Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Chapter 229

Chapter 229

What next? Build an altar and Sacrifice a goat in his honor while we worship at Jaden's feet? Because what's the obsession with him

about?

The moment he stepped in, it was like someone flipped a switch. Every single face around the table lit up-as if he were the crown jewel of the night.

A smile almost spread across my lips at the instant switch in Kesters countenance. The tension in his jaw was a thing of beauty. I was scared for the poor glass he held in his hands. It was one heartbeat away from shattering.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Jaden?" Kester asked, and even though he was seething, his voice remained deceptively calm. But the storm in his eyes? Roaring. Explosive. Unmissable.

"Oh. Alpha Kester. Almost didn't notice you there."

Low blow. He meant that jab. Because who in thiş damn world wouldn't notice Kester Hamilton in a room?

"You haven't answered my question, Jaden," Kester took a gulp of his wine, and sometimes I wondered how he managed to drink this much without getting drunk. "Have you become so less busy that you now attend people's 'family' dinners?"

Jaden laughed, and I realized this was the first time he'd laughed since the day I met him. It was a short chuckle, though, but it managed to pull a dimple out of hiding on his left cheek. I couldn't help but notice it.

Hmm. Interesting.

If I hadn't already been dragging Jake up the ladder of my emotional priorities, Jaden could've been a strong contender to replace Kester. He had that ability to pull a reaction out of anyone, especially the one man at this table trying to keep a mask on.

"Come on, brother-in-law," Jaden said, sliding into the seat beside me. "Aren't we already family?"

rehearsed-his hand slid over mine where it

with a sly smile, eyes flicking to me, "My fiancée here knew I

almost choked on my juice, nearly spitting it out

Fiancée?

Baby?!

Brother-in-law?

my head toward him, blinking in disbelief. My heart

on a show tonight. Seems like

before I spoke, "Ah. Yes. He told me. Sorry,

delighted smile, her eyes darting between me and Jaden like she was mentally designing wedding invitations, "Jaden is family. We don't

Chapter 229

that, dinner restimed, and Jaden, as if on cue, kept up with a performance he didn't even know I was on. He kept whispering little nothings to me every now and then The kind of performance meant for an

they were happy with whatever it was they thought was happening between me and Jaden. If only they knew what kind of show they

had withered into a tight-lipped

was tired, slowly unraveling, and obviously tired of replying to questions on Kester's behalf. She was

already pale with disappointment. She had imagined something different tonight. A

hadn't said another word since Jaden sat down. Not even when Uncle Ralph asked him a question about when the wedding

leaned down and whispered something else into my ears: "Your brother looks like he

tilting my face to

whispered back. "He won't do that in public." We

dinner perfect-but

from Kester and watching him play

pretending I still hadn't cried about him just two