Текст книги "Bastard: A stepbrother Romance"

Автор книги: Coco Cadence

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Chapter 24

Chris

The condom slides down his chest and onto the floor as I stare at him with wide eyes and a gaping hole for a mouth.

“Adrian?!” I yell.

“Chris?” Adrian says. “Emily? Oh, Jesus.” His face turns completely red, and when his eyes drift down to the floor, he turns completely white. “Fuck. Nasty.”

Emily squeals when she sees him, immediately grabbing a piece of clothing, which barely covers her up. “What the—”

“Oh shit,” I mutter.

“Shit indeed …” Adrian retorts. “Jesus, Chris, put some clothes on, will you?”

“Hey, this is my room, in case you forgot,” I say, picking up my underwear so I can quickly put it on. “What are you doing here anyway?” I say, slipping on my pants, too.

“Just when I think of visiting my little brother after one of his races, this happens.” He spins on his heels. “I’ll just go now. Leave you to … whatever it is that you were doing.”

“Wait, I can explain,” I say, but he’s already walked out of the door.

“Fuck!” I throw the shirt I just picked up back onto the floor with full force. “Goddammit. Why did he have to come in now?”

“Oh, my god …” Emily murmurs. “Adrian …” She looks up at me. “He saw us, Chris. He saw us. Together. Naked. He’s our brother!”

I growl, “Yeah, I know, but what do you want me to do about it?”

“Go after him!” She gets up from the couch and grabs her panties.

“And tell him what?” I frown. “That we just had sex and it’s no big deal? Or did you forget the part where you told me that you didn’t want anyone to know? Where you were ashamed to even be near me because they might find out about us.” I shrug as she puts on her panties. “Now he knows.”

“Well, we have to do something.” She bites her lip. “And Jesus, you just flung that condom at his face!”

“I didn’t know he was going to be there! I was aiming for the trash,” I say.

“We have to fix this. Fast,” she says.

“I’ll talk with him later.” I sigh and rub the back of my head. Jesus, how the fuck am I supposed to talk my way out of this one? I might say it, but I have no clue what the fuck to do at this point. Adrian knows. He saw her naked, he saw me naked, and he felt the condom smack against his chest. We practically shoved the facts in his face, and then did a little victory dance.

Anger boils up inside me, and I kick the lockers. “Goddammit! Why did he have to come here, now, out of all the times he could’ve been here?”

“I wonder what he’s thinking … what he thinks of us,” she says. “I can’t believe this. This is so damn embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing?” With a look of fury, I gaze up at her. “You think it’s embarrassing to be naked with me?”

“In front of my brother, yeah. Actually, yeah, I am embarrassed about all of this.” She shakes her head. “I can’t believe we did this.”

“What do you mean?”

Her cheeks redden again, and she puts her arms around her chest as if she’s suddenly trying to cover herself up.

“Hey, now, don’t do that.”

Her eyelids flutter as she turns her head down, sucking on her lip. Something tells me the little voice in her head just kicked in.

“Em …”

“Don’t.”

“Stop.” I reach for her chin and gently tip it up so she’ll look at me, but all I find are tears of regret. “Why are you still so mad?”

“You know exactly why,” she says.

I sigh, my shoulders hunching. “We just fucked. Can’t we just play nice, for one second?”

“Fucked? Play nice? See, this is my problem with you.”

“What? That I just gave you what you need?” I frown.

“What I need?” she scoffs. “Jesus Christ, you really are something.”

She pushes me aside and starts to pick up her clothes, putting them on quicker than I’ve ever seen a girl dress before, and that says a lot, because they’re usually out the door in no time.

“I wasn’t the only one who wanted that,” I say. “You and I both know it.”

“Sure,” she says.

I get up from the couch, my fingers already tightening into a fist. God, she pisses me off sometimes with her denial. “Don’t lie to me, Em.”

She turns around with that feisty look of hers, the one that I love to hate. “You don’t get it, do you? I don’t want to fuck. I don’t want to fuck around, I don’t want to do anything except be your PR lady, but you’re making it impossible for me.”

