Chapter 7

The morning sun filtered through the stained glass windows of the Terrell estate foyer. Blaire dragged two heavy suitcases down the grand staircase, her muscles aching with every step. She had just tapped the confirmation button on her ride-sharing app, ensuring a yellow cab would be waiting at the curb in exactly two minutes.

She wore a thick turtleneck sweater, making sure the red marks from Kamryn and the bruise from Calhoun were completely hidden from view.

Just as her foot hit the marble floor of the lobby, the butler pulled the heavy front doors open. Kamryn Lane strode into the house, wearing a sharp silver-gray suit and bringing the morning chill with him. He had come specifically to deliver a final, brutal warning to Ewald Terrell regarding his family's pathetic entrapment schemes, but his cold eyes immediately locked onto the girl standing by the stairs.

Blaire froze. The wheels of her suitcase hit the floor with a dull thud. She stared at the intruder with wide, panicked eyes.

Kamryn saw her standing there with her luggage. One eyebrow twitched upward. A look of dark amusement crossed his face. He walked straight up to her and arrogantly announced that he was driving her to campus.

Blaire's mind went blank. She didn't know if this was a test, or if Danita had orchestrated this. Her survival instinct kicked in, and she stuttered out a firm refusal.

Kamryn ignored her words completely. He reached out to grab the handle of her suitcase. The sheer physical dominance of his presence made it impossible for her to pull away.

Right before his fingers touched the plastic handle, another large, pale hand shot out from the side and clamped down hard on the other side of the suitcase.

Calhoun appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He wore casual loungewear, but his eyes were like blocks of ice. He stared Kamryn down without an ounce of retreat.

Calhoun's voice was freezing and absolute. He told Kamryn not to bother, stating that it was his responsibility as her older brother to take her to school.

Kamryn narrowed his eyes. He instantly picked up on the possessive undertone in Calhoun's voice that crossed the line of brotherly care. A hostile, mocking smirk twisted Kamryn's lips.

The two alpha males stood in the massive foyer, locked in a silent war. The air pressure dropped so fast it felt like a physical weight on Blaire's chest. The tension crackled like live electricity.

Caught between the devil trying to buy her body and the brother with a sick obsession, Blaire felt a wave of absolute despair.

Kamryn suddenly let out a short laugh. He let go of the suitcase. He leaned in close to Blaire's ear and whispered a promise that they had plenty of time.

The words made Blaire's skin crawl. She jerked backward, straight into Calhoun's solid chest.

Calhoun immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him. It was a clear display of ownership. The heat radiating from his body through her sweater felt like a snake wrapping around her spine.

A loud, obnoxious car horn blared from the street outside, shattering the dangerous silence in the room.

Blaire looked past the open doors. A bright yellow New York taxi was idling by the curb. The driver was leaning out the window, smoking a cigarette.

The desperate need to survive overpowered her fear. Blaire violently shoved herself out of Calhoun's grip. She yelled that her cab was here and she didn't need either of them.

Before the men could react, adrenaline flooded her veins. She grabbed the smaller suitcase, abandoned the large one, and sprinted out the front door like a hunted animal.

Kamryn and Calhoun were stunned for a fraction of a second. By the time they reached the doorway, Blaire was already at the cab.

She yanked the back door open, threw her bag onto the seat, and dove in after it. She screamed at the driver to step on the gas.

Sal Petrovic, the driver, jumped at her screaming. He took one look at the two terrifying men standing on the mansion steps and slammed his foot on the accelerator.

The tires screeched against the asphalt. The cab shot forward like a bullet.

Blaire collapsed against the vinyl backseat. She looked through the rear window. Kamryn and Calhoun stood side by side, growing smaller in the distance.

Kamryn's face was black with rage. He kicked a stone pillar violently. Calhoun stood perfectly still, his eyes locked onto the back of the cab like a sniper.

Once they turned the corner, Blaire realized her clothes were soaked with cold sweat. She took deep, greedy breaths of the stale air inside the cab.

Sal looked at her in the rearview mirror. He handed her a napkin and used his thick Brooklyn accent to joke about her running away from a wedding.

Blaire took the napkin and wiped her forehead. She didn't say a word. She just stared out the window at the blurry city streets. She only had one suitcase, and she had no idea what her future held, but for this brief moment, she was free.