Stepbrother: The Game He Plays

by Lucy Ivey

  When I finished wiping off the counter, I threw the dish towel in the sink and silently walked past them. Justin’s eyes followed but he said nothing. As I was walking out of the kitchen, my mother called me into the living room. She handed me the package in her hands when I sat beside her.

  “I wanted to give this to you earlier.”

  “What is it?”

  “I don’t know,” she answered. “But it’s from your father.”

  Today was my first Christmas without him. Ever. My throat immediately swelled.

  “Open it.”

  I stared down at the polar bear–papered box in my hands. It was the same paper he used to wrap my gifts last year. The bow was even re-used. It didn’t matter to me.

  “Open it,” she repeated softly nudging me with her shoulder. I tore open the package and found a letter and small box wrapped in more of the same paper.

  “Do you want me to leave you alone so you can open it in private?”

  “No.”

  I wanted her beside me. Maybe, I thought it would make the three of us feel like a family again, if only for a few minutes. Although I wasn’t sure if I wanted that anymore. I was started to like my new life. Well, I was starting to like it until this morning.

  “Karley?”

  “Oh, sorry,” I whispered focusing my attention back on the box.

  I opened the letter and began reading. When I finished, I read it again.

  My father was everything to me. He was the one person who never let me down. The one person I trusted to always be honest with me. I would keep his encouraging words in the letter to myself—about knowing I would find happiness again with my mother and understanding that everything happens for a reason.

  “Karley, are you okay?”

  I nodded and began tearing off the wrapping paper covering the box. The framed picture of the two of us flooded my head with memories.

  “What a beautiful picture,” she whispered.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded again.

  “I remember the day this picture was taken. My friend and I were sitting on the porch when Dad got home from work,” I whispered handing her the picture. “It was the last day of school and I wanted to ask him if I could go to the beach with her and some friends.”

  I wasn’t sure why I was telling her about that day. Maybe it was because at one time, she was the only person I wanted to tell my stories to … I missed that about us.

  “He and I already had plans to go fishing that night but I knew he would say yes to me going with my friends.” I caught my breath in a hard gasp of air and laid my head in her lap. “I wish I had gone fishing with him instead.”

  “Honey, your dad knows you love him.” She stroked my hair slowly. “He loves you very much and wants you to be happy.”

  She kissed the top of my head.

  I let a few more tears fall before slowly raising my head and wiping them away. She was staring at the picture. She brushed her fingertip lightly over his face.

  “He is still so handsome.” A small loving smile formed on her lips. “You know, sweetie, I’ll always love your father.”

  Her words were unexpected. She saw the surprise on my face.

  “I will,” she admitted. “Love can just be so complicated.”

  Her angelic face staring down at the man she broke into a million pieces when she left and sweet words about always loving him ripped open my heart.

  Complicated? Her decision to leave didn’t seem very complicated.

  The more her words echoed inside my mind, the faster anger started to silently build inside me. The loving moment we were sharing moments ago was gone.

  “I talked to your father before you came to visit me, and he said he wanted me to tell you what happened between us.”

  “I already know what happened,” I snapped, quickly wiping more tears with the sleeves of my sweater.

  “You do?”

  “It was so obvious.” Her look of confusion spiked my anger toward her. “It still is, don’t you think?”

  The answer was in the other room and all around us. She met an Osborne. He swept her off her feet and she left everything behind to have him love her. I got it. Trust me, I got it.

  She recognized my expression. My tightly closed, quivering lips. The cold lock of my stare on her. The stiffness of my body inside her embrace. All of the signs were there for her. I was waiting, silently daring her to say something else about the life she didn’t want anymore to tell her how much I hated what she did to us. To me.

  She was in pain. Selfishly, once again, I didn’t care.

  She leaned forward to kiss my forehead but I leaned away. She lifted her body off the couch and walked out of the room.

  I folded the letter back up and picked up the wrapping from the couch. When I stood up, Joe was behind me with his muscular arms crossed.

  “It seems like this family has a lot of secrets you don’t know about.”

  I wanted to tell him I knew about his secret. I knew he killed someone. I didn’t. I wouldn’t betray Justin. More importantly, I wouldn’t let him pull me back into his cat and mouse game. Not today.

  He saw my heart was broken. His strong features softened as I slowly walked past him without saying another word.

  “Karley—”

  His voice was tender. I wanted to go back to him. I didn’t. The smartest thing I could do was stay away from him.

  It was after midnight when Gray and I stopped texting about our movie plans for tomorrow night. She wanted me to make sure Joe would be there, too. The truth was I didn’t even know if Justin would be going. I forgot to ask him the day Ryan dropped me off, and now with his not talking to me, I didn’t know if I even wanted him to go anymore.

  I turned off the light and tried my hardest to fall asleep.

  It was impossible.

  Thoughts of everything happening flooded my mind.

  Everything about my life had changed so quickly over the past few weeks.

  And now, everything about my new life was changing.

