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“I’m just following my orders.”

“Like a pathetic fucking dog,” Kain chimes in causally, leaning against the doorframe.

Dorrian’s cold gaze snaps to him, unfeeling eyes regarding him. “Unlike you two? Looking like a pair of wet dogs caught doing something you shouldn’t be.” He pauses as he turns his attention on me again. “Jordan, shouldn’t you be resting up for your engagement ball tomorrow?”

My spine snaps straight at his statement.

“What?” That’s Kain.

“Haven’t you heard? Jordan’s fiancé has arrived.” Dorrian grins like a fucking psychopath.

“Dorrian,” I bark. “Mind. Your. Fucking. Business.”

His head tilts. “Your life is my fucking business, Jordan. That’s the problem,” he mumbles the last part.

Shit. This is the one thing I wanted to keep Kain out of until at least tomorrow. Because, as expected, even though he knows I hate… him, and has no right to do anything, he marches past me towards Dorrian.

“Kain, no.” I grip onto his arm, using all my strength to keep him from going further but he’s too strong as he rips out of my clutches.

He slams Dorrian against the wall, the picture frames rattle and his muscles glisten in the low light. “What the fuck did you say?”

Dorrian attempts to push him away, but Kain has him at his mercy.

Dorrian is quietly panting for a few seconds before his mouth curls into a venomous smile. “Your precious little Jordie is being married off in a few days.” He glances at me, something flashing in his eyes before focusing back on Kain. “She’s to bear his children to create heirs for the—”

Kain shoves his forearm into Dorrian’s neck, immediately cutting off his air judging by his brother’s grunt. “Stop fucking talking,” Kain sneers, his rugged breaths filling the hallway. “You’re to make sure that doesn’t happen, understand?”

Before the confirmation left Dorrian’s mouth, it still seemed like a big joke until now.

“No can do,” Dorrian grunts out hoarsely. “The documents have been officiated. She’s to sign them tomorrow—”

Kain slams Dorrian into the wall again. “I don’t care what you have to do. Use your influence on daddy dearest and call off the fucking engagement, do you hear me?” His voice is so low, it’s like something else has entered his body entirely. Then, something happens that I never thought I’d hear, his voice cracks. “Please, just do this one thing for me.” The plea is a siren in the silence.

Why does he make this so difficult for me?

“No,” is the only word that leaves Dorrian’s lips before Kain’s fist crashes into his stomach, causing him to bunch over.

“I’m not above killing another person today.”

Dorrian recovers quickly, tackling Kain to the ground, they both land at my feet, and fists go flying everywhere, followed by harrowing squelching of flesh.

“Stop!” I shout, but it’s useless because both men are going at each other like feral rabbits.

I shove my shoulder into Dorrian, knocking him off balance for a second, but it does nothing to peel him off Kain. They flip and Kain is on top of Dorrian, pummelling his fists into him while blood splutters out of both of their mouths.

“Fuck sake! Stop!” I screech, probably alerting my bodyguards nearby, but no one comes. “Kain!”

I wrap myself around his waist and pull with all my strength, finally separating them. Kain’s weight lands on top of me as my back hits the floor with a buzzing pain. I’m still wrapped around him as we both pant. Dorrian pushes himself to stand, face already bruised and bloodied.

“There’s nothing you can do, Kain. It’s happening no matter what you do.” Dorrian focuses his attention to me. “Rest up, Jordan. You have a long day ahead of you.” And with that, he disappears down the hall.

Kain is trembling. I tap him gently on the shoulder, slowly pulling my arm away from his waist but his hand stops me and I pull in a breath before I embrace him again, letting my wet hair stick to his back as I rest my head against him.

“Why?” I whisper. Why would he do this for me? If we were still lovers, I would understand, but we’re not. We’re stepsiblings. Our love is forbidden now more than ever, and he shouldn’t be hurting for me. We can never be together again.

No matter how much I hate him, I can’t leave him like this. Though, that word is starting to taste bitter on my tongue. I don’t want to think about how my hatred for him inside me has been faltering every time I look at him.

I think it has been for a while.