My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 575

Chapter 575

I couldn’t help smiling. Raphael had apologized at least ten times today, then he’d replaced every apology by asking if I needed another ice pack.

At the very end was the red lever. I grabbed it, pulled and a loud metallic click echoed around me. The panel above shifted open. I climbed through and landed on top of several plastic-covered suits inside the dry cleaner’s storage room.

I brushed my jeans off before slipping out through the back door into the alley. I started walking toward the nearest bus stop. A few minutes later, an old city bus hissed to a stop beside the curb.

The doors folded open. I climbed aboard, paid my fare, and chose a seat beside the window.

As the bus rolled farther from the wealthy neighborhoods and deeper into the south side, the city slowly changed around me.

The old bus hissed to a stop three streets away. I stepped off into the cold night. The neighborhood looked exactly the same as always, broken streetlights, cracked sidewalks. Small houses squeezed shoulder to shoulder. Some windows glowed with warm yellow light while others stayed completely dark.

I checked the time.

11:38 p.m.

I still had enough time. I hurried down the familiar street, my sneakers slapping quietly against the pavement. Every few seconds I looked over my shoulder out of habit, making sure nobody had followed me from the estate.

The tiny brick house appeared at the end of the block. The porch light was on, I almost laughed with relief. I climbed the steps two at a time and knocked.

“Mama D?” I called through the door with a grin. “It’s me. I’m here!”

A few seconds passed before locks clicked from the other side, the door opened and Morgan stood there.

The second she saw me, her eyes widened, “Gianna.”

A relieved laugh escaped me, “There you are.”

Before she could say another word, I threw my arms around her. She froze for half a heartbeat before hugging me back.

“Oh my God,” I breathed, “I missed you. I have so much to tell you.”

She squeezed me once, but it felt… different, too stiff, too quick. I pulled away without thinking much of it and stepped inside. I kicked the door shut behind me.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify