Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 20174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 101(@200wpm)___ 81(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
“Sorry,” I mutter. “Just not used to being out yet.”
“It’s fine. You know, I kind of like it?”
I look up and instantly regret it. She’s nearly impossible to resist. “Like what?”
“Having a step-brother who’s a criminal.”
I can’t tell if she’s being genuine or sarcastic, but as she brushes by me, the side of her breast touches my arm. Something snaps, and without thinking, I snatch her wrist and pull her back to me. “Where are you going?” I growl.
Calm down. This isn’t jail. She’s your step-sister.
“Um, back to my room to get ready? Is that okay with you?” Her eyes flare back at me. The playful attitude is gone, replaced by genuine annoyance.
“Get ready for what?”
“Not that it’s any of your business,” she replies. “But I have a date tonight.”
My stomach lurches. Jealousy floods through me, causing my skin to prickle.
“Yeah? With who?”
Before she can respond, my dad barks at me from downstairs. “Jake! Get your ass over here!”
I bite the inside of my cheek until I taste blood. All I wanted to do was come home and relax. But it seems the universe has other plans.
Piper snatches her wrist from me and struts away, those tiny excuses for shorts doing nothing to hide her ass. My eyes scour every inch. I lick my lips to catch the drool spilling from my mouth.
How is she my awkward step-sister from two years ago? And how am I going to live in the same house with her when all I want to do is grab her by the hair and take her?
This is bad. This girl could be my downfall.
“Jake!” Dad calls again.
“Coming!” I bark back.
Maybe it’s my imagination, but when she looks back at me before stepping into her room, I could swear there’s a slight hint of a smirk on her lips and a gleam in her eyes.
My muscles tense, and more sick thoughts flood my mind. I’ve always tried to be a good man, but these thoughts I have about Piper are just wrong…
I feel physical pain when I turn and walk downstairs. Every step away from her is torture. It’s like an invisible chain already links us, and all I have to do is give it a hard tug and take her into my arms.
No. She’s my step-sister. I’m supposed to protect her. Not get her into trouble—trouble that could tear this family to pieces.
Dad’s on his laptop in the living room and doesn’t even bother to glance up when I enter.
“Welcome home, Jake,” I say on his behalf.
“Mmm,” he replies, his attention still on his work. Finally, he sits back and looks at me with the eyes of a man who wanted a different son.
“You’re on thin ice,” he says simply.
“Am I?”
“You just got out of jail, Jake. You never finished school, and now you have a criminal record.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
Dad smiles to himself, but it’s an angry smile. “If you want to live here, you get your act together. Quickly. Any more nonsense out of you and you can fend for yourself.”
“Nonsense? Defending Mom was nonsense?”
“She’s not your mom anymore,” he replies, narrowing his eyes at me. “Wendy is.”
“She’s my step-mom,” I correct him.
He just looks back at me, and for a second, I could swear he’s about to get up and hit me. Not that he could take me. I’ve been dealing with real criminals for the last two years. I can handle myself.
“Just keep yourself in line,” he replies, turning back to his laptop. “And don’t embarrass this family again.”
My fist clenches at my side. There’s so much I want to say right now, but I don’t. I just keep my mouth shut and turn away. No need to start an uproar when I just got home.
“Oh, and Jake?” Dad says as I’m about to leave the room. I turn back.
“Yeah?”
“Don’t even think about it.”
I raise my eyebrows. “About what?”
Dad doesn’t respond. He just gives me one of those looks—those guy looks that you give another guy when nothing more needs to be said.
And in this case, I know exactly what he’s talking about.
Piper. He’s telling me to keep my hands off her.
And God help me, I don’t how I’m going to be able to do that.
2
PIPER
“Shots, baby! Put 'em up!” Emily shouts, raising her glass high as she hands me one.
“Oh, I can’t,” I reply, looking around like I’m about to be caught robbing a bank. “I’m not twenty-one…”
Emily scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Would you stop being such a goody-two-shoes? Aaron’s about to show up, and you need to relax. And this will help. Now drink up!”
Before I can do anything, Emily is pushing the glass to my lips.
I gasp and gulp down a liquid that tastes like poison and burns my throat like fire. She laughs as I start coughing and pats me on the back. “That’s my girl!”