Semua Bab Tempting The Graves Brothers: Bab 21 - Bab 30

By the time I had finished trying on all 5 dresses, an hour had already slipped through our fingers. Between Zion’s theatrical rounds of applause, his constant teasing, and the way he made me twirl until I was dizzy, the clock had ticked past 10:00pm.I finally slipped out of the last Parsian silk and into the bathroom to wash the day off. After a hot shower, I emerged wearing one of Zion’s baggy, heather-grey-t-shirts. It was soft, smelled faintly of his citrus cologne, and reached mid-thigh. I pulled my damp hair into a messy bun, feeling more like myself but still vibrating with the low-level “static.”Even in the baggy shirt and bare feet, Zion looked at me like I was under a spotlight. “You know, couture is great, but I think the Kay-Graves look suits you best,” he joked, patting the space on the bed next to him.I climbed in, pulling the heavy duvet up to my chest. An awkward silence settled between us—the kind that usually didn’t exist in our decade-long friendship, but now fe

As we pulled into the school parking lot exactly thirty minutes later, the scent of the lattes Zion insisted on grabbing still lingering in the air. As Zion killed the engine, he reached over, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.“Ready for the circus?” He joked, though his eyes warm and sincere.“As I’ll ever be,” I murmured, adjusting the strap of the borrowed designer bag.The moment we stepped out of the car and crossed the threshold of the main hallway, the atmosphere shifted. It was like a physical wave of heat. The typical morning chatter didn’t just quiet down; it morphed into a low, frantic hum. I could feel every pair of eyes tracking us—the red soles of my heels clicking like a countdown.I had always been “The Blueprint,” but today, my aura had transformed into something untouchable. Something royal. I guessed Xalia had been busy—within less than 24 hours, the news of our “official” status had been clearly spreading like wildfire. We weren’t just Khione and Zion anymore; w

“What is that supposed to mean?” I snapped, my defensive walls shooting up so high I could practically feel the stone cold air between us. “Do you think I am some kind of masochist, X? That I’d say yes to being Zion’s girlfriend if I hadn’t chosen him?”I didn’t give her a chance to breathe, the word spilling out of me in a frantic, sharp rhythm. I needed to convince her—because if I convince her, maybe the “static” would finally shut up.“Xalia, it was just a kiss,” I hissed, leaning so close our forehead almost touched. “Nothing more. It was a mistake by a guy who lives to break things. There shouldn’t be any fuss between two brothers over a moment that meant zero to either of us. Zion knows that. He handled it, he took it well, and it’s over. End of story.”Xalia’s mouth opened, her hazel eyes clouded with a mix of pity and a sharp, nagging disbelief. She started to form a word—likely my name, or another “but”— as she reached out to touch my arm. I flinched back, my chair scraping

“Mom? What are you doing here?” I managed to choke out, my voice still rough from the screaming matched with Noah. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”My mom tilted her head, her eyes sweeping over the mountain of expensive fabric in my arms. “I sent you a message, Khione. My shift ended early today.”I fumbled for my phone in my pocket, my fingers trembling as I tapped on the screen. Sure enough, there was a notification from three hours ago. My phone was on DND.“My bad,” I muttered shoving the phone back into my pocket. “I didn’t see it.”“Khione…..” her voice trailed off, her eyes widening as she truly took in the labels on the garment bags—the distinct, gold-embossed lettering of boutiques that usually only existed for us on the pages of glossy magazines. She reached out, her fingers hovering over a sleeve of Parisian silk. “What’s all this? Who gave you these? And why do you look so….stunning?”“Mrs. Graves,” I said, my voice sounding thin and exhausted. “She gifted them to me.”“Ouuuu!

We filed into the small dining room, the air thick with the smell of Mom’s jollof rice and the suffocating scent of Petra’s expensive perfume. I sat as far away from her as possible, clutching my water glass like a lifeline.Mom was already in full hostess mode, her eyes practically sparkling as she watched Winter settle into her seat. “Winter, honey, I have to say it—you are absolutely stunning,” Mom said, leaning forward with a teasing glint in her eyes. She glanced over at Kiesel, who was already digging into the side dishes. “I’m trying to figure out how a girl like you ended up with a boy like my nephew. Did he save your life? Or did you lose a very serious bet?”For once, I found myself nodding along in silent agreement. It was the only thing Mom and I had seen eye-to-eye on all day. Kiesel just grinned, his mouth half-full. “Hey! I have charms, Auntie. Hidden ones.”Winter let out that melodic laugh again, the sound making the static in my head dip for just a second. “He’s actu