible lines on his chest. The Grammys news still lingered in the air like electric glitter, but the mood had shifted—softer, intimate. Her soft hums filled the space between them, and Ekko had never felt more content.

Then his phone buzzed on the counter.

He groaned, pressing his forehead against hers. “Ignore it?” he murmured.

Jinx grinned. “Karma. You made me answer mine.”

He sighed and leaned over to grab it, water sloshing gently. The screen lit up: Yasuo (True Damage).

“Give me a sec,” Ekko said as he hit accept and brought it to his ear. “Yo.”

“Bro,” Yasuo didn’t waste a second. “Have you been on your phone? Twitter? Insta? Anything?”

Ekko blinked. “What? Nah, I’ve been kinda… busy.”

A beat. Then Yasuo whistled low. “Ohhh, you were busy. Guess that explains the photos.”

Ekko’s brows furrowed. “What photos?”

“You and Jinx, man! They got you two all over the place. On the beach, walking after dinner, in the car, even outside her place. Paparazzi must’ve tailed you the whole night. It’s everywhere.”

Ekko sat up straighter, water dripping down his chest. “Shit.”

Jinx looked up at him, concern creeping into her expression. “What is it?”

He held the phone slightly away from his mouth. “Photos of us.The internet’s blowing up.”

Her brows lifted, but instead of panic, a slow smirk curled her lips. “Well, we did look good.”

Yasuo was still going. “Dude, your fans are losing it. Half the girls online are heartbroken, the other half are obsessed with the pairing. Hashtags like #EkoJinx and #ShortAndSweetDamage are trending. Even some press outlets are calling her your mystery girl.”

Ekko rubbed his jaw, half-annoyed, half-impressed. “I should’ve seen that coming…”

Jinx raised her hand playfully. “To be fair, I am pretty noticeable.”

He gave her a quick glance—hair wet, skin glowing, the lightest smirk on her lips. Yeah, she was noticeable. She was unforgettable.

Back to Yasuo, he said, “Alright, I’ll check it all out soon. We’ll talk later.”

“Just know,” Yasuo added before hanging up, “your secret’s definitely out.”

Click.

Ekko dropped the phone on a towel and leaned back with a low groan, wiping a hand down his face.

Jinx tilted her head. “So… we’re trending?”

He gave her a long look before smirking. “We’re everywhere.”

She slid closer, arms wrapping around his shoulders. “Guess that means we make a good team.”

He leaned in, their lips brushing. “Or we’re just really, really hot together.”

She laughed softly. “Both.”

And then her fingers crept down his chest again. “So what are we doing about all that press?”

Ekko shrugged with a lazy grin. “Nothing right now. Right now… I’m only thinking about you.”

As Ekko leaned in, lips just a breath away from Jinx’s, her smile soft and daring under the bathroom lights, his phone buzzed again—this time more insistently.

He groaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

Jinx arched a brow, lips barely grazing his. “If that’s another bandmate, I’m gonna start charging them.”

Ekko sighed and picked it up from the towel again. The caller ID lit up in bold letters: Mel – Band Manager.

“Shit,” he muttered. “It’s Mel.”

He gave Jinx an apologetic glance and answered. “Hey, Mel—”

Her voice came sharp and fast. “Ekko, tell me this is some kind of marketing stunt.”

He blinked. “Uh… what?”

“I wake up to twenty missed calls, photos everywhere of you and Jinx. At the beach. In a car. Outside her house. Her house, Ekko!”

Ekko ran a hand over his face, the other arm still holding Jinx close. “Yeah, I know. It wasn’t exactly planned.”

Jinx chuckled quietly in the background, whispering, “Tell her I say hi.”

Mel wasn’t done. “You couldn’t have picked a more high-profile, camera magnet of a woman to be seen with? Do you know the media storm you just stirred?”

“Look, Mel, it’s not that deep. We had a night. It was private… well, supposed to be.”

Silence crackled on the line for a second. Then Mel’s tone shifted—less stern, a little too casual.

“…Is she there with you now?”

Ekko hesitated. “Yeah.”

Another pause. Then, “Okay but real talk—is she as cool in person as she seems? Like I have her whole album on repeat. ‘Espresso’ is my jam.”

Jinx heard that and burst out laughing. “Tell her I love her taste.”

Ekko laughed too, shaking his head. “Yeah. She says thanks.”

Mel sighed, relenting. “Alright, fine. I’ll let it go—for now. Just keep it clean until we handle press. And for god’s sake, stop giving the paparazzi a front-row seat.”

“Got it.”

“Oh—and Ekko?”

“Yeah?”

“…Lucky bastard.”

Click.

Ekko set the phone down again, looking at Jinx with that boyish smirk she was quickly becoming addicted to. “Well. My band manager might be your biggest fan now.”

Jinx crawled back into his lap, hands around his neck. “Good. That means I get to keep my favorite groupie.”

He raised a brow. “Favorite?”

“Number one.” She kissed the tip of his nose. “Now where were we before the fan club interrupted?”

Ekko leaned against the bathroom counter, fresh from the call, towel low on his hips, that boyish grin tugging at the corner of his lips. Jinx was perched on the edge of the bathtub, wrapped in nothing but the steam and the subtle glow from the vanity lights. Her damp hair clung to her shoulders, cheeks still flushed from the news and whatever else they’d just shared.

His gaze dragged over her with a hunger that simmered low and deep. But it was her playful little smirk that made something in his chest twist—sweet and dangerous all at once.

“You’re staring,” she teased, lashes fluttering as she tilted her head, feigning innocence.

“I am,” he murmured, stepping closer. “You make it impossible not to.”

Jinx stuck her tongue out at him—slow, teasing, seductive, like a dare wrapped in velvet.

He paused in front of her, towering just enough to make her lean her head back to keep their eyes locked. His hand found her thigh, gripping softly, thumb drawing circles over the slick heat of her skin.

“You keep teasing like that,” he said, voice low, husky, “you’re gonna get bit.”

Her eyes sparked. “Maybe I want to.”

That was all it took.

Ekko closed the gap, leaned in with deliberate slowness, his breath brushing her lips. And just before she thought he’d kiss her, he caught the tip of her tongue between his teeth—firm but careful—biting it just enough to make her gasp and pull in a shuddered breath.

Her hands instinctively grabbed his arms, nails grazing his skin. “Shit—Ekko…”

He released her with a soft groan, lips ghosting over hers now, eyes half-lidded and full of fire. “That’s what you get, short and sweet.”

Jinx laughed breathlessly, brushing her nose against his, her voice barely a whisper. “You love it when I’m like this.”

“Sweetheart,” he said, pulling her in until there was nothing but heat and skin between them, “I love everything about you.”

And this time, the kiss he gave her was slow, molten, like he was claiming the rest of the night—no rush, just them.

After the kiss, they stayed close, wrapped in the hazy warmth of the bathroom, the soft sound of water still echoing in the tiled space. Jinx had that spark in her eye again, the one that meant trouble in the best way.

She slipped out of Ekko’s arms for just a moment, grabbing her phone from the counter. “Don’t move,” she whispered, eyes glinting as she turned toward the mirror.

Ekko raised a brow, watching as she posed herself—still wrapped in a towel, skin glowing, cheeks flushed. She leaned back slightly into him, and his hand naturally slid around her waist, fingers splayed possessively just beneath the fold of terrycloth. His torso was bare, his tattoos visible in the soft lighting, the veins in his arm defined, hand strong on her body—but his face stayed just out of frame, a mystery.

Jinx angled the phone just right, checking the preview, smirking at the image. Her caption would be something innocent enough, maybe a lyric from Espresso or a vague emoji. But the real tease was in the details—her fans were smart. They’d zoom in. They’d dissect the hand, the rings, the ink, the tone of the skin. It wouldn’t take long before the internet went wild with theories.

She tapped the shutter, then looked up at Ekko’s reflection, biting her lip. “Oops. Might’ve just broken the internet.”

He chuckled, low and deep in her ear, that teasing edge still in his voice. “Good. Let ‘em wonder.”

She leaned into his chest with a satisfied sigh, letting the world buzz outside while they stayed tangled in their own little storm.

She put the phone down, sighing out a soft, amused breath as she leaned further into him, her fingers grazing along his forearm. “They’re gonna lose their damn minds,” she muttered, almost giddy.

Ekko laughed under his breath, voice low against her ear. “You think they’ll figure it out that fast?”

She turned in his arms, eyes glinting as she met his. “They’re insane. It’ll take them all of fifteen minutes. Probably less.”

He grinned, one hand sliding to the small of her back. “Good.”

Her smile softened as she blinked up at him, suddenly quieter, more vulnerable beneath the high energy of their teasing. “You okay with this?” she asked, a little hesitation in her voice. “People knowing?”

Ekko’s thumb traced the curve of her waist as he looked her over, like he was seeing her for the hundredth time tonight and still couldn’t get enough. “I’ve been around long enough to stop caring what people think,” he said, sincere. “But this?” He leaned in, kissing the corner of her mouth. “This I care about.”

She tilted her head up toward him, fingertips dragging along his chest. “I don’t want it to be a headline tomorrow and a ghost story next week.”

He stilled, then gently took her chin in his hand. “Neither do I.”

She exhaled, a small laugh breaking through the emotion curling in her chest. “Kinda thought I’d be the one freaking out. You’re handling this suspiciously well.”

Ekko chuckled and nuzzled his nose against hers. “You seriously think I didn’t want more after that kiss in your dressing room? After Juno?”

That made her blush. Her voice dropped to a flirtatious whisper. “Maybe I was hoping you did.”

He kissed her then—slow, deep, tasting the smile on her lips. When they parted, she was breathless again.

“So… what now?” she asked, voice barely above a murmur, her fingers sliding down to toy with the waistband of his sweats. “We post a cryptic photo and pretend nothing happened?”

“Nah,” he said, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “We post the photo… and make sure there’s more coming. I want this, Jinx. Not just tonight.”

Her chest fluttered, and her grin returned, but softer, more real. “Good,” she whispered, curling into him, arms slipping around his neck. “Then stay.”

He held her close, whispering into her hair, “Try and get rid of me, princess.”

Chapter Text

The morning sun poured through the gauzy curtains of Jinx’s villa, warm and golden, casting soft light across the messy sheets and her bare legs tangled beneath them. Her hair was still tousled from the night before, lips slightly swollen, skin glowing in the aftermath of everything she and Ekko had shared.

She stretched lazily, alone now—Ekko had slipped out a few hours earlier for his solo rehearsals, leaving her with nothing but the faint scent of his cologne on the pillows and a cheeky little note written on hotel stationery: Don’t miss me too much, superstar. I’ll be back before you can scroll through all your fan theories. — E

She smirked, fingers already unlocking her phone.

Instagram was chaos.

She opened her story first—the mirror photo she’d taken. In less than twelve hours, the post had racked up millions of views, reuploads, and screencaps. And the comments?

@wild4jinx: Okay, tell me that isn’t Ekko’s arm. TELL ME I’M WRONG.

@vibecheckqueen: Those rings? That tattoo?? Girl, you’re not subtle and I love you for it.

