threads of deception

chapter six ~ [The Tense Car Ride/ what to expect]

"He showed up out of nowhere. I handled it."

"You shouldn't have to " handle" them because they shouldn't be anywhere near you!"

his mother hissed, her maternal protectiveness mixing with the fierce, unyielding pride of the Lancaster empire. "I built this empire to ensure those vultures could never touch us again. If I find out any of those people are trying to get back into your life...."

*Ding-dong.*

The crisp sound of the apartment doorbell echoed through the high ceilinged room, cutting his mother off.

Jaiden paused mid-stride, his brow furrowing. It was past seven, and Hailey had never once come over to his apartment at night.

Before walking toward the entryway, he pulled the phone from his ear and quickly hit the mute button, silencing his mother's heated voice on the other end without hanging up.

He walked across the polished concrete floor, his footsteps heavy and deliberate. His mind was still hot from his mother's lecture, his mood dark and volatile. He grabbed the handle and pulled the heavy door open.

The moment it swung open, his breath caught sharply in his throat.

Jaiden stood completely frozen, his dark eyes widening in pure shock. Standing under the warm, golden hallway light was Hailey. She had her thick hood pushed back, allowing her glossy, dark hair to fall over her shoulders in soft, effortless waves that framed her face. The harsh chill of the winter season had bitten her skin, leaving her full, natural lips a flush, deep pink, and casting a soft glow across her cheeks.

As she looked up at him, her striking, clear eyes shined with a breathtaking intensity wide, expressive, and brimming with a mixture of heavy anxiety and fierce determination.

Even swaddled in an oversized hoodie and simple cargo trousers, devoid of any effort or makeup, her raw, natural beauty was utterly captivating. She looked like a vivid, glowing contrast to the cold, dark minimalist penthouse behind him.

The anger that had just been boiling in Jaiden’s chest vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden, protective ache. He stood paralyzed in the doorway, the muted phone still clutched tightly in his hand, completely mesmerized by the girl who held his entire heart, his surprise melting into pure captivation at the sight of her standing on his doorstep so late.

Recovering quickly from his shock, Jaiden immediately reached out, wrapped his hand around Hailey's wrist, and pulled her inside, shutting the heavy door against the biting winter chill. The harsh winter season had already turned her nose and cheeks a dusty rose, and she was shivering slightly despite the thick hoodie.

"Step inside, it's freezing," Jaiden murmured, his voice softening completely.

Without wasting a second, he walked over to the digital thermostat on the wall, turning up the central heating to let a comforting warmth flood the penthouse. Once the system hummed to life, he walked right back to Hailey. Looking down at her, the lingering stress from his mother's call completely evaporated. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a tight, fierce hug, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He held her for a long moment before pulling back just enough to cup her jaw. He leaned down, pressing his lips firmly against her soft, cold lips in a deep, reassuring kiss.

When he pulled away, he offered a small, tender smile. "Sit down and get comfortable, babe. I'll be right back."

He gestured to the plush leather sofa before turning toward the kitchen. He decided to brew a fresh cup of hot coffee for himself and a steaming mug of hot chocolate to warm Hailey up.

As he pulled the ingredients from the cabinets, a sudden, intrusive thought flashed through his mind—a memory of how this exact routine, the parallel of coffee and hot chocolate, was the only lingering similarity between Hailey and the girl he had buried deep in his past long ago. His jaw clenched, and he immediately deleted the thought from his mind, refusing to let an old ghost taint the girl sitting in his living room.

Standing by the counter, Jaiden pulled out his phone and finally hit the unmute button, bringing it back to his ear.

"Mom, I'm going to call you back tomorrow, please," he said, keeping his voice low.

"Jaiden, who was at the door?" Mrs. Lancaster’s sharp voice demanded instantly.

"Mom, I will call you back."

"Is it Hailey or someone else?"

Jaiden closed his eyes, a flicker of irritation passing over his features.

"What, Mom?" "Don't tell me...

Shut up, Jaiden," his mother snapped fiercely, her tone leaving absolutely no room for argument.

"You are my son. You, your brother, and your sister are my responsibility, and I can't take any chances. Call me early tomorrow morning, or you know the other side of me."

Before he could even reply, the line went dead. She had hung up.

Back in the living room, Hailey sat on the deep cushions of the couch, rubbing her hands together to catch the warmth of the room. She could hear the low, rumbling echo of Jaiden's voice carrying over from the kitchen, but the distance and the modern layout of the apartment made it impossible to make out what he was actually saying.

Shaking off the curiosity, she unlocked her phone. She quickly typed out a message to her mother:

*'Hey Mama, I just reached Lyric's place safely. We're about to sit down and hit the books. Love you!'

With a swipe, she looked at Kai's contact name. She hesitated, pulling her thumb back. She decided it was much safer to text Kai a bit later. If she texted him right now, his hyper analytical mind would calculate the exact driving time from the mansion and realize the timeline didn't match up with Lyric's neighborhood. She needed to let enough time pass to make the lie perfectly airtight.

She opened her chat with Lyric instead, intending to send a quick text to let her know she was safely inside. But just as her fingers hovered over the keyboard, the soft sound of footsteps echoed on the concrete floor.

Hailey glanced up quickly, locking her phone and sliding it into her pocket as Jaiden walked back into sight, carefully balancing two steaming mugs in his hands.