Dangerously Yours: Caught Between My Step Brother and His Rival

003. Step Brother's Rule...

"Cole, stop it! You're actually hurting me," I hissed, digging my nails into the back of his thick hand.

"I asked you a question, Amy," he growled, though his grip loosened just a fraction.

"And I told you to let me go! Someone is going to walk in here."

He cursed under his breath, glanced over his shoulder toward the shower room doors, then yanked me forward by my arm.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I stumbled, struggling to keep up with his long strides.

"Getting us out of here before the whole team sees us."

"I don't have my clothes!"

"You're wearing his," Cole spat with venom.

He dragged me out of the main locker area and shoved open the heavy metal door that led to the back equipment hallway. It was narrow, dimly lit, and completely empty. The second the door clicked shut behind us, he released my arm and backed me up against the cold cinderblock wall. His chest was heaving.

"Now," Cole said, planting his hands on either side of my head. "Explain."

"Explain what, Cole? That three cheerleaders ganged up on me? That they stole my shirt and tried to film me in my underwear?"

"Why didn't you scream for help?"

"Because I was trying to handle it!" I yelled back. "And if I made a massive scene, the coach might have fired me. You know how much I need this internship."

Cole's rigid posture softened for a split second. He let out a harsh sigh and dragged a hand over his face. "Amy, do you have any idea what they would have done with that video? It would have been all over campus in minutes. I promised my dad and your mom I'd look out for you. I meant it. I care about you, okay? And I’m trying to protect you."

"By standing and watching them attack me?" My voice cracked with disbelief. "You did absolutely nothing?"

"I couldn't just jump out, Amy! Think about it," Cole snapped, leaning closer, the concern vanishing as fast as it had appeared. "If I came storming out there to defend the little intern, what would people think? They'd start digging into our backgrounds."

"So my reputation is less important than your precious secret?"

"Our secret," he corrected harshly. "It's the one rule we agreed on when your mom and my dad got married. Nobody at this school can know we're step-siblings. If the guys find out, it changes everything."

"It changes nothing! We aren't doing anything illegal!"

"It gives Ryder ammo," Cole said.

"This has nothing to do with him."

"It has everything to do with him! You think he gave you that jersey out of the goodness of his heart?" He pointed an angry finger at the logo on my chest. "He’s a predator. He transferred here just to mess with my draft chances. He knows I'm protective of you.”

"He doesn't know we're related!"

“But he knows I care. So he's using you to get into my head before the pro scouts arrive."

"He isn't using me. We literally hadn't spoken two words to each other before today."

"I don't care. Take it off."

"What?"

"Take his damn jersey off, Amy."

"Are you insane? I'm practically naked underneath this!"

"I'll give you my practice shirt." He reached for the hem of his sweaty shirt.

"No. You're drenched in sweat. I'm not wearing that."

"I am not letting you walk across campus wearing Ryder's name on your back!" Cole slammed his hand against the wall.

I flinched. "Stop acting like a crazy person. You're my stepbrother, not my owner."

Cole's eyes darkened. He leaned in closer, voice dropping to a whisper. "I'm not threatened by him. But I know exactly what he wants. You are going to stay far away from him. Do you understand me?"

"I can take care of myself."

"Do you understand me, Amy?"

"Fine," I breathed out, my heart pounding at the weird, charged energy radiating off him. "Fine. Just let me go."

He held my gaze for three more agonizing seconds before stepping back. "I'll go get your bag. Wait here."

Ten minutes later, I was power-walking across the campus quad, my head down, praying nobody recognized me. Cole had shoved my duffel bag into my chest, told me to go straight to my dorm, and walked away without another word.

I finally pushed through the front doors of my building and sprinted up two flights of stairs to my room.

"Hey, you're back early," Maya said as soon as I entered. My roommate was sitting cross-legged on her bed, carefully applying a fresh coat of cherry-red polish to her toenails.

"Yeah. Practice ended early."

Maya looked up. Her eyes went comically wide and she accidentally painted right over her toe onto her skin. "Holy s**t. Is that what I think it is?"

"Maya, please don't." I dropped my duffel bag and collapsed onto my bed.

"You are wearing a varsity practice jersey." She scrambled off her bed. "Turn around. Let me see the back. OMG?! You are wearing Ryder's jersey?"

"It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal? The guy is literally a walking red flag and the hottest guy on campus! Girls would literally sell their souls just to get him to look at them, let alone give up his clothes."

"He didn't give it to me like that."

"Then how did he give it to you?" Maya demanded. "Did you guys hook up in the equipment room?"

"I did not hook up with Ryder!" I groaned, burying my face in my hands.

"Then why do you smell like men's body wash?"

"Because he threw the jersey at me right after he got out of the shower."

"He was naked?!"

"He was wearing a towel!" I felt my face heat up at the memory of his wet skin and the way he had leaned into my space.

I sighed heavily. I knew she wasn't going to let this go, so I told her everything about Chloe and the phone.

"Those bitches," Maya hissed. "But damn… he really broke her phone?"

"Completely shattered it."

"That is... kind of hot,” Maya admitted, biting her lower lip. "Toxic, but hot."

"It was terrifying."

"It's protective," she corrected. "Ryder doesn't do pity, Amy. He's a playboy. If he gave you his jersey, he's staking a claim."

"He’s not. He was doing it to piss off Cole."

"What does Cole have to do with this?"

I froze. I had almost slipped up. Maya didn't know Cole was my stepbrother either. "They're co-captains," I recovered quickly. "They hate each other. Ryder probably just helped me because Cole is usually the one breathing down my neck about the equipment."

"Cole is obsessed with you," Maya pointed out. "Everyone thinks you guys are secretly dating."

"We are not dating! Ewww!" The thought made my stomach churn, especially after the suffocating way Cole had pinned me against that wall. "We're just friends. From back home."

"Whatever you say,” Maya smirked. “But honestly? I'd pick Ryder over Cole any day. Cole is way too intense. Ryder is just... dangerous."

"Exactly. Dangerous. Which is why I'm returning this jersey and never speaking to him again."

"You're crazy. If it was me, I'd never wash it." Maya grabbed her keys. "Dining hall. Coming?"

"No, I'm just gonna shower and go to bed. I'm exhausted."

"Suit yourself. Dream about Ryder for me!"

I threw a pillow at her, but she dodged it and slipped out, laughing.

The room went quiet. I pulled the jersey over my head and held it for a moment. Maya was right, it did smell amazing. Then I tossed it onto the desk chair and headed for the shower.

The hot water helped, mostly. But no matter how hard I scrubbed, I couldn't wash away the phantom feeling of Ryder leaning into my space, close enough that I'd felt the heat off his damp skin.

Twenty minutes later, I climbed into bed, pulled the comforter up to my chin, and let my muscles finally relax.

Then my phone buzzed.

I frowned. It was past ten o'clock. I reached over and grabbed it, squinting at the bright screen.

It was a text from an unknown number.

I unlocked the phone and opened the message. My heart stopped dead in my chest.

It was a photo of Ryder, shirtless, wearing gray sweatpants that sat dangerously low on his hips in a way that left little to the imagination. His damp hair fell messily over his forehead, and his lips were curved into a cocky smirk.

My breath caught in my throat. I couldn’t look away from the screen. He looked exactly as devastating as he had in that locker room, and I’m sure he knew it.

Before my brain could even process it all, a text bubble popped up immediately under the photo.

You forgot to say thank you today. Thought I'd give you something to think about tonight.