His eyes grow large, and I notice his still semi-hard erection jumps inside his briefs. A deep, raspy chuckle fills the bathroom as he slides his briefs off. “Yes, ma’am. You sure are a bossy little thing, aren’t you? But fuck, it turns me on faster than anything else on the goddamn planet.”
I bite my lip seductively and hold my hand up, taking his into mine as he climbs into the tub and slips in behind me, letting me come to rest against his chest.
“I always get my way. I think you now know that. If I gotta get lippy to make it happen, so be it.”
“Keep it up, Spitfire, and sore or not, I’ll make your feisty little ass go for round two.”
Friday came and went with me staying holed up in my room for most of the day. I was so physically exhausted I wouldn’t make it down the damn stairs if the house were on fire!
Linc was surprisingly still super sweet and made me a late lunch since we slept through breakfast, and then we ordered takeout and ate it up in my room. Not long after we finished eating though, he tore out with his friends to go to some bar. I, on the other hand, stayed in my room, trying to heal miraculously fast, because I stupidly told my father I wanted to play a few rounds of tennis after we had brunch.
Sadly, I was still sore as all hell come Saturday, so I complained to my father I had my monthly problem, and like most men, he didn’t question me any further than that. It was nice though, spending the afternoon with my father and catching up. I’m a daddy’s girl, loud and proud. It’s always bittersweet seeing him because I love spending time with my dad while I’m home, but then it’s really hard going back to my normal college life and being away from him.
It was nice because Alison joined us for brunch too, so we all spent the afternoon stuffing our faces with pancakes and talking about the possibilities of summer internships at one of the aquariums in California.
I’m still not sure what I want to do. Thankfully, I have a few more months left before I need to make that decision.
Right now, it’s almost ten o’clock at night, and Tessa is up in my room, helping me primp for a night out at Bottom of the Hill, which is the hottest nightclub in all of San Francisco.
The sound of our cab beeping out front sets a fire under our asses, and grabbing our clutches, we hightail it downstairs, past Linc and all of his friends, who are having their own little party here, and head out to the cab waiting for us.
I’ve barely spoken two words to Linc today because I’ve been gone most of the afternoon, and by the time I got home, he had all of his friends here. He’s used to this random hooking up thing, since he does it all the time. Me, on the other hand? Not so much. I’m in a whole new ballgame right now, and my head is all over the place.
My original plan was to fuck him, experience it like someone would go to a theme park and ride the most talked about roller coaster, and then be over it. But I keep finding myself thinking about what I’m going to do once I return to Long Beach.
That man fucked the fuck right out of me.
There’s no way in hell I’ll find someone to compete with that!
Then, there’s the whole bet thing. I feel super guilty about it, so much so that I refused to allow Tessa to buy me a Starbucks gift card. It was okay in high school because we were young and dumb. But now, we know it’s wrong, and if I take that from her, I’ll be condoning using someone in order to gain a luxury prize. I’d feel guilty with every coffee I drank, and I love coffee way too much to allow my conscience to ruin it for me.
The second we climb into the cab, Tessa starts firing off a hundred and one questions about Linc, making my head spin as I try to keep up.
“So have you and Forbidden done the dirty since Thursday night?” She’s leaning on her hands, tapping her chin as she waits for what she thinks will be a bunch of naughty confessions, when the reality of it is I have nothing to tell. We’ve only had sex that one time. Now, I go home tomorrow.
I slouch against the seat in defeat. “No, we haven’t done the dirty. God, Tessa, I never should’ve slept with him.” I glance out the window, needing to try and reel my emotions in before turning back to her. I let out a deep sigh before continuing, “Things are already starting to feel weird between us. He barely spoke two words to me this entire evening. I know that’s our usual way of living. I hate him. He hates me. But I thought after the other night maybe things had changed between us. I assumed we’d at least be friendly towards one another.”
The cab pulls up in front of the club, so I dig my debit card out of my clutch and slide it through the machine on the back of the headrest, paying the cab fee and climbing out onto the sidewalk.
