Craving My Brother's Best Friend (Bailey and Kaleb) novel Chapter 22

**The Night We Borrowed Fire from a Broken Star by Selvin Arlo Crest**
**Chapter 22**

**Kaleb’s POV**

Boredom wrapped around me like a heavy blanket, suffocating and stifling. The party was a cacophony of laughter and loud music, a wild sea of bodies pulsing with energy, yet I felt utterly detached.

No matter how hard I tried, the thrill of the gathering eluded me.

People buzzed around, their flirtations a constant hum that grated on my nerves. I found a dim corner, leaning against the wall, a beer bottle dangling from my fingers, contemplating an escape when she appeared.

I could spot her in any crowd, even if the world around me was a blur.

Bailey. She was like a porcelain doll, exquisite and ethereal. In an instant, everyone else faded away, and she became my entire universe. Good God, she was stunning.

The dress she wore clung to her curves, revealing more skin than I had ever seen before. Her hair cascaded around her face like a halo, framing her features perfectly, and her lips shimmered with a tempting glow.

She was sexy—so irresistibly sexy that I momentarily forgot how to breathe.

Compelled by an invisible force, I started moving toward her, unable to stop myself.

She always had that effect on me. I yearned to touch her, to engage her in conversation, to whisk her away from this chaotic scene.

She was laughing, her eyes sparkling at something the guy behind her had said.

But why was she with Ethan Cross of all people?

His hand rested possessively on her waist, and she looked up at him with that smile—my heart clenched at the sight. That bastard.

I felt my jaw tighten, the muscles straining against the pressure of my frustration.

“Bailey,” I called out, the name escaping my lips before I could think better of it.

She turned, and for a fleeting moment, her eyes widened in surprise. I dared to hope she would smile, but instead, she shot me a look that clearly said, “Don’t ruin this.”

“Who is this?” I inquired, my curiosity piqued, desperate to understand how she knew Ethan.

“This is Ethan,” she replied, her voice forced into a brightness that felt out of place. “Ethan, this is Kaleb… my brother’s best friend.”

My heart sank at the label. Brothers best friend. I scoffed internally. Was she genuinely interested in Ethan?

Ethan was the quintessential charmer, with his easy smile and smooth accent that made girls swoon. He was quick on the field, too, but I knew better than to be fooled; he was all style, no substance.

We had clashed during practice more times than I could count, each encounter marred by his incessant need to show off. We tolerated each other for the sake of the team, but nothing more.

What gnawed at me was the way his hands rested on Bailey’s waist.

She didn’t hesitate; she let Ethan guide her away, their bodies drawing closer as they glided toward the dance floor.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, tilting my head back and downing the rest of my beer in one go.

No matter how hard I tried to avert my gaze, I was helplessly drawn to her. My eyes betrayed me, glued to her every movement, watching as his hands roamed across her waist, holding her as if she were his.

And she didn’t stop him.

The music thumped in my ears, but nothing could drown out the tempest of rage brewing inside me.

I kept chugging my drink, a misguided attempt to mask the frustration that boiled within.

As the alcohol blurred my vision, I could still see her clearly, and it only deepened my torment.

Eventually, I couldn’t bear to watch any longer. I stumbled out of the hall, the cool night air hitting me like a splash of cold water, jolting me back to reality. My head spun, and I leaned against the wall, gasping for breath, fighting to stay conscious.

“Kaleb,” a soft voice broke through the haze.

I blinked, my eyes snapping open. Bailey stood before me, looking like a vision in the moonlight. Perhaps I was dreaming, but she seemed so radiant. Her intoxicating perfume enveloped me as I instinctively pulled her closer.

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly, burying my face in her hair, inhaling her scent like a lifeline.

To my relief, she didn’t pull away.

When I finally awoke, the world felt like it was splitting in two.

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