Page 25 of Fracture

Just inside the doorway, once we’re out of view of the garage, I back her against the door frame. Her face is lit up with excitement as I cage her in with my hands, her body showing the tension of fear, but fuck it makes me want her even more.

“You get inside and get dressed now or I will spank the brat right out of you, you hear me?”

Her mouth twists into a grin, but her pupils blow out at my words. “Spank me, huh? Put me over your knee?”

“If that’s what it takes.” My hands are balled into fists against the wall either side of her, determined to hold on to my self-restraint.

“Would I be naked for this spanking?”

Fuck. “Stella, stop it.”

She blinks, feigning innocence. “Oh, I’m sorry, yesterday you wanted to read me smut and now you’re getting all uptight and antsy. That’s so weird,brother.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Why?” She puts a hand against my chest where my wet t-shirt clings to my skin. “It’s true, isn’t it?”

“Stella?” Dylan’s voice rings across the yard, and Stella blinks and shakes her head, as though coming out of a sort of trance. She braces her hand against my chest and pushes me away, hard. “Next time you throw a party, ask me first,” she spits out, before turning and pushing through the glass french door and disappearing down the hallway.

Dylan’s footsteps thud up the porch steps, and he regards me with confusion as I emerge from the shadows. “What happened? Where’s Stella?”

“She went in to get dressed.” I lean a hand against the wall beside me, and inhale deeply. “That girl, she’s… She’s a fucking brat.”

Dylan rubs his chin and nods. “Yeah, she sure is.” He gestures to my wet clothes. “Maybe you should go change and come back and join us. Stella probably needs to cool off.”

“Yeah, I’ll be right back.” I head inside, and I know it’s a bad idea to follow Stella in here. For all I know she’s walking around the house naked somewhere, downing another martini to give herself the confidence to sass me some more. I drag my hands through my hair, my skin inflamed and my cheeks burning. Fuck, the things I want to do to her.

I take the stairs two at a time and when I get to the landing, I breathe a sigh of relief to see Stella’s door is closed. I head into my room and pull on dry jeans and a fresh blue t-shirt, and head back out. I walk quietly so Stella doesn’t hear, pausing at the top of the stairs when I hear a strange sound.

A buzzing noise.

What is that?

I pat my pocket, and it’s not my phone vibrating. Then I hear a moan, and turn to look at Stella’s door. Like a moth to the fucking flame, I edge closer to the door, and realise - Stella’s getting off mere feet from where I’m standing.

She was fucking taunting me.And now she’s as turned on as I am.

I want to tear open that door and see what she’s doing. I want to watch that pretty face as she comes. I take another step towards the door. I should turn around. This is wrong. Dylan’s downstairs. Fuck, she’s not mine. This is wrong.

Another soft moan. I’m going to go fucking insane.

Then there’s a roar of a motorcycle engine, and loud cheers downstairs, and I’m brought violently to my senses.Fucking asshole. Get the fuck away from her.

Shame coils around my throat as I head back down the stairs and outside to rejoin the party. The men crowd around our bikes, music plays loudly, and liquor continues to flow. Every now and then I cast a glance up at the house, to Stella’s room, and by midnight, the light is out.

CHAPTER 7

STELLA

“I thinkI want to fuck my stepbrother.”

Bless Dr. Varden, because her face doesn’t even betray the slightest hint of shock at my confession. “I see.”

“And his best friend,” I blurt out, before quickly raising my hands. “Who is also kind of my ex. I mean, I don’t want to fuck them at the same time. I mean, maybe at the same time? I don’t know, is that weird? I’ve never had a threesome before, and I mean, it sounds like it’d be fun, but that’s weird, right? It’s my brother and his best friend, why would they want to sleep with me at the same time, that’s like them sleeping together and I don’t think Levi is gay. I mean OK, not gay, Dylan isn’t gay either, he’s bi, but they’re just friends and I’m Levi’s sister for fuck’s sake. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but ever since they got out, I’ve been all tangled up, and then I looked at my brother naked, and I-”

“Stella, I want you to take a deep breath,” Dr. Varden interjects, raising her hand from her clipboard so her palm is flat and facing upwards. “In.” She breathes in and raises her hand. “And out.” She turns her hand over and lowers it as she exhales through pursed lips.

I copy her for a count of three, trying to calm the raging thoughts in my head. I can’t believe I just admitted to another person that I want to fuck Levi. This is gross. I’m sick. There’s going to be some FBI suits on my doorstep tomorrow, revoking my entrance to the bar because incest prevents me from practicing law or something.

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