Housebound with the Blackridge Heirs novel Chapter 11

**Change Begins With You — Jayden Collins**

**Chapter 11**

**Maya**

The SUV didn’t just park; it seemed to claim the curb as if it had every right to be there. Caden’s grip on my elbow was firm, guiding me backward without so much as a glance at the front door. Inside, the sound of the locked door echoed like a finality that made my stomach churn.

I moved in silence, knowing that arguing with that tone would only lead to trouble. It felt like misbehaving, and I wasn’t in the mood to test those waters.

From my vantage point by the living room window, I could see him traverse the lawn with a purposeful stride. Tylon was already stationed at the front steps, his posture so rigid it could have been used to measure the height of a shelf. Just a beat later, Leo emerged through the side gate, his hair still damp, likely from exertion or perhaps the heat of the day.

Two figures stepped out of the SUV, and my breath hitched in my throat. The man was draped in dark clothing, his smile devoid of warmth, a mere mask that didn’t reach his cold eyes. The woman beside him didn’t even bother with a pretense of friendliness; her gaze swept over the house with a critical eye, as if she were inspecting it for flaws. Was she searching for me?

As that thought crossed my mind, our eyes locked for a fleeting moment, and my heart raced. I ducked behind the curtain, my pulse quickening. Peeking out again, I saw her still observing with a curiosity that felt unsettling.

Who were they? Were they parents of some kind? Their presence exuded a sharp, expensive confidence that spoke of power and authority.

I should have left the window, but I was rooted in place, unable to tear myself away from the scene unfolding before me.

“I’ve received reports of a breach on the western border,” the man’s voice cut through the air, sharp and accusatory. “How could you have allowed this to happen?”

A shiver ran down my spine. There was something inherently wrong in the way he spoke, the edge of his words slicing through the air.

Tylon’s shoulders were tense, his body language betraying the effort he was making to remain calm.

His response was polite, yet it dripped with a chill. “We tightened rotations last night. Additional coverage will be in place by noon. The intruders have been handled.”

That word again: handled. It resonated with a finality that made my skin crawl. Why were these people interrogating three students? What could possibly require such a heavy-handed approach?

“You’ll file your report!” the woman snapped, her tone leaving no room for argument. “We’d prefer language that doesn’t alarm the Board.”

“Language,” Caden interjected, his boredom palpable.

“And the girl?” the man’s question came off a bit too casual, but I felt the tension shift in the air.

“She’s fine,” Caden replied, cutting in before Tylon could respond. “Which is more than I can say for your defenses.”

The man’s fake smile twitched at the corners, a thin veneer over something darker. “So spirited,” he remarked, as if my presence were an annoyance to him.

“There’s concern in the council regarding her,” the woman added, her eyes briefly flicking in my direction. “There are things you men might not know—”

“I know everything that happens under my roof,” Tylon growled, his voice low and dangerous. “I know where this is going, and the answer is no. The girl is off-limits to everyone, including the council.”

My breath caught in my throat, and I gasped, drawing the attention of a few heads in the room. I was fortunate enough to duck before anyone could see the shock on my face.

But what did they mean? Had Tylon just defended me? No, it couldn’t be. It had to be related to what had happened the previous night.

“This isn’t coincidental,” the man continued, his tone stern. “The rogues were—”

“Enough,” the woman interrupted sharply, her voice commanding. It was then that I realized who truly held the power in this conversation. “For reasons we may need to relocate her.”

A sharp hum rose in my chest at her words, an instinctual warning that something was terribly off. They didn’t mean “maybe.” They meant to make a plan. They were here to move me, and that realization sent a chill through my veins.

Tylon’s voice hardened, cutting through the tension like a knife. “She stays.”

A heavy silence settled in the air, and then the man’s tone shifted back to a disconcertingly pleasant one. “Then you’ll abide by Council advisories.”

“We’ll abide by our own,” Caden shot back, distrust evident in his eyes.

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