Stepping out behind me, Tessa slams the door and turns around, waving her hand at me while blowing air between her lips. “Pshh. I wouldn’t look too much into it. That’s classic Forbidden. Brooding asshole who is too good for everyone when his buddies are around. I bet you anything as soon you get back home, and all of his friends are gone, he’ll be all over you, wanting to tap this one more time before you go.” She laughs, slapping my butt as we walk toward the entrance of the nightclub and get in line.
“You’re crazy. I don’t want him tapping anything anymore. It was a one time thing.”
Of course, I’m lying my ass off right now. If she knew I was falling for Linc, she’d never let me live it down. I knew better. I knew his reputation. But still, I allowed myself to open up to him too much. I should’ve kept it simply sex. Nothing else. Now, because of it, I’m the fool who fell for her future stepbrother.
“Let’s promise right now to not speak of Linc at all for the rest of the night. I’m ready to have some fun with you one more time before I have to fly back to college tomorrow. Kay?”
Draping her arm over my shoulders, Tessa pulls me into a half-hug. “Let’s also add to that no talking about leaving tomorrow. Capiche?”
Smiling, I nod in agreement with her. “Got it. Nothing but fun talk for the rest of the night.”
~~~
Even though I tried really hard to not think about Linc or leaving, I was unsuccessful at both. But I didn’t mention them once to Tessa, so she had no idea the entire time we were dancing that I was running Thursday night over and over again in my head. Mix that with one too many mixed drinks, and that’s a concoction for a catastrophe.
It’s almost four a.m. when the cab finally pulls up in front of my house. We both stumble out with our shoes in our hands and slowly make our way up to the house. It’s lightly sprinkling as we head up the stairs to my front door. “Hurry your ass up before it decides to change into a fricking downpour!” I shout at Tessa as I unlock the door.
Opening it, we drop our shoes by the door and relock it before heading into the kitchen to take some aspirins before bed. The last thing I need is a hangover when I have to fly in twelve hours.
We wash down the tablets and then stumble our way towards the stairway. As soon as we begin to ascend them, I hear the all too familiar sounds of sex being had upstairs. Two nights ago, that was me screaming Linc’s name. Now, it’s some other girl who fell under his bad boy spell.
I freeze at the top of the stairs and turn around to look at Tessa, who still has a few steps to go. “You know what? I changed my mind. I want that fucking gift card. I earned it. I might as well leave with something other than a sore fucking vagina.”
Tessa begins laughing uncontrollably and repeating, “Sore fucking vagina,” in between more laughter.
“Because of that asshole, I had to turn down that hottie at the bar tonight. I’m too sore to even think about having sex again. Now I wish I would’ve brought him back here anyways. I could’ve blown him at least, and used it to piss Linc off, since he doesn’t seem to mind bringing skanks into my house and fucking them on the other side of my bedroom wall.”
Tessa pulls me in for a hug and pats my back. “I’m sorry, love. It’ll be okay. At least you leave in a few hours, and then you won’t have to think about him or his vagina bruising dick,” she says, giggling agai
n at herself.
That’s easier said than done. Ughh. I’m such an idiot.
“Goodnight, Tessa.”
Wiggling her fingers in the air at me, she yells, “’Night, girly!”
Walking into my bedroom, I shut my door and slide my dress off, tossing it onto the floor. I set my clutch down on my vanity before digging in my suitcase that I repacked this afternoon and pulling out one of my tank tops to sleep in.
I stop beside the wall and listen to the sound of Linc’s sexcapade transpiring on the other side. There’s no way in hell I can listen to that all night. Walking over to the wall, I slam my palm against it five times before shouting, “Can you hurry up and finish, jackass? Some of us are trying to go to sleep! I have a fucking plane to catch in less than twelve hours!”
