BAD HEART: A Stepbrother Romance (A Step Over the Line Book Book 2) (15 page)

Of course Hunter is talking about
when I fell asleep, dreamed of Jake, and woke up to find myself kissing Hunter
’
s neck.

“
I
know things are so crazy for you,
”
Hunter says.
“
I
’
ve been respectful and calm.
Your father is so persistent about us together. I know he can be overbearing
and hard to deal with. I promise you that I
’
m
not forcing myself to be here. And I can
’
t
stop thinking about you
…
kissing me. It
’
s driving me
wild, Jade. We
’
ve been, I
don
’
t know, dating for a
while, right?
”

I don
’
t
want to nod but I do. I want to tell Hunter to go fuck himself. That we haven
’
t been dating. It
’
s all bullshit.

“
Hunter
…”

He squeezes my hands tight.
“
I know, Jade. I don
’
t want to push at you. Or hurt
you. But I can
’
t take it
anymore. Being near you and not having you. We
’
re
together. We have to be together.
”

“
I
don
’
t know what to say,
”
I whisper.
“
I
…”

Hunter nods.
“
It has to be hard. Your father
came back from vacation married. I don
’
t
know why he did that. I don
’
t
agree with it. If you want the truth. I
’
m
not afraid to stand up to Thomas. I
’
ll
be there for you, Jade. I
’
ll
take care of you. I hate the idea of saying this
…
but I
’
m rich. I don
’
t need your father to be successful.
I just appreciate everything he
’
s
done for me. I hope you understand that.
”

I nod.

I
’
ve
never heard Hunter talk like this before. The geeky kid who peeked at my boobs
was now a successful, handsome man. I bite on my bottom lip. I actually start
to sell myself on the idea.

“
You
really mean it?
”
I ask.
“
I mean, it all seems that my
father is demanding you and me be together.
”

“
Never,
”
Hunter says.
“
I
’
ve
always
…
you
’
ve been so
…”
Hunter sighs.
“
I
’
m
sorry for saying it like this, Jade. But I
’
ve
been fantasizing about you for a long time. You
’
ve
been my
…
just everything.
It feels like forever, right? I mean, how amazing is it that we knew each other
at such a young age and now we
’
re
here, together. It
’
s
something that seems so rare.
”

Hunter stops with his mouth open
and sucks in a breath. He then gently dabs the corners of his mouth. He shakes
his hand and puts the napkin down.

I have to admit it, I
’
ve never seen Hunter so honest
yet vulnerable. It doesn
’
t really
change how I feel, but it definitely means something. I just wish he wasn
’
t such an ass. A rich boy ass.
Then again, I wish he was Jake.

“
Jade,
please say something,
”
he
says.

I panic and look around.
“
I have to go pee.
”

Definitely not the most proper
thing to say in an expensive restaurant. But it
’
s
how it comes out. I
’
m
flustered and confused. I jump up and look around again. Hunter stares at me,
surprised at what I just said. I don
’
t
care. I move from the table. A man meets me and escorts me to the bathroom. Of
course, it
’
s not a regular
bathroom. It
’
s a fancy
bathroom. Like a little hotel room.

I don
’
t
have to actually pee though.

I just stand at the sink and take a
few breaths.

This isn
’
t how I imagined anything. To find someone I like
and care about, but he
’
s a
dirty asshole and he
’
s my stepbrother.
How the fuck does that happen to someone like me? I study hard. I get good
grades. I have a future. I never slept around
…
I don
’
t sleep around right
now. It
’
s all a big mess. I
didn
’
t even really mean to
sleep with Jake, right? It was a party. A college party and things just
happened that way. If I knew he was going to be at my house, being introduced
as my stepbrother, I would have never done it.

I collect myself and leave the
bathroom.

Hunter is right there in the
hallway. He
’
s waiting for me.
Before I could make a move, he grabs my wrists and pulls me deeper into the
hallway.

It
’
s
almost completely dark.

He puts me against the wall, a hand
touching my waist. The other touches my face.

“
I
’
m not an idiot,
”
he whispers.
“
I know this is all hard for you.
Your father, Rebecca, that pain in the ass Jake. I get it. So much changing
around you so fast, including me now. I just show up and here I am, dating you.
Yes, your father pushed this thing
…
but I don
’
t need to be
pushed, Jade. I
’
m right
here. I want you. I want this. I want
…”

My lips quiver and I
’
m ready to kiss Hunter. For
real. To just grab him, pull him in, and just kiss him. See what it feels like
and where it can go.

Hunter
’
s phone beeps and he backs away. Just like that, I
’
m not longer the center of his
world. The phone, business, it
’
s
all more important.

Just like my father.

Hunter takes the call and turns
around. A second later, he
’
s
raising his voice. He ends the call and slaps the wall.

