Chapter 21
needy little thing, aren’t you?
DOMINIC
October
“There’s a party at the beach on Saturday,” Miles says as we head to Luigi’s for dinner after work. “You in? You need to let loose. You’ve been working too much.”
I scowl. “Don’t you ever get tired of going out?”
He dismisses me with a shrug. “No. And I’m doing it for you. You’ve been celibate for an awfully long time. It’s not healthy.”
I laugh. “I’m not celibate.”
He snaps up straight, brow arched. “You met someone?”
“Remember last Halloween? When I hooked up with that girl at Romero’s party?”
“Yeah. What about it?”
“I found her.”
“How? Wasn’t she wearing a mask and a wig?”
“She had a tattoo on her back, and when I saw it again, I approached her.” It’s not a total lie, but there’s no fucking way I’ll admit it’s Mia. At least, not now.
“Oh yeah, Alice in Wonderland ink, right? That’s awesome, man.” He claps me on the back. “You were hung up on her for so long.”
I chuckle, slipping my hands into the pockets of my jeans. “Maybe a little.”
He barks out a laugh as he opens the door to the diner. The second I step inside, I home in on her like she’s a beacon. Mia sits at a table with her friends, and fuck, if she’s not the most stunning girl in the world.
I didn’t see her before I left for work this morning, so now, I’m devouring the sight of her like a starving man.
She’s in a black leather miniskirt and a pastel pink turtleneck that hugs her full tits in the most delicious way.
Her hair is down, spilling over her shoulders, highlighting how effortless her beauty is.
As if she can feel my eyes on her, she peers over. When she sees me, her lips twitch into a smile, her dark blue eyes shining.
It’s been four days since our trip to Santa Clara, and I’ve had to keep my fucking hands to myself since.
At home, it seems there’s always someone around, and I’ve been busy at the shop, busting my ass to finish a project for a longtime customer.
By the time I get home, I can barely keep my eyes open.
Maybe I can change that tonight, offer her a ride home.
“Isn’t that your stepsister?” Miles asks, and that word—stepsister—brings me back to reality.
I shake my head to clear my mind, but I can’t look away.
Mia grins, like she knows I’ve been lost in thoughts of her.
When I’ve finally collected my few working brain cells, I wink at her and follow Miles to the empty booth near the window.
I sit down with my back to her, saving myself from distraction.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Miles says. “That’s your stepsister, right?”
“Yeah, that’s Mia, Matt’s sister.”
He studies me for a moment. “Interesting choice of words.”
“Nah. She’s always been Matt’s sister to me. Our parents’ marriage hasn’t changed the way I see her.”
“Makes sense, I guess.” He cranes his neck, looking over my head. “She’s gorgeous. Her friend is too. What do you know about her?”
I force myself to focus on the second part. Otherwise, I’m liable to knock my best friend out.
“Chiara? Or the girl who’s sitting with her boyfriend?”
Miles twists his lips. “I may not have any interest in something serious, but I know better than to hit on a girl in a relationship.”
A pit forms in my stomach. “Sorry, man. I know not everyone makes the same mistakes I have.” I do my best to avoid thinking about the incident in college, but it pops up here and there, always when I least expect it.
“Stop beating yourself up over that shit,” he chides. “That girl was in the wrong. Not only did she wrong her boyfriend, but she led you on too.”
“I saw them together,” I grit out, rubbing at my eye with the heel of my hand. “I should’ve known better, but I chose to believe her when she said they weren’t dating. Maybe if I hadn’t been so desperate to shake Remi off, to show her I was moving on, I would’ve put more thought into it.”
He grimaces. “Yeah…that too.” He rests his forearms on the table, fingers laced. “What about now? How are you going to keep Remi from butting in with this new girl?”
“I’ll talk to her when she’s back in town, make sure she listens this time.”
He wrinkles his nose. “Sure, because that worked out so well for you before.”
“Fuck you.” I fold my arms over my chest and lean back.
As the waitress brings us our orders—a chicken burger and fries for me and a bacon cheeseburger and fries for Miles—the bell over the door dings, and Matt steps in. He plops himself down on the bench beside me. His hair is a mess, dark circles under his eyes.
“I never want to go to the office again.” He unfastens the top button of his shirt and sighs.
Miles and I exchange a look. “What happened?”
