Wrong: A Stepbrother Romance

“Oh, Sash, don’t get so defensive. We’re all here for you, sweetie, we get it. Ethan was your first love and your first everything. It’s gonna take awhile for you to get over him and all that… wild, rowdy missionary sex.” She could barely finish the sentence before bursting out laughing. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry. You should never tell me about your sex life ever again. I’m just not to be trusted.”

I smiled and acted good-natured about it to hide the fact that I was sweating over my sex life as of last night. Once boring, it had become quickly hotter than hell. “Alright. Very funny,” I said, offering a grin. Any other day, I would’ve been at least a little salty about the remark, but I’d just made up for years of bad sex with Ethan in barely twelve hours with Liam, so suddenly, I didn’t care. And I could tell I wasn’t giving Riley the huffy, embarrassed reaction she was hoping for because she suddenly put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at me.

“Something’s different,” she said, her disappointment tinged with curiosity. I paused in the middle of racking a glass.

“What do you mean?”

“You usually get all pouty and wounded when I talk about your shitty sex life.”

“I guess I’m growing up?”

“Doubtful. I think you’re fucking someone,” Riley said, her eyes getting wider and wider. There was no way she knew but my heart was already beating faster as the wheels turned in her head. “Oh God, no, that would be so wrong,” she muttered, clasping a hand to her mouth. “Sasha.” She stared at me, eyes so wide I thought they might pop out of her head. “You’re fucking that chubster who delivers the napkins!”

I let out the breath I was holding. Never had I been so relieved to be accused of sleeping with some random guy. “Riley, I… no. I’m not sleeping with him. Or anyone.” It wasn’t a lie. I hadn’t had sex with Liam. Not yet.

“Oh my God, yes you are! I watch you two flirt all the time! You were just too embarrassed to hook up till I was out of town!” Riley gasped, bouncing on her heels with her signature over-the-top excitement. “Oh my God, Sash. That is so cute. Seriously, don’t be embarrassed. A lot of girls like big bellies. I mean, Trav’s getting a bit of a beer gut,” Riley stuck out her tongue as she spoke of her husband. “But I still love him. Even though he was a boring asshole the whole vacation. He’s starting to get so damned lazy,” she muttered under her breath, almost to herself. There was a pause. “But at least he doesn’t look twelve months pregnant like your little fuck buddy!” she cackled, doubling over again.

“Oh-kay, Riles.” Our staff was starting to trickle in so I just stretched my lips into a tight smile and shut up, hoping to stop the conversation before they could hear.

“Don’t worry, girl, I’ll keep your secret,” she winked. I gave a thumbs up, not even wanting to get into this. I knew she’d drop it eventually and she did, because shortly after opening, we were so slammed that I had to come out of the office and get behind the bar to sling drinks.

“I see you’ve got the seats roped off,” a pretty redhead called over the counter. She nodded at the three seats at the end of the bar that we kept reserved every night for Liam and the boys. “When do the fighters get here?”

“Oh,” I smiled, still getting used to the fact that we were practically a tourist attraction thanks to Liam and his friends. “I’m not positive they’re coming by tonight but if they do, it’ll be past 9PM.”

“Then we’ll be here past 9PM!” Red declared, toasting her Cosmo before turning to relay the info to her friends. They squealed in excitement as Riley came up behind me with a groan.

“I hate how these little sluts come here just to ogle Liam,” she muttered, running a credit card. “It’s so pathetic.”

“What’s pathetic about it? He’s every girl’s type and they’re giving us business.”

“I just don’t want him sleeping with groupies. He’s better than that,” Riley muttered. I raked my bottom lip between my teeth. I didn’t know what constituted a groupie, but if it was a girl who actively sought after a guy, then I was a total groupie for Liam. Riley glared at me. As usual, she misinterpreted my silence. “Don’t get all quiet, Sash, just say it.”

“What?”

“You think I’m jealous because you think I still have a crush on Liam. Which I do not.”

Except you do. Riley had claimed since marrying Travis that she was no longer attracted to Liam, but every time she got drunk enough, she slurred on about how she’d divorce Trav in a heartbeat if our mother split from Liam’s father, Vic. “I mean look at Liam. Look at those abs. Look at that ass. Am I not a woman? What am I supposed to do? Not want to fuck him? I’d let him do whatever he wanted to me. Just fucking look at that man.” It was always unbridled, nonstop and hilarious, and I’d always have to hustle Riley into another room so she didn’t say anything loud enough for others to hear. She was still infatuated with Liam. I knew she was but I wasn’t going to point that out, especially not now.

“You’re just protective of him. The way he’s protective of us,” I said to quell the situation. It was a total lie but I just wanted the conversation to end. I’d yet tell Aria all the details of my insane hook-up with Liam last night and all that pent-up scandal was still bouncing at the tip of my tongue, desperate to come out. Of course, I wasn’t going to let it come out at Riley.

“Yeah. I’m just protective of him. I love him,” Riley murmured, over-pouring a beer as she gazed out the door. I tried not to overanalyze the look on her face. I didn’t have time to anyway. The bar kept filling up and it only got worse when Liam rolled in with A.J, Max and a couple other guys. The usual ruckus was made as the crowd parted for them, our regulars and bartenders chanting “Cage Kings” the name of the gym and the camp that produced so many of the absolute warriors we watched at the bar during fight nights. We wore our Cage Kings T-shirts and blasted the volume on the flat screens. Regulars who didn’t watch MMA became fans after spending enough time at our bar.

“There are my boys,” Riley grinned, sliding pints across the bar as they took their usual seats.

“Lookin’ good, Riles,” A.J said.

“I got tan! You noticed?”

“Always.” He tossed her a wink. Liam smirked, exchanging a look with me.

“Good workout?” I asked casually, trying to mask my nerves since he

wouldn’t take his eyes off of me. My pulse heightened as he leaned back and took his time to answer me, prioritizing his gaze on my T-shirt. The thin cotton was spattered in beer. I didn’t have to look down to feel how it clung tighter than usual to my breasts. Liam indulged in far too long a stare before replying to my question.

“A little distracted today, but decent overall.” He gave me that crooked little grin that never failed to slay my heart in half a second.

“Distracted? Why?” Riley cut in. “Thanks for saying hi, by the way.” She leaned over the counter and presented Liam her cheek, which he kissed. “You okay, sweetie? What’s got my big strong man so distracted?”