I saw two bullet holes in his chest. One just at his heart.
His eyes seemed to be wide with surprise though I knew that he could no longer see, could no longer breath.
He was dead.
*****
The police arrived at the scene only two minutes after I shot McBride. Of course, I along with Mike and his buddies had to go down to the police office and give a statement.
We sat there for nearly two hours. Me with a blanket around my shoulders and Mike sitting beside me on the bench while he waited for Zach, Tom and Greg’s interviews to finish.
We didn’t talk when we were at the police station. We didn’t talk when Mike walked me home to the apartment building either. Though, I noticed just as we reached the door, Mike held it open for me, then took my hand in his as we walked up the stairs.
I smiled. But still, not a word was spoken until we were safely inside with the door firmly locked.
“So, what did they say?” he asked me referring to the statement I’d had to give the police.
.
“They said it looks like a pretty clear-cut case of self-defense,” I answered, “still, I’m not supposed to leave the city for the next couple of days.”
“Mom and Fred won’t like that,” Mike said.
Mike had called them as soon as we’d arrived at the police station. When I went in for my interview. Dad, apparently, was trying to insist that I come home immediately. And, while I didn’t want to admit it to anyone, that didn’t sound like a bad idea to me either.
“Yeah,” I said, “well, I’ve still got finals.”
“I can’t believe you still want to go through with your school stuff after all this,” Mike said, “I’m sure if you just explained to them what happened, they’d let you postpone it or something.”
I shook my head.
“I’ve worked too hard to let some asshole take this away from me,” I answered. “I need to finish.”
“If you say so,” Mike answered.
I stood by my table and Mike remained just inside the front door. I looked down at the chair next to me every once in awhile, wondering if I should sit down in it. I didn’t in the end.
Instead, I stayed stupidly standing just as Mike did. Wondering if this was as good a time as any to talk about what I’d wanted to discuss with Mike all day.
Despite everything that had happened, I had a feeling that, if we didn’t get it all out now, we never would. So, steeling myself I moved from the table towards him.
“So,” I began hesitantly, “weren’t we going to have a chat about what happened last night?”
I didn’t get the chance to finish because, the next thing I knew Mike had crossed the room in two strides. I barely had time to register his hands firmly on my waist before he was kissing me.
His tongue insistently explored my mouth as he moved me across the room and finally. pushed me up against the wall just beside my bed. I reached around his neck and clung to his shoulders for dear life. I feared if I didn’t, I would lose my balance.
His mouth left my lips only to move to my neck, biting and sucking at it in a way that made me gasp. His hands slipped quickly all down and along my body.
It would have been easy, so very easy not to talk anymore. To give into this incredible pleasure, even without knowing what it meant.
But, I knew I couldn’t do that.
With a sigh I forced words out of my mouth.
“Mike, we...oh god…” his hand had moved between my legs and I had to try and close them to get out the next words, “we really need to talk”
Slowly, he pulled his hand out from the space between my thighs, moved his lips from my neck and looked me in the eyes.
There was something there I had never seen in Mike before. It was a sort of desperate vulnerability. Almost as if he was terrified of something. I told myself that was silly. After all, the terror had passed.
All the same, here he was, looking at me thoroughly fearful.
“I almost lost you,” he said finally, “I...I almost couldn’t protect you and I…”
“You didn’t lose me,” I said gently, moving my hands to cup the side of his face, “I’m right here.”
“Sabrina,” he began, that terrified look still present in his eyes, “Sabrina, I love you.”
My heart skipped a beat. I could almost feel my breathing slow. I blinked twice, unable to believe what I had just heard.
“I love you,” Mike said again more quickly, “I’ve known that for a while now. I tried not to. I told myself it wouldn’t work but now I...I don’t think I can help it. It’s not something I can-”
This time, it was me who interrupted him with a kiss. It was soft, gentle and quick.
“I love you too,” I said beaming at him as I pulled away.
I was rewarded with another desperate searing kiss. His hand returned to the place where it had stopped before.
Soon, he had pulled my underwear down to my knees and was touching me desperately. Touching me as if I was the only thing standing between him and a long, slow, painful death.
I leaned my head back and emitted another moan as he kneaded my breasts through my shirt.
It was not long before he had ripped that off of me as well. My skirt came next. As soon as that hit the floor, he grabbed me from behind and picked me fully so that I had to wrap my legs around his waist.
He threw me onto the bed. As my head hit the plush pillows, he quickly began to remove his own clothing. I moved up to help him.
“No,” he said quietly but firmly, “stay right where you are. I just want to look at you while I do this. I just want to remember how incredibly lucky I am to be in love with such a beautiful woman.”
I smiled and did exactly as he asked. I did exactly as he asked the rest of the night too.
My little apartment was soon filled with moans and gasps from me and gently but commanding orders from him.
Phrases like “say my name,” “touch yourself” and “come for me, Sabrina” were what pushed me over the edge more than anything else he did.
Finally, with a last shout, we both fell back onto my too cold mattress. Utterly spent.
We were quiet for several moments before he spoke up.
