My Brother-in-law, My Ruin

It was 8pm in the evening; unlike other families, where they were merrily having Xmas dinner, the Sinclair’s home felt more like mourning than merriment. She sat in front of her desk, the one she’s had since high school. Eyes fixed on the screen of her laptop, it was worse than she thought. She rubbed her eyes, read the figures again, and the only question that echoed through her mind was “How?” She slammed the laptop shut and fisted her hair, gritting, with heart wrenching in her chest. She couldn’t believe it. The financial report sent by the company felt like a blow to her face. A few minutes later, she was in the car, heading to the hospital. She was going to confront him. Scream and tell him how disappointed she was at him. Just as she was about to get out of the car, her phone dinged. It was a text from her best friend. “Are you available to hang out?” She shut her eyes and threw the phone in her handbag before storming off into the hospital. “I’m here to see Mr Sinclair.” She said, hurriedly, eyes fixed on the sterilized hallway as if she couldn’t wait to go in. “I’m his daughter.” She added before the nurse could ask. “First room by the…” She stormed off before the nurse could complete her sentence. She stood outside the ward, watching him through the transparent door. He looked frail, worse than the last time she saw him. Why did he hide his illness from them? She didn’t know why, and that wasn’t the reason she was there. After minutes of waiting outside, she made up her mind and entered the room. The smell of antiseptics welcomed her instantly, and she felt like running out, but she stayed. She glanced at the woman seated by the bedside and walked past her. “Leave me alone with my father.” She said, not sparing her a glance. She waited for her to leave, and when she didn’t, she turned to face her, raising her brow. “He’s my husband. You know that, Leah.” The woman objected, rising to her feet. Leah's fist curled by her side, glaring at the woman as if she wanted to swallow her with her eyes. A weak cough from the bed made her look away. “Meredith… leave me alone… with Leah.” He coughed, his voice barely audible. A forced smile formed on Meredith’s face. She patted his hand and left, but not without giving Leah a biting look that said, “Watch out.” Immediately the door closed, and Leah turned to her father, holding the financial report she had printed with a trembling hand. “Is this why you want to marry me off?” Her grip on the report tightened, turning her knuckles white. “To some wealthy… heir?" Bile rose in her throat as the words left her mouth. Face wrinkly, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s the best thing to do. The debt won’t swallow you and your siblings, and your mother can live without being homeless.” His voice was shallow, scarring and infuriating. He caused this to himself. Leah knew that. If he hadn’t married that woman, things would have been different. He wouldn’t be on the bed… dying. She wished she could say the things on her mind, but he is her father. As much as she hated the decision he made, she hated the fact that he was dying even more. Her eyes burnt, and she bit back a cry. “There must be another way to pay off this debt.” Her voice broke, and she looked away, swiftly wiping the tears that escaped before turning back to face him. “I can’t marry him." She whispered. "I refuse... Father." She sniffed and swallowed a lump big enough to hurt her throat. “The house…” he wheezed. “It’s the only thing left. They will take it, and your siblings and mother will be thrown… on the street.” She didn’t care if Meredith was thrown on the street. That was where she belonged since the beginning anyway. “Our family name will be ruined… Everything… everything… your mother worked for…” Leah's eyes shut when he mentioned her mother. “Can you watch it all go away?” He asked, and a metallic taste flooded her tongue. It felt like a rock was stuck in her throat. She wanted to ask him. Why did he marry Meredith barely three months after her mother died if he valued her hard work so much? For all she remembered. Her mother built the wealth he squandered. She grabbed her handbag and left just the way she came. She punched the steering wheel and wept until crying felt like death itself. She grabbed her phone and replied to the text she'd received earlier. “Take me to that club you talked about.” Hours later, Leah sat, sipping something amber from her glass. Her phone, on the other hand, as she gazes intently at a male leaning on the counter. “If I can sleep with him, I don’t mind marrying anybody to save my mother’s legacy.” She muttered and forced down the remaining drink, ignoring its burning sensation. She stood up, and her legs wobbled her forward. She tapped the shoulder of the man, and his scent, a spike of spice and smoke, pulled her closer. Something she should run from. Her knees buckled, and his arms wrapped around her waist before she could fall. She stiffened. Her gaze lingered on his deep blue-grey eyes, the eyes that capture every woman’s attention whenever he appears in billboards, media outlets or sports channels. “I know you are a cold-hearted bastard. Ruthless like the stick you hit the puck with in the ice rink. But if you kissed me right now, I promise…” She hiccupped but steadied herself before she could fall. “I will be the happiest bride in a week." "I know I am supposed to be sad, marrying a man I don’t love or know. An heir to a fortune, but don’t worry, I will pay anything to have you kiss me senseless right now." "You can't pay my price, Rabbit." His voice was velvet and dark; it melted Leah's bones and at the same time straightened her spine. His thumb brushed the corner of her lips, and her breath hitched. He leaned downward, his lips brushing her cheeks like feathers. Her inner thighs tickled, and something between her legs ached so bad she craved to touch it. "My price is you, Rabbit. All of you. Not just a kiss." Leah's heart raced. A voice screamed in her head, telling her to back away, but her body betrayed her. She stood on her toes and locked lips with him. ~A Week Later~ The wedding was a blur. Every stitch of the gown reminded Leah of the reason she was there. Brandon Ashton, her husband, held her hand, neither rough nor gentle. More like an obligation. They smiled at the cameras, with congratulatory applause from strangers who knew the contract mattered more than the vows. Brandon needed the marriage to take his inheritance, and for Leah, it was the only way to save her family. The air shifted; a familiar fragrance of spice and smoke hit her nose. She turned and saw him, broad shoulders and muddled hair as if he'd been in a storm. A rush of spice and sweetness coursed through Leah's body, the thrill of knowing she shouldn't. His eyes were the colour of a storm that had forgotten how to end… blue laced with grey, endless, and hungry. How could she forget them? Every stride he took drew air out of her lungs. Her throat dried, and swallowing felt like torture. “Leah, meet Sebastian, my brother.” Blood thundered in Leah’s ear. Her stomach flipped, and life drained out of her face. The famous hockey star Sebastian. The man she kissed at the club. An Ashton? Her brother-in-law? Sebastian's lips curved into a knowing smile. One that made Leah’s head swirl.