Housebound with the Blackridge Heirs novel Chapter 9

**Change Begins With You — Jayden Collins**

**Chapter 9**

Maya

Love might have felt like an overwhelming burden at times, but gratitude? That was a different story. Gratitude was a warm, comforting blanket, wrapping around me, a sense of relief washing over me like a gentle tide. Yet, despite the turmoil, my body was betraying me, trembling and shaking as it acknowledged that the facade of bravery had crumbled.

I kept my face turned away, my heart pounding in my chest as the sounds behind us sharpened into a terrifying symphony. The sickening crunch of bones breaking, labored breaths echoing through the night, and the heavy thud of bodies hitting the ground—each noise a reminder of the chaos I was desperate to avoid witnessing. I didn’t want to see it; I didn’t need to.

In that moment, I found myself questioning the men I was surrounded by, the ones I had come to know on some level. Who were they really? They appeared to be skilled and dangerous, yet I found it curious that I didn’t feel the grip of fear tightening around my throat.

Just then, a gentle hand settled on my shoulder, and I glanced up to meet the familiar hazel gaze of Leo. His smile was soft, almost tender, as he helped me to my feet. I could see the anger and sorrow swirling in his eyes, but it was always so tightly controlled, like a dam holding back a flood.

“Let’s get you home,” he said, easing my arm over his shoulders, a familiar gesture that felt both comforting and practiced.

“What about Tylon and Caden?” I asked, my voice emerging ragged and strained. “You’re just… leaving them?”

“They’ll handle it,” he replied, his tone devoid of drama or hesitation. He adjusted his grip, mindful of my ribs, which ached with every breath.

“And what about them?” I nodded toward the darkened area where the men had fallen. “What happens to them?”

“They’ll be handled,” he said, as if discussing the weather rather than the fate of men who had just been in a brutal confrontation.

“By who? Shouldn’t we call campus security or something?” The absurdity of my words struck me, and I almost laughed. Here we were, in the middle of nowhere, dirt smeared across our faces, and a cut on my cheek that refused to stop stinging, and I was worried about campus security.

Leo’s expression didn’t shift. “It’s covered,” he assured me. “I promise.”

“Covered how?” I pressed, my curiosity piqued despite the situation.

He didn’t respond to that question. “Take short breaths,” he instructed gently. “Try to keep them shallow. I know it hurts.”

We began to move, Leo maintaining a pace that was gentle enough for my battered side to endure. The forest loomed around us, dark and imposing, but I focused on the ground beneath my feet, determined not to trip and fall again.

“How did you find me?” I asked, breaking the silence that had grown heavy between us. “I didn’t even know where I was.”

“Elise called the house,” he explained, his voice steady. “She was worried when you didn’t text back. We checked with Ms. Vale and—” He hesitated, a flicker of concern crossing his features. “And your team lead.”

“Jamille,” I murmured, feeling a tight knot form in my stomach.

“She didn’t know where you were either,” Leo continued carefully. “Caden went out first. Then Tylon received a message about intruders on the land with a girl. So we went together.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. “A message? To Tylon? Why him and not, I don’t know, the authorities?”

Leo’s mouth tightened, as though he had almost smiled but thought better of it. “Don’t worry about that part,” he said. “His family’s systems are faster than the school’s. That’s all it means.”

It didn’t feel like just that, but I was too exhausted to press for more answers.

My legs trembled beneath me, my teeth ached, and every inch of my body was in pain.

Leo wrapped his jacket around me, the scent of cedar and soap enveloping me, a small comfort amidst the chaos. The night air was cool, and I could feel it creeping in, trying to rob me of warmth.

Eventually, Leo resorted to carrying me, his strength a reassuring presence. I think I dozed off for a moment, the world around me fading, until I felt myself being gently lowered onto something soft. His light chuckle pulled me back to consciousness completely.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re safe,” he said, his voice soothing.

As my eyes adjusted, I realized we were home.

I sat up, and Leo disappeared down the hall only to return moments later with a bowl, a stack of clean cloths, and a first-aid kit.

It took a moment for the reality of what he was doing to sink in—I was being treated.

“This will sting,” he warned, lifting a cloth toward my cheek with a careful hand.

“Everything already does,” I replied, managing a soft laugh despite the situation.

“I’ll feel clean after,” he promised, and I let him proceed.

He worked with a quiet efficiency, his touch gentle and deliberate.

He dabbed the warm cloth against my cheek, first to clear away the mud and blood. I winced as he checked the cut, his fingers brushing against my skin with a tenderness that both soothed and startled me.

He tipped my chin with two fingers, angling me toward the light. I tried my best to hold still, my heart racing as his focus remained unwavering. He wasn’t examining my mouth or my collarbone or any of the vulnerable places a girl learns to guard. No, his attention was solely on the cut, the corner of my eye, the rope burns at my wrists. He rinsed the cloth, wrung it out, and pressed it against my skin once more.

From this close, I could see the flecks of green in his eyes, a striking contrast to the warm brown. He had a tiny mark on his nose, and the scent of cedar was even more pronounced on him than in his jacket.

Leo was undeniably a beautiful specimen of a man—perfect in his own right.

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