Rockstar Bay Academy: A Stepbrother Romance

Chapter 15: He's Furious on My Behalf

Less than thirty minutes after Kennedy called her mum for a lift home, I walk through the door of the Cassidy mansion. After saying hello to Mum and Jesse and fobbing off their questions about how my night was, I climb the stairs to my bedroom. I invited Kennedy to come in with me, but she planned to make the most of the early night by getting stuck into homework. Now, I should do the same, but instead I sit on my bed and revisit the night that started off with so much promise and went downhill so quickly.

Just like my relationship with Luke.

Scrubbing a hand over my face, I drag myself out of my self-pitying thoughts and change into my pyjama pants and top. Then I gather my English homework and sit on my bed, continuing the essay that's due in a few weeks. With so much time spent on my music, I must make the most of these opportunities to work on my other assignments. The text the essay is about isn't particularly interesting, but even if it was, I'm not sure it would be able to hold my attention. My interaction with Luke just keeps repeating in my head.

When we started dating, I knew we didn't have much in common. And with him heading to university and me still at high school, I knew we were going to see each other less, but I still thought there was a chance it could work between us. Even though I was aware of his playboy reputation, I trusted he respected me enough to not make a play for a girl right in front of me. Every time I remember the way he looked at Nicole, my stomach feels like it's trying to burst into flames.

I'm not sure how long I've been staring at my books for, zoning out, when I hear a gentle rap on the door. Asher stands in the doorway of my room when I look up. I've been so zoned out, I never heard him climbing the stairs. He leans against the door jamb, looking more casual than he did at dinner, his shirt is half unbuttoned, showing off a lot of his strong inked chest, and his inky black hair is mussed. Perhaps Maddie has been running her hands through it. Maybe she's also the one responsible for his shirt being half unbuttoned.

Thankfully, before I can follow that thought down the rabbit hole, my gaze catches on his, and I stop breathing as I see something that looks a heck of a lot like concern in his dark eyes.

I have never seen Asher look at me that way before. Never. His gaze is softer.

Warmer.

It also confirms that dinner with Luke must have been every bit as bad as I imagined it to be. The fact that Asher offered to drive me home was proof enough, but now he's studying me as if trying to work out how upset I am.

"Are you okay?" he asks finally.

His voice, it's...different. Almost gentle.

"I'm fine." I look down at my homework and then back up at him. "I'm just making use of the extra time to work on my English essay."

He nods and I expect him to walk away, to go to his room, but he continues to stand there silently, as if he's waiting for me to say more. Feeling awkward, I look at the clock on the wall and see that it has only been an hour since I left Asher at the restaurant.

"Why are you home so early?" I ask.

His meal only came out as Kennedy and I were leaving. And even if he finished quickly, he had Maddie, Ethan and Ainsley with him, ready to spend the night celebrating his birthday. I haven't seen Ethan pass my room, either. Is he home?

"Maddie has an early meeting with her agent, and I wanted to come home and get some work done on our set for the music festival."

"Oh."

From the way the four of them were dressed up at dinner, I assumed they had plans for the rest of the evening. Maddie hadn't seemed impressed when Asher offered me a lift home, but if they only had plans for dinner, it makes sense she didn't want to lose any time with him. I still find it strange he never brings Maddie home. For a moment, I contemplate asking him why that is, but choose not to at the last second. Their relationship is none of my business.