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Deputy Tampon signing off.

“All right, cool. Well, I thought you might like to relax.” Stepping back, I show her the trail of rose petals.

“Oh my God, Khaos. You did this?”

Can’t lie, I like hearing her say my name.

I’d probably like it even more if she screamed it.

“Yeah, for you.”

“Thank you.” She glances up at me, and for a second, I forget why I did this. What if she looked at me with this kind of wonder for real?

I clear my throat and wave a hand toward the bathroom.

Trailing Kota down the hall, I stop next to my door and wait for her reaction.

The moment she spots the toaster in the tub, she gives me the nastiest lip curl.

“That’s funny to you?”

“Not as funny as seeing you ready to suck my dick over the smallest gesture. Get fried, Stepsis.”

I close my door nice and slow to let her know how much she doesn’t affect me.

She made her bed. Now she’s gonna lie in it.

Just…preferably alone.

“You clean up nice, son.”

I roll my eyes at my dad. Ten minutes is all the notice he gave me about this family dinner I’m expected to attend. Thankfully, I shaved this morning, so I didn’t have much to do.

Sera comes into the foyer, giving me a once-over. “You couldn’t find anything nicer to wear?”

Is she fucking serious? This is our second time seeing each other and that’s the first thing she says to me, her new stepson?

I consider my outfit. A navy crewneck sweater, a pair of cargo pants, and my cleanest pair of sneakers.

“These are the nicest clothes I own.” And they’re ironed for once.

My dad shakes his head at me. Is he fucking serious? He just said I looked nice before she walked in.

“Oh well, we don’t have time to buy you a suit.”

A suit? For a meal at home? I barely put on shoes before I came down.

As usual, my dad must’ve missed a key detail. Or two.

I side-eye him, but he’s all about his new wife now, admiring her like she’s the belle of the ball. In addition to lethal-looking high heels, she’s in a black long-sleeve dress that hugs her every curve before stopping at her knees. Other than the blonde hair, her daughter doesn’t resemble her much. Sera’s taller than Kota by at least a few inches and their faces are completely different. Sera is harsher in every aspect and not just from age. It’s a personality thing. It pollutes her every expression, turning what could be a very pretty woman into one that’s kinda not. At least not to me. I’m sure some men find her attractive though. My dad, maybe.

Sera checks her diamond-encrusted watch and tsks. “Kota’s late.”

“That’s okay, darling. I’m sure she’ll be along any moment.”

I almost laugh. Darling. Along.

“Khaos, escort your sister in, will you?” my dad says, using a term I’m wildly uncomfortable with. She’s not my sister.