“I’m patient with you, little sister,” he whispered again… It almost broke me.
I hated how my body responded. How my chest tightened, my throat ached and my lips nearly parted to say the words he had always wanted to hear me say.
But I couldn’t.
This… us… it was always meant to fall apart. From the beginning, it was doorned. And the longer I let him in, the harder it would be to crawl out of the wreckage.
So I took in a shaky breath, reached up, and gently pulled his hand away from my face.
His brows drew together. “Kasmine-?”
“I could never love you,” I said flatly.
A lie.
It tasted like ash in my mouth.
His eyes darkened, and I saw the flare of hurt flash across his face.
“Don’t,” he said softly, dangerously. “Don’t say that.”
But I didn’t stop.
“I’m being realistic, Kester. You should try it sometime.” forced my arms to cross over my chest again as if that could hold everything in “In nine days, I’ll find my mate. Or maybe I’ll end up with my betrothed. Either way, this thing between us-it ends.”
No.” He stepped forward again, jaw clenching, “No, you don’t get to stand there and
“Yes, I do!” I snapped, my voice cracking like thin ice under pressure. “I have to. Because if I don’t… I’ll… I’ll….” I swallowed the words.
“I’ll fall deeper…’
But those words were enough to unravel Kester. I couldn’t let him get the slightest hint that I had fallen for him. It would be his ruin.
He looked like I had slapped him.
I wanted to turn away because staring into those stormy eyes while I said this felt like self-mutilation-but I didn’t. I owed him the dignity of my paze
“I know what this has been for you,” I said, my tone growing softer now and bitter at the edges. “Something wild. Something thrilling. But it’s not love. Not really. It’s adrenaline. A forbidden fruit. A distraction.”
His chest rose. “Don’t. Don’t reduce it like that.
“And you” I swallowed hard. “You don’t get to break June’s heart just because you think you can. If you go through with this engagement, then go through with the marriage, too. Don’t come looking for me afterward Don’t lock on my door at midnight or call my name like it still belongs to you. Because once you put that ring on her finger, Kester, it’s over”
His face contorted, pain bleeding into fury. “That’s not fair I just need time to-“
“I don’t care,” I whispered, lying through my teeth. “Four more days, Kester. That’s all we have left to drown in this secret of ours. You have every right to my body for the next four days. So, enjoy the thrill while it lasts. But know this “I took a breath so sharp it nearly cut my lungs.”-once you’re engaged, I will never let you anywhere near me again.”
Silence.
He stood there, his whole body vibrating with emotion that was sure he didn’t know where to place.
And I just stared at him, even as my vision blurred with the tears I refused to shed.
My heart was screaming, ‘Tell him you love him.”
But my mouth wouldn’t dare betray me.
Because love was reckless,
And love with him was ruin.
KESTER.
The silence in my office was a strange land of loud. Even with Lance droning on about the weekly updates, every word felt like a whisper slipping through a fog… It was becoming increasingly difficult to stay even a second without being around or seeing Kasmine.
Fuck.
It was all getting to my head, and 1 didn’t know how much longer I could deal with this distance she was forcing
My heart kept beating at an unhealthy speed, and, fuck… I needed her like an antidote. I was gradually losing my shit
“So the farmers are requesting Keliud fertilizer to the previous one we used before,” Lance finished a sentence he made that practically flew over my attention.
I nodded slowly, rubbing the heel of my palm against my brow. “Get it for them.”
He paused. I could feel his gaze on me, like he was waiting for me to actually engage. But I didn’t have the strength to fake it today.
Hell, I hadn’t slept properly. Not since I walked out of her room last night with her voice still echoing in my ears.
“I could never love you…”
Right
“About Karina…” Lance began after a brief pause, getting my attention, “Now that she’s in the pack under the guise of having issues with her mate, don’t you think she’s posing more threats?”
I leaned back in the chair, exhaling a breath I had been holding… Probably to see how dying would feel… Maybe it would save me from this heartache.
My fingers found my temple again, circling slowly as if I could somehow massage away the dull throb that had taken root behind my eyes.
Lance had a point. He was smart, young and intelligent. And sometimes, one would wonder why he wasn’t my close friend. Truly, he was sharp enough to earn my trust but too damn principled to ever be my friend. He worshipped the gods of discipline, honor, morals, and doing the right thing. He was the kind of man who’d burn the world down before crossing a line.
Which is exactly why he could never know I’d already crossed mine. Over and over again.
Imagine his reaction if he ever found out that I was fucking my stepsister and wanting her like a sin.
Lance would rip his own head off.
“Karina’s not a threat,” I said finally, “She’s under control
Lange didn’t respond right away. I could feel him still watching me, probably trying to read the reason I sounded like I was one breath away from falling apart.
“I actually hope she stays a little longer,” I added, eyes fixed on a meaningless spot on the wall.
The room fell quiet again. Lance had either run out of words or decided to let me stew in my own silence.
He was still standing across from my desk, arms crossed while his posture was stiff with confusion or concern-I couldn’t tell which, and I didn’t care enough to ask.
My phone buzzed on the table.
I didn’t look at it immediately. The vibration skittered across the surface like an insect, and it irritated me to my core.
I already knew who it was. This was the sixth time this morning I was getting a text.
I finally dragged my gaze to the screen to see what she had said this time around.
June: What should I wear for dinner tonight? I’m thinking that blue dress your mother said made me look respectable…..
My jaw ticked. I didn’t answer.
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