BAD HEART: A Stepbrother Romance (A Step Over the Line Book Book 2) (3 page)

He
’
s
like a clone of my father.

I hate it. I maybe even hate him
already.

But we
’
re dating. We
’
re
together. We
’
re
…
happy
.

I get into the SUV and Hunter gets
his chance at a turn and wave thing.

He gets in and the door shuts. I
look at Hunter and he
’
s
looking at his phone. Fingers moving fast.

“
Still
working?
”
I ask.

“
Always,
”
he says. He hits a button and
the phone screen goes black. He looks at me.
“
Always.
Have to keep the wheels turning, my sweet Jade. You know that, right? You
’
ve lived this life for so long.
I
’
m so happy we were able
to get together now. Finally.
”

Hunter smiles. I desperately try to
convince myself he
’
s good
looking. And the thing is - he actually is. He
’
s
a clean cut, sexy guy. Any woman would be lucky to have him. And he
’
s staring at me with some
dangerous eyes.

I haven
’
t done really anything with Hunter yet. I tell him
I
’
m going slow and enjoying
it all. He hangs tight because of my father. The man who used me my entire life
I get to use him now. Isn
’
t
life just wonderful? The last person to touch me
…

“
You
look wiped out,
”
Hunter
says.
“
These nights can be
very long.
”

“
They
are,
”
I say.
“
I
’
m
happy for the music thing though.
”
My eyes start to feel heavy.
“
It
’
s good. I
’
m happy.
”

“
You
deserve to be happy, Jade,
”
Hunter whispers.

He touches my head and I rest on
his shoulder. I tell myself to stop it. That all of this needs to stop. I need
to stand tall, strong, and do what I want. But what I want is so wrong. So
unbelievably wrong.

My phone vibrates in my bag next
to the chair. I look around the table. Hunter is in deep conversation with my
father. They
’
re
drinking scotch, talking business, laughing right on cue. My father
’
s hand is clamped tight
to Hunter
’
s
shoulder. All around them are other businessmen. They
’
re here to suck off the
power a little. It
’
s
a family business meeting kind of thing. Whatever it takes to build my father
’
s image.

Rebecca is sipping her wine as
though it
’
s
her fucking date. Staring at the red liquid, taking sip after sip, like she
’
s trying to be casual or
something about getting drunk at dinner. There are other women at the table,
everyone trying to be casual. It
’
s
horrible. I fucking hate this so much.

So I grab my phone. I figure it
’
s Katelyn. I need to let
her know I
’
ll
shoot her a text after we
’
re
done eating.

But it
’
s not Katelyn.

Ohmyfuckinggosh
…
it
’
s Jake.

He
’
s texting me right now.

I open the text, checking the
dinner table.

Nobody is watching me. Nobody
gives a damn.

I
’
m in the house. I
need your pussy. Right now.

It shocks me. He
’
s been sexy and flirty
but never aggressive. We had a deal. We reached an agreement after our last
time. The goal was to try and find common ground and just hang out.

I text him back.

What, are you drunk? I
’
m at dinner. It
’
s horrible, FYI

Now I sit impatient
ly
.
My heart racing. I hate myself for letting my heart get so excited so fast like
this. I read the word
‘
pussy
’
like eighty times. Such
a nasty, dirty word, right? But that
’
s
Jake. He speaks what he wants and doesn
’
t
care. And what he wants - again - is me.

I look at my father. I look at
Hunter. I look at Rebecca.

I didn
’
t ask for any of this.

Me and Jake first hooked up
before his mother became my stepmother. Before he became my stepbrother. So is
it really my fault if I
’
m
so attracted to Jake? And, seriously, is it really that wrong
…
to
…
just keep fucking him?

Hunter looks at me - as though
on cue - and winks.

My phone vibrates.

Make a choice right now. You
either come into the bathroom and let me fuck you or I come into the dining
room. Trust me, you don
’
t
want me in that room.

I swallow hard.

I
’
m so turned on right now.

I hurry to text him back.

Don
’
t come in here,
Jake. Don
’
t
make things worse. Please

It hasn
’
t been good at all with
Jake. He
’
s so
angry at his mother and he has a wildly growing anger for my father. Yet he won
’
t talk to me about
either.
Sometimes I think he
’
s
jealous of Hunter.
And when I think about it, it turns me on. Because if
he
’
s jealous
of Hunter that means he wants me.

Now I
’
m blushing.

I
’
m horny. I
’
m wet. I
’
m blushing. At the dinner table.

If Jake comes in here and ruins
a business meeting
…
I almost fear what will happen to him.

My phone vibrates.

I
’
m not fucking
kidding. Bring me that sweet pussy of yours right now. Or else I
’
m coming in there.
I
’
ll
drop my pants and make you stroke me in front of everyone. I
’
m counting to ten
…
1, 2, 3

I read the text and hurry to
grab for my bag.

