Chapter 1: There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.

-Mark Twain

Micah

Cutting someone’s throat is not as easy as it looks. Your blade needs to be honed to a dangerously sharp level, and you need a steady hand. I don’t usually use this tool to kill my marks, but in this situation, I feel that it’s apropos because the man I’m going to kill is the scum of the earth. Edward Hansen III owns a farm in a rural area near the town of Scarsdale in Westchester County, New York. It just so happens that my mother lives a mere six miles away. Too close for comfort considering that Instead of horses in the man’s barn, there are children he uses for his own sexual deprivation. The Confradia received a tip from one of Hansen’s disgruntled mistresses about the farm a few days ago. The woman assumed it was drugs, but to the Confradia’s disgust, it was something more sinister.

I drove in as soon as the Confradia gave me the green light. At this moment, Hansen and his sick, depraved friends are partying without a care in the world.

Edward Hansen III is a multimillionaire with very deep ties to the underground. According to Confradia Intel, Mr. Hansen will come up once a month to his “farm” and throw parties for his rich, affluent business associates. However, these parties are not your average festivities. These men use children as their own personal entertainment, and I intend to put a stop to it once and for all.

Hansen’s disgruntled mistress was more than happy to give us a list of his properties, and possibly illegal activities. After some digging, the Confradia found a lot of skeletons in Mr. Hansen’s closet.

The Confradia is an extremely secretive government organization of assassins. Not even the president knows about it. We deal with rich, affluent people who have been able to skirt the law because they can buy their way out of situations. However, once they are on the Confradias’ radar, there is very little they can do to protect themselves. Because we will punish them for their atrocities to humanity. I was recruited by the Confradia at the age of twenty-two. I had just come back from a tour in Iraq when my handler, Willem, found me.

It didn’t take much to convince me to join the ranks of a Confradia assassin. I was very well trained in combat situations. And killing men who think they can kill innocents with impunity is right up my alley. Don’t get me wrong, I am not some kind of sociopath who enjoys killing. I just live by a code that if you hurt innocents and are out to destroy the world, I will be more than happy to permanently escort you out of it. I especially enjoy knowing that innocent people are safe because of me.

It is still early in the evening, and the sun is still out, yet the party is in its full swing. The men have been drinking and doing drugs since this morning, and now it’s time for the entertainment. I watch as Hansen makes his way into the stalls, ready to prepare the children for the night’s events. He barely notices when I walk up to him, wrap an arm around his neck, cover his mouth, and slide my blade through the thin skin of his jugular. Blood sprays from his neck and hits the opposite wall as his body slumps forward with a thump and hits the ground. As quietly as I can, I drag his body into a dark, empty stall and relieve him of his pass-card. With the help of a Confradia tech, I was able to bypass Mr. Hanson’s flimsy security. However, the stalls are a little more secure. That’s the thing with rich, arrogant sociopaths. They don’t take heavy measures with their security because they think they are untouchable. But I’m here to prove them all wrong. And I promise you now that no depraved soul will leave this house alive.

Threading lightly, I step to a nearby stall, slide the card across the reader and open the stall door. A sliver of light is all I can see coming from inside the stall. After a moment, my eyes adjust to the darkness, and I can see several small children huddled together in a corner. I would gauge them to be about eleven or twelve years old. There are a few girls and a few small boys. They tremble and gasp with fear as I move closer. I try to hunch my shoulders to make myself look less threatening, but it’s hard to do that when you’re a six-foot-two-inch wall of muscle. The children stir and cry in fear, the closer I get. Their clothes are ragged and dirty, and their bodies look malnourished. Hansen must not have been feeding them. A small boy whimpers when I squat down and face him. He has clear blue eyes like the sky and a dirty mop of red hair.

