Tasting 43

43–I Hate My Stepbrothers

Nora:

“F**king let go off me,” I screamed, trying to lift my legs to create a barrier between us, but he

seized my feet and bent them, causing me to gasp as my body was pushed back onto the couch.

He gripped my neck, clutching the hoodie and starting to pull it up.

“What the hell! You’re hurting me,” I continued yelling and thrashing my arms around when I noticed

him shifting his hands to my stomach to grasp the fabric and pull the hoodie over my head.

However, in the process, he accidentally grabbed my nightshirt.

I knew he had done it because as he straddled me with his knee on the couch beside me, pulling

the fabric up, I felt the cold air on my exposed skin.

“Silas! You have my cami in your hands,” the shortness of breath made it difficult for me to argue

with him or even speak loudly.

He pressed his body against my chest while I was further leaned back on the couch. In one swift

motion, he removed his hoodie, and along with it, he nearly pulled off my nightdress over my head.

I didn’t know if he even saw my naked breasts because I don’t wear a bra when sleeping. But all I

could do was adjust my nightdress while tears streamed down my face.

“Don’t ever f**king touch my stuff, you hear me?” he tossed his hoodie onto the ground and leaned

over again to point his finger in my face.

As he yelled, I felt anger surge through my entire body. I couldn’t

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404 Hate My Stepbrothers

believe he didn’t even apologize for almost leaving me naked.

It was the kind of humiliation that demanded immediate justice. And I delivered. I raised my hand

while he was berating me and pointing his finger in my face.

I slapped him hard across his face until he fell silent and his finger froze.

“You” He closed his eyes, adjusting his glasses, and when he opened them again, the silver in his

eyes had turned to black.

“You bitch,” his voice boomed, and then he raised his hand towards. me. I yelped and instinctively

moved back, but his hand didn’t reach my face. Someone had stopped him.

“What the f**k are you doing? You’re not going to hurt her, are you?” It was Ryker, all dressed in

black and ready to leave to train the

warriors.

“She slapped me,” Silas turned to his brother and hissed. Ryker closed his eyes for a moment

before staring back at his brother.

“She took off my clothes,” I screamed, refusing to let Silas take control of the situation and portray

himself as a victim when he had violated me. I was in disarray from the struggle we had just

moments ago.

“What?” Ryker didn’t release Silas‘ hand as he constantly pulled him back and away from me.

“I had no idea he would react like this over his hoodie. I was cold, so I decided to wear his hoodie

while I typed his work for him as he enjoyed a hot breakfast,” I continued, tears streaming down my

face, sniffling and sobbing until my breath caught in my throat.

Ryker watched me with a frown before he pushed his brother aside,

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43–Hate My Stepbrothers

who made another attempt to reach me.

“It should be an eye for an eye,” Silas screamed, still unmoved by the tears he caused me. I felt

insulted, but he didn’t seem to care.

“Silas!” Ryker yelled, and the momentary pause Silas took to listen was. when Ryker seized the

opportunity and ushered him into the bathroom, quickly locking the door from the outside.

“Take a cold shower and come out when you’ve calmed down,” Ryker yelled, keeping an eye on the

door that Silas was determined to break down.

Ryker then turned to look at me, but before he could say anything, I hissed.

“I can’t believe you guys are so dense and self–centered. Is my self- esteem worth nothing? How

could he think he could–strip me just because I made the mistake of wearing his hoodie?” Now I

knew that Silas must have realized he nearly undressed me. I mean, my entire shirt was pulled up

to my neck, leaving my breasts exposed.

He didn’t even seem guilty when I told Ryker what he did.

“He must not have noticed. His glasses were foggy and-” as Ryker began to defend his brother, I

gasped.

“And you’re defending his actions?” I just don’t know, but I felt maybe someone not triggered at the

moment would react more thoughtfully.

“F**k you and your brother,” I muttered and stomped my foot.

“Get out,” Ryker reacted the same way Silas did.

“Get the hell out of here. You have no right to trigger him like that. Just get the hell out and stay

away from us if we bother you so much,”

43 Hate My Stepbrothers

it seemed like he was implying that I was intentionally putting myself in these situations.

I mean, was I not? Shouldn’t I have learned by now that I shouldn’t be interacting with them?

I watched Ryker’s face in disbelief for a moment before I walked out of the door in tears. The more

steps I took, the louder my sobs became. And the next thing I knew, I was running downstairs to cry

in my

room.

I didn’t expect the day to start like that. As I reached my floor, I bumped into Cain, who was carrying

some bags of paints and other supplies, heading in the direction of his studio.

I stopped but intended to pass him when he blocked my way by extending his arm across my path.

“Come on, carry these bags with me,” he stunned me when he nonchalantly signaled to the omega

behind him to place the bags and leave.

“Huh?” I raised my head, and our eyes met.

“Carry my bags,” he repeated, not even waiting for my response before he bent over and loaded a

big bag into my arms.

“Follow me to my studio,” he hissed and started walking away. I was so shocked by how casually he

acted that my dumbass followed him when I should have dropped the bag and just left for my room

to continue crying.

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