“I’ve been stuck researching case law, statutes, and regulations for one of the junior associates.
It’s gone well, even if it’s been exhausting, and she actually complimented me.
” He looks down at the menu the server dropped off, avoiding looking at Miles and me.
“I saw her on Tinder,” he says, his face turning red, “and swiped right.”
Miles and I break into laughter. This is fucking gold.
“How old is she?” I ask, trying to catch my breath.
“Twenty-seven.”
“Show us her profile. I wanna see what she looks like,” I say.
He slumps even deeper into his seat. “I deleted my account.”
Miles grins. “Bet we can find her picture on the firm’s website.”
“Fuck off,” Matt hisses. “I’m gonna apologize to her and tell her it was an accident, that it will never happen again.”
“Was it an accident?”
“It doesn’t matter.” He shakes his head. “Please, leave me alone. I’m traumatized enough.” The server returns to take Matt’s order, saving him from further conversation. As Miles and I dig in, Matt glances over his shoulder. “I think Mia lied about going to Chiara’s on Friday.”
My chicken burger turns to ash in my mouth. “What are you talking about?”
“She told Mom she was staying at Chiara’s, but she posted a picture on her Instagram story that night.
It was the view of a city that didn’t look like Monterey at all.
It didn’t register right away, but when it did and I went back to look at it again, she’d deleted it.
” He leans forward, his voice low. “And she has a hickey. I noticed it this morning.”
Miles frowns. “You probably won’t like hearing this, but it’s none of your business. She’s your sister, but she’s eighteen, and she’s not your puppet.”
“You’re an only child. You have no idea what it’s like to have a younger sibling to protect.” Matt glares at him then zeroes in on me. “You get why I’m worried, right?”
I lean back and drape my hand over the back of the booth. “Miles is right. She’s almost nineteen; she’s old enough to make her own mistakes. Who she’s seeing has nothing to do with you.”
It’s the only answer I can give him…because I know exactly where Mia was on Friday.
And Matt would kill me if he found out.
The moon is hazy through the cloud of smoke encircling me. At one a.m., I gave up on trying to sleep, forced my ass out of bed, and came out back.
My mood is shit.
After Matt’s suspicions, there was no way I could get Mia all to myself tonight. I didn’t even offer her a ride home because he beat me to it. And now? We live under the same goddamn roof, but it feels like we’re worlds apart.
I think it’s finally time to get my own place.
My phone dings, and my heart leaps. Hoping it’s a message from Mia, I quickly unlock it. Instead, Remi’s name stares back at me, making me scoff.
Remi:
I miss you so much. Can’t wait to see you!
I clench my jaw. When did she say she’d be back? I can’t fucking remember. I haven’t really paid attention to anything she says for a very long time.
I take a drag of my cigarette and lock the screen again. Her desires are no longer my problem. This time, I’ll make her listen.
My phone pings again, and I unlock it despite my frustration. This time, it’s my uncle. Just the sight of his name makes me grin.
Brody:
Hola Dom! Wanted to ask you for a favor
Me:
What’s up?
Brody:
Think you can help me with Leo’s birthday present? I want to buy him a car
Me:
Sure! What are we looking for?
As I wait for him to give me details about the car he wants to give his eighteen-year-old son, I put the cigarette out, toss the butt into the trash can, and head back into the house.
The second I step inside, I stop in my tracks.
Fuck me.
Mia is standing by the fridge, wearing an oversized white T-shirt and a tiny pair of shorts that make her bare legs look exceptionally long.
I amble over to her, adjusting my hardening cock.
I make it halfway before she closes the fridge, a bottle of sparkling water in her hand, and sets her sleepy eyes on me.
“Why are you up?” She gives me a teasing smile. “I peeked in your room around midnight, and you were snoring.”
“I don’t snore.” My heart thuds heavily in my chest as the scent of her perfume envelops me. “I woke up a little bit ago and couldn’t get back to sleep. Decided to come down for a cigarette.”
She wrinkles her nose. “I can tell.”
My phone dings again. It’s probably Brody, but there’s also a chance it’s Remi. She never sends just one text at a time.
Mia nods, brows lifted. “Don’t you want to read it?”
“Nah. It’s from my uncle. He’s in Spain, so he probably didn’t consider the time difference. He asked if I could help him find a car for my cousin. His eighteenth birthday is coming up.”
