by Ava May
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Stepbrother
Confessions
Taboo Romance
Ava May
Stepbrother Confessions
Chapter 1
I sat in my old tree house with my feet dangling over the edge. It was strange to be home. I’d avoided it so much in the last couple of years it no longer felt like it was my home. Mom was happy with the new baby. Shelby was adorable, but I wasn’t interested in seeing every little new thing she did. I was happy Mom had a new purpose.
Shelby gave her someone else to worry about for a change and there was less focus on me. That’s what I needed, until I figured out how to take my life back. I leaned back giving my ribs a break and allowed the tears to fall. Jacob had really done it this time. It was getting harder to hide the marks. I didn’t know what to do.
Anytime I tried to call things off he found a way around it. He knew what to do to get me back. He used my self-esteem against me. He knew I was uncomfortable in my skin. He always promised it wouldn’t happen again, but then inevitably it did. I was a lost cause. Somehow he always sucked me in, and I wasn’t sure what to do about it. I said no, but then he kissed me and that was it. I was addicted to him. When it was good it was great, but when it was bad, it was a nightmare.
Lifting a finger to my rib I sucked in a breath. Just that one tiny touch and I was in a world of pain. I thought it might have been broken, but I was too scared to go to the hospital. I wasn’t good at lying. It was why I stayed away. Mom would know. She always did. That’s why I was thankful for the baby. Shelby kept the questions away. I sat up and cringed. I’d wrapped a bandage around my ribs, but I didn’t think it was doing the trick.
A car pulled up, and when I saw the yellow mustang dread filled me. He wasn’t supposed to be here. I came home to get away from him. I needed space. I should have known it wouldn’t work. When Jacob got out of the passenger side of his car I knew I was in trouble. There was only one reason he wouldn’t be driving. He was wasted.
“Brenna!” he yelled and I gasped and hurried out of the tree house. I couldn’t let him wake anyone. Ignoring the jabs of pain in my side, I ran across my yard as he was about to cause me problems.
“Jacob,” I hissed. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He smiled but it wasn’t a happy smile, and I shrank back from his hand. “Baby, I came to take you home, where you belong.”
I glared at him. “I’m not going anywhere with you, and don’t wake my mom. The baby doesn’t sleep well yet, and she needs her rest.”
He wobbled towards me and nearly fell, but I caught him and moaned when my already hurt rib burned in agony.
“I said you’re coming home with me, like we planned.”
“That plan changed when you kicked the shit out of me with your damn steel-toed boots.” I was surprised by how well I was standing up for myself. Normally I cowered and obeyed.
His eyes widened. He must have been surprised by my defiance too. He brushed up against me and gripped my wrist tightly in his hand. The smell of alcohol nearly made me vomit. He smelled like a freakin bottle of Jack. I gaged and tried to pull away, but he yanked me against his body.
“You know what happens with you piss me off. If you would just fucking listen I wouldn’t have to hurt you.”
I cried now because I knew what was going to happen. “No, I won’t let you. Not this time. I told you it was over, and I meant it.”
He chuckled and nuzzled my neck. “You don’t mean that baby, you love me, my touch,” he followed by running his hand up my side and grazing the underside of my breast. “You can’t resist how I touch you. I know my baby’s body.” His lips brushed my neck and I tilted my head to the side succumbing to his demands.
“Good girl,” he replied and reached down to push my skirt up. “I love when you make it easy for me.”
I gasped when he fingers brushed my panties. I didn’t want this, but why couldn’t I stop him? This time I’d be strong. “Stop, I don’t want this,” I said and sobbed. When I pulled away I felt another body at my back. Another pair of hands held me in place. Another set of lips on my skin. Tears fell down my cheeks in rivers now. Not again. I couldn’t do this again.
I shook and tried to find a way out. “No more. I don’t want this.” I yanked my hand from Jacob, but there was no way out, not with Alex behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut when I felt them work together to remove my panties. There was nothing I could do. I didn’t want my mom to know. I was ashamed of what I had become. Of what I allowed to happen. I cried and repeated, “No.” over and over again.
Just as I thought Jacob was going to force me, he was ripped from me and thrown across the yard. Alex dropped his hands and back away from me. When I focused I saw Gabriel with fire in his eyes. “Brenna, sweetheart. Please look away.”
I nodded covering my eyes.
“You motherfucker, you will never lay another hand on her. Do you hear me, douchebag?”
Then I heard flesh against flesh and knew Gabriel was beating the shit out of Jacob. He cried and sobbed begging him to stop, and I lowered my hands to see Alex staring wide eyed at the fight in front of us. He didn’t move to help his friend.
“Please stop!”
“Are you going to keep your fucking hands off of her?”
“Yes, yes,” he sobbed and I watched in morbid fascination as Gabriel straddled his body and lifted his fist as if he was going to hit him again. He’d done enough, and I sped to him and wrapped my small hand over his.
He glanced over at me with something in his expression I didn’t quite understand.
