OFF-LIMITS

01.

Chapter one | Layla
"So? What do you think?" Damien asks for the hundred's time, it's becoming frustrating at this point, I didn't even have any time to think about it, I sigh and straighten my shirt a little, "I don't know...give me more time." I say, hesitation thick in my voice,  he frowns but doesn't push for more, and I'm grateful.

He's been repeating the same phrase over the past five minutes, I knew he'd ask me one day, we've been together for over a year but I definitely didn't expect it to be today, he wants me to move in with him, as in, his family house, not really that much of a family considering the fact that his father is dead and his mother travels most of the time or she's either at work, but there's one problem that keeps getting in my way.

If I live with him, that means I'll be face to face with the person who I want to desperately run away from, if I had a choice anyway, his older brother,
Adrian knight, if you see them both together, I'm sure you'll have no idea if they're actually siblings, if Damien is white, then Adrian is definitely black, polar opposites.

I stare at Dam for a moment, guilt crashing through my veins, I care about him so much and I don't like the fact that his piece of shit brother is eating my thoughts away, think Layla, he moves closer to me, brushing a strand of hair away from my face, I stare at him for a beat, his blonde hair is tousled in perfect waves across his head, his blue eyes are shining under the light, his lips round and perfect, but some weird feeling lingers on my stomach, I push it away though, or at least I try to.

He leans closer and brushes a kiss on my temple, his hand caressing my cheek, his eyes flicking to my lips as he wets his, but...I don't feel anything, not a spark, not even some sort of excitement, I don't know what's wrong with me, but being sexually pleased wasn't always easy, especially for me, so I don't blame him for that, I don't think he even notices it, and that's better.

✿ ✿ ✿

"So? Where are we going?" I ask smiling excitedly at Octavia, my best friend, and also my brother's wife, we became best friends when they were supposedly "fake dating" which I knew lately, they've been fooling me all along but it doesn't matter anyway, considering the fact that they're together right now, they're even married, and planning to get a beautiful baby together.

She blinks a couple of times as if she's embracing herself, she slowly raises a finger and points it at me, "don't freak out." She says and I'm already freaking out, that sentence doesn't make sense unless it's something you need to freak about is about to be said, I don't even know if my thoughts make sense anymore, kill me, please.

I narrow my eyes, and she sighs then runs a hand through her curly hair, I've always been fascinated by it, to the point that I was so sad when I knew that she was actually insecure about it, "we're having dinner together tonight." She says and my heart clenches at the thought of seeing my brother, it's been more than a month since he left for some champions abroad, he's a soccer player, unfortunately, or fortunately, he's famous too, very famous lately.

Fortunately, because it's something he enjoys doing, it's been his dream since he was nine, but unfortunately, because he became so known to the point that it's not even pleasant anymore, he can't have a moment of privacy, everything he does is posted on media, and some people send shitty things to our houses, it's dangerous as much as it's enjoyable.

But I still don't understand what I'm gonna freak out about, "where's the problem, Octavia? Just say it." I say, she sighs again but this time she immediately speaks, "Victoria and Nikolai aren't coming....and Adrian is the only one who'll be there." She says and I curse myself internally, of course, the "don't freak out" referred to him, also did I mention that Octavia has been Adrian's best friend for over 9 years?

It's a very complicated story if you put it like that, Nash (my brother) started dating Octavia, and well let's say, Adrian wasn't his favorite person considering the fact that he was her best friend, but it's been proven more than once that they're nothing sexual or even romantic, eventually I met him, we talked, he liked me and I liked him, way too much, so I distanced myself, it's stupid I know, but well I can't change the past I guess? I also met his brother, who happens to be my boyfriend right now, and deep down I don't know if I regret my choices.

"I can bring Damien, it'll be fine." I say lying to myself, she raises a brow, "no it won't." She says and I roll my eyes, "where are we going anyway?" I ask changing the topic, "it's my brother's gallery opening party." She says and I groan, I can't believe I forgot about that, Brendan, he's an amazing artist, I can't even begin to describe how much I love his paintings, he deserves a lot more recognition.

"it'll work out fine, it always does." I say trying to convince myself, she drops her head back, rubbing a hand through her face, "I hope so." She whispers and I nod, me too Octavia, you have no idea.

✿ ✿ ✿

I take a final look at myself, I look fine, not great but fine, a wave of self-consciousness crashes through my veins but I push it away, I stare at my face in the mirror, my brown long hair is pulled back in a ponytail, I didn't put a full face of makeup just small touches to make me look acceptable, not dead, I wore a baby blue dress, it reaches my knees, back then I thought it was beautiful when I bought it, I don't know how I feel about it right now.

"You done, babe?" Dam's voice catches my attention and I turn around to see him approaching me with a smile on his face, I nod and grab my purse, he holds a finger in my direction pausing my movements, "you're gonna wear heels?" He asks and I sigh, I know he doesn't like it when I wear them, for a stupid reason.

Because we look like we're the same height, so? I genuinely don't see the problem, apparently being the same height as a woman is something inferior to men, or especially Damien, I'm 5'11, and he's about 6 foot, so heels make us look the same, earlier this year he made a rule that I won't wear heels when I'm with him at an important event, I never agreed to this but for some reason, I couldn't say no,

"Do you want me to take them off?" I ask not wanting my heels to ruin the night although I really wanted to wear them, he shrugs off his shoulders, "if you care." He says and I look at him, my brows furrowing not understanding what the hell he means, he sighs and runs a hand through his blonde hair, "it's fine, wear them we're late." He motions for me with a dismissive hand and I walk toward him.

✿ ✿ ✿

"Layla!" My brother says from somewhere behind me and a smile spreads on my face when I notice him, I stalk towards him, and he wraps his arms around my shoulder, I drown in his warm scent, "I missed you so much." I whisper, my voice cracking, he rubs my back and pulls back, "I missed you too." He says and I smile.

When he notices Damien, his face changes, his eyes turning into a glare, I'm not even surprised by this point, Nash made it clear that he hates him, he turns around pulling Octavia to him as she waves at me, moments pass then I feel the tension in the air thickening, goosebumps spreading across my skin, I don't even need to turn around to know who arrived.

"Big bro," Damien mutters as he walks in Adrian's direction, my breath hitches when I feel his eyes immediately landing on mine, his black hair is a mess on his head, some strands are on his face, and he's wearing a black tux like most of the men here, the first buttons are opened revealing his physique, I swallow hard, not liking the way he's making me feel, I turn around again distracting myself with anything, but the only thing I feel till the event ends is Adrian's eyes burning through my skin.

Not bad for a first chapter 🤭

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