Stepbrother's Allure: At His Mercy

A mistake

KIERAN

For a week, I had looked for her, employed private detectives who boasted to be good at what they did, but all the searches were futile. I tore the city apart until I found a magazine with her pictures in it. I realised then that she worked for the newest company I purchased. The news was a shock. I'd torn the whole place, not knowing the one I wanted was right under my nose, just a little beyond reach.

I'd planned our first meeting, how I would walk into the office and stun her to death. The image of that had kept me, made me hold back from seeking her out like I would have loved to, just so I could hold her to me. A week was all it remained to meet her, to get to the woman who had stolen my heart.

However, when I walked out of Maria's house to take a call, I froze in my steps as my eyes locked with that of the woman who had plagued my every waking moment...

She stood there, eyes wide, mouth open, shoulders squared, almost like she was thinking of fleeing. I blinked, regaining my composure.

"April?" I asked, walking down the stairs to her. She still hadn't moved, her expression still the same.

She tried to speak, but no words escaped her lips. My eyes went down there, to the luscious lips I had kissed that night, the ones that had parted to moan out when I hit the right spot. Close to her, inhaling the sweet familiar scent, out here in the lawn, it felt like I got transported to the past, to that night when I lost my heart.

"Fancy meeting you again," I tried to sound casual, smiling as I read her expression.

"What are you doing here?" She asked at last, narrowing her eyes at me. "Did you stalk me? Had me followed?"

"I —"

She raised her right palm. "Listen up, young man. I don't know what's wrong with you, or what you hope to gain from this. That night was just a mistake, okay? I don't even know why you are here. For blackmail? I'm afraid I don't even have any cash with me. You can just post my pictures..." She shook her head. "No, you can't put my pictures. Forget I said that. I just... I don't have any money for you and..."

"I didn't stalk you," I said, ignoring her mention of blackmail while lying through my teeth. Of course, I had men look for her, with just a name, the only thing I knew about her, but there was no need to tell her that...

"Then what are you doing here?" The fight was still in her eyes, her stance still tense. She didn't trust me, not like I wanted her to do that to a stranger, even though we had seen each other's nakedness.

"To see my new stepmum. My father —"

She blinked. "Your... Your stepmum?"

"Hmm. My father intends to get married to her, so he wanted me to meet her and her daughter before...." My eyes widened when I realised something, just as she did the same. "Are you Maria's daughter?"

"Are you Roderick's son?" She asked, ignoring my question.

Nodding, I put my hands in the pockets of my jeans and smirked. "Yes, stepsister," I teased, loving the way she rolled her eyes.

"Don't call me that," she gritted out, already walking towards the house, dismissing me. "It's not as if they are married. Anything can happen."

"Don't hope on that, step sis." I chuckled when she flipped me the bird. God, May was more entertaining than I thought she would be. I watched her, the sway of her hips in her business pencil skirt enticing. Just for a second, I imagined running to her and palming the soft flesh, but I stopped my thoughts before they could propel my legs forward.

She turned as if she heard my thoughts, frowned and walked back the me. "I..." She looked towards the front door. "Let's not talk about that night. We are both adults, and we ..." She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. "Let's forget the past."

"The past?" I smiled, reaching out to touch her. "It hasn't been up to two weeks, April. Surely, you don't think I've forgotten, do you?"

"I'm begging you. My mum loves your dad, and I want to see them together. Sleeping with you that night was a mistake —"

She yelped when I gripped her arms, tugging her close to me as my nails dug into her flesh.

"A mistake?" I scoffed, leaning close. "How can you call it a mistake when you were moaning under me, writhing as you begged for more? Asked me to take you harder, to make you forget?"

Her cheeks turned darker. She averted her gaze, breathing rapidly. "I... It was just a drunk mistake. We shouldn't have even gotten together in the first place." She returned her gaze to my face. "We are adults. Let's not complicate the matter any further."

"What if I want that?" I removed some strands of hair from her face. "You don't know how I searched for you after you left, desperate to get a hold of you. And now that I have found you again, you want me to forget all about it?"

Her breath hitched in her throat, and she gulped. "What the hell are you talking about? It's just a one-night stand, no need to make it seem a big of a big deal. I don't —"

"It's a big deal..." I smirked. "You have gotten my attention, April. I'm not backing down."

"God." She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "What's wrong with you? Are you not loved at home? Desperate for companions? I will have you know that I'm not interested. Even if we won't be step-siblings, I'm not interested."

"But I am. I'm interested in you."

"I'm not. Just let it drop." She drew a step back, and my hands fell to my side.