The Wrong Brother's Temptation novel Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Sienna

TEX 55

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I stared back at Aaron, my chest tight, my eyes stinging with tears I absolutely refused to let fall.

“Wow,” I said quietly. “You really think that little of me.”

Something in Aaron’s expression shifted. “Sia, I didn’t mean it and you know…”

“No,” I cut him off. “You absolutely meant it because that’s what you think, isn’t it? That I’m just some pathetic girl who needs validation from men. That I can’t make my own decisions. That I’m just-”

“What the fuck?”

The voice came from the doorway, and we all turned to see Sandra standing there.

Was this situation not chaotic enough already that she had to show up at this exact moment?

Sandra was wearing one of Aaron’s shirts and her hair was tousled in that deliberately messy way that somehow still looked effortlessly sexy.

She looked from Aaron to me, her eyes narrowing when she took in my red dress and disheveled appearance.

“Did you just hit him?” she demanded sharply.

“Sandra, it’s fine” Aaron started, but she held up a hand.

“It’s not fine,” she snapped. “Nobody gets to hit my boyfriend.”

Oh damn, he was her boyfriend already? The word twisted in my gut like a knife.

Sandra stalked toward me, and I suddenly became very aware that she was taller, curvier and everything else that didn’t define me.

She was the picture perfect girl Aaron always ran behind, flawless skin without any freckles, no hideous glasses sitting on her nose and a snatched waist.

“You need to apologize,” she said in a steely voice. “Right now.”

y heart was racing, “No.”

I lifted my chin, even though my h

Her eyes widened in obvious shock, “What did you just say to me?”

“I said no, I repeated. “I’m not apologizing for standing up for myself.”

Sandra let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. “Standing up for yourself? Is that what you call dressing like a slut and throwing yourself at the first guy who pays attention to you?”

“Sandra.” Aaron said sharply, but she wasn’t done.

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Chapter 21

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“I know all about you,” she continued, her smile cruel. “The desperate little pick–me girl who’s been following Aaron around since childhood. It’s pathetic, really. I almost feel sorry for you.”

Pick–me girl.

The words echoed in my head, each one a small explosion of humiliation.

Because that was what I’d been for years, wasn’t it?

I had trailed after Aaron, hoping he’d notice me, doing everything I could to make him see me as more than just his friend.

And she noticed it instantly.

The humiliation was so acute it felt like I couldn’t breathe.

And then Sandra saw the way my face crumpled and she flashed a smug, self–satisfied smile that said she thought she’d won.

“You know what?” I said, my voice shaking with anger. “You’re right if you call my friendship with Aaron pathetic because I don’t think you ever had a real friend in your life. No wonder you’ve been hopping from one bed to another of every guy in school you could find, hoping someone would stick with you instead of just inside you!”

I thought I heard a low chuckle behind me but was too annoyed to pay attention to it.

Sandra’s face flushed red. “How dare you?”

“I dare,” I cut her off, “because I’m done letting people like you make me feel small. I’m done apologizing for existing. And I’m definitely done taking shit from some insecure mean girl who probably peaked in high school.”

For a second, Sandra just stared at me, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Then her hand came up but before her hand could connect with my face, my own hand shot out.

I was going to slap her right back and give her a taste of her own medicine and damn the consequences.

But Aaron grabbed my wrist mid–swing.

“Enough!” he shouted, his grip tight enough to hurt. “Both of you, just stop!”

I yanked my hand free, glaring at him. “She tried to hit me first!”

“I don’t care who started it,” Aaron said, looking between us with desperation in his eyes. “This needs to stop

Now.”

Sandra let out an indignant huff. “Are you seriously defending her right now? After she called ine pathetic and tried to slap me?”

“I’m not defending anyone, Aaron said tiredly. “I just want everyour to calm down so we can talk about this

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Chapter 21

like adults.”

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“There’s nothing to talk about,” Sandra snapped. She grabbed Aaron’s arm, her nails digging into his skin. “We’re leaving. Now.”

“Sandra, just let me..”

“Now, Aaron,” she repeated, her voice leaving no room for argument.

Aaron looked at me, and for a second, I thought he might actually stay and choose me over her, just this once.

But then Sandra tugged on his arm again, and he sighed.

“We need to talk later,” he said to me. “when you’ve calmed down.”

When I calmed down?

His tone suggested this was all my fault, like I was the one being unreasonable.

I didn’t say anything and just watched as Sandra practically dragged him toward the door.

She paused in the doorway, throwing one last venomous look over her shoulder.

“You’re going to pay for this,” she sneered. “I promise you that.”

And then they were gone.

The silence that followed was deafening.

I stood there, my chest heaving, my hands shaking with adrenaline and leftover anger.

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