Craving my sister’s fiancé

Chapter 13

Daphne’s POV

I groaned, the sound vibrating painfully against my skull. When I tried to peel my eyes open, the world was a smear of gray and white. A rhythmic pulsing hammered behind my temples, each throb making my stomach churn. Finally, the blurry shapes sharpened into the familiar molding of Bianca’s ceiling.

"Feeling better?"

Stefan’s voice hit me like a splash of ice water. I shifted my gaze, finding him standing by the window. His jaw was set so tight a muscle jumped in his cheek. I tried to sit up, forcing a weak, apologetic smile, but his expression remained a wall of stone.

"What is this behavior, Daphne?" he demanded. The sheer coldness in his voice made my smile vanish.

"What do you mean?" I rasped, my throat feeling like I'd swallowed sand.

"Really? The weed, Daphne? Since when do you do this?" He paced toward the bed, his shadow looming over me. The anger radiating off him was a physical heat. I’d seen him annoyed before, but this was a simmering, dark fury that made me want to shrink into the mattress.

"I’m sorry," I whispered, pulling the blanket higher. "It won’t happen again."

The scowl on his face didn't budge. "Your mother is worried sick. Bella is a wreck. Why would you sneak out? What were you thinking?"

"Please don't be mad, Stefan. I didn't mean to—"

"You didn't mean to what? Kiss anyone who gives you a second of attention?" He spat the words with a look of pure disgust.

My heart skipped. A cold dread settled in my gut as the fog in my brain began to lift. Fragmented memories flickered: a dark room, the smell of expensive cologne, the taste of someone’s lips... My hand flew to my mouth, a sharp gasp escaping me.

"Who did I kiss?" I asked, my voice trembling as I lowered my hand.

He looked at me as if I were something he’d found on the bottom of his shoe.

"I thought it was you," I scrambled, the desperation rising in my chest. "I would never kiss anyone else on purpose. I thought you were in the room!"

"Yeah, right. Not like it’s your first time," he snapped. The bitterness in his tone was unmistakable—jealousy, sharp and jagged. Despite the mess I was in, a tiny, traitorous spark of heat bloomed in my chest. He was jealous.

A small, involuntary smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.

"Why the f**k are you smiling?" he growled.

I wiped the expression off my face instantly, but before I could defend myself, the door creaked open. Bianca walked in carrying a tray, and my heart stopped when I saw who was trailing behind her. Adrian.

Oh no. "Daphne, you scared the s**t out of me," Bianca said, sliding onto the edge of the bed. Her eyes were wide, shadowed with genuine fear. "No smoking. Ever again. Promise me."

"For both of you—no more anything. No clubs, no parties," Stefan barked. He stood tall, his voice dropping into a low, commanding register that vibrated right through me. Even through the headache, that tone made a reckless ache flare up between my thighs. I hated how much I wanted him when he was being a jerk.

"Don't sound like Mom," Bianca snapped, rolling her eyes.

"I mean it," Stefan stepped closer, his shadow falling over all of us. "If you don't want me reporting every single detail of last night to your parents, you’ll do exactly what I say."

"Fine, whatever. I should just get a job and move out," Bianca muttered, her annoyance thick enough to cut.

I looked at the tray, desperate to change the subject before Stefan saw the way I was looking at him. "What did you bring for me to drink?"

“Eat this. Adrian says it’s good for a hangover.”

She set the bowl down, and my eyes drifted to Adrian. The usual sharp, cocky curve of his lips was missing; instead, he offered a faint, unreadable smile. I took a spoonful. The broth was warm and carried a sharp kick of spice that cut through the fuzz in my brain.

“I’m dropping you off,” Stefan announced, his voice clipped. “Get dressed. You need to go home.” He didn't wait for a response before walking out, Adrian trailing silently behind him.

I turned to her. “Do you know how I got back to your room?”

“No idea, Daphne. I was passed out cold,” she said, her brows knitting together. “My question is—why did you even leave? Where were you going?”

I looked away. There was no way I could tell her I’d slipped out because I wanted her brother to press me against a wall. “I was just acting insane,” I said instead. “I’m just glad I didn’t wander out of the house.”

We both let out a tense laugh, remembering the time I’d actually sleepwalked onto the street. Once the soup was gone, I pulled myself together.

