Aria's POV
"I'm going to kill you for dragging me here," I hissed at Maya as champagne splashed onto my shoes—again. Some blonde girl in a dress that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe stumbled past without apologizing.
"Stop being dramatic," Maya laughed, pulling me deeper into the penthouse. Music pounded so loud I felt it in my chest. "You need this. You've been locked in our dorm for three weeks straight."
She wasn't wrong. Ever since we moved to New York for our senior year at Columbia, I'd barely left campus. Old habits. When you've spent three years looking over your shoulder, parties feel dangerous.
"Besides," Maya continued, her dark eyes sparkling with mischief, "rich people throw the best parties. Free expensive alcohol, gorgeous views, and—" She gasped, grabbing my arm. "Oh my God, is that Brandon Chen? The Brandon Chen?"
I had no idea who that was.
Maya squealed and disappeared into the crowd, leaving me alone. Typical. I pressed myself against the wall, trying to become invisible. That was my superpower—blending in. Not being noticed. It's how I'd survived.
The penthouse was massive, all floor-to-ceiling windows showing off the Manhattan skyline. People laughed too loud, drank too much, and acted like they owned the world. Maybe they did. Everyone here looked rich, confident, and completely comfortable.
I was none of those things.
My phone buzzed. Mom calling. Again. I declined it. She'd only want to gush about Victor, her new boyfriend. The one she was already talking about marrying after three months. Mom collected rich men like other people collected stamps. This would be engagement number five.
I grabbed a drink from a passing waiter just to have something to hold. The glass was cold against my sweaty palms.
That's when I felt it.
Eyes on me.
Not the casual glances I'd been getting. This was different. Intense. Like being pinned under a spotlight.
I looked up and my breath caught.
A man stood across the room, and he was staring directly at me.
Not a boy. A man. Mid-twenties, maybe older. He had dark hair that fell slightly over his forehead, strong jaw, and a body that screamed dangerous even in expensive clothes. But it was his eyes that stopped me cold. Gray. Sharp. They cut through the crowd like he could see straight into my soul.
Tattoos crawled up his neck, disappearing under his collar.
He didn't look away when I caught him staring. Instead, his mouth curved into a slow smile that made my stomach flip.
I tore my gaze away, heart hammering. What was wrong with me? I didn't do dangerous men. I didn't do men at all, really. Too risky. Too complicated.
"There you are!" Maya reappeared, breathless and grinning. "I just talked to Brandon Chen! He's even hotter up close. Wait, why do you look weird? Did something happen?"
"There's a guy—" I started, then stopped. When I glanced back, the man was gone. Disappeared like he'd been a hallucination.
"What guy?" Maya looked around eagerly.
"Never mind. I think I need air."
I pushed through the crowd toward the balcony doors. Someone bumped into me hard, and my drink sloshed all over my hand. I bit back a curse. This party was a disaster. I should've stayed home with my textbooks and instant ramen.
The balcony was empty, thank God. Cool night air hit my face as I stepped outside. The city stretched out below, millions of lights blinking like stars. From up here, thirty floors high, everything looked small and manageable.
If only real life felt that way.
I set my sticky glass on the railing and took a deep breath. Three years in witness protection, and I still jumped at shadows. Still saw his face in crowds—Damien Cross, the man who'd murdered my father. The man I'd watched kill someone else when I was eighteen, stupid and in the wrong place at the wrong time.
One testimony later, and Isabella Moretti ceased to exist. Now I was Aria Sinclair, college student with boring hobbies and no past.
"Running away from the party?"
I spun around so fast I almost fell.
The man from inside stood in the balcony doorway. Up close, he was even more devastating. Tall, broad-shouldered, with those piercing gray eyes that seemed to see everything I was trying to hide.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"I needed air," I said, trying to sound normal. Calm. Not like every instinct was screaming at me to run.
He moved closer, and I noticed he walked like a predator. Smooth. Confident. Dangerous.
"You don't belong here," he said. Not mean, just matter-of-fact.
"Excuse me?"
"These parties." He gestured back inside. "They're not for people like you."
Anger sparked through my fear. "People like me? You don't know anything about me."
"I know you've been nursing the same drink all night. I know you're looking for exits instead of enjoying yourself. I know—" He stepped closer, and I smelled cedar and something darker. "—you've been watching me as much as I've been watching you."
My face burned. "You're very sure of yourself."
"I'm observant." His smile was all teeth. "And honest. Which is more than I can say for most people here."
"If you're so honest, who are you?"
Something flickered in his eyes. Amusement, maybe. Or calculation.
"Kade," he said finally. "Kade Thornfield."
The world stopped.
Thornfield.
That was Victor's last name. Mom's boyfriend. The man she wouldn't shut up about. The tech billionaire she was planning to marry.
But Mom had never mentioned Victor having a son.
My mouth went dry. "Thornfield?"
"Yeah." Kade tilted his head, studying me. "Why? You know the name?"
I should tell him. Should explain that his father was dating my mother. That we were about to become—
No. No, no, no.
This couldn't be happening. This gorgeous, dangerous man couldn't be related to boring, safe Victor. It had to be a coincidence. Thornfield was probably a common name. Lots of Thornfields in New York, right?
"I should go," I blurted, pushing past him.
His hand caught my wrist—not rough, but firm. Electric. "Wait. You didn't tell me your name."
"I don't owe you anything." I yanked my arm free, but the place where he'd touched me burned.
"Fair enough." Kade's smile widened, and it was wicked. "But I'm going to find out anyway."
I ran.
Literally ran back through the party, grabbed Maya, and dragged her toward the exit. She protested, but I didn't stop until we were in the elevator, doors closing.
"What happened?" Maya demanded. "Did that guy do something? Because I will—"
"No. Nothing. I just... I need to go home."
The elevator descended, and I tried to calm my racing heart. It was fine. Just a weird coincidence. I'd never see Kade Thornfield again.
My phone buzzed. Mom.
With shaking hands, I answered. "Hey, Mom."
"Sweetie! Great news!" Her voice was too cheerful, too excited. "Victor and I decided we're ready for the next step. We want our families to meet properly, blend together before the wedding."
Ice flooded my veins. "What do you mean?"
"We're moving into Victor's penthouse! Isn't that wonderful? Pack your things tomorrow. I want you to meet Victor's son. His name is Kade."
The phone slipped from my hand.
Maya caught it, confused. "Aria? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe.
Kade Thornfield.
The dangerous man from the party.
The man whose touch still burned on my wrist.
The man whose eyes promised things that made my whole body flush.
Was about to become my stepbrother.