STEP BROTHER DEAREST
I forced my breath steady, forced the rhythm back into my chest—not mine, not his, *ours.
“Together,” I whispered. My voice shook, but it carried. “Anchor. Now.”
Madison’s head snapped toward me, her shadows flickering. Ian’s grin steadied, teeth bared. Stepbrother’s voice cut sharp again, aligning us.
We didn’t fight Elias. Not directly. We turned inward, weaving our rhythm tight, unbreakable. Madison’s shadows wrapped around us, not to strike, but to bind. Ian’s laughter rose, wild and defiant. Stepbrother’s voice threaded through, sharp as steel.