You Trapped Yourselves in My Sauna

We were halfway through a private spa party when my fiance went missing.

I headed toward the VIP wing to find her.

As I walked, lines of glowing texta bizarre, floating stream of internet commentsglitched across my field of vision:

[Why is this charity-case fianc suddenly heading to the sauna? The heroine is in there getting cozy with the golden-boy imposter right now!]

[I love that he paid for the private booking, only for it to become their secret love nest. Delicious irony!]

[Serves him right for standing in the way of true love. Die mad about it!]

My fiances assistant, Luke, stepped out of the shadows to block my path.

"Mr. Carpenter, Miss Harrington said she went to fetch some fresh linens for you. She asked you to wait in the private lounge."

[Lukes such a bro, always covering for them.]

[Our sweet, edgy Christian belongs with Isla. If I were there, Id lie to this country bumpkin too.]

[Isla was too reckless, though. She slammed the door so hard she jammed the emergency lock from the inside. You can't open it from within now.]

I looked at the heavy door. Faint waves of heat radiated from the seams, shimmering in the cool corridor air.

Then I looked at the red "Out of Order" sign hanging from the brass handle.

I pulled out my phone and dialed the locksmith down the mountain.

"Hi, the lock on the sauna door is jammed. Take your time riding your scooter up the mountain. No rush, an hour should do. I'll wait right here."

[Wait, no! If they wait an hour, theyll be steamed alive!]

"Wayne, what are you doing standing out here?"

Islas trust-fund friends approached me. Leading the pack were Chad and Ashley. They belonged to Isla and Christian's elite circle, and they had despised me ever since the Carpenters brought me back a year agothe biological son who had been lost for twenty years.

Chad rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with condescension. "Didn't Isla tell you to wait in the lounge?"

"Did you get lost, Wayne? I guess a luxury alpine resort is a bit much for a guy raised in the sticks."

Ashley chimed in, crossing her arms. "Honestly, Wayne, just because you have the title of fianc doesn't mean you have to cling to her like wet paint. Isla has been working herself ragged with PR lately. She finally gets a second to unwind, and youre smothering her. Aren't you embarrassed?"

[Seriously, this guy is so clingy. Go away already!]

[Don't interrupt our couple's private time!]

[It's getting incredibly hot in there. Go away, Wayne! Luke, figure out a way to get them out!]

I didn't bother replying to their barbs. Instead, I turned to the spa attendant standing nearby.

"Bring me a chaise lounge," I said. "And set up two of those heavy-duty industrial fans, pointed right at me."

"Oh, and bring over a platter of iced watermelon, chilled grapes, and the most expensive gelato you have."

The attendant blinked, startled, but scurried off to comply.

Chad frowned, his brow furrowing. "Wayne, what the hell is wrong with you? This is the VIP corridor. Youre turning it into a campsite?"

I ignored him, sinking into the plush leather of the lounge chair the attendant had brought and scooping up a spoonful of blood-orange gelato.

"I paid to book out this entire floor. Ill sit where I want, eat what I want. If you don't like it, the elevator is right there. Walk."

"You" Chad's face turned a dark, mottled purple.

Luke was sweating now. His eyes darted repeatedly to the heavy, sealed door of the sauna. The heat escaping from the seams was already warming the hallway.

"Mr. Carpenter, it's really humid out here. It's not good for your health. How about I escort you to the hydrotherapy pool?"

I took my time swallowing. "No need. I just noticed the lock on this sauna seems to be broken. What if someones trapped inside? I have a soft heart, Luke. I think Ill stay right here and wait for the locksmith."

Luke's face drained of all color. He knew exactly who was in there: his boss, and the adoptive brother she actually loved.

[Oh my god, he's doing this on purpose!]

[Does he know? No way, how could a brainless charity case figure it out?]

[This is bad. Christian has a weak heart. It must be over 120 degrees in there by now. Theyre going to dehydrate!]

Chad stepped up, pointing a finger at my chest. "Wayne, don't push your luck. There's a maintenance sign on the door. Why would anyone be in there? You're just throwing a tantrum to get Isla's attention, aren't you? Let me tell you somethingno matter what pathetic stunts you pull, she will never look at you."

Ashley sneered in agreement. "Exactly. You're a crude, classless bore. You don't possess a fraction of Christian's grace. The Carpenters only brought you back out of pity. Don't act like you actually belong here."

I looked at them, my gaze cold.

I was the biological Carpenter heir, stolen at birth and raised in poverty for twenty years. A year ago, they found me. But my birth parents and my older sister had already poured two decades of love into Christian, the boy they adopted to replace me.

They hated my bluntness, my refusal to play their high-society games. Even Isla, the girl I had been betrothed to since childhood, only had eyes for Christian.

For a year, I tried to fit in. I begged for their affection.

In return, I received nothing but cold shoulders and quiet mockery.

