Stepbrother's Allure: At His Mercy

Kieran?

Silence.

You could hear my breathing.

It stayed that way for just a few seconds before Mum hugged me. “Oh, honey!” She held me, while Roderick looked as uncomfortable as hell. Kieran's face got darker, the smirk on his face disappearing as he stared hard at me, his fists clenched.

“I'm sorry, darling. I didn't know. You never mentioned it, so I thought —”

“It's okay. I'm over it. He's not worth it.” He's not. I'd spent my days with him thinking he was the one for me, the man I would spend the rest of my life with, until he betrayed me. It still hurts, like it should. No one forgets something like that in just a week. Even though I wanted to.

Mum placed both hands on my shoulder and made me look up at her. “Tell me, honey, did he hurt you? I swear to everything living, I will have his head and —”

“It's okay.” I shook my head, forcing a smile. “Let's not think about him and enjoy dinner. We have visitors, remember?”

“No, we are not visitors,” Roderick spoke up before the words could settle in. “We are family, April. If there's anything you want to get off your shoulders, you can. Anytime you feel like.”

His words made me smile, the warmth spreading through my body. “Thank you. I will keep that in mind.” For the future, I wanted to add, but didn't. I have no interest in talking about Asher. He isn't worth it. Men like him aren't.

“Darling —”

“Mum, I'm fine. Let's have dinner, okay?” I begged, hoping she would drop it, at least for now. Knowing who Mum is, she wouldn't give up, until she had gotten the full gist, just to make certain he didn't hurt me at all.

“You know —”

“She said she's alright. Let's respect her wishes.”

I snapped my head towards Kieran just as Mum did the same, surprised he spoke up. I thought he would just watch us, waiting for the entire drama to end just so he could have dinner and return to wherever the hell he came from.

Mum exhaled, nodded and returned to her chair, but before she started eating, she sent a look my way, just so I would know the conversation was far from being over.

I wasn't counting on that. I already knew what to expect.

Dinner resumed, strained at first until Roderick cracked a joke, just to get things back on track. Though mum looked towards me occasionally, she didn't say a peep about Asher until we finished dinner. I volunteered to wash the dishes and Kieran asked to wash up with me.

I refused, but mum was having none of that. It pleased her that he wanted to create a bond with me and was hoping I would do the same, even if we wouldn't get to spend much time together.

I begrudgingly washed the dishes with him and ignored his poor attempts at starting a conversation with me. I wanted nothing more than to run away from the house, but I knew it wouldn't be that easy, not with Mum and Roderick smiling like their wishes were coming true.

By the time we finished washing the dishes and had another family time, I was ready to crash. Mum offered for me to stay the night, but I refused when I heard Kieran was staying over. I lied about having something important to deal with, so I could escape a night with the devilishly handsome stranger who turned out to be my freaking future stepfather.

Mum's serious about Roderick. You could see the love in their eyes whenever they looked at each other. It was so obvious to pretend otherwise, and I knew it wouldn't be long before they tied the knot. Having Kieran as a stepbrother was inevitable. I couldn't even fight it if I wanted.

I evaded my mum for the entire week, knowing returning home would mean getting my brain dissected so she could know what happened with Asher, and getting to meet Kieran.

It was a tough week, and by Friday I was ready to break. Mum's calls were getting insistent and she was mad with worry, afraid the breakup affected me more than I let on.

If only she knew it all had to do with her new stepson and the new CEO who was set to arrive this afternoon. I was at risk of getting dropped, but the woman thought I was thinking about Asher. If only that were the case, it would be better than being scared of losing my only source of livelihood.

“Are you ready?” Maria asked, her gaze taking me in from head to toe. I had just changed out of the clothes I got for my model gig and was back to the sundress I picked today because I had no strength to dress up.

I knew what would go down today after we welcomed the new CEO, and didn't bother getting dressed for it. It wouldn't help me, not one bit. I was getting dropped. We all know that, no need to get my hopes up thinking a miracle would happen.

Miracles don't happen, at least not to me. To others, it might. Fate had long placed me on her blacklist, of course, she wouldn't get it off that easily.

“April? Are you even listening to me?”

I blinked, realising I'd trailed off in my thoughts, not paying attention to Maria, who was still trying to get me to be optimistic when we both knew it wouldn't work, not when we know our fate.

“What were you saying?”

Her loud sigh and the thin pressing of her lips almost caused a twitch on my lips, but I was far gone in my misery to even spare a smile.

“You know what? Let's just go.” She checked her wristwatch. “It's almost time. He will be here in a few. Let's go join the others.”

My response was half-hearted, lacking the enthusiasm they knew me for. “Yeah.”

“Come on, cheer up, darling. Even though we are going down, we will do it with a smile.”

“Yeah, like it would matter.”

I dragged my feet towards the entrance of the company building, wishing for everything to be over, but knowing we still had to welcome the new boss.

Maria stood behind me, just like the other managers did with their artists. We waited in silence until a red Ferrari rolled to a stop at the entrance. A man in black existed and rushed over to open the door for him.

With bated breath, we waited for him to step out, and when he did, I almost couldn't believe my eyes.

Standing right there, with a s**t-eating grin on his face, was none other than my future step-brother, Kieran.