@espressoaddict: She really posted THAT and left us with crumbs. I’m dying. She’s glowing. Like post-d game GLOWING.

@juno4life: The way she’s smirking. The way he’s holding her. The way this isn’t even a soft launch it’s a declaration.

Jinx nearly choked on her own laughter. “They’re insane,” she muttered, heart light, legs kicked up on the couch as she scrolled deeper. She tapped through the tags, screenshots, TikToks already theorizing a relationship timeline, fans slowing down backstage footage and matching Ekko’s rings from his Kelvin Clive shoot to the ones in the picture. Some even caught a glimpse of the two of them at the beach the night before, blurry but unmistakable.

Her phone buzzed again—Lux.

Lux: Girl. I’m in tears. The internet is in flames. You two didn’t even try to hide it huh?

Jinx replied with a single selfie—her smirking in the same robe from last night, with just one word:

Oops.

She set the phone down for a second, biting her lip, her heart doing that annoying flutter again.

They’d made no promises. No press statements. Just a photo, a kiss, and a night that made her body ache in the best way possible.

But still, as her fingers hovered over Ekko’s name in her messages, she couldn’t help but type:

So apparently the internet knows who the arm belongs to. You really couldn’t be more obvious with that tattoo, huh?

And hit send with a grin.

⸻

The bass thrummed low in the studio, speakers pulsing as Ekko leaned back in the worn leather chair, arms folded behind his head. He was supposed to be focusing—reworking a bridge for the new track, tightening his verse, checking levels. Instead, his phone buzzed again.

He picked it up lazily, thumb swiping across the screen—and there it was.

Jinx:
So apparently the internet knows who the arm belongs to. You really couldn’t be more obvious with that tattoo, huh?

Ekko let out a slow laugh through his nose, the corners of his mouth curling up as he shook his head. Of course she was already playing it cool and teasing him. And damn if it didn’t make him like her even more.

But before he could type anything back—

“Yo, Ekko.”

He turned slightly as Q, one of his bandmates, leaned around the corner, a cocky grin on his face and his phone in hand. “You wanna explain this real quick?”

The rest of True Damage was lounging around the studio lounge—Yasuo had a guitar in his lap but wasn’t even pretending to tune it anymore. Akali was already halfway off the couch, holding up her phone with a screen capture of Jinx’s story.

“Bro.” She was laughing. “Is this you? I mean, c’mon, it’s your damn hand! The rings, the tattoo, the grip—”

Ekko rolled his eyes and tried to suppress the smirk tugging at his lips. “Y’all need to mind your business.”

“Oh, we are minding it,” Yasuo deadpanned. “We’re minding it so hard, we’ve rewatched that story eight times.”

Q whistled low. “So what now? You two official? Or was that just a one-time post-fame hookup?”

Ekko finally stood, grabbing a bottle of water off the console and twisting the cap off. “Not a one-time anything,” he muttered under his breath before taking a sip.

Akali raised her brows. “Say what?”

Ekko looked up, grin spreading, eyes gleaming with that confident fire. “I said—she’s different, alright? Not just some PR stunt. And yeah, maybe I got caught up last night… but I’ve been into her. Way before the lights, before the show. Before Juno.”

The studio went quiet for a beat.

Then Yasuo let out a dramatic whistle. “Damn. My boy’s down bad.”

Ekko’s phone buzzed again. Another message from Jinx:

Bet they’re teasing you right now, huh?

He stared at the screen, amused and unable to wipe the smile off his face.

He typed back:

Only a little. Worth it though.
And you still owe me a second photo. Full face this time. Or maybe I’ll just come take it myself.

He hit send and looked up at his crew. “Alright, can we get back to work now? Or do I need to block y’all until I finish this verse?”

Q laughed. “Man, not until we meet her. Properly.”

Ekko smirked, already thinking about Jinx’s smirk, her voice last night, the way she tasted of lipstick and sin.

“Soon,” he said simply. “Real soon.”

Ekko leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees, the teasing from the crew finally simmering down. He scrolled absently through his phone, the glow of Jinx’s post still up on the screen like it meant more than any album drop.

“Anyway,” he said, voice lower now, thoughtful but lit with pride, “Grammys are getting real close. Y’all are gonna meet her whether you like it or not.”

Yasuo arched a brow. “Wait—she going?”

Ekko gave a slow, almost smug nod. “Yeah. Girl got nominated for two, actually. Best Pop Artist and Espresso got a Song of the Year nod.”

Akali let out a low whistle. “Damn, she really is the moment.”

“Yeah,” Ekko muttered, eyes still soft as he stared at her story one last time before locking his phone. “She is.”

Just then, the studio door swung open and Mel stepped in, tablet in hand, her heels clicking across the polished concrete floor. “Hope you’re all actually working and not just dissecting Ekko’s love life,” she said dryly, though the smirk on her lips betrayed her.

Q shot her a look. “Did you see Twitter, or—?”

Mel didn’t even look up. “Of course I did. The internet’s been having a meltdown for the last three hours.”

Then she paused, her eyes narrowing slightly like something clicked.

“Oh,” she said suddenly, tapping at her screen. “Right. That reminds me—meant to tell you all this morning. True Damage just got officially nominated for Best Group Performance.”

Akali nearly dropped her phone. “Are you serious?!”

Yasuo blinked. “How do you forget to tell us that?”

Mel waved a hand, calm as ever. “I was busy putting out PR fires, thank you very much.”

Ekko’s brows lifted, but before he could say anything, Mel added—

“Oh, and Ekko… your solo hit ‘Rewind’—it got nominated too. Best Rap Performance.”

The room exploded in cheers and whoops, Akali practically tackling Ekko from behind while Yasuo raised both fists to the ceiling.

Q laughed, voice booming. “Let’s gooo! My boy out here getting nominated left and right—and getting girls who get more nominations than him!”

Ekko just leaned back with a cocky smirk, but there was genuine gratitude and pride in his eyes.

“Yeah,” he muttered, letting it all sink in. “Guess this year’s gonna be big.”

Mel gave him a knowing look. “Better make sure you don’t let the girl or the Grammy slip through your fingers.”

He nodded once, slow and sure. “Not planning to.”

⸻Grammys⸻

The sun had just started to dip below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the red carpet. Flashbulbs popped from every angle, reporters shouted over each other, and the energy was electric—because it was Grammy night.

And then, like the main event just stepped out of a dream, Jinx appeared.

She stood still for a moment at the head of the carpet, the light hitting her just right. Her gown was liquid gold—fitted to her every curve, draped like a second skin that shimmered with every movement. The neckline plunged just enough to make heads turn, but it was the way she carried it—with bold confidence and a devil-may-care smile—that made her unforgettable.

Her hair was swept up into a perfectly imperfect messy bun, soft strands of icy blue falling around her face and neck, those signature bangs just grazing her lashes. Her makeup played into the warmth of her look—golden tones smoked over her lids, her highlighter catching the light as if she were born to glow. Around her neck was a delicate, glittering diamond necklace, catching the flashes and casting stars on her collarbone.

She turned for the cameras, gave them that flirty side-smirk, and blew a kiss, knowing damn well she owned this carpet.

Just as she turned, posing with one hand on her hip, the deep purr of a luxury engine echoed across the lot—then came the True Damage limo.

Reporters turned in sync, the attention shifting fast.

The door opened.

First came the band—Yasuo sharp in all black, Q looking polished in his dark green suit, Akali owning her punk-glam vibe like a queen.

Then…

Ekko.

The cameras lost it.

He stepped out smooth, unbothered, in a deep navy tailored suit with black lapels, a statement ring on one finger, a chain peeking at his collarbone, and his dreads tied back just enough to show off his jawline. Understated but magnetic. Effortless but lethal.

His eyes scanned the crowd casually—until he saw her.

Jinx.

And time slowed.

She hadn’t noticed him yet, busy dazzling the press, her figure golden under the lights, the crowd in awe. But he felt that same flutter in his chest from the first night he watched her perform. Only now… she wasn’t just a stage dream. She was real. His.

Yasuo leaned over, smirking. “Don’t just stare, bro. She’s gonna catch you.”

Ekko didn’t respond, jaw ticking slightly as he adjusted his cuffs.

Q laughed. “He’s done. Wrecked. Grammy night and he only got eyes for his girl.”

And when Jinx finally did look his way—sensing it somehow—her eyes locked onto him, and her lips curled into the slowest, most dangerous little grin.

Ekko’s smirk mirrored hers as he started walking.

Forget the cameras.

Tonight was theirs.

She was mid-pose—arms delicately on her hips, one leg perfectly placed, chin slightly raised for that model-off-duty energy—when she felt it.

Two strong, warm hands slid around her waist from behind. Slow. Sure. Possessive. And immediately familiar.

She smirked. Didn’t need to look. She already knew.

“Well, well…” she purred under her breath, eyes still fixed forward. “Took you long enough.”

Ekko’s chest pressed against her back, solid and grounding amidst the chaos of the red carpet. He dipped his head slightly, lips brushing the shell of her ear as he murmured, “You didn’t think I’d let you shine alone tonight, did you, princess?”

Jinx chuckled, low and amused, her hand lifting to reach behind her, fingers threading gently into the curls at the nape of his neck. Her nails grazed his skin just enough to make him smirk.

She leaned into him just enough for the press to lose their collective minds.

Flash. Flash. FLASH.

Reporters started yelling over each other.

“Jinx! Who’s that behind you?!”
“Is that EKKO?”
“Are you confirming the rumors tonight?!”
“JINX, TURN AROUND!”

But she didn’t. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Instead, she tilted her head back slightly, brushing her cheek against his jawline with a sensual slowness that had his grip on her waist tighten. Her golden dress shimmered with every subtle movement, the slit showing just a teasing hint of leg.

“You’re making a scene,” she whispered playfully.

Ekko chuckled, low and rich in her ear. “We’re the scene, baby.”

Then she finally turned her head, just enough to glance up at him—those electric blue eyes flashing mischief. Her fingers at his neck curled, pulling him closer still.

“Think they figured it out yet?” she asked softly, her smirk so confident it almost felt dangerous.

Ekko grinned, eyes roaming over her face like he was drinking her in. His hand slid slightly lower at her waist, and he whispered back, “Oh, they’re about to.”

And just like that, every camera on that carpet was pointed at them.
The golden goddess and the rap king.
The power couple no one expected but everyone wanted.

Ekko leaned in close again, his breath warm against the side of her neck as the chaos of the cameras roared on around them. From the outside, it looked like he was just murmuring something sweet to his girl, maybe a private compliment or a flirty line—but it was something softer.

“You nervous about your performance tonight?” he asked, voice low, gentle, meant for her and her alone.

Jinx’s lashes fluttered slightly at the question. Her lips curled into a lazy smile, still facing the flashing lights as if nothing had been said—but her fingers gave her away, gently curling into the fabric of his sleeve where her hand rested at his neck.

“Nervous?” she echoed under her breath, voice teasing. “Not when I’ve got the man who inspired half the set whispering in my ear like that.”

She finally turned her head toward him, nose brushing his, their faces so close the world around them blurred out.

“But if you stay this close all night,” she whispered, the smirk tugging at her lips again, “I might forget my lyrics.”

