Chapter 3

3.

I stole another glance at his rugged, handsome face, my heart pounding like a trapped bird.

To be honest, Austin had always caught my eye.

He stood six-foot-three, built like a wall, with sharp and handsome features.

Compared to Darren, Austin embodied every primal fantasy a lonely woman could harbor.

He stirred a deep, aching hunger inside me that I had buried for years...

My legs turned to jelly, barely able to support my weight.

Just then, Austin seemed to sense a presence and snapped his head toward the door.

Panicking, I stumbled backward and accidentally kicked an empty flowerpot in the hallway.

"Who's there?!"

He sprang to his feet, lunging toward the doorway.

I whipped around and sprinted down the hall, terror and adrenaline pounding in my throat.

I slammed my bedroom door shut and pressed my back against it, panting heavily.

At dinner that evening, both Austin and Silas sat at the table.

They acted completely normal, eagerly passing me food and showering me with sweet "sister-in-law"s.

Yet I felt on edge under their heavy stares.

Their gaze felt predatory, stripping me bare right where I sat.

I choked down a few bites, made an excuse about not feeling well, and fled back to my room.

Lying in bed, I tossed and turned, unable to shake their youthful, hungry faces from my mind.

That night, I had an intensely vivid dream.

Silas and Austin were both in my bed, pinning my waist down, growling "sister-in-law" as they took turns claiming me.

When I woke up, my cheeks were burning, and my sheets were soaked with proof of my dirty thoughts.

It felt so thrilling, so dangerously real...