Forced to Marry My Broken Stepbrother
Chapter 6: Fractures
The soft glow of the alarm clock cast long shadows across the comforter. Mason sat rigid at the edge of the bed, back straight, arms crossed. The way the early morning light hit his hair made him look even paler, almost ghostly.
I couldn’t help it—I snorted out a laugh, more frustration than amusement. It was like he was staging a silent protest and I was the only one invited.
"I’ve taught you how to change clothes for three months, Mason. You have autism, not an intellectual disability. There’s no way you can’t learn." My voice was sharp, but beneath it was a stubborn hope he’d finally snap out of it.
He glared, face twisted in annoyance, lips pressed tight. I noticed the tiny bite mark on his lip, fresh from last night. It made me want to push just a little more.
"Mason, are you just waiting for me to rip open your pajamas again?" I teased, raising an eyebrow. I half-expected him to throw something, but he just blushed, eyes wide.
For a second, Mason froze, then bolted to the far corner, curling up as tight as he could get. His arms, nearly translucent in the morning sun, wrapped around his knees, veins standing out. He looked heartbreakingly small, like he was trying to vanish into the wallpaper.
A surge of something—pity, fondness, regret—rose in my chest. He was so easy to break, so easy to love, and I hated myself for both.
Time was slipping away. I fished a suit from the closet and changed in plain view, tossing my pajamas onto the bed. “You’ve got five more minutes,” I called over my shoulder, my voice all business.
"If you haven’t changed after five minutes, I’ll come over and help you myself." I meant it. The threat always got him moving, even if it was out of spite.
He watched the clock tick down, then scrambled to finish right at the buzzer—button askew, collar crooked, but dressed. I tried to soften my voice: "What reward do you want?"
He looked at me like I’d grown horns, then jabbed a trembling finger toward the door, desperate for escape. The color in his cheeks was almost comical.
