Chapter 2 Ethan
Afoul stench of cigarettes and stale beer clings to the pale yellow, papered walls.
It tingles through my senses as I travel through the small house towards the stairs, feeling the pull of my sister’s energy.
My heavy boots land on the threadbare carpet of the stairs, each step creaking as I make my way upstairs towards Alina’s bedroom.
The low hum of her favourite punk rock music filters through the short hallway and I can just about hear her sweet voice humming along with the heavy beat.
With silent steps, I creep towards her bedroom and lean against the doorframe, my gaze heavy on my sister’s back as she tries to fasten the clasp of her bra. She fumbles a few times and curses out when she drops the fabric for a third time.
“Need my help?” I say with a sharp tone and she jumps, her hands flying to her chest to keep her perky tits covered, but what she doesn’t realise is that I’ve already seen everything she has to offer. Alina has a tendency to sleep in the skimpiest outfits.
“Fucking hell, Ethan. You scared the shit outta’ me.” She spits out with a dark glint in her eye and her cheeks flush a perfect pink colour when she catches me roaming my eyes over her bare shoulders.
“Better me than anyone else.” I say, then take a step into her brightly coloured bedroom, then another until I’m right next to her.
Something tropical and fruity wafts up my nose.
Her signature scent that seems to bounce off every wall before barreling into me like a freight train.
Alina keeps the lacy pink bra tightly clutched to her chest as her silver, grey eyes roam from the tattoos that cover my neck, towards my jaw and upwards to meet my dark gaze.
That same pink flush that covers the apples of her cheeks glows brighter now with my hard stare.
“You’re staring, Ethan.”
“I know. Now turn around.” I demand. She hesitates for a moment before spinning on her bare feet, her platinum blonde hair brushes against my hoodie as she turns to give me her back. That same, intoxicating tropical smell hits me again and blood instantly rushes southward.
Lifting my hands, I gather Alina’s soft locks into a makeshift ponytail and immediately visions of her on her knees in front of me flash across my eyes, flickering like an erotic film.
She moans around my pierced length, a lust filled haze glazing over her stormy eyes as she looks up at me through hooded eyes.
“Ethan? Is.. everything alright?” She asks, tipping her chin over her shoulder.
As quick as the vision came, it disappeared and I cleared my throat, continuing to gather my sister’s hair before laying it over her shoulder.
A shudder runs through her slim body and I can’t stop myself from running the pads of my fingers over the expanse of her shoulders blades and down towards the unfastened bra.
Every single thing about this is wrong, I know it is. These feelings I have towards my sister are downright sinful, sickening even, but who the fuck is going to tell me it shouldn’t be?
I fucking dare anyone to tell me I can’t love my sister this way.
I’ll kill them. Every single one of them.
Alina Ashcroft is mine.
Heavy footsteps at the bottom of the stairs break my trance and immediately Alina steps out of my proximity, then quickly scrambles to fasten her bra before slipping on an oversized band t-shirt and well worn jeans.
Her perfect face is flustered, panic flashes in her eyes like we’ve been caught doing something we shouldn’t.
“You can’t be in here Ethan, dad will kill you.” It’s cute that she’s concerned for my safety, but what she doesn’t realise is that cunt downstairs will die by my hands.
Instead of causing a scene and putting my sister in the firing line, I take a step backwards until I’m out of her room, then turn to face our dad whose breathing is out of control as he clambers up the stairs.
He manages to reach the top and the temptation to shove him back down them is high, but I keep my hands stuffed into the front pocket of my hoodie, facing him square on.
Immediately, a sourness hits my senses from his close proximity. “You better have been keeping your disgusting hands to yourself, boy.” He huffs out before lowering his sticky mouth to the side of my head. “I see the way you look at your sister, you fucking freak.”
His words have that blackness that’s inside of me, rising to the top.
It screams at me to let it out, to allow it to spill all over the floor.
I want to, believe me I do, but I’d hate for it to splash all over my little sister, to taint her perfect innocence.
So I reel it in, but not before dropping my mouth to my dad’s ear.
“Fuck.. you.” I whisper with a deathly tone and he visibly begins to shake from the anger that’s bubbling inside of him, but before he can take a swing at me, Alina fills the gap between us both. Protecting her big brother.
“Dad, stop this. Ethan has done nothing wrong.” She begs and I can’t stop the sinister grin that plasters across my face from behind her, like a wicked devil sitting in her shadow.
Turns out you were wrong, dad. I’ll never keep my hands to myself where my little sister is concerned.
Alina winds her arms behind her back to lace her fingers with mine and I revel in her soft touch, cashmere against barbed wire. “I don’t understand what your problem is? Ethan is the only person I can rely on in this wretched house.”
My sister’s fierce streak slips out from underneath her soft demeanour and pride blooms in my chest.
“Listen here.” Our dad steps closer now, forcing Alina to step backwards into my chest. “This is my fucking house. My fucking rules, and if I catch that freak anywhere near you. I’ll kill him.
” Alina’s grip tightens around my fingers at our dad’s threat and I quickly pull her behind me to put some distance between them both, then I take a step forward, going toe to toe with my father.
His yellow stained eyes widen as I continue to walk forward, forcing him to take a step back until he’s teetering on the edge of the step.
His foot slips for a moment before he catches himself.
My face inches from his. “Now you’re going to listen to me.
I’m not some little pussy boy you can push around anymore, alright?
I’ll fucking end you.” I bite and he jolts, “and if you ever.. threaten my sister again, I’ll skin you alive and turn you into wallpaper, then I’ll feed your disgusting insides to the neighbours dog. ”
Anger rolls through my system like thunder and I can feel Alina’s presence before she enters my orbit, her manicured hand curling around my bicep. Her touch alone could crumble me to dust.
“Let’s go Ethan.” She whispers at my shoulder and I nod my head, but not before snapping my teeth at my dad, causing him to spin in fear like a scared puppy and stomp down the stairs, his heavy weight practically shakes the foundations of the house.
Turning on my heels, I tip my chin to gaze down at my little sister, whose eyes are burning with something that I can’t quite pin point.
I know she feels this fire between us, this inferno that’s threatening to swallow us both whole but there’s a block in the connection, a break in the system that I can’t seem to fix.
Shame? Embarrassment maybe? Disgust at the thoughts she has for me but I’m never one to back down from a challenge. In fact, I’ll claw my way inside of her to drag out that sickening love she has for me.
I’ll stitch myself to her very soul until all she feels is me, just like I do with her.
Lifting my hand, I trace the tip of my finger across her forehead to brush a stray piece of hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear. She closes her eyes for a moment before returning that cloudy gaze back to me.
“I’ll always protect you, little sister.” I whisper.
Alina smiles up at me. “I know you will, big brother.”