“No, you’re making it impossible for you. You’re too blinded by hatred to see what’s right in front of you.”

“And you’re drunk as fuck.”

That comment is like a stab to the heart. I know she’s right, but still, it hurts, because she’s the reason I’m drinking in the first place.

“And you know exactly why.”

“Sounds familiar,” she scoffs.

“Listen, I don’t know why you can’t just accept what we have, but—”

“No, you listen!” She pushes her finger into my chest. “I’m tired of being your toy. I won’t be your puppet so you can play with my strings until you’re bored and then hook up with the next best thing. I’m not going to make the same mistake.”

“Mistake … is that what you think this is?” My heart is pounding, and I swear to god, if she doesn’t stop, I’m going to do something I’ll definitely regret. I’ll turn this whole place upside down if she walks out on me like this. After what we just did. “Is that what you’ve always thought of us?”

“I don’t know what to think of this, Chris. That’s the point. I’m not me anymore. Not since I came here to be your PR lady. Not whenever I’m close to you.” She makes a face, but I can’t decipher what it means … it’s as if she doesn’t even know what she wants to say or do anymore.

“You’re toxic, Chris. And I don’t know why I can’t get that through my mind.”

“Because your heart wants my poison. You’re an addict, just as I am. You can deny it as long as you want, but you’ll never stop wanting me. I’ll make sure of that,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Chris … I can’t. I just can’t do this right now. This is one giant mess. Look at us. And Adrian … oh god, what if he tells Tricia? I don’t even want to know what happens now. I can’t have this on top of all the work I still have waiting for me at the office. It’s too much.” She takes a deep breath, gathers her things, and makes her way toward the door. “I have to go.”

“Wait! Don’t go like this,” I say, but she’s already gone.

For a moment, I contemplate following her, but then I realize she probably needs some time to cool off and process what just happened. I understand it’s hard to deal with. I am her stepbrother now, after all.

But still, I won’t let this rest. She might think this is the end of it, but this conversation, and our fling, is far from over. I intend to turn it into something much more than just a fling. Something worthwhile, something that lasts, and … something she won’t regret.

What we were meant to be before I ruined everything.

Chapter 25

Chris

Age 17

It’s over.

The moment I read her text, my already broken heart feels daggered by the only girl I thought was the one for me.

Anger zaps through my body as I walk through the corridors of the school. I have only one thing on my mind, and it’s making me blind with seething hatred. I’m not even sure who I’m mad at; her, or her family, or mine. In their pursuit of happiness, they’ve ignored my needs and wishes and placed their own above mine. But I won’t take it any longer. I won’t let them walk all over us, our relationship, what we have. Or had. If it’s not too late.

I know exactly why she quit. One way or another, our parents were going to find out the truth about us. We couldn’t keep it hidden forever. And that’s the thing she’s most afraid of; what other people will think of us when they realize we’ve been together …

Our parents getting together was never part of the plan.

However, it was also never Emily’s plan to tell either of them about our love. She made me vow that I wouldn’t tell a soul. She’s too embarrassed, and she cares too much about her father’s happiness now that he’s with my mother. More than she cares about her own.

I’m about to break the promise I made her.

Fury bubbles to the surface, causing me to make fists as I stomp through the hallways to the principal’s office. Students gape at me and start to whisper, probably wondering whether I’m going to start a fight. Fuck yes, I am. I’m so fucking pissed off. I don’t give a shit about anyone else, and I can’t even think straight. I only have one thing on my mind, and that’s getting this shit out in the open.

Without knocking, I burst into his office … her father’s office.

He’s leaning over his desk, holding the mic, and gazes up from his papers when I storm in. The look on his face changes from confusion to straight-out pissed.

“Chris?” he mutters.

“I don’t care if you kick me out or send the cops after me. Hell, you can expel me for all I care. I just want to get one thing straight here,” I say, as I walk toward his desk. “You think you can go around telling Emily what she can do, but you’re ruining her life.”

