Chapter Three

As I stepped in, someone moved with a speed that defied physics. Before I could even gasp, I was slammed back. My spine hit the wall with a jarring thud, and the cold, unmistakable press of metal was shoved against my temple.

"What are you doing here? Who sent you? Who are you working for?"

The voice was a low, lethal growl that vibrated through my very bones. I went still. This wasn't the first time I'd looked down the barrel of a weapon; surviving the Velvet Eclipse and Jace’s erratic temper had made near-death experiences feel like an old, twisted habit.

But something was different this time. It wasn't just the gun. It was the sheer, overwhelming heat of the man pinning me. Even in the shadows, I could see the flexed muscles of his chest, a dark map of ink covering his skin. My heart wasn't racing from fear—it was racing because, God help me, I was getting wet. Being this close to him, smelling the whiskey and leather on his breath, felt like standing too close to a wildfire.

Damon.

His dark eyes raked over my body, searching for a threat but finding only a woman in a dress that was far too short. For a heartbeat, the air between us turned electric. Then, the realization seemed to flood his memory. His face contorted, recognizing the nuisance he’d been forced to live with.

"Scarlett?"

I didn't think; I just reacted. I screamed my lungs out—not because I was actually scared, but because I knew exactly what I needed to do to break this suffocating tension.

The silence of the penthouse shattered. Within seconds, the sound of heavy footsteps thundered down the hall, and the rest of the brothers came rushing in.

"What the...?" Theo stopped in the doorway, looking puzzled as his gaze bounced between us.

"Damon, put it away," Lucien commanded, his voice slicing through the room with business-like precision. "No harm is to come to her, unless you want our entire inheritance to go to a group of orphanages."

Even in a moment of life and death, Lucien was thinking about the bottom line.

"Bro, just let her go," Kai added, his voice bored but firm. He stepped forward and partially dragged me out of Damon’s grip.

Damon was so massive that as he let go, I felt like I’d been suspended in mid-air; my toes only just touched the floor as I regained my balance. He raked his eyes over me one last time, a look of pure disdain crossing his features. He clicked his teeth in annoyance and tossed the gun onto the rumpled black sheets of his bed.

"Don't come wandering around here again," he warned, his green eyes flashing with a silent threat. "Do you hear me?"

He wanted me to tremble. He wanted me to cower. But what he didn't know was that I’m a moth, and I’ve always found the flames irresistible.

"Are you not meant to be apologizing for handling me so... unladylike?" I asked, my voice surprisingly steady. I stood on my tip-toes, forcing myself into his personal space to meet his gaze head-on.

Theo let out a low whistle from the doorway. "Our bratty Cinderella has got some nerves."

Damon’s lips pulled back into a slow, dangerous grin as the lights finally illuminated the room. It was the first time he’d been challenged, I guessed—and by a "pretty little girl" he clearly hadn't expected it from. The green of his eyes glistened, predatory and hungry.

Before I could see his next move, Lucien’s hand clamped onto my arm. He didn't ask; he just dragged me out into the corridor.

"What did I tell you about crossing into this wing?" he demanded, leaning in so close that his height felt like a physical weight meant to intimidate me.

"How am I supposed to know where I am when every room looks identical?" I shot back, gesturing wildly at the sprawling, monochromatic luxury of the tower. "It's not like you provided a map to navigate this labyrinth."

"She's right, Luce," Theo piped up, flashing me a set of perfect, dazzling teeth. "If I were new here, I'd probably get lost in my own closet."

"Whatever," Lucien snapped, dismissing the conversation. "Get to bed. You’re going to be busy starting tomorrow. If you want to be stuck in this damn penthouse with us for twelve fucking months, you're never going to be idle."

"What use will she even be to us?" Kai asked. He folded his arms, his muscles flexing beneath his shirt as he stared at me like I was a piece of trash that needed to be taken out.

I’d tried to stay focused, but looking at them all together was a dizzying experience. Kai was arguably the most handsome of the four—there was something about the way his wavy, dyed-brunette hair contrasted with those stormy blue eyes that made it hard to breathe. Damon was a close second, a tattooed Greek god with dark hair and those piercing green eyes. Lucien and Theo shared the family's striking features, but Kai... Kai stood out like a sharp blade.

"That will be decided tomorrow," Lucien said dismissively, already retreating toward his study. Workaholic didn't even begin to cover it.

Theo was already back on his phone, his mind clearly drifting toward whatever influencer or model he was planning to hook up with next. That left me alone in the massive, cold corridor with Kai.

"Scarlett..."

The way my name rolled off his tongue made my skin prickle. It sounded like a prayer and a curse all at once.

"Whatever games you think you're playing," he whispered, stepping closer until I could feel the cold aura radiating off him. "Just know we're always two steps ahead of you. Enjoy the luxury while you can, because we will find a way to throw you out of here and dissolve that will."

He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving me shivering in the hallway. It dawned on me then, more clearly than ever—this wasn't going to be a game of house. This was a war. They hated me, especially Kai, and they weren't going to stop until I was broken.

I stumbled back to my own room, my head spinning. I reached the bed and slumped onto the silk covers, my mind a mess of green eyes, blue glares, and the cold weight of a gun.

I didn't know what I was thinking when I accepted this. I had stepped into the cage, and the locks had already clicked into place.