Semua Bab SUBMISSIVE TO MY BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND : Bab 71 - Bab 80

OWAIN LUTHERAfter more than five years of being away from this man, I still couldn’t believe my heart somehow felt heavy just seeing him again.I’d never admitted out loud that a part of me still cared, not even once, but Collins always saw through me. That’s probably why, even when I told him to stop keeping tabs on my father, he still did. Maybe he knew I’d eventually ask about him one random day like I already did.We locked eyes for what felt like a lifetime, saying nothing. The room sat still, thick with silence, thick with all the unspoken words choking the air between us. The burden I’d carried for years started clawing its way up my chest again.Those once sharp brown eyes now looked dim, but still cut through me with the same precision. I could tell the toll old age was beginning to take on him yet, that charm he used to wield so effortlessly lingered. The same eyes women fell for. Maybe even Mum. God knows what kind of hold this man had on her that she couldn’t leave, even

KARIMA HEARTWe got to an open space that almost looked abandoned, but honestly, I didn’t care. I had no idea why Isaiah decided to park his car this far from the house, and though my curiosity flickered, I didn’t have the time or energy to dwell on it.He pressed a button, and the car honked softly, headlights flashing red against the drizzle. It looked brand new, untouched even. Without waiting for me, he walked around the hood, grabbed the handle, and opened the door for me before I could do it myself.I slid in. The black leather seat was soft under my skin, the air inside laced with a faint, fresh scent. Isaiah got into the driver’s seat. He exhaled sharply, stealing a quick glance at me before speaking.“Whatever this is, I need you to calm down, Karima. Everything will be fine.”I didn’t answer. I just nodded gently and faced forward pretending his voice didn’t sound way too gentle for someone who looked like that. With that rough, husky tone, the messy curls, and the tattoo sn

KARIMA HEARTRelief washed over me when Isaiah stayed quiet for most of the drive. We both rode in silence, my head full of a thousand scattered thoughts, just wanting this whole mess to be over. The calm held until he finally broke it.“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you home instead?”I glanced at him, my fingers still tangled in the seat belt. “Yeah. I’m fine.”Not going back to the beach house would have been the safest option for me, especially because I'll still have to deal with Malcom when I get there, but that's just as well the worst option because it's only going to fuel things. And Owain... he still hadn’t reached out all day. Seriously?I stared at Isaiah for a second, planning to ask the time. He caught my look and the moment froze awkwardly. You know that stupid little panic when someone catches you staring, and it looks like you were daydreaming about something embarrassing? That was me. That was what it looked like.“You changed your mind?” he asked.“No,” I

OWAIN LUTHERIf words could describe how mad I was when I saw those finger marks on Karima’s neck, it would take a million of them, and even then, it wouldn’t be enough. The rage was sitting hot in my veins, begging for an outlet. If I made it out that door, I didn’t give a d*mn whether Nathan survived the hell waiting for him. I’d break him apart piece by piece if I had to.But right now… that thought was starting to blur, slipping away the longer I stared at the woman in front of me.Karima Heart.She was looking at me with those seductive, shameless eyes, the kind that could twist logic and make you forget what you were furious about two seconds ago. I could swear my brain short-circuited just watching her.“Stop looking at me like that, Karima,” I said, my voice was low, but I tried to make it as firm as possible. “You’re not changing my mind just because you’re twisting like a d*mn snake right now.”I tried to sound unaffected. To make me cool and in control, but it was a losing

MALCOM HEARTI specifically warned Karima not to make me call ten times before she picked up, but here I was already on my fifth call, with a ton of messages sitting there unanswered.I couldn’t stop myself. Worrying about her was like a disease I carried every single day.It was strange enough Isaiah hadn’t returned yet, and the fact that I couldn’t reach her only made it worse. My mind was already running wild with every possible thing that could have gone wrong.I glanced down at my phone again, ready to slip it back into my pocket when Keisha came out. Her eyes met mine briefly before she stepped out completely, shutting the door behind her too carefully.“Hey,” she said quietly, with that small smile that carried a lot of unsaid words, especially about the fact that I’d been avoiding her all day. You know, since that unexpected kiss we shared.“Hi,” I replied in my most casual tone, even though it was taking everything in me to sound confident.“Can we, uh... talk?” she asked, ad