“Stop, Gabriel. You’ve made your point.”
He clenched his jaw and glanced back at Jacob who looked as though he was going to piss himself.
“Stay away from me. It’s over, and take your fucking goon with you. If I see you near me I’ll call Gabriel, and next time I won’t stop him.” Having Gabriel there made me feel strong. I knew no one would hurt me if he was there.
He looked at Jacob. “Next time, you won’t be so lucky. Next time, Brenna won’t be there to stop me.”
He moved off of Jacob slowly as if to make the fear settle. It worked. Jacob’s body shook, and I knew he was in a world of pain. His face was covered in blood and his eyes were nearly swollen shut. I didn’t even know what other problems he would be facing. Gabriel really laid him out. When he grabbed my hand I did my best not to pull away.
“Now get the hell off of my property and take your pussy with you.”
Jacob crawled to his feet and ran from my yard. He wasn’t drunk anymore. I hadn’t even noticed that Alex had already slipped away. He was lucky that Gabriel was more focused on Jacob or he’d be black and blue too.
I didn’t know what I wasn’t scared. Jacob had hurt me on more than one occasion, but seeing Gabriel hitting him to protect me didn’t scare me. Maybe it was because I knew those fists would never be used on me.
He looked at me heaving. He was angry still and his fists were clenched. When he looked at me he softened his eyes. “Brenna, we’re going to have a very long talk, but not now. I have to go. You call me if they come back, and I’ll be here in a second.” He ran his shaky hand through his curly hair. “And for fucks sake please stop calling me Gabriel. It’s Gabe.” Then he jogged away leaving me standing there wondering what kind of talk he intended to have. I knew he cared about me. He’d told me as much. It was the main reason I stayed away. I never knew when he was going to be visiting his dad. I didn’t need the complication of Gabriel Baxter in my life.
Chapter 2
Instead of going inside, I climbed back up into the tree house ignoring the pain in my ribs. I wiped my eyes getting rid of the evidence of my tears. It was a close call, and I had never been more appreciative of Gabriel than I was in that one moment, but now he knew my secret.
I sat staring at the sky for what felt like hours before I felt Gabriel climb the rope latter into my haven. He knocked on the wood and I glanced at him.
“Can I come in?”
I sighed and shrugged.
He ducked his head and sat down sitting Indian style. His knuckles were bruised and swollen, but he had washed the blood away.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He laughed humorlessly. “I should be asking you the same thing, Brenna.”
“Please don’t tell anyone.”
“That’s why you stopped coming home? Your boyfriend was beating on you and—” he said, disgusted, and even though he didn’t finish his thought I knew what he was going to say.
“Partially. I was ashamed, and I didn’t know how to stop it.”
“Well, I stopped it. If that motherfucker comes near you again, I want you to call me and scream. Why didn’t you scream?”
I wiped my eyes trying to keep the tears away. “I didn’t want my mom to know, or your dad.” I looked at him. “I knew your dad would tell you. He’s got that some protectiveness you have, and I knew this would happen if you knew.”
“Damn straight, no one is allowed to touch you that way. Ever.”
I sighed. “You can’t do that again, Gabriel—”
“Gabe.”
“Fine. Gabe. You could lose everything you’ve worked so hard for if it gets back to your trainer. I won’t be the reason you can’t fight.”
He scooted closer and gripped my hand. “It would be worth it though. You’re more important than fighting.”
I laughed. “Fighting is your life.” He was too close. I could smell his cologne mixed with the scent of cloves.
He looked at me with that same look he always had when I actually saw him. “If you’d stop fuckin’ avoiding me, that would change and you know it, Brenna.”
I pulled my hand back, but he didn’t let go. “We can’t.”
“Why not?”
“You know why.”
“Hell, Brenna, we aren’t related. Your mom married my father before I even knew he was my dad.”
“What would people think?”
“That we’re fucking crazy about each other. I know you feel the same; I just wish you would stop denying it. You end up with assholes like Jacob because you’re afraid of your feelings for me.”
I sucked in a breath surprised by how close he’d come to the truth. He tugged me close, and I gasped again but this time in pain. I bit my lip hoping to hide it but he noticed. He did.
“Did he hurt you?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Bullshit, show me.”
“Everything is fine, really Gabe, I took care of it myself.”
“Where did he hurt you sweetheart?” He face hovered near mine and his breath whispered against my skin.
I was lost in how close he was. Normally I kept my distance. “Ribs.”
He nodded and pushed my shoulder back urging me to lie back. I sighed knowing he wouldn’t let it go and grimaced when he went to lift my shirt. I didn’t want him seeing my body. I instinctively held my shirt down and blushed.
“Stop your perfect.” He slid my shirt up and growled at my wrap. “Did you wrap them?”
“Yeah, it hasn’t helped though.”
“That’s because it’s too tight. Here sit up. Let me make sure none are broken, and then I’ll fix it.”
I eyed him suspiciously.
“I know a thing or two about ribs because of my line of work.”
