Stepbrother's Secret

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE FORBIDDEN GAME

Hayes Mansion – Late Evening

Lena wasn’t sure when she started playing the game. Maybe it was when Caleb first touched her—when he kissed her like he already knew she’d fall for him, even if she fought it. Or maybe it was when she realized she couldn’t stop thinking about him, couldn’t stop craving the way his eyes burned when he looked at her.

Either way, the rules were simple: Who would break first?

Caleb was good at this. He knew exactly what he was doing. He pushed her, made her react, then stepped back like it was nothing. Like she was the only one losing control.

Tonight, she decided to push back.

The Dinner Table – A Silent War

The dining room at the Hayes mansion was always quiet. Too elegant, too polished, like something out of a magazine. The only sounds were the clinking of silverware and the occasional sip of wine.

Lena sat across from Caleb, forcing herself to focus on her plate, not on the way he lounged in his chair—casual, confident, completely unaffected by what they’d done.

Asshole.

She gripped her fork tighter as Caleb reached for his glass, his fingers brushing against the stem in a slow, deliberate motion.

Lena’s thighs pressed together.

He knew.

She knew he knew.

Her mother was talking about some charity event she wanted to attend, her voice light and cheerful.

“…and if you’re not drowning in papers at Blackwood, you could come with me,” Victoria said, pouring herself another glass of wine.

Lena gave a vague nod, though she had no idea what the event was about. Her mind wasn’t on papers or midterms or her barely-started literature assignment. Not when Caleb suddenly shifted, his knee bumping against hers beneath the table.

A test. A challenge.

Lena didn’t pull away.

Instead, she parted her legs just slightly, just enough for Caleb to notice. His gaze flicked to hers—just for a second—but it was enough. A smirk tugged at his lips, barely noticeable.

Round one: her move.

In the Hallway – No Escape

Lena felt him before she saw him.

She’d barely made it down the hall when Caleb’s hand closed around her wrist, pulling her back, pressing her against the wall.

His body caged her in, his scent thick, intoxicating.

“Careful, Lena,” he murmured, voice low and smooth. “You’re playing a dangerous game.”

She should shove him away. She should remind him that this was wrong, that she had a boyfriend, that someone could see them.

Instead, she tilted her chin up, meeting his gaze head-on. She wanted to see if she could make him lose control.

Lena shifted just slightly, enough for her chest to brush against his. “Afraid you’ll lose?”

Caleb chuckled, deep and dark. “I never lose.”

His fingers brushed along her jaw, tracing the curve of her neck, down to her collarbone. A featherlight touch, barely there, but it set her entire body on fire.

“Tell me to stop,” he whispered.

She should.

She didn’t.

Instead, her breath hitched, and that was all it took.

Caleb’s lips crashed against hers—hot, hungry, punishing. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her flush against him, letting her feel just how much he wanted her.

Lena moaned into his mouth, fingers fisting into his shirt as he deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing, demanding.

Then—footsteps.

They broke apart just in time. A shadow passed by the hallway, too close.

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

Caleb smirked. Unbothered. Unafraid.

He leaned in, lips brushing against her ear. “See you tonight.”

Lena’s knees nearly buckled.

Her Bedroom – The Invitation She Shouldn’t Accept

Her phone buzzed. 1:13 AM.

Caleb: Come to me.

Lena stared at the screen, pulse hammering.

She had class in the morning. A literature seminar she was already behind in thanks to Caleb’s endless distractions. If Professor Carter called her out again, she wasn’t sure she could lie her way out of it.

She shouldn’t.

She would.

Because this game wasn’t over yet. And she was done pretending she didn’t want to lose.