Ravaged by my brother-in-law

011

~Sandra~

I turned around, with my heart hammering. Was that another mistress? I wondered bitterly. Did the fucker actually invite his whole harem over today?

We were about to find out.

Liam strode over to the front door and pulled it open, with annoyance clearly written all over his face.

The moment the door swung wide, the temperature in the room seemed to plummet to absolute zero.

Because standing in the hallway, impeccably dressed in a tailored charcoal suit, was Ryan, his brother.

Ryan stood at 6'2", much taller than his brother, with his broad shoulders filling the doorway, his dark hair slightly unruly, and his dark eyes cold and completely unreadable. He carried an aura of effortless danger that immediately dominated the space.

The minute I saw him, my heart slammed against my ribs and a gasping breath caught in my throat. Ryan?! What is he doing here?!

The moment my eyes fell on him, memories of last night flooded back into my mind in a hot, dizzying wave.

I felt his hands on my skin again, his mouth claiming mine, and the raw intensity of his voice whispering in my ear. I felt my face flush hot, with my whole body tensing up in shock.

Liam froze and his jaw dropped slightly, with shock and instant hostility flashing across his handsome features.

“Ryan?” Liam stammered, his voice tense. “What... what are you doing here? I didn't even know you were back in the city.”

Ryan offered a slow, razor-sharp smirk that didn't reach his eyes.

“Hello, brother,” Ryan said, his voice deep and smooth. “I arrived last night. I thought I’d drop by to see how my favorite relative was doing. Am I interrupting something?”

Liam’s eyes narrowed into angry slits as the two stepbrothers stared at each other, the air thick with years of buried hatred, resentment, and brutal rivalry.

“No,” Liam said through tight lips, forcing a fake smile as he stepped back. “Of course not. Come in.”

Ryan stepped into the penthouse, his dark eyes immediately sweeping across the room until they landed directly on me.

The sheer intensity of his gaze made my knees feel weak.

“Sandra,” Ryan acknowledged smoothly, his voice dropping an octave. “You look… glowing today.”

My heart beat frantically against my chest. “Hello, Ryan,” I managed to say, my voice barely a whisper.

Priya, sensing the sudden shift in power and wealth in the room, immediately straightened her back, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Ryan.

Liam quickly stepped between Ryan and the rest of the room, eager to assert his dominance. “Ryan, this is Priya, my senior associate. Priya, this is my stepbrother, Ryan.”

“Ah, the famous associate,” Ryan said, giving Priya a brief, dismissive glance that made her smile falter. Ryan turned back to Liam. “Liam, I need to check those quarterly tax filings you submitted for the parent company. Hand them over.”

“They’re in my study,” Liam said, clearly annoyed at being ordered around in his own home. “Priya, come with me to grab them. We need to double-check the figures anyway.”

“Of course, Liam,” Priya purred, following Liam down the long corridor toward his home office.

The moment Liam and Priya disappeared around the corner, I turned to head into the kitchen to hide my shaking hands.

I walked down the narrow, secluded hallway toward the guest bathroom, taking deep breaths to calm my nerves.

Suddenly, a strong arm reached out from the shadows.

Before I could scream, I was pulled into the dim alcove of the hallway. I was spun around and pinned gently but firmly against the wall.

Ryan was standing inches from me, his massive frame trapping me completely. His dark eyes were burning with a dangerous, hungry fire.

“Ryan!” I gasped, my hands coming up to press against his chest. “Are you insane?! Liam is right around the corner!”

“Let him be,” Ryan murmured, his voice was a low, seductive rumble that vibrated straight through me.

He didn't pull back. Instead, he leaned down, brushing his lips softly against the curve of my jaw, making me let out a quiet, breathless gasp. He trailed his hand up my side, his thumb pressing into my waist through the fabric of my dress.

“Stop it,” I whispered, though my voice lacked conviction. “What are you doing here? We had an agreement! Last night was a one-time transaction! What the hell are you doing?!”

Ryan let out a soft, dark chuckle against my skin, then he pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, with his thumb tracing my trembling lower lip.

“Did it feel like a transaction to you, Sandra?” Ryan whispered teasingly. “Because if I recall, you weren't thinking about deals or agreements when you were screaming my name last night. And right now? Your heart is beating so fast I can feel it against my palm. Your body isn't saying no.”

My blood ran scalding hot, as the thrilling, terrifying danger of being caught by my husband just a few feet away sent a powerful rush of adrenaline straight through my body.

My face flushed, with my breath coming in quick, shallow hitches. I wanted to sink into his touch, wanted to let him take me right here just to shatter Liam’s world.

Ryan leaned in, aiming directly for my lips, his intention clear, but my brain snapped back into place in that instant.

No! a voice screamed inside my head. Snap out of it!

I suddenly remembered where I was. If Liam walked out right now and saw this, everything was over. I would lose my revenge, my freedom, and my future.

With a sudden burst of strength, I placed both hands against Ryan’s shoulders and pushed him away with all my might.

Ryan stepped back, looking at me with an amused smirk.

I glared at him, quickly smoothed down my dress, checked my hair, and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, my chest heaving as I forced my breathing to slow down.

Suddenly… heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway and I turned in horror to see that Liam had stepped around the corner holding a yellow folder, with his eyes darting suspiciously between Ryan and me.

“What’s going on over here?” Liam demanded, his voice sharp and full of accusation. “Why are you two standing in the hallway?”

I turned around instantly, forcing a perfectly calm, innocent expression onto my face.

“Nothing at all, Liam,” I said smoothly, stepping past Ryan without looking at him. “I was just showing Ryan where the guest towels were in case he wanted to wash his hands before coffee.”

Liam’s eyes narrowed as he glared at his stepbrother. Ryan merely leaned against the wall, his hands casually shoved into his suit pockets, looking completely unbothered as he smiled at Liam.

“Is that so?” Liam muttered, his gaze shifting back and forth.

He clearly didn’t believe me at all.