"I thought I was in control, yet one look at her tears proved otherwise."
– Dylan Reed
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Dylan's Point of View
I had lost all sense of reasoning when I picked her up, but she did this to me. She broke through every wall I swore I'd built too high to fall. My head was clouded with emotions I didn't understand, but something in me refused to let her go, not like this. She was right. Contract or not, I had called her my person, and then I left her standing alone in the ballroom like a discarded tool.
"Put me down, you crazy jerk!" Ava's voice rose with every flail of her arms. Her words were becoming more colorful by the minute.
I reached the car, pulling open the door with one hand while steadying her with the other, and placed her in the back seat. The moment she was inside, I shut the door and locked it before she could scramble out.
"I'm not your prisoner, Reed! Let me out of here!" She tugged at the handle relentlessly, her voice sharp with fury.
I slid into the driver's seat, slammed the door, and roared the car to life. In no time, we were on the highway. Her yelling eventually gave way to silence, broken only by sobs and hiccups that cut sharper than her words.
I hated it. I hated seeing her cry. I hated more that I was the reason for her tears. And still, I didn't stop.
I glanced at her through the rearview mirror. Her face flushed, tear-streaked, tugged at something in my chest I swore had died years ago. Shit.
I dialed Ian. He picked up on the first ring, as if he'd been waiting.
"Have the guest room prepared," I said, forcing my voice out, cold. "We'll be having a guest."
"Our second guest for the night," Ian muttered.
Second? My grip on the wheel tightened. "Alright, Mr. D. I'll have it ready," he said quickly, then hung up, giving me no room to ask questions.
Who could the first guest be? I didn't have the energy for more surprises tonight.
Ava was quiet now, her head resting against the glass. Her lashes trembled, but her breathing slowed, finally giving in to exhaustion. She looked fragile, drained, far too soft for the world I lived in. I told myself I hadn't meant to drag her into my chaos. But once you stepped into my world, there was no escaping it.
By the time we pulled into Dia's Mansion, she was fast asleep. Carefully, I opened the door and slid her into my arms, lifting her bridal style. She stirred faintly, but didn't wake. For once, her weight didn't feel like a burden, it felt like a reminder of everything I couldn't admit.
Andre and Ian sat casually in the living room when I walked in. Their heads snapped up, eyes widening at the sight of Ava in my arms. I gave them a curt nod, ignoring their smirks and unspoken questions, and carried her straight into the guest room.
I laid her gently on the bed, strands of hair spilling across her face. For a moment, I sat beside her, my chest tight. My heart reached for her before my mind caught up. I forced myself up abruptly. Dangerous thoughts. I couldn't afford them. This was business. Strictly business.
I strolled back into the living room, and was suddenly wrapped in a warm hug.
"Elena," I breathed, genuinely surprised.
"Dylan! I haven't seen you in forever," she smiled, pulling back to look at me.
I ruffled her hair, grinning despite myself. "You totally forgot about me, didn't you?" She puffed her cheeks into a pout.
"Of course not!" I pinched her cheeks lightly. "Careful, Elly. You'll start to look like Andre."
"Hey! I'm sitting right here," Andre groaned. Elena's laugh rang sweet and light, washing away the weight pressing on me. For a moment, the mansion didn't feel so suffocating.
"I could never forget you, Elly," I told her, and her smile widened.
We moved to the sofa, Elena bouncing down beside Andre, giggling. Ian leaned lazily against the armrest, his sharp gaze flicking toward the hallway where Ava was resting. "You didn't kidnap her, right?" he asked, tone so casual it sounded like he was asking if I'd eaten dinner.
I groaned, pressing a hand to my face.
"A round of applause for Captain Obvious," Andre muttered dryly.
"Who are you talking about, Ian?" Elena asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
"Dylan, you shouldn't go around kidnapping people. It's not right," she scolded in all seriousness, her brows furrowed.
That did it. The three of us broke into laughter.
"It's not like that, Lena," Andre explained. "Dylan finally has a girlfriend."
Her eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh. Finally! That's such great news! Is she pretty?"
"Yes," Ian chimed in before I could say a word. "I'm sure Mr. D can hardly keep his eyes off her."
Andre and Elena burst into laughter. Everything was always funnier when I was the butt of the joke. Knuckleheads.
Andre finally rose, holding out a hand to Elena. "Alright, Lena. Time for bed."
She stood, still giggling, and waved at us. "Goodnight, big brothers." Then she paused, mischief flickering in her eyes. "Since Dylan isn't single anymore, maybe I should set up blind dates for Ian and Andre so they won't feel left out."
Ian and Andre's faces turned to sheer terror, and now it was my turn to laugh. "That's a splendid idea, Elly," I said, smirking.
"Brilliant plan. Can't wait to see how fast it crashes," Andre shot back, glaring at me.
Elena gave us one last cheerful wave before disappearing into the hallways.
I leaned back into the sofa, exhaustion finally settling in, my head in my hands. Ian's calm voice broke the silence. "Andre filled me in on the events of the day. Are you alright, Mr. D?"
I didn't answer. Couldn't.
Andre stood before me, an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, Dylan. About earlier. I didn't mean to leave Ava alone."
I met his gaze and shook my head with a small smile. I couldn't be angry, he lost all sense when it came to Elena. This was on me from the start.
He sank into the sofa, rubbing his face tiredly. "My dad's on the move again, but I can't figure out what he's playing at. It's frustrating."
Always one problem or another with our families…
I studied him, then Ian. At least in this chaos, none of us had to face it alone. It's always better with a team.