31. Aria

31

ARIA

I pick at my food, the tension at the dinner table heavy enough to suffocate me. Mom and Dad keep exchanging strange looks across the table, like they want to say something but are holding back.

Jared sits beside me, his knee brushing mine under the table, sending jolts of electricity through me. Since we crossed that line, the slightest touch between us is like lightning.

"So, Jared, how long are you staying with us?" Dad asks, his tone casual.

Jared pauses, his fork halfway to his mouth. "Just another week, then I'll be heading out."

His voice has an edge. Jared hasn't explained how this will work when he has to leave.

I glance at him, catching the tight line of his jaw and the guarded expression in his eyes. Something's bothering him.

Dad nods slowly. "I see. Well, it's good that you get to spend some quality time with us." His gaze lingers on me, his brow furrowed. "Anything you two want to share with your mother and me?"

My heart stutters in my chest. Do they know? I force myself to stay calm, but my insides are screaming at me to bolt. I'm petrified by what they might know or have seen.

"Like what?" Jared asks, giving nothing away. Under the table, he squeezes my knee in warning.

Mom chimes in. "You two seem close lately."

Jared's hand tightens on my knee, a silent command to stay calm. "Siblings can be close." His tone is dismissive.

There's an edge to his voice that makes me tense.

Dad lets out a noncommittal sound. "Right." He lapses into silence, stabbing at his food with his fork.

The tension thickens, and it's suffocating. I can hardly bring myself to eat, my stomach churning with nerves. Jared's hand remains firmly on my knee. My core clenches with a mix of desire and shame, my body reacting even as my mind screams at me to stop this before they find out.

After what feels like an eternity, Mom breaks the silence. "Well, I'm glad you two are getting along better now." Her gaze shifts between us. "You were so hostile toward Aria when you first moved in, Jared."

Jared's expression remains unreadable. "Siblings fight sometimes. We're past that now."

"I suppose." Mom's eyes land on me. "Aria, honey, is everything alright? You barely touched your food."

I swallow hard. "Yeah, I'm fine, Mom. Just not very hungry, I guess."

Gripping the edge of the table, I wonder if I'm going to have a panic attack, as the tension in the room is suffocating. My fingers dip into my jeans pocket, where my lighter is. I need to burn.

Suddenly, Jared's nails dig into my skin. It's a sharp pain, but not too much. It's exactly right. I glance at him, and that knowing look in his eyes just makes me love him all the more. He's trying to help me through this, sensing my tells.

I catch myself then.

Love him.

It's the truth. My stepbrother is the love of my life. Since we started sleeping together, I haven't once considered using the lighter on myself.

Even as the pain he inflicts helps ground me, my mind is a whirlwind of chaos.

What have we done?

It was just a game to Jared at first, a means to finally claim what he's always seen as his—me. And I fell for it, letting him use me in the most depraved ways.

But now, I'm in too deep. There's no going back, no erasing the acts we've committed and the person I've become under his control. My eyes flicker to his, seeing the same unspoken knowledge there. Our shared darkness binds us, our desires irrevocably intertwined.

I'm addicted to his touch, his dominance, and the way he makes me feel. It's a craving I can't deny, even if it means walking this dangerous tightrope.

But at what cost? If they ever discovered the truth, it would rip our family apart. They'd be devastated and disgusted by our actions. I don't know if I could live with that shame.

The weight of what we've done crashes down on me, threatening to suffocate me. I'm too deep and entangled in this web of forbidden desire. I can only move forward, praying we can our secret remains hidden.

Because if it ever came to light, I fear it would destroy this family completely.