Chapter 002

Janessa's POV

It was officially two in the morning, and I was sitting on my suitcase on the curb, freezing my butt off.

The California air was nothing like the warm paradise they show you in the movies. It was freezing, damp, and smelled like car exhaust and disappointment. I pulled my knees up to my chest, burying my face in my oversized hoodie, and just let the tears fall.

Berkeley was supposed to be my fresh start and my dream. I was supposed to move here, start classes, and finally feel like I was making something of my life.

Instead, I had been here for less than three hours, and I was already homeless, exhausted, and overwhelmed. I couldn't go back up to that apartment because my boyfriend’s brother couldn't even stop hooking up with a random girl to acknowledge me. The image of Caleb against that wall was burned into my brain, and humiliation washed over me every time I thought about it.

I took out my phone, my fingers shaking as I opened my texts with Trevor.

"Trevor, please call me. Your brother is insane. I can't stay here. I'm literally on the street."

No reply, of course. He was probably asleep back home, totally clueless that his brilliant plan had failed. I slumped my shoulders, feeling a lump form in my throat. I had never felt so alone in my entire life.

"Yo, look at this. What do we have here?"

I flinched and snapped my head up. Three guys were walking down the sidewalk toward me. They looked like college students, holding red solo cups and swaying a little. Great; just what I needed.

The guy in the front, wearing a backwards baseball cap, smirked as he looked me up and down. "Hey there, sweetheart. Why the waterworks? Did your boyfriend kick you out?"

"Leave me alone," I muttered, wiping my face quickly with my sleeve. I really wasn't in the mood for this.

They didn't leave; instead, they stepped closer, blocking my view of the street. The baseball cap guy leaned over, putting his hands on his knees.

"Come on, don't be like that," he said. "It's way too late for a pretty girl to be sitting all by herself. Why don't you come back to our place? We can have some real fun and cheer you right up."

The other two guys chuckled, nudging each other.

A switch flipped inside me. I was tired, freezing, and my dream was ruined, and now these pathetic, drunk guys thought they could treat me like some easy target. The sadness vanished, replaced by pure rage.

I stood up from my suitcase, crossed my arms, and looked the main guy dead in the eye.

"Are you actually blind, or does your brain just lack basic oxygen?" I snapped, my voice ringing out clearly. "Do I look like an amusement park to you? You look like you haven't washed that hat since middle school, you smell like cheap beer and regret, and honestly, you could only cheer up a trash can. Get your desperate selves away from me before I use this suitcase to break your jaw."

The guy's smirk vanished. He blinked, totally stunned that I had ripped into him like that, and his friends stopped laughing.

"Whoa, okay, crazy bitch," the guy muttered, stepping back and raising his hands.

"Yeah, keep walking," I hissed, glaring until they finally shuffled past me, whispering to each other.

Once they were down the block, I sat back down on my luggage, my heart pounding from the adrenaline. The anger drained out of me just as fast as it came, leaving me feeling even more exhausted and frustrated.

I covered my face with my hands because I wanted to scream and wake up from this nightmare.

Suddenly, a loud screech of tires echoed down the street.

I jumped, dropping my hands just in time to see a huge, blacked-out SUV tear around the corner and slam to a stop right in front of me. The headlights were blinding, and the engine purred like a beast, looking totally menacing sitting there.

My heart jumped into my throat, and I wondered if those guys were back with reinforcements.

The driver's side door clicked and swung open, and a tall figure stepped out into the street.

For a single, breath-taking second, my brain stopped working. My heart leaped into my chest.

"Trevor?" I gasped, the name slipping out.

It was the exact same face, the same sharp features, tall build, and messy hair. For a split second, I thought Trevor had somehow flown across the country just to rescue me.

But then the guy took a step closer, and the illusion shattered. It wasn't Trevor.

The eyes staring down at me weren't Trevor's warm, comforting ones. These were pitch black, completely freezing, and looked like they wanted to murder someone. His jaw was set tight, and the entire feeling coming off him was pure venom. He wore a dark leather jacket and had a dangerous, edgy vibe that Trevor didn't have.

This was Brayden, Trevor's twin brother. He was the family's black sheep, the one Trevor rarely talked about and the person I was told to avoid at all costs.

"Get up," Brayden growled, his deep, gravelly voice sending a shiver down my spine.

I stared at him, frozen. "What?"

"Are you deaf?" he snapped, walking to the back of the SUV and popping the trunk open. "I said get up. I don't have all night to waste playing savior on a street corner."

"What are you even doing here?" I asked, my voice small as I stood up from my suitcase.

Brayden marched over to me, grabbing my heavy luggage like it weighed nothing. He threw it into the trunk with a violent slam, then turned around, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked completely pissed off.

"Trevor talked about your coming to Caleb's on the fam’s GC. Figured you'd be stranded because obvi, Caleb's hosting a party," Brayden said, his tone full of annoyance. "If Trevor asks, I didn't help you. Only reason I'm doing this is because I've got a heart. Unfortunately."

I swallowed hard, looking at him. He honestly looked like he wanted to leave me on the curb just out of spite.

"I didn't ask you to come," I said defensively, trying to hold onto my dignity.

Brayden took a step closer, towering over me. I smelled leather and mint, and up close, his expression was intimidating.

"Great. Then stay out here and get harassed by more local creeps; see if I care," he said, turning back toward the driver's seat. He paused, looking over his shoulder with a cold glare. "Get in the car, Janessa. Before I change my mind and leave you to fend for yourself."

I looked at the open passenger door and then back at the dark, empty street. I didn't have a choice because I didn't have anywhere else to go.

Sighing, I walked over and climbed into the warm leather SUV, praying that I hadn't just traded one nightmare for an even worse one.