Housebound with the Blackridge Heirs novel Chapter 59

**Change Begins With You — Jayden Collins**
**Chapter 59**

**Maya**

The dream lingered in my mind, pulling me away from the reality that loomed over me like a storm cloud.

Guilt. A heavy, suffocating guilt that wrapped around me like a thick fog, refusing to let me breathe.

I had crossed a line… but this time, it was with Leo.

65 vouchers.

When he had offered to share his warmth, it was meant to be a simple, friendly gesture. A way to help me feel more comfortable. It was never intended to send my heart racing or create that fluttering sensation in my stomach, nor was it supposed to make my cheeks flush as if I had walked into a blazing fire.

It certainly wasn’t meant to unleash a torrent of inappropriate thoughts in my mind.

But it did.

And I loathed that it had.

As I ambled down the university hallway alongside Elise, the cacophony of student chatter faded into a dull hum, a mere backdrop to my tumultuous thoughts. I was caught in a mental tug-of-war, oscillating between the warmth of Leo’s embrace and the faint, persistent pull of Caden’s bond at the edge of my consciousness.

“Maya.”

The sound of Elise’s voice jolted me back to reality. I lifted my gaze to meet her unimpressed stare.

“Are you even paying attention?” she queried, tossing her hair over one shoulder with a hint of annoyance.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, feeling the weight of my distraction. “No. Actually… not at all.”

I braced myself for her typical sass, perhaps a sarcastic quip to jolt me back to life. But instead, her expression softened, revealing concern.

“What’s going on with you?” she asked, genuinely curious.

For a fleeting moment, I contemplated sharing my turmoil with her, but then I recalled her words from yesterday. I had to make a choice, and though I had already chosen Caden, the confusion I felt about Leo was unsettling.

But I had been so adamant that my feelings for Leo were nonexistent, and yet here I was, questioning everything. Maybe it was just hormones messing with my head.

“I’m just… distracted,” I confessed, deciding to keep the deeper turmoil to myself. “I think I might be coming down with something.” That much was true; the relentless rain had turned my head foggy and my body weak.

Elise halted in her tracks, her brow furrowing. “You need to go home. Now.”

“But we have work in ten minutes!” I protested, my sense of responsibility kicking in.

“I’ll cover for you,” she insisted, her tone brooking no argument.

“What? No, Elise, I can’t let you do that—”

“Yes, you can. And you will.” She pointed at me, her eyes fierce. “You look pale. And sweaty. You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Plus, as you said, you’re distracted. You can’t work like this.”

If only she knew the depths of my distraction.

“I’m fine,” I protested weakly, but her expression told me she saw right through my facade.

She shot me a look that clearly said, You’re fooling no one.

“Home. Bed. Now.”

Defeated, I sighed. “Fine.”

She wrapped her arms around me in a quick, reassuring hug, reminding me to rest before we parted ways at the courtyard. The moment she disappeared, the weight of my guilt crashed over me once more, more oppressive than before, crawling up my ribs like ivy, squeezing the breath from my lungs.

I couldn’t help but replay the events of last night in my mind.

The storm.

The shed.

Leo’s steady heartbeat against my ear.

The way I had leaned into him, as if he were my safe harbor. The comfort I felt in that moment, as if I truly belonged there.

It was the only thing that could quell the turmoil inside me.

It would ground me, anchor me. I was certain of it.

It would silence this restless yearning for danger, comfort, and everything I knew I shouldn’t desire.

I quickened my pace as I made my way back to the estate, my head spinning and my skin warm to the touch.

Everything was happening all at once, and in the midst of this tumult of guilt and shame, I suddenly realized that, in some bizarre twist of fate, Astrid, whoever she was, Aelera, and I shared the same face.

It was as unsettling as it was confusing.

But I told myself I needed to push that thought aside. For all I knew, it could all be a twisted coincidence, a game being played by the council.

My heart thudded heavily in my chest with every step I took.

I refused to dwell on that any longer… not right now. I craved Caden. I wanted him so intensely it ached.

Because it wasn’t just a physical need.

I longed for the certainty he provided. The unwavering assurance and security of my emotions.

As I climbed the stairs slowly, gripping the railing for support, my legs felt unsteady beneath me.

I needed him to touch me.

I needed him to choose me again.

I needed to stop wanting anyone else.

But as I pushed open my bedroom door, I froze in place, relief and joy flooding over me like a rushing river.

Caden was there. He was home, safe, and sound.

Sleeping on my bed.