My Stepfather, My Secret Lover

"Alaric, is Vera awake yet? Breakfast is ready. Don't be late for class." Felicia's voice drifted up from downstairs. I became fully awake, pulled out my fingers, and yanked the covers over my lower body. Trying to sound calm, I asked, "Alaric, what are you doing in my room?" Being caught m**********g by my stepfather was bad enough. The fact that he was the person I had been fantasizing about made it infinitely worse. Alaric wore a sharply tailored suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist. Yet my gaze still drifted downward, settling on the obvious bulge. I swallowed hard. Time had barely left a mark on his face. He had prominent brow bones, low-set brows, and a straight nose—the kind of mature, handsome man who looked as though he had stepped out of a comic book. No wonder Felicia was so captivated by him. "Felicia asked me to wake you up. I knocked, but you didn't answer. I thought you might have stayed up late last night and fallen into a deep sleep, so I let myself in." Alaric didn't call me out on it. He merely gave me a knowing smile and set my thong in front of me. "Lock your door next time. Now get up, little girl." "I'm already an adult!" My face burned as I watched him leave my room. At the breakfast table, Felicia announced that she would be leaving for Westhaven on a three-month business trip. "I'm sorry, Alaric. We just got married, and we haven't even had our honeymoon yet. But this trip is tied to my promotion. It's very important to me." Felicia looked at Alaric, her eyes full of reluctance. "Felicia, I'll support you no matter what you decide." Alaric pulled her into his arms and gently kissed her forehead. He was so considerate now, unlike the man who had held Felicia close and made love to her so intensely the night before. "I love you, Alaric. While I'm away, take good care of Vera. Don't let her stay out all night." Felicia looked at me with a clear warning in her eyes. "Don't worry, Felicia. Vera is a big girl now. She knows where to draw the line." "I hope so." I could barely stop myself from rolling my eyes. In Felicia's eyes, I was nothing more than a wild teenager. "I'm full. I'm leaving first." I didn't want to watch them being affectionate any longer, so I grabbed a slice of bread and headed outside. Once I was gone, they would probably continue where they left off. But the thought of being alone with Alaric for three months made my heart race.