The next morning, the humid air of the locker rooms felt heavy. Elena had an early shift at the campus gym—a job she'd taken to cover the meal plan she could barely afford.
She pulled open her locker, expecting to find her folded uniform. Instead, a thick, cream-colored envelope fell out. There was no name on the front, just a seal of red wax.
Inside, a single sheet of paper held a message written in bold, aggressive strokes of red ink:
"Transfer students should know their place. Some birds are meant for the cage; others are meant for the ground. Stay away from Julian, or your past won't stay buried."
Elena's breath hitched. Her past? There was nothing "buried" other than the poverty she had fought to overcome. Unless they meant the scandal—the way Julian's father had framed her mother for theft to force them out of town five years ago.
"Rough start to the shift?"
Elena jumped, slamming her locker shut. Julian was standing by the entrance to the weight room, dressed in a grey sleeveless tech-shirt that showed the lean, powerful corded muscle of his arms. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink.
"It's nothing," Elena said, hiding the note behind her back.
Julian's eyes narrowed. He didn't do "nothing." He walked toward her, his presence shrinking the room. "You're a terrible liar, Elena. Give it to me."
"No. It's private."
In one swift motion, he reached around her, his chest brushing her shoulder as he snatched the paper from her hand. His eyes scanned the red ink, and for a moment, the temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
"Who gave this to you?" he demanded, his voice a low growl.
"I don't know! It was in my locker."
Julian crumpled the paper in his fist, his knuckles white. "This is Cissy's handwriting. Or one of her shadows."
"Cissy?"
"Cissy Montgomery. Her father is the Majority Whip. Our families have been 'arranging' a merger since we were ten." Julian looked at Elena, his expression a chaotic mix of fury and something that looked suspiciously like guilt. "She's dangerous, Elena. She doesn't play; she destroys."
"I can handle a bully, Julian. I've handled your father, haven't I?"
Julian stepped closer, trapping her against the lockers. "My father sent you away. Cissy will make sure you can't get a job in this country if you cross her. Stay away from the library. Stay away from the quad. And for god's sake, stop talking to Theo."
Elena felt the spark of rebellion ignite. "Is this about my safety, or are you just trying to control who I talk to again?"
"I'm trying to keep you alive!" he barked, his voice echoing off the metal lockers.
He leaned down, his forehead almost touching hers. The "Hate" was still there, but it was being eclipsed by a frantic, possessive energy. "You think I want to be your partner? You think I want to see you every day and remember everything I lost? I don't. But I won't let them break you. Only I get to do that."
The door to the locker room swung open. A group of athletes walked in, laughing.
Julian pulled away instantly, his face returning to its cold, aristocratic mask. He tossed the crumpled note into a nearby trash can.
"Tonight. 9:00 PM. My place," he said loudly, for the benefit of the newcomers. "And don't be late. I don't pay for my partner's incompetence."
He walked out without looking back, but Elena saw the way his hands were still clenched into fists.