Lucian's words lingered in Selene's mind long after he spoke them.
"Then you'll see exactly how far I'm willing to go to keep what's mine."
It wasn't just a warning. It was a declaration.
A battle line drawn.
A war between two brothers.
And she was the prize.
Selene swallowed hard, stepping back, putting space between herself and Lucian. "I'm not something you can just claim," she said, her voice steady even as her pulse raced.
Lucian's smirk deepened. "Then stop acting like you are."
Her breath caught. "What the hell does that mean?"
His eyes locked onto hers, unrelenting. "You keep saying you don't belong to me, yet you don't run." He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly down her arm. "You don't push me away."
A shiver ran through her at his touch, her body betraying her yet again. She hated the way Lucian got under her skin. .hated that, no matter how much she tried to fight it, he knew exactly how to unravel her.
But she wasn't giving in.
Not tonight.
"I don't run because I'm not afraid of you," she shot back.
His smirk faded.
For a second, something flashed in his eyes, something she couldn't quite read.
Then, without warning, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer until there was barely any space between them. "Maybe you should be."
Her heart pounded, but she didn't flinch. "And yet… I'm not."
Lucian's gaze darkened.
The tension between them thickened, a silent standoff neither was willing to lose.
Then, just as suddenly as he had grabbed her, he let go.
Selene exhaled, stepping back as he turned away, reaching for his whiskey.
"Go to bed, Selene," he said, his voice casual, but the command in it was clear.
She lifted her chin. "You don't get to tell me what to do."
Lucian took a slow sip, his smirk returning. "Then stay. Just don't blame me when you find out what happens when you test me."
A chill ran down her spine.
This was his game.
But she wasn't about to play by his rules.
Without another word, she turned and walked toward the stairs. But just as she reached the first step, a voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Leaving so soon?"
She turned.
Ethan stood in the doorway, hands in his pockets, his sharp gaze flicking between her and Lucian.
The air in the room grew even heavier.
Lucian sighed, setting his glass down with a soft clink. "How predictable."
Ethan stepped forward. "You're slipping, brother." His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it. "You never let things get this messy."
Lucian let out a low chuckle. "And yet, here you are..proving it's not messy enough."
Selene felt the tension shift, unspoken words passing between them. A silent battle for control.
And she was right in the middle of it.
Ethan's expression softened slightly when he looked at her. "You okay?"
Lucian scoffed. "Don't pretend you care."
Ethan ignored him, waiting for her answer.
She hesitated.
She didn't trust either of them. Not fully.
But at least with Ethan, she could breathe.
"I'm fine," she said.
Ethan held her gaze a second longer before turning back to Lucian. "Funny," he mused, his smirk taunting. "Because she doesn't look fine."
Lucian's jaw tightened.
Selene took another step back. "I'm going to bed."
This time, neither of them stopped her.
But as she climbed the stairs, she felt their eyes on her.
Felt the weight of their rivalry pressing down like a chain she couldn't break.
And the scariest part?
This was only the beginning.
Selene shut the bedroom door behind her, leaning against it as she took a shaky breath. Her pulse was all over the place, her mind still spinning from everything that had happened downstairs.
Lucian was possessive.
Ethan was protective.
And she was trapped between them.
The tension between them wasn't just about rivalry…it was war. And she was right in the middle of it.
She ran a hand through her hair, trying to shake off the overwhelming feeling clinging to her like a second skin. She needed space. She needed clarity. She needed control.
But control was the one thing she didn't have, not with them.
She stepped toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the glittering city skyline. The world outside felt so big, so free and full of people living their lives without the suffocating pull of two powerful men.
For a fleeting moment, she wondered…
What if she just left?
What if she walked away from the Blackwood brothers' twisted game before she got in too deep?
Before she lost herself completely?
Her fingers curled into fists.
But she already knew the answer.
She was already too deep.
A knock at the door shattered her thoughts.
She stiffened.
Silence. Then another knock, softer this time.
She hesitated before stepping forward, gripping the handle. "Who is it?"
A beat.
Then…
"It's me."
Ethan.
Selene exhaled slowly, then cracked the door open just enough to see him. "What do you want?"
His expression was unreadable, his stance casual, but she could feel the tension simmering beneath the surface.
"I wanted to make sure you're okay," he said, his eyes scanning her like he was looking for something beyond just her words.
"I already told you, i'm fine," she murmured.
Ethan tilted his head slightly. "And I already told you, you don't look fine."
Her throat tightened. He saw too much.
She turned away. "I just need to sleep, Ethan."
She started to close the door, but his hand pressed gently against it. "Selene."
His voice was soft. Careful.
And somehow, that made it worse.
Because he was being gentle. And right now, she didn't know if she could handle that.
She swallowed hard. "What?"
Ethan took a slow step closer, his scent, sandalwood and something dangerously intoxicating..wrapping around her. "Lucian is dangerous when he wants something," he said quietly. "And right now, he wants you."
A shiver ran down her spine.
Selene looked up at him, searching his face. "And what about you?" she asked, barely above a whisper. "What do you want?"
Ethan held her gaze, his jaw tightening. For a second, she thought he wouldn't answer.
Then..
"You."
Her breath hitched.
A heartbeat passed. Then another.
His fingers brushed against her wrist. light, barely there, but enough to send a rush of heat through her veins.
She should pull away.
She should say something, anything.
But she couldn't move.
And Ethan knew it.
His hand trailed up her arm, slow and deliberate, testing her reaction. "Tell me to stop," he murmured, his lips just inches from hers.
Selene's heart pounded against her ribs.
She should stop this.
She should push him away.
But just as she parted her lips to speak..
A sharp, unforgiving knock.
Selene jolted back like she'd been burned, her chest rising and falling too fast.
Ethan's expression shifted in an instant, whatever warmth had been in his eyes vanished, replaced with something cold, hard. He stepped back, jaw clenched.
Selene already knew who was on the other side of that door.
And when she opened it..
Lucian.
His icy blue gaze locked onto hers, and just like that, the air in the room dropped ten degrees.
His eyes flicked to Ethan, his jaw tightening, his hands shoved into the pockets of his perfectly tailored suit. "Am I interrupting something?"
Ethan smirked, but there was nothing amused about it. "You always do."
Lucian ignored him and took a slow step forward, his presence alone enough to consume the entire space.
Selene swallowed hard, instinctively backing up against the doorframe.
Lucian's voice was calm. Too calm.
"Come downstairs, Selene." His tone left no room for argument. "We need to talk."
Her stomach twisted.
Because this wasn't a request.
It was a command.
And she wasn't sure she had the strength to refuse.