Chapter 003

Janessa's POV 

Walking into Brayden’s private condo was like stepping into an entirely different world.

I thought the campus area only had rowdy frat houses and cramped apartments like Caleb’s, but this place was super expensive. It was a massive loft with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the city lights. The condo had sleek matte-black counters and polished concrete floors, and it was spotless, smelling faintly of expensive cologne and laundry detergent.

On the far wall, a huge glass case held his hockey jersey, a sleek black stick, and a captain’s letter on the chest. Brayden wasn't just some college student getting by; he was the university's hockey captain, and clearly, he lived by different rules than his brothers.

He tossed my suitcase onto the floor near the entryway without any gentleness. "Rule number one," he started, leaning against the kitchen island with his arms crossed. "Don't touch my stuff. Rule number two, don't bring any of Caleb's trashy friends over here. And rule number three, stay out of my way."

I blinked, still shivering from the outside air. "Wow. Nice to meet you too, Brayden. Thanks for the warm welcome."

He let out a dry, humorless laugh that made my skin prickle. "I didn't invite you here for a pajama party, Janessa," he said. "I'm doing myself a favor so my mother doesn't flash me a red card for the umpteenth time this year. Frankly, I think the fact that you packed up your entire life and flew across the country without a solid roof over your head is completely stupid."

"I had a plan!" I snapped, my voice rising. "Trevor said Caleb’s apartment was fine. He told me it was all handled."

"And you actually believed him?" Brayden tilted his head, his dark eyes boring straight into mine. His gaze was intense, like he was stripping away every defense I had. "Jesus, you really are as naive as he is. Trevor lives in a fantasy world, and clearly, he’s dragged you right into it with him."

"Don't talk about him like that," I said, stepping forward even though I wanted to back away from how scary he was. "Trevor is a good guy, and he cares about me. Our relationship is built on actual respect, not whatever gross, temporary stuff Caleb and the rest of this campus are doing."

Brayden smirked, but there was no warmth in it. He took a slow step toward me, towering over me in the middle of his expensive kitchen. "Respect? Is that what you call it? Please. Your entire relationship with my brother is a joke."

"It is not a joke!"

"Janessa, come on," he mocked, his voice dropping into a dangerous, gravelly voice. "Everyone in the family knows about you two; Trevor treats you like you’re some fragile glass doll. What has it been, two years? And you guys haven't even crossed third base, am I wrong?"

My jaw dropped, and the heat rushed into my cheeks so fast I felt dizzy. "That is absolutely none of your business!"

"So I'm right," he said smoothly, a look of amusement flashing in his eyes. "You’re playing house with a guy who treats you like a nun, thinking it’s sweet, but it’s pathetic. He’s got you locked up in this cage of purity, and you’re smiling through the bars because you think it means he loves you."

His words hit me hard. It was rude and uncalled for, but it made me feel completely exposed. For years, I told myself that Trevor waiting and keeping things slow was romantic and a sign of his goodness. But standing here, that cage suddenly felt very real and very small.

"You don't know anything about us," I whispered, my voice shaking with anger and embarrassment.

"I know enough," Brayden said, instantly becoming totally indifferent. He straightened up, dismissing me with a wave of his hand. "Your room is down the hall to the left, and the bathroom is connected. Lock the door, stay inside, and let me get some sleep."

He didn't wait for me to reply. He just turned and walked down the opposite corridor, leaving me alone in the middle of his perfect, cold apartment.

I dragged my suitcase into the guest room, shutting the door firmly behind me. The room was sleek, with a huge bed and gray sheets. I dropped onto the floor next to my bags, my hands trembling as I grabbed a pair of sweatpants. I felt so lost.

Right as I pulled out a t-shirt, my phone started buzzing loudly in my pocket.

I pulled it out, and Trevor's caller ID flashed across the screen.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, taking a deep breath to stabilize my voice before pressing answer. "Hey," I managed.

"Janessa! Oh my god, babe, I'm so sorry," Trevor's voice flooded through the speaker, sounding frantic. "I fell asleep and my phone was on silent, and I just saw your texts about Caleb. Is everything okay? Did you land safely? Where are you right now?"

I looked around the dark, expensive guest room of the one person Trevor absolutely despised.

The rivalry between Trevor and Brayden wasn't just normal brotherly drama; it was deep and toxic. Trevor lost his mind whenever Brayden was involved. If I told Trevor I was sitting in Brayden's condo, he would completely freak out. I didn't have the energy to handle a huge family fight at two in the morning.

"Yeah," I lied, the word tasting like ash in my mouth. For the first time in our relationship, I was actively deceiving him. "Yeah, I'm safe. I landed fine."

"Thank god," Trevor exhaled a sigh of relief. "Where are you? Did you find a hotel or something? I can transfer you some money for the room; I’ll figure it out—"

"No, don't worry about it," I quickly interrupted, staring down at my sneakers. "A girl from the admissions office happened to be near the campus and helped me out. I'm staying at her place for the night, so it's totally fine, Trevor, really."

"Wow, seriously? That’s an actual miracle," he breathed, completely buying the story. "I was losing my mind, Janessa. I'm going to kill Caleb next time I see him; he purposely ruins everything. I'm just glad you're safe. I love you, okay?"

"I love you too," I murmured.

We hung up a few seconds later, and the silence settled over me like a suffocating blanket. I stared at the dark screen of my phone, feeling a hollow ache in my chest.

I had survived my first night in Berkeley. But as I crawled into the bed that belonged to my boyfriend’s bitter twin, I knew my fairytale was already starting to fracture.