Chapter 12- She's Mine
1193 Words
Scarlett
Scarlett stood near the massive bedroom windows with her arms folded tightly across her chest while Dean buttoned the cuffs of his black dress shirt across the room.
The Steele mansion still felt too quiet.
Too big.
Too empty.
And honestly—
Scarlett wasn’t sure she wanted to leave the safety of Dean’s room yet.
Dean grabbed his keys from the dresser before finally looking at her.
“We’re leaving.”
Scarlett frowned immediately.
“What?”
“You’ve been locked in this room all day.”
“I almost got assaulted yesterday,” Scarlett replied flatly. “I think I’ve earned the right to be dramatic for at least forty-eight hours.”
Dean looked unimpressed.
“You need air.”
“I need emotional support and maybe a sugar coma.”
Dean walked toward her slowly.
“You’re getting a drive instead.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes softly.
“You’re annoyingly bossy.”
“And you’re annoyingly stubborn.”
Scarlett crossed her arms tighter.
“I’m not going.”
Dean stopped directly in front of her now.
Too close.
Way too close.
His blue eyes locked onto hers steadily.
“Yes, you are.”
Scarlett narrowed her eyes.
“You can’t force me.”
A dangerous smirk tugged slowly at the corner of Dean’s mouth.
“Stop being a brat before I give you something else to do with that pretty little mouth.”
Scarlett’s breath caught instantly.
Her entire body went still.
Holy hell.
Dean’s gaze darkened slightly watching realization flood across her face.
That only made the tension worse.
Scarlett opened her mouth then closed it again. Like a fish out of water.
Completely stunned silent for once in her life.
Dean looked entirely too satisfied with himself.
“Thought so,” he murmured lazily before brushing past her toward the bedroom door.
Scarlett stared at his back in disbelief.
Heat crawled violently into her cheeks.
Did he seriously just—
“Dean Steele!”
A low laugh left his chest as he opened the door.
“Hurry up, princess.”
Scarlett hated how quickly her body reacted to that stupid nickname now.
And even worse?
She still followed him.
The massive mansion stayed eerily quiet as Dean led her downstairs, one hand casually tucked into the pocket of his dark jeans while the other rested briefly against her lower back guiding her toward the foyer.
Light.
Barely there.
But enough to make Scarlett hyperaware of every place he touched her.
The second they reached the front door—
It slammed open violently.
“Scarlett!”
Both of them turned instantly.
Erik stormed into the mansion looking exhausted, angry, and completely panicked all at once.
His hoodie sleeves were shoved halfway up his arms and his hair looked like he’d been dragging his hands through it for hours.
His eyes landed on Scarlett instantly.
Then the bruise on her face.
And his expression darkened immediately.
“Jesus Christ,” he muttered while crossing the foyer quickly. “Dean said you were okay.”
Before Scarlett could answer, Erik pulled her into a tight hug.
The second his arms wrapped around her, something inside Scarlett cracked painfully.
Familiar.
Safe.
Normal.
“Hey,” Erik said quietly against her hair. “I’ve been trying to get updates out of him all damn day and he wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Scarlett glanced over Erik’s shoulder.
Dean leaned casually against the wall nearby.
Completely unapologetic.
“I told you she was resting.”
“You said three words and hung up on me,” Erik snapped without looking away from Scarlett.
Dean shrugged once.
“You ask too many questions.”
Erik finally pulled back enough to look at Scarlett’s face again.
His jaw clenched hard seeing the bruise.
“I went back to the cabin,” he admitted quietly. “Things got really bad after you guys left.”
Scarlett frowned slightly.
“What happened?”
Erik exhaled sharply.
“Blaine’s friends started running their mouths. Will almost killed somebody.”
Dean snorted coldly from nearby.
“Would’ve been more useful last night.”
Scarlett’s stomach twisted instantly.
Erik shot Dean an irritated look.
“You’re really not helping.”
Dean stayed silent.
Watching Scarlett.
Always watching Scarlett.
Erik noticed.
And the slight confusion that crossed his face said he definitely noticed how weird Dean was acting right now.
Because Dean Steele didn’t hover.
Didn’t babysit.
Didn’t stand there staring at girls like they were something worth protecting.
Yet that’s exactly what he was doing.
Erik looked back toward Scarlett softer this time.
“How are you really doing?”
Scarlett opened her mouth automatically.
“I’m fine.”
Both brothers looked unconvinced instantly.
Scarlett sighed softly.
“I don’t know,” she admitted quietly. “Everything just feels… weird.”
Erik’s expression softened immediately.
“You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to.”
Before Scarlett could answer—
“She’s staying here.”
Silence.
The words landed heavily in the massive foyer.
Scarlett’s pulse fluttered nervously.
Erik slowly turned toward Dean.
And this time?
The suspicion in his expression became much harder to ignore.
Dean looked entirely unaffected.
Like he didn’t even realize how possessive he sounded.
Or maybe—
Like he simply didn’t care.
Erik crossed his arms slowly.
“Since when do you babysit people?”
Dean’s stare stayed locked on Scarlett.
“Since somebody tried putting their hands on her.”
The coldness in his voice shut the room up instantly.
Erik’s expression shifted again.
Guilt this time.
Because he hadn’t been there.
Dean was.
And somehow—
That changed everything.
Scarlett noticed the exact second Erik realized it too.
The bruised knuckles. The way Dean stood near her. How his hand kept brushing her lower back protectively.
Erik blinked slowly.
“What the hell is going on with you two?”
Scarlett answered way too quickly.
“Nothing.”
Dean stayed silent.
Which somehow made it worse.
Erik narrowed his eyes immediately.
“Oh my God,” he muttered while pointing between them.
“There is absolutely something weird happening here.”
Scarlett’s face burned.
Dean looked entirely too calm.
“We’re leaving.”
Scarlett blinked.
“Right now?”
Dean pulled his keys from his pocket.
“Yes, princess. Before your best friend starts interrogating us like the FBI.”
Erik frowned instantly.
“Why are you calling her princess?”
Scarlett looked away immediately.
Dean smirked slowly.
“Why are you asking so many questions?”
“Dean.”
“Erik.”
Scarlett groaned softly.
“You two are exhausting.”
Erik looked between them both suspiciously.
“I’m serious,” he muttered. “Whatever weird thing is happening here? I hate it already.”
Scarlett covered her face immediately.
“Oh my God.”
Dean smirked while opening the front door.
“Get in the car, princess.”
Scarlett glared at him instantly.
“Stop calling me that.”
Dean only smirked wider.
Erik pointed aggressively between them.
“See? THIS. This is exactly what I’m talking about.”
And for the first time all day—
Scarlett laughed.
- Writer
