Craving my sister’s fiancé

Chapter 16

Daphne’s pov

I pushed the empty plate away, the ceramic scraping softly against the wood. My hunger was gone, replaced by a rare sense of fullness.

"I take it the chef passed the test?" Adrian leaned back, a smug grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"It was edible," I muttered. I reached for my water, tilting the glass back until the ice rattled against my teeth. When I set it down, he was still watching me. His gaze felt heavy, like he was waiting for a confession I wasn’t ready to give. "Aren’t you going to eat?"

"I suppose I should." He pushed off his chair and disappeared into the kitchen. He returned a moment later with a small plate holding two peeled boiled eggs and a few green slices of kiwi.

I stared at the meager portion. "That’s it? That’s your dinner?"

"Perks of the job." He gestured to his face with a silver fork. "The camera adds ten pounds, and the shoot tomorrow starts at 5:00 AM." He punctuated the sentence with a quick wink.

I looked away, focusing on the window. Sheets of gray rain lashed against the glass, blurring the world outside into a messy smudge of dark trees and overflowing gutters.

"Looks like you're stuck here tonight," Adrian said. I could hear the shift in his voice—the playfulness turning into something thicker, more intentional.

"I can’t do that."

He let out a short, sharp laugh. "Relax, it was a joke. Besides, if you stayed here, neither of us would get much sleep." He lowered his voice, his eyes dropping to my lips.

A chill of discomfort crawled up my neck. I opened my mouth to snap back, but my phone saved me, vibrating violently against the table. The screen flashed: BELLA.

"Where are you, Daphne?" Bella’s voice exploded through the receiver the second I swiped up.

"I... I got a job," I said, turning my back to Adrian.

"A job? Where? It’s a monsoon outside!"

"I’m working as Adrian’s assistant."

The line went silent for a heartbeat. "Put him on. I want to talk to him."

I squeezed my eyes shut, my blood starting to simmer. "Bella, seriously?" I shoved the phone toward Adrian. "Here. My big sister wants to make sure I haven't been kidnapped."

Adrian’s eyebrows shot up, but he took the phone, his laughter dying down as he pressed it to his ear. "Hello, Big Sis." He listened for a moment, his posture straightening. The smugness vanished, replaced by a tight, professional mask. "You have nothing to worry about. She’s safe."

He handed the device back, his fingers briefly brushing mine.

"I’m telling Mom where you are," Bella said, her voice frantic and breathless. "She’s been pacing the kitchen for an hour. Don't even think about driving. The news says the lower roads are flooded. Just... stay there."

"Bella, wait—"

"See you tomorrow, Daph."

The line went dead. I stared at the blank screen, the silence of the house suddenly feeling much louder than the rain.

"Nice to have you as a roommate," Adrian said, leaning against the doorframe with a playful wink.

"I am not your roommate." I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. "I’m an employee trapped by a storm."

"Details, details." He flashed a bright, toothy grin that felt a little too perfect. "As my assistant, your first official task is to play video games with me. You look like the type who knows her way around a controller."

I looked at the rain-streaked window, then back at his smug face. Anything was better than sitting in silence with my own thoughts. "Fine," I snapped. "But don't cry when you lose."

Twenty minutes later, I leaned forward, my thumbs flying across the buttons. On the screen, Adrian’s character crumbled into the dust.

"You’re terrible at this," I said, a genuine laugh bubbling up. "I thought you said you were a pro."

Adrian gripped his controller until his knuckles turned white. He looked at the 'Game Over' screen, his jaw tight. "I’m good. I just wasn't expecting... this." He glanced at me, his irritation fading into curiosity. "Who taught you to play like that?"

"Stefan," I said, the name slipping out before I could catch it. A warmth spread through my chest. "We spent every summer playing until our eyes turned red."

Adrian’s expression shifted. His eyes narrowed, sharp and calculating. "You seem to like him a lot."

The air left my lungs. The room felt suddenly too small, and the memories of that night—the whispers, the guilt, the heat—hit me like a physical blow. I dropped the controller. It hit the carpet with a dull thud.

"Are you okay?" Adrian asked, his voice dropping an octave.

"I told you, didn't I?" My voice was thin, bordering on a silver of panic.

"Told me what?" He tilted his head, playing the part of the confused friend, but his eyes stayed cold.

"You know!" I stood up, pacing the small space. "You know about us."

"What exactly do I know?"

"About Stefan and me..."

"Oh." Adrian leaned back, crossing his arms. The mask of the friendly actor finally dropped. "You mean the part where you’re sleeping with your sister’s fiancé?"

I flinched as if he’d slapped me.

"Don't look so shocked," he continued, his voice smooth. "You told me yourself. Drunk words are sober thoughts, right?"

I swallowed hard, my throat feeling like it was full of sand. "You won't tell anyone? Please."

"Why would I?" He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "It’s none of my business. But I have to wonder... Bella seems so sweet. What happens to her when this blows up? Have you thought about that?"

I turned away from him, unable to meet his gaze. The guilt was a heavy weight in my stomach, but beneath it, there was a stubborn spark of defiance.

"I don't know what will happen," I whispered, my voice shaking but certain. "But I won’t lie about how I feel. I love him. That’s the truth, and I don't care what anyone thinks."

"Does he feel the same way?" Adrian’s voice was soft, but the question cut deep.

My eyes stung. I looked down at my lap, blinking back the tears. The silence was my answer. He didn’t love me—not the way I needed him to—and admitting that felt like swallowing glass. "I don't care," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I know how I feel. That's enough."

Before he could respond, the room vanished.

The hum of the refrigerator died, and the world turned pitch black. I froze, my eyes wide and straining to find even a sliver of light. "No, no, no," I breathed, my heart starting to hammer against my ribs. "The power can't be out. Not now."

"Hey, Daphne, breathe. It’s okay," Adrian said, his voice coming from the darkness beside me. "It’s probably just a fuse. It’ll be back on in a second."

"You don't understand." I felt the walls closing in. My mind flashed to the basement—the smell of dust, the heavy wooden door, the hours I spent screaming for my mother to let me out until Stefan finally broke the lock. The air in the living room felt thin, like I was breathing through a straw.

"I'll go find some candles," Adrian said, his shadow moving away.

"Don't leave!" I lunged forward, grabbing his arm. My fingers dug into his skin. "Please. Just stay."

Adrian stopped. When he touched my hand to pull it away, he gasped. "Daphne, you’re burning up." He didn't pull away this time; he moved closer, his hand finding my shoulder. "You're shaking."

"My medication," I wheezed. My chest felt like it was being crushed by a giant hand. "I need... I can't..."

"Daphne, look at me. Follow my breath."

I couldn't. The darkness was swallowing me whole. Then, suddenly, something warm pressed against my lips.

My eyes flew open as Adrian kissed me. It wasn't like the other times—it was slow, steady, and grounding. The shock of it forced the air back into my lungs. Slowly, the spinning in my head stopped. My racing pulse began to sync with the rhythm of the kiss.

Just as my hands relaxed, the overhead lights flickered and surged to life. I yanked myself back, my face flushed and my chest heaving.

Adrian searched my face, his usual smugness nowhere to be found. "Are you okay? Do you feel better?"

I couldn't look at him. I couldn't even process the heat still lingering on my lips. "Where am I sleeping?" I asked, my voice flat as I stared at a spot on the wall behind him.

He hesitated, then sighed. "Take my room. I’ll use the guest room."

I didn't say thank you. I didn't even nod. I just turned and bolted for the stairs. Once I was inside his room, I slammed the door and locked it, leaning my back against the wood. I pressed a hand to my heart, which was thumping for an entirely different reason now.

It wasn't our first kiss, but it was the first one that felt like it meant something. And that was the most terrifying thing of all.