Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Chapter 68

Chapter 68

KASMINE

1 stormed past him. My fists clenched at my sides in an attempt to shake off the fury burning beneath my skin. Did Kester think the world revolved around him alone? He was a control freak, and it was freaking me out already. I barged into my room, the image of June's tear-streaked face plaguing my thoughts.

Kester's heavy footsteps followed behind me, and before I could slam the door shut, his strong hand caught it.

With an effortless push, he forced his way inside, closing the door behind him with an annoying calmness. He stood there, hands tucked into his pockets, completely unaffected by my rage.

His calmness was grating on my nerves.

"What the hell, Kester!" I spun around to face him, my voice barely restrained. “June could have heard what you said to me out there!"

His silence was infuriating

"I was out there consoling her, trying to ease the pain I was putting her through! And you-"My breath hitched, frustration swelling in my chest. "You had no right to speak to me like that!"

He still said nothing. He just watched me lose my control.

His eyes stayed locked on me, his face betraying nothing. But the longer I looked at him, the more I realized-this wasn't indifference. This was restraint.

His anger, which was usually lethal, actually simmered beneath the surface, and I know I should have stopped. I should have picked my words more carefully. But I was too frustrated and too exhausted to care.

"What actually is your problem, Kasmine?” His voice was eerily calm as if he were forcing himself to stay in control. Like he was holding something dangerous back.

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "You are my problem, Kester."

His jaw twitched.

It was a warning.

"I don't think I can do this anymore," I continued, my voice faltering. "This...

whatever this is between us. I can't keep pretending that it's okay. I'm hurting too many people." My chest tightened. "I'm hurting myself."

His expression didn't change. He just stood there, watching me.

Then, slowly, he smiled.

Not the kind that meant he was amused. Not even the kind that meant he was angry. It was something else- something dark and unreadable. The kind that made my stomach tighten

He took a step forward.

"Kester-"

Another step.

He reached out, his fingers brushing the side of my face. His touch was light and almost tender.

Chapter 65

felt my heart

surprise I told you about?" His voice was soft, almost as if he was teasing

told

meant absolutely nothing

when something inside me

My voice cracked. "Just

he took a slow step back, tilting

whispered as I felt

of this.

face was

he took another

pulse skittered.

and reached

impulse and the frustration he was igniting

hard as my small

breath came in harsh, panicked gasps, My hands trembled at my

blurred my vision. My stomach twisted

of what he'd do

head turned slightly from the impact of the slap and the way

body went rigid.

nothing. No other

silence

my tears with the back of my hand, but they kept coming. "You never listen," I whispered in

face, my chest rising and falling with shaky breaths. My throat felt so raw, my

palm, the burn where my skin had met his, but Kester-he hadn't moved. Hadn't flinched. Hadn't even fucking

is hurting." I clenched my fists, forcing myself not to say

I shouldn't. That wasn't the plan, Kester. It

his eyes when I mentioned that I was feeling things 1 shouldn't feel.

Chapter 68

silence was

the war raging inside me, but

throat.

mess of tears. "If-If Dad ever found out..." My lungs seized painfully.

my sobs, shaking my head. "We have to stop. We should've stopped a long

in front of him, quickly unraveling at the seams. And still-he didn't say

left to say. I was exhausted. Drained. I felt like I had just ripped my heart out and handed

when he closed the distance between

to react before his arms were around

warmth engulfed me, his

No

to push against him, my lists pressing against his solid

But he didn't.

pressed his cheek against the top of my head, one hand cradling the

murmured, "It's

wracked

warm against my hair. "It's going to be

I registered was warmth. A slow, consuming kind of warmth that made me hesitate before fully waking up. It cradled and surrounded me