Chapter 29 XADEN
chapter 29
XADEN
I walked towards the door and gently creaked it open. My eyes meet with my brother, six feet tall, curly wet hair, his brown eyes piercing at me, teeth gritted, hands slid into his pockets. His eyes held nothing but anger and spite. His face did not hide how much he detests me.
“Can I help you?” I found myself asking my brother, my tone dead flat, holding no emotions because I have no other way to communicate with him. Because I have no other emotions to show this boy without him spitting it back to my face like me being his brother is the worst thing that could happen to him.
He didn't respond, instead, his broad shoulder hit mine and he made his way into my bedroom. He began pacing around, searching every nook and cranny. He turned my bed upside down, my bathroom, and my wardrobe, and he searched everywhere.
With my arms crossed around my chest, I leaned against the entrance of my door, watching him search everywhere except for the place I had kept Sloane.
I am pretty sure her heart is beating like crazy. I hope she doesn't have a heart attack. I couldn't ask her to go out the window even though she insisted. What if she broke her leg or arm or something? I couldn’t risk it so I kept her where Jasper would never think to check.
Please don’t ask me where.
“Did you keep something here?” I asked in a deep voice, demanding.
“Where is she?” he sneered, panting, his fist clenched, jaw ticked. His eyes were boring into mine.
I used to think he had romantic feelings for Sloane but he doesn't, I know damn well because I have seen him look at someone before and he doesn't look at Sloane that way. He is just possessive of Sloane, in a very unhealthy way. It’s like she is the only thing he has control over. And I don’t blame him, Sloane gave him the control but I also can’t blame her, considering that he had helped her when she was bullied in school.
But still, forcing her to like what you like, not allowing her to explore what she likes… that is just insane and what’s even crazier, Jasper was never like this. He was my brother. My favorite being was the sweetest and the most considerate. Spoilt to the core but still human.
“Where is who?” I feign ignorance, looking at him and not sparing a glance at where I had hidden Sloane.
He scoffed, “Do not play games with me, brother. Where is Sloane?” he grunted.
“Is there a reason she would be in my room? Especially after you warned her to stay the hell away from me even though it’s an absurd request considering that we live in the same fucking house.” I fired back.
“She is not in her room, the security guard didn't see her leave the mansion…”
“So you concluded that she is in my room?” I cut him off.
“Yes,” he said, so sure that I felt shivers in my spine.
“Why?”
“Because I have seen the way you look at her.” he dropped. “Ever since we were young, I have seen the way you look at her. It is not the way a man looks at a baby sister or the way a man looks at his brother’s friend.” He grunted.
I want to deny it but I couldn't bring myself to. Because he wasn’t lying.
“Ever since Sloane moved in, you’ve been present. Before you’d bury yourself at work and not come home most times for days. You’re either on a business trip or you’re at work but Sloane is here and all of a sudden you’re a home boy…. Did you think I won’t notice that you are trying to steal her away from me!”
Oh good lord.
“Steal her away from you?” I repeated.
“Jasper, Sloane is an adult, not a kid. Not an item and I am not stealing away from you.” I blurted, my voice a little harsher than before.
“I hate you… I hate you so much.” he sneered.
When Jasper first told me he hated me three years ago, it broke me… it shattered me to pieces and it took everything to not break down and cry because everything I had done for the last five years, from the moment our father died, I had done for his sake and mum's.
I felt like nothing I did was ever going to be enough. I was risking my life day after day. I spent days at the hospital, weeks recovering from bruises I obtained while protecting this family and he looked me in the eye, spat, and blurted that he hated me.
I’m used to it now.
He is my brother, there is nothing I can do with him.
“This is the last time I would want you, Xaden, stay away from Sloane.” he sneered.
“Get out of my room, Jasper.” My fist clenched as he walked past me and went out of my room. As soon as he was gone, Sloane stepped out, wearing that concerned, devastated look.
She stood, her throat bobbed and I found myself sitting on my bed.
“Four years ago, Jasper came to my house and began cussing at you and sweating, and lamenting at how much he hated you and wished he was never your brother. He was livid. He acted so strange that day that I barely recognized him.” she paused. “He never told me what happened and that was the last day he spoke about you. And days when he heard your name being called out in a room, he would flip.”
My fist clenched because I knew the next thing she was going to ask me.
“What did you do?”
I froze.
My heart made a weird sound and it beat in a way that felt like someone drove a wedge through it.
What did I do?
Not what happened but rather what did I do?
It’s just a normal question. A simple question so why am I upset? Why do I feel so fucking pissed off right now?
“You should go to your room before Jasper returns.”