“The same reason you are,” I tell her, but the lie burns my tongue as it slips from my mouth. There’s a flicker of disbelief in her eyes, but she doesn’t challenge me. “Tonight, you’ll come to my house. We’re having dinner.”
“Ahren already invited me,” she informs me coolly.
I’ll need to talk to my brother. He didn’t mention it to me when he popped in earlier to tell me about our little problem—the past coming back to bite us in the ass.
My gaze tracks Arabella as she makes her way to the exit. “Don’t be late.”29ArabellaWhen I get to Elian’s house, I’m excited to spend a normal night with him and Ahren. Tonight offers up an opportunity to get to know the brothers without distraction.
I press the button of the doorbell. It doesn’t take long for the door to whoosh open, and I’m met with the dark stare of Ahren Donati. The cocky smirk that curls his lips greets me as he pulls me into his arms and gives me a hug I wasn’t expecting.
“Nice to see you, pretty girl,” he says, his voice low, whispered, and I wonder if he doesn’t want his brother hearing us.
“I hope you had a good day,” I tell him as we break our hug and I follow him inside. The door shuts with a click behind us, and I follow Ahren through the entrance and into the back of the house. The kitchen is filled with the scent of delicious food, and my stomach growls, causing Ahren to chuckle.
“Hungry?”
“Yeah, I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” I tell him, reminding myself as to why I didn’t get to have my lunch. And when I wanted to get something to eat after school, Elian kept me in his classroom sending me into euphoria with his fingers. The memory has me blushing.
“Not a good girl,” Ahren murmurs in my ear, the heat of his breath fanning over my neck, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin. I chose a thin strapped dress, which hugs my frame, and under I have soft, satin panties, but no bra at all. I planned to tease Elian all night, and with Ahren here, it poses a challenge I’m sure I’m going to enjoy.
“I never once claimed to be a good girl,” I sass the younger Donati and earn myself an amused chuckle.
“She’s a very bad girl,” comes the deep rumble of Elian Donati as he enters the kitchen dressed in a pair of black slacks and a matching button-up undone at the top, gifting me a view of his smooth skin.
“Oh?” This perks Ahren’s attention, and I pray Elian doesn’t tell him what I did in class today, but his smirk curls in challenge as he regards me.
“Indeed.” He closes the distance between us, his hands landing on my hips, and my stomach does somersaults at the contact. How can one man be so beautiful? “She attempted being a little brat.”
“I’m sure that should have earned her a spank,” Ahren laughs as he pulls a bottle of beer from the fridge. At this response, I want the floor to open and swallow me whole as my cheeks heat with an embarrassing blush. He hasn’t let go what I did in class today, but that only makes me tremble with anticipation of my upcoming punishment. Then Elian’s mouth captures mine in a gentle kiss.
“She deserves so much more than that,” he says, “which I’ll sort out later. First we need to eat.” He laces his fingers with mine, and in that moment, I feel as if I’m part of their family. The idea of being with him, with them, makes me feel special. “You look beautiful, by the way,” Elian adds as we make our way through to the dining room, which has been set for three.
Elian sits right beside me with Ahren across from me. The air has shifted; something is about to happen, and I’m not entirely sure of what it is. We’re served dinner by the lady who had ushered me into the house on my first visit.
Before she leaves us, she tells Elian everything for dessert has been set out. Then we’re alone.
“Take off your dress. Leave it on the floor beside you,” comes the voice from my left, sending cold awareness through me. My gaze snaps to his, finding no amusement shining in it. “I don’t like repeating myself, deviant,” he practically growls. And the dinner I thought would be endearing and an opportunity for me to learn more about the brothers, Elian flips on its head. For a beat, neither Ahren nor I move. We don’t reach for our cutlery. Even though I’m starving, I wait.
My glance falls on Ahren who’s smirking with utter satisfaction on his face. He watches me for a moment before saying, “You must have really pissed big brother off today.”