Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Chapter 47

KASMINE

I stirred restlessly on my bed, tangled in the sheets, still as restless as I had been three days ago after saying those hurtful things I said to Kester in his car.

Three days. Three whole days since, I had torn into Kester with words meant to rip him apart. And they had.

I knew it the moment I said them. Knew it by the way his grip had loosened on my chin, the brief flicker in his eyes before they turned ice-cold. I knew it when he let me walk away without another word or a fight.

That was the part that hurt the most.

I replayed the events and conversations in my head, and sincerely, I realized that he didn't deserve those cruel words. I had let my anger and jealousy take over. 1

I hadn't set my eyes on him after that evening. I hadn't seen him at the office all day Friday. When I got home, I half-expected-no, hoped-he'd be somewhere, anywhere in the house. But he wasn't.

And when I finally caved, when my pathetic ass swallowed my pride and walked

to his door, June was standing in my way like a fortress.

He had instructed her not to let me in, pretending to be in the middle of something... Always

there,

I canceled my movie plans with Claire the next day. I couldn't stomach the idea of laughing at mindless comedies and pretending I was fine. Because I wasn't!

I was drowning in something I didn't have a name for.

My heart raced uncontrollably, and no matter how hard I tried, I remained

constantly sad. It was almost as if a part of me was slowly dying

I hated it.

A dull vibration against the mattress pulled me from my thoughts. I reached under the bed and grabbed the phone, already knowing who it was

Jake:

I had hidden our secret phone under my bed, more securely this time.

too careful. Kester wasn't going to

with concern, and for the first

moment, I saw this care and

it was

the words. I'm sorry. I

he spoke again. "I was starting to worry," he finally

that came creeping up my throat. "I'm fine," I murmured, sitting up and running a

it because he went silent for a second too long. Then, his voice

Chapter 47

needed the rest.

not trusting myself to say

took the silence as his cue to move on. "I called to remind

Ah. Right.

the bridge of my nose. If I were to choose, I wouldn't have stepped an inch out of my bedroom. But I

"But... can we just stick to the date? No ride. No other plans. Just

running his fingers through his short, black

after a beat, but the excitement in his tone had dimmed. "Whatever

hating the way that simple sentence made something heavy settle in my

Tell me why I shouldn't fall harder for him. He was way too sweet and understanding. Always putting me first. I had taken advantage of it, giving him just enough to keep him around

agreed to this date in the first place. To make up for the times I let him down, even if I didn't really want to go... Even if I knew I'd spend the whole

of being in Jake's presence right now-of faking smiles and pretending I wasn't coming apart

at the moment. I could

two hours at your house,"

some of the tension easing from his tone. "I can't

up before

as I adjusted the straps in front of the mirror. Midnight blue. One of the many expensive dresses Kester had bought

the way he had said it in his usual dark and unapologetically claiming voice... Remembered the way his fingers had trailed down my spine as he zipped it up

now, here I was, wearing it for

fabric, ignoring the way my stomach twisted. Kester wouldn't

did it feel like

house was small, tucked into a quiet street where the glow of streetlights bathed

Chapter 47

uncle's car was parked in the driveway, but the

hand before the door

up like he had been waiting all his life just for this