Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

KASMINE.

The drive was cold. Tense. Nerve-wracking. Not because of the silence-but because of him.

Kester sat beside me, a storm barely contained beneath his skin. His grip on the steering wheel was tight, knuckles pale against the leather, and though his gaze stayed fixed on the road, the tension in his jaw and the rigid line of his shoulders told me exactly how pissed he was.

My fingers twitched all the way home.

Kester, in his usual character, didn't say a word to me throughout. He was just seething beside me, driving at a speed that almost made me say my last prayer.

We drove into the parking lot, and he jammed the car door shut, but before he'd walk over to my own side of the car, I was already out and walking toward the house.

I didn't wait for him.

A part of me was happy he'd saved me from that jerk. But the other part of me was angry with him for so many reasons.

He didn't speak to me for two days. And now, suddenly, he thought he had the right to storm in, play hero, and act like he owned me?

"Kasmine!" He called from behind, but I was already inside the house, making my way up the stairs. I ignored my parents who were sitting in the living room, no doubt hoping for some fairytale recap of my date.

I was upset with everyone.

"Kester... What..." I heard Mum asking from downstairs.

"No interruptions," Kester threw the reply at them, and they knew better than to follow.

him.

I barely made it to my room before Kester caught up.

The door was niliwny shutt when-

Thud.

His hand slammed against it, stopping it mid-swing.

I pushed against the wood, jaw clenched, trying to shove it closed, but he didn't budge. course, he didnt. He was stronger. Larger. And unlike me, he wasn't stalling from the inside aut

The next second, he shoved the door wide open, making me stumble that. My heel caus on the edge of the rug, but I was quick enough to steady myself.

I din look at him.

imutint.

I was furious-furious that he had ignored me for two days,, ftudious that he had acted li I didn't exist, and now, suddenly, he had the audacity to storm into my space like I owe

um something?

Fime. If he wanted to play this game, I'd play too..

I vanked off my heels and tossed them to the fibon with mure force than

necessary, my breaths coming ragged and uneven. "Leave," Imutteral, turning my back to him.

Kester didn't listen.

He never did.

The space between us disappeared in a blink, antihumilis hund was on my throat.noveldrama

Before I could react, my back hit the wall witthardull chud. My heart lurched, but I didn' flinch or let him see how the suddeness audit the air from my lungs.

His fingers curled slightly against my med, his thumb resting right where my pulse thundered against my skin.

I swallowed hard.

"Kester," I warned, my voice shalling; withangot, but he ignored it.

"What the hell is your problem? His voice was rough as if he were holding back something much darker beneath the surface.

I glared up at him, meeting the fire in his eyes with my own. "You are my problem," I spa

shoving at his chest, but he didn't move.

"Is that so?" His lips curled slightly, but there was no humor in it. Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're the one making bad decisions.

What the hell?

"Let me go!" I bit out, shoving at his chest again, but he only pressed further into me, eliminating what little space there was between us..

I could feel his ragged breaths, his body heat, and the fire buning in his gaze.

You went out with another man," he said in a deceptively calm voice. "Without telling

1 froze.

Something hot twisted in my stomach.

I let out a humorless laugh, "What did you expect when you and our parents sold me off to that arrogant jerk? You didn't think he'd come demanding what is his?" I spat.

"You don't belong to him, Kasmine!" He stated firmly, "You are mine! Never forget that!"

1 exhaled, fury crackling through my veins..

"The hell I am, Kester." My hand shot out, gripping his wrist-the one still wrapped around my throat, holding me in place, "You knew about this all these years, and you never said a word about it to me, bulb?"

Stupid, stubborn tears burned their way down my cheeks, and I hated myself for it. I couldn't help but tremble at the turn my life was taking.