Claimed by My Brother’s Best Friends

Chapter 9 The Poolside Trap

My heart beat frantically in my chest as I looked down at the shiny silver cufflink sitting on the marble table. The shiny metal seemed to mock my foolish attempt to keep secrets.

Luis gave me one last wicked smile, tapped the table gently with his long fingers, and turned around to walk out of the bright sunroom. I snatched the cufflink off the table, squeezed it tightly in my warm palm, and hurried out toward the backyard garden to clear my head.

The bright morning sun reflected off the clear blue water of the outdoor swimming pool. I walked over to the edge, standing near the deep end, taking long, deep breaths of the fresh air. I tried to calm my racing thoughts, but my body was still trembling from Luis's touch and the constant threat of my brother finding out everything.

Heavy, familiar footsteps sounded against the wet concrete floor behind me.

I turned around quickly. Lucas was walking straight toward me. He was wearing black shorts, and before he reached me, he grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pulled it over his head with one smooth motion, and tossed it onto a lounge chair. His bare chest was broad, deeply tanned, and covered in lean, hard muscles. Seeing him without a shirt made my throat go completely dry, and a sudden wave of heat rushed straight to my face.

He stopped just inches away from me, blocking the sun and trapping me against the edge of the deep water.

"You are avoiding me, Isabelle," Lucas growled, his deep voice carrying a rough, dangerous edge as his bright blue eyes burned into mine.

"I am not avoiding you, Lucas," I lied softly, taking a tiny step backward until my heels were hanging slightly over the edge of the pool. "I just wanted some fresh air by myself."

"Do not lie to me, little girl," Lucas said, taking another step closer until his hard, bare chest was almost touching my nose. I could smell his masculine scent mixed with the clean smell of the pool water. "You ran out of the office yesterday, you hid from me all night, and now you will not even look me in the eye."

"We cannot do this anymore, Lucas," I pleaded, my voice shaking as I looked up into his handsome, angry face. "Nathan is right upstairs in his office! He was already suspicious of us yesterday. If he catches us together again, he will lose his mind!"

Lucas let out a low, dark laugh, his dark blue eyes flashing with pure arrogance. "Let him lose his mind," he murmured, reaching out his large, warm hand to grip my waist firmly. His touch burned through the thin fabric of my sundress. "I do not care about Nathan when it comes to you."

"Lucas, please..." I gasped out, my hands coming up to rest against his broad, muscular chest. His skin was warm and firm under my palms, and I could feel the strong, steady beat of his heart.

"Then do not make any sound when I touch you," Lucas whispered, his voice dropping to a low, possessive tone right against my ear.

Before I could process his words, Lucas pulled my waist hard against his hips. He leaned his head down and captured my lips in a wild, hungry kiss.

His mouth was possessive and hot, moving over mine with intense power. I let out a soft moan against his lips, and he took that moment to slide his tongue deep inside my mouth, tasting me thoroughly. The intense sensation sent electric currents shooting through my entire body. I knew I should push his chest and run away, but my fingers traitorously gripped the hard muscles of his back, pulling him even closer to me.

Lucas groaned low in his throat, a sound that made my knees feel like soft water. His large hand slid down my back, gripping the curve of my hip tightly and pulling me upward against his hard body. He shifted his mouth down to my jawline, biting the soft skin right under my ear before sucking gently on my sensitive neck.

"Lucas... no," I panted out, my head falling back as a wave of intense pleasure rushed over me. "Someone will see us out here in the open."

"Let them watch," Lucas growled softly, his lips moving back to my mouth, kissing me even harder and deeper than before.

His other hand slid down the side of my leg, gathering up the thin fabric of my dress, his bare fingers pressing firmly into my warm thigh. He squeezed my skin gently, his thumb rubbing small, dangerous circles near my inner thigh that made a breathless gasp escape my lips. I was completely helpless in his arms, pinned between his broad body and the open water behind me. My body was burning with dirty desire, completely lost in his touch, his smell, and his wild kiss.

He pulled his lips back just an inch, his blue eyes dark with possessive hunger as he looked down at my wet, swollen lips. "You belong to me, Isabelle," he whispered into my mouth, his thumb sliding higher up my thigh. "Say it before I take you right here."

"I... I..." My breath came in short, heavy gasps, my mind spinning out of control under his intense touch.

Suddenly, a loud, angry voice echoed down from above us.

"Isabelle! Lucas!"

My eyes flew open in absolute terror. My brother Nathan was standing on the second floor balcony directly above the pool, staring down at us with a dark, furious expression on his face.

Before I could pull away or scream, Lucas let out a dark, wicked smirk, wrapped both of his strong arms tight around my waist, and pulled us both backward straight into the deep end of the pool.