Cheated, But A Night With My Ex's Brother

CHAPTER 7-1

BELLA

I tried not to focus on the voice but on the words. “Yes,” I cleared my throat, smiling appreciatively at him. “he is the one.”

Nodding, Alex looked away and stared at Caleb, his jaw tightening. “I can take a lot of things from you, but I will never tolerate you stalking and harassing my girlfriend, brother.”

My eyes almost rolled off it’s socket. “Caleb is your brother?”

I swear, I heard Logan chuckle.

“Stepbrother.” Alex clarified. “your cheating ex, is my stepbrother.”

Sometimes I wonder if my life is secretly a soap opera, or if Alex just lives to keep shocking me.

First, the guy I thought would be nothing more than a one-night stand turned out to be my brother’s best friend and now I’ve found out that he’s also my ex’s stepbrother.

Yes, you heard that right. My ex, Caleb.

“This is starting to look a lot like obsession, don’t you think?” Alex addressed Caleb.

Caleb’s lips curled into a scowl, his face flushed with anger. “Don’t flatter yourself, Alex,” he snapped. “You’re not that important. Not even close.”

Alex tilted his head slightly, a lazy smirk playing on his lips. “Is that so?” he replied. “Because from where I’m standing, you’ve always had a habit of chasing after the things I already have. And now… you want my woman too?”

Caleb’s jaw clenched as he took a threatening step toward us, his eyes locking onto mine. “My woman?” he growled. “Tell him the truth. Tell this bastard you’re my fiancée. That you’re still wearing my ring.”

“I threw the ring at you, remember?” I said, correcting him. “You were my fiancé—past tense. He is my boyfriend—present tense.”

“Don’t you dare say that!” Caleb roared, lunging toward me.

Logan stepped forward instinctively, but Alex was quicker. He moved like lightning, placing himself between us and shoving Caleb back with enough force to make him stumble. Caleb nearly lost his balance, his shoes scuffing the floor.

“If you want to talk to her, do it from a distance,” Alex warned, his voice ice-cold. “You lost the right to get this close a long time ago.”

“I don’t want to talk to him,” I said sharply, stepping beside Alex. “I just want him gone.”

Logan walked over to the door and pulled it open. “You heard her,” he gritted out. “She’s done with you. Time for you to leave.”

Caleb looked around, stunned—first at me, then at Alex, then Logan. His jaw clenched, disbelief flickering in his eyes. “What the hell is going on right now?”

“Need me to throw you out?” Alex asked, his tone deadly calm. “Because I won’t just do it—I’ll enjoy it.”

Caleb looked like he had a hundred things to say—to me, to Alex—but he kept them locked behind clenched teeth. His jaw tightened, and he licked his lips in frustration.

Without saying a word, he reached for his car keys on the desk, shoved them into his pocket, and stormed out.

“I’m going to have a little chat with him,” Logan muttered through gritted teeth before marching after Caleb.

I didn’t stop him. Caleb deserved whatever was coming.

Now alone with Alex, I cleared my throat awkwardly and stepped away from him, needing a bit of space. This was the second time I’m embarrassing myself before him.

Alex settled onto the cream-colored, his leg crossed over the other, a teasing glint in his eyes.

“So, I’m your boyfriend now?” he said with a crooked smile. “Didn’t see that one coming when I rolled out of bed this morning. But hey, I’m not complaining. Getting a girlfriend out of nowhere? Pretty impressive start to the day.”

“Please,” I muttered, walking back to my desk with as much dignity as I could muster, “stop rubbing it in.”

Behind me, I heard him chuckle, low and amused.

“Hmm?” he called out playfully. “Did you say something, babe?”

“Thanks for stepping in back there,” I said quietly, avoiding his gaze. “I just needed something—anything—to keep Caleb from circling back.”

Alex nodded, resting his arm along the back of the sofa. “Was he the reason you got drunk that night?”

I stiffened. Of all the things he could bring up…

“Yes,” I replied, my voice clipped. “He was. And no—I don’t want to talk about that night. Not with you, not with anyone.”

His eyes lingered on me a moment longer, searching, curious—but not pushing. He gave a slow nod, then rose to his feet.

Adjusting his jacket with a slight tug, he walked toward my desk, stopping just in front of me.

“So,” he said, leaning one hand on the edge of the desk, “is this a one-time thing?”

I blinked, confused. “What?”

“This,” he gestured between us, “me pretending to be your boyfriend. Is it a one-time gig or…?”