The Incest

Chapter Six

The sunlight hit the marble floors like it was trying to burn me awake, bouncing off the chandelier above me and scattering gold across the room. Jeez. I hated this house already. Too shiny, too quiet in the wrong way, too many maids gliding around like ghosts, making everything look like a f*****g magazine spread. I jabbed at my eggs, trying to pretend I was normal. f**k, I wasn’t hungry at all.

“Cora, eat something,” Mom said, sliding a plate toward me. Her voice was soft, careful, but I could feel the tiny thread of concern underneath. Ugh. I nodded stiffly and poked at my eggs with my fork, pretending to chew, pretending to be calm.

And then I noticed him.

Xavier, leaning against the doorway, smirk in place, casual like the house was his playground. He didn’t say anything, didn’t have to. Just looking at me like that was enough to make my chest hammer. Nop. Not ready. My heart was already trying to explode out of my chest.

I jabbed at my eggs. Focus on the eggs. Pretend you don’t see him. Jeez, why did he have to exist?

He shifted slightly, just a tiny lean forward, enough to make my stomach twist, enough that my cheeks burned even though I didn’t glance at him. I could feel his eyes on me, though he didn’t touch a thing. f**k.

“Careful,” he muttered quietly, just barely audible, almost polite in tone. My fingers twitched. Nop. Don’t look up. Don’t react. Keep calm. Be casual. Outside, I was calm. Inside, I was a goddamn volcano.

By the time the maids cleared the plates, I was practically vibrating. My chest ached. My stomach was flipping. My brain refused to function. And Xavier? He gave me that smug little grin, stretched lazily, and walked away like everything was perfectly normal.

Fuck, f**k, f**k. I pressed my hands to my face. Ugh. Jeez. Nop. He was everywhere. Impossible. And for some stupid reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

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I spent the next hour wandering the house, trying to act casual. The place was a labyrinth of shiny floors, huge windows, and silent maids hovering in the corners. Every corner I turned reminded me I didn’t belong here yet. Every gilded railing, every crystal vase, every perfectly folded napkin screamed rich ass family, and I had to bite my tongue not to mutter a string of curses under my breath.

“Jeepers,” I whispered to myself when I accidentally kicked a rug a little too hard. f**k. I was going to break something.

And of course, he appeared again.

Xavier was leaning casually against the railing of the grand staircase, smirk on his face like he knew exactly how much I hated this place and was still managing to love it. Ugh. My knees went weak. I pretended to adjust a vase on the table, eyes deliberately not meeting his, heart racing.

“Lost?” he asked casually, but the tilt of his head, the subtle smirk, made my stomach twist.

“Not lost,” I muttered, trying to keep my tone casual. My brain, however, had other ideas. Nop. Heart hammering. Face burning. f**k.

He stepped closer, just enough that I could feel the heat of him, though I didn’t look. “You sure?” he said lightly, like a cat circling prey.

“Yup,” I said, voice tighter than I realized. Jeez, why was he like this? Why did he have to exist and be everywhere?

He just chuckled softly, that teasing, melodic sound that made my stomach do stupid things. “Alright, if you say so,” he said, finally moving back. “But watch out for the stairs. Wouldn’t want you falling flat on your ass in my house.”

I glared at the floor, fuming internally. f**k. I wanted to punch him. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run and hide. Nop. Heart won’t calm down. Ugh.

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Later, I ended up in the library, trying to bury myself in some reading. The room smelled like old books and polished wood. Quiet. Safe. Maybe. I sank into a massive leather chair, opening a random book, pretending I wasn’t thinking about the way Xavier had made my knees weak, the way he made my stomach flip with a single smirk.

Of course, he appeared again.

“Reading?” he asked from the doorway, leaning casually, arms crossed.

I pretended not to notice, focusing on a paragraph about some boring historical battle. My hands shook slightly. Jeez, why couldn’t I just act normal?

“Uh-huh,” I said casually, flipping the page. Heart hammering. f**k.

“You look tense,” he said quietly, still leaning in the doorway, smirk sharp. “Like… you’re about to combust or something.”

I cleared my throat. “I’m fine.” Calm. Casual. Smooth. Inside… a hurricane. Ugh.

He chuckled. “Mm-hmm. Totally fine.” His eyes flicked to mine briefly. Just a glance. Just enough. My chest tightened. f**k, f**k, f**k.

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Afternoon came, and I was wandering the garden, trying to get some air, pretending I wasn’t mentally screaming. The staff flitted around, trimming hedges, watering flowers, all perfectly silent and efficient. Ugh. Jeez. Too many people noticing everything.

And there he was again, perched casually on the edge of the fountain, smirk in place, watching me like a hawk. My stomach did that stupid flip again. Nop. Act casual.

“Beautiful day,” he said lightly.

I rolled my eyes slightly, trying to ignore him. “Sure,” I said, casual, even though every word felt like a lie.

“You’re tense,” he said softly, stepping closer. “Relax, Cora. You’ll break something if you keep tensing like that.”

I snapped my mouth shut. Nop. Don’t explode. Keep calm. Jeez, he was everywhere.

“You know,” he added after a moment, “it’s kind of fun watching you try to act normal around me.”

I wanted to punch him. Or scream. Or curl into the fountain. But I just stood there, breathing, pretending I wasn’t vibrating from head to toe. My cheeks were on fire.

Evening came, and I found myself back in my room, pretending to study, pretending the day hadn’t completely destroyed me. My chest was still racing. My brain wouldn’t shut up. Every glance, every smirk, every little teasing thing he’d done haunted me.

And of course, he knocked lightly on the door before entering.

“Studying?” he asked casually, leaning against the frame.

I didn’t look up. “Yep,” I said flatly, forcing calm.

He smirked, leaning slightly closer. “Uh-huh. Sure. Totally studying.” His tone was light, teasing, but my stomach twisted anyway. Jeez. f**k. Ugh.

I kept my head down, trying to ignore him. Outwardly, nothing. Inside… a goddamn tornado.

“You know,” he said after a pause, voice soft, just enough to make me flinch, “you can’t hide from me. Not that I’d want you to.”

My chest tightened. My hands shook slightly. “I’m… fine,” I muttered, barely audible.

He smirked and leaned back, finally leaving, gliding down the hallway like he owned the place. My heart thumped so hard I thought it would burst.

I sank onto my bed, exhausted, frustrated, alive in a way that terrified me. The house was too big, too shiny, too much. And Xavier… he was everywhere. Impossible. Infuriating. Maddening.

And I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

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