Holding my index fingers to my lips, I make calming sounds. “It’s okay,” I whisper lightly. “I’m here to save you. “Unfortunately, that does not seem to calm them down. So I reach into my pocket and take out my badge. “I’m an officer, and I need you to quietly make your way out of the barn. Can you do that?” A tall skinny girl with long blond hair and coffee-colored eyes steps in front of the boy protectively and gazes at me intently. It’s almost as if she’s assessing my honesty before she does something. She reminds me of another girl with long blond hair as she glowers at me bravely. A girl from another time and another place. A girl whose heart I broke because she was forbidden to me and I couldn’t bring her into my world, no matter how badly I wanted to. I stare right back and hold my breath as she continues her appraisal. “I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to rescue you. There are people outside these walls waiting to take you back home to your families. But I need your help in getting you out of here. Do you understand?”

After a moment, the girl responds. “Are you a police officer?” I shake my head and show her my bloody knife, which doesn’t seem to scare her for some reason. “No, I’m not. I work for an agency that is going to make these men pay for hurting you. Are there any more kids here?” The girl shakes her head. “No. It’s just us. Did you kill one of the bad guys with that knife?” She asks with a hopeful tone. I nod my head and point to the door. “Yes, I did. So what’s the verdict? Do you stay, or do you go?” After a moment, the girl nods her head, turns to the other children, and whispers. “It’s okay, guys. He’s here to help us. Let’s go.” The children warily follow her lead. Emotion Wells up inside me at the haunted, yet determined look on their faces. With a protective stance, the girl takes one of the smaller boys by the hand and faces me with a defiant glare. “Are we going or not?”

Giving her an admiring smile, I gesture to the door. “Follow me but lay low until I tell you to stop and try to make as little sound as you can.” We all slink out of the stall. Keeping watch for any intruders. It doesn’t take long for us to get to the awaiting van that the Confradia set up for the rescue. One of our operatives, Maya Reynolds and her assistant Dean Simmons, is waiting by the door. Maya has a background in psychology and is equipped to deal with situations like this.

The trembling children remain behind me with wide eyes as Maya steps closer. “Hello there. I’m Maya.” She says with a kind smile. Maya’s a sweet woman. She’s worked for the Confradia for over ten years. We had something a few years back. It started a few months before I met Sophia and was purely physical on both our ends. Our fling was most definitely not long term because we were just too different. She was too focused on moving up the ladder, and I just wanted to stay where I was. And when I met Sophia, it became clearer that I didn’t have true feelings for Maya.

However, I do respect her work ethic. The woman is a force to be reckoned with, and she can kick ass when she needs to. She’s an attractive woman with short blond hair and a slim, athletic body. However, there was only one blond I think about.

Focusing back on the matter at hand, I gesture to the kids. “It’s okay. She’s one of the good guys.” The little girl keeps a tight grip on her friend’s hand and asks Maya. “Are you taking us home?” Maya nods her head and gestures to the van. “Yes, I am. How about you get in the van, and we talk. There are food and blankets in the van for all of you.” The girl stills for a moment, then turns her eyes back to me for reassurance. “Will you take us to our moms?” She asks with a tearful wobble in her voice. Maya straightens her spine and reaches into her pocket to withdraw her cell phone. “Of course. How about you give me your information, and I make a few calls to get your parents to our offices?” The girl gives the cell phone a longing look and steps closer. “Okay, then my name is April…”

I wait a few moments as Maya and Dean, help the kids buckle themselves into their seats. Before I turn away, the girl gives me a thumbs up and says, “Take care of those bad men, mister.” My throat clogs with emotion as I look at her sweet elfin face and see the face of another. A face that will forever be ingrained in my mind and heart. Snapping out of my musings, I nod my head in confirmation and turn back to the house. Time to take care of business.

Copyright © 2017 by Jeanette Rico

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Chapter 2: All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love

— Leo Tolstoy

Sophia

Darren slams the front door hard and throws our bags carelessly on the shiny wooden floors. “Be careful with those bags, Darren. Chelsea will kill me if you scratch the floor.” Darren chuckles and kicks out at the bag with irreverent disregard. “It’s a stupid bag. The floors will be fine.” Gritting my teeth, I squat down and gently place the bag against the wall. “Cut the crap Darren before I regret bringing you home with me.” Darren shakes his shaggy hair and moves past the foyer to enter the living room. Spring break started this week at school. And to my delight, my father and his wife are on a month-long European trip. When dad told me that he and Chelsea were going on a tour, I jumped at the chance to housesit. To my regret, Darren, my boyfriend came along. I mean, I don’t mind having him around, but I worry that he’ll destroy the house with his messy frat boy ways. When I tried to retract my invitation, he got down on his knees and begged me to take him.

