Tasting 131

131–The Private Talk

Nora:

My eyes widened at the direction their conversation was taking. He just told her he was finished

with her. If I knew her well, she’d be blaming me for her breakup..

“Nash! I’m not sure if she meant to harm me–,” I whispered to him, but he gestured for me to hush

and let him handle her.

“What are you saying?” Daphne asked him after a moment of silence, perhaps questioning if she

heard him correctly.

“I can’t deal with your messy behavior anymore. It was okay before, and I could forgive you for what

you did to me, but now—-now your actions have involved my stepsister. I won’t tolerate it,” Nash

spoke calmly, but his words left her gasping in shock.

“No! I don’t accept it. Our relationship wasn’t one–sided, so why are you the only one deciding what

happens?” Her breakdown was sudden and alarming. I didn’t think she was acting. The genuine

sorrow in her voice was frightening.

“I’ve said what I needed to. If you can lie to me so cruelly, then I don’t know what else you’re

capable of,” he hissed at her without raising his

Voice.

Anxiety gripped me, but I suppose he was right. She had been lying so much. She even lied about

them being destined mates. And then she lied about the river and didn’t even tell Nash I had gone

into the woods. She did everything to distract him and buy time. But why? Did she know if he

delayed, I might not make it out alive? Was she the one

who pushed me?

Now everything started to make sense, and she was the only one looking guilty.

“I’m sorry I forgot that she wanted to go to the woods for water, but I’m not lying. She’s deceiving

you, and one day you’ll regret it. You’ll regret letting her manipulate

phone, but Nash ended the. I’m innocent!” she screamed into the

call.

Silence surrounded us before he sighed and set his phone down. I watched him sit and lean back.

He seemed weary and perhaps hurt too.

“Are you hurting?” I knew breakups could be messy.

He opened his eyes and shifted slightly on the couch, and my gaze followed his movement like a

thirsty puppy.

“I’ll be fine.” he uttered, patting the spot beside him. Without hesitation, I sat down next to him,

turning my body towards his while he faced the bed.

“Have you ever fallen in love before?” he asked, tilting his head towards me.

“Not really. I mean, I’ve had crushes—wait, you loved her?” I asked, realizing I probably shouldn’t

focus on my own life but rather on what he was going through.

“That’s the problem. I don’t think I was ever in love. We started dating because her stepfather

suggested we were a good match and had similar interests. But slowly, I began to realize I didn’t

want someone with just similar interests,” he sighed softly, conveying his feelings of being lost and

confused.

“Then what do you want in a partner?” I knew the brothers hadn’t

131–The Private Talk

found their destined mates yet, at least Silas and Nash hadn’t. But if it continued, there was a

chance they would settle for a chosen mate. But that would also require a certain type of attraction.

“That’s the issue. I don’t even know what love feels like. I thought it was something that just

happened automatically when we start dating someone. But boy, that proved to be wrong. I lost

interest in Daphne so quickly, and after that, it was just her making efforts and me suggesting we

should break up here and there,” Nash rolled his eyes before covering them with his hands and

sighing.

“I’m sure you’ll find love soon. Everybody does,” I mumbled cheerfully, giving him a wide smile.

He watched my face in silence before adjusting his posture,

straightening his back, indicating he was about to discuss something

serious.

“Have you ever—found someone attractive in a sexual way?” he asked, and I stared at him in

silence for a few seconds, trying to understand why he was asking his stepsister that question.

“I—well,” I laughed nervously, trying to change the subject.

“Oh, come on. You can share with me. Anything you have in mind,” he insisted, making me gulp and

attempt to break eye contact, but he kept staring into my eyes.

“Okay! Let me rephrase the question for you. So, when you came into our lives, you were an adult

and we were adults. It’s not like just meeting each other gave us the feeling of being family. You

know where I’m going with this, right?” he suddenly paused to ask me when he noticed my clueless

expression.

“I have no idea,” I shook my head, feeling lost.

131–The Private Talk

“Ugh! How do I say it? We’re not your stepbrothers by blood or by official documents, right?” he

inquired, and I pondered before nodding.

“Correct!” I squinted my eyes a little, trying to understand what he was getting at. I have not

watched him so confidently clueless before. He

Was

attempting to say something but it must have been a little sensitive of a topic or else, why the fuck

was there a blush on his cheeks?

I couldn’t help but look at him with awe.

Cain and thought he

“Then, have you ever—maybe—looked at

was hot?” That question not only surprised me but hit me like a silver bullet. The hair on the back of

my neck stood up while his eyes showed he knew why he was asking me that question. The way I

was watching him changed. I was now worried why he was asking me these questions?

“Have you ever looked at your stepbrothers a little differently?” he added. I was still reeling from the

fact that he used Cain’s name. Why? added. I was still reeling from the fa

Why so specific?

“Maybe Ryker too?” That was it. Something had happened. Why the heck was he mentioning the

two individuals I felt a mate bond with? I gulped while staring at him, and then he added, “I know

what you feel about them, Nora.”