Forbidden Mate- A Step-brother Romance - Chapter 51: Chapter 51

~LANA~
I bit my lip to stifle a scream, struggling to believe that Apollo had promised his mother he would return to his hometown just to have dinner with the same girl she wanted him to marry.
I couldn't even fathom him with anyone else after everything that had just happened between us. My legs were still shaky from that moment when he had his fingers inside me.
I inwardly groan at the reminder.
I was falling for someone that I knew could never be mine. I shouldn't be doing this to myself but I could not help it, not whenever he paid this much attention to me. Even now, while speaking to his mother, I could feel his glances every now and then. He was checking on me, possibly gauging my reaction to his mother’s words.
"I told you I'd do it when I have time," he snaps, the irritation visible in his voice.
I had been the one to encourage him to respond to her call, but listening to this conversation made me uneasy. I had a nagging feeling that this wasn't the real reason for her call. It felt like she wanted to ask him something else and whatever it was, had my mate very uncomfortable. I was worried about him seeing his reaction to her.
"Apollo," she says, her tone warning. "You missed the last dinner with Jada, and she was really disappointed. You need to make it up to her, or we're going to have a serious issue. I'm your mother, and I've made many sacrifices for you. It's unfair that you're suddenly treating me like this."
His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he sighed. I try not to pry into their conversation but it wasn't the easiest thing to do considering we were seated in the same vehicle.
"I'll see how soon I can get back," he tells, clearly giving in to her guilt trip. He looked like he was used to doing anything he could to please her.
Why did that bother me?
A long silence hung in the air before she pressed on, "Have you decided if you're going to tell me why you missed that dinner? Who were you with that night? I know you were with someone, so don't even try to deny it. I can always tell when you're lying to me."
There it was. The question she truly called to ask him.
I quickly covered my mouth, terrified I might make a sound. He had spent that entire night with me—that was why he didn't make it to dinner with his mother. It was clear he hadn't told her about us. Naturally, he wouldn't. Our relationship was supposed to be a secret. But we didn't really have a relationship to begin with. This thing between us, I didn't know what to use to describe it. It was complicated.
Suddenly, I remember that there was someone else that was supposed to be here with us. My sister! We had left her behind at the restaurant. I can't stop the gasp this time.
Oh no. She was going to kill me!
"What was that?" his mother demands. "I heard a woman's voice."
My eyes widened in horror. I couldn't believe I'd made any noise. Apollo shot me a glance, then replied, "I think you heard wrong."
"Can you put the call on video for me?" she insists.
What was wrong with his mother? Why was she so stubborn and controlling? I had never listened this closely to their conversations, but this was more nerve-wracking than I'd expected.
"Apollo?" I interject, changing my tone. "Aren't you coming back to bed?"
Before he could respond, I snatched his phone and ended the call.
He stared at me as if I'd lost my mind, but I couldn't help but smile back.
"What?" I ask playfully. "You looked like you needed some help, and I just had to step in."
For a moment, he was speechless before breaking into a smile that lit up his entire face.
We both watched his phone light up as it began to ring again. Of course, his mother would call back.
"How do you deal with that?" I ask, genuinely curious.
He frowned, his focus still on the road. "Deal with what?"
"Your mom calling like that all the time," I point out. "I have brothers, and my mom doesn't need to know their every move like yours does. Doesn't that feel suffocating?"
He shrugs. "I'm used to it by now. Besides, she's been through a lot with my dad. She's been unhappy for ages. I don't see it as a burden to answer her calls if it makes her happy."
It was clear Apollo did a lot to keep his mother content, following her every wish. Was she the reason he hesitated about being with me? Did he know she wouldn't approve of our relationship?
I wanted to ask him, but I wasn't ready for that conversation yet.
His phone lit up again, and I found it baffling that he accepted this. His mother didn't respect boundaries at all; if this kept up, he could never have a life of his own.
"Does this mean you'll be going back to your hometown for that dinner with Jada?" I ask, the weight of her name sitting heavily on my tongue.
He glanced at his phone. "It doesn't seem like I have a choice."
What did he mean by that? Of course, he had a choice; he could just tell his mother he wasn't interested.
But did he truly not want to marry Jada? That was another question I was too scared to ask.
I bit my lip hard. As much as I wanted to plead with Apollo not to go, I knew there wasn't much I could do. What was the point of asking him to stay when it was clear he'd do anything for his mother's happiness?
"About earlier," he says as we pulled up to the house.
"You don't have to feel guilty," I whisper. "It was a mistake; I get it."
I wanted to cut the conversation short so I could find a quiet corner to cry. The thought of him dining with a potential future bride stung more than he realized.
"Lana—"
"I said it's okay," I interrupt, my voice firm. I notice his phone ringing again. "You should probably take that before your mother shows up here again."
He hesitated but knew I was right.
If he didn't answer her, she'd find a way to manipulate him. For once, I felt sorry for my stepbrother. I couldn't imagine having that kind of relationship with my own mother.