1 - COLISSION

JASLYN'S POV

The iron gates of the Blackwood estate loomed over my beat-up sedan. I stared through my dusty windshield at the towering metal bars and let out a long sigh. I pressed the intercom button on the security keypad and waited in the stifling summer heat.

"State your business," a gruff voice crackled through the speaker.

"Jaslyn Carter," I answered, leaning out the window. "I am Vanessa Carter's daughter. Well, I guess she is Vanessa Blackwood now. I am supposed to be moving in today."

The heavy gates groaned and slowly swung open to reveal a massive property. I put the car in drive and rolled up the long, winding driveway. The landscaping was pristine, and tall oak trees cast long shadows over the manicured lawns. I parked my car near the side of the towering stone mansion and killed the engine.

I sat in the driver's seat for a moment before I pulled out my phone. I dialed Paige's number, and she answered on the second ring.

"Are you at the billionaire compound yet?" Paige asked over the background noise of clinking dishes.

"I am parked in the driveway," I said, rubbing my temples. "I am going to drop this heavy box, Paige. When I do, I am blaming you for not coming over here to help me."

"Hey, I offered to help," Paige laughed. "You were the one who told me you had it handled. Besides, I have a shift at the diner in twenty minutes. Are you going inside?"

"I have to get my things out of the trunk first," I muttered while I opened my car door and stepped into the heat. "This place is ridiculous. It is a very stupid, very unnecessary mansion."

"Your mom married the CEO of Blackwood Global, so you are basically royalty now. Stop complaining and enjoy the rich life."

"I still cannot believe she actually married him," I said, popping the trunk to grab the largest cardboard box. "They only dated for a few months."

"Vanessa moves fast when there is a billionaire involved," Paige pointed out.

"She has been chasing a payday since I was born, but I just wish she had left me out of it."

"You get free tuition out of it, right?"

"I do not want his money," I replied, wedging the phone between my ear and my shoulder so I could lift the box with both hands. "I am working at the campus library so I can pay for my own things. I just want to get through my freshman year, save up enough money, and move into a normal apartment. I cannot stand relying on Vanessa or whatever new guy she has her hooks in."

"Damien Blackwood is not just some guy, Jaslyn. He is loaded. Have you even met him yet?"

"No, and I do not care to. Vanessa probably has him inside drinking champagne right now while I am out here hauling my own belongings up these ridiculous marble stairs."

"You are crazy, Jaslyn. I would be ordering room service in that mansion right now. Well, call me when you get inside and tell me if they have a gold toilet or something."

"Goodbye, Paige." I rolled my eyes and let the phone slip from my shoulder into my pocket.

I was left alone with the silence of the massive driveway. The Blackwood estate was intimidating. The pristine white marble steps stretched up toward a set of double doors that looked heavy enough to keep an army out. I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead with the back of my wrist and adjusted my grip on the heavy box.

"Just a few more steps," I told myself out loud. "Just get this inside, find whatever room they threw you in, and lock the door."

I started making my way up the wide staircase. The sun was beating down on my back, and my cheap denim shorts and oversized t-shirt stuck to my skin. I resented the fact that I was doing this alone, but Vanessa had made it very clear that I was not supposed to bother the staff on moving day. She wanted me out of sight and out of mind so she could play the perfect new wife without any distractions.

"Fucking ridiculous," I muttered under my breath as I climbed higher. "Who needs this many stairs? Do they host mountain climbing events on the weekends?"

I reached the middle of the staircase and paused to catch my breath. The box was filled with heavy textbooks, winter clothes, and framed photos that I could not bring myself to throw away, and my arms were shaking from the strain.

"Okay, let's go," I huffed.

I took another step. The smooth marble was slick under my worn-out sneakers, so I tried to shift the weight of the box to my right side. My sweaty palms slipped against the smooth tape holding the cardboard together.

"No, no, no," I stammered, frantically trying to adjust my grip.

It was too late. The box slid out of my hands and crashed onto the stairs. The impact knocked me off balance. My foot slipped off the edge of the marble step, and gravity instantly took over.

I threw my arms out to catch myself, fully expecting the brutal impact of my skull hitting the hard stone, so I squeezed my eyes shut and braced for the pain.

But the pain never came.

Instead of hitting the stairs, I crashed backward into a solid, unyielding chest.

Before I could even process what was happening, two massive hands clamped down on my waist. The grip was firm and bruising, and the hands stopped my fall instantly.

My breath hitched in my throat because a sudden, overwhelming scent surrounded me. It was a heavy mix of pine, rain, and dark earth. The scent was raw and wild, and it sent a strange heat rushing through my veins.

Then, the hands squeezed my waist a fraction tighter.

The moment his skin touched mine through the thin fabric of my shirt, a violent jolt of static electricity shot straight up my spine. A massive shock burned through my nerves, and I gasped out loud. My heart slammed against my ribs in sheer panic.

"What the—" I started to say, scrambling to find my footing.

I twisted around and looked up over my shoulder to see who had caught me, but the words died in my throat.

I was staring up at a man who was easily a foot taller than me. He had dark, messy hair and a very sharp jawline. It was his eyes that made my blood run cold.

For a fraction of a second, his eyes were not human. They flashed a brilliant, terrifying amber in the sunlight. The sheer intensity in his stare was paralyzing, and he looked at me with a mix of shock and raw hunger that I had never seen on another person's face.

I tried to step back, but my legs felt frozen. "I... I am sorry," I stuttered, my voice barely a whisper. "I lost my balance."

The strange moment shattered. The man's jaw clenched so tight I heard his teeth grind together. The amber color vanished from his eyes, and a cold, furious hazel replaced the strange light. His face twisted in visceral disgust.

He did not just let me go. He violently shoved me forward.

The force of his hands made me stumble over the fallen box, and I had to catch myself on the stone railing to keep from falling down the stairs again.

He stepped around the scattered cardboard and glared down at me with pure venom.

"Get the fuck off me."