Darren and I have been together for a few months. He’s not the best boyfriend in the world, but he’s fun to be with. The sex is not bad either. I mean, he’s not a sex guru or anything, but he’s not bad. I know what you’re thinking. Why are you with this guy if he’s “not bad” at sex? Well, so far, I’ve found that sex is totally overrated. I’ve been with a few guys since I started school a few years ago, and it has all been a big disappointment. I figure at this point; it beats not being alone. Most of the guys I’ve been with have never really held my interest for long. A few of my girlfriends talk about the wonder of love and their great sexual relationships, but I still haven’t found a guy who can make my toes curl in bed. At least not in school. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t been in love before. It’s exactly the opposite. I fell in love once and unfortunately ended up humiliating myself. It still hurts when I think about his rejection. But now, I can also see that it was for the best, considering that he’s my stepbrother. That’s right, I was in love with my stepbrother. But that’s not the worst of it.

I was sixteen when my father met Chelsea St.Clair. They dated for a year before they decided to make it permanent. I’ll never forget the first time I saw Micah. He had just come from being out of the country on some job. My father and Chelsea were meeting for dinner to tell us their good news. Micah and Chelsea were already at the restaurant when we got there. It was like the world slowed down the moment I walked through the door and saw him. My mouth had gone dry, and my heart had sped up at the sight of the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. And a man he was. Micah was twenty-six at the time, and I was seventeen. I remember the quick glimpse of interest on his face when he first laid eyes on me. I almost fainted when he stood up and held his hand out to my father and me in greeting. His emerald green eyes glowed under the olive tan of his skin and shaggy, dark brown hair. His body was incredible, with his broad shoulders and powerful long legs encased inside an Armani suit.

I remember biting my lip to keep myself from groaning in pleasure when he enfolded his hand in mine, gave me a devilish smile, and uttered in a husky male voice. “It’s nice to meet you, Sophia.” I felt like I was struck by lightning. Heat traveled through my body to create a pleasurable fire between my thighs and the walls of my womb quivered with a near painful need. I had never felt anything like it before. Thankfully, he didn’t notice the turmoil that rushed through my body as we sat there and enjoyed dinner.

It wasn’t until months later when I turned eighteen that I revealed my true feelings and had my heart broken into a thousand pieces. The mere thought of it makes me cringe with shame. I had offered him my virginity, and he turned me down flat. That’s when I realized that it wouldn’t matter who I had sex with because they would not be Micah. So I put my humiliation behind me and slept with the first guy who showed interest in me. It was horrible and uncomfortable, but I didn’t care because I was hurt, and I wanted to fool myself into thinking that Micah’s rejection didn’t matter. Sex became easier after that. Not to sound conceited, but I’ve never lacked male attention. I’m five foot six, with ivory skin, hazel eyes, and long, wavy blonde hair. Not bottle blonde either. I’m a natural blond. My breasts are a firm “C” cup, and my butt is rounded and perky. Some people say that my eyes are my best feature because they are arched like a cat’s and large with fringed lashes. My nose is small, and my lips are pouty. I have high cheekbones like my father. A few of my friends have expressed envy at my appearance. Not a bad mix from what I’ve heard.

I’m a senior at NYU right now. I’m studying Merchandising and Design, and I love it. Over the past four years, I’ve partied and broken a few hearts. And I’ve never let another man hurt me again.

