Desired By My Alpha Stepfather

A new crush

Nina

The pleasant fantasy died a quick death the moment the passenger door swung open. It wasn't the comforting presence of Kai, my once boyriend, that greeted me. It was Kai, alright, but a Kai I barely recognized. His grin was replaced by a scowl, and his eyes were narrowed in my direction.

Silence occupied the car. Kai slid into the seat at the back of Vince, their eyes meeting briefly. Vince didn't even acknowledge him, his gaze fixed stoically out the window. They looked like two grumpy wolves sharing a cramped den.

A ball of nerves formed in my stomach. Kai seemed to hate Vince after the whole marriage thingy. L
He loathed him with a passion that I never fully understood.  This shopping trip that was already fraught with tension, just took a turn for the worse. 

The car weaved through traffic. I stole glances at Kai in the mirror, searching for a playful spirit... anything. But there was nothing. Just a cold, freezing anger that sent shivers down my spine.

This was going to be a long day. 

Desperate to break the ice, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Hey Kai, did you see that commercial with the dancing hamsters last night? Hilarious, right?"

Kai didn't even blink. My attempt at humor landed with a thud louder than a rogue bowling ball in a china shop. The silence returned, and it was much more thicker.

Stealing another glance at Vince, I noticed a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth. Was that... a suppressed smile?  Maybe my hamster crack-up wasn't a complete disaster.

Perhaps, with a little luck and a whole lot of awkward silences, this shopping trip wouldn't be a complete nightmare. After all, what could be worse than being stuck in a car with an angry Kai, a step dad who happened to be my mate, and my mother who was about to shop the entire street?

Stealing another glance at Kai in the front view mirror, I saw his jaw clenched tight, his eyes narrowed in a brooding stare.  This wasn't just his usual teenage angst; this was full-blown animosity. Something was going on with him. Something big.

My mom was completely oblivious to the awkwardness in the backseat. She piped up from the seat beside driver's seat. 

"So, Kai, how are things at school? Keeping Nina out of too much trouble, I hope?"

Silence.

Her attempt at casual conversation had gone south. Kai didn't even turn his head. 

"School's fine," he mumbled, his voice carrying a disrespect that made me cringe.

A flash of hurt crossed my mom's face, but she quickly schooled her features.  "That's good to hear," she pressed on, a touch of forced cheer in her voice. "Are you involved in any extracurricular activities this year?" 

Kai finally deigned to glance at her, but the look he shot her was icy.  "Not really your business, is it?"

My breath hitched.  That was it.  I couldn't just sit there and let him talk to my mom like that.  I opened my mouth to retort, a sharp defense forming on my tongue, but Vince beat me to it. 

"Kai," he said, his voice was breathed with something dangerous.  "That's enough. Show some respect."

Kai scoffed, but this time he at least turned his full body towards Vince.  "Respect? You want to talk about respect? Maybe you should've shown some before you..." 

He trailed off, but the damage had already been done.  My heart hammered against my ribs.  Whatever Kai was about to say, I didn't want to hear it.  Before he could unleash whatever secrets he harbored, I blurted out, "Look, can we just focus on the mall, okay?  I really need to find a dress for my new collection."

It wasn't the most graceful intervention, but it served its purpose.  Kai shut his mouth with a snap, and a tense silence settled back over the car.  This time, though, it felt different.  The anger between Kai and Vince was still there.

The ride to the mall continued in a strained silence.  I stole glances at my mom, catching a glimpse of hurt in her eyes.  She wasn't stupid; she knew Kai's disrespect wasn't entirely about her.  But whatever was going on between him and Vince, I wasn't sure I wanted to know.  All I knew for sure was that this shopping trip was about to get a whole lot more complicated.

****

I kicked my foot against a display of sparkly flip-flops, the plastic sighing under the pressure. The lights on the ceiling seemed to hum with a boredom that looked pretty much like my own. Beside me, Kai shuffled his feet, his entire posture giving out teenage angst. This "fun family bonding trip" to the mall, courtesy of our newly-married parents, was turning into a disaster.

Mom had declared this afternoon "Kai and Nina Bonding Time!" Emphasis on the air quotes I could practically hear in Mom's voice. But bonding with a walking raincloud wasn't exactly on my agenda.

