Chapter 1~ Jason.

With a slight frown creasing my brows I dragged my luggage towards the apartment that stood big and mighty right in front of me.

No matter how far I ran, life always dragged me back toward him. And now, after years of distance, I was walking straight into the one place I swore I’d never share with Maddox again.

I stopped on my tracks, running my eyes over this place, where I’m to live with my well-to-do stepbrother.

Hesitatingly, I stretched my hand over to the doorbell, about to ring it, when the door swung open, almost startling me.

My eyes met with the cold, grey ones staring right back at me.

There he was, Maddox!

Instead of stepping aside, Maddox stayed planted firmly in the center of the frame. His broad shoulders completely blocked the entrance, his towering frame casting a long shadow right over me.

He didn't move an inch, intentionally trapping me on the welcome mat as his eyes tracked the slight tremor in my hands.

"You're here..." He called dryly, finally breaking the suffocating silence as his gaze flicked down to the luggage in my hand. I didn't need to find my glasses to read the look on his face.

He hated the idea of my beginning to live with him.

Well, I hate it just as much as he does—even though we wouldn’t be spending more than just a year living together.

I dragged my luggage in, finally ignoring my subconscious that asked that I greet him when I knew that he would never even bother answering.

In the midst of a family dinner with our parents, Maddox always kept that same attitude, and now that we're alone—or so I thought as I walked into the living room and the strong smell of cigarettes hit me.

I tightened my hold on the handle of my luggage, facing the glares on each of the guys’ faces present here, as though I just ruined the little chit-chatting they were having.

The door closed behind me as Maddox walked past me.

"The... The nerd?" One of Maddox's friends asked with sarcasm.

Another hit him playfully. "You stop that. He's Maddox's stepbrother, show some respect.”

I heaved a breath, glancing at Maddox who of course seemed to pretend like I was non-existent.

He definitely knew I was coming today yet... This mess.

I bet we wouldn't last a month together.

I dragged my luggage behind me and climbed the staircase before any of the guys could start a conversation with me.

I don't even know where my room was supposed to be but the last time I came here alone with Dad, the room down the hallway seemed to be vacant.

I opened the bedroom door, slammed it shut, and locked it from behind.

I huffed angrily, finally faced with this bedroom that looked opposite compared to the last time I was here—almost as though someone used to live here instead of me.

I can’t believe I left my dorm, good roommates to come stay with someone who doesn’t give two fuck about me. Yet I had no choice.

Dad is broke, and aside from that, I had to obey him—it was on the order of Mrs. Donovan after all who wanted the family to be perfect and Dad always pretends the same even though I could see through him.

I rolled my eyes in my head as I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling with my subconscious speaking to itself on how fucked I am until it ran out of words.*

My eyes felt heavy and just like that, I gave in to sleep.

***

The loud music, shouts, and what seemed to be a moan pulled me out of my deep slumber.

I groaned tossing on the bed.

It was supposed to be midnight—quiet, and peaceful but as I opened my eyes finally paying attention to the noise, it almost seemed like I had dozed off in a club.

I sat upright, awake this time hoping it wasn’t what I was starting to think but yeah… A party was going on downstairs, disrupting my sleep, and—I bit my lower lip feeling the surge of frustration down my stomach and as much as I tried to suppress the irritation in me I knew I couldn’t.

There was absolutely no way I was going to get a single wink of sleep with this relentless noise rattling the walls.

I needed to set a boundary.

He might own here, but I am now his roommate. And just like the dorm, everyone has their own boundaries, and whatever was going downstairs either gets stopped or... Or the music gets reduced I don't care.

I slid my feet into the footwear which wasn't mine and didn't fit either as I barged out of the room and the music grew even louder. And the moan from the next room?

This place would be better off being a brothel instead!

Was Maddox purposely doing this? Or had he always been doing this?

I used to hear rumors about his party being one of a kind but not this… Terrifying!

I walked down the stairs but stopped in my tracks as my eyes brushed past the crowds that filled the living room.

There was no way I was walking through them just to speak with Maddox.

"What is it? You wanna join the party?" Someone caught my attention and I recognized him as Maddox's friend.

I shook my head a little as he asked again.

"Is it Maddox?"

"Yes."

"I'd get him..." He said with a small smile as he walked away.

Waiting right here would only draw the attention of these obviously drunk souls, I thought as I turned to go but then I heard the loud voice call me from behind.

"Hey, Jason!"

At once, I could feel my heart heavy, and the music went lower as he called me again.

"Stepbrother?" This time, the sarcasm drips in his voice.

The music dipped just enough for every drunken head to turn toward me. Heat crawled up my neck as numerous eyes pinned me in place.

It was really the wrong option coming downstairs. I thought he was only with his friends I saw him with earlier when I came in.

"Don't you wanna come join us? Or did your father warn you that mingling with me would spark more gossip about how he married my mother just for her money?" He shouted, and the living room instantly erupted into a burst of mocking laughter.

"He's the stepbrother I heard about?"

"How could a man be so useless as to depend on a woman for her money?"

"Now he's going to feed off you?"

The gossip came and I clenched my hands on the rail this time, having in control of myself as my breath came shaky.

I should get my inhaler but I couldn't even gather the strength in me to move.

Just then I felt the hand on my shoulder and turned to face him—staring with nothing but disgust at me, his breath smelling of alcohol.

"You wanna live with me that bad?” He questioned daringly. “ Then I hope you enjoy your stay here. Roommate.” He smirked, wickedly.