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.

being too careful. Kester wasn't going to barge in on me

and for the first time,

moment, I

was

forcing out the words. I'm

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

my throat. "I'm fine," I murmured, sitting up and running

went silent for a second too long. Then,

Chapter 47

needed the rest. You've been so tense

hummed, not trusting

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

Ah. Right.

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

stick to the

to know that he'd be running his fingers through his short, black hair by now while letting out an exhale.

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

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

He was way too sweet and understanding. Always putting me first. I had taken advantage of it, giving

the first place. To make up for the times I let him down, even if

in Jake's presence right

good thing Kester wasn't speaking to me at the

at your

exhaled, some of the tension easing from

hung up before I

fabric gliding over my skin as I adjusted the straps in front of the mirror. Midnight blue. One of

I remembered 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 in the dressing room of the mall, his lips pressing into the curve of my

now, here I was,

ignoring the way my stomach twisted. Kester wouldn't find

why did it feel

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

Chapter 47

parked in the driveway, but the living room lights

to lower my hand before the

waiting all his life just for this