Chapter 17

**SCARLET**
“So, this is the home of the great Alejandro Technologies, huh? I still can’t believe my best friend is the owner’s daughter. Well, at least I won’t get lost tomorrow when I come here,” Nate stated, in clear admiration of Thomas’s massive house in front of him. It was already afternoon when he accompanied me to my parents’ house.
“As if your house isn’t as big as this one.”
Nate slipped his hands into his pocket. “But it was never like this. Your stepfather is a well-known businessman. I’m excited to see what’s inside tomorrow. Someday I’ll be successful like them.”
I grinned at his positivity. Nate had always been a hard worker, a master game programmer, and never too selfish to share his knowledge. Katherine was a hacker—great with program manipulation. They’re the best tandem ever. I was glad to be part of their group. Only sometimes do I need to give them space since they were a couple.
“Then, you will be. You’re good in this field.”
“Not as good as your stepbrother,” he whispered in my ear, then we laughed. “I always wanted to receive awards and recommendations from the school. Too bad he didn’t pursue his career, no?”
I just nodded. Unfortunately, I didn’t want to talk about him. “Well, thank you for being here, Nate. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You’re welcome. You can go inside.”
“See you.”
We exchanged a brief hug, and before we released each other, Nate kissed me lightly on the forehead, like always.
“I’ll call Katherine tonight. I’ll tell her everything. Do you think you can call her too?”
“Don’t worry, Nate. She’s only waiting for you to call.”
He smiled. “Go on. Get inside.”
“Okay.” I slowly walked towards the gate and waved at him as security opened the gate for me.
Nobody was at home when I arrived. I went straight to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Some of the housemaids were there, with kitchen work stuff.
“Good evening, miss,” one of them greeted. She had rubber gloves on her hands but seemed done with her chore. She looked younger than me, probably a teenager. She had short hair, a small nose, and thick lips. She was pretty, with freckles on her nose.
“Good evening to you, too,” I greeted with a smile.
In my life, I always thought that I should not treat them differently since I didn’t come from a wealthy family myself. I grew up in a home where I had to do everything independently.
“Can I get you anything, miss?”
“Oh no, it’s okay. I just need water.” I opened the fridge and took a pitcher. “What’s your name?” I asked as I poured my glass.
“My name’s Eva, Miss.”
I grinned at her. She sounded sweet. “You don’t have to call me Miss. Just Scar, short for Scarlet.”
Her eyes lit up, and her smile widened. “Thank you, miss. Oh, I’m…”
“And I just told you.” I chuckled. “Okay, since I have no one to talk to in this house, how about we talk a little? How old are you? How long have you been working here?”
“I’m twenty, Miss Scarlet. I’ve been here for two years.”
“You’re so young!” Does she still go to school? I asked myself mentally. She could be in college at her age. But obviously, she was working in the house full-time.
She attentively took the pitcher from me and poured me a glass of water.
“Thanks, Eva. Is it usually quiet in this house?”
“Yes, miss. This is the first time someone spoke to me—except for the other workers.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
She just smiled at me. I figured she didn’t want to answer.
“Thank you for this, Eva.” I put the glass in the sink. “I think we should talk often.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Oh, maybe I could ask you to bring me breakfast tomorrow.” I smiled at her then I leaned into her ear. “Breakfast for two. I’ll share it with you. You don’t have to tell anyone.”
Her mouth opened slightly in surprise. “But, Miss—”
“Don’t worry about it—I’m headed to my room. Thanks for talking with me. Maybe I’ll come down later for dinner.” Or not. I wasn’t ready to see Luke yet.
I went to my room and lay flat on the bed in exhaustion. Before I went to sleep, my usual routine was to check the app to see if Jax had left me a message, but as expected, there was none. His last message was yesterday, but it already felt like forever. I was used to seeing his name on my screen. I scrolled the contact list and chose Jax’s number. I took a breath while I stared at his word. I pressed the edit name option. I changed the name to Luke.
I let out a soft sob. Everything would be a memory, and Luke would forever be my stepbrother. I placed the phone on the side table and let the tears rush down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