“Does this mean you’ll wait for me while I’m off with my unit?” he asked.
“What do you think?” I asked with a sly smile.
“Okay then,” he answered, “that only leaves one question.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
He lifted his arm and put it around my shoulders, I moved close to him on the bench and snuggled into his side.
“What are we going to tell our parents?” he asked.
“I’m sure we’ll think of something,” I answered.
And that was that. That was how I managed, somehow, to fall in love with my stepbrother. And, no matter what anyone else says, no matter how weird anyone thinks it is, I couldn’t be happier.
The End
Bonus Story 14 of 40
The Fall of a Billionaire
I’m standing in front of one of the largest glass buildings I have ever seen. I can’t help but feel remarkably small next to it. Smaller even than I usually do, and that’s saying something.
“It’s just a job,” I tell myself. “I know the boss. My brother works here, it’ll be fine.”
Still, that tiny voice that’s been in my head ever since I remember, the voice that whispers, ‘you’re going to fail’ over and over and over again won’t shut up. I guess I’ll just have to ignore it as best I can.
I stand up straight, square my shoulders and walk upright through the tall, crystal clear front doors and into a long, echoing hallway. I look around, through a maze of people rushing in and out before I spot him standing right beside the receptionist’s desk.
“There she is!” my brother’s booming voice rings out. He is as tall and large as I am short and skinny. He still wears flannel shirts and sports a five o’clock shadow, despite being a v
ery well-paid designer for one of the largest consulting firms in the country.
Glad, at last, to see a familiar face in the bustle of the unfamiliar city, I rush towards him.
“Gabe! Thanks so much for being here!” I say wrapping my arms around him.
He presses me to him and picks me up in a large bear hug the way he’s done since I was about six years old.
“I thought you were supposed to be off today with Emma,” I say referring to my sister-in-law. She’s currently seven months pregnant with my very first niece.
“Emma agreed to reschedule the couple’s doctor visit,” Gabe tells me. “I couldn’t miss my little sister’s first day.”
“I wouldn’t miss it either,” a voice to Gabe’s right says. “With Evie around this place’ll definitely get a lot more interesting.”
I turn from my brother to find a smart-looking young man with floppy, light brown hair, bright green eyes and a sharp blue suit smiling down at me.
“Alex!” I say rushing over to him, “How are you?”
He continues to smile as he opens his arms and gives me a quick, somewhat awkward hug. We pull back and I blush. He smells just as nice as he did almost two years ago. That was the last time I saw him.
“I’ve been keeping myself busy,” Alex answers. “Your genius brother is designing bestselling software left and right. It’s hard for us to keep track.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have a job if it weren’t for Alex,” Gabe says. “So, I figure I owe him as much as I can dish out.”
“That goes for two of us,” I say turning to Alex. “I know I said this on the phone but, thanks again, so much for giving me this position.”
I can’t be sure, but I think I see a hint of color come into Alex’s cheeks and he gives me the shiest smile I’ve yet seen from him.
“You’re my best friend’s little sister,” he answers. “It’s the least I could do. You look great, by the way!”
He gazes appreciatively up and down my relatively new body. I proudly throw my shoulders back, glad that he’s noticed.
“I lost a lot of weight since you last saw me,” I say.
“You also did quite a bit of growing up,” he says and, though he tries to hide it, his gaze shifts very slightly to my breasts which have grown significantly larger than they were when I was a teenager.
“Hey, I’m not sure I like where this is going,” my brother cuts in. Though, the good-natured smile is still on his face. “I’d rather you not ogle my little sister in front of me.”
I giggle, but Alex definitely blushes at this and turns away. He clears his throat before turning back to us.
“Well,” he says, “I guess we should show you around, Evie.”
“Sounds good,” I say and follow Gabe and Alex down the hall and through another large set of glass doors.
The company, Dregfield & Mosoti looks a lot like your typical ‘Google’ type tech outfit. Open floor plan. People bobbing up and down at their desks on Swiss balls.
During the tour, I remain mostly silent, all the while keeping my eyes on Alex.
Alex has always been the one guy I fantasized about. He was Gabe’s best friend through high school and my very first crush. I was only twelve at the time but, I still remember the first time I saw him.
Gabe had invited him over for dinner.
Alex walked in, looking effortlessly handsome with his sleek brown hair and tight-fitting jeans. I became extremely aware of my stringy brown hair, overlarge stomach and flat chest.
Through the rest of my adolescence, I kept admiring Alex from afar. He, on the other hand, seemed to have adopted me as a sort of little sister substitute. Usually, he treated me just the way that Gabe did. With brotherly affection.
I thought that was all I would ever be to Alex.
But, this morning, when he met me in the lobby and looked me up and down while red colored his cheeks, I began to think, for the first time, that Alex might, finally, see me as a woman.
“This is where you’ll be, Evie,” Alex says, leading me and Gabe through another set of large glass doors.
Alex stops at a large, black desk with one phone and a large desktop computer.
“This is your desk,” Alex says, “you’re really going to be a kind of gatekeeper for me and my partner, Simon. He should be in any time now. But, he’s usually late.”