"Can we just pleeeease leave?" Kai whined for what felt like the hundredth time. His voice was drone that blended with the piped-in pop music.

"We just got here," I pointed out, the effort making me sigh again. "Besides, you heard Mom. They need some 'adult time.'" I mimicked her air quotes with a grimace.

Kai snorted. "Adult time? More like acting like teenagers themselves."

I couldn't bring myself to disagree. Still, even if Kai and I weren't exactly bonding buddies, we were united in our eye roll at their antics.

Kai pulled out his phone, his face breaking into a reluctant smile as he dialed a number. It was Sue. Maybe she was at the mall too! Maybe the they would ditch me to go hang out, and this whole ordeal wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Hey Sue," Kai said. "Yeah, I'm stuck here with Nina at the mall... actually, that's kind of the problem. This place is, like, the most boring thing ever. You wouldn't happen to be around, would you?"

My heart thumped a little faster. Maybe Kai wouldn't be so bad if he had someone to hang out with. Maybe we could even –

Kai's smile evaporated faster than cotton candy in a downpour. "Ugh, seriously? Movie night with your aunt? That's, like, the lamest excuse ever. Whatever. Fine. See you later, I guess."

He shoved his phone back in his pocket, his frown even deeper than before. "Great," he muttered. "Just fantastic."

The thump in my chest plummeted faster than a dropped ice cream cone. Not only was Kai still bored, but now he was actively annoyed. This bonding time was officially a bust. I was in for a long afternoon trapped in a mall with a grumpy cloud for company.

I was scanning the balanced stack of graphic tees, searching for my size in that stupid band Kai liked.

I snagged the neon green monstrosity Kai insisted I find. It dropped from my grasp, a male looking hand, picking it up. I reached for it, and shoved it onto a random pile before turning back to thank the guy.  Except, "thank you" died on my lips as I realized the line situation had taken a turn south.

I took a few steps back and then, I bumped into a hard chest. I gasp seeped out of my lips.

My hand shot out to steady myself, accidentally knocking a stack of shirts to the floor with a soft thud.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" I exclaimed, wincing as the shirts dropped down like a brightly colored waterfall.

A chuckle rumbled from beside me, and I looked up to find a guy with kind eyes and a mess of sandy brown hair that defied gravity. He wore a worn leather jacket over a faded t-shirt that clung to a lean frame.

"No worries," he said with an inviting voice.  "Accidents happen."  He bent down and started gathering the fallen shirts, his movements smooth and practiced. 

I crouched down to help, our hands brushing occasionally as we sorted through the graphic chaos.  For a moment, our eyes met, and well... I was gawking. The touch sent a shiver down my spine.  I quickly looked away, my cheeks flushing a rosy pink.

Straightening back up, I managed a shy smile and mumbled a "thank you," my voice barely above a whisper.  He returned the smile, his white teeth flashing against his tanned skin.  "No problem," he repeated, his eyes staying on me for a while too long before he turned, looking through the other stack.

My heart slammed against my ribs, and my stomach tightened.  Who was that?  Had I just imagined that weird connection?

Just as I opened my mouth to ask the sales associate about my size, a chill rushed through me. At the front of the line stood Kai.  His arms were crossed, and a scowl darkened his features. 

And then, as if summoned by my sudden fear, Vince appeared beside him.  He wasn't looking at me, his gaze fixed on something beyond the clothing racks.  I could read his face. It was as if he put on a stoic mask that gave away nothing of his thoughts.

My breath caught in my throat.  This was not good.  The playful flirtation from earlier. 

I forced a smile, trying to act nonchalant like I most definitely did not feel.  This day was already a disaster, and now, it had just taken a sharp turn for the worse.  Stuck between a grumpy stepbrother and super cute guy.

Kai looked like a grumpy gargoyle guarding the entrance to a particularly boring dungeon.  And then, as if conjured by Kai's bad mood, Vince appeared beside him. His face looked like a statue carved from stormy gray clouds.

The charming stranger was beside me, extending a hand with a smile that could light up a blackout.  "Hey, thanks for the assist there.  I'm Alex, by the way."

Kai didn't seem interested in introductions or basic manners.  He just glared at Alex's outstretched hand like it was a spider.  Alex seemed to take Kai's hostility in stride.  He simply lowered his hand and gave Kai a lopsided grin.

