Filed To Story: Craving The Wrong Brother Book PDF Free by Elysian Sparrow
Jade intercepts him mid-motion, tackling Nathan with the kind of skill you know took years to perfect. Nathan’s body slams into the ground with a sickening thud, fis back crashing against the sharp edge of the table leg. The entire table jolts, knocking over a water glass that rolls and falls to the floor, shattaring.
1-1 mutter
“Oh, my god,”
The men are on the floor, locked in a mess of limbs and fury.
Jade swings first, a heavy punch to Nathan’s jaw that sends his head snapping to the side. Nathan groans, dazed, but recovers quickly and tries to retaliate. But Jade is faster. Ruthless. He ducks, then drives a forearm into Nathan’s chest, pinning him down with his weight.
“Stop!” Serena cries, rushing toward them, her hands fluttering uselessly in the air. “Stop it, Jade”
Nathan snarls, trying to twist free, but Jade has one arm pressed across his throat now, the other drawn back to strike again. His jaw is clenched so tight that the muscles in his neck look ready to snap
And then-thump, thump, thump-the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps descending the staircase. turn my head as I hear a metallic click.
Mom is at the foot of the stairs, barefoot and pale as bone, but steady. There’s no tremble in her arms as she raises the shotgun. It’s aimed directly at
Jade.
“Step away from him,” she says, her voice like stone “And all of you, get the fuck out of my y house.”
Jade instantly throws his hands up, rising and stumbling a step back like the blast has already gone off
“We’re leaving, Margot Please, just put the gun down.”
That’s all I need to hear
My shoes squeak against the tile as rush toward the door, snatching my purse off the side table don’t look at anyone Hot Jade. Hots Nathan. The only thought playing on loop in my head is: Do not trust the trembling Engers of an angry woman with a loaded gun. Espe?li who’s just found out her husband slept with her daughter.
The night air slaps me in the tree the second step outside, I walk to my car and grip the door handle, fingers shaking, adrenaline still spiking in my bloodstream, I’m sliding the key in when I hear the door open behind ime. More footsteps. Then the unmistakable click of the lock turning
I glance over my shoulder and see them-Jade heading straight for his car, eyes locked on the ground, jaw to fight it looks like it might crack. He doesn’t say a word, boesn’t spare a glance. Just gets in, slams the door, and peels out of the driveway
Nathan’s already halfway to his car, and Serena’s trailing after him like she doesn’t know how to stop her legs from moving.
“Nathan,” she calls. “Wait.”
“Could you please not make this any harder for me?” he replies, not turning around. “You’ve already broken my heart. What more do you want?”
Serena stops as Nathan hides into the driver’s seat, shuts the door, and drives off.
I stand there watching the red of his taillights vanish into the night. Serena’s arms are wrapped around her stomach like she’s trying to keep her insides from spilling out.
For a moment, we both don’t say anything. Just stare at the empty space where Nathan’s car used to be.
Then, Serena says, “Can I stay at your house?”
*Sure.”
I unlock my car, and she climbs in silently. Her fingers fumble with the seatbelt, and her face looks pale and glassy.
We drive in silence.
Or rather, I drive in silence while she sobs with her face pressed against the passenger side window. The kind of crying that doesn’t come in waves but stays. An endless leaking faucet of grief. I don’t say anything. What would even say? That it’ll be okay? That this will blow over? That Mom won’t hate her forever? Even I don’t believe that. So I keep my eyes on the road and grip the wheel until my knuckles sche, pretending I’m not wondering if she’ll still be crying when we get to my house.
By the time we get there, her crying has dulled into sniffling
We head upstairs and inside my apartment, and the familiar smell of vanilla and carpet cleaner greets us like a tired friend. She doesn’t even take off her shoes. Just walks straight into my bedroom and collapses face-first on the bed. She then yanks the sheets over her head. nish lackin
I hear her crying again before I even finish locking the door.
I want to say something, aybe sit with her. But instead, I pull out my phone and type…
‘Something came up. Don’t come to my house. My sister’s here.”
