Chapter Six

Aaira’s back was still against the bathroom door when Keiran finally stepped away. The room felt ten degrees hotter, the air thick with something she couldn’t name. Her heart was drumming so hard she thought Zora might hear it when she came back.

Keiran straightened, his expression shuttering. Whatever had flickered in his eyes a moment ago — hunger, frustration, something darker — was gone. In its place was the cool, controlled man she’d first met.

“Change back out of the uniform,” he said quietly. “Zora will help you with the rest.”

He didn’t wait for a reply. The door clicked behind him and she was alone again.

Aaira pressed her trembling fingers to her lips. They were bruised, tingling, her thoughts a tangle of confusion and something she refused to name. She’d never been kissed before. She’d never even been this close to a man before. And Keiran was…her uncle. Her guardian. The one person she was supposed to be safe with.

She had just finished changing back when Zora stepped in, eyes darting between Aaira and the uniform. “Everything okay?”

“Yes,” Aaira said too quickly, reaching for her clothes. “He just wanted to see the fit.”

Zora didn’t push. She stepped inside and began folding the uniform into a neat square. “Well, welcome to the jungle. Around here, you’ll learn fast about clothes, about men, about everything.” She tried a teasing smile. “And you’ll look damn good doing it.”

Aaira gave a faint laugh she didn’t feel. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be learning.”

Zora leaned one hip against the dresser. “For now? Just breathe. Tomorrow’s your first day at college. That’s enough of a lesson without anyone else adding to it.”

Aaira blinked. “College”. The words tasted foreign on her tongue.

“You'll do great, trust me.”

Aaira sat down hard on the edge of the bed. Her first day at a real college. Her first day to be surrounded by people her age who weren’t guards or servants. Her first day free…and yet she’d just been kissed by the man who controlled everything around her and she couldn't get it out of her head.

Zora squeezed her shoulder gently. “You’ll be fine. Just don’t let anyone there see you as weak.”

Aaira managed a small, shaky smile. “I won’t.”

Outside in the hall, unseen, Keiran paused at the door for a heartbeat before walking on. His jaw was tight, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He told himself it had been a mistake, that it wouldn’t happen again. But the ghost of her lips still burned against his mouth.

He slammed the door to his study shut and went straight for the decanter. The whiskey burned as he poured it down his throat, but it did nothing to cool the fire still running in his veins. He set the glass down hard enough for it to crack.

“I kissed her,” he muttered to himself. However, Jude heard him from across the room.

“You’ve lost your damn mind.”

Keiran didn’t have to turn. Jude was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes like steel.

Keiran gritted his teeth. “Not now, Jude.”

“Oh, now is exactly the time.” Jude stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. “You’ve been walking a tightrope ever since she moved in. Today you finally fell off.”

Keiran spun on him. “Watch your tone.”

“No.” Jude’s voice stayed even but unflinching. “I’m not talking to my boss, but my friend She’s your niece, Keiran. Hugo’s daughter. And you kissed her.”

Keiran’s jaw clenched. The image of her in that uniform, her wide eyes and trembling lips, flashed across his mind like a matchstrike. “I didn’t—” He stopped, fingers flexing at his sides. “It shouldn’t have happened.”

“But it did.” Jude came closer. “She shouldn't be a weakness to you. You'll be putting her life at risk.”

Keiran pressed his palms flat to the edge of the desk and leaned on it, head bowed. His voice was low. “I know.”

Jude studied him for a long moment. The hard edges of his anger softened just a little. “You’ve vowed to protect that girl from the second she walked through that door. Don’t become another man she needs protection from.”

Keiran’s fingers tightened on the wood. “I’m not going to touch her again.”

“Good.” Jude headed for the door, then paused with his hand on the knob. “Make sure you keep that promise. Because I won’t stand by and watch you ruin both your lives.”

The door clicked shut. Keiran sank into his chair, staring at the glass of whiskey, the faint tremor in his hands. He told himself Jude was right, that this would never happen again. But the memory of her soft gasp when his lips touched hers refused to fade.

