Forbidden Love With My Mafia Step-Brother

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wn on you at any second. I pulled my jacket tighter as I stepped out of the house, hoping I'd bea

lus teacher had spent half the period telling us stories about "his glory days" in college when all I wanted was for him to explain the actual equation

least ten minutes off the walk home, and today, with the clo

y, the sound of foots

tcut. But when I quickened my pace, the footsteps match

told myself. Ju

e I recognized from school. They were keeping their dis

umped into

s smacking against the damp p

No

The next second, I slammed straight into something hard and

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e every inch

worst reputation at Westview High. The kind of reputation that wa

shadows, all dressed in black hoodies. They spr

rd. "What do y

and mocking. "What do you

My mind

his guys, letting it smack lightly against his palm. "

e trembling. "If I was caught, I'd lose every

l of them. The sound echoed thro

k hardened as he stepped closer, the stick tapping against the ground. "I wa

around me. I took a step back, b

ough the noise-low, s

t'll be the last

group froze

was half in shadow, but I could see the way his posture radiated calm

hing across his features. "And wh

t answer. Did

re. He lunged toward me, hand outstr

never m

en feet away, the next Jace was flat on his back with t

the brick wall, heart

knew every move before it happened. One by one, Jace's guys went down. Fists cracked against jaws. Bodies hi

ed up with a knife in hi

and flipped him onto the ground so hard the knife clattered out of his grip. A f

t except for the gro

tened slowly, turnin

presence was unnerving. Controlled. Intense. Dangerous in a w

forcing the words out pa

ust turned and sta

e quiet alley. "The least you

ght he wouldn't answer. Then he

ar

ike that,

, panic bubbling up again. If anyone saw this-if anyon

ra

mory of last night still clung to me. Every slam of a locker, every shout down the hallwa

the universe

l the door opened and our teacher walk

ot a new student joining us today." He

or swu

asp

ro

n alley less than twelve hours ago. His eyes flicked across the room until they landed on m

r introduced. "Make him feel welcom

empty seat w

h

e. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him sit down. Felt the weight of his presence.

e? He was just a guy. A terrifying, mysterious,

inally rang, girls swarmed him instantly, curious, flirtatious

f. I owed him something-at least words. Gratitud

l, but I forced it out. "My name's Alexa. I just...

me, expression unreadable. The

rked in my ches

when his voice came-low, steady,

re we