Wanting My Hated Bully Stepbrother

m

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sister, Riley, standing in the doorway. Riley was wear

y said, waving a plas

setting it on the comforter next to her. She sat up, swung her

tting her hands on her hips and

plied, smiling at her sister. Riley slipped her small h

school,” Riley said, skipping happily besid

at Thanksgiving, then again a

” Riley pouted, her lip juttin

she truly cared about, and the only one who reciprocated that sentiment. Emma

racks. Sitting at the table, alongside Riley’s stu

re?” Emma quickly corrected herse

ly and picked up a tiny pi

is pinky finger and delicately sipping

to be at Darren’s cab

acing the teacup down. He then turned his attention

in excitement. “Yay! I’m going to miss you, Xavier

ss you too,” Xavier replied, his t

t Emma with innocent, wide eyes. “I wish I had a brother or sister to go to scho

g, trying to comfort her. “It’s scary going to school for the first time. But you’re going

coolest kid around. You’re going to ha

her nose against Emma’s shoul

?” Emma suggested, still holding onto R

ping her eyes with the back of her hand.

pot she was still holding on the table. Riley had dragged her

igh and wide enough she could barely fit her arms around him. Xavier had g

How are you today?”

she sat across from Giant Ma

vier rubbed his stomach dr

the teapot fil

f, her face screwed up in concentration and he

ed like apple juice, without spilling any

nk y

a and lifted the cloth napkin off t

ite.” Xavier shook out his napk

ing not to roll her ey

tongs and set to putting some cookies on each o

ing down her irritation so she wouldn’t snap in front o

o our hostess.” She took t

eacup to his ridiculously full

tea you’ve ever

ut a third cook

only go

ie for me? It’

hating how her

hort on the sides—that always looked like he’d spent an hour styling it. Big si

ips, and a jawline that could cut gla

er played a sport in his life and didn’t work out as far as she

er. Small, mousy

hing you l

her face heating. She’d b

that I do

took another si

u go, Gi

oth reached for it. Emma pulled her hand back as if burned and p

and put it in front of

the tea, Emma

p her teacup

he wasn’t a fan of apple juice to begin

ible. The be

up the plastic sugar container

cour

ing imaginary sugar into Emma

vie

, pl

finished adding a half dozen

eas

id as she dumped imagina

r hers. Then Emma passed her Giant

she sat in her chair

t it was okay to start

e the soft baked kind. These were on the cusp o

other, to buy fresh cookies so Riley would

l sweets were banned from the house. These must

e and put her co

ked and swallowed a bite of cookie, hi

trembling. “I asked her, and she said I could have apples.

munchkin. Wai

and strode ou

Batman mask and tos

” she asked, tears gl

. Every teatime

p and ran to

e ya

ag of chocolate chip cookies in hi

Riley looked up from her toy b

sat at the table

in her toy bin, her feet

mma as he shoved a cookie

s and sat back in h

oyed her. And that smirk o

e yo

th two plastic tiaras in her ha

one and fit the

kies?” Xavier asked as Emma slid in

he took a dainty

on the corner of the table so she could toss t

, then served two to Giant Max and Ril

bag and set it at his feet. He cou

ookie, her pinky up, and s

ey chatted about Riley’s toys and the

tiara and sipping juice from a plastic teacup? He should look ridicul

le like that. It was real and bright and genuine. N

y as all hell, but smil

that she di