The walk to the car felt miles long. Stefan was already behind the wheel, staring straight through the windshield. The engine hummed, but the silence inside the cabin was deafening. I gripped my seatbelt, the apology for kissing Adrian burning in my throat, but I feared speaking would only fan the flames of his temper.

When he pulled up to my house, the tires screeched slightly against the pavement. I unbuckled the belt but paused, my hand hovering over the door handle.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “I didn’t mean to kiss Adrian.”

“You don’t need to apologize to me,” he snapped, still refusing to look at me. “It doesn’t matter to me.”

The words hit like a physical weight, making my chest tighten until it was hard to breathe. I knew he was lying to protect himself, but the coldness still stung. I nodded, stepped out, and he sped off before I could even close the gate.

Inside, the air felt heavy.

“Daphne!” Bella rushed toward me the second I crossed the threshold. “Why did you—actually, forget that. Are you okay?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but the sight of my mother appearing in the hallway froze the words in my throat. Her face was a mask of rigid fury.

“Step aside, Bella,” my mother commanded. She shoved Bella roughly out of the way. Before I could blink, my head snapped to the side from the force of her palm across my cheek.

Bella gasped, but my mother leaned in, her eyes wild. “How dare you humiliate me like this?”

“Mom, please!” Bella stepped between us, her hands shaking. “She’s just being immature, you know how she is. Please, don’t hurt her.”

“Stay out of this, Bella. This insolent child needs to be taught a lesson.”

A dry, jagged sound broke from my throat. I started to laugh—a sharp, manic sound that echoed off the walls. Bella spun around to look at me, her eyes wide with terror.

"I’m insolent because I refuse to let you use me," I said, my laughter curling into something jagged and sharp. The sound felt like it was tearing my throat on the way out.

"Daphne, don’t," Bella warned, her voice tight with a fear she tried to mask as authority.

"Oh, you can’t stop me, Bella! I’m not you. I’m not a puppet," I yelled, the words spilling out like hot lead. I stepped toward my mother, ignoring the stinging on my cheek. "I don’t want to be controlled by her! You can stay here and be her doormat, but I'm done!"

"Daphne!" Bella’s hand shot up, her palm open as if to strike me, but she froze in mid-air. Her chest heaved, her eyes searching mine.

"Why did you stop?" I challenged, leaning into her space, my blood boiling. "Come on. Do it! f*****g hit me!"

"That’s enough," Bella whispered, her voice trembling. "You need to go to your room. Now."

"What she needs is discipline," my mother hissed, her face pale with fury. "You are grounded. Effective immediately. After school, you come straight to this house. No stops. No exceptions."

A hysterical, dark laugh bubbled up in my chest. I couldn't stop it. "And how am I supposed to do that, Mom? I have needs. I need to get laid constantly."

My mother staggered back as if I’d physically shoved her.

"Daphne, stop it!" Bella screamed.

"It’s the truth! I’m horny all the f*****g time," I spat, the adrenaline making me feel invincible and reckless. "Tell her, Mom! You found the toy in my room. You know how needy I get. Since you took my toy away, I have to find pleasure wherever I can f*****g get it, right?"

My mother’s face went from white to a sickly ashen color. She stumbled, her hand clutching her chest.

"Mom!" Bella cried, rushing to steady her, her eyes darting to me with pure heartbreak.

"I hate this family. I f*****g hate all of you!"

I turned on my heel and bolted up the stairs. The second I crossed the threshold of my room, I slammed the door and threw the lock. I slid down the wood until my backside hit the floor, my breath coming in ragged, ugly sobs. The room felt like it was closing in on me. I missed my dad so much it felt like a physical hole in my chest.

Trembling, I crawled toward the back of my closet and pulled out the small box I kept hidden beneath a loose floorboard. My fingers fumbled with the cap of the bottle until it popped. I didn't even grab water; I just swallowed the antidepressants dry, the bitter taste coating my tongue.

I sat there on the floor, watching my hands shake uncontrollably. I gripped my knees, forcing my lungs to expand and contract. Slowly, the tremors subsided. My heart stopped racing against my ribs.

The silence of the room was broken by a sharp ping. I reached for my phone, the screen illuminating my tear-stained face.

New Message: Adrian.