Chapter 26: Charismatic Charmer

As I became a deer frozen in headlights for the second time, waiting for my stepbrother’s next move, to my surprise he just ran his fingers through my curly locks with his free hand. It took me a second to realize that he was fixing my hair then adjusting my straps and buttoning up my shorts. I didn’t realize how much of a mess I must’ve looked until he began to fix up my appearance.

Afterward, he took his hand off of my mouth and slowly brushed his thumb against my bottom lip to get off the leftover wetness from our previous make-out session. He then smiled at me and whispered attentively. “There, all better.”

Without warning, I felt butterflies flutter like crazy in my chest as I looked into his majestic blue eyes again. They expressed just how much he adored me. I quickly turned my head away from him though my blush still remained. It was difficult to keep a scowl on my face when I kept feeling this cozy sensation light up in my body, a feeling that made me want to be wrapped up within his muscular arms again. But I did my absolute best to ignore those feelings. With how alarmingly attentive Julian is, I hope he didn’t notice my moment of weakness when faced with his affection.

Now that I didn’t look like I had just gotten done having rough sex, I finally came out of hiding behind the bookshelves and walked over to my mother and stepfather. “Hey, Mom. Whatcha doin’ in here?”

My mother looked completely shocked to see me step out of the shadows like the boogeyman. “I could ask you the same thing! You’re never in here!”

I give a little awkward laugh while looking away. That definitely wasn’t the right question to ask. What do I say to that?! My heart practically leaps out of my chest when I hear Julian’s voice come up from behind me. “I was showing her my favorite book series.”

I stared up at him wide-eyed, practically screaming at him in my thoughts. *Julian, what the hell?! You tryin’ to get us caught??*

My mom looked surprised and then pleased. “Oh, right! It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who enjoys reading.”

Julian gave her a charming smile. “I was often called a bookworm when I was a child. Grace was the one always in gymnastics.”

Gabriel folded his arms with pride. “Julian always was my little genius. But don’t sell yourself short, son, you were very talented in sports too. Quite an actor too!”

Julian looked away bashfully while rubbing the back of his neck. “I wouldn’t go that far. I still prefer a good book. Preferably romance.”

“Oh, same!” My mother giggled with delight over the fact she’d found someone she could relate to since it was obvious Gabriel wasn’t much of a reader. I was struggling to keep my jaw from dropping to the floor.

*Holy shit, it’s actually working! He’s a little too good at conversation starters… Huh. I never would’ve guessed that Julian was into reading romances. Yet again, I shouldn’t be too surprised…*

My cheeks slowly became flushed again and I turned the other way in an attempt to hide it behind my curly hair. I wouldn’t doubt that some of the moves he’s pulled on me were things that he’s read in romance novels.

After a few minutes of my quirky mom and stepbrother chit-chatting about books, I began to feel like a third wheel and decided to skedaddle. “Well, I got places to be and places to see. Later, Mom.”

My mother heaved a disappointed sigh. “Of course you do.” She then looked back to her husband and stepson. “I tell you, that woman was the most impish little tomboy when she was a child.”

This made Gabriel chuckle and Julian smiled my way. My stepfather is the one who commented. “Why am I not surprised?”

“MOM!” I snapped at her before immediately marching off and sassing loudly in the process. “Have fun with your book nerds!”

I didn’t wait to hear what anybody would say after that, I was already out of the library and heading toward my room for some peace and quiet. My day has already started to become the best day of my miserable life. First, my stepsister threatens me about her Barbie army going to teach me a lesson sooner or later and then my stepbrother decides he wants to have some good ole sex with me in the library. What a fan-fucking-tastic day it has been so far.

But as soon as I’m about to open up my bedroom door, I hear a ding from the phone in my pocket. At first, I was excited, thinking that it was Amy or one of my friends texting me. But my surprise turned into annoyance when I saw it was from Julian.

“I still need to talk to you alone face-to-face.” Came his text.

“Fuck off.” I returned a blunt, short, and sweet text.

“Please? This is different.”

I slapped my hand to my forehead. The audacity of this bastard. After what he just did to me in the library, he wants to have ANOTHER private ‘talk’ with me?! You gotta be kidding me!

“The fuck do you want?!?!” I had almost typed my text in caps.

“Meet me in the rose garden. Please. I’ll be waiting for you.”

He’s gonna be waiting for me? Part of me just wanted to take a nap and keep him waiting for the rest of the day. But, I happen to be part cat who’s too curious for her own good. Oh well, I got 6 lives left last I checked.

And so I head outside. As I walked through the living room I saw Grace talking on her phone. She peeked at me as I glanced at her but other than that, no other interactions were made. Other than the fact that she muttered something under her breath once I was gone.

Little shit.

I couldn’t be bothered dealing with her. Having a sleepless night last night was still wearing me out, not to mention that Julian’s games were making it worse. My walk outside to the rose garden was pleasant at least. There were no gardeners out currently and the air was sweet from the roses. The hedges became taller, speckled with red roses, as I walked further and further into the rose garden until I couldn’t see the mansion’s windows anymore.

Of course, he wants to come over here…

Where the roses were thickest is where I found him waiting for me. By the flattened grass all around him, it was obvious he had been pacing. There were no signs of ill intent in his eyes as our gaze locked again. And yet, I still couldn’t feel an ounce of trust for my stepbrother. The man has shown me how unpredictable he is. From the moment I met him, he’s always thrown me off guard and taken me by surprise. People like that I tend to avoid because they’re the type of folks I consider dangerous. Due to the place where I grew up, I learned the hard way that someone I couldn’t predict is someone who could one day end up getting the better of me. And that always ends messily.

“Well? What did you want to say? Did you want another fuck session?” I sassed while crossing my arms. It actually took some willpower to keep myself rooted in place as Julian began to approach me with slow strides.