“Fuck!” He screamed, throwing the glass at the wall.

~~~

Zora's humming filled the kitchen as the coffee simmered in the pot. She was already prepared for school. She wore a blue tee shirt with the school logo, and jean shorts.

The door opened and Keiran stepped in.

“Didn't get much sleep after that kiss did you?” she teased

He folded his arms and leaned against the counter. “Had to make sure you didn't spike the coffee. Last time you put sugar in it, it tasted like syrup.”

“Well, I was just trying to sweeten your grumpy old age,” she shrugged. She turned off the gas, poured some coffee in a cup and handed it to him. “So…about the kiss.”

“It was a mistake.” His tone told her the topic was closed. “Look after her.”

“Don't need to tell me twice.”

At that moment, Aaira stepped into the kitchen. She was in her uniform but did not bother to tuck in the shirt. With her hair in a ponytail and no makeup, Keiran could barely keep his eyes off her.

“I'll see you when you return. We'll begin your lessons fully.” With that he stepped out of the room, before he could lose control. He had been with lots of women. Older women who knew how to carry themselves and were experts at seduction.

But none of them made him feel what he felt just by looking at her.

~~~

Zora parked the car in the parking lot, and both girls stepped out.

Aaira stared at the crowded campus in awe. The main building loomed ahead. Glass and steel catching the morning sun , while a wide courtyard spread out in front, dotted with benches and trees. Students stood in groups of two or more, chatting and laughing. Some hurried toward their classes, clutching books and coffee cups, while others lounged against the railings, scrolling on their phones.

Everything felt loud and alive. Not like the hushed, polished world she’d grown up in. Her fingers tightened on the strap of her bag.

“Come on!” Zora hooked an arm through hers and pulled her along. “Don’t just stand there like a deer in headlights.”

“I wasn’t,” Aaira muttered, but her eyes kept flicking everywhere. Girls in designer clothes strutted past, hair glossy and perfect; boys with expensive watches and sports bags leaned lazily against cars that cost more than her father’s old house. Mixed in were students in plain uniforms like hers, moving briskly, quieter, as though trying not to take up too much space.

Zora noticed her glance and smirked. “Yeah, that’s the ‘elite’ crowd. Scholarships wear uniforms, elites wear whatever the hell they want. Don’t sweat it.”

“I’m not…” Aaira started, but trailed off. She really did feel small here.

Zora squeezed her arm. “You’ll get used to it. This place is basically a zoo. Everyone’s busy showing off, and no one cares unless you let them.”

They crossed the courtyard. Aaira’s heart thudded as eyes slid toward her. Some curious, some dismissive, some openly appraising. She tried to keep her chin up the way Keiran did, straight-backed and steady, but inside she felt like a child on her first day of school.

Zora kept up a stream of low chatter, pointing out buildings. “Admin’s over there. Cafeteria’s that way. This wing’s mostly for the business and law kids — total snobs, by the way. Stick with me, and you’ll be fine.”

A group of girls in designer blouses whispered behind their manicured hands as Aaira passed. She caught the words “new girl” and “pretty face” before Zora shot them a look that made them turn away.

“They’ll test you at first,” Zora muttered under her breath. “You’re new, you’re pretty, and you’re not acting scared enough. Don’t let them see you sweat.”

“I’m not scared,” Aaira said, though her voice was soft. “Just… it’s all different.”

“That’s normal.” Zora’s grin returned. “Now come on. Let’s get to class class before the bell rings.”

Aaira followed her toward the main hall, the sounds of laughter, footsteps, and the ringing of the campus clock swirling around her. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t the girl in the quiet house — she was just another student in a sea of faces. And yet, with every step, she felt eyes following her, as if even here she couldn’t escape the world she’d been born into.

Zora took her up thousands of stairs before they got to the Medical floor.

*First class, biology.” Zora said, pulling her towards the second door.

The chatter in the class stopped immediately they walked in. A group of girls in matching channel outfits walked up to them.

“Who's this tramp, you brought to our class Zora?” Jenna asked with a sneer.

“At least I'm sensible enough to know that this particular channel outfit has been off the market for two years now. Don't be a baddie if you can't follow up the trend.”

With that she walked to a seat at the back of the class and sat down, leaving the whole class in awe