“Excuse me?” he mutters.

“I’m not finished!” I yell. “I know you’re the one who’s been looking at her texts. It doesn’t take a fucking genius to realize that. You’re invading her privacy, and worst of all, you’re forcing her to make decisions she doesn’t wanna make. Why do I know? Guess what, I’m the motherfucker she’s been texting.”

His eyes widen and his brows draw together in surprise.

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m your daughter’s boyfriend, and you’re fucking my mother,” I growl. “Don’t you think that’s fucked up? We think so too, which is why I think you should just let us be. You ruined my life, too.”

“Christopher King!” he yells, punching the table with his fist.

“Shut up! I came here to tell you the truth. Now you fucking know. I was with your daughter long before you hooked up with my mom, who, by the way, was still fucking married when you stole her.”

I should stop, but I can’t. Anger controls me, controls my mouth, my tongue, my body. Everything.

I bend over and look deep into his teary eyes. “Yeah, that’s right; she only divorced my father after you came into the picture. In fact, she ran away from us, from her family, to be with you. She cheated on my father with you. Do you feel good about that, huh? Tearing a wife away from her husband and her kids? Do you have any idea how much you have destroyed? She left us. For you …” I grind my teeth while taking in the bastard. Only now do I realize that most of my anger toward him is because he devastated what little family I had left.

“And then I find out you’re the father of the only girl I care about?” I shrug. “And that he doesn’t want his daughter to hang out with ‘scum’ like me? Well, that’s just icing on the motherfucking cake,” I scoff. “I could’ve taken the fact that my mother ran into your arms instead my father’s, but for you to try to take away the only girl who cares about me? The only relationship I still have? Are you blind to your daughter’s needs? Do you even care about her at all? Or me, since now I’m supposed to be your fucking stepson too, or whatever the fuck you wanna call it.”

I stand back up and cross my arms across my chest, ready to hear his side. I bet it isn’t good, but I am expecting an apology. What he’s done is all kinds of fucked up because he knew my mother was with my father, and yet he got together with her anyway. And on top of that, he tries to take my girl away from me. It’s just not happening.

“Well …” he mutters, looking down at the desk. “I think you’ve said enough.”

I tap my foot, the wait almost unbearable.

“Is that all you have to say to me?” I growl.

I can’t believe him. After everything I just said, that’s how he responds?

My eyes drift toward the thing he’s looking at, wondering if it’s so much more important than the conversation we really need to be having right now. That’s when I notice the microphone in his hand.

My heart drops into my shoes as my mouth falls open and my eyes widen.

Is it for real? It can’t be.

And yet that button below the speaker is clearly blinking red.

When I came in, he was hovering over it, meaning he was about to announce something to the entire school.

And what they heard instead was my entire rant about him being my stepfather now even though I’m with his daughter … and him fucking my mother behind my father’s back.

Oh, fuck no.

I stumble backward, unsure what to do or to say. My instinct says ‘run,’ but how can I? After this? Everyone knows.

Her father presses the button after some time, right when a tear rolls down his cheek.

“I—”

“Get out,” he says.

I take a breath. So be it. This is what happens when you play with hearts. You get burned.

“Now everyone knows what you’ve done,” I hiss under my breath.

“I SAID GET OUT!” His voice is louder than ever before, and it surprises me so much that I actually turn around and walk out of his office, completely numb and haunted by what I just did. My own words repeat in my head … now everyone knows what you’ve done.

The realization hits me like a brick in the face as I walk through the hallways with everyone looking at me as if they just saw a ghost.

I will never get away with this.

Emily will hate me.

It’s done. It’s really over.

And it’s all my fault.

Chapter 26

Emily

Present

With trembling fingers, I hold my cell phone. My finger hovers over the call button with Alyssa’s number on the display. I’m still shaken up, and I have no clue what to do. My first instinct was to call her. As if she could help me work out this mess. Silly me.

