Tasting 139

139–Caught By My Stepbrother

Nora:

“But who is she?” I asked again as curiosity hit me hard. This had never happened before–he had

never painted a model and kept her in the middle of the studio like that. I didn’t only get curious but

jealous.

too.

“I saw her in my dreams,” he replied finally, his hand gently caressing the frame of the canvas. Her

face was covered, but there was a black. net over her breasts and vagina, making them visible

through the mesh.

“And you painted her?” I frowned.

“She came into my dreams many times. Any more questions?” he inquired, sounding tired.

“No!” I scoffed. “You know what? If you don’t want me in your studio, I will not step in here again,” I

hissed as I felt like he was trying to push me out.

“Okay! I can’t force you to come here. Do as you please,” he murmured without taking his eyes off

the canvas.

I couldn’t believe he went from talking about how I was the only model he had felt something for to

staring at some girl from his dreams and avoiding me.

I watched his back for a few seconds in disbelief before storming out of his studio and heading to

my room in anger.

“What an asshole,” I groaned, jumping onto the bed.

139 Caught By My Stepbrother

My cellphone beeped, making me get up again. Seeing Brody’s name on the screen raised my

brow. I hoped he wasn’t going to ask me for at date again because this time, I had to give him an

answer.

“Hey.” I answered the call, lying back in my bed and staring at the ceiling.

“You didn’t come to school today. Are you okay?” he questioned.

“Yep!” I replied, breathing calmly

“I was actually calling to see if we could meet up. I’m right next to your mansion, so maybe we can

have tea in your royal garden?” he teased, and a smile spread across my lips.

I mean, he was nice enough to always pay attention to me. Besides, he was the only one who had

checked up on me. Not even April messaged or called me today.

“Sure, come to the door, and I’ll let you in.” I said as I swiftly jumped out of bed to throw on a black

top and black pants.

Rushing downstairs, I saw him enter the mansion and head towards the garden.

“Mia! Can you please bring us some snacks?” I yelled to be heard by Mia, who rushed out of the

kitchen, nodded to me, and then disappeared back into the kitchen.

Now I was in the garden, approaching Brody, who had on a black shirt and pants, matching me.

“Wow! Are you copying me?” he teased, raising his brow and holding a little teddy bear in his hand.

139 Caught By My Stepbrother

“Hey! You copied me because you’re so impressed with me.” I teased back, making him laugh

softly.

“A teddy bear!” A wide smile covered my lips because I knew he had brought it for me. Otherwise,

why would he be walking around with a teddy bear?

“Is it for me?” I pointed a finger at my chest, and he instantly shook his head, hiding the teddy

behind his back.

“No! It’s for Lord Atwood,” he smiled widely, watching me pout. After he had made me look at him in

fake anger, he finally brought the teddy out from behind his back and gave it to me.

“He’s so fluffy,” I commented in a childish tone.

“And you are so cute,” his comment made my smile disappear. I knew how he saw me. He was

interested in me and wanted to date me. But I was so stuck with the mess at the mansion that I was

losing such a great potential guy.

“Ah! The snacks are here. Mia makes the best tea and cookies,” I commented as I offered him a

seat.

Once we sat down and Mia served us the tea, she walked away, leaving just the two of us again.

“Why didn’t you come to school?” he asked me the same question once again.

“I was tired from the journey yesterday,” I replied. As I sipped my tea, I noticed him frown in

bewilderment.

So I assumed the brothers hadn’t told anyone about the journey to the forbidden town.

139–Caught By My Stepbrother

“What journey?” he inquired.

I began to dip the cookies in my tea to avoid looking into his eyes as I lied. “Just went out with the

brothers and Lord Atwood.”

I felt bad, but some things aren’t just my secret–they are related to the missions the brothers go on

and that I cannot share with anyone else.

“Oh, I thought you and April made some plans. She also didn’t come to school today,” Brody was

the only one who informed me about what was going on at school. Other than him, I had lost

contact with everyone else.

Natalya didn’t contact me, and. I didn’t message her either. But April not contacting me was a bit

odd.

“Why? Did you ask her?” I asked in confusion and intrigue.

“No! I mean, I did, but she never responded to me. I spoke to her family, and they said she was fine.

So I guess she just wants to be left alone?” he squeezed his eyes a little, unable to come up with a

reason for her sudden strange behavior.

“Maybe,” I groaned.

“Okay! I will go now. I only came to see you. Take care of yourself, and I will see you in school,” he

made sure to let me know he didn’t come here to make me uncomfortable by asking me about the

question he had posed.

I had nothing but a comforting smile for him as I hugged the teddy and watched him go.

The minute he left the mansion, I saw Ryker drive into the house. He stopped the car only to get out

and watch Brody get in his car and

139–Caught By My Stepbrother

drive away. The way he was examining him before he turned to glare

at me sent shivers down my spine.

140–He Is Possessive

Nora:

I watched Ryker briskly walk towards me, causing me to gulp and step back. It was obvious he

wasn’t coming for a pleasant conversation. Despite my anger over our previous conversation, I was

fearful.

He didn’t even say another word before he snatched the teddy out of my hands and slammed it on

the ground. It all happened so abruptly that I forgot to react to his actions.

The next thing I knew, he was stomping on the teddy until he had completely demolished it.

“What are you doing?” I pushed him once I got my senses back, but he shrugged my hands off him.

After completely destroying the teddy, he hunched over me with his finger in my face.

“If I see you with him again, Nora!” His finger wagged up and down in front of my face. “I will not

show any mercy to the two of you. And don’t let him bring anything into this mansion, you hear me?”

He screamed at the top of his lungs, making me step back and watch him through blurred vision.

I had never seen him so angry before, but he had no right to treat me this way.

“You and I are nothing–,” I stuttered in a broken voice when he snapped his fingers in my face to get

my attention.

“Because of you. Because you cannot make a choice. If you do as I say, we will be together the

next minute, but you are so thick in your skull,”