Ekko chuckled, the sound low and smooth, a little smug. “That wouldn’t be the worst thing,” he murmured. “Give ‘em a real show.”

He kissed the side of her head, right above her ear, his thumb stroking slow circles into her hip as if to say, you’ve got this, without needing the words.

And just like that—Jinx didn’t feel nerves.
Only fire.
And the buzz of something electric right under her skin.

He winked, then slowly let his hands slide away from her waist, stepping back into the crowd like he hadn’t just left the entire carpet sizzling behind him.

Jinx took one final breath, lifted her chin, and walked forward—her dress glittering like a thousand little sunflares under the lights.

And Ekko?

He just leaned back and watched her, hands in his pockets, grinning like he already knew she was going to steal the whole damn night.

⸻

The nomination room buzzed with star power and anticipation. Between performances on the massive stage screen and the soft murmur of industry legends brushing shoulders, Jinx stood beside Ekko like a sun in a room of stars—her golden gown hugging her just right, hair swept up in that effortlessly sexy messy bun, a few strands curled around her cheeks like she’d just walked off a photoshoot.

Ekko glanced at her, then back toward his band as they approached from across the room. He leaned close, voice low, teasing. “Alright, princess. Time to officially meet the crew. Though, I’m pretty sure they’ve all been lowkey obsessed with you since Espresso dropped.”

Jinx smirked, amused. “Don’t tell me they’re fangirls.”

“I mean,” he shrugged playfully, “I’m not saying Kibo has your tour poster. But I’m also not saying he doesn’t.”

Just then, Mel reached them first, her walk sharp as ever, lips curled into a knowing smile. “Well, well. The Jinx in the flesh.” She offered her hand. “We’ve been waiting for this introduction.”

“I’m honored,” Jinx replied with a wink, shaking her hand with ease, already glowing under the attention.

Kibo stepped up, doing nothing to hide the way his eyes scanned her look before giving Ekko a wide-eyed nod. “Bro. You really pulled the Jinx. My little cousin cried when she didn’t get tickets to your tour.”

“She’s iconic,” Yasuo added simply, lifting his glass. “Congrats on the Grammy noms, by the way. Espresso hits.”

Jinx laughed, clearly used to the attention but never bored by it. “You guys are gonna make me blush. And thanks—means a lot coming from you.”

Ekko slid his hand across the small of her back, subtle but protective, pride gleaming in his eyes. “Told you she’s a sweetheart.”

“You also told us you weren’t catching feelings,” Mel murmured with a smirk.

Ekko looked at Jinx, lips brushing a smile. “Yeah, well… she’s hard not to fall for.”

Jinx bit her lip, trying to play it cool—but her smile gave her away.

They all chatted like it was natural—because it was. The band clearly respected her. She’d earned her place. And now, with Ekko at her side, she was about to take even more of the spotlight.

And he? He was just fine being the one watching her shine.

The lights dimmed again in the nomination room as the next artist took the stage—an electrifying performance with neon visuals and synth-heavy beats that had the crowd buzzing. Jinx, tucked beside Ekko on one of the velvet lounge chairs, tapped her manicured nails on the armrest in rhythm, laughing and whispering little comments in his ear. Her laughter was effortless, bright, and contagious.

Ekko leaned in, eyes on her more than the stage. “You’re really enjoying yourself, huh?”

She turned to him with a grin, golden eyeshadow catching the ambient glow. “Of course I am. This is the fun part—watching other people panic before it’s my turn.”

“You’re savage,” he teased, brushing his thumb over her knee beneath the table. “You’re not nervous at all?”

Jinx shrugged, though there was a flicker in her gaze—an energy building behind it. “Maybe a little. But once I get on stage?” She smirked. “It’s game over.”

Just then, a member of the show crew appeared at the side entrance, nodding discreetly toward her. Showtime.

Jinx’s smile softened as she stood, smoothing out her dress. “Duty calls.” She leaned over, brushing her fingers through Ekko’s curls before he could even react, and kissed his cheek. “Wish me luck, champ.”

Ekko looked up at her like she’d just lit the room on fire. “You don’t need it, princess. Go melt the stage.”

With one last grin, Jinx turned, walking away with that unmistakable sway of confidence. Ekko leaned back in his chair, eyes locked on her retreating figure, and let out a quiet, proud chuckle.

“Damn,” Kibo said beside him, shaking his head. “She’s about to own this whole night.”

Ekko didn’t look away. “Yeah. She already does.”

The lights in the massive venue dim to near blackness, and the audience quiets to a low murmur. For a moment, only the faint sound of a bassy heartbeat pulses through the sound system—ominous, rhythmic, like the breath right before something unforgettable.

Suddenly, a narrow spotlight pierces the darkness and lands center-stage.

Jinx stands alone.

She’s wearing a jet-black mini dress, the silky fabric hugging her frame, cut high on the thigh and cinched at the waist. Around her neckline and the short hemline, black feathers dance with the slightest movement—soft, decadent, and dramatic. Her heels glint under the lights, strapped high and sleek, and her hair is up in a messy bun, a few deliberate strands falling in front of her glowing face, effortlessly chaotic like the pop queen she is.

Her makeup glistens gold under the spotlight, lips a deep plum, matching her nails. Around her neck lies a thin golden choker, simple but striking, resting right above the tattoo peeking from her collarbone.

A hush falls over the arena.

She lifts the mic, her hand steady, and her voice cuts through the silence:

“Please, please, please
Don’t prove I’m right
Please, please, please…”

The crowd erupts instantly in recognition, but Jinx doesn’t flinch—she stays locked into the emotion of the song, eyes half-lidded, sultry and serious. Behind her, the backdrop comes to life with shifting crimson and shadowy gold lights, casting her silhouette large across the wall behind her.

Her dancers emerge slowly—four of them in black suits, moving sleek and smooth like the shadows themselves. They don’t outshine her; they orbit her like she’s the center of the universe, and she is.

Jinx saunters forward, her hips swaying in rhythm, delivering each lyric with sensual restraint and veiled anger, dripping attitude and vulnerability all at once:

“Don’t bring me to tears when I just did my makeup so nice
Heartbreak is one thing, my ego’s another…”

Her fingers trail along her jaw as she sings that line, tilting her head just enough to show off her smirk to the camera. The screens catch every detail—every blink, every flash of heat in her blue eyes.

She turns on her heel, the feathers at the back of her dress fluttering with the motion, walking through her dancers like she’s leading an army. Her confidence radiates through every step.

At the second chorus, she stops center-stage again, the lighting now a golden hue, as if bathing her in a spotlight made of fire.

“I beg you, don’t embarrass me, motherfucker
Please, please, please…”

She lingers on that final “please,” dragging it out just enough to make the crowd shiver.

The beat hits, the stage lights strobe once in time with the drop, and the dancers ripple outward. Jinx flips her hair back, stepping up onto a small raised platform in the center, above them all.

The bridge of the song slows down, giving her room to play with the vocal:

“If you wanna go and be stupid,
Don't do it in front of me
If you don't wanna cry to my music
Don't make me hate you prolifically
Please, please, please (Please) Please, please, please (Please) Please (Please), please (Please), please (Ah)”

Her voice softens, but there’s venom in it, too. She leans in close to the mic, and the camera captures the whisper of her breath on the word “hate.”

The final chorus explodes with energy.

Jinx raises her arm, fingers stretched toward the ceiling, and the audience follows, raising their phones, screaming the words along with her:

“Please, please, please
Don’t prove me right!”

She finishes the last note with a growl, half-laughing into the mic, completely in control. The lights burst white behind her in a final flash, then cut to black.

For a second, it’s silent.

Then, the room erupts—a wall of cheers, screams, applause.

Jinx stands, bathed in golden light now, chest rising and falling as she catches her breath. She smiles, biting her bottom lip, eyes scanning the crowd—but not before glancing at one camera like she’s aiming it straight at someone specific. Someone watching.

She blows a kiss.

And walks off like she just owned the entire night.

Backstage was a different world from the flashing cameras and screaming fans just outside. The echo of Jinx’s performance still lingered in the air—her voice, her attitude, the shimmer of black feathers drifting to the floor as crew members swept through. She stood in front of a tall vanity mirror now, half-undressed, her performance dress peeled down to her waist, exposing the curve of her back and a black strapless bra. Her stylist buzzed around her, already unzipping garment bags and laying out her next look for the evening.

Her makeup was still intact—glowing, golden, a little smudged at the corners of her eyes—but her expression was soft now, coming down from the high of it all. She was pulling her hair free from the bun when—

The door cracked open.

“Knock, knock,” came a low, familiar voice. “You’re missing the rest of the show, you know.”

Jinx turned her head slightly, catching a glimpse of him in the mirror.

Ekko.

He was holding two bottles of water in one hand like he had a reason to be there—other than staring at her like she just lit the stage on fire.

She smirked, reaching up to shake out the rest of her hair. “So that’s why you’re here? To guilt trip me into watching the rest of the Grammys?”

Ekko leaned against the doorway, eyes dragging down her reflection. “Nah. I’m here to tell you you just murdered everyone else on that stage. And also… yeah, maybe a little guilt-tripping.”

Jinx rolled her eyes playfully, then stood and stepped out of her unzipped dress, letting it fall around her feet in a pool of feathers and silk. Now in just her bra and a pair of high-cut black shorts, she turned to face him completely.

“And here I thought you just missed me.”

Ekko’s grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he pushed off the door and walked into the room. “That too. You know I almost didn’t come back here.”

She raised a brow, crossing her arms under her chest, teasing. “Too afraid you’d lose your cool seeing me half-naked again?”

He stopped right in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her chin to meet his eyes. He lowered his voice just for her. “No, baby. I was afraid I’d do something reckless if I did.”

Her lips parted, breath catching—still warm from the stage, from the attention, from him.

And then he handed her a water bottle like nothing had happened, stepping back with that same damn smirk.

“You’ve got about five minutes before the cameras come looking for you again. Better change unless you want the world seeing you like this.”

Jinx rolled her eyes, smiling anyway. “As if you don’t want that.”

Ekko laughed low under his breath, heading for the door again. “You already know the answer to that, princess.”

And with one last glance—one that said you’re not done with me tonight—he slipped back out into the hallway.

Jinx turned back to the mirror, cheeks a little warmer now, and whispered to herself with a grin, “Reckless sounds good right about now.”

The door shut behind Ekko with a gentle click, and Jinx was still standing there in her performance high—heart thumping, lips curved, adrenaline in her blood like champagne.

She hadn’t even sat down again when her stylist, Meredith, swept back into the room with practiced ease and a garment bag draped over one arm.

“Alright, diva,” Meredith said with a teasing grin, “time to swap out of the feather fantasy and into something a little less show-stopping and a lot more camera-friendly—unless you want to start rumors about you and your stage crew.”

Jinx snorted, bending down to pick up her water bottle as Meredith carefully hung the bag on the rack.

“What, no corsets or death heels this time?” she teased.

Meredith unzipped the bag with a flourish, revealing a gown made from a shimmering silken fabric—a rich red wine color that caught the light like liquid. It had a slightly draped neckline, hugged the waist beautifully, and flowed elegantly to the floor with a leg slit high enough to still feel dangerous.

