Betrayed? I Upgraded to His Billionaire Brother novel Chapter 177

**Chapter 177**

He didn’t relent, his tongue dancing with mine, his voice a low, gravelly command that sent shivers down my spine. “What did you promise me?”

My eyes started to glaze over, caught in the intensity of the moment. “What?” I managed to stammer, confusion swirling in my mind.

Before I could articulate my thoughts, his hand on my shoulder tightened, a clear sign of his discontent.

And then it hit me like a bolt of lightning!

I struggled to explain in a whisper, my breath hitching with urgency. “In front of all those people… it would have seemed odd if I’d pushed him away.”

With a swift motion, Gavin spun us around, pinning me firmly against the wall. Our bodies pressed together, the heat radiating from him seeped through our clothes, igniting my skin with an undeniable fire.

“So this is your punishment,” he stated, his tone dripping with a mix of frustration and possessiveness.

I had allowed Zane to drape his arm around me in plain sight of everyone, and now, Gavin was claiming me with a kiss that felt like a declaration for all to witness.

In the distance, someone ignited a massive firework, the explosion lighting up the night sky. But I could have sworn the frantic pounding of my heart drowned out everything else, threatening to leap from my throat.

He gave me no opportunity to back away. “I told you. He doesn’t get to touch you.”

His voice was rough, reminiscent of a child stubbornly clutching his favorite candy, unwilling to share it with anyone else.

Feeling utterly helpless, my voice softened, weakened by his kisses. “It was over the clothes… it doesn’t really count…”

Gavin remained unfazed. “I don’t care.”

“Wow!”

A sudden shriek from downstairs startled me, making me instinctively cling to Gavin and bury my face in his chest for comfort.

“Look at that one! It’s so pretty!”

They were simply commenting on the fireworks, but my heart raced for an entirely different reason.

I took a deep breath, my body still trembling, my heart hammering against my ribs. When I finally dared to look up, I found his sapphire blue eyes sparkling with an infuriating charm that made my stomach flutter.

“Only I get to hold you like this. Understood?” he declared, his voice low and serious.

“…Mm.”

“Mm?” he pressed, leaning closer, his voice dropping even further.

“Understood,” I replied, my heart pounding.

“Who understands?”

A flash of irritation crossed my mind, and I shot him a glare, muttering under my breath, “I understand.”

A faint smirk played on his sinful lips as his gorgeous eyes narrowed slightly, the smug bastard. His long, dark lashes, capable of making any girl dream of butterfly wings and whimsical fantasies, blinked at me with an infuriating charm.

“Sorry, what was that?” He tilted his perfect jaw, angling one ear toward me, feigning innocence.

God, could I just bite this infuriating man’s ear off? Seriously, he was the worst. Yet, I knew that any noise could draw attention, and that… would lead to a total, catastrophic mess. Not that a demon like Gavin would care.

I inhaled deeply, steadying myself as I fought the urge to sink my teeth into him. Clenching my jaw, I rose onto my toes and wrapped my arms around his broad, solid shoulders. Bringing my lips close to his ear, I enunciated each word carefully: “I said. I understand.”

“Oh.” He nodded slowly, those stunning blue eyes still fixed on me, glimmering with undisguised satisfaction, as if he was waiting for more.

Ugh… was this ever going to end? I steeled myself and rushed out in a single tense breath, “Jace only hugs her brother like this. And she’s only ever hugged her big brother.”

That last revelation made Gavin freeze momentarily, clearly caught off guard.

“N-No… I’m good…”

Theodore didn’t dare rely on the fact that we were at the main house, thinking the old woman would protect him. He knew better than to challenge Gavin here.

He hated Gavin.

But he was terrified of him.

Gavin shot me a sidelong glance. “Still here? Enjoying the show?”

I hurriedly clutched the gift boxes and scurried downstairs, eager to escape the tension.

By the time Zane and I left the Windsor estate, the clock was edging close to 10 PM.

The roads were eerily empty, with only a sparse trickle of traffic.

But the direction we were heading began to feel… wrong.

I turned to the driver, my voice firm. “Please take me back to my apartment.”

“Madam…” The driver hesitated, his eyes flicking nervously to Zane in the rearview mirror.

I had thought it was a mistake. Now I understood it was Zane’s doing.

The exhausting circularity of this argument weighed heavily on me. “I don’t plan on going back. Not yet.”

Zane looked at me, his voice gentle yet persistent. “Come home with me. After the New Year celebrations are over, I’ll bring you back to your apartment…”

“When have we ever spent a single holiday together?” I stared at him, my voice flat, forcing him to remember. “Every year. Every single time. You left me alone.”