All Chapters of Tempting The Graves Brothers: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

I gripped the armrest of the chair until my knuckles turned white, the room feeling smaller by the second. I could practically feel Noah’s smirk burning into the back of my head.“Sir,” I started, my voice tight and a bordering plea. “Can’t I….is that there another tutor? Anyone else? There has to be someone in the honor society or—““Is there a problem, Ms Kay?” Principal Vance asked, peering over his spectacles. “Noah is one of the most capable students this school has produced. If we look past his……colorful reputation, he graduated with a 4.2 GPA, just like yours. He’s already completed his credits, which gives him the free periods necessary to drag your grade out of the gutter.”Noah let out a soft, hummed chuckle behind me. I could almost hear the clicking of his lighter, though I knew he wouldn’t dare to spark it in here.“Besides,” Vance continued, oblivious to the war currently raging in my chest, “he’s a local celebrity. Most girls would be thrilled to have a star athlete and

The minutes bled into eachother until the digital clock on my vanity blurred. 5:50pm.I had finished my makeup—a “toasty” look with warm bronzes and soft, sun kissed glow that masked the ghostliness of my skin.I let my hair fall into its natural wavy texture, the blonde strands framing my face in a way that felt almost too soft for the hardness in my chest. I picked up my black heels and waited, the silence of the room amplified by the frantic thudding in my ears.Exactly on cue, a sharp knock echoed downstairs.My heart did a somersault. He was here. I grabbed my bag and bolted toward the stairs, nearly tripping over my heels in my haste to get the door open. I reached the handle and pulled it open in a blur of motion—but it wasn’t Zion.It was my mom.She stood there, keys in hand, looking surprised to see me so ready. “Heyyyyy! Why so jumpy?” She stepped inside, her eyes sweeping over me with an impressed whistle. “And where are you going looking all glamoured up?”“Oh, hey mom,

Xalia and I walked towards our first class, the silence of the hallway feeling more like temporary truce than actual peace. My head was still spinning from the lie I’d just fed her, and every time I adjusted my bag, I felt the phantom weight of the silver letter opener from my dream.We stepped into the classroom, and the atmosphere was already tense. Mr. Henderson was standing at the front, tapping a stack of stapled papers against his palm with a rhythmic thwack, thwack.“Clear your desks, everyone,” he announced, his voice booming. “As promised last week, we are starting the period with the unit test.”My stomach dropped. “Test?” I whispered, looking at Xalia in a panic. “What test? That wasn’t in my memoir…..I mean, my planner. There’s nothing in my planner about a test today.”Xalia gave me a bewildered look as she slid into her seat. “Khione, he literally spent 10 minutes talking about it last Thursday. It’s 20 percent of our mid-term grade. Did you seriously not study?”"Great

The drive to the Graves’ estate was a blur of white knuckled steering and silent prayers. Every tree I passed felt like a marker drawing me close to my own undoing. As the gate opened, the gravel crunched beneath my tires like breaking bone.I pulled to a stop and stayed in the car for a long minute, watching the sunlight play off the stone exterior of the mansion.“I can do this,” I whispered to my reflection in the mirror. “It’s just Noah Graves. I hate him. Remember the lockers? Remember the names? Remember the ten years of hell? Use that. Stay on track, Khione.”I gripped my bag, stepped out of the car, and smoothed down my oversized sweater. The “static” was already there, a low-frequency hum vibrating in the soles of my shoe as I walked toward the front door. I reached out and knocked.The door opened soon enough. Noah stood there, leaning one shoulder against the frame. He was in a dark hoodie, looking effortless and dangerous. His eyes—those deep sapphire shards that always se

The evening began to stretch and soon enough it was 7:00pm. The house , usually silent and cavernous, felt warmer when Mrs. Graves finally arrived. She looked as elegant as ever, her presence a whirlwind of maternal affection and expensive perfume.“My favorite two people!” She exclaimed, pulling Zion and I into a tight, shared hug. She squeezed us so hard I could feel the thrum of Zion’s heart against my shoulder. “Congratulations on the Harvard admission, darlings. I couldn’t be prouder of the two of you.”Zion beamed, his arm sliding naturally around my waist. “Thanks, Mom. Is Dad also joining us?”Mrs. Graves’ smile faltered, a flicker of weariness passing over her eyes. “No, sorry darling. You know your father. Work is his only mistress these days.”I watched Zion’s face fall slightly. It had been almost three years since the divorce, but the distance Mr. Graves and his sons seemed to grow wider with every passing year.“Where is that brother of yours?” She asked, glancing around