Sitting up I groaned. He pulled my shirt off, and I shivered when his fingers grazed my bare skin. He undid the bandage slowly pulling it free from around my ribs carefully.
“Okay lie back down. It’s going to hurt but I have to push a little okay?”
I nodded and bit my lip. He pressed to fingers against my sore rib and I cried out.
“Sorry, baby.”
I did my best to ignore his slip, but my stomach flip-flopped. I enjoyed his attention too much. He pressed along the swollen area and nodded.
“They’re bruised pretty badly, but nothing is broken or cracked. He's one lucky bastard. If I had to take you to the hospital, I would hunt him down and break his ribs.”
I laughed and then held my side. It hurt to laugh.
“It’s easier to wrap them right if you stand up.” He held his hand out and pulled me to my feet. When I stood my chest brushed against his and he sucked in a breath. When I looked at him his eyes were locked on the peak of my cleavage.
I licked my lips hoping I could ignore how it made me feel to have him looking at me like that. “My eyes are up here, Gabe,” I said quietly.
He nodded and I could see he struggled to pull his eyes from my body. “I know, Brenna.” He moved me back but kept his eyes on my stomach. “Lift your arms so I can re-wrap your ribs. You need to rest for a few days and maybe take some pain pills to help. Otherwise you’ll be fine.”
He pulled the wrap out and stepped closer and slowly wrapped the bandage around me. His fingers lightly ran across my skin and he took advantage of touching me. I noticed they lingered a little longer, and when he wrapped the bandage around the front his thumb ran across the bottom of my bra. It was such a small and innocent touch. Most people would think it was an accident, but I knew better.
When he smirked at me and secured the wrap and shrugged I knew it was no accident.
“My bad.”
Smiling I shook my head and picked up my shirt sliding it back over my head. I felt better when I was covered, but that didn’t stop his gaze from traveling down the length on my body. My skirt went to the middle of my calves and flared out.
“Do you always wear those damn skirts?”
“Pretty much. I don’t like to be confined.”
He worked his jaw and I stepped towards him. I stood face to face with him. That was one advantage of being taller than most girls. I didn’t have to look up to meet Gabe’s eyes. They were dark and haunted. I saw pain and arousal behind the confident veneer he portrayed to the rest of the world. I knew he wasn’t always as happy as he appeared. I closed the distance between us and his hands automatically went to my hips holding me in front of him.
“What, Brenna?”
“I want to thank you.” I looked to the side and sniffed holding back the tears. “You have no idea—” Cutting myself off, I somehow decided kissing him was a better idea. It was light and was meant as a thank you. He froze and his hands tightened on me. When I pulled back he stared at me like I had just done something incredible.
Then he kissed me holding me still. I moaned and pressed my lips harder against his. Finally after all this time I could feel them. They were full and soft, but demanding as he worked my mouth open to slip his tongue inside.
He was breathing heavily and his erection pressed against me. That was all it took to snap me out of my hidden desi
re for him. I’d wanted to taste his lips for so long. They were even more perfect than I imagined, but I couldn’t. I pulled back and shook my head before burying my face in his neck. “I can’t,” I whispered. “No matter how much my body says yes, my mind says no. I’m sorry, Gabe.”
I felt his heart thumped against his chest and he pulled me back gripping my chin. “So many things I have to say in response to what you just said, baby. But first, don’t ever apologize for saying no—ever. You got me?”
He stared at me until I responded. “Yes,” I whispered.
“Second, I’ve waited a long time for you to realize we could make magic together if you’d just let go. I can wait until your mind catches up to your heart, because it isn’t your body that’s saying yes—well not only your body—but your heart wants me too. I know how you feel; I see it in your eyes every time you allow yourself to be near me. It’s why you stay away, but I’m telling you right now, no more avoiding me. I need you in my life, and I need to be able to prove to you that what we have is more than lust. I don’t just want to fuck you, Brenna.” He chuckled when I blushed. “It’s so much more than that. What’s it going to take to you convince you that I’m not messin’ around with you?”
I shrugged wondering why he chose now to tell me this. “You’ve never told me all this.”
“I didn’t know how to, besides every time I enter a room you leave. How was I supposed to tell you when you’re always running?”
“I don’t know how to handle how I feel, and how can you be so sure things would be so great between us and that it’s more than lust?”
“Baby, I know what lust feels like. I’ve had my fair share of exploits. I’ve been with a lot of women.”
I glared not wanting to hear about how many girls he’d banged.
“See, that look right there tells me so much. You’re jealous, and those girls meant nothing to me. They were a quick lay and that’s it. You’re different. I want to be with you. My heart races, my pulse beats like fucking crazy, I have sweaty palms, hell butterflies swarm in my stomach just hearing your name—and I swear if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll deny it—but all of those feelings are how people describe love—not lust. I can’t stop thinking about you. You have no idea how many times I’ve driven to campus to tell you how I feel only to chicken out. I don’t take rejection well, and you’ve done it time and time again.”