Housebound with the Blackridge Heirs novel Chapter 5

**Change Begins With You — Jayden Collins**

**Chapter 5**

**Mava**

I barely managed to take two steps when he was upon me, fast and relentless, his fingers like iron clamps around my wrist. For a moment, I thought I heard my shoulder pop.

A scream tore from my throat, but he didn’t loosen his grip as he yanked me around to face him.

His grasp was powerful, a silent testament to his simmering anger. I could feel the blood flow in my arm slow, a sensation that danced on the edge of pain, but it was more than just physical discomfort; it was a visceral reminder of the kind of night I was caught in.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he growled, his voice a low rumble that reverberated through the hallway. It was the kind of tone that commanded attention, vibrating with an authority that felt suffocating.

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words wouldn’t come. I stammered, “… bathroom,” my brain momentarily blanking out. “I locked myself out. I wasn’t spying, I swear.”

Down the hall, a woman had paused at Tylon’s door, one eyebrow arched in amusement, her lips curling into a smirk. It was as if she had just won a prize, a victory I was entirely unaware of.

Embarrassment clawed at me, gnawing away at my insides, but it was fear and guilt that occupied the top spot in my mind. The truth of the matter was that I didn’t know who these men were, nor did I grasp the extent of their capabilities. The way he glared at me dredged up too many childhood memories—ones I had fought hard to bury.

My breath quickened, becoming ragged and uneven, and I recognized the signs of panic creeping in.

“You were told not to wander after midnight,” he growled, his words heavy with accusation. It wasn’t a question; it was a verdict.

“I wasn’t—” I started, but I felt the tremor in my voice, the rising panic mirrored in the rapid thumping of my heart. “Please, let go.” The last word slipped out, small and ugly, betraying my fear.

A flicker of something shifted in his expression, as if a wire had snapped somewhere inside him. His grip remained unyielding, but his eyes softened just a fraction, a hint of confusion breaking through the storm of anger.

“Tylon!”

A new voice pierced the tension in the hallway, and I glanced past him to see Leo striding toward us, his eyes still heavy with sleep but burning with fury.

“Let her go, Tylon!” he shouted, his voice sharp and commanding. “Can’t you see you’re hurting her?”

In an instant, Tylon released me, and I stumbled backward, barely managing to keep my balance.

But Leo was there, his arms wrapping around me with a firm yet gentle touch. I leaned into that steadiness, craving the warmth and safety he offered, though I couldn’t quite discern whether it was relief or fear that drove me closer.

For a fleeting moment, I felt a strange sense of safety, only to be reminded of the woman who now wore a scowl, glaring at me with disdain as she took in Leo’s protective stance.

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