All Chapters of STEP CLOSER, MY STEP BROTHER : Chapter 21 - Chapter 23

Ariana’s POVThe music throbbed beneath my feet as Roman led me through the crowd, his hand gripping mine like he didn’t trust the world not to steal me away. The tension in his jaw. The fire in his eyes. He hadn’t cooled down. Not one bit.Not after the dance. Not after the kiss. Not after Maddi.The house blurred around me as he dragged me up the stairs, ignoring the laughter, the music, the people whispering our names. His fingers never loosened, even as we passed Lana and Alex, who exchanged wide-eyed glances but said nothing.He kicked open a bedroom door like he owned the whole damn house and pulled me in.Slammed it shut. Locked it.Then he turned.I barely had time to gasp before he had me pressed against the door, his body caging mine, heat rolling off him in waves.“Roman"His lips crashed into mine, brutal and hungry. I moaned into his mouth, grabbing his hoodie, pulling him closer like I needed him to melt into me. His kiss was fire. A warning. A punishment. A claim.He br

Ariana's POVI woke up warm.Arms around me. A chest behind me. A soft, steady heartbeat thumping under my cheek.Roman.The scent of his skin wrapped around me mint, pine, heat, and something darker. Familiar now. Addictive. The sheets were still tangled from last night. My body still ached from how he’d taken me.Fucked me.Loved me?No.No, he hadn’t said that.Not yet.But he held me like he did. Touched me like I was precious.And I didn’t want to move.I just wanted to stay wrapped up in him, in this bubble we’d built, hidden away from everything else.But reality didn’t wait long.A loud bang at the front door snapped me fully awake.Roman groaned behind me, dragging a hand down his face. “Who the hell…”The front door opened.Voices filled the house.Familiar. Too familiar.Roman shot upright.“Shit,” he hissed. “They're back.”No. No no no.His parents.Our parents.Back from their honeymoon.I scrambled out of bed, tripping over the sheets, yanking on the oversized hoodie I’