Semua Bab WANTING MY STEP—BROTHER : Bab 61 - Bab 70

Melanie Alicia nearly knocked the breath out of me when I walked into art school the next morning. Her arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders like she was about to smuggle me away.“Oh my God, Melanie,” she gushed, squeezing me until my ribs protested, “I was so worried, I couldn’t sleep, I thought you were dead or something—but then Salma told me they found you, and I was like thank God.”I blinked. “Wait… who’s Salma?”“Aria’s friend’s younger sister,” Alicia said, finally pulling back to look at me, her eyeliner already smudged like she’d been up since dawn gossiping. “She was at this art school too, but she left for the big city. Wild child. Big earrings. Red lipstick. You’d like her.”I frowned. “You guys were close friends?”Alicia smirked like she had tea I didn’t want to drink. “Close enough. She once had a thing with Dante.”I nearly choked on my own spit. “Wait—what? A thing? As in—”“No, not dating,” Alicia cut me off, waving her hand. “Just… you know. A fling.”“That’s

MelanieThe next morning at school, I was a mess. Not in the literal sense—my hair was brushed, my notes were open on the desk, and I was pretending to listen to the lecture like the good student I usually was. But inside? My brain was still replaying last night.Dante. His hands. His mouth. That goddamn gun.I pressed my pen harder into my notebook, doodling little circles that looked suspiciously like bullet holes. The professor’s voice droned on about art theory, but all I could think about was how Dante’s voice had sounded when he said my name. Like it belonged to him.Get a grip, Melanie. He’s your bodyguard. Your stepbrother. Your almost killer. And apparently, your part-time mindfucker.By the time my class ended, I was practically sprinting out the door just to get some air. Gabe was waiting for me outside, waving dramatically like I’d been lost at sea for a decade. Alicia was nowhere to be seen and I assumed she had gone to get her mid-day latte. She can’t function without i

Melanie Dante pulled Alicia out of the pool with an ease that still managed to look rough, his arms strong around her as she sputtered and coughed water. I hovered near the edge, unsure whether to help, whether he even needed me there. “What happened?” I asked again, my voice coming out a bit low. “She moved too close to the edge,” he said, his tone almost detached, as if explaining something trivial.Before I could say anything else, Gabe appeared, helping Dante as he steadied his hands on Alicia’s shivering body. “I’ll take her to the guest room,” he said quickly, slipping into caretaker mode. I watched as he struggled. I blinked. “Are you sure you don’t need our help and shouldn’t we get the doctor?”He gave a stiff nod, adjusting Alicia’s limp weight against his chest. “I’ll manage. I will handle everything,You just… enjoy the party.”With that, he carried her away, disappearing down the corridor, and I was left with Dante.My eyes cut back to him, and I couldn’t hold back the

MelanieThe wedding was in three weeks.Federico had announced it at dinner like my mom had said, his voice booming with pride.The whole table had lit up with smiles. My mother glowed as he spoke, her cheeks flushed in a way I hadn’t seen in years, her eyes shining with something dangerously close to hope.Dante was the only one smiling, but he didn't look angry either. That unsettled me more. Dante without an expression didn’t feel safe, it felt like a storm cloud without rain—you just knew it was gathering for something bigger.After dinner, I trailed behind him, my footsteps echoing faintly in the long hallway. I planned to head to my room—to do more thinking. I haven’t yet decided how to go about my new plan which I titled operation save Federico. I had to keep thinking, keep trying to look for the perfect solution that doesn’t end with me or my mother losing our lives.I was just about to step into my room when Dante turned to look at me. “Have you ever been to the other

MelanieWhen I woke up, the sunlight was filtering through the curtains like a quiet intruder. My eyes blinked open slowly, the sheets tangled around my legs, and the first thing I felt was warmth. Dante’s warmth.He was lying beside me, bare-chested, his arm heavy across my waist, his hair mussed, his breathing even. For a moment, I just stared. ‘Oh God… last night actually happened.’A ridiculous grin tugged at my lips before I could stop it. I bit it down, but my cheeks burned anyway. ‘Pull yourself together, Melanie. You’re acting like a teenage girl with her first crush.’My brain, however, didn’t listen. Instead, it replayed the memory of him carrying me into his room, that quiet focus in his eyes, like I weighed nothing.Okay, I need to stop. Seriously, stop.I turned my head toward him, watching the way his chest rose and fell. A strand of his hair fell over his forehead, and before I knew it, my fingers reached out and brushed it away. How does someone so terrifying look so