Well. I was done playing nice.

I dropped the empty rind back onto the silver platter with a loud, deliberate clatter. Chad and Ashley flinched, their irritation spiking.

"Who do you think you're throwing a tantrum at, Wayne?" Chad crossed his arms, looking down his nose. "You think having the Carpenter name makes you special? In this town, people only respect Christian. Youre just a stray dog who wandered into a mansion."

I laughed. "A stray dog? Chad, did you fail basic English, or do you just struggle with metaphors? Christian lived my life, spent my parents' money, and wore my name for twenty years. How exactly am I the stray here?"

[He's just bitter. Blood means nothing; history is what counts!]

[Christian is so sweet. If he weren't trying to protect Wayne's feelings, he and Isla would have gone public ages ago.]

[Someone open the door! It's hitting 140 degrees in there!]

[Isla is losing consciousness, and Christian is fading. They're going to die of heatstroke!]

Luke was practically vibrating with anxiety, clutching his walkie-talkie but too terrified to call for help publicly. "Mr. Carpenter, please, I'm begging you. Go back to your suite. Let me handle this. If Miss Harrington sees you acting like this, shell be furious."

I leaned back into the chaise lounge, completely unbothered. "Let her be furious. What do I care? Nobody touches that door without my permission."

Ashleys patience snapped. "Wayne, youve always been a ghost in our social circle. If you don't leave right now, I will personally make sure you are blacklisted from every country club and gala in the state!"

"Yeah! Well freeze you out completely!" Chad barks.

I looked at them, finding it almost tragic how much I used to care about their approval. I used to swallow their insults and pay their bar tabs, just to spend five more minutes near Isla.

Now? I couldn't care less.

"Sounds great," I said softly.

Chad and Ashley exchanged a stunned look. They hadn't expected me to fold so easilyor rather, not care at all.

"What did you say?" Chad blinked.

"I said, sounds great. Frankly, Im sick of paying for a bunch of trust-fund freeloaders anyway. I already closed the tab for today. From now on, if you want to drink, buy your own. Oh, and Chad? Venmo me for the gelato and the fan rental. Let's split it fifty-fifty."

[Is he insane? He's actually burning bridges with her friends?]

[He used to beg to be included!]

[Forget about that! Christian just collapsed in Isla's arms! Save them!]

[Isla tried to throw herself against the glass, but shes too weak. It's blast-resistant glass, she can't break it!]

Luke could not take it anymore. Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward. "Mr. Carpenter, forgive me."

He reached out to grab the arm of my chaise lounge, intending to drag me away.

I looked up at him, my eyes like ice. "Touch me, Luke, and see what happens. You're Isla's assistant, not my keeper. Remember your place."

Luke froze.

Just then, a sharp, irritated voice cut through the humid air of the corridor.

"Wayne! What on earth are you doing now?"

I looked up.

Its my biological older sister, Vicky. And she brought security with her.

Chad immediately ran to her like a kicked puppy. "Vicky, thank God youre here! Wayne is throwing a fit. Hes blockading the hallway, insulting us, and threatening Luke!"

Vickys brow furrowed, her eyes blazing as she marched over to me. "Where is Christian?"

"Weve been looking for him everywhere, and here you are, lounging like a king and stuffing your face?"

Looking at her familiar, biased face, I felt a dull ache in my chest, but I swallowed it down.

"He's a grown man. Why would I know where he is?"

Vicky pointed a manicured finger at my face. "Don't you dare use that tone with me! Christian has a heart condition. If anything happens to him because of your negligence, youll answer to me. Get up right now and go find him!"

I took another sip of my chilled drink. "No. I'm waiting for the locksmith."

"What locksmith? Have you completely lost your mind?"

Vicky swats the glass out of my hand. It shatters against the marble floor, sticky liquid splashing across my designer trousers.

She doesn't apologize. She just looks at me with pure disgust.

"Wayne, when is it going to be enough?"

"Every time we go out, you ruin the mood. Do you have any idea how pathetic and small-minded you look right now?"

[Yes! Tell him, Vicky!]

[He needs to be thrown out of the family!]

[Vicky, move him! It's nearly 160 degrees in there! Christian is slipping away!]

[Isla's skin is completely flush! Break the door!]

"Vicky," I said, my voice deadly quiet as I stood up and brushed the glass shards off my knees. "That is the last time you will ever lay a hand on me."

"If you don't want to wait for the locksmith, be my guest. Smash the door open yourself. If you have the guts, go ahead."

Vicky let out a bitter laugh. "You are utterly deranged. Security, remove him. Get him out of my sight before he embarrasses this family any further."

The two guards she brought stepped forward, grabbing me by the shoulders.

[Yes! Toss him out!]

[Once he's gone, they can break the lock!]

[Christian, hold on, help is coming!]

[Isla is convulsing. Oh my god, this is awful!]

"Get off me!"

