Page 4 of Dare To Break

I shift my gaze from the cookies to the girl hovering nearby.

She’s staring at me, blue eyes wide, hands clutched together in front of her stomach. There’s almost a deer-in-headlights look about her. Was she as surprised as me by the wedding announcement? Not that I give a fuck. Those eyes widen more when I meet her gaze, and she takes a step back. Inwardly, I laugh. Driving her out is going to be so easy if all it takes is a glare and she’s ready to run.

“Eli.” My dad taps my arm just as the song playing in my ears comes to an end. “Please turn off the music, Son. I want you to meet Arabella. Your new sister.”

“Stepsister,” I correct him.

The bimbo laughs, high-pitched and teeth-achingly shrill. “Darling, there’s no need to add the step. We’re family now.” She hooks her hand around my arm.

I turn my head to look at her. “Don’t touch me.” My voice is low.

She laughs again. I grit my teeth and peel her fingers off my skin. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Eli!” my dad barks.

Was that a spark of parental disapproval?

Well, I’ll be damned. He still has some backbone, after all.

My lip curls. “Sorry, Mom.”

That fake plastic smile falters, and I see a hint of the real woman beneath the act. She doesn’t like me calling her mom. I doubt she likes me, period. That’s perfectly fine with me. I don’t like her either.

My attention returns to the girl on the other side of the kitchen, and I dip a hand into my pocket and turn off my music before another song starts while I check her out.

She hasn’t spoken yet and I want to hear her voice. I don’t give a fuck what she says. That’s not relevant. But how she talks will give me a clue about who she is. Voices hide a multitude of secrets just waiting to be discovered … and used.

“Darling, say hello to Eli.” Elena instructs from somewhere behind me.

She stiffens at her mother’s words, but steps forward, a smile fixed to her lips.

“Hello, Eli. I guess we’ve both had a bit of a shock today.” Her voice is hesitant, soft, and the complete opposite of her mother’s.

Today? My father brought the woman home two days ago, and announced he was in love. It took him another twelve hours to admit he’d married the woman looking around the house with hungry eyes and asking whether she could decorate.

She holds out a hand. I frown, then ignore it, while I analyze her voice. She doesn’t look or sound surprised. Somehow, I doubt her mother marrying someone a week after meeting them is a shock to her. I turn to look at my dad.

“I’ve done as you asked. I’m going back to the car now.” I tap play on my music, turn up the volume and walk out, ignoring my dad’s calls for me to wait.

He catches up to me as I reach the front door and tugs out one of my earbuds.

“That was rude.”

“So was coming home with a new wife.”

His cheeks redden. “She’s a wonderful woman, and she’ll be a good influence on you. We need a woman’s touch, Eli.”

“You might. I don’t. If she touches anything of mine, I’ll break her fingers.”

He sighs. “Son, please.”

I whirl to face him. “You know she’s not in love with you, don’t you? All she sees are dollar signs when she looks at you. I bet if you dig, you’ll find she’s behind on her payments for this place.” I wave a hand at the house. “You better have had a prenup in place.”

The look on his face told me the answer.

“Fuck’s sake. You’re supposed to be the fucking adult, not me. Call our lawyers and get a post-nup written out. If she loves you like you claim, she’ll sign it.”

“You can’t start married life with a contract, Eli.”

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