3. Maddy
MADDY
I’ve buried myself by the door of my locker, so I don’t have to hear the whispers as he walks through the hallways. Yet, I can’t help but look over my shoulder as he does.
My stepbrother. Kayden A’gosto marches through the school with a confident smirk on his face, in a T-shirt and gray sweatpants, and a light-looking backpack slung over his shoulder.
“New hottie alert?” one of my best friends, Kira, whispers, her eyes glued to Kayden.
Rage bubbles in my chest.
“Dayum,” Jasmin corroborates. She’s my other best friend, and despite hiding behind her glasses and long black hair, she doesn’t hesitate to give her opinion.
How dare he come into my life, and then into my school, and make such a fuss?
I don’t like this one bit.
“What do you think, Maddy?” My friends stare at me as Kayden’s already all the way to the cafeteria.
Other girls ogle him as he walks by. I’m sure they’ll be at his feet.
He thinks he’s so much better than all of us. Like we owe him something.
A guy pats him on the back, and they do a handshake before walking into the cafeteria.
“Mads?”
This time, it’s Jasmin asking.
And that’s when it sinks in. I’ve been ogling, too, hypnotized by the jerk.
I hate this and the way my body reacts to the sight of him.
Last week, we moved into our new house. Kayden and Lucas came from Thorned Crowne, a neighboring town, and he and Mom found the perfect place.
Apparently, Mom and Lucas discussed which would be the best option, for Mom and me to move or for them to come here.
And given the fact that Lucas works remotely and is a freelance businessman, they decided that coming to us would be more convenient.
Which is good for me, because we’ve got our whole lives in Clearwater. My friends and school—I grew up here.
When Kayden ignored me completely for the whole week after being a jerk and almost breaking my hand during our first meeting, I thought I’d be okay.
That he understood the assignment. To each our own.
I wouldn’t have to deal with him. I don’t know why I got the impression he’d stay at his old school.
In hindsight, it doesn’t make sense. I should have expected this.
“Eh,” I blurt out. I’m an expert at pretending things don’t affect me. “Not my type.”
I intentionally forget to mention we live in the same house and that we’re kind of family now. No one will know if I don’t say so. He’s an A’gosto, I’m a De Luna. There’s nothing to link us.
***
During lunch time, I calm my ass down. Truth be told, Kayden hasn’t done anything except have the grip of a psychopath. Ignoring me is probably the best thing he can do for me. Pretend we don’t have to live alongside each other. He’ll befriend the hockey team, and I’ll keep going on about my life.
I just wish I were more submissive than that.
In my head, I’m thinking that since there have been no vows exchanged, things can still change.
This isn’t my new reality yet. I can change it if I try hard enough.
I know Mom’s doing what’s best for us, but since when do we need men to dictate our lives?
Buying us things and making us rely on them?
Okay, so Lucas is nice to us, and he’s gifted me a few things since we moved in together. Perfumes, a new laptop for school, an iPhone, and more pink dresses in the vein of what I wore to that first meeting. Which I’m forced to wear to show my gratitude in front of him.
Like the long, baby pink dress I’m wearing now, paired up with black and white Vans to balance out all the pink.
Thanks, Mom.
All in all, she thinks having Lucas in our lives is a good influence, and my wardrobe is more delicate than ever.
I’m glad my friends at least accept my newly found fashion style instead of making fun of me.
But I’m still not willing to give up on the idea of having my old life back.
That’s why I tell Kira and Jasmin I have something to do, and go my own way instead of sitting with them at the table.
I catch Kayden easily, of course, he isn’t exactly difficult to see.
Tall, broad-shouldered, piercing blue eyes, villainous aura, and red horns sticking out of his perfectly dark, wild hair.
Okay, maybe not the last one, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got some sick dark secret hidden behind his bad boy image.
He’s sitting at the table with the jocks, already feeling at home.
Our eyes meet as he chugs a small milk carton. He swings a hand my way, his fingers guiding me to him.
Is he…calling me?
I take careful steps toward him, lunch tray in my hands, trying not to seem eager.
Maybe he’s also thinking of a plan to break our parents apart? To go back to our previous lives?
He surely wants to talk.
I’m too dazed by his attention that my foot catches on something as I walk, and in a moment, I’m slipping, tray in the air, and ass on the ground. There is food splattered over my clothes, my hair, everywhere.
Was there something on the floor? Water? A banana peel?
Why didn’t I see it?
I look around me to trace what made me fall. At my feet, I see it.
A pool of milk.
Kayden doesn’t even try to hide it.
His mouth goes into an O shape as he dangles the milk carton in his hand.
The jocks laugh.
I put myself together.
“I’m okay, thanks,” I say to the one random girl who helps get me up.
Kira and Jasmin show up.
“Oh my God, Maddy? What happened?” Kira helps brush off whatever food we can.