Darren wonders around the contemporary living room area and stops in front of the patio doors near the clean kitchen. “Nice place. When did you say your parents are coming back?” I shake my head and take a seat on the ivory-colored couch. “Not for another few weeks. Why?” He gives me a sly smile as he pulls a few throw pillows to the side and takes a seat beside me. “Well, I thought we can throw a party and invite some of our friends.” He utters slyly. I shake my head empathically and wave a finger under his nose. “No! No parties. If Chelsea and my dad caught wind of it, they’d kill me.” Darren holds his hands up in surrender and slumps back on the couch. “Geez. Fine! I won’t mention it again. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

Rising from the seat, I take a deep breath and wave at the patio doors. “Tell you what. My parents have a really cool indoor pool with UV lights and a skylight that makes it look like we're on a warm summer beach instead of a cool day in upstate New York. How about we go to the pool, relax and have some fun on our own?” I wiggle my brows with a seductive wink. Darren’s head perks up like an enthusiastic puppy. “Sounds like a plan, babe. How about we order takeout and go for a swim?” I nod my head and search for my phone. “Okay, then. I’ll order a pizza while you get us something to drink from the fridge.”

I watch as Darren makes his way to the country style kitchen and digs into the fridge. The kitchen is homey with its white cabinets, gray granite countertops, and frilly yellow curtains on the window. The appliances are more vintage than contemporary ones. Instead of stainless steel appliances, the fridge and stove are sunny yellows. Which actually makes the kitchen look like the kind you’d see in a dollhouse. The house itself is small, with a small living room and a connected kitchen. There are three bedrooms on the second floor and two bathrooms. The walls are all painted beige and decorated with several family pictures. Two of the walls are covered in bookshelves with a bevy of books in every genre. Dad and Chelsea love to read. There’s a small computer table with an old desktop and large windows taking up most of the wall. Natural light gleams off the beech colored wooden floors. It’s a nice and comfortable house. I don’t have any real attachment to the house, considering that I only lived in it for a year. But I’ve always found it to be comfortable.

I gaze back at Darren as he sifts through the bottles and runs his gaze over the shelves. He looks cute with his skinny jeans, blue Chive t-shirt, and white all-stars. Darren is the opposite of Micah. He’s the epitome of a party boy, with his blond, shaggy faux-hawk, blue eyes, and body-builder physique. Darren’s on the football and wrestling team, which means he’s in tip-top shape. He’s about an inch shy of six feet and stocky. His voice isn’t as alluring as Micah’s, but he’s sweet in an immature way.

I shake my head, trying to clear any thoughts of Micah from my mind. I don’t understand why I’m thinking about him so much. I mean, I can’t say that I don’t think of him once in a while because that would be a lie. But most of the time, I try to not make it a habit. It just hurts too much to think about him.

Turning towards the indoor lanai, I start removing my short, pink halter dress, and sandals. Darren looks at me with a passionate growl as he observes me remove all of my clothes. “Let’s go for a swim,” I utter with a seductive crook of my index finger. He swallows deeply as he roams his eyes over my naked body. Unfortunately, all I feel is the need to forget. And the best way to get over a man is to get under one. Or so my friend Lynne says. Darren follows me out the patio doors with an unsteady gate as he removes his own clothing. “What about the pizza, babe?” He asks with a boyish pout. Rolling my eyes at his childish question, I turn around and reach for my cell phone. Leave it to my boyfriend to prioritize an empty stomach over sex.

Chapter 3: You have bewitched me body and soul, and I love and love and love you!

— Pride and Prejudice

Micah

Stepping out of the now-silent house, I make my way to my vehicle. It didn’t take long to eliminate my marks. As soon as the children were gone, I headed straight to the heating and air system. No one realizes how easy it is to kill so many people without breaking a sweat. After turning a few switches and changing a few cables, I was able to divert Carbon Monoxide to the inside of the house. The men were so distracted by their drinking and drugs that they barely noticed the gas taking effect.

Once again, I have to consider the arrogance of Mr. Hansen, who made every room soundproof and bulletproof. He had them closed very tightly. All I had to do was block the exits and voila no one escaped the gas. I stood there for a few hours and waited until the gas took effect. There were at least twenty men at the party, and I watched as each man became lethargic and decided to take a nap. What they didn’t realize is that the nap would become permanent.

