CHAPTER 015

Lucas grips my wrist, his hold firm but not painful, dragging me down a dimly lit hallway away from the main house. The air outside is thick with tension, pressing against my skin like an invisible weight.

"You need to be somewhere safe," he mutters, his voice edged with urgency. "You're not safe in that house, Eva."

I yank my arm free. "Safe? There is no safe place here, Lucas! Someone left a bloody handprint on my door! There was a murderous incident! How am I supposed to believe I'm safe anywhere?"

His jaw tightens, his blue eyes dark with something unreadable. "That's why we have to move. Someone inside that house is orchestrating this. And I think they want you gone."

A shiver crawls down my spine. "What are you saying? That one of the Carters—"

Nothing occurs in that house without someone controlling the strings. And right now, you're tangled in them."

I want to argue, to call him paranoid, but deep down, I know he's right. This doesn't feel random. It feels personal.

He leads me to a secluded guest house at the edge of the estate, hidden behind towering trees. Inside, the air is warmer, scented faintly with old books and cedarwood. He shuts the door behind us and leans against it, exhaling sharply.

"You're staying here tonight. No arguments."

I fold my arms. "You don't get to decide that."

"Someone is trying to scare you, Eva. And I'm not going to let them succeed."

"Why do you even care?" The words slip out before I can stop them, sharp and accusing. "Ryan made it very clear who I belong to. So why are you playing my protector?"

His eyes flash. "You don't belong to him."

A bitter laugh escapes me. "That's not what he thinks. And if you keep stepping in, it's only going to make things worse."

Lucas steps closer, his body a wall of warmth and tension. "Let me worry about Ryan."

The air between us thickens; it's electric and dangerous. I should move away. I should put space between us. But I don't.

"You don't get it, do you?" I whisper. "You standing here, acting like you care—it only confuses me more."

"And what if I do care?" His voice is low and rough. "What if I've always cared?"

My heart slams against my ribs. "Then that would be a problem."

"Why?"

"Because I don't trust you. You consistently draw me in and push me away. Because this—" I motion between us, desperate to break whatever spell is wrapping around us. "This is dangerous."

His hand lifts, fingers brushing against my cheek. "Everything about us has always been dangerous."

I don't know who moves first. One second, we're staring at each other, breathing the same air. The next, his lips crush against mine, hot and demanding. A gasp escapes me, swallowed by his kiss. His hands grip my waist, pulling me against him, and suddenly, I can't think. Can't breathe. Only feel.

The kiss is nothing like I expected—if I ever let myself expect it at all. It's rough, desperate, and full of frustration and hunger. Like he's trying to prove something. Or maybe forget something.

My hands tangle in his hair, fingers tightening as heat coils low in my stomach. I shouldn't want this. I shouldn't want him. But I do.

He groans against my lips, deepening the kiss, his hands roaming up my back. I arch into him, my body betraying every logical thought screaming at me to stop.

But then I do stop.

I break away, panting, my fingers still curled into his shirt.

"This is wrong," I whisper, my lips tingling.

Lucas exhales sharply, his forehead resting against mine. "Then why does it feel so right?"

I don't get a chance to answer.

A deafening crash shatters the moment. The estate alarms blare, loud and shrill. Every muscle in my body tenses. Lucas stiffens, his head snapping toward the door.

Then, a voice shouts from outside. "We've found another body!"

A cold wave of fear drowns me. My blood turns to ice.

Lucas grips my hand. "Stay close."

I barely nod before we move, racing into the night toward whatever horror awaits us next.

And deep down, I know—this is just the beginning.