Owned by My Best Friend's Brother

3. You don't even know her!

ALEX POV

I'm already late for my sister's welcome home party and this woman won't take a hint. Maybe I should have her banned from the building. At first I thought that would be too harsh considering she was my girlfriend at one point, but this is getting ridiculous. Maybe I just need to be an asshole.

"Alex, are you listening?" Celia whined. "No, I'm done listening to the same thing over and over again. We broke up weeks ago and I'm not trying to get back together." I affirmed while picking up my things and readying myself to make my escape. "But I told you that I'm willing to wait until you're ready to take the next step, Alex. We don't need to get married or even engaged if you're not ready yet." She pleaded while following me around my office.

I put my jacket on and thought of the best way to get my point across. Normally, I try to be calm and composed but Celia needs to get this through her head. If I have to have this conversation with her one more time, I'm going to get a restraining order on her.

"Celia, I told you I didn't want to get married. Not because I wasn't ready, but because I don't see myself marrying YOU. Because of that, I thought it would be best to go our separate ways. No amount of time is going to change the way I feel. Stop coming to my office and home trying to convince me to get back with you. I've moved on and so should you." I said, frustration clear in my voice, and walked out of the office.

I could hear her following behind me, but before she could say anything else, I quickly got into the executive elevator and closed the door. She won't be able to use it without the key card. It's a good thing the drive to my parent's house is a good twenty minutes. I'm going to need them to meditate and get all this negative energy out. I have enough stress in my life, I really didn't need Celia to come into my office for the third time this week. How she found out I was in the office at two in the afternoon on a Saturday is a mystery. I may need to fire someone. By the time I get to my parents, my mood is improved and I'm ready to see my little sister. When I walk into the house, the first thing I notice is that it's uncharacteristically quiet. It's pretty hot outside, they must have moved the party to the pool. Making my way to the back, I started to hear my little brother laughing and my sister yelling at him. Looking out the open double doors that lead to the backyard, I see my parents, Derick and his girlfriend Tina, sitting at a table having drinks. Logan is in the pool splashing around trying to get Cici and another girl wet while they sit at the edge of the pool. I can't see the girl next to Cici from where I'm standing. Cici is blocking her.

"Are you just going to stare or come out here?" My mother waved me over.

I walked over to their table.

"Hey Mom." I bent down and hugged her while kissing her cheek. "Dad." I shook his hand and nodded at Derick and his girlfriend.

I turned again to look towards the pool and now I could see the girl next to Cici. She is wearing a very revealing bathing suit, she is about to pop out of it. She's pretty, but that doesn't excuse her audacity.

"Who's that?" I nodded my head at the girls sitting next to Cici. "She's Cici's best friend, Stella." My mom smiled brightly.

I am not at all amused by Cici's choice of friends. Why would she wear something so inappropriate to a family gathering? Does she think by wearing that she will land herself a man?

"I'm going to say hi to Cici." I said while walking over to the pool. "Alex!" Cici beamed while getting up and jumping into my arms. "Hey little sis." I said and hugged her tightly. We pull apart and she looks down at her friend. "Stella, this is my eldest brother Alex. This is Stella my bestie." She introduced us. "Hi." Stella smiles and waves.

Her arms are at her sides and she's hunching herself inward, like she's trying to hide her body. Now she wants to pretend to be modest?

"Nice to meet you." I replied.

Suddenly, there is a big splashing noise and we are all soaked. Unlike the girls that are in their bathing suites, I'm in my suite. I looked towards the pool and glared at Logan.

"Sorry brother!" He grinned and went back to swimming. "Excuse me." I said while making my way to get a towel.

I walked over to the basket and pulled a towel out and started to dry myself.

"What do you think?" My brother Derick said from behind me. "About?" I asked while finishing drying myself. "Stella." He nodded his head over to Cici's friend. "I think she's not the type of friend Cici needs." I replied with irritation. "Stella? Why? She hardly even speaks." Derick chuckles. "The quiet ones are the worst." I warned. He looked confused by my statement, looking over at Stella and back at me. "No way! Cici practically had to drag her out of the house. Even then, it took her ten minutes to convince her to remove her towel." He laughed. "That's an act." I scoffed.

He shook his head and walked back over to the table with Tina. I look back and notice Cici is walking into the house and Logan is sitting next to Stella. I walked over to them and sat on the other side of Stella.

"Logan, can you give us a second?" I motioned for him to go into the pool. "Sure. See you in a bit Stella." He looked hesitant but dived into the pool.

I watch him until he reaches the deep end.

"I'm sure that when my sister told you she had three brothers you thought it was a good idea to wear something like that." I turned to her and pointed at the bikini.

Her eyes went wide and she hugged herself before reaching back and pulling a towel from behind and covering herself.

"It is very inappropriate considering this is my parent's house. You should have more respect for them than that. Cici needs respectable young ladies as friends." I added.

She looked away and shifted uncomfortably.

"What are you guys talking about?" Cici asked, looking at Stella worriedly. "Nothing, I don't feel so good. Excuse me." Stella got up and walked back into the house. Cici watched Stella walk away and I got up to talk to my parents about finding other accommodations for Cici's little friend. "What did you say to her!" She yelled at me.

I saw this coming a mile away. I turned around and faced her for what I was about to say.

"How could you bring a girl like that to our parent's house? You need to get rid of her." I demanded. "Girl like her? You don't even know her!" She yells again. "Watch your tone! I don't need to know her. Why would she think it's okay to wear something that she's practically spilling out of?" I replied. "It's a bikini Alex! What do you want her to wear to go into the pool? A bourka?" She mocks. "How about a bathing suit that fits?" I mocked back.

I started to walk away, done with this ridiculous conversation. Before I get very far, Cici pulls on my arm to turn me around. She has tears in her eyes and is visibly angry. What did she expect? She knows the expectations I have for the people she surrounds herself with. She needs to realize that some women are going to get close to her to find herself a suitable husband. We may not be rich, but we do very well for ourselves.

"She is wearing my bikini because she didn't have a bathing suit. I had to convince her to come out here. She was worried because, yes, it was a little small on her. I know you like to judge and boss everyone around but this is ridiculous." She rants and then storms back inside.

I do feel a little bad now, but she really should have worn a shirt over that bathing suit. She had to notice that it barely covered the parts it was intended to cover. Cici is much smaller than her in those areas and that bikini looks appropriate on her. The fact is, Stella is very curvy and needs a lot more fabric in those areas. I turned to look at my parents for reinforcement and they were glaring at me, no help there. My brothers are laughing and shaking their heads at me. I'm guessing the consensus is it's not Stella's fault that she is VERY blessed and I'm an asshole for making her feel bad. I'm not going to get a moment's peace if I don't fix this.