I shake my head and lower my phone, gazing at myself in the rearview mirror. I’m a mess. Not only my tangled hair and blotched makeup, but also my confidence and attitude have been obliterated.

All because I was caught having sex with Chris by our very own brother. I still can’t believe he saw us.

The moment I left Chris’ room, I tried to find Adrian, to no avail. He was nowhere to be found. Not that I find it surprising; who wouldn’t run like hell when seeing someone else fuck? I would.

Still, I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen now. I have to devise a plan, think of a way to tell Tricia before Adrian tells her. Heaven knows what would happen to us if she only heard his version of the story. No, I have to get there first and make it as smooth as possible to minimize the damage. Plus, I don’t want any of this to get out to the press because it would destroy his fragile reputation and my job with it.

God, this is such a freaking mess.

I blow out a breath and sink deeper into the seat of my car, wondering what I’m still doing here. I guess part of me is afraid of what will happen once I stop thinking and start moving forward. Glued to my seat, I’m safe. It feels good to be able to avoid decision-making and confrontations… except it also makes me a coward. I just need some time to reboot and get back up again.

Right when I’m about to turn the key in the ignition, a face shows up behind my window, spooking the hell out of me. A squeal and then a growl comes from my mouth as I promptly roll down my window.

“Adrian! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“No, but that look on your face is priceless.” He grins.

I roll my eyes, but then I remember what just happened and that he just witnessed the most epic fail ever. “Sorry about that … um … thing.” I fumble to put my hair behind my ear, insta-flush happening right away.

“Right. I really want to forget about that thing.”

“Sorry.” I turn toward him. “I’m really sorry you had to see all that.”

“It’s okay; I was mostly talking about that other thing that was flung at my face.”

I thought my face couldn’t turn into a strawberry, but I guess I was wrong.

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” He reaches to touch my shoulder. “You weren’t the one throwing the damn thing.” He laughs. “Chris has a knack for rudeness.”

“Tell me about it,” I snort, but then sigh.

“Hey … are you okay?” He cocks his head, and there’s a genuine smile on his face.

I haven’t seen him in a while, which makes it all the more uncomfortable that we had to see each other in a situation like this. However, his smile always has this soothing effect on me. It’s as if he always knows what’s going on in our lives, as if he can see right through you.

It makes me want to burst into tears and hug him tight.

“Yeah,” I say, swallowing down the impending tears. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“You sure? Because you don’t seem like it.”

“Yeah … well, I guess that’s what happens when your stepbrother walks in on you having sex with another one.” I try to laugh it off, but it’s the weirdest thing ever.

He grins. “Yeah, it is kind of awkward.”

“Tell me about it,” I muse. This whole conversation is awkward as hell.

“Do you want to know what I think?” he asks.

I look up at him while pushing back the tears and blowing out a breath. “Give it to me straight, Adrian.”

“I honestly … am fine with everything.”

My jaw drops and a frown makes my face scrunch up. “Wait, what?”

“You heard me,” he muses, smiling silly. “What, you thought I didn’t know this already?”

“How? Who told you? Chris?” I ask.

“No one. I kind of figured it out for myself. All those looks at the dining table and those secret conversations you were having back when we were still living at our parents’ house …”

I make a face. “You were eavesdropping on us?”

He rubs the back of his head. “No, I kind of just accidentally overheard.”

I rub my lips together. “But nobody told you, right?”

“Relax. Chris isn’t to blame. I’ve known for quite some time that there was something going on between you guys. I just couldn’t figure out exactly what.”

“Until today.”

“Right. It caught me off guard, but when I left, I thought about it for a second and it all clicked together.” He smiles at me and squeezes my arm lightly. “I understand.”

“But …” I slap my hand against my forehead. “God, this is so wrong.”

“Don’t worry about it, Em. You two aren’t related. It isn’t against the law. Yeah, it is a bit weird to see you two like that, but I can get used to the idea.”

“But what about Tricia? And your dad? Oh god … what have we done,” I mutter.

