The bass throbbed beneath Dan’s feet. He wasn’t even sure why he came. Nate had dragged him into another lavish party full of over-privileged kids sipping cocktails they weren’t old enough to order. He sipped a flat soda and tried to ignore the flashes of designer clothes, fake laughs, and Chanel perfume.

But something felt… off.

He hadn’t seen Jenny in over an hour. She had come with them ; sparkly eyes, red lips, excited about the kind of night she always thought she deserved. But now? She was gone. Not on the balcony. Not in the kitchen. Not dancing with the rest.

Dan’s heart dropped.

His protective instincts kicked in hard. She was still his little sister, no matter how many sequins she wore or how many Upper East Side rules she tried to break.

He started moving through the crowd, brushing past people too drunk to notice him. Then he heard something. A muffled noise. A voice…Jenny’s. Not laughing. Pleading.

He followed the sound down a dim hallway and pushed open a half-closed bedroom door.

His heart stopped.

Jenny was backed into a corner of the bed, looking frozen. Her eyes wide, her lip trembling. And in front of her was a girl : tall, sharp-cheeked, older, with a twisted smirk and one hand already tangled in Jenny’s wrist.

Dan didn’t think. He moved.

"Back the hell off,"

he said sharply, stepping between them.

The girl didn’t even flinch. She smirked and looked him up and down like she was sizing him up. Not for a fight, but for something more dangerous.

"Oh,"

she purred,

"you must be the brother."

"Yeah. I’m the brother."

he snapped.

"And I swear, if you touch her again-"

"What?"

she interrupted, stepping closer.

"You’ll hurt me?"

Her eyes gleamed like she liked the idea.

Dan stood firm, body tight, jaw clenched.

Jenny scrambled off the bed and rushed behind him, clutching his jacket. Her voice was small.

"Dan, she-she wouldn’t stop…"

He didn’t even look back. His eyes were locked on the girl.

"You need to leave."

he growled.

"Now."

But the girl took another step closer, her breath just inches from his face. She smiled slowly, wickedly. Her lipstick red as blood.

"You have no idea,"

she whispered.

"How hot it is to see you like this. Protective. Furious."

Dan’s body tensed, confusion mixing with disgust and something darker he couldn’t name. He felt it stirring. A menace, a heat curling in his chest like a warning bell.

"I’m not playing games."

he said, his voice low, threatening.

"Oh, I know,"

she said.

"But maybe I am."

She leaned in, just enough for him to smell her perfume : jasmine and something burnt. His hands clenched into fists. His breath got shallow.

Something inside him flickered. The need to defend, the rage of violation. But also the heat of a challenge.

"Leave."

he said, stepping forward, forcing her back now.

Finally, her smirk faded. She rolled her eyes dramatically and brushed past him, her fingers just grazing his shoulder like a dare.

As she passed Jenny, she whispered something only Jenny could hear. Jenny flinched.

Dan turned quickly.

"What did you say to her?"

The girl only looked back with a smirk and blew him a mocking kiss before disappearing down the hallway.

Dan finally turned to Jenny, who was still trembling. He put his hands on her shoulders.

"You okay?"

She nodded quickly, but tears brimmed in her eyes.

He pulled her into a hug. Tight, protective, grounding her.

"She won’t come near you again."

he promised softly.

"Not while I’m here."

But even as he held Jenny, he couldn’t shake the heat still burning in his chest : the ghost of that girl’s gaze, her touch, her challenge.

Something had been unleashed inside him tonight. Something darker. And it wasn’t going back to sleep so easily.

You are the girl, just about to leave the party. This stupid guy cooled me down, she thought. How unfunny.