Chapter Ten

Scarlett’s POV

If Lucien was the ice and Damon was the shadow, Theo was the blinding, chaotic sun.

I stood at the edge of the photography set, clutching a tray of expensive lattes like my life depended on it. Theo had sent me out twenty minutes ago with a list of "very specific" caffeine requirements, and as I maneuvered through the maze of cables and lighting rigs, I couldn't help but wonder if I had traded a life of dancing for a life as a glorified, live-in maid.

Is this the Hart legacy? I thought bitterly. Boardrooms by night, barista by day?

I was so busy staring at the back of Theo’s head, watching him bask in the sighs and fawning looks of a dozen female assistants—that I didn't see the figure stepping out from behind a black velvet curtain.

I slammed into something solid. Hard.

The tray tilted, and the cups went flying. A dark, scalding wave of espresso and milk erupted, drenching the front of the man’s pristine, limited-edition white tech-wear hoodie.

The studio went silent. Even the camera shutter stopped clicking.

"Oh my god, I’m so sorry!" I blurted out, my heart dropping into my stomach as I looked up.

Kai.

He looked like he’d just crawled out of a dark server room, hoodie pulled up, heavy noise-canceling headphones around his neck, and a scowl that could wither a cactus. He didn't look at the mess on the floor. He looked down at the brown sludge dripping onto his chest, his jaw tightening until I thought his teeth might crack.

"Kai? What the hell are you doing here?" Theo called out from the center of the set, sounding more annoyed about his missing latte than my accident. "Are you here to monitor my movements? I told y'all I won't hook up with any hot ass bitch today?"

Kai didn't even acknowledge his brother. His short fuse was already smoking as he looked at me. Out of all the brothers, Kai was the one I found most devastatingly attractive.. he had this sharp, lean intensity and a face that looked like it was carved from marble by an angry god. But his temper? It was cold.

"You ruined the entire piece," Kai hissed, his voice a low rasp. "Do you have any idea what this cost? It hasn't even been released yet."

"I'll clean it! I have tissues.." I stepped forward, reaching out instinctively.

"Don't touch me," he snapped. Before I could draw another breath, his hand shot out. He grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward the back of the warehouse.

"Kai! Where are you taking her?" Theo shouted, though he didn't move to help. "She’s supposed to be babysitting me!"

Kai ignored him, dragging me into the male locker room. The heavy steel door slammed shut behind us with a finality that made my pulse spike. The air in here was humid and smelled of cedar and expensive cologne.

"What are you doing? Let go!" I protested, trying to wrench my arm free.

He didn't let go. He swung me around, pinning me against a cold metal locker. The clang echoed through the empty room. He leaned in, his body a solid, warm weight pressing against mine, trapping me in the small space between his arms.

"Clean it," he commanded, his voice vibrating against my skin.

"Here? Right now? Kai, I don't have.."

In one fluid, arrogant motion, he released me and grabbed the hem of his hoodie. He pulled it over his head in a second, tossing the soiled garment at my face. I caught it instinctively, but my breath hitched as I looked up.

He was shirtless. And he was… perfect. His muscles were toned, the kind of definition that came from a restless, high-voltage energy,, and for a second, I actually felt myself droop, my eyes tracing the lines of his chest.

Dammit, Scarlett. Stay focused.

He stepped into my space again, pinning me back against the locker. This time, he didn't leave any room for air. He leaned down, his face inches from mine, his nose brushing against the side of my neck. I could feel the heat of his skin, the frantic pulse in his throat.

"You're the little bird Lucien is so worried about," he whispered, his breath ghosting over my lips. "The one Damon thinks he owns. You don't look like much. Just a girl who smells like coffee and trouble."

He started to lean down, his eyes dropping to my mouth. My heart was thundering so loud I was sure he could feel it through my chest. I should have pushed him away, but I was paralyzed by the sheer, magnetic heat of him.

Just as his lips were a hair’s breadth from mine—

The door burst open.

"Scarlett! Honestly, you’re a terrible babysitter! I'm thirsty!" Theo’s voice rang out, sharp and petulant.

We snapped apart. Kai didn't look embarrassed; he just looked annoyed, like he’d been interrupted while solving a boring equation. I felt like my face was on fire.

Theo stood in the doorway, his arms crossed "Lucien assigned you to me. Not to the gremlin in the basement. If you’re busy drooling over Kai, who’s going to tell me how perfect my profile looks?"

Kai grabbed a spare shirt from a locker, pulling it on without breaking eye contact with me.

"I didn't come here for the show, Theo," Kai snapped. "I came to tell you the encryption on the gallery’s private server is garbage. Fix it, or I’ll shut the whole exhibit down myself."

He turned back to me, the arrogance returning tenfold. He snatched the soiled hoodie from my hands and then threw it back at my chest with a sneer.

"Clean it. Hand-wash only. I want it on my desk by tomorrow morning, spotless," he commanded. He leaned in one last time, whispering into my ear so only I could hear. "Don't get used to the view, Scarlett. I don't play well with others."

He walked out without a backward glance, leaving the room feeling ten degrees colder.

Theo let out a dramatic sigh, stepping toward me and flicking a piece of lint off my shoulder. "Don't mind him. Kai doesn't have a soul; he has a motherboard. Now, come on. We have three more outfits, and I still don't have my drink. You’re mine for the rest of the day, remember?"

I looked at the stained hoodie in my hands, then at the door where Kai had vanished. I had been in this house for less than a week, and I was already being pulled in four different directions by four different kinds of monsters.

And the worst part? I was starting to like the tension.