I notice for the first time, an unpleasant frown line Alex’s face. Clearly he’s not entirely pleased with his partner and I can’t help but wonder why that is. Almost as much as I wonder if I’ll ever see his adorably shy blush again.
“So, I guess this is where the tour ends?” I ask with a bit of a flirtatious lilt to my voice. Secretly, I’m hoping to see Alex’s cheeks color again.
“We do have to get to work sometimes,” he says with a smile at me before looking over to Gabe. “That includes you, Gabe.”
“Fine,” Gabe answers. “I guess I can trust you to take care of my baby sister.”
Gabe reaches out and ruffles my hair. I feel annoyingly small under his hand. Like I’m twelve years old again and much too young for Alex to notice me.
“Gabe!” I say, ducking from underneath his hand, “I’m twenty-three. I think I’m capable of taking care of myself.”
“Either way,” Alex says, clearly wanting to avoid some sort of brother vs. sister confrontation, “I’m glad you’re here. Simon and I have been looking for an assistant for a while. It’s good that you became available when you did.”
Gabe says goodbye to me and Alex and returns to his design studio.
“Here,” Alex says once Gabe has disappeared through the glass doors, “I’ll show you what you’ll be doing. It’s pretty straightforward,” he says, “nothing you can’t handle.”
He moves behind my desk to bring up what he calls the ‘scheduling system’ when the door to the office opens and a tall figure strides in.
“‘Morning Alex,” the man says in a deep, sensuous voice. “I see you’ve found an assistant for us.”
I look up and, for the first time, I’m met with Simon Mosoti’s captivating gaze.
His hazel, almond-shaped eyes dance as they smile down at me. I’m caught almost equally by his dark hair elegantly lined with silver and his small, bow-like lips.
I know he’s quite a bit older than me. Almost fifteen years if Gabe’s account is to be believed. Despite this, I feel heat rush to my cheeks when he smiles at me and gives me a suggestive wink.
“Simon, this is Evie,” Alex says. As he does I feel Alex move closer to me and put an almost protective arm around my shoulder. I chance to glance at his face as he does so. He is smiling, but I can see a protective, almost jealous glint in his eye.
This makes my face color even more.
“She’s Gabe’s sister,” Alex continues before turning to me, “Evie, this is Simon Mosoti. My partner.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say shyly, holding out my hand. Simon laughs good-naturedly.
“No need to be nervous, Evie,” he says. “No matter what that brother of yours might have told you, I promise I don’t bite.”
I look up at him and smile as he holds my hand in his. I barely notice that he’s been holding on to my hand for quite a bit longer than any other men have ever done when it comes to handshakes.
He looks into my eyes, his own still dancing brightly, and I can feel my pulse begin to jump in my wrist.
“Well, Evie and I should really get back to training,” Alex says quickly, moving his arm around me once again in order to pull me away from Simon.
Simon steps back and drops my hand. I feel my heart sink at the loss of contact before I realize that Alex’s equally warm hand is still curled around my shoulder. My pulse, once again begins pounding, this time reaching my ears.
“Well,” Simon says, “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other, Evie.”
And, with another wink, Simon saunters back into his office and out of sight. Almost as soon as the door closes be
hind Simon, Alex’s hand falls from my shoulder.
“He seems nice,” I say to Alex. My heart definitely sinking now at the loss of contact from Simon.
“Yeah, he’s okay,” Alex says, leading me back to the computer chair and bringing up the scheduling application he’d started to show me when Simon arrived.
“But, he’s a bit of a ladies’ man,” Alex continues. “Kind of a playboy. So...just be careful.”
I nod to Alex but, all the same, can’t help but feel a rush of excitement spread over me, even at this news. I’ve never been a playboy’s object of affection before.
Men like that usually steer clear of innocent, conservative-looking girls like me. The idea that this man, Simon, has openly flirted with me and, what’s more, made Alex jealous by doing so is an enticing prospect.
And I find that I can’t stop thinking about what will happen when Simon and I meet again.
*****
Simon and I meet again. And again and again over the past two weeks. It seems every day, he finds some reason to keep me for extended periods in his office.
It’s almost always banal work. Taking memos for other employees or filing reports for him. I’ve come to the conclusion that he mostly uses it as an excuse to talk to me.
He’s always asking about how I’m getting along in my new job, what it was like knowing Alex when he was a teenager, what my hobbies are, what I studied in school, things like that.
I answer as honestly as I can and try my best not to sound either too chatty or too cold. I’ve honestly never been in a position wherein I am physically attracted to my boss and I’ve never been very good at flirting either. I suppose it’s an insecurity that comes from years of being less than beautiful.
Once I did finally grow into my looks and become slim in college, I had no idea what to do with myself. Fortunately, Simon does not have this problem.
Indeed, he often brazenly flirts with me.
It’s been nothing too obscene so far. Just little things like telling me how pretty I look in a dress I’m wearing, or how nice it is to walk in and see my lovely face in the morning. Once he asked me if I had a boyfriend.
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