My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 248

Chapter 248

“What are you doing out here so late, Gianna?” he asked.

He already knew all my secrets, so I didn’t bother lying, “I came out to study. Since I lost my phone, I lost the app that helps me… focus. I’m struggling. A lot.”

“Do you need a new phone?’

I frowned immediately, “Not from you. Not from anyone. I’ll figure it out.”

He let out a long, frustrated sigh, “Gianna, don’t be ridiculous. I have drawers full of phones. I once burned through a hundred in a single day because I was testing something… something I can’t talk about because it’s highly illegal and would probably get us both arrested. Taking one isn’t a big deal.”

I shook my head, my eyes locked on his. The way he was looking at me was making it hard to think.

“No,” I said, my voice breathy. “I’m not taking anything from you, Raphael. I’m already indebted to you for the next six months. I’m not adding more to the tab.”

“It wouldn’t be a debt,” he said.

“It would be for me,” I whispered.

“Fucking hell, you’re stubborn,” he muttered. He leaned in, his face so close I could feel his warm breath on my lips.

I gave him a small, challenging smile and turned back to the dirt, my hands shaking as I pulled the last of the weeds. We finished the row in silence. When the last weed was gone, I stood up and dusted my hands off on my shorts.

“Done,” I said, trying to act like my heart wasn’t trying to beat its way out of my chest.

The way he said it made my stomach do that liquid flip again. It wasn’t just about the books. It was about him wanting a reason to be near me, a reason to watch me work under the moonlight.

“Fine,” I breathed, the word caught in the back of my throat, “Deal.”

“Good,” he gestured toward the terrace with the flashlight, “Go back to your books. I’m going to clean up. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Don’t fall asleep.”

As I walked away, I could feel his eyes on my back, tracing the line of my spine. I knew I should have said no. I knew letting him into my head while he was already under my skin was a mistake…

…but I did it anyway.

Janedoewritings