“Nope. You’re going back out there comfortable and gorgeous,” Meredith said. “I saw the way you were walking after that performance. You need something that’ll let you breathe—and something that doesn’t scream I just broke hearts on stage… even if you did.”

Jinx stepped forward, brushing her fingers over the soft fabric. “This is…” she paused, a rare softness in her voice, “actually really nice.”

“I know,” Meredith said smugly. “You’re welcome.”

Jinx turned so Meredith could unzip her bra and help her into the new dress, slipping it up her body with ease. The cool fabric slid over her skin like water, and when she turned to the mirror, her eyes widened just a little.

The dress wasn’t loud. It wasn’t edgy. But it was perfect. It was grown, sultry, elegant—and it let her own the room without needing to scream.

Meredith pinned a few stray hairs back from Jinx’s face and adjusted the necklace still around her throat. “There. Now you look like someone who just got nominated for a Grammy and might end the night tangled up in a rockstar.”

Jinx gave her a sly smile in the mirror. “Might?”

Meredith just winked and stepped back. “Touché.”

As Jinx turned, the slit in the dress moved with her like a whisper. Comfortable, beautiful, and still dangerous.

She was ready to rejoin the party. And if Ekko caught sight of her in this? He’d be the one needing a moment to catch his breath.

Jinx had barely stepped out of the dressing room, the soft sheen of the wine-colored gown catching every light it passed under, when a staff member with a headset rushed up beside her, clipboard in hand.

“Jinx! You’re on in five. You’re presenting Best Rap Performance.”

She blinked. “Wait—what?”

The staff member offered a small apologetic smile. “Last-minute change. The original presenter had a scheduling conflict, and since you’re here and already looking like that—” he gestured to her dress with a grin “—the producers thought you’d be perfect.”

Jinx tilted her head, amused. “Best Rap Performance, huh?”

Her heart skipped. That was Ekko’s category.

“Cool,” she said smoothly, hiding the flicker of nerves in her chest. “Let’s do it.”

They led her to the side of the stage, where another assistant handed her the cue cards. The room was buzzing, the crowd alive with anticipation. She could hear the tail end of the last performance, the final notes trailing off in echo.

Then came the voice of the announcer over the loudspeakers:

“Please welcome to the stage… international pop icon and tonight’s nominee, Jinx!”

The lights shifted, sweeping across the audience, and as Jinx stepped onto the stage, her heels clicked lightly against the polished floor. The crowd erupted into cheers, camera flashes strobing like stars. Her gown shimmered under the spotlight, the deep red hugging her frame as she took her place at the microphone with practiced ease.

She looked right into the camera—eyes sultry, confident, playful—and then down at the card in her hand.

“Alright,” she began, voice like silk, “Best Rap Performance. A category that gets hotter every single year… and this one? Definitely didn’t disappoint.”

The audience chuckled lightly, hanging on her every word.

“The nominees for Best Rap Performance are…”

She let the names roll off her tongue one by one, drawing it out just a little.

And then—there it was.

“True Damage’s Ekko – ‘Rewind’.”

The applause rose again, loud and proud, and she felt him somewhere out there watching.

A little smile touched her lips. One only he would recognize.

The second she said his name—Ekko – ‘Rewind’—the camera cut to him in the audience.

And damn, he looked good.

Sitting confidently in his suit, no tie, a couple buttons undone, chains glinting just beneath the collar. His locs were pulled back clean but left just messy enough to fit his vibe. But what stood out most? That smirk.

He had one hand resting on his thigh, and the other—two fingers lightly pressed against his cheek, elbow propped, eyes locked on her.

Not the stage. Not the card. Her.

Like he didn’t give a single damn if he won or lost.

Because the real prize? Was standing up there in that dark red dress, shining under the lights like she owned the damn world. He looked her up and down, slow and unbothered, drinking in how the fabric hugged her waist, how the slit gave just a hint of leg when she shifted.

Then he leaned to the side, lips twitching into the cockiest grin like he was thinking, Yeah. That’s mine.

Even the camera lingered, catching the moment—viewers at home probably screaming already. The tension wasn’t subtle. That look was hungry, proud, and so full of heat it could set the whole damn venue on fire.

Back on stage, Jinx caught it too. Her eyes flicked to him, and for a second, she forgot what she was doing—just slightly. Her lips curved knowingly, and the audience ate it up.

Jinx stood under the dazzling lights, golden mic in hand, cue card shaking just slightly—not from nerves, but adrenaline. The crowd was buzzing, the camera red light blinking just beyond the sea of faces. She glanced down at the winner’s name, lips curving before she even spoke.

She knew this moment would come. But it hit different when it was real.

Her eyes flicked up, locking with his again.

And just like that, she grinned—wide, proud, a little breathless. “Wow,” she murmured, the mic catching just enough of her voice to send a ripple through the crowd.

Then she leaned in just slightly, voice rising with all her signature flair.

“Proud doesn’t even begin to cover it—” she paused, letting the anticipation build, her gaze still on him, “—the Grammy for Best Rap Performance goes to…”

She ripped the pause wide open, then shouted, “EKKO! TRUE DAMAGE! REWIND!”

The crowd exploded.

Cameras flashed. People stood. And Jinx? She was glowing—cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling, her smile something wild and real.

And Ekko?

He stood slowly, smug and unbothered, that same cocky grin tugging at his lips like he’d known it all along. He adjusted his chain as he walked toward the stage, every step smooth, every move drenched in cool confidence—but his eyes? Still locked on her like she was the only thing that mattered in the room.

Ekko’s strides were slow, purposeful, swagger wrapped in tailored elegance as he ascended the stairs. The stage lights kissed his skin golden, the cheers from the crowd booming—but for him, everything narrowed down to her.

Jinx stood at center stage, holding the award with both hands like it was something sacred. That dress shimmered under the spotlights, her hair tousled to perfection, and that smirk—damn near dangerous. Her body shifted slightly toward him as he approached, eyes gleaming like she knew how much she was driving him insane.

When he reached her, she passed him the Grammy with both hands, but Ekko didn’t just take the trophy.

One hand slid to her waist, gripping her gently but firmly, and without missing a beat, he leaned in and pressed a kiss right to her cheek—slow, deliberate, like he wanted the whole damn world to see.

The audience lost it.

Jinx giggled—high and soft, just for him—and it was music. Her laugh curled through the air, sweet and teasing, and Ekko smiled as he pulled back, still holding the award, still holding her eyes.

“Appreciate you, princess,” he says, stepping up to the mic.

He turned to face the crowd, voice smooth, low, calm with a glint of gratitude and pride.

“Man… this means the world,” he started, raising the Grammy slightly. “First off—shoutout to True Damage. My crew, my family. Couldn’t have done this without every single one of you. To my team, my manager, everyone who’s believed in me since day one… thank you.”

He glanced to the side, where Jinx was watching him, that smug little half-smile on her lips like she knew he had more to say.

“And to the ones who said I couldn’t do it solo—hope you tuned in tonight.”

The crowd erupted again.

Then he tilted his head, eyes finding her one more time, and his voice dropped just a touch—softer, warmer.

“And uh… to the one who keeps me inspired lately…” A sly smirk. “You already know.”

The audience howled. Jinx turned her face just enough to bite back another giggle, clearly flustered, and the way she looked at him—yeah, she knew.

As Ekko wrapped up his speech with that smirk and smooth nod, the applause roared through the venue. He gave the mic one last tap, then turned back to Jinx. Their eyes locked again, just for a beat—something private passed between them in that look—and he handed her the mic gently, fingers brushing hers on purpose.

He descended the stage, Grammy in hand, a storm of congratulations already waiting at the bottom. A few artists he’d worked with dabbed him up, his bandmates gave loud cheers and claps on the back, and even a few industry veterans leaned in with impressed nods. But Ekko? He was still glancing back at her.

Meanwhile, Jinx, with a proud little sparkle in her eye and the mic in her hand, stepped forward again, glowing in that not-so-uncomfortable, still-stunning dress Meredith had chosen. She waited for the cheers to settle, her smile teasing, playful, still buzzing from the cheek kiss and the heat of Ekko’s words.

“Whew,” she exhaled into the mic with a soft laugh that made the crowd chuckle too, “how do you follow that, right?”

A wave of light laughter and applause filled the space again. Then with her signature pop star poise, she turned slightly to the side.

“But don’t go anywhere,” she said smoothly. “We’ve still got more amazing artists to celebrate tonight. So give it up for our next presenter…”

And with that, she handed the mic off to the next person in a smooth handoff, her smile never fading as she stepped back, letting the spotlight move on.

Jinx stepped off the stage with the grace of someone who had done this a hundred times before—but the thrill in her chest made it feel brand new. As soon as she slipped behind the curtain and down the steps, the show continued, but she had one place she wanted to be.

She didn’t bother waiting for an escort. She cut through the wings of the stage, winding around the maze of backstage crew and production assistants until she made her way toward the audience seating—toward him.

Ekko was still standing near the edge of his row, Grammy in hand, talking animatedly with a few of his bandmates who were practically glowing with pride. But the moment he caught sight of Jinx weaving through the crowd, that same slow, knowing smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Before she could say a word, Ekko’s manager—tall in an all-black suit and slick ponytail—turned with a huge grin, eyes full of excitement. “There she is!” she said, and without hesitation, she leaned in and kissed Jinx’s cheek. “You killed it up there, girl. That was legendary.”

Jinx blinked, a little surprised, then laughed softly, a blush dusting her cheeks. “Thanks,” she said with a bashful smile. “Had to match the guy of the night.”

Ekko stepped forward, slipping his free hand around her waist without a second thought, pulling her into his side. “Look at us,” he murmured against her temple. “Pop princess and rap king. Not bad, huh?”

She tilted her head up toward him, that fire in her eyes dancing again. “You deserved that win.”

“You made it better,” he whispered.

The cameras might’ve been pointed somewhere else for now, but the moment felt golden between them. Wrapped in applause, stares, and flashing lights—they were in their own little orbit.

⸻

The night had been long, glimmering with electricity. Performances lit up the stage. Big names walked in and out of the spotlight. Awards were given. Laughter echoed through the golden halls. But now… now it was getting close.

Jinx sat quietly in her seat, the noise of the room fading beneath her thoughts. Her leg bounced under the table, hidden beneath the rich folds of her red gown. The feathered hem brushed against her ankles like nervous butterflies. The dress shimmered under the soft light of the venue, her hair in that messy bun with loose bangs framing her perfectly made-up face, golden and glowing like she belonged on the cover of a goddess’s myth.

Next to her, Ekko leaned back in his seat, fingers resting just behind her chair. His bandmates were laughing about something, but he wasn’t paying attention. His eyes were only on her.

Her fingers drummed against her thigh, and she stared ahead, jaw tight.

“Baby,” Ekko leaned in, his voice low, calm. “You’re the one on that envelope. Just wait.”

She blinked, glancing at him—his smirk so sure, so full of pride. He wasn’t trying to comfort her. He believed it.