  It was too much.

  Sleep wouldn’t be coming any time soon so I walked out on the balcony of my room and looked out into the night.

  The air was cold but still. The moon lit the snow-topped trees below and the silence of the scene brought serenity to the chaos of my life.

  I closed my eyes to take it all in until someone’s arms wrapped around my waist.

  I quickly twisted around falling into Justin.

  He surprised me.

  I didn’t hear him knock. I didn’t hear him walk up behind me. And until I felt him touching me, I had no idea he was even in my room.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Do you want me to leave?” His voice had a soft challenging seduction in it. He knew I wanted him to stay.

  “You haven’t talked to me all day,” I whispered motionless in his hold.

  “I had a lot to think about.”

  “Like what?”

  His light eyes were as conflicted as his father’s had been the night before.

  “Like what?” I repeated. “You seemed to be okay with everyone but me today. Did I do something wrong?”

  “No.”

  He released his firm grip from my hips.

  “Then why haven’t you talked to me all day? Why the silent treatment?”

  The pain he caused me was overwhelming. I deserved an answer.

  “And why come to my room now?”

  “I’ll leave if you want me to,” he interrupted walking past me to the railing of the balcony.

  Wrong way, I thought, unless you’re gonna jump. I should’ve said it out loud. He needed to know his hold on me wasn’t as strong as he thought. I didn’t. Two reasons: I didn’t want him to leave and his hold was strong. Too strong.

  “I don’t want you to leave. I want to understand what you’re thinking.”

  I understood he may have misunderstood what he saw last night with Joe. I walked up beside
him and put my hand on his arm.

  “Justin, I would never do anything to hurt you.”

  He faced me. The moon enhanced his features. Tracing the line of his square jaw and shadowing his eyes as they stared at me. He needed—or wanted—to hear what I had to say.

  “That thing last night with Joe … it wasn’t anything,” I said taking a deep breath in. “He is just so curious to me. I don’t understand him.”

  “Does that make you attracted to him?”

  “No. I mean, he just seems like he is hiding who he really is.”

  “And if I wasn’t such an open book to you, would you find me more attractive?”

  My words caused him more pain.

  “Justin, that’s not what I meant. I don’t want you to be like him.”

  He took a step forward and put his hands on the sides of my face.

  “I am like him. And if you wanted him, I would do everything I could to change your mind,” he whispered. “But if he wanted you, I know there’s nothing I could do to change his mind.”

  “I don’t want Joe,” I interrupted putting my hands on the back of his arms, pulling him closer to me. “I want you, Justin.”

  He leaned his face toward mine and pressed down on my lips with his, blocking any more of my thoughts of his brother.

  “Seeing you with him. It made me angry. For the first time, it made me hate him. I don’t want him to take you away from me. I know he can do it so easily. He has before.”

  I wasn’t sure what he meant. I didn’t want to know. I wanted the anger and tension between us gone.

  “I have something for you.”

  He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a box. He was solicitous about offering the black velvet square to me.

  I lifted the delicate lid and stared at the shiny, silver necklace inside. The small diamond snowflake sparkled against the glow of the moon.

  “Oh, my God,” I whispered holding it up in front of me. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Joe said you would like it.” My stomach tightened. I didn’t want to think about him. Not anymore.

  “I do. Thank you.”

  “I want you to remember our time together,” he whispered. “The snowboarding. This Christmas.” He paused and took a small breath in. “Tonight.”

  His eyes were hopeful.

  Tonight.

  My breath was caught inside my throat. I wanted tonight to happen, too.

  “Thank you. I love it.”

  He exhaled in relief.

  “Here, let me put it around your neck.”

  I handed the necklace to him and spun around slowly lifting my ponytail. As I felt his fingers gently grace the back of my neck, I wondered if the necklace meant the same to both of us. His breath reached my ear before his words, causing that familiar warmth to race throughout my entire body.

  “Look at me.”

  His crystal eyes blazed with the same hunger they had two nights ago. I slowly took his hand in mine and led him back into my room, shutting the balcony door behind us. His back was turned to me and I walked around to face him. He remained motionless, silent.

  I didn’t worry about someone walking in on us. He would have thought to lock the door when he came inside, knowing this would happen, not wanting to get interrupted. Not wanting to get caught.

  I reached forward and began unbuttoning his shirt—watching my trembling fingers fumble with each of the buttons as I slowly pushed them through their holes and feeling his warm, patient breath on the top of my head. Every once in a while I would look back into his eyes and allow him to reassure me with a small, seductive smile. With the last button released, my quivering hands traced the chiseled features of his smooth chest up to his broad shoulders before gently sliding his shirt down his thick arms and watching it fall effortlessly to the floor.

  He remained motionless as I navigated his upper body with my nervous hands. Staring into his eager eyes, I pulled the button of his jeans from its loop and unzipped the zipper before cupping him into my hand. He hardened immediately, leaned his head back, and heaved a deep sigh—giving me the courage to continue caressing him inside my tightening grasp. I sank to my knees and grabbed the sides of his jeans yanking them to his ankles with one forceful pull.

