SUBMISSIVE TO MY BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND

KARIMA HEART I gripped my phone tightly as I exhaled a sharp, shaky breath. My brain was screaming at me to turn back, to walk away, that this was wrong. But there I stood, right in front of room 50. The same room where I was supposed to meet Owain Luther, my brother’s best friend. Don’t ask me how I ended up here. It’s a long, messy story. All you need to know is that Owain now held something over me. A secret I couldn’t afford to let slip, not even a little of it. And refusing Owain? It wasn't an option. Well, he'd already promised to keep my secret buried, as long as I played by his rules. After all, I used to be his cute little sister, back then, when he was still the Owain I knew. With trembling fingers, I turned the door handle and stepped inside the dimly lit room. My stomach twisted into knots I couldn’t explain. "You’re five minutes late, Karima Heart," his deep baritone voice echoed across the room. He was seated, his legs crossed lazily on a velvet couch. His silky blue shirt hung open halfway, revealing a muscled, slightly hairy chest that looked charmingly inviting. "I had work," I said, trying to sound composed. "You know that." He tilted his head back with a smirk before standing. Every step he took toward me was steady and deliberate, like a predator closing in on its prey. Our eyes locked and then, so did our breath. His face hovered inches from mine, his lips curled into that cynical, knowing grin. "The same work I’m keeping secret for you?" he murmured. God, I hated Owain Luther. Okay, maybe I used to have a stupid crush on him when I was younger. He was eighteen back then, and I was just a blushing thirteen-year-old girl. But right now? He wasn't the same guy I had that stupid crush on. Ten years later, he was back from Thai land, and of all the d*mn places, I had to bump into him at the stripper club where I was secretly pulling shifts instead of being at College, and that? Malcom must never find out. Now I was trapped, and he knew it. I swallowed hard. "You promised, Owain. You said you’d keep it to yourself." He didn’t respond with words, until... His hands were suddenly at my waist, firm and possessive, pulling me close. My mind tried to resist, but my body... my body betrayed me totally. Stupid me... His breath was warm against my skin. His lips was so close I could feel their heat hovered near mine, and his jawline looked sharp enough to slice through every ounce of my resolve. Just get your sh*t together, Karima... You can’t fall for this. I thought. "That promise still stands," he murmured, his voice as smooth as a player's. Well, he was popular back then for being a smooth talker and of course, a player. "But how long it stays that way? Depends entirely on how well you behave." "I’m here, aren’t I?" I said through clenched teeth. He brushed my hair aside gently, and I nearly stopped breathing. His fingers trailed down my collarbone... lower. My chest rose with the movement, my skin prickling with heat as he traced the line where skin met melty silk. Then his hand slid lower, lower still, until it landed firmly on my backside, his grip was possessive... and claiming. My knees almost buckled. "Now that," he whispered, his lips grazing my ear slightly, "is what I call obedience." "You’re mine now, Karima. Don’t you agree?" I tried to steel my face, to keep my pride. But the way his body pressed against mine... the way his mouth melted cold on my tilt, it was... Melting itself. "Yes," I said breathlessly. "I’m yours." He chuckled darkly, his mouth brushing against the sensitive spot below my ear. "Say it, Karima." His lips moved lower, igniting sparks along my skin, and I lost every shred of logic left in me. A soft moan escaped my mouth before I could stop it. "I’m yours, Owain," I whispered. "Good girl" His voice came out with a cold satisfaction as he straightened, slowly withdrawing his hands from beneath me. Then, he gently slided one hand into his pocket. I dropped my gaze to the floor, unable to meet his eyes. The heat still lingered on my skin, but... I was too ashamed to even admit it. “It’s past 8 PM,” he said coolly. “You can go now.” Without another word, I turned on my heel, not even daring to look back. “I’ll see you around.” His low voice followed behind me, as if what just happened between us meant absolutely nothing. I slammed the door behind me. "Never." I whispered to myself. I told myself, over and over again as I stormed down the hallway. Never again am I doing this. And I’m never seeing him again. Even if every part of me was already tangled in him. *** KARIMA HEART The sound of my phone alarm beeping, pulled me out of sleep. I reached for the cupboard still half asleep, and grabbed my it. My eyes widened almost immediately. It was past 8 AM. “Oh sh*t!” I blurted, already crawling myself out of bed like it was on fire. No way in hell I was missing class today, not when the new lecturer was supposed to take over for Mr. Marcus. In less than ten minutes, I was out of the bathroom, scanning through my wardrobe for any simple dress. There it was, I grabbed a plain sea-blue shirt and threw on a pair of fitted blue jeans. Slipped into my flat loafers and slung my backpack over my shoulder. I gently shut the door behind me. I was already halfway through the sitting area. As I approached it, I heard Malcolm’s laugh echo through the house, loud and for the first time in a long time, it was a genuine one. I blinked. That laugh became rare. Was it six years already? Ever since Mom’s divorce… things hadn’t been the same. Dad vanished, then came Kyle, mom's second mistake. That marriage barely lasted a year before she was diagnosed with cancer, and like the coward he was, Kyle ran. Malcolm wanted nothing to do with her ever since then. He struggled to get to where he was now, taking care of me and everything I needed but the only condition... He made me swear not to help mom, not even if she was dying. And I swore. But I lied. I’d been picking up secret part-time jobs just to cover her hospital bills. If Malcolm ever found out... I don’t even know what he’d do. I stepped into the living room, then my feet froze. What-The-Hell. Owain? He was Sitting casually opposite Malcolm, his legs crossed, looking as smug as ever. That annoying grin stretched across his face the moment he saw me. My heart almost stopped beating and my stomach suddenly dropped. “Hey, Karry,” Malcolm said with a half-smile. “Look who’s here. Owain's back after ten years.” He turned to Owain, grinning. “Man’s changed a lot too.” I forced my eyes away from Owain and tried to keep my face blank, but my chest was tight. No, No, No... This isn’t happening. “Hello, Karima,” Owain said smoothly, flashing that same damn smile that haunted my dreams last night. As if that was supposed to send a chill down my spine, he winked at me. I hated the way his tongue ran over his lips as he stared at me. Hated how my skin reacted to it. The memory of last night hit me like a truck. “I’m late for class, Malcolm,” I said flatly, cutting right through the moment. He noticed, but he didn’t press further. He probably thought it was just another one of my morning moods. “Okay,” he said with a shrug. “Just don’t forget to come back early. Owain’s staying with us for a while, until he wraps up some business here.” My brain stopped processing. Come again? He's what? Was Malcom kidding me right now? “He’s staying here?” I asked, the words spilling out before I could even stop them. “You heard me,” Malcolm said. “And you know I can’t cook, so…” I couldn’t even respond. My chest felt tight again, but for all the wrong reasons now. Why on earth does this have to happen now... “I’m coming back by 9 PM,” I muttered, already stepping toward the door. "Well, you need to run, class's by 8:30 and you're already fifteen minutes out" Owain said behind me. I didn't answer him, and It didn't occur to me at first, but just as I turned the handle, a thought struck me like lightning. Wait. How the hell did he know my art class starts by 8:30 AM? That was a damn coincidence, right?