All Chapters of Marked By My Best Friend's Brother: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

~ElaraThe restaurant was elegant and intimate, with soft lighting and a beautiful view of the city skyline through the large windows. Ryan had reserved a private table in the corner, away from everyone else.I sat across from him, feeling both nervous and strangely fluttery. He looked incredible in a perfectly tailored black shirt, sleeves rolled up to show his tattoos, the top buttons open just enough to be distracting.He didn’t even let me touch the menu.He took it from my hands with a small smile and spoke to the waiter confidently.“We’ll start with the seafood platter and fresh bread with herb olive oil. For her, the grilled salmon with asparagus and lemon butter sauce. For me, the ribeye steak, medium rare. And a bottle of your best house red wine.”He glanced at me warmly. “Trust me, you’ll love the salmon.”I wanted to argue, to say I could order for myself, but the way he looked at me like I was something precious made the words die in my throat.When the food arrived, Rya

~AriaFor a split second, I almost pushed Hope off and chased her out. Almost.But then I stopped myself.If I did that right now, it would mean I was choosing Maya. It would mean I was giving her some kind of assurance that we could be more than just sex, something closer to lovers. And I wasn’t ready for that. I wasn’t sure I ever would be.So I stayed exactly where I was.Maya stood frozen in the doorway, eyes wide with shock and pain as she took in the scene.I looked straight at her, breathing heavily, Hope still kneeling between my spread legs.“I told you, Maya,” I said, voice calm but firm. “Let’s just take the fun of this with no strings attached. Yes, I’m a playgirl. I fuck girls and I move on. And now… watch me do with other girls the exact same way I do with you.”Maya’s eyes filled with tears instantly.Before she could say anything, I grabbed Hope’s hair and pulled her up into a rough, messy kiss. Hope moaned into my mouth and immediately grabbed my bare breast, squeezin

~AriaAs soon as class ended, I packed my things quickly. I wanted to find Elara. She had looked exhausted this morning, and I still needed her to explain a few topics to me… but more than that, I wanted to talk about whatever was really eating her up inside.I stepped out into the hallway, weaving through students, when I suddenly collided with someone.Books scattered across the floor.“Shit… sorry,” I muttered, immediately bending down to help pick them up. I gathered the books and stood up to hand them over.Then my eyes started moving upward.Black boots. Skinny, light skinned legs. The curve of her hips. And then… blonde hair.My entire body froze.No.It couldn’t be.I slowly looked up at her face, and my heart stopped for a full second.It was her.The crazy bitch who turned me into a lesbian. The first girl I ever fell in love with.She stood there looking exactly like I remembered, beautiful, sharp, and dangerous in the softest way. A small, knowing smile tugged at her lip

~AriaThe next day, I found myself sitting on the steps behind the sports building with Maya during free period.She was talking about something that happened in her class, her hands moving a little as she spoke, and for a moment I just watched her. The way her eyes lit up when she got excited. The soft smile she always gave me without even realizing it.It felt… normal. Comfortable. Something I wasn’t used to.“Aria?” Maya tilted her head. “Are you even listening?”I blinked and gave her a small smile. “I am. You were talking about your group project.”She narrowed her eyes playfully. “You were zoning out.”“I had a lot on my mind,” I admitted, leaning back on my hands.Maya’s expression softened. “Is it about Elara? You’ve been worried about her.”I nodded slowly. “Yeah. She’s going through something serious right now. I just… I don’t like seeing her like that.”Maya scooted a little closer and gently bumped her shoulder against mine.“You’re a good friend,” she said quietly. “She’s

~ElaraI walked beside him toward his car, my heart beating faster with every step.I could feel heat rising to my cheeks. Ryan was so much taller than me that I had to tilt my head slightly just to look up at him. His presence alone made my heart bounce in its little cage.Everything about walking next to him felt strangely perfect, like my body had already decided he belonged there even while my mind was still fighting it.Neither of us said anything until we reached the matte black Cybertruck.Before I could step away, his hand slid to my waist. In one smooth motion, he turned me and pressed my back lightly against the side of his car. The cool metal touched me through my clothes, but all I could focus on was how close he was.Ryan looked down at me, eyes dark and unreadable.“Are you going to stare at me with those sexy eyes,” he said quietly, “and watch me leave without saying everything your dirty mind is proposing?”My throat went dry.I swallowed hard, still looking up at him,