Stepbrother's Secret

no matter how hard she tried. Every glance, every touch, every passing moment seemed to pull her deeper into a world of chaos she had never asked for but couldn't seem t

Posses

aze following her movements with a sharp intensity that made her skin crawl in the most delicious way. He'd started lingering when she least expected it, standing too clos

. She was exhausted-exhausted by the lies, the distance between her and Ryan, the guilt over Caleb and the tension with Richard.

om the lamp beside him casting long shadows across his face. He lean

re going?" Caleb's voice

'm just going for a walk, Cale

ing me." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. And it mad

she lied, stepping back.

is smirk deepened, and for a moment, Lena thought she saw something darker flash across his face. He was no lo

ed. "What are yo

'm talking about," he whispered, his voice like velvet against her ear. "You can't prete

y-her body was betraying her. She wasn't ready to admit what she knew deep down: Caleb was right. There was

t her lips, she felt a strange, unsettling truth settle in her

en flipped, he was back to his cold, commanding self. "It's not about w

saying the words-he believed them. And in so

otsteps echoed down the hall, and Caleb s

urmured, "I'm no

Escalati

was beginning to close in. His behavior had always been charming, warm, almost fatherly, but recently, he'd started pushing the boundaries. Hi

s he handed her a glass of water. His hand brushed against hers, lingering for a beat lo

th an edge of something that made her heart race. He reached up to adjust a st

inctively, her throat

ry, you'll get used to it. I'm just trying to make you feel comfortabl

ng else in the way he looked at her, somethin

stepping away. But as she turned, she couldn't shake the feeling that Richard ha

s Sus

been patient with her, giving her space when she needed it, but now it was becoming clear that something was w

followed Lena upstairs to her room. His v

tely." He reached out, gently touching her arm. "

ll him the truth. She couldn't tell him that she was falling into a web of lies, t

eak smile. "It's been a lot lately with everythi

sure you're okay," he said, his voice gentle, full of concern.

eserve this. He deserved the truth. But she cou

looking away. "I just need s

in the end, he just nodded and walked out, leav

rowing

d, the one to make sure she was okay. But now, every time they talked, Mia could sense the unease i

ment Lena had moved into the Hayes house, but now she was cert

were alone in Lena's room, "you've bee

figure out how to dodge the question. "Noth

ing around your stepbrother and stepfather all the time? Because I gotta be

idn't know what to say, so she jus

and Lena couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Mia had always been the one person who understood

ing. Lena knew the clock was ticking, and the lies were beginning to cr