Forbidden Mate- A Step-brother Romance - Chapter 54: Chapter 54

~LANA~
"Where is he anyway?" Isabella asks, noticing that our stepbrother is not around.
"I'm not sure," I admit. "After he dropped me off last night, he never came back."
She studies me closely, her frown deepening. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?"
With a heavy sigh, I realize there's no point in denying it; she already knows the truth.
"No," I confess. "I was waiting for him to get back, but as I said, he never did."
Worry gnaws at me. I stirred up some drama when I spoke while his mother was on a call with him last night, knowing that she could hear me. Now, I can't help but feel guilty for drawing unnecessary drama to him, knowing how his mother overreacted for the smallest things.
"Maybe you should ask our stepfather," she suggests. "He likely knows where his son is."
I hesitate, biting my lip.
"I don't want to make it too obvious that I care," I admit.
She shrugs. "Do you want to know where he is or not?"
Rolling my eyes, I respond, "Of course I want to know! I barely slept all night thinking about it!"
Isabella grabs my arm and pulls me down the stairs. "He's in the kitchen having breakfast. Now's the perfect chance to ask him."
Reluctantly, I let her drag me toward the kitchen. She gives me a little push through the door.
To my relief, our stepfather is still there. I step inside, trying to appear calm despite my racing heart. I don't want to let my anxiety show.
"Where is Apollo?" I blurt out before I can stop myself.
He glances up from his newspaper, unperturbed by my sudden curiosity.
"He made a last-minute trip to visit his mother," he replies, still focused on the paper. "He wanted to make up for missing dinner with her the other night."
The blood drains from my face.
No.
Of all the reasons for his absence last night, this is the hardest to swallow. I never wanted him to attend that dinner with Jada. I wanted him to take me out, to acknowledge the feelings he has for me.
Isabella might be right; he must care about me—otherwise, why would it have bothered him so much that I went out with someone else? So then, why couldn't he just admit to those feelings?
"Is everything okay?" my stepdad asks, noticing my expression. "Did Apollo promise you something?"
I quickly shake my head. "Oh no, I was just curious since I didn't see him come back with one of those girls from the club like usual."
He chuckles. "I've noticed he's stopped bringing girls home. Maybe he's trying to settle down, especially since his mother can be a bit demanding lately."
Sitting down, I press on, "Demanding how?"
He shrugs casually. "It's obvious she wants him to marry that girl she brought to our doorstep. I think it might be good for him, seeing as he hasn't found his mate yet. Now's the perfect time for him to find a decent woman and settle down. My ex-wife may have her flaws, but I'm certain she'd only choose the best for our son."
His words pierce through me, leaving a dull ache in my chest. Even he thinks Jada is a good match for Apollo.
I wish I could brush off his comments, but it's already too late.
"And you really think he went to visit his mother to discuss wedding plans with her?" I ask, doing my best to mask my concern.
"Well," he says, mulling it over, "Apollo has stopped seeing other girls and is spending time with his mother. I'd say there's a good chance he's considering marrying this girl. I'd call him, but I don't want to interrupt their time together. When Apollo is around, she doesn't bother me as much, and I'd like to take advantage of this peaceful moment."
My grip tightens on the glass before me at the thought of him talking about marriage while my heart twists in knots just thinking about it.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks me. "You look a bit pale. Maybe you should grab something to eat."
"No," I insist. "I'm fine. I just need to lie down. I didn't get much sleep last night."
And it's your son who's the cause of that. Though the thought crosses my mind, I keep it to myself.
"You should think about finding someone to marry too," he suggests with a smile. "You're both at that age where you should start settling down and starting a family."
I bite my lip.
The only man I want is his son, and it's clear he's already making plans with someone else.
"I'm fine," I say firmly. "I don't need anyone right now. I'm still waiting for my mate."
He beams at me. "You never know. Maybe you'll get lucky like your mom and I did. You don't need a mate to be happy."
I wish it were that simple, but it's far from it. I need Apollo in a way I've never needed anyone before. This isn't something I can discuss with my stepfather—or even my own mother.
I'm okay with only Isabella knowing; she revels in the drama of it all.
"I don't want to bother you any longer," I say as I slip out of the kitchen.
Isabella is waiting for me and by the expression on her face, I can tell that she eavesdropped on the entire conversation. This was the last thing I wanted to discuss with the awful feeling in my heart but knew that my sister would leave me no choice.
"What on earth does he mean by saying that Apollo went to his mother to talk about marrying a woman she wants him to marry?” she demands, her voice rising in frustration.
I struggle to keep my tears at bay.
That's what he said," I reply, my voice tinged with sadness. "Her name is Jada, and she's really stunning."
"Isn't she the same girl who showed up here?" she asks, seeking confirmation.
I nod. "The very same."
She lets out a heavy sigh. "I’m sure this is just a big misunderstanding. I saw how crazy Apollo gets over you, Lana. There has to be some sort of mistake. Surely there's another reason he left so abruptly without a word."
As much as I wanted to hold on to my sister’s words, deep down, I knew it wasn't true.
~APOLLO~
I really didn't want to go along with my mother’s request, but I felt it was the only way to coax her out of the bathroom. I knew that if I kept refusing, it would only make things worse.
"Alright," I finally relent. "If you're this desperate for me to join you for dinner, I’ll do it. We can head out right now if you want."
The door swung open, revealing my mother, her hair a tangled mess and her hands marked with small bruises from the glass shards. It broke my heart to see her like this, knowing I was the cause.
"Are you sure about this?" she whispers. "You’re not just saying yes to get me out of here, are you?