Craving My Husband’s Brother

CHAPTER 2. AMBER

For a moment, I completely forgot how to breathe.

I watched my husband pound my stepsister, rubbing her c**t at the same time as Audrey’s high-pitched moans echoed through my ears.

Audrey and I never had a sisterly dynamic. We lived like complete strangers, even when my father first married her mother, Evelyn.

Evelyn had always treated her own daughter like a princess while she treated both me and my late brother like total s**t. Audrey mostly saw me as competition, whereas I didn’t give a single crap about her.

I reached for the door frame because i lost my balance.Time felt like it had stopped completely. I stumbled back against the wall, my chest heaving.

I highly doubted they even noticed someone was at the door. The blasting rock music alone made it hard to hear anything over the sickening, wet sounds of them f*****g.

“Nat...” The word died in my mouth.

I slammed my hand over my lips as a ragged sob tried to escape. Stumbling out of the hallway, I couldn’t hold back the burning tears anymore.

I rushed down to my dressing room, locking the door behind me, and cried so hard I could feel my throat clutching.

I knew Nathaniel was reckless. I knew he wasn’t husband of the year. But this? This was way past the limit. My own stepsister. I didn’t even know they were close.

Fuck!

How could I have been so blind? I was so carried away trying to be the perfect, devoted wife for him that I completely missed the fact that he was having affairs right under my nose.

I felt my heart shatter into a million jagged pieces.

Slowly, I forced myself to look in the dressing mirror. My eyes were bloodshot and swollen from sobbing.

I wiped the tears off my face with the back of my hand and stared at my reflection. Then, I smiled faintly.

Something clicked inside me. Right at that exact moment, a switch flipped.

I was done. Done playing the grieving victim. Done wasting my life on a man who degraded our home.

I pulled out my phone, and the ticket to the party flashed in my mind.

Aria had been right after all. God, I had been so stupid. I actually thought tonight was going to be special for us.

I dialed Aria’s number. Luckily, she picked up almost instantly.

“Hey, babe! What’s up?” Aria asked. The heavy, thumping bass of the club’s music blared loudly in the background.

I wiped a single stray tear from my cheek and let out a sharp breath.

“Uhm... I think I changed my mind about the party,” I choked out, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Wait, is that what I think it is?!” I could hear the pure excitement in Aria’s voice.

“Yes. I’m on my way right now,” I said.

“Yayyy!” she screamed. Turning away from the phone, I heard her yell to our other colleague, “Alice is on her way here!”

“What?! Oh my gosh, I can't wait!” Sloane’s happy voice echoed in the background.

After hanging up, I looked around the dressing room and walked over to my wardrobe. It was filled with plenty of expensive clothes I had never even touched. I scanned the racks, contemplating what kind of vibe I wanted to give off tonight.

Heartbroken wife? Or a free woman finally living her life?

My eyes landed on a very sexy gown Nathaniel had bought for me once. I had abandoned it in the back of the closet back then. But tonight was the perfect night for this dress.

I threw myself into a hot shower, washing away the stench of the Hawthorn mansion. When I came out, I slipped into the dress, fixed my hair, and did my makeup, making sure to apply a very bold, striking lipstick.

Tonight was about living for myself.

I looked at myself in the full-length mirror. I looked incredibly sexy. Deep down, a spark of pride flared up, but then the flash of Nathaniel pounding Audrey crossed my mind.

I immediately forced it out of my head, refusing to let them ruin this

. I slid into my red-bottom heels and stepped out of the room.

I could still hear the music vibrating from our bedroom as I walked past. I hurried my pace to avoid picturing what they were doing.

The cab dropped me off at the club. It was a luxury hotel and lounge, one of the most exclusive, high-end spots in the states, usually slammed with billionaires and influential people.

Tonight, I was going to have the time of my life.

At the entrance, I handed over my ID. The security guard glanced at the name: Alice Sinclair.

Technically, that wasn’t my real name. My real name is Amber Garcia.

Apparently, Garcia is a wanted name. I had been forced to adopt a completely fake identity after my late father got into massive, dangerous trouble with a powerful, ruthless businessman named Diego Martin.

My father and brother were killed a few years later, and I was absolutely certain Diego was behind it. Diego had never stopped his quest for revenge; he was actively hunting me down, having vowed to end the Garcia lineage for good.

My stepmother had suggested the name change and a total identity wipe for my own protection, knowing Diego didn’t actually know what I looked like. But because of it, I had been hiding in secret and living in fear almost my entire life.

Not tonight.

The moment I stepped inside the club, it felt like entering another realm. The air was thick with the heavy scent of expensive perfumes, top-shelf alcohol, and pure adrenaline.

I made my way through the crowd toward the bar.

“Aliceee!” Aria yelled from a distance.

She wove through the crowd toward me, and right behind her was Sloane, accompanied by a large, well-built man who I assumed was one of her latest flings.

"Babes... you both look so good," I complimented, raising my voice over the music.

"Girl, you look stunning!" Sloane gasped, her eyes widening as she took in my dress. "What made you change your mind? Well, not like I care, I’m just so happy you’re here!"

Aria grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the center of the room. "Come on, let's dance! “ she yelled over the roaring bass.

Sloane joined us, holding a round of drinks she had just grabbed from the bar. She handed one to me.

"Come on, drink up! We need something to ignite the energy!"

I didn't hesitate. I gulped the burning liquor straight down my throat.

A few moments later, the alcohol started to kick in, and I felt completely charged up. I danced freely with Aria while Sloane swayed against her guy.

I moved my hips, finally letting go and just feeling the music.

Until my eyes bumped right into a staggeringly hot, good-looking man.

He was already staring, and he held my gaze without shifting.

For a split second, the intensity of his look made me feel breathless, but I couldn't stop staring back at just how handsome he was.

He had slicked-back hair, a dangerously sharp jawline, and piercing, hypnotic eyes. He looked like he had been extracted straight out of a Hollywood movie.

I kept dancing, completely maintaining eye contact. He didn’t look away either, his eyes tracking my every move.

"You should go over there and talk to him," Sloane whispered from behind me, nudging my shoulder.

My colleagues definitely knew my marriage was a ghost town. But they never brought it up anyways.

Taking a deep breath, I started walking across the floor toward his table. Before I could even close the distance, he stood up, his tall frame looming over the crowd.

It seemed like he had been waiting for me to make my move just as desperately as I wanted to.