He turns, swallows, and says,
“
I have to go.
”

“
Bad
news?
”

“
Business
stuff. I
’
ll take you
wherever you want. I
’
ll
call you later, as soon as I get this cleaned up.
”

“
Is
it that bad?
”
I pretend to
care.

Hunter touches my face.
“
You don
’
t have to worry about me. Or my business. Ever. I
promise. I
’
ll take care of
everything, including you. I
’
m
worth a lot, Jade. I
’
m
worth
…
a lot
…”

So he
’
s
bribing me with money now?

Hunter kisses my cheek.

“
Come
on,
”
he says.

“
No,
I
’
m fine. I
’
ll call a friend. I promise.
”

“
No
…”

“
Hunter,
go.
”

He nods.
“
Okay. The check is taken care of. If you want to
sit and finish or have another drink
…”

“
Thank
you,
”
I whisper.

He leaves and I slowly follow.

It
’
s
actually a relief to leave the damn restaurant. I walk near the side of the
restaurant, away from the lights, black carpet, and the valet services. I grab
my phone and text Katelyn. I can always count on her.

She picks me up twenty minutes
later.

“
You
look nice,
”
she says.

“
I
feel like a clown,
”
I say.
“
Just get me out of here.
”

“
What
happened?
”

“
Hunter
had to leave,
”
I say.
“
Typical. Always about the
business.
”

“
You
two fighting?
”

“
There
’
s no fighting,
”
I say. I look at Katelyn. I
feel like telling her everything.
Everything.
About me and Jake
…
the sex, passion, feelings
…
“
He
tells me so much shit about how he cares about me and then he ditches me. It
’
s just so weird how much he
’
s like my father. Like I
’
m supposed to want that? I
’
m supposed to fall for that?
”

“
Only
you can answer those questions,
”
Katelyn says.
“
It
’
s not weird. It
’
s who he is. He
’
s rich and successful for a
reason.
”

“
What
if I said I didn
’
t want to
be the backseat person anymore?
”
I ask.
“
I want the
attention. I want to feel like I
’
m
cared about. Even if it
’
s
not right
…”

I stop myself.

I
’
m
talking about Jake.

He
’
s
the only one that actually looks at me. He sees me. He comes after me. He gives
me that high of being chased after. And it
’
s
all worth the risk.

“
What
are you getting at?
”
Katelyn asks.

“
I
need a drink. Right now.
”

Katelyn agrees and she stops at the
first bar we find. She tells me she
’
ll
be DD so I can drink until I
’
m
happy.

We walk into the place and I
’
m the most overdressed person in
history. It
’
s a chill bar
and I
’
m in a fancy dress. I
look like a damn fool. So I hide in a corner and tell Katelyn what I want. She
brings back two beers for me and I got to town on them. I should be drinking
something harder, but my stomach flips when I think about drinking vodka. The
night I was drunk comes back to me again
…
and Jake
…
he helped me. He
didn
’
t just lick me and
make me come. He took care of me. He helped me when I puked and got me to bed.

Katelyn sits across from me. There
’
s a look on her face.

“
What?
”
I ask.

“
Nothing.
Just drink. Then we will talk.
”

I nod.

The first beer is good. The second
is heavier.

“
This
thing with Hunter
…
,
”
Katelyn says.
“
I don
’
t get it
…”

“
Neither
do I,
”
I say.
“
It
’
s
like my father has this all planned out. He wants me to be with Hunter, marry
him, have babies, and have this life
…
that I don
’
t want.
”

“
Then
you don
’
t need to have it,
”
she says.
“
Fuck everything and everyone.
”

I smile.
“
Easy to say.
”

“
Trust
me. I
’
ve been there with
parental shit before. Just do your thing, Jade. Do what feels right.
”

“
Again
…
easy to say.
”

“
Well,
then I
’
ll give you
something that
’
s not so
easy.
”

“
Try
me.
”

Katelyn leans in.
“
You like Jake.
”

I almost choke on my beer.
“
What?
”

“
You.
Like. Jake.
”

“
No.
He
’
s
…”

“
Your
stepbrother,
”
Katelyn says.
“
And it doesn
’
t fucking matter. Not to me. Not
to you. You like him.
”

“
Why
would you say that? If someone hears
…”

“
What?
Rumors around campus? Please. I
’
m
sure Jake
’
s reputation is
wild enough. And you
’
re so
good and quiet, nobody will care. So face the facts. You like Jake. Admit it.
”

“
It
’
s not like that,
”
I say.
“
He
’
s
an asshole. But he at least pays attention to me.
”

Katelyn nods.
“
You like him looking at you. You
’
re really beautiful, Jade. I
wouldn
’
t be surprised if
Jake would try
…”