This day had officially gone from bad to buried-alive-in-quicksand bad. Stuck between a grumpy stepbrother and the undeniably attractive stranger who'd just rescued me.

Kai looked like a rabid wolverine guarding a particularly bland chicken pot pie.

Kai stared at Alex's outstretched hand for a beat, then with a sneer, he spat, "Don't even think about it, buddy. This isn't your little pick-up line rodeo."  Alex's smile faltered completely, replaced by a flush that crept up his neck.

"Kai!" I hissed, mortification scorching my cheeks. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me," Kai shot back, his voice tight.  "Just making sure everyone knows the score here."

Vince finally spoke.  "Relax, Kai."

"Yeah, he really should." Alex chimed in. He glanced at me, a question hanging in his eyes. Should he push the issue?

I felt trapped between a rock and a hard place.  On one hand, Alex had been a perfect gentleman, and I hated to see him get insulted for simply trying to be friendly.  On the other hand, dealing with Kai's temper tantrums was never fun, and Vince's warning echoed in my ears.

The silence that followed after was only broken by the beeping of the cash register and the occasional cough from a bored-looking sales associate.  Just as I was about to open my mouth and inject some awkward small talk, Vince spoke. 

"Alright, that's enough clothes shopping for one day," he said, his gaze darting between me and Alex before settling back on Kai.  "Let's go."  Without another word, he turned and began walking away.

Kai mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "finally" and stalked after Vince, leaving Alex and me standing there like spectators at a clown car convention.

"Well, that was..." Alex started, searching for the right words. "Interesting?" I supplied, a nervous laugh escaping my lips.  It sounded more like a strangled squeak, but hey, small victories, right?

Alex chuckled, rumbled in his chest. "That's one word for it," he agreed.  "Anyway, it was nice meeting you... He paused, and then I supplied,

"Nina." A blush creeping up my cheeks.

Maybe I'll see you around sometime?"

"Yeah," I stammered, suddenly hyperaware of the way my cheeks were burning.  "Maybe."  He winked, a playful glint in his eyes, then turned and sauntered away, leaving me a flustered mess in the middle of a clothing store.

I took a deep breath, as I tried to process the last few minutes.  First, a meet-cute with a stranger, then Kai's inexplicable anger, and finally, Vince's glaring.  What was even going on with him?  Was he jealous of Alex?  The thought sent a jolt through me. It was ridiculous, and I quickly squashed it by a voice of reason – Vince and I were over, ancient history. We weren't acting on the mate thingy! And that was final.

Still, the way he'd looked at Alex, that dark cloud that had appeared on his usually features... it was strange.  Right now, top priority was figuring out what had gotten Kai's panties in a twist.  With a sigh, I shouldered the awkward feeling and headed out.

****

The steam in the bathtub swirled around me. It was a comforting feeling from the day's craziness.  Sinking deeper into the tub, I closed my eyes, letting the heat chase away all the uneasiness iny body.  The whole afternoon replayed in my mind. It felt so much like a chaotic movie montage: the forced bonding with Kai, the spark with Alex, and then the bizarre double act of Kai's hostility and Vince's glaring? What was up with those two, anyway?

Focusing on Alex, a smile tugged at my lips.  He had an energy that drew me to him.  Our brief meeting, cut short by the arrival of a brooding Vince and a grumpy Kai, had left me wanting more.  Was it just a fleeting attraction, or could there be something more?

Lost in the daydream, I almost missed the doorbell earlier.  Kai probably answered it, I figured, relieved that I hadn't been dragged into another awkward family interaction.  Right now, all I craved was a good night's sleep to wash away the chaos.

After a luxuriously long soak, I emerged from the bathroom, a fluffy white towel wrapped around me.  My room was cloaked in darkness, the only sound the gentle drip-drip of my wet hair and the faint hum of the refrigerator.  "Must be a power outage," I mumbled to myself, reaching out to flick the light switch.

Suddenly, a voice sliced through the silence, sending a shiver down my spine.  "Nina?"

I knew that voice.

It was Vince.  His voice made my heart skip a beat.  "V-Vince? What are you doing here?" I stammered. The darkness offered no clues to his expression, no hint of his intentions. What on earth was going on?