Owned By My Stepbrother

Chapter 3: Caught Between Desires

HERA’S POV

"So, this is your place?" The arrogant tone in Inigo's voice offended me. "I think this house is barely as big as my bathroom," he added arrogantly.

"Inigo, I really don't care," I retorted irritably. "Could you please leave our home? It's quite clear that you're not welcome here," I added.

"You know what? I don't care either," he responded, mimicking my tone as his eyes continued to survey our entire house. My concern grew when Inigo suddenly approached the door to my room. I hurriedly positioned myself in front of the door to block his entry, but he swiftly pushed it open. My efforts were in vain as Inigo made his way into my room. "So, this is your room," he commented, nodding. "Your scent lingers here," he said, taking in the room's fragrance.

"Inigo, could you please leave now?" I spoke angrily, but instead of heeding my words, he entered and sat on my bed. This further incensed me. I approached him and attempted to pull his arm forcefully to escort him out, but to my astonishment, he pulled me closer, and I ended up on his lap. I tried to extricate myself to escape his captivating gaze, but he held me tightly, preventing any further movement.

I could detect his alluring scent and feel his breath against my skin, causing my heart to race.

"Do you know why I enjoy provoking you?" he whispered into my ear. "Because you always react like this," he continued. "Remember this, Hera. The more you try to distance yourself from me, the harder you'll fall for me." Before I could react, Inigo planted a small kiss on my forehead, then moved down to my nose and ultimately descended to my lips. "I adore your lips. They seem to beg me to kiss you every time I see you."

Once again, I tried to break free from his tight embrace before succumbing to his enticing allure, but it was futile. I couldn't even control my own hands, and my body refused to obey my commands. All I could hear was the rapid thumping of my heart and the sound of his soft breath.

He brushed my hair aside, which had fallen over my face, and tucked it behind my ear. Then, his lips descended to kiss mine, and this time, it was a deep, passionate kiss.

My heart raced even faster, and I found myself unable to regain my composure. Inigo's kisses seemed to touch every inch of my body, and I started to crave his touches on my skin. He lifted me and gently lowered me onto the bed.

His gaze locked onto me—a look that had the power to melt my heart. I found myself unable to resist. He caressed my face, trailing his touch down to my nose and then to my lips. Our eyes locked, and he leaned in to kiss me once more, this time with a tenderness that took me by surprise. What was even more shocking was that I began to respond to his kisses, and in return, Inigo's kiss grew deeper and more intense.

Inigo's hands roamed across my body until I felt them beneath my blouse. His touch sent shivers down my spine, and I struggled to control my reaction.

No, no! What we're doing is wrong, a voice in my head screamed. Before the intensity overcame my sanity, I summoned every ounce of strength to put an end to what we were doing.

"This is wrong, Inigo!" I exclaimed, pushing him away. He appeared surprised and allowed me to break free from beneath him. After I managed to distance myself, I quickly straightened my disheveled clothing. "You shouldn't have come here in the first place, Inigo! How could you do this to me?" I said in disbelief, and what stunned me even more was that I had allowed it to happen.

"But you enjoyed it, didn't you?" He used his husky voice once more, attempting to tease me.

"Stop it, Inigo! You can't have everything your way! I'm not your plaything!" I nearly shouted out of frustration. He was so insufferable!

"I might not have gotten what I wanted today, but I can guarantee that you will be the one to give it to me," he asserted, still exuding arrogance.

"No matter what you do, it will never happen!" I responded irritably.

"We shall see about that." Then he rose from my bed and advanced towards me. I tried to back away, but he quickly caught me by the waist, cornering me in my small room. He could easily corner me. Without delay, he sealed our lips in another kiss. If his initial kisses were tantalizing, these became even more seductive. My body couldn't help but respond, and it became painfully clear that my body had already betrayed me. "See?" I already knew the implications, and I couldn't help but blush with embarrassment.

Until his hearty laughter echoed, I looked around for something to throw at him, and the first thing my hands landed on was my makeup kit. Without hesitation, I hurled it in his direction.

"Aw!" he protested when the makeup kit struck his face.

"Get out of here before I call the police," I threatened, but there wasn't a trace of fear on his face.

Instead, he gently cupped my face and planted a light kiss on my lips. "See you at school, my dear," he bid farewell and quickly left, leaving me in a state of shock in his absence.

My goodness, Hera! What have I allowed to happen? I berated myself, but no matter how much I regretted it, it was too late.

Throughout the entire day, I felt completely out of sorts. It was incredibly challenging to forget what had transpired between Inigo and me. Even now, I find myself unable to question it. Why had I permitted it to occur, and why wasn't I angry? Did I secretly enjoy what Inigo had done to me?

"Hey, Hera, are you with me?" Elsie waved her hand gently in front of my eyes, attempting to regain my attention. She was my closest friend, yet I couldn't bring myself to confide in her about what had transpired between Inigo and me. I had two best friends, but I knew that I could never reveal this to Ethan.

"Why?" I asked.

"Oh, I've been talking away here, and you're not even listening, girl!" she exclaimed incredulously. "I've been going on and on since we got here, Hera, and you seem totally out of it. How many times do I need to repeat everything I've said?" she added sarcastically. We were in the park within the university, a place we had frequented since our first year. "Is there something bothering you that you want to talk about, or is there something wrong with you?" Elsie asked, looking at me with genuine concern.

"No, nothing. I just had a restless night," I replied, avoiding any further discussion about it.

That jerk, Inigo! I shouldn't be feeling like this. I shouldn't be thinking about him. But for some reason, he had taken up residence in my thoughts and wouldn't leave.

Out of sheer frustration, I impulsively tossed the book in front of me. What I hadn't expected was for it to hit someone.

"Ow!" Ethan exclaimed as the book struck him, and he approached us. I hurried over to him. He asked, clearly incensed at receiving a blow from the book, "What's going on, Hera?"

"I'm so sorry, Ethan. I didn't mean to," I apologized.

"It seems like you're not yourself today, Hera," Ethan remarked.

"She's been acting strange all day. I was talking, and it was as if she wasn't even listening," Elsie chimed in, shaking her head. I hadn't noticed that she had joined us as well.

"Is something bothering you, Hera?" Ethan inquired, his anger giving way to concern as he looked at me.

"No, nothing's wrong. I just might not be feeling well today," I replied, then turned away, hoping to divert their attention from what was really bothering me.

"Are you sure?" Ethan gently took hold of my arm, causing me to face him again. He placed his hand on my forehead to check if I had a fever.

"Yeah, I'm fine—ow!" I cried out as Inigo suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked me away from Ethan.

"What are you doing to her?" Inigo demanded, his anger flaring as he confronted Ethan.

"It's none of your business, Mr. Sanders," Ethan retorted, his anger matching Inigo's. I nodded in agreement with his response.

"She is my business. So don't you ever touch her!" Inigo boldly declared this to Ethan, and I was taken aback by his possessiveness. While the two of them argued, I struggled to free my arms from Inigo's grasp, but he only tightened his hold.