Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Chapter 123

1 headed downstairs to join the others who were already chatting away at the dining

The table reeked of discomfort.

My maternal uncle, Greg, was there-of course. Along with my father's cousins, Ralph and Vincent. The kind of men who wore expensive suits to hide the mediocrity clinging to their bones.

Everyone I despised seated neatly around the table like soje perfectly plated disease.

Especially Uncle Greg

The man reminded me so much of my mother. Same passive-aggressive smirks. Same polished speech. Same Hazel eyes. The woman I hated. The woman I still, fucking Dragically, loved. A contradiction I hadn't learned how to overcome yet.

And what the fuck was Karina doing here?

Family dinner? She wasn't family. She was an asterisk in this gathering.

She wasn't family for fuck's sake!

Jorja, bless her diplomatic little heart, had that signature 'ignore-it-all-and-smile' expression smeared across her face like it was waterproof. She was clearly committed to enjoying her evening, even if the house was on fire- and Karina was holding the match.

This was my father's doing. Of course, it was. He had a knack for opening our doors wide enough for snakes to slither in

A few hours ago, I had replaced Karina's new favorite wine. The one I kept for her two days ago was empty. She surely loved it.

I know she must have attempted to look for the exact wine to buy for herself, but fuck me if I wasn't smart enough to make sure the wine had no label.

She seemed happy. Overly, unnaturally happy. The kind of happy that switches on and off like a faulty light bulb. Dim one moment, practically glowing the next - She looked pale sometimes, and other times, she looked all energetic and pumped up.

I couldn't wait for the puzzle I was carefully building beneath her feet to finally fall in place.

My phone beeped beside me again, and I picked it up. It was a worthy distraction from this uninteresting dinner I was being forced to have with people I could call strangers.

It was from Alfred

Alfred: Alpha, it is done. Kex fell for the bait. They are set to sign the legal contracts in five days.

My lips curled around a smirk as I picked up my glass of whiskey, raising it slightly in a silent toast to a bloodless war. Another win.

Me: How much are we looking at?

Alfred: Our guys made him strike a mouthwatering deal of a hundred and fifty million.

I scoffed, taking another sip of my whiskey in silent celebration.

TA

Chapter

A hundred and fifty million. For phantom technology-a fake Elvis prototype drawn up in just enough detail to look irresistible.

Kex was about to cut open his chest and pour his last dollar Into a grave I dug with a handshake. He was about to bleed out, and he wouldn't even realize he'd been cut. Not until he was already too far gone to crawl back

Me: Good. Keep everything smooth until the deal is closed. I don't want a ripple before the storm.

Alfred: Yes, Alpha. No trace. No trail.

wasn't just

about

piece by piece would be

in a

good on a

night wasn't

the one thing that would've

fiftieth time tonight. Maybe sixtieth.

on for well over twenty minutes now, and she still wasn't

My jaw clenched.

Fuck.

haven't even touched your meal yet, Jorja

words barely registered. She sounded distant, like a bell

out here?"

her fork hovering mid-air. "Oh... she's feeling a bit

churn twisted in

Sick?

Fuck

didn't know. What kind of man doesn't notice when his woman is sick? Although we hadn't spent much

know. I didn't like that she hadn't said anything. We were growing distant, and it was killing me

though the packhouse was cursed. It wasn't letting our

what little

off in my

with her

the day of ner

on her," I said, pushing

Jorja blinked, surprised. "But-"

I was already rising.

Fuck the meal.

was all I

before I could take another step, her perfume arriving a second

already.

she called sweetly, her hand sliding around my arm. Clingy. Possessive. Warm.

1 stiffened.

to sit her desperate little ass back down, but I didn't

Because she appeared.

Kasmine.

Descending the stairs.

And fuck me-1 froze.

the noise, my pulse. Even June's grip on me faded

that

face like nature had shaped them with intention. Her skin, pale under the warm chandelier light, looked like it needed rest.

Fuck.

gaze locked

to June's hand curled

look that followed was heartbreakingly blank, and it shredded

any scream ever could

once, then pulled her shoulders back, holding her

she had

didn't pause on the