New Brother

Enticing Threat

Hailey

I blinked at his question, utterly dumbfounded. "What?"

A smirk danced at the corners of his lips, a glint of mischief sparkling in his steely grey eyes as he inquired, "Why the shock, Bunny?" His fingers brushed a stray lock of my hair behind my ear, igniting a cascade of shivers down my spine, reigniting the familiar ache between my thighs he always left in his wake. "Did you perhaps expect a different request?"

Heavens above, spare me.

"No," I blurted out, my voice cracking slightly. "Why would I think that?" To evade his piercing gaze, I sidestepped him, heading straight for the coffee maker.

The quicker I finished this task, the sooner I could escape the kitchen and his presence, the intoxicating scent of his cologne, the captivating sight of his face, simply him. Damien was not right for my sanity at all. He made me feel things I shouldn't. Like for real—who would even entertain the thought of getting fucked by their stepbrother? But here I was....totally loving the thought.

"I'll take care of it," I muttered, snatching up a cup.

"Understood," I heard his soft chuckle before sensing his nearness, leaning against the counter beside me, his cologne swirling around me, clouding my focus.

I wish I could bury my face into his neck and see how he actually smelt....

Hailey, get a grip! He's your stepbrother!

"So, are you actually fine with this whole situation?" Damien's sudden question pierced the kitchen's quietness.

"Situation?" I regarded him with bewilderment as I handed over the cup once the coffee was brewed.

"Well, this ridiculous marriage charade between your mom and my dad."

My tongue itched to question why he found it ridiculous, but I held my silence, opting instead to inquire, "And why wouldn't I be fine with it?"

"Because surely you must know why your mom's with my dad?"

My brows knit together in confusion. "What are you implying?"

For fuck's sake—what was he insinuating?

"It's pretty obvious your mother's with my dad for his money, isn't it?" He suddenly spat out with not even a drop of hesitation in his voice, catching me off guard with his incredibly judgmental remark. "I can see it. Everyone can see it, including you. She's had a rough life, and now that she's got Dad wrapped around her finger, she has access to all the luxuries she never had. I mean, come on, isn't that what every woman desires?"

"Whoa, hold on a second," I interjected, holding up a hand to him, struggling to process his disgustingly presumptuous words about my mom and his general outlook on women—he was a complete jerk. Screw his good looks—he was an absolute fucking dickhead.

"How on earth do you know that my mom is only with Coby for his money? Did she fucking tell you that? Did Coby tell you that? Who the hell gave you that idea?" I stared at him incredulously. "You're out here, making baseless assumptions, and then have the nerve to label my mom a gold-digger without a shred of evidence for what you just said. What is wrong with you?!"

He chuckled at my outburst. "So what does it look like to you? Is she in love with my dad?" The way he looked at me suggested he found the notion of me agreeing with that ludicrous.

Piece of shit!

"I don't care if your ego allows you to believe it or not, Mr. Damien, but if there's any fucking reason why my mother married Coby, it's for love. She loves him. And as for the luxury you mentioned—we had everything we needed. None of us care for luxury like you do. We were fine; she was earning enough on her own and didn't need a knight in shining armor to rescue her from distress. She wasn't a damn Cinderella waiting for a prince; she rescued herself, and her life was comfortable. So, neither your father is the saintly prince who saved her, nor are you a mere spectator in some movie you've concocted in your mind. So snap out of the delusion—not everyone is driven by money. Not everyone values it. She's with him because she loves him."

I knew I was ranting, but I was furious. Absolutely fucking pissed with Damien.

I could tolerate a lot, but I wouldn't stand for anyone disrespecting my mother in any way. I knew the struggles she endured to raise me alone, and I knew how hardworking she was. She didn't use Coby as a stepping stone to elevate her social status. She loved him. Truly.

Damien studied my face for a moment, his expression unreadable, but then he spoke indifferently, "There's no such thing as love, Hailey. Seems like you're living in a fantasy."

God! He was indeed a different breed.

"No such thing as love? It seems you're already a lost cause then," I said, "Perhaps your eyes aren't capable of seeing the good in this world."

"Perhaps, but that doesn't change the fact that all I see in Dad and Madison's marriage is Madison's greed," he remarked, casually sipping from the coffee mug, a gesture that tempted me to slam it against his head. "I've encountered enough women like your mom. They always want one thing—money."

"You're a sick fuck, you know that?" The words slipped out before I could stop them, and his eyes snapped to me, a dangerous glint in them.

"Care to repeat that?" His voice was a challenge, the atmosphere shifting with tension, as if daring me to provoke him further. He said it in a way that said he'd give me a tour to hell if I dared to repeat that.

But I wasn't intimidated. Not by him.

And my pride refused to back down.

"You're a sick—" Before I could finish, I found myself pressed against the counter, my hands trapped under his, pinned against the cabinet door, his face dangerously close to mine. It all had happened too fast, I didn't realize when he had put the coffee mug down, and slid his hand around my waist before slamming me against the cabinet or how effortlessly he now got my hands locked under his grip.

His body was pressing against mine, from chest to hips. The heat of his body was so close, penetrating my skin, and sending delicious sensations down my body. I was already losing my mind.

Damn it.

"I warned you at the wedding to watch that mouth of yours, didn't I?" he murmured, his voice sending a shiver down my spine, a mix of fear and anticipation coursing through me.

"Then you should have watched yours," I breathed out, our lips barely grazing.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" His smirk twisted with sick amusement. "I was merely stating facts, Bunny. And if facts sting, perhaps you need a reality check."

"Or maybe you need to learn to be happy for others instead of being a complete dick about it," I retorted, defiantly. "But no, your ego won't allow it, will it? You can't stand it when things don't go your way, like Coby marrying my mom against your wishes."

He chuckled darkly. "You're determined to bring out the worst in me, aren't you?" His grip tightened on my wrists, his free hand cupping my jaw, his thumb grazing my bottom lip, pulling it down. "Don't take away from the reasons why I am choosing to go easy on you, Hailey." The way he said my name sent a thrilling shiver down my spine, quickening my heartbeat, and making my thighs clench together. "If you dare insult me like that again, you'll find yourself in a situation you never anticipated."

"I'm not afraid of you," I admitted, without hesitation. But as his grey eyes locked with mine, I felt myself faltering—he had a strange hold over me, one that could easily fucking break me and perhaps, he knew it. He was aware of the power he had over me that's why he used it so skillfully, always leaving me on the edge of losing it all.

"I know," he nodded, his smirk widening. "But you should be. Because you certainly wouldn't appreciate being bent over this counter, naked, trembling, wet, and...with my fingerprints on your pretty plump ass."

My breath hitched at his words, my eyes widening, barely suppressing a gasp.

And with that, he slowly released me, his warmth retreating as he turned and left the kitchen, leaving me bewildered and questioning.

Did my stepbrother just threaten to spank me? It was disturbing.

But what was more disturbing was that the thought didn't... bother me.