Jayden

I woke up to the strong smell of something warm and expensive clouding my nose—woodsy, smoky and a little sweet. It reminded me of oud wood. I scrunched my nose and shifted a little, trying to figure out where it was coming from. That’s when I realized I couldn’t move.

I cracked my eyes open and blinked into the curve of someone’s neck. Zane’s neck. His arms were wrapped tightly around me, holding me against him like he wasn’t planning on letting go anytime soon.

My heart started hammering as I realized just how close we were. When did this happen? How did I not wake up before now?

Carefully, I tilted my head up to get a better look at him. Even asleep, he looked like something straight out of a painting, strong jaw, messy hair, and that annoyingly perfect mouth. I don’t even know how long I stared before my hand started moving on its own, reaching up to brush a strand of hair off his forehead.

“Which part of my face do you like the most?” he asked, his voice low and rough with sleep.

Every muscle in my body went still.

He opened his eyes, and looked straight into mine like he could tell if I lied or not.

I immediately tried wriggling out of his hold, but he only tightened his arms. This was so embarrassing.

“I wasn’t looking at your face,” I blurted out.

He chuckled, deep and lazy, like he found all of this hilarious. He then brought his hand forward and pushed a strand of hair, which I was very sure wasn’t there, off my forehead.

“What were you looking at then?” he asked, smiling slightly.

“Nothing,” I muttered, still refusing to meet his eyes. “I just woke up and… wanted to wake you so you could let go, you were…” I squirmed, trying to make a point, “…holding me.”

“Didn’t hear you complain last night,” he teased.

I shot him a look, face burning, “That’s because I was sleeping.”

Zane just smirked, and somehow that was worse than if he had argued.

“How did we even… end up like this?” I asked, trying to sound casual even though my voice cracked halfway through.

“You fell asleep first,” he said easily, like it was obvious. “Then you rolled into me.”

“I did not,” I muttered under my breath.

“You did.” And he grinned.

Ugh. This was so embarrassing and I had nowhere to hide my face.

“Can you let go now?” I pleaded.

“No. You rolled into me first,” he said smugly.

“And now I’m asking you nicely to please roll me out.” I said, trying so hard not to sound angry.

“I thought you liked it,” he teased, “even tho my hands fell asleep holding you all night.”

“Please.” I begged. I was about to combust from pure secondhand embarrassment.

He just let out another deep chuckle and then stared at me. I felt like I would melt under his gaze. I needed a savior.

Immediately, the door swung open and Lucien walked into the room, stopping to look between us like he’d walked into a crime scene, “What’s going on here?”

Bless him.

I wriggled hard one last time, and Zane finally let go. I practically flew out of the bed, putting distance between us.

Zane’s face slipped back into his usual hard, unreadable mask.

“Zane, what did he do to you? Did you figure it out?” Lucien asked, looking at me like I was something dangerous.

“I don’t know what he did, but I fell asleep.” He replied.

My jaw dropped. “What?”

“How is that even possible? I didn’t do anything. I even fell asleep first.” I said, trying to explain myself to Lucien who looked like he could snap my neck any second from now.

“I think it’s his scent.” Zane said, standing up from the bed now. “The last thing I remember was his scent filling me.”

“My scent? What, like a perfume?”

And they both turn to look at me like I was a dangerous creature.

Damn.

I wish the ground would open up and swallow me. At this point, I actually miss my chasers. At least I could outrun them, but I can’t with these two massive men.

I did the only thing I could think of. “I’m sorry.” I apologized. “I didn’t mean to do any of that. I don’t even know what I’m doing or what I did. I promise to stay out of your room. Can I go now?” my voice was breaking at this point, but I didn’t even care anymore.

I had no one on my side. Never did. And that has been my case for the past fifteen years.

Lucien still looked like he was two seconds away from tossing me out the window, but Zane’s expression had shifted. It wasn’t exactly soft, but it wasn’t hard either. Just... unreadable. Which somehow felt worse.

“No one’s kicking you out,” Zane said finally, his voice low and even.

I blinked at him, not sure if I heard right. My body was still tensed, ready to run, but his words made me freeze. Was this a trick? Some rich-people mind game I didn’t know how to play?

Lucien, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to argue. Badly. But one glance from Zane shut him up instantly. Guess I wasn’t the only one who had no clue what Zane was thinking.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Zane added, moving towards me, towering over me without even trying. “You’re not in trouble.”

I swallowed hard, my throat burning. I wasn’t used to this—people not yelling, not threatening or chasing.

“Just... breathe,” Zane said, softer this time. “You’re safe here, Jayden.”

Safe.

The word hit me harder than anything else. Like a sucker punch straight to the chest. I didn’t even realize my fists were clenched until Zane’s hand brushed against mine, light, careful, almost like he was asking for permission without saying it.

I pulled back instinctively. Old habits die hard, and trust wasn’t something I could just hand out like candy.

Zane didn’t push. He just stepped back, giving me space.

Respecting it.

“We’ll figure it out,” he said simply, as if it was obvious, as if it was already decided.

I stood there like an idiot, half-expecting the dream to pop like a bubble any second now.

Lucien muttered something under his breath and stalked out of the room, leaving me alone with Zane. The silence that followed wasn’t heavy, though. It was... different. Almost weirdly comfortable, if that made sense.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to do. So, I just nodded awkwardly and kept my head down, waiting for Zane to change his mind and realize I wasn’t worth the trouble.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he said, "Breakfast is in twenty. Meet me downstairs."

Like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Like I belonged here.

I stood there for a second longer, trying to piece myself together, before finally dragging myself out of his room. I could still feel Zane’s gaze on my back.

I got to my room and went straight to the bathroom. I pressed my palms against the sink and stared into my reflection.

I needed to leave Nocturne City ASAP.