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.

There was no point in being too careful. Kester wasn't going to barge in on me after all. Not today. I was

and for the first time, it didn't

nerves. Sincerely, at the moment,

was Jake, after

lump in my throat, forcing out the words. I'm sorry. I slept all

before he spoke again. "I was starting to worry," he finally said in a warm voice, as if gauging my mood

the guilt that came creeping up my throat. "I'm fine," I murmured, sitting up and running a hand through my hair. "I just... Needed

And maybe he knew it because he went silent for a

Chapter 47

rest. You've been

not trusting myself

his cue to move on. "I called to remind you about our

Ah. Right.

If I were to choose, I wouldn't have stepped

can we just stick to the date? No

to look into his pretty face to know that he'd be running his fingers through his short, black hair by now while letting out an exhale. I knew

said after a beat, but the excitement in his tone had dimmed. "Whatever makes you comfortable,

that simple sentence made something

fall harder for him. He was way too sweet and understanding. Always putting me

down, even if I didn't really

mere thought of being in Jake's presence right now-of faking smiles

me at the moment. I

your house," I said, forcing lightness

of the tension easing from his tone. "I

before I

straps in front of the mirror. Midnight blue. One of

his usual dark and unapologetically claiming voice... Remembered the way his fingers had trailed down my spine as he zipped it up in the dressing room of the mall, his lips pressing

here I was, wearing it for someone

hands down the smooth fabric, ignoring the way

did it feel like a

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

Chapter 47

in the driveway, but the living room

lower my hand before the door swung open, and

up like he had been waiting