TRAPPED WITH MY STEP BROTHERS

Ladina "Stop fidgeting; relax. You are ruining the dress." My mother’s voice whispered. She grabbed my shoulder, digging her long nails right into my bare skin. I winced, but I didn't pull away. "It’s too tight, Mom," I whispered back. The loud wedding party buzzed all around us. "I can hardly breathe." "Good. That means it fits," she snapped. She let go of me and smoothed her own perfect white dress. She didn't even look at my face. Her icy blue eyes were busy checking out the huge hotel ballroom. We were at the fanciest hotel in Zurich. Bright crystal lights hung from the ceiling. Waiters carried expensive champagne on gold and silver trays. Tonight, my mother was the bride. She finally got exactly what she wanted: James Blanthen, a billionaire who owned a massive company. And he is my stepfather now. "Smile, Ladina," she ordered. She showed her white teeth in a fake, plastic grin. "We won. Stop looking like a scared little mouse. People are staring at you." "I don't belong here," I said softly, looking down at my shoes. Just a year ago, we lived in a tiny, freezing apartment. We barely had money for food. Now, I was wearing a dress that cost more than a car. "You belong where I say you belong," Anna said coldly. She finally looked at me. Her eyes were hard. "I worked my whole life to get us into this room. Do not ruin this for me. Be quiet, and look pretty.” She didn't wait for me to answer. James waved at her from across the room. Without another word, she walked away to join her rich new husband. She left me totally alone in a sea of strangers. My chest tightened. The air in the big hall felt too hot. I felt dizzy. I needed to get out of there. I kept my head down, letting my long dark hair hide my face. I walked fast until I found an empty balcony. The freezing Swiss evening air hit my face, but it felt amazing. I walked to the edge of the wall, grabbed the freezing metal rail, and closed my eyes. I just needed five minutes of peace. "You're shaking." The deep, rough voice came from my left corner; I spun around so fast I almost tripped over my long dress. A tall man stepped out with the red glow of a lit cigarette in his mouth. He looked at me like a hungry wolf looking at a trapped rabbit. "I... I just needed some air," I managed to say. My voice sounded weak and shaky. I hated it. He didn't walk away. Instead, he took a slow, steady step toward me. "It’s freezing out here, little sister," he mocked. He made the words 'little sister' sound like a dirty insult. “Or are you just hiding? Did you finally realize that you don't belong in our world?" My chest was beating fast, but I refused to let him see how scared I was. "I’m not hiding." "Liar," he murmured. He leaned in close. His eyes dropped to my mouth, then slowly moved down to my bare neck. I gasped softly. There was absolutely nothing brotherly about the way he looked at me. "You smell like fear," he said softly. "You and your gold-digging mother.” Anger finally pushed past my fear. "Don't talk about my mother like that." I took a step backward. "I will talk however I want in my father's house," he growled. He leaned closer until I could feel his breath on my cheek. "You are just a guest here. A very short-term guest. My father might be stupid enough to fall for your mother's tricks, but I see exactly what you two are." I opened my mouth to yell at him. My hands curled into tight fists. But then another voice cut through. "Back off, Gabe." The voice was quiet. It wasn't loud or angry, but it was completely in control. He was even taller but leaner. He was built like a swimmer, with wide shoulders. Soft, messy blonde hair fell slightly into his eyes. My name is Oliver, and that is my younger brother, Gabriel. He walked onto the balcony with his hands shoved in his pockets. He didn't look mad at all. He just looked like he was studying me. His eyes were sharp. He looked me up and down, taking his time. "You're scaring her," Oliver said smoothly. He didn't even look at his brother. He kept his golden eyes locked right on mine. "She needs to learn how things work around here," Gabriel fired back. He took a final drag of his cigarette and threw it over the edge of the balcony. "Before she gets too comfortable with my father's money." "She is family now." Oliver finally stopped right in front of me and held my hand. I flinched and pressed my back harder against the wall. I thought he was going to hurt me. But he didn't. As he held my hand, his touch was burning hot. It sent a wild shock straight through my skin. "Aren't you, Dina?" Oliver whispered. The nickname sounded way too personal. I couldn't even speak. I was trapped between the two of them. Gabriel's hot, angry rage was on one side. Oliver's quiet, heavy stare was on the other. They were exact opposites, but they were both looking at me like I was a meal. "They’re looking for us," Oliver said. He finally turned to look at his brother. He dropped his hand from my arm, but my skin still felt hot where he touched me. "Dad is about to make his speech." Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Fine." He shot me one last, dark look that promised this wasn't over. "Let's go play, happy family. Come along, little sister." They walked back inside the hall together. I stayed glued to the wall for ten full seconds, waiting for my heart to stop racing. It didn't. I took a deep breath and followed them back into the bright lights. The hall had gone completely silent. James Blanthen stood on the grand stage in the center of the hall. He looked powerful. My mother stood right beside him, holding his arm and smiling brightly. Gabriel and Oliver stood close to them, but I stopped at the edge of the crowd, wanting to hide. But my mother's eyes found me instantly. She gave me a sharp, angry look. I forced my feet to move. I walked over and stood right next to Oliver. As I stopped beside him, his arm brushed against mine. He didn't step away. "Thank you all for being here tonight," James’s deep voice boomed through the microphone. "Anna and I are so happy to start this new life. But, as many of you know, my business never sleeps. A big problem has come up in Tokyo." People in the crowd gasped and started whispering. I frowned and looked up at my mom. She didn't look surprised at all. Her smile was glued to her face. "Our honeymoon is in Tokyo instead," James continued smoothly. "We are leaving for the airport in a few hours." "However," James said. His eyes dropped to where Gabriel, Oliver, and I stood. "Family is the most important thing. Anna and I have decided that while we are gone on business for the next two months, our children need time to bond to become a real family." I turned pale. Two months? "My private jet is waiting on the roof," James announced. He stared hard at his two sons. "You three are going to our winter cabin in Zermatt tonight. I have sent all the staff home. You will figure out how to live together, just the three of you. No excuses." The room clapped politely. I couldn't hear them. My ears were roaring. I spun around to look at the brothers. Gabriel was staring down at me. A slow, dark, evil smile spread across his face. Oliver didn't smile at all. But his golden eyes turned dark. He watched my panic with intense, hungry focus. I wasn't just being left behind. I was being locked in a cage with them in the middle of nowhere. And by the way, they were looking at me; they were going to eat me alive.