MY STEPBROTHER'S OBSESSION

CHAPTER 8

SCARLETT



I didn't know what I expected. A kiss? Maybe a whispered confession? A moment where he pulled me close and told me this meant something? But I didn't get any of that.

Instead, Damien stepped back like nothing had just happened between us. His expression wasn't soft or vulnerable. It was cocky. Amused. Like I was just another conquest he'd checked off his list.

My chest tightened.

I pulled myself together, ignoring the mess he'd made of me and the shame slowly creeping in. I blinked hard, forcing the tears back. Not because of what we did, hell, I'd wanted it. But because of what it meant to him.

Nothing.

Just a game. A test. Something to lord over me later.

I'd fallen into his trap twice now. How could I be so stupid? I should've learned after the first time.

"You're disgusting," I spat, buttoning my shirt with trembling hands. "Was that all this was? Just to see how far I'd go?"

"You didn't disappoint." He leaned casually against the sink like we were having a normal conversation.

That was it. No apology. No emotion. Just that infuriating grin and his arrogant words bouncing off the bathroom walls.

I stormed past him, refusing to let him see the way my eyes were watering. I didn't even check if anyone was outside. I just walked, fast, furious, humiliated, and stupidly still turned on.

By the time I reached the classroom, my body still felt too hot, too aware of every nerve ending he'd set on fire.

Thank God our first period was free. I needed that. I needed to breathe.

I collapsed into my seat and dropped my head onto my desk.

"Scarlett, where the hell have you been?" Ivy's voice cut through my thoughts.

I looked up, trying to arrange my face into something neutral. She leaned closer, then suddenly scrunched her nose.

"Damn. You smell like… something." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Were you having s*x with someone?"

"Shut up," I hissed, but my cheeks were already burning. I pulled a pack of gum from my bag and shoved a piece into my mouth. It wouldn't do much, but it gave me something to focus on besides my racing thoughts.

"Okay… somebody's in a mood," Ivy said, raising an eyebrow as she dropped into the seat beside mine.

I didn't answer. My eyes kept darting to the door, waiting for him to walk in acting completely normal. Like he hadn't just had his face between my thighs twenty minutes ago.

God.

I felt so stupid.

I thought there was something there. A real connection. Mutual desire that meant something beyond the physical. But all he wanted was to prove I couldn't resist him. That I was just another girl who'd fall at his feet. He didn't care. He never had.

When he finally walked in, he looked exactly like I knew he would, calm, collected, smug.

His eyes met mine for half a second, and I looked away immediately. I couldn't let him see how much he'd gotten to me. I couldn't let him win again.

"Did something happen?" Ivy asked, reading my body language.

"Just… period cramps," I lied, clutching my stomach to sell it.

"Ugh, that time of the month. Been there."

I could feel Damien somewhere behind me, talking to some girl who was laughing way too loud at whatever he was saying. I didn't look. Instead, I pulled out my textbook and started flipping through pages I wasn't actually reading.

Every second in that classroom felt like torture. My body was still dealing with the aftermath of his touch, and yet my heart felt like he'd carved a hole through it.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I wanted to slap that smirk off his perfect face.

Instead, I just sat there, pretending everything was fine.

I excused myself, telling Ivy I needed to go to the nurse. She offered to come with me, but I shut that down fast. I needed to be alone.

I ended up outside by the vending machines near the old auditorium. I leaned against the wall, closed my eyes, and pressed my head against the cool brick.

My phone buzzed.

It was him.

Damien: Don't be mad. You liked it.

I stared at the message, my fingers tightening around the phone. His audacity was unbelievable.

I wanted to block him. Throw my phone. Anything. Instead, I started typing back: Go to hell.

But I didn't send it.

Instead, I deleted the entire conversation thread and just stood there, fuming in silence.

If he thought I was easy to break, he'd just messed with the wrong girl. Two could play this game. I was going to show him exactly how dangerous I could be.

I made my way back to class and shoved the door open hard enough to make it bang against the wall.

Everyone turned to stare.

Including him.

Good.

Let him see that I wasn't broken. Let him see that he hadn't won.

"s**t," someone muttered.

I didn't care. I walked to my seat with my head held high, meeting Damien's eyes with a look that said this isn't over.

Not by a long shot.