Turning on the ignition of my black Camaro, I turn to the road and make my way back home. It’s the Confradia cleaners’ turn to take care of the mess. I’m about to turn on the freeway to go home when my phone alarm goes off. It must be the Confradia confirming that I got the job done. You’d think they’d know better by now, but apparently, no one has gotten the memo. Picking up my phone, I read the incoming message. Fury flashes through my body when I see that the silent alarm has gone off in my mother’s house. My mother and her husband, Tate, are taking a month-long trip to Europe. Which means someone has broken into their home. Turning my car towards their home, I prepare to give the intruders a lesson that they will never forget.

It doesn’t take me long to get to my mother’s home. She lives in a nice, quiet neighborhood aligned with several townhomes. She and Tate bought the house together after they got married. She loves the area. Pulling my gun out of its holster, I check the magazine and place it in behind the band of my dress slacks. The house seems undisturbed. I look through the front window, but I don’t see any sign of life. And there’s no sign of force on the front door, or the windows either.

I’m making the rounds around the perimeter when I notice that the UV lights of the lanai are on. As soon as I get close to the outside door and sneak in, I hear the splash of the pool. Taking my gun in hand, I hide it behind my back and slide near the entrance wall until I have a vantage point of the pool.

My heart stops at the sight before me. Sophia is sitting on the edge of the pool, naked as the day she was born. I watch entranced she swings her feet back and forth over the water, and leans her back on the pool’s patio. She sighs dreamily as she arches her chest beneath the pool’s light. My mouth waters at the sight of her firm, milky white breasts, the tiny indentation of her waist, and the allure of her stiff, cherry-colored nipples. Her alabaster skin and familiar gold necklace with its solitary pink diamond glow beneath the UV’s light. And her hair shines like a golden curtain behind her back. She is a goddess incarnate. I bite my lip, trying to stifle a groan when she raises her hand and sifts her fingers through her hair before she closes her golden eyes and sighs with contentment.

Every cell in my body urges me to walk into the patio and take her then and there. My blood heats with need as I watch her twirl the solitary diamond hanging from its rose gold chain around her fingers. I gave her that necklace the day she turned eighteen. I’ll never forget the look of delight on her face when she opened the box or the feel of her sweet body wrapped in mine when she gave me a grateful embrace. Fighting the urge to walk into the patio, I take a few steps back. I’m about to make my way back to the Camaro when the sound of a male voice halts my stride.

Rage infuses me when a large man wearing gym shorts and nothing else, steps through the patio doors and stands next to Sophia’s relaxed form. “Man, that pizza was good. Are you sure you don’t want some?” Sophia shakes her head and opens her eyes with a bemused smile. “No, I’m good. How about you take off your shorts and join me in the pool?” The urge to kill is nearly blinding when the man gives her a seductive smile, squats down in front of her, and runs his hungry gaze over her naked form. My body stiffens at his heated appraisal, as fury, as I’ve never known, overcomes me. Before I know it, I’m walking towards the couple and standing in front of them. The man stiffens and stands up with a protective stance. Points for him for not being a coward. Too bad that I can break him without any effort.

Sophia simply gasps and raises her legs protectively over her naked form. “Micah? What the fuck?” She asks with an outraged glare. The man gives me a frightened look, gazes down at Sophia, and croaks out. “Who is this, babe?” My fists tighten at his familiarity. “Who I am, babe…” I repeat angrily as I move closer with a threatening growl, and grab him by the neck. The man struggles beneath my grip, alarm contorting his face when he realizes that I’m a lot stronger than him. With a clenched jaw, I lean close and utter. “…I’m Sophia’s stepbrother. Who the fuck are you?” Sophia rises quickly from the ground, covers her chest with a small towel lying nearby, and places her hand over mine with a pleading look. “Stop it, Micah! Darren’s my boyfriend. I invited him here. Let him go!”

