Sinfully Yours

Chapter 5

Elara's hands trembled as she stared at the message, the words blurring before her eyes. Maya had already walked away, disappearing into the crowded hallway, leaving Elara alone with the weight of exposure pressing down on her chest like a physical thing.

She typed back with shaking fingers: **Who is this?**

The response came immediately: **Meet me behind the gym after school. Come alone.**

"f**k," she whispered, her heart hammering. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not when everything was already spiraling out of control.

She found Liam between classes, pulling him into an alcove near the science labs. His expression shifted from pleased surprise to concern the moment he saw her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Maya knows," she blurted out. "She figured it out. She saw us in the parking lot this morning."

The color drained from his face. "s**t. What did you tell her?"

"The truth. She cornered me, and I couldn't lie anymore." Elara's voice cracked. "But that's not all. Someone else knows too. I got a text from an unknown number. They want to meet me after school."

Liam's jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists. "Show me."

She pulled up the messages, and he read them, his expression darkening with each word. "You're not going alone."

"They said—"

"I don't give a f**k what they said. If someone's threatening you, I'm going to be there." His hand cupped her face, thumb stroking her cheek. "We're in this together, remember?"

The tenderness in his voice made her chest ache. Despite everything the danger, the wrongness of it all she'd never felt more connected to anyone in her life.

"Liam, maybe we should—"

"Don't." He cut her off, knowing exactly what she was about to say. "Don't tell me we should stop. Not now."

"But if people find out—"

"Then we'll deal with it." His forehead pressed against hers. "I'm not giving you up. I can't."

The bell rang, signaling the end of passing period, but neither of them moved. Students rushed past, their voices fading into background noise as Elara lost herself in the intensity of his gaze.

"Tonight," he murmured. "After we figure out who sent that text. I need you."

She nodded, unable to form words, and they reluctantly separated.

The rest of the day crawled by in agonizing slow motion. Elara couldn't focus in any of her classes, her mind spinning with worst-case scenarios. Who had sent that message? What did they want? Were they going to tell her parents?

When the final bell rang, she made her way to the gym, her stomach churning with anxiety. Liam was already there, leaning against the brick wall, his expression hard and protective.

"You didn't have to come," she said, though relief flooded through her at his presence.

"Yes, I did."

They waited in tense silence until a figure emerged from around the corner. Elara's breath caught in her throat.

It was Tyler Chen, a senior from Liam's year. He was on the basketball team, popular, with a reputation for being a bit of a troublemaker.

"Well, well," Tyler said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Brought backup, I see."

"What do you want?" Liam's voice was cold, dangerous.

Tyler held up his phone. "I've got pictures. From last week. You two in the equipment shed." He swiped through his screen, and Elara's blood turned to ice as she glimpsed the images her and Liam, bodies pressed together, his hand up her shirt.

"You were spying on us?" Elara's voice shook with a mixture of fear and rage.

"I was looking for my gym bag. Imagine my surprise when I heard moaning coming from inside." Tyler's grin widened. "Stepbrother and stepsister. That's some kinky shit."

Liam took a step forward, his fists clenched. "Delete them. Now."

"Or what?" Tyler challenged. "You'll hit me? That'll just make things worse for you both."

"What do you want?" Elara asked, forcing herself to stay calm even as panic clawed at her insides.

Tyler's eyes raked over her in a way that made her skin crawl. "I haven't decided yet. Maybe I just want to watch the drama unfold. Or maybe..." He paused, his gaze lingering on her body. "Maybe we can work out an arrangement."

Liam moved so fast Elara barely registered it. One second Tyler was smirking, the next Liam had him pinned against the wall, forearm pressed against his throat.

"Listen very carefully," Liam growled. "You're going to delete those photos, and you're going to forget you ever saw anything. Because if you don't, I will make your life a living hell. I know things about you, Tyler. Things you wouldn't want getting out."

Tyler's eyes widened, genuine fear flickering across his face. "You're bluffing."

"Try me." Liam's voice was deadly calm. "I know about the test answers you've been selling. I know about the fake IDs. And I know about what happened at Jason's party last month with his girlfriend."

The color drained from Tyler's face. "You can't prove any of that."

"Can't I?" Liam leaned in closer. "Delete. The. Photos."

