The night he walked into our house for the first time, something inside me shifted.
My sister's fiancee. Jason.
He stood in the doorway with his arm wrapped casually around Molly's waist, his presence commanding the room before he even spoke. He was tall, confident, his smile perfectly disarming and I hated myself for noticing him the way I did. He wasn't mine. He was Molly's. Her future, her promise. Off limits. Untouchable.
"Moraine, this is Jason," Molly said, her voice bubbling with happiness as she leaned into him. "The man I've been telling you about."
Her man. Her choice.
I forced a polite smile, though my heart was pounding like it wanted to get out of my chest. I told myself it was nerves, that I was simply nervous to meet the man who would soon be part of our family. But deep down, I already knew it wasn't that.
When Jason reached for my hand, his eyes locked on mine with a steadiness that unsettled me. His grip was firm, lingering half a second longer than necessary. And in that look calm, confident, knowing I felt my secret shame take root.
"It's good to finally meet you, Moraine," he said, his voice smooth, dark, and unsettlingly warm.
I should have looked away. Should have reminded myself that this man belonged to Molly. But instead, I found myself memorizing him the sharp line of his jaw, the way the shadows clung to his face, the quiet arrogance in the curl of his lips.
Dinner passed in a blur. Molly laughed, carefree as always, while Jason played the role of devoted fiancé. But every so often, his gaze flickered to me across the table, and the air between us tightened like a wire pulled too taut. It left me breathless, guilty, and yet dangerously curious.
Later that night, when Molly stepped away to fetch a bottle of wine, Jason leaned back in his chair. His eyes never left mine.
"She talks about you all the time," he murmured, his voice pitched low enough for only me. "Says you're the one person she trusts more than anyone."
The words should have reassured me, but they didn't. They were laced with something unspoken, something heavy.
"Good," I whispered back, forcing my voice steady. "Because I'd never betray her."
Jason tilted his head, a faint smirk curving his mouth as though he'd just caught me in a lie.
And maybe he had.
Because in that instant, with Molly's laughter drifting from the kitchen, I realized something I shouldn't.
I wanted him.
And wanting him would ruin everything.
The First Chapter When he came into our house for the first time that night, something changed in me. My sister's boyfriend. Jason. He stood in the doorway with his arm casually around Molly's waist. Before he even spoke, he made the room feel like it was his. He was tall and self-assured, and his smile was so charming that I hated myself for noticing him. He wasn't mine. He belonged to Molly. Her promise, her future. Not allowed. Not able to be touched. "Moraine, this is Jason," Molly said, leaning into him and her voice full of joy. "That's the man I've been telling you about." Her guy. Her decision. I smiled politely, even though my heart was racing like it wanted to jump out of my chest. I told myself it was just me being nervous.