hapter 67
Chapter 67
KASMINE
Today, of all days, seemed to be the day every driver in Chicago wanted to win the award for being the slowest driver ever to live.
I was too eager to get home, and the tiniest form of traffic or misbehavior from these drivers seemed to grate on
my nerves.
After what seemed like an eternity, we were parked in the garage, and I hurried out of the car with excitement, forgetting my earlier worry about June being at home.
Whenever Kester said he had a surprise for me, it was always jaw–dropping and it made my heart flutter and ache at the same time.
My heart fluttered because he was making me feel like a real woman. But the ache in my heart was due to the fact that all these – whatever we thought we were doing would never last. It was never meant to be. And that’s why I allowed myself to enjoy the thrill while it lasted. And so far? It’s been a roller–coaster.
I pushed the front door open and marched inside, oblivious to the person who was sitting quietly in the sitting room, staring beyond the TV show she was supposed to be watching.
“Kasmine?” June’s voice reset my brain, and I halted mid–stairs.
“Oh. June. Sorry I didn’t see you,” I apologized, trying to catch my breath.
She set down the mug of coffee she had in her hands, and I couldn’t help but wonder why she was drinking coffee and watching nothing on the TV at this hour of the day, lost in her own thoughts.
Didn’t she have a life to live? The last time I checked, she was still the boss of her company, which she only took over from her father a few months ago. But she hadn’t stepped foot in the office for almost two weeks now. Why?
“You’re home so early,” she stated, cutting off my thoughts of concem as she walked toward me and came to a stop just in front of me.
“Uh… Yes. I…” I swallowed the guilt that prickled my throat “I had to do something at home.” I said the dumbest thing there was to ever say.
“Oh. I see.” She said, using her one hand to smoothen the rough edges of her unkempt hair, making me realize how unkempt she looked.
Had she even had a bath all day? She was still in her nightwear, and she looked really pale.
“Are you okay? You look pale and… Untidy. What’s wrong? asked her, my prying eyes roaming over her body.
She scoffed, “I am not fine, Kasmine. And I need your help.
“Uhm… Now?” I asked, hoping she’d say we could talk later or something because I was too eager to go into my room at that moment.
“Yes, please. Let’s sit,” she gestured toward the couch in the sitting room before leading the way for me to follow. I was both impatient and scared. If Kester comes out and sees me talking to June when I should have been in my room already, like he instructed me, he’d let all hell loose.
We sat on the couch, and she fell into a silence I wished she had never fallen into, with her arms crossed on her chest while she stared into nothing.
Chapter 67
+25 BONUS
“June?” I probed her softly before she sucked in a breath as if shoving down all the emotions warring within her.
“Kasmine, I want you to be honest with me,” she turned to face me, softly placing her palms over mine, “Is your brother seeing someone else?” She asked, and the question seemed to be aimed at my conscience.
If she wasn’t so lost in her hurt, I was certain she would have noticed the way I stilled at her question.
“Is he into someone else? Someone you know?” A tear slid down her cheek, and it broke me, “Who is she? Is she from his pack? Another Alpha’s daughter? Just a random girl? Tell me, Kasmine, because my heart can’t take this anymore.” She gave in to the urge and broke down in tears.
I was at a loss for words, and I felt like a betrayer, not just to June but to everyone around me – Mum, Dad, Jake, Claire… Oh, gods. What kind of a monster was 1?
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Is it because my suspicions are true?” June wiped the tears that wouldn’t stop falling as she looked straight into my eyes. “I love your brother so much. I really do. I’ve loved him for so many years. And I have done everything possible to make him love me back, but it’s not working.”
“June…” called her name softly, totally at a loss for what to say to her. What could a betrayer and a backstabbing bitch like me have to say to someone who I was causing pain to?
“He acts as if there is someone else in his life, but, in reality, I have never seen him with another woman. Truth is, She looked away, almost as if she was ashamed of what she was about to admit, “I even had someone follow him around secretly some weeks ago, but they found nothing! He isn’t seeing any woman. None that is to the knowledge of anyone.” She bursted out into fresh sobs.
If only she knew that the woman Kester was seeing was actually staying under the same roof with her..
“You have to pull yourself together. Crying won’t solve anything,” I said, and it was a miracle my voice came out steady, despite the storm that was swirling in me.
“But what would you have me do? I am tired of lying and pretending to my friends about Kester. I lie to them about him loving me, buying me gifts, taking me on vacations, hell, I even lied to them about the new car I acquired some days ago! I told them it was all Kester!” She said, and the pain in her voice sent a fresh wave of guilt through me.
She had to lie to her friends about the things Kester did for the without me even asking
“But, have you tried giving another man a chance? I mean, Kester is not the prize. You are the real prize here. You are beautiful, intelligent, hardworking, an Alpha’s daughter… Any man would kill to have you.”
“Any man except the man I love and desire!” My words seemed to fuel her hurt.
I pulled her in for a hug, gently patting her back as I hushed her.
“Shhh… It’s okay, June. You don’t deserve this. There are other men out there who would kill to have you. Kester doesn’t deserve you… Your tears… Your pain….. He doesn’t deserve any of it.”
