Wrong: A Stepbrother Romance

You scumbag. I should have never gone to meet you that night. The thought played in my mind on such a repeat that I must’ve summoned the asshole because suddenly, he was calling. I don’t know why I picked up. He seemed shocked too. I could hear the sound of a busy restaurant or bar in the background, but it took Evan a couple seconds to speak.

“Isla?”

“Yes. Why are you calling?”

“I’m sorry, I know it’s late.”

I took the phone off my ear to look at the time. Past one in the morning. I had no idea. “Yeah. I got your texts but I’ll get my jacket another time. Or you can mail it to me.”

He ignored everything I said. “I’m at Maloney’s right now. With Jared, Mikey, Joey Guinness. You remember the guys.” His speech was slurred. This was officially a drunk dial.

“Why are you telling me this.”

“’Cause they’re giving me shit. Joey’s asking if he can take you out now. I’m gonna give him the phone and you’re gonna tell him no thanks because he looks too much like Kermit the fucking Frog and you…” He groaned. “You are the sexiest girl on the fucking planet. You know that? I want you to know that, babe. You’ve got the legs… and the ass… the tits. You’re the full package and I can’t even… get fuckin’ hard unless I turn off the lights and pretend she’s – ”

“Evan.” My stomach lurched. It hurt to clench my jaw but I had to. “Stop this. You cannot fucking lie to her like that!” I hissed between my teeth.

“And you’re a good person, too. Holly went after me and you’re still defending her.”

I hadn’t known that detail but it made no difference anymore. “I don’t care, Evan. I don’t want to hear this.”

“Just come meet me.”

“Are you kidding?”

“No,” he said firmly. He was still slurring but now there was a cockiness to his speech. “I know you, baby. If you haven’t seen anyone since me, you haven’t fucked anyone since me and I remember how much you need it, Isla. Good, deep fucks every night and every morning. That was my favorite thing about you.”

I froze, livid.

“See, you woulda said something by now if I wasn’t right. And I’m pretty sure you woulda let me fuck you in that bar that night if I didn’t tell you about stupid Holly. Fuck.” I heard a growl and what sounded like the heel of his palm hitting his forehead. Once. Twice. “Why’d I do it, babe? Why’d I even tell you about her?”

I hung up. Revolted, heart pounding, I threw the phone across the bed and scrambled to get out. But I was on my feet for barely a second before toppling to my raw hands and knees. Pain searing me, I cried out.

The second I did, the door flung open.

chapter six

Through tears, I looked up. Fuck. Standing there was Abram in just a pair of black sweatpants, every section of his six-pack tight till he realized I was mostly fine. Before I could say a word, he scooped me off the floor with the effort others might take to lift a book. There was a faint smile on his lips as he looked at me.

“Fall out of bed?” He set me back on its edge.

“No, I was…” Running from an asshole’s voice.

“Who were you talking to on the phone?” Abram leaned against the table next to the bed.

“My ex.”

“Everything alright?”

“Um…” I trailed off, staring ahead at his bare abs. God. “Everything’s fine. Just… the usual ex things.”

He grinned. “Thankfully, I don’t have too many of those. Care to enlighten me?”

I giggled and sucked on my lower lip. “Well… drunk dialing. That’s a big ex thing. Wanting to get back together. That’s another one. But in my case, there’s also confessing that he’s marrying my best friend only because he wants her money.”

“Christ.”

“Mm-hm.”