Page 25 of You Were Always Mine
Like I’m not a monster.
The tea cools in my hands, the kitchen warm and quiet, the tick of the old clock loud in the silence. Mum hums as she sets out biscuits; Dad flips through the paper like it’s any other night — like nothing’s wrong. But everything’s wrong.
Scarlett’s upstairs, door locked, her body still burned into mine, her voice echoing in my head, and I’m sittinghere playing house, sipping tea like I didn’t almost lose control in the front seat of my car.
Mum smiles at me across the table, soft and proud. ‘She’s been different lately. Restless. But I can tell she listens to you. You’re the one steady thing in her life.’
My stomach twists. My hand tightens round the mug until the ceramic creaks. Steady. Protector. Brother.
I force a smile, the mask cracking at the edges. ‘Yeah. I keep her in line.’
Dad grins, nodding. ‘That’s family. Blood or not, she’s your sister. She’ll thank you for it one day.’
The word burns like acid.
Sister.
Scarlett Everly is many things — a curse, a fire I can’t put out, a sin I can’t stop craving — but she is not my sister. Not in the ways that matter. Not in the way I think of her when I can’t sleep at night, when I’m hard and angry and aching. Not in the way she trembled on my lap tonight, whispering filth in my ear that no brother should ever hear.
I nod again, but my head is loud with the truth.
She’s not my sister.
She’s mine — and one day soon, I’ll stop pretending otherwise.
The tea’s gone cold in my hands, but I sip it anyway, nodding in all the right places as Mum and Dad talk — about the bills, the neighbours, Scarlett’s future, as though she has one separate from me.
‘She’s smart,’ Mum says, her voice soft with hope. ‘University applications will be coming up soon. She could really make something of herself.’
‘Yeah,’ Dad adds with a smile. ‘She just needs a little guidance. That’s where you come in, son.’
Guidance.
My grip tightens on the mug until I feel the ceramic bite into my palm. They’ve no idea that while they dream about Scarlett’s future, I’m picturing her mouth open under mine, her legs trembling around my waist. They don’t know every word they speak sounds like static against the hunger roaring in my skull.
I hum, forcing a polite smile. ‘She’s stubborn. But I’ll keep her on track.’
Mum beams, pride shining in her eyes. ‘I don’t know what we’d do without you, Kai.’
What they’d do without me? Maybe they’d still have a daughter untouched by obsession. A daughter who could smile without shame, laugh without fear, walk into a room without me stalking her every step — but I’m here, and I’m not letting go.
My leg bounces under the table, restless, blood hot. I glance towards the stairs, towards the dark hallway leading up to her room. My body aches with the memory of her heat, the ghost of her breath against my ear.
They think I’m her protector. They think I’ll keep her safe — but all I can think about is dragging her door open, pinning her to her bed, and proving what I already know.
She’s not my sister.
She’s mine — and no amount of small talk or tea will ever change that.
Scarlett
Ilock the door the second I slam it shut, chest heaving like I’ve just run miles. My back slides down the wood until I’m crouched on the floor, head buried in my hands.
I can still feel him.
The roughness of his hands on my hips.
The hard length of him grinding up against me.