Then I freeze.

Am I really doing this?

Going back, again?

We made a promise. A deal. A
…
whatever. We weren
’
t going to fool around
anymore. It was too risky and way too wrong.

I grip my bag and start to
stand.

Risky? Wrong? Jake?

Fuck
…
why did it all feel so
right?

I nuzzle my nose into his neck. I
’
m sort of awake, sort of lost in
a memory turned dream. My tongue flickers for a second and my body is on fire.
I taste something bitter and my eyes pop open. Tastes like cologne. I lift my
head and realize I
’
m still in
the backseat with Hunter.

He turns and looks at me, his eyes
wide.

He touches my cheek again.

The car is silent, almost soothing
at the soft rumble as we travel.

My memory is flickering to life,
but I
’
m in the moment with
what is right in front of me.

A second later, Hunter and I go at
each other. Our lips touch and then our tongues flirt. I know Hunter has always
wanted to make out with me. I mean, we had kissed before, okay? A little peck
here and there after our first couple dates. We even slipped a tongue here and
there. Hunter grazed over my shirt at my breast once and kissed my neck.

But right now, it
’
s almost wild.

I hold his shoulders as our mouths
open and close. Our tongues battling and swirling. Part of me is waiting for
something else to happen. Like,
Dude, here
’
s your moment
…
make a fucking move on me.

Hunter doesn
’
t make any other moves. He just keeps kissing me.
His left hand slides to the back of my hair and digs. His other hand caresses
my cheek. I
’
m not in the
mood for fucking romance right now. What my body wants and needs is just really
good sex.

OMG, who am I?

I was basically a virgin before I
met Jake. Now after a few times with him, it was like I broke through some kind
of barrier. Now I know what I want and what I fucking need.

The memory of Jake flickers away
even more and I suddenly start to come to reality. And reality is not so cool.
I
’
m in the backseat, making
out with Hunter. Like full on going at him. Wanting him to touch me.

I blame the vodka for sure.

I stop the kiss and slide my hands
to his chest to keep him away from me. Just in case if he finds his balls and
wants to do something.

“
Sorry,
”
I whisper.

“
Why?
Shit, Jade
…”

He moves at me and I keep him at
bay.
“
I
’
m so tired, Hunter. I just want
to sleep.
”

“
Okay,
”
he says.
“
Get some sleep. You
’
re just drunk right now.
”

I want to say something back to
him. Maybe something that wouldn
’
t
come out when I
’
m sober.

But I shut my eyes and seek out his
shoulder again
…

The next morning hits me hard.

I have a very vague memory of
walking from the SUV to the hotel. Getting into the elevators. Getting to the
room. Getting into bed.

Into bed with Hunter.

The first thing I do is sit up. I
pull the covers to my chin. I move the hair out of my face. My mouth is bone
dry and my head hurts. I
’
m
just dehydrated. Not hungover.

I slowly open the covers and take a
peek. I
’
m terrified I
’
ll be naked. Or I
’
ll be in different clothes.
Which would mean Hunter dressed me.

But I
’
m
in the same dress. He did nothing but put me into the bed.

I look to my left and the other
side of the bed seems fine.

Christ, he probably didn
’
t even sleep next to me.

It
’
s
all so damn confusing.

I get out of bed and make a line
for the bathroom. I hurry to drink from the faucet, lapping up water like a dog.
But it tastes so good right now. I look at myself in the mirror and I look like
death.

I fight with my hair for a few
seconds, my fingers tearing at painful knots. I scramble to wash my face and
then go to the closet to get a change of clothes. Better yet, I go to the
dresser and take out PJ
’
s.
I strip out of my dress, my eyes on the door, hoping Hunter doesn
’
t walk in on me.

I put on matching pants and a
shirt. I make damn sure I have a bra on, which I would never do with PJ
’
s. What
’
s the point of sleeping in a bra?

I try to play off how shitty I feel
and leave the bedroom.

I figure I
’
m going to find Hunter reading the newspaper.
Sipping some coffee. You know, a normal morning after a dinner party.

Nope.

Hunter is in a full suit standing
at the counter in the kitchen. Across from him is my father, dressed to take
over the world. Two feet to the right is Rebecca, wearing another gorgeous
dress.

And here I am, dressed for sleep,
looking like death.

I panic (again), now because I fear
that I slept all morning.

“
Good
morning,
”
Hunter says and
grins.

My father looks over his shoulder.
Then at his watch.
“
Almost
good afternoon.
”

I swallow hard, feeling two inches
tall.

It
’
s
ten minutes until noon.

But we didn
’
t get settled until after two in the morning.

“
How
long
…”

“
I
’
ve been here for two hours,
”
my father says.
“
We had a conference call.
”

“
I
’
ve been up since six,
”
Hunter says.