Chapter 005

Janessa's POV

My first actual day at Berkeley did not start the way I had envisioned it over the last six months.

Instead of waking up in a cute dorm room and casually walking to class with a coffee, I woke up in the modern, freezing guest room of a hockey captain who looked like he could snap me in half. And to top it all off, he was currently driving me to campus.

This was kinda surprising because I honestly expected him to leave me on the curb or tell me to call an Uber. When I dragged myself into the kitchen, he was already standing by the door, keys jingling, looking completely impatient. He didn't even ask if I was ready; he just walked out, expecting me to follow.

Now, I was sitting in the passenger seat of his massive, blacked-out SUV, staring out the window as the campus buildings appeared. The silence inside the car was suffocating. Brayden had his hands gripped tightly on the steering wheel, his jaw set, completely ignoring me.

I shifted in my seat, turning slightly toward him. "Hey. Can I ask you something?"

"No," he said, his voice flat and unbothered. He didn't even blink.

"I'm going to ask anyway," I said, leaning my head against the headrest. "Why aren't you on good terms with your brothers? Like, at all?"

Brayden kept his eyes locked on the road, but his knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. A smirk touched his lips. "Why? You hate me too?"

"No," I said, the word slipping out. I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling awkward under his silence. "I don't hate you; I'm just curious. Trevor never talks about you, and Caleb didn't seem thrilled to hear your name either, so there’s clearly a massive wall between you guys."

"It's nothing you should bother yourself with," he muttered, slowing down for a traffic light. "Go to your classes, stay out of trouble, and don't worry about my family."

"I have time," I pushed, crossing my arms. "The drive isn't short, and honestly, I'd rather know what kind of mess I'm walking into if I'm staying under your roof."

Brayden stopped the car at the red light. He slowly turned his head and looked at me blankly for a whole minute. His dark eyes were unreadable, shielding whatever mess was going on inside his head. It felt like he was weighing whether to snap at me or just kick me out.

"I don't have the energy to tell it," he finally said, his tone quieter, almost exhausted, before looking back at the road as the light changed.

I let out a tiny breath and decided to drop it for now. There was clearly a lot of history there, and I could only imagine the family mess he grew up in.

A few minutes later, we pulled into the main parking lot of the campus. It was packed. Students were walking everywhere, laughing, and soaking in the sun. A wave of excitement washed over me, pushing the awkward car ride out of my mind. This was it: my first day.

We pulled over near the edge of the lot, and I immediately unbuckled my seatbelt, ready to jump out.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, grabbing my bag.

I opened the passenger door and stepped out onto the asphalt, only to instantly freeze.

Walking straight toward the SUV, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips and a cocky smirk on his face, was Caleb. This was the older brother who was supposed to take care of me, the one who was hooking up while a party raged just hours ago.

My stomach dropped.

Caleb took a long drag from his cigarette, blowing the smoke out into the morning air as he stopped right in front of the passenger door. He looked me up and down, his eyes lingering a little too long, before looking over my head toward the driver's seat.

Brayden opened his door and stepped out, standing tall on the other side of the SUV. The tension between the two brothers instantly skyrocketed, making the air feel electric.

"What are you doing with the girl?" Caleb asked, his voice arrogant as he flicked ash onto the pavement.

"None of your business," Brayden snapped back, his voice dangerous and low. He didn't even hesitate, walking around the car to stand a few feet from his older brother.

Caleb let out a dry, irritating chuckle and took another step forward. "I don't think so, little bro. I was supposed to house her; it's my responsibility to care for her. You might as well go fuck yourself in hell and hand over her bags."

I stared at Caleb, disgusted. Responsibility? He didn't care about me last night; he just wanted to save face because Trevor would yell at him if he heard of any of this.

Brayden didn't look angry. Instead, a dark, wicked laugh bubbled up from his chest. He took a final step forward, towering over Caleb, his frame giving off the aggressive energy of a hockey captain ready to fight.

"Sucks to be you cause she's staying with me," Brayden said, his voice calm but laced with venom. He leaned in closer, his eyes flashing with a terrifying, protective darkness. "I dare you to lay a finger on her, big brother."

Uh-oh.