All Chapters of Bound By Blood: The Step-Brothers' Temptation: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Amelie’s POVThe car ride was silent. Way too silent for me to be comfortable in. But what were the chances I was going to be calm in this situation?I was literally driving to my death. They kept saying I had to play it right, but I didn’t trust that.Luca sat beside me, his expression unreadable, arms crossed over his chest. He hadn’t said a word since we left. Not one warning, not one ounce of reassurance. Just stone.Like he wasn’t going to say anything about throwing me into the pit of flames. Just giving me a bottle of water and expecting me to somehow survive. I kept my eyes forward, my reflection staring back at me from the tinted window. I looked the part—confident, sleek, dangerous—but inside I felt like I was walking a tightrope over a bed of knives.Just one wrong step and I would be falling to a very painful death.I could feel his eyes on me. Watching. Judging.Finally, when we were a block away, his voice broke the silence.“Don’t try to be clever.”I turned to him

_Amelie’s POV_The ride back was suffocating.I had somehow found a way to escape Lorenzo with my head on my neck. I could have sworn that the man had been out for me, whatever it was he had seen on his phone had saved my life. Immediately he stepped out, Nico had ordered me to make my way through the doors. Ignoring the steady eyes of the people following as I walked through. I couldn’t give anything away as my heart thundered in my chest. The fear of Lorenzo suddenly calling out to me scared me more than anything else right now. Not a single word had been spoken since I slid into the backseat beside Luca. Nico sat on my other side, silent. Matteo was in the front, drumming his fingers against his thigh, his jaw tight. The silence wasn’t comforting—it was loud, brutal, sharp enough to cut skin.I was unable to tell why the triplets had decided to stay quiet after something like this had happened. I thought they’d say something. Anything.A “good job,” maybe. Or even a sarcastic

_Amelie’s POV_I have never felt as frustrated and disgusted with my own skin as I feel right now. I had done everything I could to take them off.The blood didn’t leave my hands.Not even after I scrubbed them raw under the faucet.Not even after I stood beneath the freezing shower my skin turned numb.It was still there.On my fingers.Under my nails.In my bones.My eyes darted around the room, for something, anything to use. But I found nothing.My hands were stained with the blood of a man who was still breathing. But it felt like I had killed him.Every time I blinked, I saw that man’s face. Broken. Bleeding. Staring at me like he’d seen a ghost. Or maybe just a stupid girl caught in the crossfire of monsters.I almost begged him to tell them what they wanted to know. But the triplets’ stares at me stopped me from doing just that.Because they wanted to see him beg and they wanted to see me break.Tears brimmed my eyes, threatening to fall.But I wasn’t going to cry.Not again

_Amelie’s POV_I didn’t cry. I couldn't.Not when the gravel dug into my knees. Not when the gun jammed and Luca growled at me like I was a waste of time. Not even when my palms split open on the staff.I kept it together.Ignoring the burning Paul that trailed up my arm, ignoring the way my thighs screamed and my legs shook.Even walking was so hard for me, my legs almost giving up beneath me.Right up until I made it back to my room.I closed the door and let out a breath, pressing my back against the wood. My arms were shaking. My legs? Useless. I slid down slowly until I hit the floor, body aching in places I didn’t even know could hurt.Every muscle screamed.I wanted to give up on this right away. Let the tears run freely.But I didn’t cry.Because that would make everything I’d just endured meaningless.Luca’s demeaning stare, his ruthlessness as he hit me over and over all in The name of training me.Instead, I peeled off my sweat-drenched shirt and stared down at myself.Bru

_Amelie’s POV_I paced.Back and forth. Bare feet brushing across the cold marble. I had run into my room, shutting the door behind me as I tried to calm my fast racing heart.Matteo? I can handle it, but are the two brothers in the same space with me? Staring at me with such sinful eyes? I couldn't handle that.I know. They had humiliated me. Made mockery of me and insulted me for letting them touch me.I hated them more than anything but that didn’t hide the fact I wanted them to touch me.It was such a sinful thing to think of, but I couldn't help it.My thoughts raced faster than my steps—blurring Matteo’s voice in the library, the heat of his breath on my throat, the way Nico had watched us like he wanted to break both of us.Or join us. I couldn't tell which.I hated how they got under my skin.Worse, I hated how my body responded to it.Like I needed it– needed them. No wonder Matteo said what he said. I made myself seem like a whore around them.My hands curled into fist