For a long moment, they stared at each other, the tension thick enough to cut. Finally, Tyler pulled out his phone with shaking hands and deleted the images, showing Liam the empty trash folder.

"There. Happy?"

Liam released him, stepping back. "If I find out you kept copies, or if you tell anyone what you saw, I will destroy you. Understand?"

Tyler nodded, rubbing his throat, then hurried away without another word.

Elara let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, her legs suddenly weak. "Oh my god."

Liam turned to her, his expression softening. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know." She laughed, a slightly hysterical sound. "That was... intense."

"He won't say anything." Liam pulled her into his arms. "I meant what I said. I'll protect you, no matter what."

She buried her face in his chest, breathing in his scent, letting his solid presence ground her. "How did you know all that stuff about him?"

"I pay attention. And I have friends who talk." He tilted her chin up, his eyes searching hers. "Come home with me. My place. Mom and Marcus are working late."

"Liam—"

"Please. I need to feel you. Need to know you're okay."

The desperation in his voice undid her. "Okay."

They barely made it through the front door before they were on each other. The adrenaline from the confrontation with Tyler had transformed into something else—raw, primal need.

Liam pushed her against the wall, his mouth claiming hers with bruising intensity. She moaned into the kiss, her hands fumbling with his belt, desperate to feel him.

"Upstairs," he growled against her lips. "Now."

They stumbled up the stairs, shedding clothes as they went. By the time they reached his room, she was down to her bra and panties, and he was shirtless, his jeans hanging low on his hips.

He kicked the door shut and locked it, then turned to her with an expression that made her core clench with anticipation.

"On the bed," he commanded.

She obeyed, her body already trembling with need. He prowled toward her, predatory and possessive, and hooked his fingers in her panties, dragging them down her legs.

"Spread your legs for me," he said, his voice rough. "I want to see all of you."

She did, exposing herself completely to his hungry gaze. He knelt between her thighs, his breath hot against her sensitive flesh.

"You're mine," he murmured, then his tongue was on her, licking and sucking with single-minded focus.

Elara cried out, her back arching off the bed as pleasure shot through her. His fingers joined his mouth, two sliding inside her while his tongue circled her c**t, and she was lost, drowning in sensation.

"Liam, oh god, Liam—"

He didn't let up, driving her higher and higher until she shattered, her orgasm ripping through her with devastating force. She was still trembling when he climbed over her, positioning himself at her entrance.

"Look at me," he demanded, and she opened her eyes, meeting his intense gaze. "I love you."

The words hung in the air between them, shocking and inevitable all at once.

"Liam—"

He pushed inside her in one deep thrust, swallowing her gasp with a kiss. "Say it back," he groaned, starting to move. "Tell me you love me too."

"I—" She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, could only feel him filling her completely. "I love you. God, I love you."

He made a sound somewhere between a groan and a growl, his pace increasing, each thrust harder and deeper than the last. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him impossibly closer, needing to feel every inch of him.

"You're mine," he repeated, his hand wrapping around her throat not squeezing, just holding, a possessive claim. "Say it."

"I'm yours," she gasped. "Only yours."

They moved together, frantic and desperate, chasing release. When it came, it crashed over them simultaneously, their bodies locked together as they rode out the waves of pleasure.

Afterward, they lay tangled in his sheets, both breathing hard, the reality of what they'd just confessed settling over them.

"Did you mean it?" Elara whispered. "What you said?"

Liam turned to face her, his expression serious. "Every word. I know it's f****d up. I know we shouldn't feel this way. But I do. I love you, Elara. Not like a sister. Like... everything."

Tears pricked her eyes. "This is going to end badly, isn't it?"

"Probably." He pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "But I don't care. I'd rather have you and lose everything than never have you at all."

She wanted to argue, to be the voice of reason, but she couldn't. Because she felt the same way.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Another text from an unknown number but a different one this time.

**Unknown:** Tyler wasn't the only one who knows. You have 48 hours to come clean to your parents, or I will.

Elara's blood ran cold as she showed Liam the message.

"Who the f**k—" he started, but was cut off by another text.

This time, it was a photo. Of them. In his bed. Right now.

Someone was watching them. Someone was in the house.