Page 75 of All I Desire

Chapter Twenty

NATALIA

I blinkat Chad and slowly shift toward Matthew, whose face is slack with confusion.

“You’re related.” My voice comes out in a whisper. It’s not a question, but a statement.

“You two know each other?” Matthew asks, his voice laced with incredulity. Yeah, dude. I’m probably more shocked than you, I want to say. But I don’t, because my speech capabilities are still stunted by the presence of a smirking Chad.

Have I mentioned that I loathe men who smirk?

My hand lets go of the twine handles holding the paper bag and it falls six inches to the floor, the glass clunking against the tile. I wait for the sound of glass breaking, for the feel of expensive Cabernet seeping around my feet, but neither comes.

Chad’s inching closer with that shit-eating grin of his. I take a step back and clutch my purse.

He looks the same except for the little lines around the corners of his eyes. Somehow, that detail makes him seem more menacing.

“Of course, we know each other, Matt. Remember that year I was in school here? Well, the two years, once in middle school, then again in high school?” He laughs, a sound that turns my insides to ice. “I had two stints with the public education system here. You remember, don’t you, Natalia? We were so close.” He smirks and I want to vomit.

“Yes. I remember all too well.”

I refuse to say his name aloud. Refuse to look into his clear, cold, blue eyes. I stare at Matthew’s bare feet. This can’t be happening. Will he understand if I just turn and walk out? Would he forgive me? Because, so help me God, I can’t be under the same roof as Chad. Not when his mere presence brings waves of shame and fear that I’ve had to relive in the many nightmares I’ve had over the years.

“Natalia!”

Chloe’s girlish voice cuts through the thick tension in the air.

She skips up to me, looking coltish in her blue shorts and a T-shirt with anime characters on the front. “Hey there. I just downloaded a bunch of BTS videos.”

“Hey,” I say weakly, trying to will my limbs to stop shaking. I reach for her, my hand trembling. Dammit, now Chad and Matthew will see how upset I am.

“Wanna watch them with me?” She looks at me hopefully, and that’s when I realize that maybe she does like me, a little. That she’s looking at me like I’m the cool, older girl.

“I’d love to sweetie, but—”

“Hey, squirt. Why watch videos of some girly-looking Korean boys all day when you’ve got the beach to play on? You’ve gotta practice being a babe now that you live on the island. Natalia used to be quite the beach babe. I think she had like two dozen bikinis. Did you know that, Matthew?” Chad’s voice sends a fresh wave of emotion into my chest, but it’s not shame or fear or shock.

It’s anger.

There is no way I’m going to let him bully Chloe, even subtly. No way I’m going to let his racist, sexist, arrogant self get anywhere near that vulnerable, sweet girl.

A dormant momma bear instinct roars to life. Where did that come from?

“I would love to watch the BTS videos with you, Chloe.” I say in a clear voice, shooting a glare at Chad. “But I’m going to use the bathroom first. And I’d like to have a word with your father in private. Matthew, can you show me to the powder room, please?”

“Absolutely,” he says, putting his fingertips on my back and ushering us down a hall. “Chloe, we’ll be right back, okay?”

“Sure, Dad.” Out of the corner of my eye, I see her flop into a giant, wooden chair. Chad slithers out of the room.

Matthew opens a solid, wooden door—why does everything have wrought iron accents, like we’re going into a medieval dungeon—and I pull him inside. I fall against the door and heave out a breath, then shut my eyes.

Matthew rakes his fingers through his black hair. “Babe, what was all that back there? Your skin turned the color of skim milk. What’s wrong?”

“Your brother,” I say.

“Half-brother,” he corrects.

“Whatever. He’s the guy I dated in high school. The one who…” I shudder in a breath and open my eyes.

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