Underneath the Sycamore Tree(35)

Now he’s full on laughing, leaning back and shaking the mattress with his rumbles.

I smack his chest. “You’re going to wake up our parents. Be quiet.”

“What?” he muses, grinning. “Are you afraid they’re going to find us alone in your room together? What will Daddy Dearest think?”

He’s making fun of me.

I reach for his laptop and start to close it, but he stops me with a heavy sigh. “Would you relax? They don’t care. It isn’t like I’m some random guy in your bed.”

My brows go up to say, aren’t you?

He bumps my arm with his elbow. “I already told you, I’m not going to ravish you. You’re not my type, Mouse.”

My eye twitches. “I’m sure.”

Restarting the movie, I go to focus solely on that when he pauses it again. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What?”

“You look pissed.”

“I’m not—”

“Don’t bullshit me.”

I sigh loudly. “All I’m saying is that I’ve heard the rumors at school. You’re the man whore sports star who can get any girl he wants. I’m not surprised I’m not that kind of girl.”

“Because…?”

Is he kidding me? “For one, I’m your stepsister. For another, I don’t look anything like the girls I see you flirting with. Oh, and regardless of you insisting you don’t hate me, you’re not the friendliest person to me either.”

He shifts his body toward me. “Firstly, I don’t really do the label thing, so don’t call yourself my stepsister, Cinderella. Secondly, you’re right. You need to gain at least thirty pounds to look like the girls I hang around, and thirdly, I’m not friendly toward anyone.”

I guess he has a point about his demeaner toward people, so there’s no point in arguing it. Before I can even try, he’s tilting my chin up with two of his fingers and grinning wickedly. I hate the tingly feeling I get in the pit of my stomach from the contact, or how my heart goes into overdrive when I see his dark eyes lighten when they’re up to no good.

I tell myself it’s because I’m not used to people touching me like this—being close. I’d react this way to anybody who would do the same thing. Yet, my brain tells me otherwise. I could meet someone tomorrow who would dare to defy Kaiden’s instructions just to speak to me, and I wouldn’t feel airy and light and nervous and numb all at the same time with them.

“Frankly,” Kaiden murmurs in a tone so low it caresses my skin, “the only reason I’m not going to fuck you senseless is because I’ve seen what one little touch does. Imagine what I’d do to your body if I got between those pretty little legs of yours.”

I stop breathing.

“I’d ruin you, Em.”

My eyes widen.

Then I blink.

I’d ruin you first.





Chapter Fifteen





Kaiden leaves shortly after his brazen remark. It leaves me bothered in a lot more ways than I anticipate, so I brush it off by picking up a book and reading until I fall asleep.

Unfortunately, I dream of Kaiden. And not in a friendly or brotherly way. I dream about him like I’d dream of one of my many book boyfriends who want to devour and claim me and love me in ways Kaiden certainly doesn’t.

And that’s…well, that’s a problem.

A big problem.

Because he may not do labels, but I do.

Like stepbrother.

And stepmother.

And fatal.

Fatal attraction.

Fatal affection.

Fatal disease.

He thinks he’ll ruin me, but he has no idea what unstoppable forces are in my arsenal. I’m my own weapon, a nightmare that lives in reality. It isn’t something I can control, and he has no idea. I don’t think getting close to him will do any good, whether it’s friendly or not.

If he still struggles with his father’s death, what would mine do to him?

I’m not sure I want to find out.

For once, I wish I was seeing Mama’s teary golden eyes instead of Kaiden Monroe. I wish I was listening to Lo’s playful laughter instead of Kaiden’s husky words. Wishes don’t come true though, because this isn’t some fairytale.

It’s reality.

And reality is a mean bitch.





Chapter Sixteen





Tomorrow is the day before October break and everyone is loud and eager to have a week off. I already heard at least half the senior class mention skipping tomorrow and starting early, especially because Halloween is on Saturday. Apparently parties are common for the holiday, costume or not, and I even heard one guy mention going out after midnight redecorating people’s houses with toilet paper and who knows what else.

When Mr. Nichols realizes he doesn’t have everyone’s attention at Book Club, he reminds us to start reading the next book for the week after break and then lets us go. Considering it’s my selection, I probably won’t spend a lot of time gathering quotes and ideas for discussion, especially since Dad agreed to take me to Mama’s for the week.

Honestly, I’m nervous. I called Grandma asking if she thought it’d be okay, and she seemed excited. That doesn’t mean Mama will feel the same, and I’m not sure how she’ll react when she sees me.