KASMINE."Kester? What are you doing here?" I asked. It was such a stupid question. I know."Isn't this the way to the restroom? You didn't tell me it was out of bounds, Mine," he replied with his hands casually in his pockets."Oh. I am sorry. I just... I was surprised to see you here," I swallowed the needles in my throat.The way he stared at me felt like he was seeing right through whatever pretense I was trying to put up.I listened, prayed, and wished that Jake remained in there. If Kester sees Jake and I coming out of the same space, he'd kill us both."So, let's go, then," I said as I made to move past him, but he didn't step aside."I never said I came to look for you. I was heading to the restroom, too," He said, and my heart gave a loud thud. I could swear he heard it.I couldn't let him go in there. He'd see Jake, and he'd know we were in there together."It's a bit messy in there. I'll have the janitors clean up the place before you use it. They seem not to have cleaned t
KESTER."What in Selene's name did I just hear?" My father's voice thundered through the phone, sharp enough to cut through the mounting headache I'd been nursing all day.I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep my composure as the words came pouring out.'Here we go,' I thought bitterly, bracing for the inevitable onslaught."Talk to me, Kes! The news is all over the place! How could you lower the price of one of the company's most valued products just to match Kex's games?"I exhaled, staring out the window of my office at the city lights glittering below. My patience was wearing thin, and I had no interest in justifying myself to a man who acted like he would have single-handedly solved all the world's problems if he were still in charge."What would you have had me do, Dad?" My voice was laced with frustration. "Stand back and watch while Kex poached every single one of our clients? Let him tear Zamfort apart while I did nothing?""Over twenty-five purchases have been made
KESTER."Mine? Is everything okay?" The man, who would be dead before the day breaks, asked, with concern lacing his sorry tone, "Mine!"He yelled into the phone, obviously worried something must have happened to his precious Kasmine, before dropping the call abruptly. I guess his slow brain finally processed what the situation might be right now.The bastard had the audacity to use that word... the one only I was allowed to use. Mine.I felt my anger spike. My jaw clenched hard enough to ache as I held the phone, waiting for him to say more so I could confirm who he truly was.My body trembled, and I didn't even realize it as I stood, looking at her with a blank expression.I brought the phone to my face and looked at the caller ID, but it wasn't a number that was saved.Smart of her.I immediately smashed the phone into pieces. I wanted to break something else—anything. She flinched, recoiling into the bed as if she could dissolve into the wall behind her.I took a step closer to he
KASMINE.Today was the day I was meant to die from a heart attack.I had pleaded with Jake to let me get off the call and that we would speak more about this 'surprise' he said he had for me over lunch tomorrow, but he refused. Now, imagine the surprise I got when Kester barged into my room unannounced.It was almost as if he had heard or seen me talking to Jake with the way he barged in.Now, here I was, kneeling and crying at his mercy to save the one I truly loved.But what did he want from me? What would he have me do to prove all he just said?I wasn't his. I'd never been his. I didn't want to be his. I want to be Jake's.Whatever delusions or fantasies he harbored about us in that dark, possessive mind of his, none of them were real.Kester remains my stepbrother, and no matter what he says or thinks, calling me MINE doesn't make me HIS.But the way he looked at me now, as if I was something he'd already claimed, made me doubt if I could escape his reality.I was still trying so
KASMINE.He always did that... Using his Alpha command on me, leaving me completely vulnerable to his will.I knelt down without an iota of will of my own, and I saw the satisfaction in his eyes when he closed the distance between us."Why?" I whispered, "I am your sister, Kes..." I tried to reason with him, but he had gone past his reasoning. This was madness."You are not my sister. You are Mine. Tonight will confirm it, and you won't regret it, I promise," His voice was softer now, and his eyes held a warmth that wasn't there a moment ago. "You make me lose control, Kasmine... I never lose control. That should tell you a lot about what you're doing to me. I have no control over it.""I don't want this..." I sniffed, placing both palms on both his thighs to keep him from coming any closer as his huge erection was only an inch away from my mouth.I could smell his arousal, and it was so strong. The masculine scent of musk and spices wafted into my nostrils. He smelt as good as he loo
KESTER.Fucking heavens.If I died today, I'd die a fulfilled man. Last night's was etched into every nerve of my body. My cock still felt slick and sensitive from last night's session with Kasmine. She might have been a novice, but she'd taken me like a goddamn pro. She'd handled me like she was born for it.And the way she'd melted under my control, fighting to mask her pleasure, made me want to drag her to her bed and show her just how much more she could take.A sly, stubborn smile curled my lips as I got ready for the day. Today was supposed to be packed with meetings and the usual corporate nonsense, but all I could think about was her. My obsession. My fucking weakness.I wish I could just skip all of that and stay at home all day with her.Fuck, I needed more of her right now.She was still shaken after last night's events, but that was fine. It was expected, really. I hadn't exactly gone easy on her. But she'd get used to it soon enough. I saw the way she came undone, her bod
