All Chapters of Dirty Stepbrother: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

The drive back from Val’s cousin's house felt like moving through wet cement. Sebastian kept his left hand glued to the steering wheel, his right hand still locked around mine under the console, his thumb dragging rough, rhythmic lines across my knuckles. He didn’t look at me. He just stared into the headlights cutting through the midnight fog, his jaw a hard, geometric line. "She’s going to use those texts, Jae," he said, his voice dropping an octave, rough with the kind of exhaustion that didn't come from a lack of sleep. "Val doesn’t protect people. She protects assets. Right now, her asset is her father’s business reputation." "If it tanks the deal with Archer, I don't care what her reasons are," I murmured, leaning my head against the cold glass of the passenger window. "You should care." Sebastian’s grip tightened on my hand, almost bruising. "Because if Archer realizes Val got those screenshots from you, he won't just stop the merger. He’ll look for a way to break you.

The clock on my nightstand showed eight thirty.The small bedroom was totally quiet. Sebastian sat on the edge of the mattress with his elbowson his knees, staring straight at the front door.He had taken off his hockey gear and put on a dark hoodie. The single lamp in the corner of theroom threw his big shadow across the wall.He hadn't said a word in an hour. His anger from the library lobby had turned into a cold, scarystillness. Every muscle in his shoulders was locked. He looked like a hunter waiting for a trap tosnap."She’s late," Sebastian said. His voice was low and rough."She’ll show up," I said, standing by the kitchen counter. I kept my hands inside my hoodiepockets so he wouldn't see them shaking."Elena wants us to focus on Archer's stolen money. She needs Sophie to drop off these paperstonight." Right then, the floorboards outside in the hallway creaked.Three soft, slow knocks hit the front door. It was the exact same scared knock from before.Sophie was really

The next morning, the sun came up over the city, but it didn't make the apartment feel anywarmer. I hadn't slept a single wink.I spent the entire night sitting on the kitchen floor with my back against the cabinets, staring atthe front door.Every time the old building creaked, my heart jumped into my throat, foolishly hoping thatSebastian would walk back through that door and tell me it was all a horrible joke.But he didn't come back. The cold reality just sat in my stomach like a block of lead.By eight o'clock, I knew I had to move. If I stayed in this quiet room any longer, I was going tolose my mind. I dragged myself to the bathroom, splashed freezing water on my face, and avoided looking atmy reflection in the mirror. My eyes felt heavy and burned from the tears that had dried on mycheeks hours ago.I pulled on my most oversized black hoodie, grabbed my backpack, and walked out into thefreezing autumn morning.The university campus was buzzing with activity when I arriv

The silence inside the private room felt heavier than the bass thumping through the floorboards.I stood by the velvet curtain, my chest heaving, staring at Sebastian.I wanted him to blink. I wanted his face to crack just a little bit so I could see a hint of the guywho had kissed me in my kitchen twenty-four hours ago.But nothing happened. He just sat there, his large hand locked in Valentina’s, looking at me likeI was a cheap piece of entertainment he had bought for the night."Well?" Valentina asked, leaning forward. A nasty, mocking smile spread across her face, hereyes fixed on my shaking hands."You heard him, Jae. We dropped two grand at the desk. Or do you only work hard when hisfather is watching you from the box?" The words felt like a slap in the face. She knew. She didn't know the whole truth, but she knewenough to make me feel completely naked and worthless in front of them."I don't do sets for students," I managed to say, my voice sounding incredibly thin and ras

The kitchen in the mansion was massive, all white marble and stainless steel that looked clinical under the soft overhead lights. Elena moved around the central island with a quiet, practiced grace, her heels clicking softly against the tiled floor. She had taken off her heavy wool coat, revealing a pristine silk blouse underneath. She looked exactly like the perfect, devoted housewife, completely unbothered by the fact that it was past three o'clock in the morning. I sat on one of the high leather barstools, my hands wrapped around a porcelain mug of chamomile tea. The warmth of the ceramic was the only thing keeping my fingers from shaking. My black hoodie felt thick and out of place in this clean, expensive room, a constant reminder of the mud I had crawled through to get here. "You really must stop torturing yourself over that Vaughn boy, Jae," Elena said, her voice dropping into that smooth, comforting rhythm she always used when she was trying to play the doting mother.