Knox replies almost instantly.
‘I’m guessing it’s the same reason Jade’s here too. What happened?
“Long story. Tell you later.
I toss the phone on the nightstand, run a hand through my hair, and head to the bathroom. beshen up in silence. Warm water, gentle soap, no noise, dry my face, pull my shirt over my head, and step back out into the bedroom.
Serena’s stopped crying, but she’s still in the same position, lying on her back now, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling
I climb onto the bed slowly, not wanting to startle her. For a while, I just sit there, not speaking. The room smells faintly of shampoo and salt.
Then the question comes out before I can stop it.
“Why’d you say #17”
She keeps staring ahead.
“You could’ve gone your whole life without telling anyone that. Why’d you tell Mom and Nathan?”
A few seconds pass, and I’m about to let it go, convinced she isn’t going to respond, when she whispers, “Because I’m not Jade
“What?” ry them.”
“I’m not him,” she says louder now, voice shaking. “I can’t lie to someone and marry
?
Inod, letting Serena’s words sit between us.
The light from the bedside lamp glows across the room, creating a halo around the edges offer some kind of comfort. I can still feel the tension clinging to her like sweat. sof Serena’s profile as she stares up at the ceiling it might
“Do you even love him?” I ask gently. “Nathan”
Her lips part, but nothing comes out right away. Then, in a small voice, she says, “Maybe. He’s sweet, and he cares about me.”
Her throat catches. A soft hiccup follows. Then the first sab
“And I just broke his heart,” she whispers, as if realizing it for the first time. Tm an evil person, Sloane. So evil”
Her face crumples and her shoulders hunch inward. The tears come fast now, I slide toward her across the mattress and wrap my arms around her, pulling her into my chest.
She doesn’t fight it. Just shudders in my hold, her body trembling. And even though she’s the older one, the feels impossibly small. the taller one, the louder one, in this moment
“You’re not evil,” I say, brushing my fingers lightly through her hair, even as my own heart aches. “Okay? This will all go away. It’s just a storm. It pass
“Mom hates me now,” she mumbles against my shirt. “I saw it in her face. She looked at me
1squeeze her a little tighter. “No, she doesn’t She doesn’t. She’ll come around.” like I wasn’t hers.”
But as I say the words, they catch in my throat. Because deep down, in the quietest corner of myself, I’m not sure I believe that.
Two weeks later, on a Friday lay afternoon, I’m at work, hunched over my desk with my fingers moving across the keyboard. we were back in
Serena’s still at my place. She’s been there since the dinner. She started off using my skincare products and stealing my cardigans college. But after a few days, Nathan dropped off all her things outside the building in two large trash bags and didn’t even say a word when I stepped out to thank him. Just got in his car and drove away. Serena cried the whole night. Again,
And Knox? He’s a ghost I get texts from Sweet, thoughtful messages. Video calls where he looks like he hasn’t slept in days. But it’s not the same as seeing him in person, I tell myself it’s my fault for dating a busy man who travels all the time, but it doesn’t stop me from missing him. His house is angry! y somebody else lives conveniently being occupied by Jade. The irony isn’t lost on me. I fought Knox about moving in, fought hard. But now I’m there.
Most of that anger is directed at Jade. He destroyed the peace I didn’t even realize I was holding onto. And Mom? She’s still not answering anyone’s calls I’m convinced she’s blocked all of us
I’m mid-keystroke on a firewall report when I hear my supervisor’s voice from above me.
“Drop whatever you’re doing,” Harper says. “You’re needed on the top floor.”
My hands freeze above the keyboard. “Top floor?”,
“CEO’s office.” She’s already walking away. “Now
Uh oh. I don’t like this.
Ever since Hunter strutted into this company and claimed his throne as CEO-just like he said he would-he’s managed to stay far, far out of my way. And I’ve been perfectly fine with that arrangement Thriving, even. We haven’t so much as passed each other in a hallway. Not once.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.