Chapter Four

Yubi. 

I thought I had survived the first few days living with Trey. Survived the tension, the stolen glances, the accidental brushes, the unbearable magnetism between us. But tonight, at this party, I realized I hadn’t survived a thing.

My mom had insisted we attend a small gathering family and friends gathering. I didn’t want to go, but apparently, showing a united “blended family” front was mandatory. And there he was, Trey, standing a few steps behind me, tall, silent, exuding that same dangerous calm stoic look that made my stomach twist and my pulse race.

I tried to focus on the conversation, on the polite laughter, on pretending I belonged. But someone brushing past me, whispering in my ear, caught my attention immediately.

“Hey, you look amazing tonight,” the guy said, smiling a little too closely. His hand brushed my shoulder, lingering.

My stomach did flips, and I tried to step back. “Uh thanks,” I murmured, forcing a polite smile.

And then I felt it, Trey’s hand closing around my wrist, firm, steady, pulling me away from the flirt. His grip was possessive, urgent, and my breath hitched.

“You can’t let him touch you like that,” he muttered, his voice low, almost a growl. “Do you understand?”

Heat pooled in my chest, and I felt my legs go weak. I opened my mouth to reply, to protest, but the words caught in my throat. “Why, why can’t I?” I whispered, voice trembling.

“Because,” he said, his lips dangerously close to my ear, “I’m the one who’s supposed to be worried about you.”

My heart hammered, and my face burned. I wanted to pull away, to create space, but his hand was still on my wrist, grounding me, controlling me, sending shivers down my spine. I wanted to hate him, I wanted to scream that this was wrong. And yet every nerve in my body was screaming in the opposite direction.

“Yubi” His voice was soft now, almost tender, but underneath it was the same dark intensity that had consumed me since the day we became step siblings. “Don’t make me lose control here.”

I shivered. Not from fear. Not entirely. From desire. From the unbearable pull he had over me. From the memory of our kiss that refused to leave my lips. “Trey we can’t and you have a girlfriend, I don't see how who I talk to is any of your business really” I managed to finally fire back. 

I bit my lip, my hands trembling. I did want him. Every glance, every brush of skin, every whisper of his voice made me ache. But I couldn’t admit it not here, not now.

Before I could respond, he leaned closer, almost daring, his lips brushing my neck in a fleeting, stolen touch. I gasped, pressing back slightly, my mind spinning. My body betrayed me in ways that were impossible to ignore.

He pulled back, just enough to keep himself in control. His dark eyes locked onto mine, unreadable, dangerous. “It's my job to protect you from perverts like him, you are my little sister now, remember?” he whispered, voice low, husky, full of sarcasm. 

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing with anger at him and his condescending tone. 

The party around us continued, laughter and music filling the air, but we were in a world of our own. 

A world where every glance, every movement, every brush of skin carried the weight of forbidden desire.

I looked away, trying to catch my breath. Trying to convince myself I could survive this. But survival felt impossible. Living in the same house, pretending to be siblings, and hiding the memory of that kiss, it was a torment I wasn’t sure I could endure.

Trey’s hand lingered near mine, just a whisper of a touch. A threat. A promise. I didn’t know which.

And as I stood there, feeling the heat of him, the tension, the pull between us, I knew one thing for certain: nothing about our situation was normal. Nothing about him was safe. And nothing about me could resist him.

I was about to walk away, when the man from early approached us, I had seen him around in the parties I had attended before we moved to Trey's neighborhood. 

"may I have this dance yubi?" he asked politely, extending his arm to me. I es about to join him when Trey immediately stopped me, grabbing my arm. 

"No she cannot, go find someone else." he said, his voice cold. 

"He does not make the rules for me, so don't mind him, this is just my brother being an overprotective ass." I said taking his arm. 

Trey was about to grab my arm when Kiara suddenly appeared from behind us. 

"there you are, I have been looking for you all night." she said, with that fake smile she always had on. 

I didn't even wait for him to say anything I just led Kevin, the man who had just asked me to dance to the dance floor leaving Kiara and Trey standing there, his gaze still on me.