Jaxon stepped away from the chaotic locker room and walked straight into the stadium’s private VIP executive suite.
Click.
The heavy, soundproof glass door sealed behind him, instantly cutting off the shouting outside. He sat down at the large mahogany desk, leaning back into the leather executive chair with a quiet, unbothered confidence.
He owned this entire athletic facility now. However, to survive the crimson cosmic bounty event currently hanging over his head, he needed elite, fiercely loyal talent on his side.
Through the tinted glass window overlooking the main court, his eyes locked onto a lone figure.
Sitting by herself on the very top row of the bleachers was Kira Thorne.
Step. Step.
Jaxon left the suite and walked down the concrete steps toward the glossy hardwood floor.
Kira Thorne was a visual masterpiece. Universally known across the campus as the unapproachable "Ice Queen," she possessed razor-sharp, striking facial features, pale skin, and long, silky pitch-black hair pulled back into a high ponytail. Even sitting still, her physical design arrested attention; her long legs were stretched out in front of her, and her exceptionally voluptuous chest heavily strained the fabric of her tight white compression top, creating a stark contrast against her cold, distant posture.
Bzzzzt.
Neon-blue screens exploded across Jaxon’s vision, completely hidden from the empty arena.
[Scanning Target: [Kira Thorne]
[Role: Tactical Point Guard Genius]
[Hidden Condition: Acute Patellar Tendon Tear (Left Knee)]
[Current Status: Trapped under Vance Sports Group Contract.]
Jaxon mentally smirked.
In his original draft, she was the ultimate floor general of The Golden Court. She possessed a flawless basketball IQ and an icy, mechanical precision on the court. However, he had also written a brutal, tragic fate for her—a career-ending knee injury during the semi-finals, leaving her completely broken and forced to surrender to Garrison’s older brother just to pay her medical bills.
Not a chance in this reality, Jaxon thought, his mind already recalculating her placement in the story. I created your talent. I’m not letting the Vance family ruin my favorite tactical masterpiece. You’re joining my harem. And your script starts rewriting itself right now.
He climbed the metal bleacher stairs, his footsteps echoing softly through the empty gymnasium.
Tap. Tap.
Kira didn’t bother to look up as he approached. She kept her eyes fixed on the empty hardwood floor below, her entire posture stiff and defensive.
"You should be icing that left knee," Jaxon said, stopping right next to her row.
Kira’s eyelids flickered. Her piercing, sub-zero gaze locked directly onto Jaxon, her expression entirely unreadable.
"I don’t know who the hell you are," Kira said, her voice smooth, low, and incredibly icy. "And my knee is perfectly fine."
"Don’t lie to the man who literally owns the floor you play on," Jaxon replied smoothly, his eyes perfectly steady as he met her glare. "You have a severe, acute patellar tendon tear. You’re currently flooding your system with prescription painkillers just to walk without a visible limp. One more full-court sprint, and your career is permanently over."
Kira’s breath hitched slightly, but her striking face remained stone-cold, refusing to show a single crack in her armor.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice dropping an octave.
"Your current Vance Sports Group contract contains a clause that completely traps you the moment you fail a team medical check," Jaxon said, taking a deliberate step closer to the bleacher. "I’m offering a full corporate buyout. I will hire the world’s top experimental orthopedic surgeons to fix your knee permanently. Every single cent paid directly out of my pocket."
A heavy silence fell over the empty bleachers.
Kira didn’t smile. She didn’t offer a single word of gratitude.
Instead, her dark eyes turned exceptionally sharp.
Step.
She stood up from the wooden bench, closing the distance between them until she was standing just inches away from his face. Her mature, voluptuous chest rose and fell in short, shallow hitves as her cold aura filled his personal space, her impressive height matching his gaze.
Slowly, Kira raised her right hand. She pressed a single, sharp manicured fingernail directly against the center of Jaxon’s chest, right over his heart.
"You think a drop of cash solves everything, new owner?" Kira whispered, her voice a low, chilling purr that vibrated against his chest. "You have absolutely no idea what kind of dark operations the Vance family really runs behind the scenes. You touch my contract... and you won’t live to see the end of the week."