Page 10 of My Shining Stepbrother

I hurry my movements and speed up the stairs packing a bag at lightning speed. Damian stops my mom from coming after me and tries to calm her down. I can’t be here right now.

I run out of the house with nowhere to go and nobody to call. I pull into an empty lot and grab my phone, staring at his name. This might be a bad idea, and I can feel that, but I call him anyway. He answers almost immediately.

“Rose?” I can hear the concern in his voice. I try to stay calm but feel myself failing miserably.

I take a deep breath and steady my shaking hands. “Hey…. Can I um…. Come by your place? Just until I can figure out where I am going tonight?” I ask him with a broken voice.

“I’ll text you my address. Let me know when you will be here.” Reese’s voice is solid and confident. He is calming me with just his voice.

“Thank you. I will let you know.” I end the call and put my head back against my headrest. Why does my life have to be such a mess?

A few moments later, I get the message with his address and type it into GPS. He is only ten minutes from my house and eight from the lot I am sitting in. I send him the text telling him how long I will be and start to drive down the road again.

When I pull into the driveway of what looks like an old warehouse building, I double-check my GPS. The addresses match, but why would this be the house? Biting the bullet, I step out of my car and walk to the front door. I raise my hand and knock on the door—my heart races in anticipation with each passing second.

The door swings open, and there stands Reese in grey sweatpants and no shirt. His sweatpants lay low on his hips, and I see the V formed on his pelvis. My mouth suddenly goes dry, but I feel the drool pooling simultaneously. My eyes focus on the gorgeous god of a man standing in front of me.

He shows me a half-smirk as he steps to the side. “Well, are you coming in?” His deep voice vibrates through my body.

“Shit, I'm sorry. Yeah, Thank you.” My legs begin to shake with my hands as I speak and walk forward into his house.

Reese gestures to his couch once he closes the door behind us.

I take a seat and feel my body begin to relax. Reese steps over to a drink cart, pouring himself a drink as he turns to look at me. “Drink?” he asks with a soft tone.

“Whiskey neat, please,” I reply, keeping my eyes anywhere but on him. I can’t see him and feel the things I have been. It’s not fitting; My mother made sure I knew that.

He nods his head and begins to pour the drink. A minute later, he comes back and sits across from me after setting my glass on the coffee table. I thank him now, looking down at the floor. I can’t trust myself.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” he asks with curiosity in his tone—the internal battle in my head fighting with my options.

I sigh, grab the glass, take a drink, and then set it back down. “I wasn’t planning on it. I just needed a place to sit and think about where I’m going tonight,” I say as I rub my hands together nervously.

“Talk to me about it. You can’t keep it locked away in your head and let it eat you.” He leans forward and taps my forehead gently as he says it.

I lean a little bit into his friendly touch while taking another deep breath. “It was my mom. Damian tried to diffuse the situation, but it was too late. The bomb detonated.”

I see his shoulders round back and square with the rest of his body. “Tell me the whole thing.” Anger lies in his words.

I tell him everything that occurred tonight, and he is visibly shocked. My mother always shows her nice, loving, caring, nurturing side to outsiders, but my sister and I know the truth.

“Jesus, I thought she was okay with your job and tattoos. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know she felt this way about it.” The sorrow in his eyes tells me he is genuine with his words.

I shrug my shoulders, “It’s nobody's fault but her own. Don’t apologize when you didn’t do anything wrong. I need to find a hotel tonight, and then I’ll be out of your hair.” I try to stand, but he stops me.

“Stay here. I have extra rooms, and you can use one of those.” His grip remains on my arm as the words leave his mouth.

“No, Reese, I’m not going to use your house. I will be at the club late anyway, and I don’t want to disturb you.” I shake my head with a warm smile on my face.

“Well, you're in luck then. I also have to work late tonight, so I can pick you up from the club and bring you back here. You can leave your car here.” A mischievous grin spreads on his face.

“How can I get there if I leave my car here?” The question is answered before he even needs to speak.

He laughs lightly and loosens his grip. “I’ll take you. Let me do this for you.” He gives me puppy dog eyes that begin to melt my insides.

“Are you sure about this? I don't want to interfere with your life or anything. I don’t want you to have to turn a woman down for me to stay here possibly….” The sadness comes through my voice just thinking about him with another woman. Wait?! Why the hell did I say that?!

He begins to laugh hard at my uncomfortable statement, and I try to make myself smaller in his gaze. “Trust me, Rose. I do not plan on bringing any woman home other than you.” His eyes find mine and pierce into my soul. A fire begins to burn that won't extinguish.

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