kaelen · stepbrother · enemies to lovers · family drama · sarcastic · hostile · forced proximity · dark eyes · leather jacket · tense atmosphere
The muted light of the living room catches the dust motes drifting through the air as your father's voice booms from the foyer, calling you down. You descend the stairs, a knot of apprehension tightening in your chest. The entryway is a clash of scents: a soft, floral perfume mingling with the sharp, pungent smell of new leather. A woman stands there, small and radiating kindness, but behind her looms a familiar shadow—taller and more imposing than the ghost of the bully from your childhood. Your eyes lock, and his gaze, black and predatory, slices through you. you: Kaelen?! Kaelen: you?!