She pulled away, catching her breath before she spoke again, “I will do all I can to show him how much I truly love him. Maybe if I give him the partnership my father promised him, he’d love me back,” She said hopefully, looking at me desperately for approval, and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
I couldn’t bear it anymore. Her words were aimed at my fragile heart, and they kept reminding me of everything wrong with what I had been doing with my brother.
“Don’t do that. Don’t be that stupid, June,” I said in a firm tone. “Are you out of your mind? What if he still doesn’t love you back?”
Chapter 67
+25 BONUS
“June?” I probed her softly before she sucked in a breath as if shoving down all the emotions warring within her.
“Is your “Kasmine, I want you to be honest with me,” she turned to face me, softly placing her palms over mine, brother seeing someone else?” She asked, and the question seemed to be aimed at my conscience.
If she wasn’t so lost in her hurt, I was certain she would have noticed the way I stilled at her question.
“Is he into someone else? Someone you know?” A tear slid down her cheek, and it broke me, “Who is she? Is she from his pack? Another Alpha’s daughter? Just a random girl? Tell me, Kasmine, because my heart can’t take this anymore.” She gave in to the urge and broke down in tears
I was at a loss for words, and I felt like a betrayer, not just to June but to everyone around me- Mum, Dad, Jake, Claire… Oh, gods. What kind of a monster was I?
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Is it because my suspicions are true?” June wiped the tears that wouldn’t stop falling as she looked straight into my eyes. “I love your brother so much. I really do. I’ve loved him for so many years. And I have done everything possible to make him love me back, but it’s not working”
“June…” Tcalled her name softly, totally at a loss for what to say to her. What could a betrayer and a backstabbing bitch like me have to say to someone who I was causing pain to?
“He acts as if there is someone else in his life, but, in reality, I have never seen him with another woman. Truth is, “She looked away, almost as if she was ashamed of what she was about to admit, “I even had someone follow him around secretly some weeks ago, but they found nothing! He isn’t seeing any woman. None that is to the knowledge of anyone.” She bursted out into fresh sobs.
If only she knew that the woman Kester was seeing was actually staying under the same roof with her…
“You have to pull yourself together. Crying won’t solve anything,” I said, and it was a miracle my voice came out steady, despite the storm that was swirling in me.
‘But what would you have me do? I am tired of lying and pretending to my friends about Kester. I lie to them about him loving me, buying me gifts, taking me on vacations, hell, I even lied to them about the new car I acquired some days ago! I told them it was all Kester!” She said, and the pain in her voice sent a fresh wave of guilt through me.
She had to lie to her friends about the things Kester did for me without me even asking.
“But, have you tried giving another man a chance? I mean, ester is not the prize. You are the real prize here. You are beautiful, intelligent, hardworking, an Alpha’s daughter… Any man would kill to have you”
“Any man except the man I love and desire!” My words seemed to fuel her hurt.
I pulled her in for a hug, gently patting her back as I hushed her.
“Shhh… It’s okay, June. You don’t deserve this. There are other men out there who would kill to have you. Kester doesn’t deserve you. Your tears… Your pain… He doesn’t deserve any of it.”
She pulled away, catching her breath before she spoke agaid, “I will do all I can to show him how much I truly love him. Maybe if I give him the partnership my father promised him, he’d love me back,” She said hopefully, looking at me desperately for approval, and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
I couldn’t bear it anymore. Her words were aimed at my fragile heart, and they kept reminding use of everything wrong with what I had been doing with my brother.
“Don’t do that. Don’t be that stupid, June,” I said in a firm coue, “Are you out of your mind? What if he still doesn’t love you back?”
+25 BONUS
Chapter 67
She was silent, her shoulders still quaking from the impact of her hard sobs.
“I was meant to leave in a few days. But I think I’ll just stay back a little longer. Winning his heart would be more effective with me being closer to him than far away in mypack. What do you think?”
Not a good idea. If June kept staying here, she’d certainly catch Kester and me in the act of our taboo. That wasn’t an option to even let her consider. She almost caught us last night. It was a close call.
But… This also meant Kester hadn’t told her yet about our trip to Maldives.
My heart dropped again. I was living the life she desperately wanted. Imagine her hurt when she finds out that Kester was taking me on a vacation without a reason or an occasion.
Maybe it was best she didn’t know after all.
“But…” I was het atmosphere.
about dissuading her from staying back for obvious reasons when I felt the shift in the
June froze instantly with her gaze fixed on the stairs. I didn’t need a shaman to tell me who was standing there in all his intimidating glory.
Kester.
I slowly turned, my hands still locked onto June’s.
The look on his face said it all – he was unhappy.
“It took you long enough,” He said calmly, his hands tucked in his pockets.
“Uh… Kester. I was just…” I swallowed the lump in my throat, but he didn’t let me finish.
“Get to your room now,” He ordered, and just like a pet hearing her master’s voice, I slowly stood up, caressing June’s hands soothingly, before walking away.
Kester’s gaze never left mine. He hadn’t even spared June a glance. As soon as I climbed to the end of the stairs, to the point where he stood, he grabbed my arm just before I walked past him.
“The next time you keep me waiting like this…” He brought his mouth close to my ear, “I won’t be so patient. You’ll be on your knees in apology–your pretty little mouth wrapped around my cock until I decide you’ve learned your lesson.”
Chapter 6.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
Synopsis : My Stepbrother