“You think it’s a mistake that you two ended up together there?”

“Yeah!” I say, raising my brow.

He laughs again. “Well, it sure looked like you two have been pushing and pulling at each other for quite some time. I’d say it was unavoidable.”

“That doesn’t make it okay.” I look at the seat beside me. “Hey, do you wanna sit down or something? You don’t have to stand out there.”

His lips quirk up into a smile. “Nah, I’m fine. I just wanted to talk to you. I saw you running away from his room quite fast after I left. I stayed because I was trying to make up my mind whether I should go back and talk to Chris after you two had some time alone, but then when I saw you, I realized that I kind of ruined it for you guys. So here I am, talking to you instead.”

“Oh, no, it’s not your fault,” I say. “It’s just … I don’t feel like I can do this. We’re sort of family. And the media would tear him to pieces if they found out.”

“Or maybe you just don’t know what you want yet.”

“Maybe. But there’s much more to it than that,” I say, looking him in the eye.

“You mean what happened …?”

I nod and look away. I can’t look anyone in the eye when they’re talking about that.

He shrugs. “It’s not my decision to make, but if I can give you a piece of advice, it’s that I would suggest you take a break, think about what you really want, and then come back to tell him. Chris isn’t someone who will let things go easily, especially if he wants them badly, and I can tell he wants you more than anything in the world.”

My cheeks heat up from that comment. “How do you know?”

“I’ve seen the way he looks at you. As I said, I’ve known for a very long time that there was something going on.”

I nod, wondering what I’m supposed to do now. It’s a hard decision, considering I still feel resentful for what Chris has done. However, I can’t ignore my growing feelings for him either.

Adrian clears his throat. “Well, whatever you do, I’m sure it’ll be all right. I know Mother will accept the truth, eventually. It might take her a while … but she won’t stand in your way either.”

“Right …” Why do I find that so hard to believe?

“After all, she’s done the same thing,” he muses. “She followed her heart. She didn’t give us a choice in the matter, so she has no say in our choices either.” He shrugs. “At least, that’s my idea about this whole thing, and I’m sure if you’d present it like that, she’d have no other choice but to agree.”

“But I don’t … It’s too difficult.”

“The things we want the most come at a hefty price, Em.”

I roll my eyes at him. “I do not want him the most. Jesus, Chris, out of all people. I want to slap myself for even thinking of being with him in that way. He’s such a bastard.”

Adrian laughs out loud. “Yep, you’re right about that one. Nothing you or I can do to change that about him.”

“I hate him so much,” I growl.

“But you like him a lot too,” Adrian adds.

I give him the stink eye. “Not helping.”

“Hey, I’m just telling you what I think. You asked me to give it to you straight. Now I have.”

“I still don’t know what to do.” I take a big breath and blow it out again, but it doesn’t quell the uneasy feeling in my stomach.

Adrian taps the hood of my car. “Think about it. I’m gonna go back in there and talk to my little brother because he’s obviously in need of some assistance. And I don’t mean the cleaning part, as I’ve seen enough filth for the day.” He winks at me.

“Thanks,” I say. “For … you know.”

“I know.” He smiles. “And don’t worry; I’ll make sure Chris doesn’t do anything stupid.”

“He’s kind of drunk,” I say. “And pissed off too now.”

“He’ll be sober before he gets out of that damn room. I’m not letting him out of my sight. Go home. Take some time for yourself. You need it.”

And then he turns around and walks back into the venue, leaving me behind in my car, still clueless about what to do … and about myself.

Why I’ve ever gone along with anything Chris suggested, only god knows.

All I know is that I hate him. I hate him … and at the same time, I want him more than anything. I can’t stop thinking about him, but I have to stop thinking about him for the sake of my family and my job. And his job, let’s not forget that.

Yet we both can’t stop wanting each other, and it’s getting in the way of everything to the point of being infuriating. Especially considering our history. As they say, history tends to repeat itself. Goddammit.

Adrian is right, which basically means I’m screwed.