KASMINE.I wiped the tear away as I tied my hair in a loose bun, but it didn't stop the flood of emotions swirling inside me. Guilt. Shame. And something much more dangerous. Desire.I hated myself for allowing my brother to do what he did to me.Last night was a mistake... It should have been a mistake—something I regretted so deeply that the very thought of it should make my stomach churn.But after this morning? I swear, I was conflicted. Here I was, alone in my room, unable to stop replaying every detail.The forbidden fruit is always the sweetest, isn't it? The one thing you're not supposed to have, the thing that could ruin everything—somehow, it becomes all you can think about.He was devastatingly beautiful in a way that felt almost unfair. You wouldn't blame a lady for falling for him... But me? I had no right to have felt the way I felt.Jake was just a guy… He never really liked the gym, even though he promised to begin gymming soon because of me. He was a little too lean,
KESTER.It was meant to be a busy day, packed with meetings, calls, and endless files to review, but trust me, I made damn sure it wasn't. I canceled everything. Cleared my schedule entirely and made sure to attend to every fucking matter right in my office.I sat here, eyes locked on her. Watching her like she was the only thing worth my attention in the world. And perhaps she was.It felt like letting Mine stay away from my sight would make me die an instant death. I watched her all day, almost unable to do anything right.Kasmine tried to focus, but it was obvious she couldn't. She fidgeted in her chair. She'd been uncomfortable the whole time, as expected. But she'll be fine eventually. This was all new to her.She could hardly get anything done. The files I had given her to compute were not even done in a fraction. But that was fine. Why should I be mad at her?I caught Jake stealing glances at her. Over and over again. The bastard thought he was subtle, but I saw every desperate
KASMINE.Why the hell was I letting this get to me?I had no right to feel this way—no right to feel… jealous. Offended. Hurt.Gods, I was being so stupid.I clenched my fists, pressing my nails into my palms, anything to ground myself before my emotions spiraled into something I couldn't control. I wasn't supposed to care. Not about Kester. Not about what—or who—he did behind closed doors.And yet, the image of him—of her—was burned into my mind, playing in an endless, torturous loop.I hadn't seen Kester all day. Hell, he hadn't even stepped out of his damn room this morning. He'd told the driver and his guards to take me to the office.I never meant to knock on his door. I swear I didn't.But anger was a reckless thing. It had a way of moving my body before my mind could catch up. I was too angry, too shaken, too in need of something close to an explanation that I didn't even know when my knuckles were rapping against the heavy wood of his door, pretending—so fucking badly—that I o
KESTER.June didn't hesitate.Not even for a second.The moment the words left my mouth, she dropped to her knees like a well-trained pet, eyes wide, eager, desperate to please. She looked like a pretty little whore, ready to worship my cock.Pitiful."Good girl," I murmured, dragging my fingers along the side of her face, watching as she leaned into my touch like she thought it meant something.It didn't.She had no fucking clue that she was nothing more than a pawn in my game. That the only reason she was even here, on her knees, was because someone else wasn't."Now, take it," I urged her as she hesitated at the sight of my cock, which wasn't even fully erect yet.She'd never had the opportunity to see me naked, and she probably never will after tonight.Her delicate palms wrapped around my cock while her thumb gently stroked its tip before bringing her tongue to join the show. She was trying to be sensual, trying to put on a show, but all I felt was boredom.Her tongue flicked ove
KESTER.My entire body trembled, and I knew she could feel it as my grip on her small wrist tightened by the second.Why?Why couldn't she see what she was doing to me? Why couldn't she understand that I was losing my mind over her? That every second she spent clinging to the idea of another man was driving me to the edge of something dangerous—something I wasn't sure even I could control.Why couldn't she fucking let that maggot go?!I hadn't killed him yet because it would break her. But she keeps making it difficult for me. Fuck!"Fuck it, Kasmine, who gave this to you?" My voice rose slightly, and my heart thundered in my chest.She wasn't responding, and her silence was killing me.Why? Was she too scared? Or was this an attempt to save him from what was to come?She tried to yank her hand out of my grip. The nerve to think she could."Kester..." She searched my eyes with those eyes which had held rage and jealousy when she saw June ascending the stairs a moment ago, and I was ce
