In Love With My Stepson

6~ Wedding night

The wedding reception officially started at one p.m and the after-party drags on till some minutes to past five.

I stay by Mr. Zephyr’s side the entire time, plastering on a forced smile as he drinks and laughs with his friends.

My mind keeps drifting to Ryan, my eyes searching for him. Right after we took some family portraits he disappeared from my sight.

In a mansion full of nothing but monsters, it feels like he’s the only one who isn’t entirely a monster. It feels like he’s the only one that will listen to me.

I need to talk to him.

Looking at the round table I sit at in the midst of Mr. Zephyr and his friends. I know I can only use the "I have to pee" card once, so I must be careful.

I glance at my so-called husband seeing his glass sway in his hand, his eyes glazed with drunkenness.

I s*ck in a deep breath.

“Can I step away for a moment?” I ask, keeping my voice soft and sweet, like the obedient bride they warned me to be. “I… I have to use the restroom.”

Zephyr blinks, peering at me sluggishly, “Don’t take too long.” He waves me off with a lazy smile, too intoxicated to bother sending a bodyguard.

I immediately stand and make a beeline for the mansion, my heart pounding in my chest.

I head straight to Ryan’s room and knock, my pulse racing. A few moments pass, and then the door cracks open. Ryan peers through the small opening of the door, his hazel-brown eyes tensed with confusion.

“Hazel?” he mutters, with a c****d brow, then begins to pull the door close as soon as he registers it’s me.

I panic and without thinking, I shove my hand between the door and the frame to stop him.

“Ryan, please—”

He jerks, stopping the door before it slams on my hand, his brows narrowing into hard slits as he glares at me. “For f*ck’s sake! Are you trying to get yourself injured!?” he snaps loudly, his voice sharp with anger.

“I-I’m sorry,” I stammer, breathless. “I just... I want to talk to you. Please.”

He sighs, his fingers reach and grabs my hand, push it away then slams the door shut, leaving me outside.

I remain there, standing outside his door, my head hanging low. I guess I’m wrong. He’s probably a monster like the rest of—

The door opens again— wide this time, startling me. His imposing figure appears right in front of me, and he walks into the hallway, getting too close to me, which makes me take two cautious steps back, to maintain a respectful distance.

His gaze flickers over to the hallway behind me, like he’s wary of being seen talking to me.

“What’s up?” he asks coldly and impatiently as his eyes return to me.

He folds his arms, his shoulder tensed giving him a rigid, guarded posture. I look over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of his room before the door closes. Cause why does it feel like he was doing something wrong in there?

I shake off the feeling knowing I have other things to worry about.

“Uh…” I chuckle nervously. “I, ahh… think it would’ve been less shocking… if you had introduced yourself yesterday,” I say awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood.

Ryan gives a dry scoff, “And scare you off?”

I let out a forced nervous laugh, “Well, when I saw your dad’s age earlier today, I was expecting... I don’t know, maybe a fifteen-year-old. Not...” I gesture vaguely toward him. “Not you… a twenty plus man.”

A fleeting smile grazes his lips as Ryan runs a hand through his messy yet voluminous dark brown hair, pushing it out of his face.

He locks eyes with me, as he takes a step closer, shrinking the respectful space I had maintained between us until I can feel the warmth radiating off him and engulfing me.

I look to the side, shifting on my feet to avoid eye contact. The way he looks at me— it makes me feel so hot and uncomfortable, it makes my cheeks burn!

“But, how old are you, Hazel?” he asks, his voice low and curious.

“I, uh… I turned twenty-one last month,” I answer trying to sound calm under his intense gaze.

His eyes widens slightly, surprise crossing his face. He must be surprised that we’re the same age, or he's older.

“Twenty-one?” He repeats, then shakes his head. “You look seventeen, Hazel,” he tilts his head, “Are you lying to me?”

“No!” I shake my head with an embarrassed titter. “I swear, I really am twenty-one. And yeah… It’s not the first time hearing that.”

I may be twenty-one, but I still feel like I’m seventeen or eighteen. Ever since I turned eighteen , my face hasn’t changed a bit. I only got curvier and fuller than my once very thin body, and I’ve added some height. But my face remains the same, which confuse people.

“So, uh...” I venture cautiously, trying to change the topic, and quench my curiosity “you?”

“Me?” He turns to the side for a brief moment, his smile turning into a small laugh. “Eighteen.”

“What?” My eyes bulge out, his words landing like a slap on my cheek.

"Eighteen?" I echo, blinking at him in disbelief. "You’re eighteen??”

The corner of his mouth quirks up as he grins, his eyes glittering with amusement, my breath hitch watching his face glow, my heart racing. He seems to like my reaction.

“Yeah.. why though? I turned eighteen six months ago.”

“Are you seri— No it’s just… you look older. I thought you were older than me, or at least my age.”

He chuckles “Yeah, I get that a lot...”

I nod still hazed.

“From pedophiles who want me between their legs,” he adds with a teasing smirk, his eyes smoldering at me.

I shake my head vigorously. “No, that’s not— I didn’t mean that!” I argue, but pause staring at him, now that he mentions it, I realize he actually does look his age. Well, his face does.

His face still has soft features, balanced somewhere between cute and charming. His eyes carry a mischievous glint, the kind most teenagers have. And his face is smooth, with hardly any beard growth though they should be, unless he shaves.