It grows quiet, and I suddenly hear muffled voices as Linc and the girl talk. Not two minutes later, I hear his bedroom door slam, followed by loud footsteps making their way toward my door. My chest is heaving as I try to calm the panic coursing through me. I should’ve just dragged my ass downstairs and crashed on the couch.
I’m never coming back to this house again. My mother can enjoy her douchebag boyfriend, and Linc can go about his manwhore, assholing ways all over every inch of this fucking house.
I don’t care anymore.
My head snaps up to my door as I hear the handle turning, and then I lock eyes with the devil himself. He should’ve stayed Forbidden. But no. I had to have him. I just had to get a taste. Now I’m paying the price.
“Who the hell do you think you are, pulling a stunt like that?” he shouts down at me as his face shines beet-red and the tendons in his neck bulge out, looking as if they’re one more temper tantrum away from snapping.
Folding my arms over my chest, I stare straight back at him, not allowing him to intimidate me. “That was me telling you and your dirty little whore to shut the fuck up. This is my house, asshole. If I want to go to sleep, I don’t want to do so while listening to you pant like a fucking dog through the wall and your friend screaming like a bad porn star!”
His hand tightens around the door handle as I watch him attempt to calm himself down. Of course, my eyes defy me and roam over his body that is covered in nothing but another pair of small boxer briefs.
As quickly as I take him in, I snap my eyes back up to his. My face twists into a look of disgust, as I pretend to not be the least bit attracted to him anymore. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I would like to go to sleep, seeing that I have to fly back to Long Beach in a few hours.”
His jaw tics as he clenches his mouth shut before finally opening it to speak. His voice is laced with anger as he tells me, “Go to sleep, princess. The faster you’re out of this damn house, the better. I don’t need a cock-blocking bitch fucking with my life, just because she’s pissed off that I fucked her once and moved on. Sorry to break it to ya, but that’s the way I’m hardwired, Spitfire. I fuck and move on. That ain’t ever gonna change.”
I feel as if I’ve been sucker-punched in the gut. I don’t let him see the pain I’m feeling right now; instead, I shake my head and let out a sinister laugh. “You’re so full of yourself. I couldn’t care less who you stick your dick in. I just don’t want to have to listen to it. And I’m not the least bit pissed off that you moved on to the next girl, because you were always a one-time thing for me, you arrogant jackass! If it wasn’t for Tessa betting me that I couldn’t fuck you before I went back to Long Beach, you and I never would’ve happened!”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, I wish to God that the floor would open up and swallow me right here, right now.
“What the fuck did you just say? You and your friend made a bet? What was the prize if you banged the stepbrother, Raven?”
I run my hands over my face as I try to keep it together. Hugging myself, I drop my eyes to the floor, staring at my feet because I can no longer look at him. I feel too ashamed. With him, it’s a ‘what you see is what you get’ kind of thing. But with me, I’m looked at as the pure and good girl who’d never hurt anyone. Yet, the hurt I see in Linc’s eyes right now makes me feel like the worst person on the planet.
“She has to buy me coffee for the next month. But I told her I didn’t want it because I felt bad afterwards for making the bet in the first place. When we made the stupid bet, I thought I hated you—hell, I did hate you! But then we spent time together, and I saw there was more to you than I knew before. But then I got home tonight and heard you with that girl, and I was so furious with you that I told her I would take the Starbucks gift card because it changed nothing for you. So why should I allow it to change anything for me?”
Running his hands through his hair, he backs out of my room. “Un-fucking-believable. I don’t even know what to say to you right now.”
I look up and try to find the words to say that’ll fix this, but I come up with nothing. Instead, I walk over to my bedroom door and shut it, leaving him standing on the other side, staring at me blankly.
~~~
Wheeling my suitcase toward my terminal, I look down at my phone, rereading the text my mother sent me while I was going through security. It’s a picture of her showing off a big shiny rock on her left hand.
Yup. Not only did I fuck my mom’s boyfriend’s son and ruin any chance at a friendship with him, we are now going to officially be stepbrother and sister.
Just wonderful.