More performances went by. More winners. The evening rolled on with charm and glitter. Cameras flashed every few seconds. Names were called, speeches made. But Jinx barely moved.

Then, the lights shifted again—dimming just enough to hush the room into anticipation.

A voice echoed through the room, smooth and practiced.

“…We’re down to one of the biggest honors of the night.”

It hit her like a rush of wind. Her chest rose sharply, breath catching.

“The nominees for Best Pop Female Artist.”

The screens lit up with the faces of the nominees, each one shining, their clips playing for the crowd. Jinx’s face appeared, her smile frozen on screen from a previous red carpet moment. The audience applauded. Cheers rose and fell.

But her ears were ringing. Her pulse drummed in her temples.

She heard Ekko’s whisper, “C’mon, princess,” his palm brushing against the back of her hand, grounding her. “Let them say it.”

Then—the presenter walked on stage, in no hurry at all. They smiled, waved, held the envelope in hand like it weighed something more than paper.

The audience leaned in. Jinx did too, though her body was tense. Her hand slipped under the table, gripping Ekko’s knee. He placed his hand over hers immediately.

The presenter took their time. A few words about the power of pop music. The artists. The emotions.

Jinx exhaled shakily.

Finally… finally the envelope was opened.

The presenter pulled the card free.

They looked down.

Then smiled.

A pause.

Long enough to make the room hold its breath.

And then—

“…Jinx.”

Silence. Then—

The crowd erupted.

Jinx blinked. Her lips parted but nothing came out. A second passed before Ekko was already on his feet, clapping hard, his grin impossibly wide, like he’d known it all along. His bandmates were cheering too, but he only had eyes for her.

“You did it,” he said under his breath, barely audible through the applause. “I told you.”

She rose slowly, like in a trance. The room blurred around her. All she could feel was the burn of her cheeks, her legs carrying her toward the stage on instinct alone.

She didn’t feel the weight of the dress anymore. Or the lights.

Only the moment. Her name. Her dream.

And Ekko’s voice still echoing in her head: You’re the one on that envelope.

And now, everyone knew.

The applause still hadn’t died down when Jinx reached the stage—flashing lights and a thousand eyes all on her, but her mind was spinning in a beautiful haze.

The Grammy statue was handed to her, its weight solid in her hands. She looked at it, then out at the crowd, her vision blurring slightly with the threat of tears. She exhaled, a small breathless laugh escaping as she stepped up to the mic.

“I—I didn’t think I’d get emotional,” she began with a teary smile, blinking fast. Her voice trembled just enough to be real. “But this… this is insane. Being here, in this moment… I still feel like that girl who was singing into a hairbrush in her bedroom. Short and Sweet was such a personal project, and to have it resonate with so many of you… it means the world.”

The crowd clapped again, a few cheers rising from the back.

“I want to thank my team, my fans, my label, everyone who believed in me when I was still figuring out who I was in this big, wild industry. And to the other nominees—you are incredible. This category? Insane.”

She paused, eyes scanning the front row until they landed right on Ekko.

“And of course…” Her smirk curled slowly, mischief lighting up her eyes. “Huge shoutout to my stylist Meredith—girl, you snapped with this dress.”

The crowd laughed as Jinx gave a twirl, feathers fluttering dramatically. Cameras flashed.

“And last but definitely not least,” she added, biting her lip with a glint of something dangerous behind her smile, “shoutout to Ekko—because he’ll be the one taking this dress off me tonight.”

The audience lost it.

Laughter, gasps, and a few whistles erupted while Jinx winked into the camera and blew a kiss, her cheeks glowing, but proud. She stepped back from the mic, holding her Grammy like a victory torch.

Backstage staff tried to usher her off as she giggled, and in the crowd, Ekko’s jaw was hanging for a moment before he burst into laughter, running a hand down his face like he couldn’t believe she just said that.

He loved it.

His bandmates were teasing him immediately, shoving his shoulders, but Ekko didn’t care. His girl just owned that stage—and claimed him in front of the whole damn world.

Jinx descended the steps from the stage with her Grammy in hand, still dazed from the roar of applause and the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her heart was thumping so hard it felt like it might burst out of her chest, but her smile was radiant, proud, and just a little mischievous.

As she reached the floor, familiar faces immediately swarmed her—old girlfriends from the industry, fellow artists she’d come up with, some she’d admired from afar. Hugs, cheek kisses, high-pitched squeals of excitement.

“You killed it,” one of them said, practically bouncing.
“That speech—girl!” another laughed, fanning her face.
“I knew you were gonna win.”

Jinx just nodded through it all, dazed and glowing, her free hand reaching out to touch their arms as she passed, still gently clutching the Grammy like it was her newborn baby.

But her eyes were locked on him.

Ekko was already pushing through the crowd the second he saw her coming, the look on his face so full of pride it practically knocked the air out of her. He didn’t wait for anything—just swept her into his arms the moment she got close enough.

She let out a breathless laugh, arms circling around his neck, and the world around them blurred.

“You liked it?” she murmured against his jaw, grinning.

Ekko leaned in, lips brushing her ear as he whispered, low and rough, “I loved it. Especially the part where the whole world found out I’m taking that dress off you tonight.”

Jinx giggled—warm, sweet, and so utterly herself. Her fingers curled into the back of his jacket, and she tugged him even closer, her voice barely a whisper.

“Well… figured I’d save us both from any confusion.”

Ekko pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes, his own dark and burning.

“You’re unreal, princess.”

She smiled, eyes glinting under the stage lights, still glowing in victory.

“And you’re mine.”

Just as the crowd began to settle, still buzzing from Jinx’s bold and heartfelt speech, the lights shifted once more toward the grand stage. A new presenter, dressed in sleek black, stepped up to the microphone with a charismatic smile, his voice smooth as velvet as it carried through the auditorium.

“Well, we’re not done yet, folks,” he said, glancing down at the envelope in his hands. “Because up next… is one of the most anticipated categories of the night.”

The lights dimmed just slightly, a dramatic pause pulling everyone’s attention in like a magnet.

“The competition has been tight this year—every track nominated has climbed the charts, broken records, and set the world on fire. But only one will take it tonight…”

Ekko, still holding Jinx close, shifted slightly, both of them looking up at the stage. Her heart was racing again—this was the big one. The one that had everyone on edge.

She felt his hand tighten slightly around her waist, grounding her as the presenter continued, “It’s time for… Best Song of the Year.”

The crowd broke into fresh applause, a mix of tension and excitement rippling through the room.

Jinx exhaled slowly, and Ekko leaned down again, voice low and steady in her ear.

“This is yours too, sweetheart. I feel it.”

Her fingers curled around her Grammy just a little tighter, but her lips turned up in a small, hopeful smile. The air in the room felt thick now, like it was holding its breath.

And everyone waited.

The presenter let the silence stretch, fingers slipping under the flap of the golden envelope. He looked out at the audience with a playful glint in his eye, clearly enjoying the suspense.

Then he let out a low chuckle—half disbelief, half delight—as he glanced down at the card inside.

“Well…” he laughed, lifting the mic closer, “looks like she’s on fire tonight.”

He held up the card, voice booming with energy.

“Espresso — Jinx!”

The room erupted. Applause thundered through the venue, a few gasps, some cheers even turning into screams from fans and fellow artists alike.

Jinx froze for half a second—eyes wide, jaw slightly dropped—then blinked rapidly, letting out a breathless laugh as the moment hit her. Ekko grinned beside her, already pulling her in with both arms before she could even fully react.

“That’s my girl,” he murmured in her ear, holding her tight.

Jinx hugged him back, the weight of the moment settling in. Two Grammys in one night. She could barely believe it—until she looked up and saw the standing ovation happening in real time.

Someone motioned for her to head back to the stage, and Jinx smoothed her dress, shook her hair back into place, and with a radiant, stunned smile, started making her way back up… again.

Jinx stepped up to the mic again, her heels clicking softly across the stage as the applause still roared around her. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes glassy with emotion, but that signature smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

She looked out at the crowd, laughed breathlessly, and shook her head. “Okay, this is insane,” she said, holding the second Grammy like she couldn’t believe it was real. “Y’all didn’t even give me time to take my man to a hotel room yet!”

The crowd lost it—cheers, laughter, a few playful whistles. Cameras flashed, and somewhere in the audience, Ekko buried his face in his hand, grinning wide as his bandmates elbowed him with teasing grins.

Jinx laughed again, holding the Grammy a little tighter as she caught her breath. “I’m standing here with two of these, in a dress Meredith stitched onto my body with actual black magic, and I still can’t believe it. Thank you to my team, my fans, everyone who believed in ‘Espresso.’ This song was a risk, and you guys made it a win.”

She blew a kiss to the crowd, then one toward Ekko—subtle but loaded with meaning—before mouthing “I’m not done with you,” and giving a little wink as she stepped away from the mic.

The room was hers. Twice.

Chapter Text

The hotel door slammed behind them like the world didn’t exist anymore.

Jinx had barely taken two steps inside when Ekko grabbed her by the waist and slammed her into him, mouths crashing together like they hadn’t kissed in years. It was wild—hungry, desperate, like they’d been holding it all in all night. Her hands flew to his neck, then tangled in his dreads, tugging him down harder as her body arched against his.

“You didn’t even let me take you to dinner first,” he growled against her lips, but he wasn’t complaining—his hands were already sliding down the curve of her ass, lifting her slightly just to feel her gasp.

“You already did,” she panted, lips brushing his jaw as she reached for the buttons of his shirt. “Now I want dessert.”

Ekko’s laugh was low, wicked, vibrating in his chest as he kicked his shoes off and backed her up blindly toward the bed. “That’s what this is, huh? Grammy in one hand, me in the other?”

“Exactly,” she breathed, kissing down his neck, sucking just below his ear. “Best night of my life.”

Her dress was halfway off her shoulders by the time they reached the edge of the bed. Ekko pushed it down her arms, dragging it with slow, reverent hands like he was unwrapping the most expensive gift in the world. But his lips stayed frantic, moving from her collarbone to her chest, hands everywhere like he couldn’t get enough of her skin, like he was trying to memorize the way she felt.

Jinx gasped, breath hitching, legs trembling when he pulled her flush against his bare chest. “Fuck, Ekko…”

“I know, baby,” he whispered, voice hoarse, teeth grazing her shoulder. “I’ve been needing you like this all goddamn night.”

And with that, he lifted her, her legs wrapping around him without hesitation, her heels dropping to the floor. Their kisses never stopped—hot, messy, breathless—as Ekko lowered her onto the bed, chasing her lips like he was starved, like this was the only thing that mattered.

And for both of them, right now—it was.

“Fuck, baby…” he breathed against her skin. “You really wore this knowing I’d lose my mind, didn’t you?”

Jinx whimpered, reaching for his face, dragging him back up to her mouth, and the moment their lips met again, it was even more frantic. Messy. Hot. Needy.

“I didn’t think about anyone but you tonight,” she whispered, her voice breaking between kisses. “I won those awards, and all I could think about was getting you alone.”

He groaned, deep in his chest, kissing her jaw, her throat, down to her collarbone as she clawed at his shirt. “You’re mine tonight,” he said, fierce and hoarse, “and I’m not holding back.”

