Into The Wrong Brother's Arms

Chapter 5

Rhia's POV

This is insane!

The air in the car was thick, almost suffocating with tension. I sat rigidly in the passenger seat, my hands gripping my purse so tightly my knuckles had turned white. It was a miracle my teeth hadn’t broken from how tightly I clenched my jaw.

Beside me, sat Rhys, driving the car in silence. Well, not perfect silence, as every time he tapped his finger on the steering wheel, that slow, tap tap tap sound made me want to scream and fling my purse at his head. What was more annoying was that he looked so calm, so damn amused, as if my anger was nothing but a background music to his little joyful ride.

Never, I mean, absolutely never in my life had I imagined I’d be trapped in a car with Rhys riling on how to bring up a serious and complicated issue. Never had I imagined it but here I was and it was distasteful.

“Something on your mind?” Rhys asked, his voice smooth, and teasing. He didn’t even glance my way. He just kept his eyes on the road, with that arrogant smirk tugging at his lips, revealing the annoying dimple in his cheek.

Pttf! Why the hell does he have to look like Miles?

“You’re really asking me that?” My voice trembled with rage. “Why?”

His silver- gray eyes flickered to mine for a sec, enough to make my heart race spike before returning them to the road. “Why what? You’ve to be a little clearer with your questions for me to understand you, sweetness.”

“Do not call me that?” I snapped, now pissed, while the fucker chuckled, looking pleased with himself. “Why are you even doing this? Why…” My voice trembled and I had to bite down on my lips to stop it from trembling. I forbid embarrassing myself in front of a jerk like Rhys. I’ve done it once but would regret it happening again.

“Why did you do it?” I repeated, more firmly, meeting his eyes which had somehow creased into something that looked like concern. However, before I could be sure of what the look was, he shrugged it off, restoring his signature smirk.

Smiles. I must be a fool to think a jerk like him could fathom another emotion other than his jerky ones.

“Well, what could I say?” He chuckled under his breath, the kind of sound that made my skin tighten. Then, he turned his head, just enough to meet my burning gaze. “You begged me to touch you, remember.”

My heart stuttered. “I-What?” I could barely find my voice. “I certainly didn’t. I was drunk and thought you were Miles. You knew it and still took advantage of me.”

My chest heaved as I spat out those words. As frustrating as the situation was, I couldn't help but feel a mixtuxe of anger, shame and fear at both I and Rhys even though it was clear Rhys did what he did on purpose. I was drunk and he was sober so he was at fault. He knew what he was doing. What I can't fathom was why.

“Right,” Rhys murmured, still infuriatingly amused, though his eyes never left the road even as he said, “But what about when you realized I wasn’t him? I gave you the chance to push me away, sweetheart, but instead...” He glanced sideways again, eyes glinting with mischief. “You leaned closer. Would you still call that taking advantage of you?”

His eyes bore into mine, mocking and taunting me.

That was…

I looked away, feeling my throat burn.

He is tricking and taunting me. And what hurt most was that, deep down, there is truth in his words. There were signs that hinted he wasn't Miles. The roughness of his palm, his voice. And he indeed gave me the chance to push him away, even though it was barely a chance. But I had leaned in instead of acting on those signs. I could still feel the warmth of that moment, I could still feel his teeth and hands on my skin….

No! Stop!

“Stop twisting things?” I snapped, my voice trembling with both anger at him and myself. “You’re just trying to taunt me. You know what state I was in. Still you did that.”

Yes, what happened wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t touched me. Call that an excuse but I refuse to take all the blame. He could have said something. He shouldn't have touched me knowing it was me. At least, I was intoxicated and he was sober.

“I knew what state you were in.” He breathed.

My face flushed with both shame and anger. I stared out of the window, blinking rapidly to reign in my anger. Then in a soft, more controlled voice, I asked without turning, “Why did you do it then, Rhys? Because I'm certainly not one of your sluts."

His brows creased. "No, you're not."

"Then, why did you do it?” I snapped, feeling frustrated.

Because people like him don’t do things without a reason and I fear whatever that might be.

“What do you think?” he threw my questions back to me and I had to clench both my eyes and hands tightly to reign in my anger.

Why is the mall so far away? All I want is to get as far away from him as soon as possible.

Lifting my chin stubbornly, I turned to face him. “Fine! I don’t care what you want, Rhys.” I said, forcing my voice to be steady. “All I want is for what happened between us to be buried, forgotten like it never happened.”

Because if he continues to tease me in front of everyone like he did this afternoon, it wouldn’t take time before they caught up to what happened between us and that is my fear.

“Ouch!” He moaned as if in pain, his hand clutching his chest for extra drama. “You sound like you didn't enjoy it.”

“I'm serious Rhys.” I gritted, leveling him a hard glare but he just smirked.

However, when I thought he was going to be rational and think like a normal person, he did just what I never would have expected.

He touched me.

His finger crawled up my thigh and then gave it a squeeze, making me jump up in shock.

“That might be difficult...especially when you’re sitting this close.” he moaned.

The fucker literally shamelessly moaned. And I felt it down in between my thighs.

“Rhys!” I yelled, flustered. Slapping his hands away.

What the heck is wrong with you, Rhia? There must be something wrong with me for me to feel flustered instead of angry.

He left out a chuckle, the sound low and rich, vibrating all through my body. “Okay! Okay!” He said, holding one hand up in mock surrender.

But then, just as I shifted in my seat, and let some air out, while trying to calm my racing heart, he added,

“But…that wouldn’t be much fun, would it?”

My head whipped around, brows creased in confusion. “Excuse me?”

He tilted his head, eyes still on the road. “Pretending last night didn’t happen wouldn’t be fun. Nah! I don’t want to.” He shrugged and it took a whole lot of control not to tear out my hair in frustration.

“You’re insane.”

He grinned. “That’s debatable."

I clenched my fist, glaring at him and feeling my anger reached its threshold. “Look, I don’t know what game you are trying to play, but I am sure not in on it. I want to pretend like nothing ever happened. I’m sure that can’t be too difficult for you to do. No one knows except us so let’s forget it and go back to ignoring each other like we used to. Is that too difficult to do?”

“Hmmm. Like I said, that wouldn’t be fun.” He pouted mockingly, shrugging.

“You really are insane.”

“You’ve said that!”

Heavens! I don’t know what pushed Rhys my way but I wished whatever that was could rip him out of my life just the way he came.

But to be honest, I was terrified. I don’t know what he meant by fun because fun meant trouble in Rhys dictionary. It is a kind of word that means run, scram, when muttered by the likes of him and it terrifies me. If Rhys riles up trouble… God…I can’t lose Miles and certainly can’t lose Aunt Zorya motherly affection because of him.

“You know what...Pull over. I want to get out.”

He didn’t. He kept driving, maneuvering his way on the road, acting like he didn’t hear me.

“I said, pull over...”

“I could make Miles notice you.”

My breath caught, head whipping towards him. “What?”