  “Are you sure you’ve never done this before?” he asked staring down at me and placing his hands on the sides of my head to hold it where he wanted. I bit the corner of my lip in anticipation, still staring up at him and pulling down his underwear. The moonlight glistened off his white smile as he guided my head closer toward him.

  Feeling him inside my mouth was exhilarating as I listened to his low moaning above me. All of my nervousness disappeared. And for the next few minutes, my long rhythmic movements gave me complete control over his powerful, towering body.

  When he released his hold, I opened my eyes to meet his satisfied stare before standing up and stepping back from him. I gently wiped the corner of my mouth before pulling the hair band out my ponytail, the entire time watching his steady stare never leaving mine as I slowly stepped out of my plaid pajama shorts. A small, approving smile crept across his face when I pulled my college T-shirt over my head and threw it on the floor next to his clothes.

  “Come here,” he commanded softly.

  When I did, he put his hands on my hips and quickly pulled me into his body. My racing heart and nervousness gave him confidence as he locked my arms to my sides.

  “You have no idea what I am going to do to you, Karley,” he whispered in my ear before he lifted my body off the floor and carried me over to the bed.

  As soon as my body hit the mattress he was on top of me. The rolling of his tongue inside my mouth, warm and strong. It demanded mine move with it and every movement of it more intense than the last. His body was heavy on mine and the rush of feeling him between my legs was unbearable. Wanting him inside me, I tightened my legs around his waist but he loosened them with his strong hands and spread them farther apart. He would make me wait.

  I wanted to scream when I felt every ounce of blood gathered between my legs—pulsing painfully under his open mouth between them. Gripping the sheets at my sides didn’t allow the aching to stop. All of my energy was gone—taken by him and what he was doing to me. I held my breath as long as I could until everything quivering inside me finally released.

  When he finally slid into me, the throbbing began again. Its intensity stronger than before but only for a moment. The deeper he went, the more pleasurable the pain became until it was gone and my body relaxed and began moving with his rhythm.

  His fingers tightened around my wrists. The strength he was using to hold me in place was unnecessary and painful but still I enjoyed it and longed for a tighter grasp. When his hand slid around my neck, his grip tightened. He understood my quiet whimpers were silent begs for him not to stop. He didn’t. I could barely breathe. With every breath I did release, he eagerly breathed in.

  He continued to hold me in place as the hot tears continued falling out of the corners of my eyes—but they were no longer from the pain but from happiness and knowing I was giving him something I had never given anyone before.

  Chapter 12

  The Color Green

  He slipped away unnoticed in the middle of the night. I was exhausted and every inch of my body felt like it was freshly bruised. I slept for a couple of more hours before my mother’s voice woke me up.

  “I’m coming!” I yelled searching desperately for my phone. When I found it, I raced down the stairs.

  “You can’t make the boys late for work!” she continued as she stood by the door holding a banana and a travel mug filled with coffee for me. “Go! Go!”

  Instant warmth flashed over my body when I saw Justin smiling at me.

  I had no regrets.

  I couldn’t help but smile back.

  “You’re gonna make us late,” Joe said sharply.

  “She’s fine.” Justin laughed reaching out to hold my cup for me. Once inside t
he truck, I scooted closely to his side.

  “Sorry,” I said fastening my seat belt. The comment wasn’t directed toward Joe but I was sure he thought it was with his egotistical way of thinking.

  As we drove down the long driveway, my face continued to burn. Between the shifting of gears, Justin rested his hand on my leg. He had no regrets about last night either.

  There were police cars and news trucks at the resort when we arrived. It was difficult for Justin to find a parking space. Parking in his father’s spot was not a good idea but he realized it too late.

  Shouts of Mr. Osborne peppered the truck as reporters rushed toward us.

  “Don’t say a damn word,” Joe demanded, “to any of them.”

  Justin nodded his head acknowledging his brother as he turned off the engine.

  Joe got out of the truck and walked inside the resort ignoring the questions and comments of what appeared to be every news station in town.

  “They do this every time,” Justin whispered. “Just don’t say anything, okay?”

  His pleading eyes stared into mine. I had nothing to say to any of them. I had no idea why they were here. Why now? Why not immediately after her murder? My stomach dropped when the first reporter asked me if I knew the young girl who died a few weeks ago and if I was afraid I would be next.

  Throughout the day, I couldn’t get the reporter’s question out of my head. Everyone was talking about the reporters outside, but no one was talking to them. The resort’s attorney—with Bill by his side—directed us not to say anything in the morning meeting. He looked exhausted, but Bill looked even more exhausted. Even his thousand-dollar suit couldn’t disguise his concern. He walked past me without acknowledging me. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the circle of men surrounding him and directing him about what to say, or because of what he had witnessed between me and his sons. Either way, I wished he had at least pretended like I mattered.