Her breath hitched. “Then don’t.”

She was in her lingerie—barely—and he still had too many clothes on. But that wouldn’t last. Not with the way his hands were shaking. Not with the way her lips found his ear, and she whispered, “Rip the rest off. I want you now.”

And Ekko?

He was more than ready to ruin her in the best possible way.

Her red dress lay in a pile on the floor, forgotten. Ekko stepped back just enough to look at her—still in those black, lacy panties, her chest rising and falling fast, eyes burning into him like she was begging without saying a word.

He growled under his breath.

“No more waiting.”

In one swift, aggressive motion, his fingers hooked into the sides of her panties—and ripped them clean off. The delicate lace snapped easily in his grip, and he dropped the shredded fabric to the floor, never breaking eye contact.

Jinx gasped, breathless, body trembling as her back hit the wall again. “You’ve been thinking about that all night, huh?”

Ekko leaned in close, lips brushing her ear as he spoke, voice low and rough. “Baby, I’ve been thinking about this since that first night we flirted backstage. You think I’d let you tease me in that dress and not take what’s mine?”

His hands slid down her thighs, spreading her open with a confidence that made her knees weak, and he pressed a kiss right where her skin was hottest—claiming, slow, but full of intent.

Jinx’s head fell back against the wall, a moan caught in her throat, as her fingers tangled in his dreads again.

She was his now.

And he was about to show her just how deep that went.

Ekko’s body hovered close to hers, one arm locked firmly around her waist, the other trailing down, fingers grazing the sensitive skin of her thigh. Jinx’s breath hitched as he dipped lower, teasing, exploring her heat with a touch that had her knees trembling.

She threw her head back, her hair cascading like silk, lips parted in a soft gasp.

“Damn, princess…” Ekko whispered against her ear, a low, amused chuckle escaping him as his fingers moved between her folds. “You’re already dripping for me.”

Jinx moaned, her back arching into him, hands gripping the back of his neck, one sliding up into his dreads as if needing something to hold onto. Every subtle movement of his fingers had her body begging for more, her mind already blurring from the waves of pleasure rising through her.

Ekko tilted his head, watching her, eyes dark with heat. “You’re so sensitive,” he murmured, pressing a kiss just beneath her jaw, slow and possessive. “So damn soft… like you were made for me.”

Jinx whimpered, her legs twitching slightly at the rhythm he set—his fingers knowing exactly where to touch, how to make her melt, how to draw the kind of moan from her that he wanted to keep hearing on repeat. She leaned back against the wall, dizzy, her body completely his.

Her voice was barely a breath as she spoke, “Ekko… I—God…”

“Yeah, baby,” he murmured, dragging his lips along her neck, “say my name again.”

She did—over and over, voice unraveling into broken gasps, sweet and needy, her eyes fluttering shut as his fingers worked magic against her warmth.

Ekko’s hands slid up the backs of her legs, firm and steady, spreading her open slowly like a gift he was taking his time with. He leaned in, lips ghosting just above her slick folds, close enough to feel his breath but not close enough to satisfy.

Then—finally—his mouth pressed a kiss to her clit. Soft. Deliberate. A slow, torturous kind of pressure that made her legs twitch and a sharp gasp rip from her throat.

“E-Ekko…” Jinx’s voice was breathless, a tremble riding the edges of her words.

He looked up, smugness playing on his features as he kissed her again, even more slowly this time, tongue flicking just lightly—just enough.

“Mm?” he hummed, acting innocent, but the devilish grin on his lips betrayed him.

Jinx groaned, fingers sliding down to thread into his dreads, tugging with the kind of desperation that made his smirk deepen.

“Stop teasing,” she whined, a little pout forming on her lips despite the heat in her eyes. “You’re driving me insane.”

Ekko chuckled against her, low and rough. “That’s kinda the point, sweetheart.” And then he dove in for real.

Ekko’s tongue dragged one last, slow stroke over her clit before he pulled back, lips wet, eyes dark with hunger as he stared up at her. Jinx was a flushed, panting mess, her chest rising and falling as she looked down at him—wide-eyed, needy, wrecked.

He rose up over her, hands sliding along her thighs, up to her waist, gripping her like she might disappear if he didn’t hold tight enough. His mouth found her neck, kissed up to her jaw, and then stopped just by her ear—voice low, thick with lust and something deeper.

“You know what happens when my girl wins big?” he murmured, nipping her ear. “I spoil her.”

Jinx whimpered, her hands fisting in the sheets now.

He leaned back just enough to look at her, his smirk wicked, but his eyes warm—possessive. “I’m gonna fuck you so good, baby… so deep, you’ll feel every bit of how proud I am.” His hands trailed down again, spreading her legs wider.

“Can’t let my Grammy winner go to sleep without knowing she owns me,” he added, voice dropping even lower, hips already settling between hers.

“Ready to be spoiled, princess?”

Ekko’s eyes didn’t leave hers as his fingers moved to his belt, slow and deliberate, like he wanted her to watch. The click of the buckle, the soft rustle of fabric—every motion teased her nerves raw. Jinx lay there breathless, legs still spread from his last touch, her lips parted as she stared, completely captivated.

He pushed his pants down just enough, the waistband of his boxers following, revealing the heavy thickness she remembered all too well. Her breath hitched—she knew what it felt like, how deep he could go, how completely he could take her apart—but seeing him again, like this, full of hunger and need just for her… it sent a fresh wave of heat coursing through her.

Ekko smirked as he caught the way her eyes locked there, the flush on her cheeks, the way she clenched the sheets.

“Yeah?” he rasped, voice dark and low. “Still want it, winner?”. She nodded desperately.

He moved closer, gripping his length as he guided himself to her entrance, the tip sliding against her—wet, throbbing, ready. Jinx gasped, hips twitching forward instinctively, and he groaned, the sound rough and reverent.

“You always take me so good,” he whispered, lowering his body over hers, lips brushing her cheek as he started to press in. “Let me make you feel it, baby. All of it.”

As Ekko pushed in deeper, inch by inch, Jinx’s head fell back against the pillow, her mouth falling open in a breathless moan“O-ohh.” Her eyes fluttered—then rolled back completely as the stretch hit her, overwhelming and perfect.

“Ah—f-fuck, Ekko…”

Her fingers scrambled for something to hold onto, and they found his hands—gripping, clutching, her nails digging into his skin as if anchoring herself through the wave of pleasure crashing through her. He was thick, filling every inch of her, and the way he moved, slow but unrelenting, made her feel every deliberate thrust of his hips.

Ekko leaned in close, lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “You feel that, sweetheart? That’s all me. And you’re takin’ it like you were made for me.”

A shaky whimper left her lips as her hips rolled up to meet his, her body instinctively begging for more. She was already trembling, already so close—and he hadn’t even picked up the pace. Her hands clutched tighter, a moan escaping again as he bottomed out, deep and slow, her walls clenching around him as her toes curled.

“Just like that, baby,” he murmured, biting gently at her shoulder. “Let me hear you.”

Jinx’s breath hitched, her body already trembling under him, eyes half-lidded and glossy with pleasure. Her hands were still gripping his, her nails digging into his skin like she couldn’t get enough of him—because she couldn’t.

She tilted her hips, needy, desperate, her voice cracking with a moan as she whispered, “Ekko… please.”

He paused just a beat, savoring the sight of her wrecked and wanting beneath him—barely holding it together. She whimpered, her lips brushing his ear now, her voice sweet and needy.

“Baby, please… give it to me,” she begged, arching her back, her body pleading for more than words ever could. “I want it—I need you to fuck me… like I’m yours.”

Ekko’s breath faltered, the way she said it driving him straight over the edge of restraint. He pulled his hips back, just enough to make her gasp, and then thrust forward again—deep, firm, claiming.

“You are mine,” he growled, voice low and rough against her neck. “And I’m gonna give it to you so good, princess—you’ll still feel me tomorrow.”

Ekko’s hips rolled forward, deliberate and deep—his rhythm hard from the start, no teasing now, just raw need. The sound of skin meeting skin echoed softly through the hotel room, blending with Jinx’s breathy moans as he filled her over and over again.

Her nails dragged from his hands to the sheets beneath them, gripping tight as if anchoring herself while her body arched up to meet each thrust. She was so full of him, stretched around every inch, and he hit her sweet spot so perfectly that her mouth dropped open in a silent cry before the sound caught in her throat.

“F—fuck, Ekko…” she whimpered, fingers twisting in the sheets now, head thrown back as waves of pleasure rolled through her. “Right there… don’t stop…”

Ekko leaned in closer, breath hot against her ear, his voice low and rough.“Yeah, baby? That’s all you. Gripping me so tight… fuck, you were made for this.”

He drove into her again, harder now, watching the way her body trembled beneath him, addicted to the way she broke apart every time he found that perfect angle.

Her body was already trembling, skin flushed and slick under the low hotel light, the silk sheets twisted around her legs as she clawed at them for some kind of grounding. But there was none—not with the way Ekko had her pinned beneath him, buried so deep inside her she couldn’t breathe.

“Shit, look at you,” he growled, voice low and rough, his grip bruising on her hips as he thrust into her with relentless precision. “You’re so wet it’s dripping down my thighs, sweetheart. This pussy missed me, huh?”

Jinx’s head fell back, a moan ripping from her throat as her nails dragged from his arms to the sheets,”Y-yes!” her back arching from the sheer force of him hitting that perfect, devastating spot over and over.

Her breath came in shaky gasps, voice wrecked. “E–Ekko, fuck—”

“I know, baby,” he grunted, grabbing her jaw to force her eyes back to his. “Don’t look away. You feel this?” His hips snapped harder into her. “This is what you do to me. You think I can watch you win two Grammys in that tight little dress and not ruin you after?”

Jinx whimpered, legs shaking, her entire body trembling beneath him, tears threatening at the corners of her eyes from how deep he was. “Y-You feel so good…”

He smirked, dark and proud, then leaned down to bite her neck, voice like gravel. “You’re not even ready for how good I’m gonna make you feel, baby. And you’re not tappin’ out till I say you’re done.”

Ekko’s body pressed tight against hers, his breath warm and heavy at her neck as he drove into her with slow, deliberate force. One hand gripped her waist, steadying her, while the other slid up her back, guiding her like she was his to shape—because she was.

Jinx’s body arched under the intensity, a sweet, broken moan slipping from her lips as her fingers curled around the sheets, knuckles pale. Her mind couldn’t hold a single thought, just him—just how full she was, how good he made her feel, how wrecked she already was for him.

Ekko leaned down, his lips brushing her ear with a husky whisper, “That’s it… just like that.” His voice was low and gritty, thick with want and control. Then, rougher—more certain—he growled, “Attagirl.”

That word—like fire over silk—pulled a cry out of her throat. Her hips instinctively moved with him, chasing the rhythm he set, the praise he gave. His hand slid down her side, gripping tighter, dragging her into every thrust.

“You were made for this dick,” he muttered, almost to himself. “Made for me.”

She couldn’t speak. Only nod, gasping, her body trembling as she took it just the way he wanted. Because that was what she wanted—what she needed—to be his good girl.

Every inch of her felt owned by him in that moment, and she loved it.

