My Stepbrother’s Obsession

2.

Chapter 2: First Impressions

Morning light filters through the heavy curtains in my room, casting soft shadows on the floor. I wake up feeling disoriented, the unfamiliar weight of this house pressing down on me. The bed is too big, the silence too loud. I glance at my phone—7:13 a.m.

The idea of going downstairs fills me with dread, but I can’t hide up here forever. I push myself out of bed, dragging my feet to the small suitcase by the corner. Pulling out a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, I dress quickly, avoiding the full-length mirror. I don’t feel like seeing myself today.

The floorboards creak under my bare feet as I step into the hallway. The house is quiet, but it’s the kind of quiet that feels alive, like it’s holding its breath.

Downstairs, the smell of coffee hits me before I reach the kitchen. When I step inside, my mom is at the counter, humming softly as she pours coffee into two mugs. She looks up when she hears me and smiles.

“Morning, honey,” she says. Her hair is pulled into a loose bun, and she looks more relaxed than I’ve seen her in days.

“Morning,” I mumble, sliding into one of the stools at the island.

She places a mug of coffee in front of me and sits down across from me, her hands wrapped around her own cup. “How’d you sleep?”

I shrug. “Okay, I guess.”

Her eyes soften. “I know this is a big change, Skye. But I really think you’ll like it here once you get used to it.”

I don’t respond. Instead, I sip my coffee, letting the warmth spread through me.

The sound of footsteps makes me look up. Edward walks into the kitchen, looking as polished as ever in a crisp button-up shirt and dark slacks. He smiles when he sees me, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Good morning, Skye,” he says.

“Morning,” I say, keeping my voice neutral.

He pours himself a cup of coffee and leans against the counter, his gaze settling on me. “Levi’s out back if you want to meet him properly,” he says, as if last night didn’t happen.

I feel my stomach twist. The last thing I want to do is spend time with Levi, but I know I can’t avoid him forever.

“Maybe later,” I say, looking down at my coffee.

Edward’s smile tightens, but he doesn’t push. “Take your time,” he says, turning to my mom. “I have a meeting this morning, so I’ll be in my office if you need me.”

My mom nods, and he leaves the kitchen without another word.

After a few minutes of silence, my mom reaches across the island and squeezes my hand. “You should go outside,” she says gently. “Get some fresh air. It’ll help.”

I nod, even though I don’t really want to.

The backyard is huge, stretching out into a wide expanse of green. There’s a stone patio with a set of chairs and a firepit, and beyond that, a manicured lawn that slopes down toward a line of trees.

Levi is leaning against the railing of the patio, a cigarette in his hand. He doesn’t notice me at first, his eyes focused on the distance.

I hesitate at the door, unsure if I should go out there, but then he turns his head and sees me.

“Morning, princess,” he says, his lips curling into a smirk.

I step outside, the cool air biting at my cheeks. “Don’t call me that,” I say, crossing my arms.

He chuckles, taking a drag from his cigarette. “Touchy, aren’t we?”

I don’t respond, my eyes darting around the yard. The silence stretches between us, heavy and awkward.

“You don’t talk much, do you?” he says, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

“Maybe I just don’t have anything to say to you,” I snap, regretting it the moment the words leave my mouth.

Levi raises an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Feisty. I like that.”

I roll my eyes and start to turn away, but his voice stops me.

“Hey,” he says, his tone softer now. “I didn’t mean to piss you off. Just trying to make conversation.”

I glance back at him, surprised by the sudden shift in his demeanor. He stubs out his cigarette on the railing and straightens up, his hands in his pockets.

“So,” he says, his gray eyes studying me, “why’d you come out here?”

“My mom made me,” I admit.

Levi laughs, the sound low and unexpected. “Figures.”

I lean against the railing, keeping a safe distance between us. “Do you always smoke this early?”

“Do you always ask so many questions?” he shoots back, but there’s no bite in his words.

I shrug. “Just curious.”

He looks at me for a moment, as if he’s trying to figure me out, then shakes his head. “You’re different,” he says.

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“Maybe.”

The back door opens, and my mom steps outside, a smile on her face. “There you two are,” she says. “I was just about to call you in for breakfast.”

Levi pushes off the railing, his smirk back in place. “Guess we’d better go, princess,” he says, brushing past me.

I glare at him, but he doesn’t look back.

The rest of the day passes slowly. I spend most of it in my room, unpacking and trying to make the space feel less like a stranger’s. My mom checks on me a few times, but I can tell she’s distracted by Edward.

By late afternoon, the house feels even quieter, the kind of quiet that presses on your chest and makes you restless. I grab my jacket and head outside, needing to escape.

The backyard is empty, the sky painted in soft shades of orange and pink as the sun sets. I wander down the lawn, my feet crunching on the frost-covered grass.

The woods at the edge of the property seem darker now, the trees casting long shadows. I stop a few feet from the treeline, my breath clouding in the cold air.

Something about the silence feels wrong, like the woods are holding a secret they don’t want to share.

“Skye.”

I jump at the sound of my name, spinning around to see Levi standing a few feet away. His hands are shoved in his pockets, and his expression is unreadable.

“What are you doing out here?” he asks.

“Needed some air,” I say, trying to steady my racing heart.

He looks past me, toward the woods, and his jaw tightens. “Stay out of there,” he says, his voice low.

I frown. “Why?”

“Just don’t,” he snaps, his tone sharp.