But looking down at his body it’s a completely different story. He’s incredibly built, his shoulders are broad, his sleeves rolled up again! revealing his bulging veins, making him undeniably attractive. And then there’s his height—he stands about 6’3”, and with the fact that he’s only eighteen, it’s possible he’ll grow even taller.

“I’d prefer it if my stepmom stops staring at me like she wants me between her legs,” he says, snapping me out of my thoughts, making me realize I’ve been staring at him for far too long.

“No!” I panic, my cheeks flushing. “I just realized you look your age… but your body uh... not so much,” I mumble the last part. He chuckles again, the sound, a sweet melody in my ears.

“So… you like my body?” he asks lowly, almost flirty.

I nod unconsciously but change to an aggressive shake of head when I realize.

He laughs and embarrassed, i look away but his gaze follows my eyes. “I like you,” he says, startling me. “Do me a favor and don’t die.”

His words hits me hard, reminding me why I came to talk to him in the first place. His smile, laughter, and alluring voice it’s so soothing, comforting, distracting. Just talking to him makes me forget the misery that awaits me tonight.

But now that I know he’s only eighteen, hesitation creeps in. I doubt he can help me, especially considering how he flinched earlier when Zephyr jabbed him—it seems like he fears his father too.

“Is that all you wanted to talk about?” He says, as I have been quiet for too long.

“I... you’re just a kid. I don’t think I should talk to you.” I mutter.

“Kid?” he scoffs, I can feel the annoyance in his voice. “Talk, Hazel.”

“They have my brother,” I blurt out, my heart racing.

He doesn’t react, his expression unreadable—as if he already knows or expected it.

“He’s just a year younger than you, and he… I don’t want anything to happen to him but—”

My lips tremble as I look down, shame and fear overwhelming me. “Out of everyone here, I feel like you’re the only one who cares about me—or at least has a bit of sympathy.”

I meet his intense gaze, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m scared of what’s going to happen to me tonight, Ryan... even if I want to protect my brother… I don’t think i can do it…”

He’s quiet, breathing in slowly. I don’t think he fully understands what I’m saying, and this is exactly why I didn’t want to talk to him—he’s still just a kid.

This night is my wedding night, which means it's the night i lose my virginity to Zephyr— No it’s the night Zephyr takes it. I have to have s*x with him this night, with a cruel man i just met yesterday. But I can't. I know I will fight him off, get him angry and that will most likely cost the life of my brother.

“I have something,” he finally says, leaving me shocked and confused.

He opens the door to his room, his fingers circles around my wrist as he pulls me inside. The room is also exceptionally huge and very arranged.

He shifts behind me and locks the door, a flicker of anxiety tightens in my chest. He turns back to me, his expression serious. “There aren’t cameras in my room.” He says and I nod.

He lets go of my hand and moves to a certain spot in the room, he retrieves something in a hidden spot and conceals it in his hand behind his back.

He walks back to me, then opens his palm in front of me, revealing a small pill case.

My brows narrow “What... what’s this?”

“It makes you numb and nonexistent—shuts you out of the real world.” He explains “You won’t remember a thing.”

But why does he have this? Was this what he was hiding earlier?

“Ryan… have you been taking this?” I ask, more worried about him.

“Hazel!” He cuts me off sharply, making me jerk. “Do you want it or not?”

“I...” I extend my hand hesitantly, and he pours a generous amount into my palm. “Thank you,” I murmur.

He takes three steps back, and his face goes blank. “You have to be careful.” He warns, “He can’t find out I have this. Because I’m his son doesn’t mean I’m an exception to his punishments.”

I swallow hard, I do all things to make sure I don’t get caught. I can’t have Ryan getting punished for helping me.

He hides the case again, turning to me with a warning in his eyes. “You shouldn’t be here.” He mumbles.

I nod and walk out of the room. I keep the pills hidden in my purse and head back to meet Zephyr before they start looking for me.

~

After everything, when I know my time has come, I swallow and chew down all the pills Ryan gave me.

Not long after, Mr. Zephyr takes me to his room in the top floor.

Still In my wedding dress, I stand firm in front of his enormous bed, but he’s right behind, his large strong hands clutching my shoulders tightly.

“You’re doing so good, my darling Hazel,” he breaths in my ear as he leans into my neck and kisses it, biting on the sensitive flesh.

I shut my eyes tight and tilt my head to the side, my fists clenched. “Please take effect” I internally plead, begging the drugs to numb me.

He roams his hands around my body from my shoulders down to my hips, then he grips it and pushes me closer against his hard body.

“I have some rules you must follow if you want to survive,” he says directly in my ear as he begins to kiss and nibble on the soft skin.

“One, do everything I ask of you. Two, treat me with nothing but love and respect. Three, your body belongs to me, so whenever I ask for it, give it to me.”

“Do you understand?”

“Y— es… Mr. Zephyr "I stammer, my body trembling.

He scoffs. “Call me Lennox, darling. After all, I'm your husband.” He says, sliding his fingers up to my back. He zips down my wedding dress then slowly pulls it over my shoulder. It falls to the ground, leaving me exposed in nothing but my underwear.

He yanks off my bra, tossing it carelessly across the room, before tearing my panties apart with a sudden, brutal force.

With a swift motion, he spins me around to face him.

My eyes drop, and I see his hands fondling my breasts, but I feel nothing—just an overwhelming numbness that blankets my senses.

Lennox pushes me onto the bed and as my back hits the soft mattress, a piercing high frequency sound deafens my ears, and my vision begins to blur, but I still see his figure hovering over me as he begins to unbuckle his belt.