I can only pray before the wedding that Matt messes up somehow, and my mother sends him packing. There is no way in hell I’ll be at that wedding or any holiday gathering because I’m never going back to that house with them living there. I can never be around Linc again. It’ll be way too hard.
Before I left this morning, I was going to attempt to talk to Linc and smooth things over with him so things wouldn’t be awkward when I returned home this summer. But he refused to even acknowledge I was in the same room with him. When I pulled him aside before I left and pleaded with him to let what happened go, he told me with certainty in his voice that he never wanted to see or speak to me ever again. I could feel the finality in his words. It felt as if he had crushed my heart with one single blow.
Tessa felt awful and confessed to me on the way to the airport that she overheard everything last night that unfolded between us. She offered to talk to Linc, but I told her not to bother. We knew from the start it was supposed to be a meaningless fuck. That’s what we had.
I just never predicted, in the meantime, I’d develop feelings for him. It’s my fault. I knew how he was, and still I went after the Forbidden fruit, and now had to pay the price.
I know that they say; time heals all wounds. So for myself, I’ll just give it some time, and before I know it, I’ll be saying, ‘Linc Sarris who?’ Hopefully I’ll meet a new guy, fall in love, and who knows? Maybe I’ll finally get the happily ever after. I hope Linc can find the same happiness somewhere down the road.
The End…
For Now!
Release date for book 2 of the Stepbrother Series to be announced soon, but until then…
Continue reading for Sneak Peeks of an upcoming release by Danielle Jamie
First and foremost, I need to thank my fans! Especially my street teams, Brooklyn’s Bitches & Dixon’s Darlins, for working tirelessly every single day to get the word out about Brooklyn and Dixon’s newest releases and all of my books! Without your support, I wouldn’t be living my dream right now. It still feels surreal to think I’m an author! And not just an author, but because of your undying support, I hit Amazon Bestseller twice.
My street team is seriously the BEST! Especially my team captain Traci Hyland. They spending all day, every day pimping me out and helping get the word out to new readers, and I cannot say enough how much I appreciate every single one of you. You’ve slowly become great friends, not just fans. I appreciate everything you do! Without your support, Brooklyn’s series never would’ve happened!
I can’t say thank you enough to my Bestie and the Brooklyn to
my Savannah ;) Kayla Robichaux, AKA Kayla the Bibliophile, and NOW author K.D. Robichaux, as she has now taken the plunge and published her first book. She always knocks my books out of the park with her amazing editing abilities. We are quite the duo, writing and editing books in record time! I love you, girly! You’re the BEST!
I need to give a big thank you to my family. My husband, for supporting this dream and doing everything from housework, to cooking, to traveling with me to signings, and patiently waiting every night for me to finally make it to bed after a long day of writing.
My girls, Madison and Bailey, for being such big helpers! They’ve been a blessing helping keep their little brother Finn occupied, and not complaining when I say we’re ordering pizza again tonight.
Thank you to my AMAZING beta readers, Amy, Tammi, Kelli, Tabby, and Sophie who sent me all the feedback and enthusiastic emails after reading each chapter; it helped keep me focused and determined to deliver the most amazing novel I could write. I truly appreciate all their feedback and their love for Brooklyn’s first story.
A BIG Special Thank You Samantha Towle, who is one of my favorite people and author bestie, for ALWAYS being there whenever I need to just talk, vent, or need help with a sentence that is driving me so bat shit crazy I’m five seconds away from smashing my freaking laptop!! Haa! I love you, ladies, HARD!! And to all my Author 101 girls for just being awesome and being there whenever any of us need help!
I just want to say THANK YOU! To every single one of you who support me and purchased this book! You will never know how appreciative I am for the support I receive from every single one of you.
If you can please rate and review this novel on Goodreads and the site you purchased it from to help share Raven & Linc’s story with the reader world, I would truly appreciate it.
Copyright
Forbidden: A Stepbrother Novella
Forbidden Page 8