“Are you okay?” Jasmin lifts my empty tray off the floor.
I try to make myself presentable, though the spaghetti sauce on my hair will be a tough task to wash out.
“I’m fine.” I encourage my friends to walk away and head to the bathroom.
I make the mistake of looking over my shoulder as I leave, a smirk hanging on his face.
Of course, Kayden wouldn’t make it easy for me.
He may have been quiet, but that doesn’t mean he likes me.
He’s evil.
But I won’t let him bully me into submission.
***
I come home with visible marks on the back of my thighs and elbows, and my butt still hurting.
I lie and tell Mom that I tripped. Which, theoretically, isn’t a lie. I don’t volunteer the cause of it.
I let her put on some healing ointment on the visible wounds, and swear I’m fine, ignoring the pain bursting through my muscles.
I’ve been through worse in my life, and Kayden won’t be the reason I break.
The next day, I present myself in the locker room, giving him the benefit of the doubt one last time.
Trying to push some sense into that brain of his.
The smell of sweat and testosterone clouds my vision.
I press my hands to my mouth to prevent a scream when a half-naked guy crosses my path.
He smiles and nods my way before reaching his own locker.
I dart my gaze before I witness his ass.
My hands end up covering most of my face as I go through what feels like a series of obstacles in a maze, eyes checking me out, some smiling, some frowning. I’m somewhere I’m not supposed to be, but I don’t give a damn.
Kayden asked for this.
We need to talk, whether he likes it or not.
I find him leaning against his locker, a towel secured around his waist.
His chest is bare, showing off his toned abs. They look hard and steady.
I blink, a terrible attempt at stopping myself from being hypnotized by the view. Good thing a hand is still over my mouth, so my soon-to-be stepbrother doesn’t see me drooling.
My heart’s beating faster than it should, and I loathe every second of this.
Him looking this good? It’s a sin. It’s the freaking last straw, really.
Because I’m supposed to hate this guy after what he did to me in the cafeteria.
Water drips off the ends of his wet hair and slides down his chest.
His eyebrows furrow, catching sight of me. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Yeah, this is the guys’ locker room,” a blond-haired guy standing by him, just as fit and half-naked as Kayden, volunteers.
My cheeks radiate warmth. I look away.
“I—I need to talk to Kayden.”
The blondie cackles. “Who are you? His girlfriend?”
“Fuck off.” Kayden nudges the guy and grabs me by the wrist, dragging me behind another row of lockers where no one can see us.
His grip is so tight it hurts, and I’m certain I’ll wake up with another bruise for the collection tomorrow.
“Let go of me.”
I rip my arm away from him.
“I think you’re a little confused, stupid girl.” His words are filled with poison, stabbing at me like a dagger. “You’re the one who keeps showing up in places unwanted. You’re the one coming to me.”
“I didn’t come to you, per se. I just need to talk.”
“So, I guess yesterday didn’t make it clear enough for you?”
He pushes me against the lockers, the metal digging in my back.
I gasp from the surprise and the sharp pain.
He’s locked me between both his arms, towering over me.
Hot breath surrounds me and invades my personal space. My heart races and pulsates through every single cell.
I look down, faced with his half-naked body, realizing how small the distance drawn between us is at the moment. He props my chin up with his hand, and I’m paralyzed. Almost lost in those dark blue irises of his.
“Just because our parents are dating, doesn’t mean I have any interest in talking to you. I played nice at the restaurant because we were being watched. But I don’t have to play nice anymore.”
“Engaged,” I hiss.
“What?”
“They’re engaged. Not dating.”
“Same fucking shit. They’re not married, are they?”
Exactly. And they don’t have to be, that’s what I want to tell him. That if we work together, maybe this doesn’t even need to happen. Instead, I can barely get myself to speak. Goose bumps cascade down my arms.
“N-no.”
Kayden has other plans. He’s not interested in collaboration.
“So, in case it isn’t clear, I don’t want you anywhere near me. Not at home, not at school. Don’t you dare tell anyone we’re even living in the same house, capisce?”
He doesn’t touch me, but still has me caged in, the distance incredibly small.
I can barely get enough oxygen to breathe.
“Understood?” he repeats. “Or you’ll fucking regret it.”
I nod, not wanting to tempt fate even more.
Kayden doesn’t only look dangerous, he sounds like a psychopath.
I don’t know his history or what he’s capable of.
No matter how much the darkness and mysteriousness draw me to him, I need to take care of myself.
It’s okay. This too shall pass.
Fingers crossed Mom gets sick of Lucas soon enough, and we’ll be out of that house in no time, both Kayden and Lucas out of our lives.
Strong independent women. We won’t need no man. Just like it has been until now.
I may not need to lift a single finger.
Yes. This will be over soon.
This arrangement will dissipate, and I’ll be able to open my eyes wide without fear of crossing my stepbrother’s path. It will all end up being a short-lived nightmare.