All Chapters of Dangerous Cravings: Sinfully Tangled With My Stepbrother : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

73 Chapters

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE — AFTERMATH

I didn’t answer him. For a second, I couldn’t.My brain stalled completely. Like everything inside me had just short-circuited at once.Did he just ask me that? Yes, he did.And did I find it hot? Yes, I did.I could swear I was gradually losing my sanity. I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.“You’re insane,” I said, forcing a scoff that didn’t sound like mine.Lucian didn’t move. His hands were still braced against the wall on either side of me, his body close enough that I could feel the heat of him without him actually touching me.“You’re silent,” he said quietly and my pulse kicked harder.“Stop,” I shot back, even though my voice lacked the edge I wanted.He leaned in slightly. Not enough to touch, just enough to make the space between us feel nonexistent.My fingers curled into fists at my sides.“Stop acting like you own me,” I snapped.Something small shifted in his expression. It was barely there but I still saw it. For a split second, his composure cracked. Then slowl

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO — OBSERVATION II

LUCIAN’S POVBy the time Ezran left the house for his date, I had already told myself twice that I wasn’t going to follow him.The lie lasted less than twenty minutes.The café was smaller than I expected.It sat on a quiet street corner, squeezed between a library and a flower house. The café looked like it hadn’t been renovated since the early 2000s. The sign above the door read SERENITY SIP, written in uneven cursive letters.Not somewhere I would normally be. Yet here I was.The engine of the car was off, the interior quiet, except for the faint ticking sound of the cooling metal beneath the hood.My phone rested in my hand, screen glowing faintly with unfinished work.Three unread emails, two messages from the Paragon development team and a financial report waiting for approval.Normally I would have responded immediately. Efficiency was not optional in my world, but my attention kept drifting back toward the café window across the street.Inside, Ezran sat at a small table near

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE — FREEDOM THAT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE IT

EZRAN’S POVThe day my grounding ended didn’t feel as dramatic as I thought it would. There was no grand announcement or advice or admonition from anybody. I had expected to hear an earful from Robert or even get a cold look from Lucian but I got nothing.I woke up, checked my phone, stared at the ceiling for a bit and then sat up slowly.“That’s it?” I muttered.No restrictions or reminders or anyone standing over me telling me what I could or couldn’t do. I was free, so why did it feel off?I ran a hand through my hair and got out of bed, stretching slightly. Everyone in the house was already awake. I could hear faint movement downstairs, the distant clinking of cutlery and quiet voices drifting through the walls.I stepped out of my room and walked down the hallway, my eyes flicking briefly toward Lucian’s study. The door was closed.Good.I exhaled quietly and kept walking.Avoiding him had become second nature over the past two weeks. It wasn’t even intentional anymore. It just h

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR — LOSING CONTROL

EZRAN’S POVBreakfast the next morning felt like a mistake the moment I stepped into the dining room.I should have stayed in my room or better still, I should have skipped it.Lucian was already seated, looking calm and composed like always. Like nothing had happened. My chest tightened slightly and I looked away immediately.Nope. I wasn't doing that again.I walked over and took my seat without saying a word, keeping my eyes on my plate like it was the most interesting thing in the room.“Good morning,” Mom said gently.“Morning,” I muttered.Jeanne glanced between me and Lucian, her eyes narrowing slightly.I grabbed my fork, focusing a little too hard on my food. If I didn’t look at him, then nothing existed.“Ezran,” Jeanne said slowly, “why do you look like you committed a crime?”I froze. “What?”“You’re acting weird,” she said, leaning forward. “I’m always weird.”“Well… not this kind of weird.”I shrugged. “Maybe I’m evolving.”She squinted at me. Lucian said nothing and t

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE — COLLISION

EZRAN’S POVThe noise came back first, distant and muffled, then I heard it clearly.“Get your hands off him.”The voice cut through everything. Low, cold, familiar and surprisingly soothing.That voice didn’t belong in this chaos, not in this suffocating space filled with strangers and danger. For a second, I thought I imagined it—my mind reaching for something familiar to hold on to as everything spun out of control. But no, it was real. It was him. Lucian.My eyes struggled to focus. The room tilted, shapes blurring into shadows. I could barely keep my head up, but I could recognize that voice from anywhere, and somehow, that single voice cut through the haze faster than anything else.Relief hit me before I could even process it. Not soft or gentle, but sharp and sudden, like my body had been waiting for him without telling me.Something shifted in the air instantly. The laughter stopped.“Who the hell—”A sharp crack echoed through the room, not loud or sharp, but precise. I fli