She stares at me long and hard, her expression unreadable. “Right. And I’m Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France. Try again.”
My chest tightens. I don’t like the look of distrust on her face or how easily she assumes the worst. I step into her space, forcing her back against the fridge, and tilt her chin up.
“You always this mouthy before bed? Or is it just for me?”
Eyes full of challenge, she juts her chest out. “It’s called sarcasm. And what, you don’t like when I ask questions?”
I trace her bottom lip with my thumb. “No, baby, I don’t like when you doubt me.
I’m telling you the truth. Uncle Brody needs my help.
I’m ignoring his text because I’d rather focus on you.
” Her body shudders, but she doesn’t pull away.
Dipping lower, I brush my mouth over hers.
“This is your warning: If you don’t push me away now, I’m going to take what I’ve been wanting so desperately for the last four days. ”
In response, she arches her back, pushing her tits against my chest.
Well then.
I slip my hand into her hair, yanking her closer and deepening our kiss. When she gasps into my mouth, I swallow the sound.
Fuck, I want to consume her.
She meets my intensity, her tongue battling mine for dominance as she digs her nails into my T-shirt, scraping my skin through the fabric.
I slide my lips down the column of her throat, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses, one hand cupping her breast. Her skin erupts into goosebumps, her nipples pebbling.
I slip my other hand inside her shorts, lightly pressing my fingers to her clit, teasing her, driving her mad with a slow caress.
Mia gasps, hips jerking, desperate for more friction.
I chuckle against her throat. “Needy little thing, aren’t you?”
She growls.
“Your body gives you away.” I flick her bud and suck on her throat, leaving another mark on her skin.
A stair creaks overhead, followed by the sound of slippers scuffing across the floor.
Without hesitation, I pull Mia outside. Once the door is closed, I press her against the house, caging her in. Her breathing is fast and erratic, her lips parted, her eyes on the door.
I crane my neck but duck back quickly when I find Monica at the sink, filling a kettle. She often makes tea before bed, but it’s after one a.m. I never see her up this late.
Mia is tense, her breaths coming out harsh, so I cover her mouth with my palm.
Fuck if I’ll back away now when I know how to settle her nerves.
I slip my hand inside her shorts, and her pupils widen.
“You’re gonna keep real quiet for me, baby, right?” I whisper.
She whimpers against my palm, and as I brush her clit again, her hips jerk. My movements are slow and controlled. I don’t want her to come just yet.
“You like this, don’t you?” I coo. “Like knowing if your mom opened this door, she’d catch us?”
Eyebrows knitting together, she shakes her head.
I chuckle darkly. “That’s cute. Lying to me while your little cunt is soaking my fingers.”
I gradually add pressure, rubbing circles, and she moves her hips, meeting my hand over and over again, chasing her orgasm.
Heat floods me, because the view in front of me is breathtaking. I want to hear her sounds, enjoy her moans, but with her mom in the kitchen, it will have to wait.
Her orgasm hits her hard, her body shaking. She tries to clamp her thighs together, but I don’t let her, massaging her throbbing clit and prolonging her release.
Watching her fall apart might be my new favorite hobby.
When the lights in the kitchen go out, I take a step back and drop my hand from her mouth.
She pants, focus fixed on me, and pushes off the wall. When we’re practically chest to chest again, she peers up at me. “Was it really your uncle?”
“Yes.” I brush long strands of her hair off her cheek and fish my phone from my pocket.
Then, I do something I’ve never done before—I unlock it and hand it over.
My messages with Brody are on the screen, including the one I received while we were in the kitchen, the one full of details about the car.
Her lips tremble, a small smile gracing her features, and I can’t help but grin in return.
The moment is cut short, though, when my phone buzzes in her hand. A banner at the top of the screen appears, displaying a text from Remi.
Nostrils flaring, Mia pushes my phone into my hand and takes a step back. Her expression goes blank, cold.
The loss of her heat cracks open an empty cavern in my chest.
“This shit won’t work with me.” She turns and heads back into the house. Just inside the door, she peers over her shoulder. “Sleep tight, stepbrother.”
As she walks away, I clench my jaw, hands balled into fists. She’s right. I need to tell her the truth about Remi. It’s the only way.