Page 76 of Heartless Stepbrother
Because of course he had.
His thumb slid to the message icon.
My breath stopped entirely.
If he opened those messages… if he saw what I asked the stranger… if he saw the fear…
But I couldn’t move.
I was frozen, every nerve wrapped tight in dread.
He tapped the notification.
The message thread opened.
My lungs burned.
Riley’s brows lifted.
“Well,” he murmured, “this is… interesting.”
I nearly collapsed.
He read aloud in a mocking falsetto:
“Hey Lulu, how was the wedding? Is your new stepbrother hot—“ He lifted his eyes slow, like a predator savoring the pause. “—??”
Heat detonated across my face so violently I thought I might faint. Kill me. Someone kill me. Now.
Riley leaned back in the leather seat, the jet humming behind him, and grinned. Not the smug boyish grin he gave adults. The dangerous one. The one with sharp edges.
“So this is what your friends are curious about.”
“They’re joking,” I managed, voice a rasp. “They’re stupid. Give me my phone.”
He ignored the command entirely.
Instead, he typed with one hand, unhurried, confident, completely in control, while I watched in silent horror.
He angled the screen just enough for me to see the words, as if inviting me to witness my own destruction.
He’s trouble. And he knows he’s hot. Don’t encourage him.
My heart seized.
“Oh my god—stop—stop—stop—“
He hit send.
The bubble appeared instantly.
Delivered.
Riley locked the phone, flipped it around, and placed it gently in my trembling hand, his fingers brushing mine like nothing was wrong.
Like he hadn’t just set a fire inside my life.
“See?” he murmured, leaning close enough that his breath skimmed the edge of my jaw. “Nothing to worry about.”