Without releasing Sophia’s boyfriend, I turn to her and whisper through clenched teeth. “What the hell were you thinking, bringing a man to your father’s home? And what do you think he’d say if he knew that his daughter was prancing around his house naked like some kind of street whore?” Sophia flinches back, but she doesn’t take her hand from mine. Guilt gnaws at me when her eyes moisten with tears. But Sophia doesn’t let the tears fall as she tightens her lips and rises to her tiptoes to push my hand away from her boyfriend’s throat. At this point, her boyfriend is gasping for breath and flapping around like a dying fish.

“Don’t you fucking dare talk to me like that, Micah! I’m a grown woman. And you have no right to judge me. Now let Darren go before I call the police and have you arrested for attempted murder.”

I look into her angry, yet tearful eyes, and slowly release her boyfriend from my grasp. Boyfriend. The mere thought of the word makes me want to rip his throat out and feed his body to starving vultures. As soon as I let him go, the man flops to the ground and rubs his neck as he gasps for air. I can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the sight of his red face.

Turning to face an outraged Sophia, I’m enticed by the beautiful sight she makes standing defiantly before me. Her eyes are spitting fire, and the small towel barely covering her nakedness. “How could you do this, Soph? How could you just give your virginity away so easily?”

To my astonishment, Sophia throws her head back and breaks out into gales of laughter. “Oh, shit. Do you think Darren was my first? Don’t worry, Micah. I lost my virginity way before I met Darren.” My body stills at her honest words, but she’s oblivious to the fires of rage that are kindling in my eyes.

And it doesn’t get better when she squats down, places her hand on her boyfriend’s neck and threads her fingers through his hair. “Are you okay, Darren? Do you need anything?” Darren shakes his head still unable to speak and rises to his feet with a wary look as he unsteadily makes his way back into the house. My guess is that he’s going to throw up. Being choked to near-death will upset anyone’s stomach. I’m glad he left before I took action and ripped him from her side. The urge to kill him is still at the front of my mind.

Watching her boyfriend walk away with a concerned frown, Sophia rises from her position and looks me in the eye. “What are you doing here, Micah? How did you know I was here?” Shaking my head, I give her boyfriend one last look and remove my suit jacket to extend it to her. “Put this on.” Sophia looks at the jacket for a moment, then, without a thought, drops the towel to the ground and reaches for the jacket to slip it on. She doesn’t close it, though. The woman has no modesty at all. I can still see the mounds of her firm breasts and the soft, bare folds between her thighs. My mouth waters at the thought of tasting her soft skin.

Trying to distract myself from the tempting sight of her sinful body, I step back and place my hands in my pockets. “Cover yourself!” I croak out with a scowl. Sophia takes the jacket with a frustrated sigh as she pulls the lapels together and gives me an impatient stare. It maddens me to see her covered in my jacket, knowing that she is completely bare underneath it. However, I don’t dwell on it for long. Not when my cock is standing at attention. The last thing I want to do is embarrass myself in front of this girl. Instead, I send a silent prayer for patience, stiffen my spine, and reply. “I didn’t know that you were here. The security company sent me a message because the silent alarm went off. I guess you forgot to turn it off. Thinking that someone broke into our parent’s house, I rushed over here to see what was going on. I never expected to walk in and find you cavorting around the pool with some guy─naked.”

Sophia laughs with a careless shrug. “Oops. I totally forgot about the stupid alarm. Oh, Well, as you can see, there was no break-in, so you can go home now.” She turns to walk back to the house. However, before she can, I grip her elbow and turn her back to face me. “You still haven’t answered my question, Sophia. What the fuck are you doing here?” Sophia bites her luscious lip and shuffles her feet in agitation. “For your information Micah. I’m on spring break. And since our parents are out of town, I thought I’d crash here. I asked Darren to come with me for some…entertainment. So you can relax, I’m fine.” She utters defiantly as she tries to pull her elbow away from my firm grip. “You can let me go now.”

Her eyes widen when I pull her close to my arms. “Do your parents know that you’re staying here with your boyfriend?” She rolls her eyes and rests her hand on my chest with a snicker. Her breathing hitches as the heat of our bodies meld, and her eyes lower as she gazes at me from beneath her long lashes. “No, they don’t know. But who cares? I’m twenty-two years old. I’m not a little girl anymore.”

