I Ran From My Psycho Step-brother Straight Into The Alpha's Lap novel Chapter 19

**When Night Grows Softer Hope Returns To Lead Us by Asa Rowan Finn**

Sophie felt a surge of frustration rise within her, a tempest of emotions battling for dominance. She wanted to blurt out, “Because otherwise, my roommate will steal it!” but the words remained lodged in her throat. Instead, she found herself snapping, a tone sharper than she intended. “I just had to, okay?” The words tumbled out, laced with an edge that surprised even her.

Torin regarded her with a piercing gaze, one that seemed to delve deeper than mere surface observations. Sophie quickly averted her eyes, feeling exposed under his scrutiny as if he could see into the very depths of her soul. “Do you not like it?” he inquired, his voice calm yet tinged with an underlying tension. “I can get you a different one, or you can choose one with the money I gave you,” he added, the latter part of his statement rising in intensity, revealing his growing frustration.

“No, no, it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever owned,” Sophie exclaimed, her voice suddenly faltering. Why did she have to say that? She chided herself internally, feeling her cheeks heat up. The silence that followed felt heavy, almost suffocating, as she shifted her gaze to anywhere but him. When the stillness stretched on, she took a chance and looked up, only to realize it was a grave miscalculation.

Torin stood there, his dark gray button-down shirt hugging his muscular frame, and Sophie felt an unexpected flutter in her chest. He exuded strength and confidence, and she was momentarily breathless, overwhelmed by the intensity of his presence. Desperate to escape his penetrating gaze, she looked down, pulling his jacket tighter around her shoulders as if it could shield her from the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her. How on earth was she going to navigate this tangled web she had woven?

“Come on,” he finally said, breaking the palpable tension. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

With a gesture, he beckoned her to start moving, and in a moment of foolishness, she complied. She walked to the end of the sidewalk, her heart racing as she turned to face Torin. “Um, the thing is… you see, I don’t actually… have a car,” she managed to stammer, her voice barely above a whisper. She stole a glance at his face, searching for any hint of understanding, but his expression remained inscrutable.

“Seriously?” he asked, his tone low and incredulous. “How do you get back and forth to work each day?”

“I walk,” she replied, trying to sound cheerful, though the weight of the truth hung heavily in the air.

Torin’s demeanor shifted, his eyes darkening as he regarded her with a scowl that made her stomach knot. “What time do you have to be at work each morning?” he asked, his voice steady but laced with concern.

Sophie hesitated, glancing up at him before quickly looking away again. He didn’t seem pleased, and the last thing she wanted was to add fuel to the fire. “Um, it’s a little different every day. Sometimes I get there a little later than other days. Tomorrow’s going to be a different time altogether,” she rambled, her words tumbling out in a nervous rush.

“What time?” he pressed, his voice slow and deliberate, as if he were trying to extract the truth from her.

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