Stepbrother's Allure: At His Mercy

We've met before

APRIL

He smirked, but said nothing more. "Let's just forget about that night. It's in the past. No need to get hung up on that." I turned and walked towards the front door, expecting him to say something, but he didn't. I reached the front door and turned with my palm on the doorknob. My eyes locked with his, and he winked, waving his hand at me. "Psycho," I muttered and opened the door, stepping into the house.

The sweet scent of curry slapped me hard on the face when I walked in, and I smiled. I'd missed this. For a week, I had survived mainly on canned, almost-expiring food. Knowing I was about to have a healthy meal made my stomach rumble.

I forgot about my insane stepbrother to be and strode towards the kitchen, announcing, "I'm home!"

"Darling!" Mum looked out, blue eyes so much like mine, sparkling with love. She covered the distance between us in seconds and enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug. I melted, all the stress of the week disappearing at the warmth only mothers have. I closed my eyes, inhaling the sweet flowery scent of her soap mixed with the smell of curry and ginger.

"Mum."

"I missed you, my baby." She broke away from the hug, still smiling. "How was your trip?"

"Eventful."

Looking behind her, I almost did a double-take, thinking Kieran had walked past me without my knowledge. The man standing by the door looked so much like him, but on closer inspection, I realised he was slightly older, with specks of white in his beard. He smiled, and his eyes crinkled at the sides, his face softening.

"Darling," Mum said when she realised I was staring at the older version of Kieran. "That's Roderick." She turned to Roderick, "This is my daughter, April."

I stepped towards him just as he closed the distance. However, instead of taking my outstretched palm like I thought he would, he enveloped me in a hug.

"I've heard so much about you, darling." His voice was soft, a sharp contrast to his son's.

At first, I froze when he touched me, but relaxed, knowing he meant no harm.

"Same. My mum couldn't shut up about you."

We both chuckled as we broke away from the hug, his hand lingered on my shoulder for a second before he brought it down.

"I hope it's something good?"

"Of course. She's mad over heels for you," I whispered.

Mum rolled her eyes. "I can hear you guys, you know?"

"Oh, she can?" Roderick and I said at the same time before bursting into laughter at how in sync we were.

Mum left us and returned to the kitchen after asking me to set the table. Roderick followed her, promising to catch up with me during dinner. Funnily, they didn't mention Kieran, it was almost —

"Roderick came with his son. He stepped out to take a call," Mum said, poking out through the door as if she could hear my thoughts.

"Oh." I nodded, having no desire to tell her we'd already met. "I will set the table then. Get back to your cooking."

"Dinner will be ready in a few." She winked and disappeared, and soon after, I heard her reprimanding Roderick for stealing a pie while she had her back turned.

I chuckled, happy for my mum. It was good to know she had found the perfect partner to spend her life with.

I made my way over to the dining room after I had dropped my bag on the couch and changed my shoes for house slippers.

I was in the middle of setting the table when Kieran stepped in..

"I just had a call with my assistant. She said —"

"I don't care." I glared at him before concentrating on the task at hand. He joined me, moving with a precision that didn't match his frame.

I looked up when mum entered the room, my frown giving way to a smile. I just couldn't help it.

"Oh, you've already met Kieran?" She asked, putting down a bowl with Roderick behind her, carrying a pot.

"Uh —"

Kieran smoothly cut in. "Yeah, we previously met. Technically, we didn't meet today."

You...

My mouth fell open at his response. I wasn't expecting him to bloody blurt that out. Wasn't it supposed to be a damned secret?!?

"Oh, you did?" Mum's smile got wider. She dropped the bowl next to Roderick's. "It's indeed a small world, darling. When did you meet?"

"We met at a ..." He paused, spared me a look before he continued, "We met in passing. I think it was at a coffee shop. Right, April?"

"Yeah," I said begrudgingly, glad he didn't blurt out that we met at a freaking bar. I wouldn't put it past him to do that.

"That's wonderful." Roderick grinned. "It's all fate, darling. We were meant to be."

Kieran's gaze stopped on my face. "Of course. We were."

I knew there were double meanings to his words, while my mom and his dad thought it was the sweetest thing he had ever said..

As if.

There was no way in hell Kieran had any sweetness....

Okay, he did. That night was so....

"April?"

Blinking, I looked at my mum, my cheeks heating when I realised they were already seated while I was busy thinking about that night..

Swallowing down the embarrassment, I sat on my chair, which was opposite Kieran. He winked at me, and I returned it with a discreet scowl, throwing daggers at him.

Mum's voice was soft. "Stressed?"

I waved her concern off, smiling. "Nah, I'm good."

Kieran chuckled, but I ignored him. He's bad luck. Everything about him —

"What about Asher, darling? How is he doing?"

The spoon I was holding clattered as it dropped back onto the plate. All the happiness drained from my face as it reminded me once more of the arsehole I called a boyfriend.

Mum shot up from her seat.."Darling, are you okay?"

My response came out choked, like the words had to claw their way out of my throat. "I broke up with him."