Falling for my Enemy's Brother
Chapter 38: Two Truths, One Lie

Chapter 38: Two Truths, One Lie

"That’s ridiculous. He hates her. Both of them can’t stand each other," Megan said, waving a hand like she was swatting away a dumb rumor.

Phoebe tilted her head. "I know, but—"

"You wouldn’t even notice," Megan cut in, turning to her. "You and Keith are always off playing soulmates. But seriously, there’s no way Craig Lesnar would be into Merlina. He doesn’t even go for girls like her."

Merlina, curled up at the edge of the bed, blinked at the ceiling like she hadn’t heard a thing. Her spine straightened just slightly.

Girls like her?

She tried not to react, but her shoulders tensed up without her noticing.

"Girls like her?" Phoebe echoed, raising a brow.

"You know what I mean," Megan continued. "He’s all into that polished, icy energy. Adriana types. Girls who make you feel like you need a platinum card just to talk to them."

Merlina lowered her eyes and forced a smile that didn’t land. Why was this even a conversation?

"Still..." Phoebe shifted. "The way he took her out of the Philosophy Study Room. That was kind of a scene." She glanced at Merlina like she was a theory waiting to be proved. "Honestly, it felt like he didn’t want to be with anyone else but her."

Merlina’s heart skipped a beat. She tried not to show it, but her fingers nervously twisted the edge of her dress.

"Can we not—" Merlina started, voice almost a whisper, but Megan steamrolled right through.

"Louis told me he did it to get under his skin," Megan said quickly. "You know they’ve been at each other forever. It wasn’t about her."

Merlina bit the inside of her cheek. She hated this. Sitting there like a guest at her own roast.

Phoebe frowned. "Then he took her to a cabin. Not some cafe. Not some library. An actual cabin, and he made coffee. That’s textbook romance. He could’ve taken her anywhere."

Merlina sat up straighter, her voice coming out small. "He did say it’s where he studies. There were books and stuff. That’s the reason."

She winced at herself. Why are you explaining this like you owe them something?

Her hands twisted in her lap. It didn’t mean anything. Right? It couldn’t have. It was just coffee. It was just a conversation. Just...

Her skin still remembered the way he looked at her. The weight of his silence. The way she wanted to lean in and—

She stopped herself from overthinking. She shouldn’t feel this way about him.

Megan smirked. "Exactly. It wasn’t about you. He probably goes there with his study buddies. Trust me, Phoebe. There’s no way Craig Lesnar is into Merlina. I know you want that to be true so bad, but Craig? He’s not the type to fall for anyone but himself—especially not a girl who’s here accusing his brother of murder."

Merlina’s breath caught in her throat. That part always hit like a slap.

Megan leaned forward, brushing hair off her shoulder. "If anything, I bet he’d rather see her pack up and leave. The Lesnars are like that. Family over everything."

Phoebe exhaled slowly. "Yeah. I thought so too. Whatever. I just thought the cabin thing was... I don’t know. Odd."

Merlina wanted to disappear into the sheets. She shifted on the bed and gave a dry laugh. "Why are we even talking about this?"

Her voice was light, but the crack in it felt like glass under her tongue.

Her stomach twisted as Phoebe’s words replayed again. A cabin. Coffee. Just the two of them.

Maybe it had felt different because it was different. Or maybe she was just being delusional. Maybe he was just messing with her and Louis —just like Megan said.

She wrapped her arms around her knees and curled in tighter, trying to shut it all out.

Megan’s right, she told herself, but it didn’t stop the heat of embarrassment from creeping up her neck. I was stupid to even think it meant something.

And just like that, the warmth that had followed her home flickered out.

The road stretched dark and quiet in front of him, headlights carving a path through the night. But Craig’s mind was anything but calm.

He couldn’t stop replaying it.

Her breath on his skin. The way her eyes searched his face like she wanted him to break first. The way she didn’t pull away—not until he had to.

Every inch of him had wanted her. Still did.

His fingers tapped the wheel restlessly. He should’ve kissed her. He should’ve pulled her closer and let whatever this thing between them become real.

But instead, he’d stepped back. Played it safe.

And now all he could think about was how badly he didn’t want to let her go.

The cabin had been a mistake. He could admit that now.

Being so close to her—alone with her—had torn down every wall he’d built. Every glance, every breath, every silence between them had pulled him deeper. Everything about them in that Cabin made him realize just how much he wanted her. How badly he ached to touch her, taste her, feel her give in to him like he’d been dreaming of since the moment they met. How every part of him ached to make her his.

He wasn’t ready for that. Not then. Not ever.

But tonight, the truth had been impossible to ignore.

"What the hell were you doing?" he muttered, jaw tightening.

He’d taken her there under the guise of talking—of clearing the air about Conor and her brother and the endless tension between their families. But somewhere between the coffee and the way she looked at him like he wasn’t the enemy, he forgot every reason why this couldn’t happen.

And then... she’d said it.

’Stop touching me like that.’

He gritted his teeth at the memory, but the look in her eyes had been anything but rejection. She wanted him. He knew it. She just didn’t want to want him.

He dragged a hand through his hair, heart pounding.

What is wrong with me?

He should’ve let it end there. Should’ve dropped her off and walked away like it meant nothing.

But he couldn’t.

The guest house finally came into view. He killed the engine and stepped inside quietly, hoping for peace. But Keith was already sprawled on the couch, arms crossed and eyes sharp.

"What the hell was that about?" Keith asked without looking up from his phone.

Craig kicked off his shoes, not in the mood. "What was what?"

"You dragging Merlina away like some anti-Cupid at the group session," Keith said, setting his phone down. "You good?"

Craig shrugged. "Just messing with her. And Louis. Thought it’d be fun."

Keith looked at him for a long moment. "Are you sure that’s all it was?"

Craig turned. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don’t know," Keith said slowly. "You’re always... weird when it comes to Merlina."

Craig scoffed, trying to brush it off. "What do you expect me to be? She thinks Conor killed her mother. My brother’s the one she’s accusing. We’re on opposite sides of a war."

"Yeah," Keith said, "but you don’t look like a soldier when you’re with her."

Craig froze.

He didn’t respond. Couldn’t.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Without thinking, he pulled it out and stared at the screen.

Then, instinctively, he dialed a number he hadn’t planned on calling tonight.

Conor.

As the line rang, Craig stared out the window, heart heavier than it had been all day.

Because for all the things he couldn’t say to Merlina, there was one thing he could no longer ignore.

He needed answers.

Now.