Jinx’s back arched instinctively, body jerking when Ekko hit a deeper spot. The movement sent a shiver through her chest, and her breasts bounced just enough to catch his eye.

He froze for a split second—like a man bewitched—then dipped down without hesitation, his mouth finding her like he’d been starved for the taste. His tongue flicked against her skin, lips hungry as he closed around her nipple, sucking with heat and purpose.

Jinx cried out, hands flying to his dreads as her legs tensed around him. “Ekko—!”

That scream pulled a deep groan from his chest, and he gripped her tighter, dragging her even closer as he lavished her chest like it was the only thing that mattered in the world. His movements were wild but controlled, like a man drunk on every reaction he pulled from her.

“Can’t get enough of you,” he murmured against her skin, his breath hot. “You drive me insane, sweetheart.”

She could only whimper in response, completely undone under him, her body trembling and desperate for more.

Her legs had long since stopped trying to hold her steady, trembling uncontrollably with each thrust that hit deeper than the last. The sheets were twisted in her fists, nails clawing fabric in a desperate effort to stay grounded. Her breath hitched in her throat as Ekko drove into her again, harder this time—unrelenting.

She choked out a scream, raw and sweet, her eyes fluttering shut. “Oh—God—f-fuck—”

Her voice cracked, more of a plea than a curse, as if the pleasure was too much—like she was being completely unraveled. Ekko leaned over her, sweat-damp dreads brushing against her bare shoulder as he gripped the back of her thigh and pulled it higher around his waist.

“Yeah, baby?” His voice was rough, reverent—low in her ear like a promise. “This is what you do to me.”

Jinx could only nod, eyes dazed, mouth hanging open. Her chest bounced with every thrust, and Ekko watched, entranced, before his mouth found her breasts again. He devoured them like he was starving, lips closing over a nipple, sucking hard enough to make her back arch with a sob.

“Shit—E-Ekko—” she cried out, her voice catching, “I—can’t—I can’t—”

“Yes you can,” he growled against her skin, biting her softly, “because you’re my good girl, right?”

Her lips trembled. “Y-Yeah—yes—yours, your g-good gir—fuck!” she whispered, delirious, broken, completely his.

“Yeah, that’s it” he murmured, dragging his tongue down her chest again before slamming back into her with a growl. “Take it.”

She did. She took all of it, every inch, every word, every breath, like she needed him more than oxygen.

And she loved every second.

Jinx let out a shaky breath, already ruined—but still needing more. Her body trembled beneath him, slick with heat and pleasure, lashes fluttering as her eyes rolled back again.

Then Ekko gripped her thighs, firm and commanding.

“Legs up, baby,” he said, voice low—hoarse with restraint. “C’mon. Let me get deeper.”

She obeyed without thinking, trusting him blindly, lifting her trembling legs until they rested over his shoulders. The shift in angle had her gasping, her nails digging back into the sheets.

Then he pushed in again.

Deep.

Too deep.

She arched, a broken moan escaping her lips as her pussy clenched tight around him.

“F—uck, Ekko—” she whimpered, her voice caught between pleasure and disbelief. “It’s too de—so—deep…”

His hands gripped her thighs tighter, his pace unrelenting now, but precise. He knew her body—had learned every twitch, every breath, every way she cried out his name. And now, with her legs hooked over his shoulders, he hit her in places that made her fall apart all over again.

“That’s it, princess,” he groaned, eyes dark, jaw clenched. “Let me ruin you proper.”

She was melting, eyes glassy, tears pooling in the corners from the overwhelming sensation. Her lips trembled as her moans spilled out, helpless and beautiful.

“You’re taking me so damn good,” he praised through gritted teeth, one hand slipping to her waist, holding her still as he thrust deeper, harder. “Just like that—fucking made for me.”

She nodded, barely—her body no longer hers, just something that belonged to him, shaped by every move, every word, every thrust.

“Mine,” he growled again, leaning down and stealing a kiss, her legs still trembling over his shoulders.

And she moaned into his mouth like it was the only answer she knew.

Her back arched beneath him, lips parted in a silent moan as her body trembled. Jinx’s fingers clenched the sheets, eyes fluttering—completely lost in the rhythm he set. Her voice spilled out in breathless cries, soft and desperate, as if her mind had been left behind and only the pleasure remained.”Oh my—E-Ekko right t-there!”

Ekko hovered over her, his smirk sharp and full of wicked heat. He couldn’t take his eyes off her—not like this. Not when she looked like the sweetest kind of mess, all flushed cheeks and heavy lashes. The way she moaned his name like it was the only word she knew made something primal in him light up.

“Damn, baby,” he growled low, leaning in until his forehead pressed to hers, his breath ragged, “you’re moanin’ like a broken doll for me. Look at you.”

She couldn’t even respond—not really. Her lips quivered around another helpless sound, and he chuckled against her skin, proud and drunk on her.

“You love this, don’t you?” he murmured into her ear, voice like silk over a blade. “This sweet pussy takin’ every inch of this dick.”

Jinx whimpered, nodding, her hands sliding up his arms like she needed to anchor herself before she fell apart completely. And Ekko—he only drove deeper, one hand sliding under her back to hold her close, the other tangled in the sheets beside her head.

“Say it,” he demanded softly, his lips brushing her jaw. “Say who you belong to right now.”

Her voice cracked, wrecked and sweet. “Y-you, Ekko… all you. F-f…fuck!”

“Good fucking girl,” he breathed, pressing a kiss to her cheek before catching her lips in another hungry kiss, swallowing her moans like he was starving for them.

Jinx’s head fell back against the pillows, hair a wild halo around her flushed face. Her lips parted, tongue slipping out as she struggled to catch her breath between moans, overwhelmed and completely undone by the way Ekko moved inside her.

Her eyes fluttered, glassy and dazed, and her fingers gripped at the sheets like they were the only thing anchoring her to the earth. She gasped, a soundless whimper escaping her as she tilted her head again, tongue still out like she couldn’t even form words—just pure need and breathless pleasure.

Ekko looked down at her, eyes dark and hungry, and let out a low, satisfied chuckle. He leaned in, his breath hot against her ear.

“You can’t even breathe, can you, baby?” he murmured, voice rough. “I’ve got you feelin’ that good?”

Jinx could only nod, lost in the rhythm and the fire that threatened to consume her whole.

Jinx’s entire body tensed beneath him, her hands shooting to his arms as her nails dug into his skin—not to stop him, but to hold on. Her mouth opened like she wanted to say something, warn him, but the words never made it past her lips.

“Ek—… I—” she gasped, voice trembling, eyes wide and overwhelmed. But it was too late.

Her back arched, body locking up for a heartbeat before it shattered—legs shaking, walls clenching around him like she was made to fit him. A cry ripped from her throat, high and raw, and she came hard, completely undone beneath him.

Ekko grunted, caught in the feel of her breaking apart, and he didn’t stop—riding out her climax, watching her fall apart like it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“Fuck,” he groaned low, leaning down to kiss her cheek, tasting the sweat and heat. “That’s it, sweetheart… couldn’t even wait, huh?”

Her head lolled to the side, eyes unfocused, chest heaving, still trembling from the aftershocks.

Her whole body was still quivering from the intensity of her climax, but her hand—delicate, trembling—slid slowly down his stomach, fingertips ghosting over the hard lines of his abdomen. There was something so soft and intimate in the touch, almost like she was trying to ground herself after being completely wrecked.

Ekko felt it immediately, her touch warm, shaky, and desperate for connection. His gaze dropped to watch her hand move, and a slow, amused smirk curved his lips—but not mocking. Never mocking. He leaned in a little closer, his breath brushing her cheek as he murmured low against her skin, voice smooth and teasing but still laced with something deeper.

“You trying to catch your breath or already beggin’ for more, baby?”

His hand came up, cupping the side of her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek as he watched her with a glint of pride and something more tender than he’d ever let anyone else see.

“You don’t even know what you do to me.”

Jinx could barely form words, her body still buzzing, eyes half-lidded as her fingers curled a little tighter just above his hips. Her lips parted, but it was only a soft whimper that came out—a sound that only made Ekko’s smirk deepen as he kissed her forehead and let his hips grind against her slow, keeping her right on the edge of being ruined all over again.

Ekko leaned over her, one hand planted firm beside her head, the other gently stroking her thigh. Her body was still trembling beneath him, flushed and marked up from everything he’d given her—and taken. His eyes roamed over her face, taking in the way her lips were parted, the unfocused daze in her eyes, the shallow rise and fall of her chest.

“Hey…” he murmured low, voice all husky velvet as he brushed a few damp strands of hair away from her flushed face. “You think you can take one more for me, baby?”

Jinx blinked slowly, trying to gather herself, but her mouth stayed open without a sound. She didn’t even try to fake a nod or force out a ‘yes.’ Her body had gone pliant, chest heaving, legs twitching every time he moved even slightly inside her.

Ekko’s expression softened, and a flicker of that possessive protectiveness swept into his voice. He tilted his head, his tone dipping even lower. “You want a break?”

It took her a second—her lips trembled as she tried to respond, but instead, she gave the smallest, slowest nod. Just once.

Ekko kissed the center of her forehead, deep and tender, like a seal of pride. “That’s my girl,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her gently now and pulling her against his chest. He held her there for a moment, his fingers trailing soft strokes along her spine, letting her breathe, come down, knowing damn well he could go again—but he wasn’t gonna break her.

Not unless she asked him to.

Ekko moved slow, careful with every shift of his hips as he finally began to pull out. The moment he did, the slick drag of him leaving her made Jinx twitch, her whole body flinching from the sensitivity.

And then—
“F—fuck…” she breathed, barely audible.

It slipped from her lips like a ghost of a moan, cracked and trembling, her voice shredded from everything she’d been through. Her eyes fluttered shut as her head dropped back against the pillows, and her thighs instinctively pressed together in a feeble attempt to ground herself.

Ekko watched her, eyes dark and hooded, a low chuckle rumbling from his chest—not mocking, just soaked in satisfaction. He leaned down, trailing slow kisses across her shoulder, her neck, until he was at her ear.

“You sound wrecked, princess…” he murmured, his palm resting low on her belly. “Did I fuck the words outta you?”

Jinx, still breathless and dazed, lifted her hand weakly and smacked his chest with the softest, most pathetic slap she could manage. It barely made a sound, more of a tap than a hit. “S-shut it.” She says, barely getting the words out.

Ekko laughed—deep, amused, and low, the sound vibrating against her skin as he leaned in closer.

“That’s all you got, sweetheart?” he teased, his nose brushing her temple. “You better get your rest then… ‘cause I’m not even close to done with you tonight.”

She groaned in a mix of exhaustion and anticipation, a helpless smile curling at her lips as she hid her face in his shoulder, already knowing she wouldn’t stand a chance when he came back for more.

Ekko leaned over her, breath still heavy, brushing the damp strands of hair off her flushed face with a tenderness that contrasted the way he’d just had her moments ago. His voice was low and thick with satisfaction, but still soft for her—like he didn’t want to break the dazed calm she’d sunk into.