KASMINE.I stepped in slowly as if testing the air. My mind was spinning, trying to make sense of what I was seeing.I looked around to make sure this was my room and that I hadn't mistakenly walked into a different room. Or perhaps, a different world.Or... Had my jealousy finally killed me, and I had found myself in the world beyond?But the warmth in the room—it felt so real. Too real.The first thing that struck me was how... different everything was. The sparse decor I was used to had disappeared, replaced by vibrant colors and soft lighting. Beautiful flowers—lilies and roses, their petals a soft blush pink and white—were scattered around the room.The bed—my bed—looked different too. Silk sheets, the color of deep sapphire, were neatly arranged, the pillows fluffed, inviting. Everything felt warmer, richer, and more… intentional.A large flat-screen TV hung against the wall. "What the hell?" I whispered, stepping deeper into my room as my curious gaze swept over the space, taki
KASMINE.Was it wrong to feel the way I did? Absolutely.Did I care? I did, once. But now, gazing into the eyes of the man before me, I was gradually getting to the point where I didn't care anymore as his charms wove through me like a spider's thread, gently pulling me closer.I couldn't help but fall for his tricks.This was all a trick, wasn't it? It had to be. The Kester I knew would never do any of this for anyone. Not in a thousand years, no matter who they were. But me? Kester Hamilton, the man who barely acknowledged anyone's existence, had taken me shopping? And he even picked out some things he liked for me? And the weirdest part? He was happy doing it!The Moon Goddess should have told us that this was the year the world would come to an end!"Come on. We still have the night ahead of us." He said to me, his voice tinged with an uncharacteristic warmth. I couldn't help but wonder in utter curiosity what else he had planned out.I'd never seen Kester this... happy before. Ev
KESTER.She stood there, her wide, curious eyes scanning the lavish space as if trying to piece together the reason she was there. I dismissed the escort with a subtle flick of my fingers, my attention solely on her now."Mine?" I called, pushing myself up from the plush seat.Her curiosity tugged at something deep inside me, an unfamiliar warmth blooming in my chest. I liked seeing her like this—intrigued, a little cautious, but drawn in. It made me want to do more for her, give her more, just to see that spark again.She didn't necessarily 'need' any of these. She had them in abundance. Her life was already filled with luxury. But I'd learned that it wasn't about the things themselves—it was about the gesture, about experiencing something together, about watching her smile because she knew this wasn't just about material things. This was about her."What are we doing here?" She asked curiously."Shopping," I said simply, moving toward her, closing the distance between us. I stopped
KESTER.I dropped my phone onto the passenger seat, exhaling slowly as I rubbed my palm over my face. For the hundredth time, I had checked, second-guessed, and reassured myself that I was doing this right. It felt unnatural, unfamiliar—but the urge to make Kasmine happy had become something I could no longer ignore.I didn't know how to do things like this. Romance, relationships… they had never been my forte. Not because I didn't indulge in women, but because I had never actually felt anything for any of them, but now I was willing to learn.I had never been in a relationship where I actually felt something for the woman before. It's safe to say Kasmine was the first. The only one who had ever made me feel anything real. And whatever this feeling was—this restless, possessive, all-consuming need—it was evolving into something I couldn't define.Something more.I had no guide for this. No experience to draw from. So, like a goddamn fool, I had resorted to seeking help.I'd taken advi
KASMINE.The universe had already cursed me for my sins—I was sure of it. How else could I explain this torment? This unbearable, all-consuming need with no relief in sight?I couldn't concentrate on anything. Not the pile of work in front of me, not even Jake's constant questions about how best we could communicate now that I no longer have a secret phone.I had ignored him. But a part of me felt terribly bad about it. He deserved an answer. He deserved my attention. But I barely had the presence of mind to spare him more than a few nods. Guilt clawed at the edges of my thoughts, but it wasn't strong enough to override the fire burning beneath my skin.I needed a release. Desperately.My body was on high alert, and the slightest hint of contact with a man made my body tense, my core tightening with anticipation that had nowhere to go. The simplest things—watching a man roll up his sleeves, hearing the deep timbre of a voice—sent sharp jolts of arousal straight to my center. It was un
KESTER.I dragged my mouth away from hers just for a breath, only to find myself drawn back, hunger consuming me as I kissed her again, deeper this time. I pulled her closer until the heat of her body seared through the fabric of our clothes.She responded with a soft gasp, one hand tangled in my hair, the other gripping the edge of the table beside us for support.I pressed her further against her vanity table, making it wobble under the pressure of our movements. A few items that I barely took note of fell to the ground.I lifted her right leg, placing it securely on my waist, granting myself the access I needed.The lamp by the nightstand just beside the table tipped over, its light flickering briefly before it settled with a dull thud. I barely registered the noise in my ears.The mess on the floor mirrored the mess in my head—everything in disarray, just like the way my mind spun in circles around her."Kes..." She whispered, moaning against my lips when my finger brushed over th