All Chapters of Baited By My Cruel Stepbrother: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

15 Chapters

Chapter 1: Blood in Beverly Hills

Elara Voss froze in the doorway of her parents' luxurious Beverly Hills bedroom, her bare feet rooted to the cool marble floor. The coppery stench of blood hit her first, thick and nauseating, before her eyes could fully process the horror. Her mother lay sprawled across the king sized bed, designer silk robe soaked crimson, while her father slumped against the headboard with a single neat hole in his forehead. Dark figures in black moved like shadows near the open safe, their gloved hands rifling through documents. A scream built in Elara's throat but never made it out.Strong fingers dug into her arm, yanking her backward so hard she nearly stumbled. Jax Rivera's voice was a harsh whisper against her ear. "Move, princess. Now." His body pressed against her back, solid and tense, shoving her down the hallway before she could even think. Gunshots cracked behind them, splintering the expensive woodwork. Elara's heart slammed against her ribs as they bolted down the grand staircase, bar

Chapter 2: One Bed in the Shadows

The motel room smelled like old cigarettes and damp carpet, the kind of place Elara Voss had only seen in movies about people running from their lives. Jax locked the door and shoved a rickety wooden chair under the handle with a sharp scrape. He pulled the thin curtains tight, blocking out the flickering neon sign from the parking lot. Elara stood in the middle of the tiny room, arms wrapped around herself, still wearing the thin sleep shorts and tank top stained with her parents blood.Her teeth chattered even though the California night outside was warm. Every time she blinked she saw her mother’s lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling. Jax moved like a caged animal, checking the bathroom window, testing the locks again. His dark wavy hair was messy, hazel eyes sharp with exhaustion and something sharper underneath. He finally looked at her and his gaze dropped to the way her arms pressed against her chest."Here." He dug into the stolen duffel bag and tossed her one of his black t s

Chapter 3: Funeral Flames

The sun beat down mercilessly on the manicured lawns of the Beverly Hills cemetery, turning the black dresses and suits into ovens. Elara Voss stood beside the twin caskets, her legs threatening to give out beneath her. The air smelled of fresh flowers and expensive perfume, but underneath it all lingered the faint metallic memory of blood that refused to leave her nose. Hundreds of people had shown up, their curious eyes hidden behind designer sunglasses. Whispers rippled through the crowd like poison in water. "Such a tragedy." "The Voss empire might not survive this." "I heard it was a professional hit." Elara gripped the edge of the wooden podium until her knuckles turned white. Jax stood right beside her, a solid wall of muscle in a tailored black suit that stretched across his broad shoulders. His dark wavy hair was combed back, but a few rebellious strands fell across his forehead. He looked every bit the grieving son, except for the way his hazel eyes kept scanning the cro

Chapter 4: Motel Heat Rising

Rain hammered the thin motel roof like it wanted to drown the whole world. Elara sat cross legged on the edge of the bed, staring at the greasy Chinese takeout containers between them. The black envelope from the funeral still burned in her mind. That photo of her sleeping in Jax’s arms felt more violating than anything else that had happened since the murders. Someone had stood right outside their window and watched them.Jax tore into an egg roll with his teeth, chewing aggressively. His hair was still damp from a quick shower, dark waves falling across his forehead. The thin white t shirt he wore clung to his chest, hinting at the tattoos underneath. He hadn’t said much since they returned from the funeral, but the tension rolling off him filled the small room."You gonna eat or just stare at it?" he asked, voice rough. His hazel eyes flicked up to meet hers. There was challenge there, the same mocking glint he used to wear when he’d catch her in the kitchen at home wearing tiny sh

Chapter 5: Malibu Escape

The stolen Honda rattled down the Pacific Coast Highway as the sun dipped low, painting the ocean in streaks of fiery orange and deep purple. Elara gripped the door handle, her stomach twisting with every curve in the road. They had left the motel before dawn, Jax insisting they couldn’t stay in one place longer than a night. The black envelope and that invasive photo still sat heavy in her purse like a live grenade.Jax drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting too close to her thigh. His jaw was set in that stubborn line she knew too well. "We need somewhere off the grid," he said, voice low. "I know a place in Malibu. Old friend owes me.""Friend?" Elara shot back. "Or one of your shady contacts you refuse to explain?" She watched his knuckles whiten on the steering wheel, the fresh cuts from last night still raw. He hadn’t given her a single real answer about where he had gone or who had called him.The tension between them had only grown thicker since the motel. Every a