“I’m gonna step out on the balcony for a sec,” he said, thumb gliding down her cheek. “Catch some air. You just stay here and breathe, princess.”

Jinx didn’t even open her eyes. Her chest rose and fell slowly, lips parted as she tried to come down from the high he’d sent her to. She murmured something unintelligible, her voice hoarse and sweet, like the words barely formed on her tongue. One of her hands lazily reached in his direction, brushing his forearm before dropping limply to the sheets again. She was still shaking a little—body wrecked and trying to remember how to function.

Ekko watched her for a beat longer, the corner of his mouth curling up in quiet amusement. “Damn,” he whispered to himself, then leaned down, pressing a slow, deep kiss to her temple. “You’re somethin’ else, baby.”

Then he stood, tugging on his pants just enough to step outside onto the balcony. The night air hit his skin like a splash of cool water, but it did nothing to erase the heat still lingering on him. He left the balcony door cracked open, just enough to still hear the faint hum of her breath, the occasional whimper as her body settled, as if she was still remembering him inside her.

He looked out at the city lights, smirking to himself, exhaling deeply. “She better rest up…” he muttered under his breath, tongue running along his teeth. “I’m not done with her yet.”

Ekko leaned his elbows against the railing, one hand running over his jaw while the other flipped open the slim black case with a cigarette tucked inside. He didn’t usually smoke—never anything heavy—but sometimes, after a night like this, when adrenaline hadn’t quite left his system, it felt like the only thing that grounded him. He popped it between his lips just as his phone buzzed against the balcony table.

Mel.

He huffed a laugh through his nose and answered with the cigarette dangling loosely between his fingers.

“Yo.”

Mel’s voice came through warm and teasing. “There he is. Grammy award-winning Ekko. Congratulations again, rockstar.”

He smirked, watching the traffic down below as he lit the tip. “Appreciate it. Crazy night.”

She hummed knowingly. “Yeah? You get to celebrate properly?”

He exhaled slowly, the smoke curling in the cool night air. “Spent it between Jinx’s thighs, so—I’d say I did more than good.”

There was a beat of silence before Mel cracked up, full-on laughing in his ear. “You are a menace.”

He chuckled low. “And you act like you’re surprised.”

“I’m not. But I am your manager, and I do have to say—don’t get too used to her being your afterparty if you keep lighting those things up,” she scolded, catching the inhale in the background. “Your voice, Ekko. C’mon.”

He pulled the cigarette away from his lips, looking at it like it had personally offended her. “Yeah, yeah. Just needed something to level out. Promise I’ll stop after this one.”

“You better. Or I’m shipping you chamomile tea and throat spray in bulk again.”

He grinned, flicking ash off the edge. “You’re ruthless, Mel.”

“That’s why you pay me. Now get your ass inside before she starts missing you.”

He could still hear Jinx shifting faintly on the bed behind him—soft, needy little noises in her sleep. He smiled.

“I’m goin’. Later.”

“Later, lover boy.”

Click.

Ekko leaned on the balcony railing, the warm night air brushing against his skin as he flicked the last of his cigarette away. The city below was a blur of lights and noise, but all he could think about was the girl in his bed—the one who’d just moaned his name like a prayer an hour ago.

From inside, he heard her voice. Soft, teasing, laced with that wicked charm only she had.

“Ekko…” she called, dragging out his name like a melody.

He turned, a slow smirk tugging at his lips as he pushed the glass door open. “You miss me already, princess?”

The sight that met him knocked the air right out of his lungs.

Jinx was on her knees on the bed, leaning forward on her elbows, back arched in that perfect curve. The sheets pooled around her hips, her hair falling messily down her back. She glanced over her shoulder at him, eyes gleaming beneath the soft lighting of the hotel room, that sly smile tugging at her lips.

“You gonna stand there all night, champ?” she purred.

Ekko shut the door behind him with a soft thud, jaw tightening as he made his way toward her—slow, deliberate steps, like a man who knew exactly what he wanted.

And it was her. Always her.

Ekko’s smirk deepened the second he reached the bed, eyes drinking her in like she was his only addiction. He didn’t waste time—one knee on the mattress, then the other, and he was on her, hands gripping her waist, lips at the back of her neck, teeth grazing down to her shoulder.

“You know what you’re doing when you call me like that, right?” he murmured against her skin, voice low and thick with want. “Lookin’ like a gift. My reward. You really think I’m not gonna take another round, sweetheart?”

Jinx laughed, breathy and already flushed just from his voice, but as soon as she felt him grind against her, that familiar heat pressing between her thighs again, she whined—half desperate, half regretful—and squirmed away, hips shifting just out of reach.

“Nuh-uh,” she gasped, flipping on her back and grabbing his wrist with a trembling hand. “Baby, I—God, I want to, but I can’t. My poor pussy’s already crying.”

Ekko blinked, surprised, then chuckled darkly, the sound rumbling in his chest as he leaned over her. “That bad, huh?”

She nodded, face buried in the pillow with a muffled groan. “She’s broken. You broke her.”

He hovered above her, pressing soft kisses to her flushed face. “Damn right I did.”

Then, gentler, voice teasing but warm, “Guess I’ll let her rest… for now.”

Ekko’s rough edge softened instantly the moment she whimpered that she was done, and he didn’t press. Instead, his smirk turned into something tender, reverent even, as he looked down at her—his golden girl, breathless and glowing, the Grammy-winner he just had falling apart under him.

“You did so good,” he murmured, voice low and sweet as honey while he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple, then another to her cheek, and another to her jaw. “You’re perfect, y’know that?”

Jinx gave him a lazy little grin, lids heavy, still recovering. “Might be dead, actually…”

Ekko chuckled softly and slid down beside her, letting his fingers trace the curve of her waist, over her hip, down the outside of her thigh. “Then I’ll kiss you back to life.”

And he did—he kissed her shoulder, then her collarbone, then lower, dragging his lips across her skin like it was a worship. His palm slid over her belly, slow and warm, not greedy—just feeling her, grounding her, cherishing her.

Her breath hitched when he kissed her chest, lips brushing over the swell of her breast, but this time he wasn’t trying to start anything. He just lingered there, kissing, nuzzling, mouthing like she was too precious to stop touching.

“You know I’m proud of you, right?” he whispered against her skin. “Not just ‘cause you won, but ‘cause you do it all with fire. You’re unstoppable.”

Jinx looked down at him, her eyes a little glassy now—not from lust, but from something softer. “You’re gonna make me cry again, you sap.”

He grinned and pressed a kiss over her heart. “Then I’m doing something right.”

Ekko’s hand slid up from her waist, cupping her breast gently—no rush, just feeling the softness of her, his thumb brushing lazily across her nipple while their lips met again. This time, the kiss was slow and deep, like they had all the time in the world. Jinx moaned quietly into it, her hand curling into his hair, still so sensitive, still floating.

“Mmm,” she breathed against his mouth, pulling back just enough to whisper, “You’re addictive.”

Ekko smirked, pressing another kiss to her lips. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

She giggled, eyes fluttering open. Still tangled up in sheets and him, she reached over the side of the bed, dragging her phone into her hand. She hadn’t even unlocked it yet when the notifications came flooding in—her name trending everywhere, clips of her performance, photos of her with Ekko on stage, that red dress, that smirk on his face when she shouted him out.

“Oh my god…” she gasped, thumbing through the chaos, “they’re losing their minds.”

Ekko peeked over her shoulder with a raised brow. “About the awards or that line you dropped about me taking off your dress?”

She turned her phone to show him a tweet with ten thousand likes already:
‘JINX REALLY SAID “EKKO GONNA TAKE THIS OFF ME TONIGHT” AND HE JUST SMIRKED LIKE A MENACE??? BE SO F*CKING FR.’

“Both,” she snorted.

Ekko laughed, letting his head fall to her shoulder. “They’re not wrong, though.”

“You’re such a menace,” she said, pushing her phone aside and turning back to him with a grin. “And I think they love it.”

He tilted her chin back, lips brushing hers. “Good. ‘Cause I’m not going anywhere.”

Jinx looked up at him, her lashes heavy, eyes glowing soft under the dim lights of the hotel room. No teasing now. No mischief. Just that sweetness she rarely let anyone see.

She gave him the smallest smile, something tired but warm. Then, without a word, she leaned in and kissed him. It wasn’t deep or rushed—just slow, gentle, like she was trying to thank him without saying a thing. His lips met hers like a natural reflex, drawn to her softness like gravity.

Ekko’s hands found her waist, fingertips resting lightly against her sides, thumbs brushing her skin like he could calm her heartbeat with a touch.

When their lips parted, Jinx let out a little breath, her forehead resting against his. Her hands slid lazily up his chest, then fell again, heavy with exhaustion. She blinked up at him once, then again—slower.

And then, just like that, she leaned forward and fell right into his arms.

“Come here,” he murmured, already catching her.

She melted into him, her body molding perfectly against his chest as if it was the only place she ever belonged. Her arms barely made it around his middle before they dropped with a soft thud against his back, and her head rested beneath his chin.

“Sleepy?” he whispered, lips brushing her hair.

She gave a small hum, her breath warm against his collarbone.

He held her tighter, settling back with her tucked safely in his arms, the quiet hum of the city far outside. Nothing else mattered now.

Just her, safe. His girl. His star.

As Jinx’s breathing slowed into that soft, steady rhythm—barely audible but warm against his skin—Ekko stayed still, one arm curled around her bare back, the other resting lightly over her waist.

She was out cold, completely surrendered to sleep, her body relaxed against his like she trusted him with every inch of her. Her hair spilled over his chest, her lips parted, the faintest smile still lingering on her face like she had drifted off happy. Peaceful. Safe.

And damn, it hit him.

He tilted his head back against the pillow, eyes tracing the ceiling, but really… he was just seeing her. The way she had looked on that stage—fire and confidence. The way she’d teased him earlier like she already owned his heart. The way she’d fallen into his arms like she knew he’d catch her every time.

Shit, I’m so in love with her.

It wasn’t just the sex or the stardom. It was her. The chaos and the softness. The way she lit up the room and still found her way back to him. The girl with the wild eyes who sang like no one could touch her, but still curled into him like she was his.

He smiled, slow and helpless, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face.

“Yeah,” he whispered, just for himself. “I’m so fucked.”

But he didn’t mind. Not one bit.

Ekko looked down at her one last time, her cheek resting on his chest, the rise and fall of her breathing syncing perfectly with his heartbeat. She was so warm in his arms, so soft in the quiet glow of the hotel room—like she belonged there, like this was always meant to happen.

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead, lingering there for a moment.

“Night, princess,” he murmured against her skin, his voice low and gentle.

Jinx stirred just enough to nuzzle closer, a faint smile tugging at her lips even in sleep. Her hand found his chest, fingers curling into him like she never wanted to let go.

And neither did he.

The city buzzed somewhere outside their window, the chaos of fame and lights and noise. But in that room, wrapped in each other, it was quiet. Safe.

Love didn’t need fireworks. Sometimes it was just this—two people tangled in blankets, hearts beating in sync, and the unshakable feeling that no matter what came next, they’d be in it together.

Ekko closed his eyes, smile still on his lips, and let sleep take him too.