My mouth swells when her little tongue slips out of her mouth and slides sensuously over her plump lower lip. “There’s no way that I’m going to let you stay here, Sophia. Your dad would kill me if I did. And I can tell you right now that my mother would not appreciate it either.”

Sophia places her hands on her hips and stomps her foot like a spoiled child. “Then where am I supposed to go, Micah? I can’t go back to the campus because the dorms are closed. And Darren lives in a frat house. I definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable staying there.”

I shrug my shoulders and look around, feeling dread replace my anger. “Don’t you have any friends you can stay with?” She shakes her head and gestures to the back door. “No, they’re all traveling. Maybe I can send Darren back to the frat house and just stay here by myself.”

I shake my head at her suggestion. “No way. There’s no way that I’m letting you stay here by yourself. Plus, I don’t think that I can trust you to not invite your boyfriend back here.” She scoffs at my comment and moves back towards the house with a frustrated wave. “Well, there’s nothing else I can do, so you’re going to have to trust me.”

A thought forms in my mind. I really don’t want to do it. Not because I don’t want to help her, but because she’s such a temptation. A temptation that I’ve been avoiding since the moment I met her. I still recall the first time I saw her. My mother and I were in a restaurant waiting for her and Tate to show up. I had just looked up when Sophia walked through the door. She was wearing this short, sleeveless red dress, with her hair falling loosely around her shoulders. She looked like an angel, and I wanted to rip off her dress and slide inside her sweet warmth until we were both satisfied. Which was wrong on so many levels considering that she was my mother’s boyfriend’s daughter. Not to mention that she was seventeen years old at the time. I wanted to punch a wall and rant at the world for putting such a beautiful woman in my path and making her unattainable.

It doesn’t help that she had feelings for me too. I swear that I will never forget the day she told me how she felt. It was the best and worst day of my life. The best because I felt the same. And the worst because I couldn’t tell her that I returned her feelings. Not when there were so many obstacles in our way. It’s not just the fact that she’s my stepsister. But more importantly, the possibility of her getting hurt over what I do. Willem Kazik being alive and finding out about her is a large deterrent. I’ve seen firsthand what Willem is capable of when crossed. Just a few months ago, he kidnapped Gideon, aka Reaper’s girlfriend, Jade. The bastard was going to have his men rape her. Luckily, Gideon showed up in time, and he and I were able to protect her.

No way was I going to place Sophia under Willem’s crosshairs. Especially when he hates me because he feels that I was the one that betrayed him. No. It's better if we’re both miserable, and she’s alive. I don’t think I can live with myself if I lost her to that psycho. So I did the only thing that I could do to guarantee that her feelings for me died a terrible death. I mocked her feelings and called it a childish crush. I can still see the tears in her eyes when I broke her heart. It was the worst moment of my life. I went to a nearby bar that very night, drank myself into an incoherent stupor, and avoided visiting our parents’ house after that.

Before I can think my words, though, I follow behind her and utter. “You can stay with me.” Her body stiffens, then she slowly turns to face me with a quirked brow. “With you? Are you kidding me?” I shake my head as I run my tongue over my teeth. “No, I’m not kidding. I obviously can’t leave you alone here, which leaves me with no other choice.”

Raising an index finger, I give her a stern frown. “But keep in mind, there will be rules. One is that you can’t bring any men to my place. Got it?” She rolls her eyes with a sigh. “Fine. I’ll go and tell Darren that we’re not staying here.”

She turns towards the bathroom where I can hear her boyfriend moving around. However, before she makes it to the door, I turn her back to face me. “You have two minutes, and don’t forget to put some clothes on.” Her eyes widen at my stern tone, and her tongue clicks. “Anything else, dad?” She asks sarcastically. With a stern brow, I respond. “Yes, actually, there is—change in your own damn room─ alone. Because if I catch your boyfriend in there, I will do more than choke him.” My face becomes rigid as she gazes into my cold eyes. “Fine…dad.” She utters defiantly as she steps through the bathroom door.

This is such a bad idea.