Chapter 6: Grieving Touch

The safe house smelled of gunpowder and shattered glass long after the attackers fled into the night. Jax had returned fire until the black SUV sped away down the dirt road, tires spitting gravel. Now the quiet pressed in, broken only by the endless crash of waves against the Malibu cliffs. Elara sat on the edge of the sagging bed in the back room, knees drawn to her chest, while Jax boarded up the broken window with pieces of old plywood he found in the shed.Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. Every shadow in the corner made her flinch. The reality of their situation crashed over her again. Her parents were gone. Someone wanted them dead too. And the only person standing between her and that fate was Jax Rivera, the stepbrother who had spent years making her feel small.He finished securing the window and turned to her. Sweat glistened on his skin under the dim lamp light. His shirt clung to the hard lines of his chest. "You should try to sleep," he said, voice rough from shouting earl

Chapter 7: Jealous Sparks

The salty breeze off Malibu whipped Elara’s blonde hair across her face as she slipped away from the safe house under the cover of early evening. Jax had gone out again, muttering something about supplies, leaving her with strict orders to stay inside. But she couldn’t keep sitting around waiting for answers that never came. She needed real help.Kai Nakamura waited for her on the secluded stretch of beach they used to sneak off to during high school. He stood near the rocks, hands in his pockets, looking the same as always. Lean, sharp-eyed, with that quiet intensity that once made her feel seen."You came," he said, voice soft with relief. "I wasn’t sure after everything."Elara hugged herself against the chill. "I need your hacking skills. The police aren’t helping, and Jax..." She trailed off, not wanting to explain the complicated mess her stepbrother had become. "There are things about my parents’ company I need to see. Port records. Secret deals. Anything."Kai nodded, pulling

Chapter 8: First Forbidden Kiss

The Malibu safe house felt smaller every hour they spent trapped inside it. Elara sat on the worn couch with her knees pulled up, staring at the boarded-up window while rain lashed against the roof. Another storm had rolled in, matching the chaos inside her chest. Jax had barely spoken since dragging her back from the beach earlier. He moved around the small space like a shadow, cleaning his gun with slow, deliberate movements that made her stomach twist.The silence between them was unbearable. Every glance carried weight. Every accidental brush of skin felt electric. Elara’s mind kept replaying the way he had pinned her against the wall, the raw jealousy in his voice when he said she was his to protect. She hated how much she wanted him to say it again.Jax finally set the gun down and pulled a bottle of cheap whiskey from the cabinet. He twisted the cap off and took a long swig straight from the bottle before offering it to her. "Drink. You look like you’re about to break."Elara t

Chapter 9: Baited Steps

Detective Lena Torres stood in the doorway of the Malibu safe house like she owned the storm raging outside. Rain dripped from her dark hair onto her LAPD jacket as her sharp eyes swept over the boarded window and the two of them. Elara’s lips still tingled from Jax’s kiss. Her shirt was twisted, hair wild. There was no hiding what they had almost done."Jax Rivera," Torres said, voice clipped. "We need to talk about where you were the night your parents were killed."Jax positioned himself in front of Elara, gun hidden but hand ready. "We already gave statements. This isn’t a good time."Torres didn’t blink. "It’s never a good time when people are dying." Her gaze flicked to Elara, softening just a fraction. "You okay, kid? You look like you’ve been through hell."Elara nodded, throat tight. She could still feel Jax’s hands on her body, his mouth claiming hers. The detective’s timing couldn’t have been worse. Or maybe it had saved them from making a mistake they couldn’t take back.T

Chapter 10: Claimed in the Storm

The stolen car skidded to a stop outside a remote cabin deep in the hills north of San Diego. Rain hammered the roof like bullets as Jax killed the engine. They had lost the pursuing vehicle after a terrifying ten-minute chase, but the adrenaline still coursed through Elara’s veins like fire. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.Jax didn’t speak. He grabbed their bag and pulled her inside, slamming the door behind them. The cabin was small and dusty, one main room with a bed in the corner and a stone fireplace. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the sharp lines of his face. Water dripped from his dark hair onto his shoulders.Elara’s back hit the wooden wall before she could even catch her breath. Jax crowded her instantly, his big body pinning her there. His chest heaved, eyes wild with a mixture of fear and raw hunger."You could have died tonight," he growled, voice barely human. "Because you keep pushing me. Because you refuse to just listen."Elara shoved at his chest, but he di

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