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX — UNFINISHED BUSINESS

EZRAN'S POV Lucian Banks was kissing me!!!!!I didn't have the time to react because his tongue delved into my mouth and I opened wider. My fingers entered his hair and I grabbed a handful of it, still kissing him back with fervor and zest.Our tongues intertwined and I felt my toes curl under the duvet.Gawd. What in the name of Geez was I doing? I was kissing my stepbrother and I didn't even feel bad about it. Lucian's lips tasted like coffee and mint. I knew he took coffee but I didn't know he took mint too. Mine probably tasted like vodka, whiskey and other drinks I took. The combo felt so complete that I felt I was on cloud nine.Snap!I was snapped out of my reverie by Lucian. He pulled his lips away from mine and took a few steps backward, standing at the foot of the bed.His eyes roamed on the floor as he fiddled with his collar and straightened his shirt wrists band.“Good night.” he mumbled under his breath and walked briskly out of the door.I let out the breath I didn't

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN — DISTANCE

EZRAN’S POVMy heart stopped beating when I heard the door click.“Looking for something?” His voice came from behind me.I shut my eyes briefly before turning around.Lucian stood by the door, one hand still resting on the handle. He was already looking at me.God.“I—” I cleared my throat, forcing my voice to stay steady. “My phone.”A flicker passed through his eyes. “I know.”My jaw tightened. “Then I’ll just take it and leave.”I moved closer to him. The closer I got, the tighter the air in my lungs felt.I reached for the door and he grabbed my wrist. His fingers wrapped lightly around my wrist, firm.I froze.“Ezran.”My name sounded different coming from him.I swallowed. “Let go.”“You came into my room,” he said instead.“I came for my phone.”“And you thought you could just walk in and out like nothing happened?”My chest tightened.“There’s nothing to talk about,” I snapped. “It was a mistake.”His grip tightened slightly. “A mistake?” he repeated.I forced a laugh, even th

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT — DENIAL IS A LIE

A dozen eyes turned toward me and I paled instantly.I choked. I just choked because of Lucian's statement! “Are you okay?” Mom asked, leaning closer to my seat.“I—I’m fine,” I said, gulping down a full glass of water.Gawd, this is so embarrassing.“You don't look fine.” “I am.”The silence stretched longer than it should have. I felt like ripping my hair off my head.“Lucian dear,” Mom called, breaking the silence. “This is sudden. Did something happen?”“Yes. Something urgent came up at the LA branch.” Lucian answered, his eyes still fixed on me.“Oh.” I mumbled. I didn't even know when it slipped.I pushed my chair backwards and stood up abruptly, looking at their stunned faces.“Uh… I think I'm okay. Goodnight.”I rushed up the stairs and ran into my room, shutting the door tight.“Are you avoiding me too?” I asked myself.No, he wasn't avoiding me. He was going for business.No matter how many times I said this to myself, I couldn't even convince myself. I told myself it was a

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE — JUST A PICTURE

The moment it sent, my brain shut down completely. I stared at my phone like it had just betrayed me.“Fuck, what did I just do?” I whispered.No, no, no.I tapped the screen immediately, trying to unsend it but it was already too late. He had seen it!My stomach dropped. “Oh my God.”I dragged my hand down my face, pacing once, no, twice across the room. Then I stopped.“Okay. Okay. It’s fine,” I muttered, nodding to myself like that would fix anything. “It’s just a picture.”A very stupid picture.I was standing beside the bathroom mirror shirtless, dripping in water, my curls slightly covering my eyes. Now, I wasn't just shirtless — I was almost naked. Only a white towel covered my whole body.I groaned, dropping onto the bed face-first.“I’m actually finished.”My phone buzzed. I flipped over so fast that I almost fell off the bed. My heart jumped straight to my throat as I stared at the notification.Don’t open it. My subconscious warned but I opened it anyway.CONTROL FREAK: If

CHAPTER THIRTY — PLANS CHANGED

The night stretched and dragged for too long. I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling, my eyes burning but refusing to close. Every time I tried, Aveline’s post came back to mind.I clenched my jaw.“Why do I even care?” I muttered.I turned to my side, then my back again, but sleep never came. By the time it finally did, my alarm was already blaring.….Morning wasn’t any better. I looked and felt like shit. I tried bathing under a cold shower, but it didn't help. In fact, it made it worse.By the time I got downstairs, Jeanne was already seated, scrolling through her phone with toast in her hand. Charlyn sat beside her, quiet as always, sipping tea. I pulled out a chair and sat.Jeanne raised her head, her eyes narrowing at me.“Wow,” she said slowly. “You look terrible.”I scoffed. “Thank you.” “I’m serious. You look like you barely slept or…” she leaned forward. “Did you even sleep?”“I did.”“Liar,” she said, not believing me.Of course, no one would believe me when I looked and

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