***

I woke up in a cold sweat after sleeping for five hours straight. I must have had a bad dream, but I chose not to attempt to remember it. It was already ten in the evening, according to my wall clock. My eyes were swollen and dry from tears. I must be crying in my dreams too. It had affected me too much.
I could already hear my stomach growling. I was starving.
Mom or Thomas must have knocked on my door earlier, but I was too deep asleep to hear them. I forced myself to stand and walk downstairs. There were more important things in my life than this.
Like a zombie, I went to the kitchen and dug for food in the fridge. The cold air from the freezer instantly made me shiver. I quickly grabbed the first thing I found and then slammed the door.
A glass of milk and a leftover pizza. I sat on a barstool on the island and picked up a slice. I took a big bite. Damn, I sighed in relief as I chewed.
“Why do you always appear in front of me, mm?”
“What the—” I jerked in horror, dropping the pizza on its box.
That voice. The voice I had been hearing for three months over the phone. In my head, he was still Jax.
Immediately, I stood and switched the lights on, then found Luke sitting on the other side of the island, holding a beer with another bottle in front of him.
“Luke…”
“Come, sit with me,” he invited, his voice glacial. He offered the seat next to him.
I didn’t want to, but I didn’t know how or why I strangely obeyed him. Maybe there was a part of me hoping for a chance that we could still fix everything. I quietly sat on the chair next to him. However, I still couldn’t look at him.
“Sure, I have told you this before…” he began. “The type Jax wanted was always precise. I’m sure you remember the description. Listen to me...” He leaned over to my ear. He smelled of alcohol with a mixture of his natural masculine scent. “You didn’t meet any of the descriptions, except I remember that you have the smart mouth that teased me for three fucking months.”
“Please, Luke, this is very inappropriate…”
“Is it?” His mouth brushed my ear. “Is it when we both remember how I made you come over the phone, and I look forward to doing it again when we meet, and here you are…”
Every hair on my body stood. “What do you want?”
“Finally, a good question.”
“I thought we were done playing this game.”
“Are we? I said it because you confused me,” he murmured, his voice raspier. “You turned out to be my stepsister. How fucked up is that? But not anymore.”
What did he mean? Had he suddenly hit his head? “Just get to the point.”
“I have a proposition.”
“What?”
“Let’s face it. We would never get along as a family. We could pretend to be the perfect siblings in front of our parents, and you know that I’m not the kind of man to pretend or lie, but with you, I am bound to break the rules. “
I rolled my eyes. “Can you just tell me what you actually mean?” I snapped.
“I say, we fuck, witch.”
The air instantly abandoned my lungs. The words came out light as if they were so simple. The burning between my thighs was growing deep. I was already squirming, and I felt my panties get slightly damp.
“Just say yes, Scarlet...”
But the words didn’t fully sink in. I needed a complete explanation. “How are we—I don’t understand...”
“I want to fuck you. Is that clear enough?” I felt his hand trail over my inner thighs. I shivered. I shut my eyes.
“You can’t. We can’t,” I concluded. “It’s easy for you to say, but we can’t…”
His hand moved deeper and deeper under my nightgown until he reached the hem of my panties. “We are both going back to Cambridge in a week. We can get away from here… from them.”
“You only want a woman for one night, and I don’t want to take the risk.”
“Two months.”
“What?” I finally looked at him; our mouths were only an inch away.
“I think that would be enough to relieve the sexual tension between us.”
My jaw dropped. “It’s right until I graduate, then I’ll live here.”
“I’m aware. Then we’ll go back to being the siblings they always wanted us to be. Two months, yes?”
“You’re an asshole.”
I couldn’t think anymore. Deep inside, I wanted to accept his proposition. I wanted to taste him. I wanted his lips on my body. I wanted him inside me. It would be so satisfying. I just have to say yes, and he’ll be mine for two months.
He laughed. “I want to bend you over this table, witch. I’m going to taste all of you with my mouth—my tongue. I’m going to make you come with my cock. And when I’m inside you, I’ll fuck you so thoroughly you won’t be able to think of fucking anyone else.”
I swallowed. I didn’t know that Luke could be possessive. How could I say no to him? I’d wanted this man almost my whole adult life. Jax or not, it wasn’t important.
Luke wanted me as well—the man who visited my dreams and made me wet each night. But what he was asking was dangerous. A lot could happen in two months.