KASMINE’S POV.

 

I would never be able to survive in this house. Kester was no longer the big brother I used to know. He’d become cold and distant. His presence scared me.

 

I barely survived his presence in the kitchen earlier. The way he looked at me as if I was some kind of… I don’t know… A prostitute?

 

I know he had warned me several times about wearing such clothes, but I was in his house, and there was no one else there. His guards were stationed outside the house and with the way Kester was, I knew they’d never dare enter into the house without his permission.

 

Maybe he should tell me if he also doesn’t want me wearing them around his house. I’d just stick to wearing them right here in my room because these are the only kind of clothes I feel comfortable in whenever I am at home.

 

We barely exchanged pleasantries when he excused himself and went into his room. I wasn’t wrong. His room was the one just beside mine.

 

I was ready to sleep, but the hotness of the room was becoming unbearable. I had thought I’d be able to ignore it, as the air conditioner wasn’t on. The remote control was broken.

 

I didn’t want anything that would make me face Kester tonight, but I guess I don’t have a choice.

 

Adjusting my nightgown, which stopped mid-thigh, I grabbed the remote control and headed to his room.

 

I took in a shuddering sigh as I knocked gently on the door, but there was no response. I knocked again, but there was no response. I twisted the doorknob, and surprisingly, the door wasn’t locked.

 

Could he be asleep? Well, he had to wake up and help me fix this. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to sleep.

 

When I entered his room, a small gasp left my lips as I closed the door behind me.

 

His room was large. His neatly arranged king-sized bed beckoned on me to have a feel, but I resisted the urge to lay on it.

 

The ambience of the room… Everything mirrored Kester’s personality. It was beautiful. Although it was dark, all the bright lights were turned off except for two dim lights, which slightly illuminated the room.

 

Wait.

 

I almost got carried away, forgetting why I was there. The bed which I had just admired was empty. Meaning he wasn’t sleeping.

 

“Kester?” I called in a whisper but got no response.

 

Perhaps he was downstairs. I turned to leave, but something caught my attention. It was a portrait.

 

A portrait of a naked woman.

 

I couldn’t get a good view of it because of the slight darkness of the room, but… It looked like a portrait of…

 

Wait. Is that a portrait of me?

 

No. It couldn’t be. Kester couldn’t have a portrait of me naked in his room.

 

Just as I was about to go forward to get a closer look, I heard the familiar, deep, baritone voice from behind.

 

“You need something?” He asked, and I turned around immediately, chest heaving frantically. My gaze rested on him… My eyes snapped wide with terror at the sight before me.

 

Water droplets trickled down his broad chest. His short dark hair fell over the side of his face, stopping just above his brows.

 

The faint hint of his body wash hit me immediately, and I didn’t need to be told that he had just come out of the bathroom.

 

My pulse quickened even more.

 

His white towel, which hung loosely around his waist, was on the verge of slipping out, pulling attention to his ripped abdomen and the path leading down the V of his lower region…

 

Goddess.

 

My mouth went dry. My skin got so heated up that my blood boiled until I was left with nothing but vapors.

 

I turned tomato-red with embarrassment. I didn’t know he was in the bathroom.

 

This would be the first time I’d ever stand this close to a naked man. Of course… I’ve never been allowed to keep a boyfriend. I was a total virgin. Didn’t know a thing about being around a man.

 

He looked at me like I had invaded his private space, and, yes, I had. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be standing face-to-face with my half-naked stepbrother in his own room.

 

“I – I am sorry, Kester…” I stuttered, my eyes stinging with tears of embarrassment. “I’ll just…” The words didn’t come out as I gestured toward the door, about to leave, when he stopped me.

 

“Mine?” He called me, and I paused, “You need something?” He asked again; this time, his voice was softer than the first.

 

Years ago, I’d blush and giggle whenever he called me the pet name he had carved out of my name, ‘Mine.’

 

I’d playfully tell him he was pronouncing it all wrong as the ‘Mine’ at the end of my name didn’t sound like the possessive pronoun ‘Mine’, which he had decided to call me.

 

He’d shrug and say it didn’t matter, that I was his sister, after all, and that I belonged to him.

 

Mine became his pet name for me. But for the past three years, I felt rather disturbed than flattered whenever he called me that.

 

It sounded… Personal?

 

“Yes. Uhm. The AC remote is broken. I was hoping you’d help me fix it.” I said when I cleared my throat, forcing my voice to remain steady.

 

“Let me see,” He seemed not to know the storm raging inside me at our proximity.

 

I stretched out my trembling hand, handing the remote to him.

 

He received it from me, examined it carefully, and walked toward his closet, “You’ve been in your room all day. Why is that?” he asked casually, his back still turned on me as he pulled something out from the drawer in his closet.

 

“Nothing. I’ve been uh… I’ve been getting prepared for my first day at work,” I lied.

 

He was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, “What kind of preparations?”

 

“Nothing much. Just… Girly stuff,” I replied, peeping to see what he was doing. I was eager to leave his presence.

 

“Okay. Here you go,” He handed the remote to me, “The battery was dead. It should work now,” he added.

 

“Thank you,” I said, “Good night.” I turned to leave, but he stopped me.

 

“Mine?” He called, and I felt that odd sense of disturbance at the name, but I brushed it off and turned to face him. He slowly closed the distance between us, and for reasons I couldn’t tell, I felt my skin burning under the scrutiny of his unreadable stare.

 

He came to a stop before me. I could feel his body heat radiating off him, making me further aware of my surroundings.

 

He placed both his hands on my shoulders, and I lifted my eyes to look him in his face, but I couldn’t hold his intense gaze for more than three seconds before looking away and swallowing a dry lump in my throat.

 

What is he doing? Why is he so close to me? Why isn’t he saying anything?

 

I could swear he heard the rapid beating of my heart.

 

“You don’t always have to be this tensed around me. I don’t bite. I am still your big brother, Kasmine,” he said almost in a whisper, “You’ve become so distant, and I don’t like it. This is your house. Feel free. Watch movies, cook, and come into my room anytime you want. Be you.”

 

I was at a loss for words. What was I meant to say? How should I respond to this? I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

 

“Do I scare you?” He asked as if sensing my thoughts, and I nodded frantically, looking up at him.

 

“You do. You’ve changed, Kes. You killed that man…” I licked my dry lips, “I don’t know you anymore.”

 

He scoffed in slight amusement, “I am sorry. All I want is to keep you safe. That man had bad intentions toward you. I am an Alpha. I sensed it,” He shrugged, letting go of my shoulders, “As for your posting, I just thought we could use the opportunity to spend more time together. You know? I’ve missed my little sister. I know you were mad when you found out,” he smiled, his green eyes lighting up in a way I hadn’t noticed in a long time.

 

My brother had one of the most beautiful smiles I’ve ever seen. He was so perfectly made that it should be illegal.

 

Sometimes, I wished he wasn’t my brother. I swear I would have willingly thrown myself at him by now.

 

“You should have said so,” I said with an eye roll, feeling more at ease now.

 

“I know how stubborn you can be. You wouldn’t blame me,” he casually strode to his bed, the muscles on his back flexing with each movement he made.

 

The night got better, and as it did, I began to doubt my judgment of my stepbrother. I had been the one misunderstanding him all along. He hadn’t changed. He was still the sweet, big brother I used to know.