Chapter 2 Growing Heat

Andre Blake was born into wealth-but not peace.

The Blake name carried power across Australia's corporate and political circles, a quiet authority that opened doors long before questions were asked. His father, Marcus Blake, was the CEO of Blake Group Holdings-a sprawling empire built on infrastructure, logistics, and private investments. His mother, Eleanor Blake, once a formidable business-law strategist, now sat quietly on multiple boards, her influence subtle but far-reaching.

To the world, the Blakes were a success story.

A classic grass-to-grace narrative.Two people who rose from nothing and built everything.

But Andre had spent most of his life learning how not to fail.

On campus, his name followed him everywhere. Professors trusted him instinctively. Administrators spoke to him with familiarity. Students respected him without questioning why. The Blake name carried weight-unspoken, undeniable.

Yet Andre hadn't been born into ease. His parents' wealth was built, not inherited.

Marcus Blake had grown up sharing a mattress with his brothers in a cramped apartment in western Sydney. Hunger taught him discipline. Poverty taught him ambition. Eleanor Blake worked three jobs before she turned twenty, studying business law in the hours most people slept. Together, they rose-fast, determined, and unwilling to ever fall again.

Their success was admired publicly, But Privately, it was guarded.

Andre grew up in a house where conversations stopped when he entered a room. Where phone calls were taken behind closed doors. Where mistakes weren't discussed-they were managed. Erased. Buried.

His parents loved him, but love in the Blake household came with conditions. Image mattered. Control mattered. Weakness was unacceptable.

By the time Andre entered university, excellence was second nature. Responsibility was instinctive. He became the kind of man people relied on-the one trusted to lead, to guide, to protect.

And Andre believed he could.

Until a presence disrupted the order he had spent his life maintaining.

Until control began to feel fragile.

.........

The day had gone by quickly. Jess and I had run into each other near the cafeteria later in the day, she had come back from picking up her delivery and she insisted I walk her back to her hostel.

Her roommate wasn't around, so she invited me in for a quick meal. "Let me cook for you," she said casually, like she hadn't done it a hundred times.

"Sure, so long as you don't burn down the hostel," I said. We both laughed

I didn't hesitate to use her bathroom while she chopped vegetables and hummed to herself in the kitchen.

By the time I stepped out, the scent of spicy pasta filled the room. She was plating our food, the way her hair spilled over her shoulders, the soft arch of her back...

I turned away. I needed to pull myself together.

We ate in front of her laptop, some romantic comedy playing in the background, though neither of us was watching. We laughed between bites, trading stories about childhood and teachers we hated. It felt... normal. Easy.

But the longer we sat, the more aware I became of how close we were. Our knees are brushing. Her lips were stained with sauce. The way she licked them clean. The little details that drove me crazy when I was alone in bed at night.

She had no idea the effect she had on me. Or maybe she did, but trusted me enough not to cross that line.

She shouldn't have.

Later, she walked me out to her hostel gate. The sky was bruised with sunset. We paused under the mango tree near her block, and she turned to hug me.

"Thanks for coming," she whispered.

Thank you for the meal and your company", I hugged her, and left.

Back at my apartment, I couldn't shake off the feeling.. the image of her laughing, her body, the accidental brushes of our hands. I lay on my bed, restless. I stood up to get a shower, maybe that'll cool me off I thought.

I was on my towel when my phone rang. It was Rose, my coursemate.

She was at my lodge, needing help with her math assignment. I wasn't thrilled but maybe it might be urgent, who knows, so I took off my towel and put on a light singlet and sweat shorts and headed for the door, I opened it and truly she was there.

"Andre please I need your help with my math assignment, I don't understand the first two chapters," she said

I ushered her in without saying a word at first, then I asked "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? I was about to rest"

"I'm sorry, I thought maybe you needed some time alone with the way you left class today, so I decided to come later" she replied

"Ok then, can I see the assignment you're talking about " I mumbled and she handed over her book to me.

I told her to have a seat then we proceeded with the assignment and I noticed she honestly had a difficult time trying to understand the equations, after a few minutes of explanations I saw that she looked overwhelmed and no longer interested, she just sat there looking at me, like an exhausted chick that was chased by a falcon.

"What's wrong?" I asked breaking the awkward silence

"Nothing it's just that I need to cool off my head"

"Ok, what can I get you?" I asked

"Maybe a few kisses"

"Pardon?" I asked looking rather confused

Rose was putting on a short straight skirt that showed off most of her thighs and a sleeveless corset crop top that revealed her cleavage.

"Hmm" I cleared my throat

"Nvm, I'm not thirsty right now," she said

She moved forward and grabbed her book and we continued the equation till she asked to relax a bit because she was tired, so I agreed then she rested on my lap, and I was surprised but I didn't say anything. We started talking about random things, school, and how the lecturer almost fell in our last class. But I noticed Rose didn't keep her hands in place while we talked and I tried to make sure she didn't touch my dick by accident, I moved her hands away whenever they came closer but she didn't seem to get the message, she eventually stopped though but after a while, she started caressing the hairs on my lap.

"I like your hair, it's soft" she whispered, then she moved her hands lower underneath my boxers

I was trying to resist then she slowly held my hands and rubbed them over her boobs.

But I resisted. I wasn't interested in her, I asked her angrily if she came here for an assignment or if she came to have fun.

"Look I'm not really in the mood for this nonsense, if you aren't here to study, I guess you shouldn't be here at all.

She stood up and looked at me like I was the problem and left sheepishly with her bag and books. No good-bye, no thank you.

After she left, I let out a breath of relief.

But my thoughts returned to Jess... again.

Till I slept off.