I twisted violently, anchoring my hands around a heavy marble pillar in the corridor.

Vicky snapped: "Pry his hands off!"

The guard applied pressure to my knuckles, a sharp, white-hot pain shooting up my arm.

In a flash of adrenaline, I leaned down and bit his wrist, hard.

"Ah!"

The guard gasped, releasing his grip instantly. Dark red blood began to drip onto the pristine white marble.

[Oh my god! He bit him?!]

[Feral trash! He has no class whatsoever!]

[Vicky, call the cops! Don't let him delay the rescue!]

Vicky screamed, "Wayne! You animal!"

"I will teach you some respect if it's the last thing I do!"

Chad yelled, "Call the resort police! Get him arrested for assault!"

Within minutes, two local deputies who patrolled the resort area arrived.

Vicky pointed at me, her voice shaking with calculated fury. "Officers, my brother is mentally unstable. Hes been causing a public disturbance and just brutally assaulted my security guard. Please take him into custody immediately."

Chad and Ashley eagerly backed her up. "Yes! We saw it! He's extremely violent!"

The deputies looked at the guards bloody wrist, their expressions hardening.

"Sir, youre under arrest for aggravated assault. Please step away from the pillar."

The cold metal of the handcuffs clicked around my wrists.

I offered a thin, razor-sharp smile.

"I'll go quietly, deputies. But I suggest you stick around. There's about to be a massive scandal in this hallway."

"Shut your mouth!" Vicky snarls.

Just then, the elevator chimes.

"Vicky! Have you found Christian yet?"

A portly, middle-aged man in a tailored suit rushed out, followed by several wealthy business associates he'd been entertaining.

My father, Richard Carpenter, looked frantic. But when he saw me in handcuffs, his worry curdled into instant rage.

"Wayne! You worthless embarrassment! What have you done now?"

"Your brother is missing, and you're here starting fights and getting arrested? I should have left you in whatever gutter we found you in! You are a stain on the Carpenter name!"

[Preach, Mr. Carpenter! He doesn't deserve the name!]

[Only Christian is a true Carpenter!]

[Drag him away! The lock is melting!]

The deputy explained, "Sir, your son assaulted a guard. We have to take him in."

Richard waved his hand dismissively. "Take him! Keep him locked up for a few days to teach him a lesson! Just get him out of my sight so I can find Christian!"

I looked at the man who shared my DNA, feeling nothing but a cold, liberating emptiness.

"Dad," I said, the word tasting like ash. "You want to find your precious Christian?"

"Look right there." I nodded toward the sauna door with the "Out of Order" sign.

Richard's face faltered.

Vicky immediately scoffs. "Don't lie. Why would Christian be in a closed sauna?"

"If you don't believe me, ask Luke," I said, tilting my head. "Hes been guarding this door like a loyal dog since the start."

Every eye in the corridor turned to Luke.

Luke stammered, his collar soaked in sweat. "No... no, sir... Miss Harrington and Christian... they aren't in there..."

I let out a soft laugh. "Really? Then who turned the temperature dial up to maximum? And who slammed the door so hard the lock jammed?"

"Your golden child, Dad. He's inside right now, having a lovely little rendezvous with my fiance."

Slap.

The force of Richard's hand spun my head to the side. My cheek burned instantly, and the metallic taste of blood pooled in my mouth.

"You filthy-minded degenerate!" Richard was shaking, his face bright red. "You dare slander your own brother and Isla? Christian is a boy of impeccable character! He would never do something so vile! Youre just jealous because he's better than you, more loved than you, so you throw dirt on his name!"

The wealthy associates behind him shook their heads.

"Wayne, that's incredibly low. You don't accuse your own brother of that."

"Yes, Isla is a lovely girl. Quite respectable. This is absurd."

I touched my burning cheek, my eyes narrowing to slits.

Slap.

An even louder, sharper crack echoed through the corridor.

I watched as Richard stumbled back, clutching his own face.

The hallway goes dead silent.

Vicky gasped, her eyes wide with horror. "Wayne! You hit Dad!"

Richard looked like he wanted to tear me apart. "You ungrateful bastard! I brought you into this world, and you dare strike me?!"

The deputies quickly stepped between us. "Sir, step back! Calm down!"

I stood behind the deputies, looking down at my father. "You gave me life, but you never gave me a father. If you think I'm lying, open the door. Lets see who is telling the truth."

Driven mad by the humiliation, Richard lunged toward the sauna. "I will! And when its empty, I'm personally throwing you out of the family!"

He grabbed the metal handle of the sauna door.

"Ah!"

He shrieked, pulling his hand back. The metal was scalding.

Just then, the locksmith ran out of the elevator, clutching his tool bag. "Make way! Emergency!"

The man worked fast. Within thirty seconds, his drill ate through the jammed lock mechanism.

With a heavy click, the blast-resistant glass door swung open.