Stepdad's Pet; His Son's Plaything

A'S

tsteps drew nearer. I could feel the heat radiating off Reign-a sharp, restless

to look my mother in the eye, praying the dim lighting of the hallway hid the frantic pulse jumpi

room. She looked past me, her gaze sweeping over my unmade bed-the bed where Reign had clai

heavy it felt like it

h held until his lungs burned. If he answered, he'd have to explain why he was in his stepdaugh

using the facilities, M

rner of his mouth. He wasn't helping me out of the goodness of his heart; he was playing a gam

asked, her confusion de

he lie tumbling out of my mouth before I could think. "He mentioned i

ht. The plumbing. Honestly, this house is falling apart around us. J

behind the door. "I'll be out in a

"CEO" mask firmly back in place, but I could

ack toward the stairs. "Reign, did you find those keys? I need y

t move. He waited until our mother's footsteps f

scent of leather and cold wind washing over me. He lean

issed, trying to push

ging into the soft flesh right where the bruise from three days ago was hidden. "But remember... I'm

awer, and finally walked toward the door. But before he le

th a wink that made my blood run cold.

oots thudding rhythmically until th

rehead resting against the cool wood of my bedroom door,

om door cr

correctly now, his hair smoothed back, but his eyes were haunted. He looked at me, and for a s

e whispered, though he made

oward him. I reached out, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw.

caught my wrist, his grip firm but not unkind. "Yo

g into him. "He's just being an annoying brot

neck, his thumb caressing the sensitive skin behind my ear. He was a man di

iptoes so my lips were brushing his. "You can't go back to being ju

r the weight of the secret we now shared. He l

e muttered, but he

e. "Go be the perfect husband. Go be the perfect busine

forehead with a desperate, lingering

ng around me. I was playing a dangerous game, standing in the center of a storm I'd created. But as I

as hooked. And my mother... She

r