The Miles mansion garden was alive with shadows and lantern light, the scent of roses mingling with the cool night air. Kaylee walked along the stone path, heels clicking softly against the marble, her arms crossed. Despite the soft glow and calm night, a storm of nerves and adrenaline pulsed through her veins.
"You don't own me," she said aloud, though the words were meant for the four identical figures who had silently appeared behind her. Their eyes followed her every movement, unblinking, united in their silent obsession.
Kadeem chuckled softly, pacing like a predator. Kadin crouched by the fountain, studying her like a puzzle. Kayden leaned against the marble edge, unreadable.
And Kaden—the ever-smiling one—stepped forward, hands casually in his pockets, his grin calm but deadly.
"You can fight it all you want," Kaden murmured, voice smooth as silk, deadly in its quiet certainty. "But fighting us only makes you more ours."
Kaylee's chest heaved. She hated how her pulse jumped, hated the way his smile made her feel trapped—but she refused to show fear.
"You're delusional," she snapped. "Stay out of my way."
Brushing past them, she continued down the path, the brothers silently observing, no words exchanged. She belonged to all four of them—they didn't need to fight or argue to prove it.
⸻
Saturday Morning
Kaylee woke earlier than usual, desperate for space. Pulling on her sneakers, she slipped out of the mansion for her usual morning run. The streets were cool and empty, the air fresh with dawn.
She had barely turned the corner when someone called out.
"Hey—Kaylee, right?"
She didn't stop. Her pace quickened as Jackson jogged toward her, his smile bright and careless.
"Good morning," he tried again, falling into step beside her.
Kaylee kept her eyes forward, headphones in though no music played. She didn't respond, didn't even glance at him. After a few more ignored attempts, Jackson slowed, watching her disappear down the street.
⸻
On her way back, she wasn't as lucky.
She turned a corner and nearly collided with him. Jackson steadied her by the arm, his grin still in place.
"Guess you can't avoid me forever," he teased.
She pulled her arm free. "Move."
But Jackson only tilted his head, still trying to charm her. "I'm just trying to get to know you. No harm in that, right?"
Jackson, however, felt it—a pair of unseen eyes on him. He scanned the quad casually, but nothing seemed out of place. A small shiver ran down his spine, though he brushed it off with a laugh. Probably just nerves.
What he didn't realize was that he wasn't alone.
Kayden stood a little ways off, leaning against a tree in the shade. His dark gaze never left them. He didn't speak, didn't move, and Jackson, too focused on Kaylee, never once noticed him.
Her jaw tightened, irritation sparking—but before she could speak, another voice cut through.
"Walk away."
From another angle, Kaden finally stepped forward, his grin calm but edged with steel.
He stood a few feet away, posture relaxed, but his grin carried something sharp. His eyes locked on Jackson with quiet threat.
Jackson blinked, caught off guard. "And you are…?"
Kaden's smile widened, though his voice stayed calm. "The last person you want to test."
"Stay away from her," he warned. "She's ours. And I don't give warnings twice."
For a moment, silence pressed heavy between them. Kayden lingered behind, saying nothing—but his stare alone was enough to suffocate.
Jackson blinked at him, startled, but still smirked, brushing it off as arrogance.
"Sure, man. Whatever you say." He stepped back, hands in his pockets, walking off with forced nonchalance.
He walked away, clueless. Even then, he didn't realize Kayden was still there—silent in the shade, his dark gaze burning holes into Jackson's back.
Kaylee's chest was tight as she slipped past the brothers, pretending she wasn't shaken. But inside, she knew—Kaden never gave warnings twice.
⸻
Later That Morning
After her bath, Kaylee stepped out of her room, freshly changed, her hair pulled back neatly as she walked into the sitting room. The sight that greeted her stopped her for a second—the Knights were gathered near the door, clearly preparing to leave.
Her lips curved into a mocking smile. "Ahh, finally. The uninvited guests are leaving."
All four of them turned at once. Their identical stares pinned her where she stood.
Kayden was the one who answered, his voice calm and low, carrying that quiet arrogance only he could pull off.
"I know how pained you are right now that we're leaving," he said, gaze steady on hers. "But we've got important things to deal with, Bambi."
Her lips parted in protest, but she quickly masked it with a scoff. "Pained? You wish."
He smirked, and without another word, they left.
The door clicked shut, leaving behind a silence that felt heavier than it should have. Kaylee exhaled slowly, her arms dropping to her sides. She hated to admit it, but the mansion felt colder without them.
⸻
Sunday Evening
When she finally returned to her dorm, her friends were waiting, arms crossed, grins wide.
"Where have you been all weekend?" Zara demanded.
"Don't tell me you were with them," Mia teased, gasping dramatically.
Kaylee froze mid-step. Them. She didn't have to ask who.
"The Knights," Tiana said with a smirk, waving her phone. "Don't pretend, Kaylee. We saw the group chat. The pictures don't lie."
Her bag slipped from her shoulder as she sighed, forcing calm into her voice. "It wasn't that serious. They just… showed up. Ate half my food, made a mess of everything, and wouldn't leave."
Her friends burst into laughter, zooming in on the photos again, teasing about how identical and unfairly perfect the brothers looked. But Kaylee only smiled faintly, giving them the light version—the chaos, the harmless parts.
Not the whispers.
Not the threat.
Later that night, when her friends slept, she lay awake staring at the ceiling. The garden, Kaden's warning, the brothers' stares replayed in her mind.
If he doesn't back off… we'll deal with him.
She swallowed hard. Jackson thought he was just being bold.
He didn't realize he was already marked.