What Have I Done?

Gabby's POV 


Aiden.


He stood there in the hallway light, one hand braced on the doorframe, that stupid worn gray hoodie hanging off his broad shoulders like it was made for him. 


His hair was messy, like he’d been running his fingers through it the whole way up the stairs. 
Those ice-blue eyes locked on mine, and for a second, everything in me just…stopped.


“Kiddo,” he said, voice low and tired. “We need to talk.”


My throat went dry. I felt my cheeks burn instantly, the same heat that had been between my legs earlier when I’d been moaning his name into my pillow. 


God, could he smell it on me? Could he see it on my face? 


I was wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt and tiny sleep shorts, and suddenly every inch of skin felt exposed.


I gripped the door harder, knuckles turning white. My heart was slamming against my ribs like it wanted out. 


He’s here. In my doorway. Right after I basically had a breakdown downstairs.


I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Just a pathetic little squeak. 


I cleared my throat, trying to play it cool, but my legs felt shaky. I shifted my weight, pressing my thighs together without thinking. 


Stop it, Gabby. He’s not here to fuck you. He’s here because you acted like a psycho at dinner.


He gave me that smile. The one. The slow, crooked, drop-dead gorgeous one that made my brain short-circuit and my panties feel too tight. 


It reached his eyes, softening the sharp line of his jaw, and I felt it everywhere…my nipples tightening, my clit giving a traitorous throb, heat pooling low in my belly.


“OK…this is weird,” he said with a scoff. “Can I at least come in?” he asked, leaning one shoulder against the doorframe like he had all the time in the world. Casual. Effortless. Like he wasn’t turning my entire world upside down just by existing.


I glanced back into my room real quick…bed still messy from earlier, clothes on the floor, the faint scent of my vanilla body spray in the air. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t perfect either. 


Shit. I smoothed my hair down with one hand, trying to look like I hadn’t just been spiraling.


“Whatever,” I said, aiming for bored and landing somewhere between bratty and breathless. “Come in if you want. I don’t care.”


He grinned wider, that devastating smile flashing again, and stepped inside. 


The door clicked shut behind him with a soft finality that made my pulse spike. We were alone. In my room. With the rest of the house downstairs pretending everything was fine.


For one wild, unhinged second, my mind went there. To the things we could be doing together right now.
All of a sudden, he crossed the space in two strides, backed me against the wall so fast my breath caught. 


One big hand came up, gripping my chin, tilting my face up to his. His body was so close…heat rolling off him, that clean, masculine scent of his cologne and something darker underneath. His thumb brushed my lower lip.


“Kiddo,” he whispered, voice rough, “why are you being so difficult?”


My heart was going to explode. Oh my God, it’s happening. He finally sees me!


I gulped, lips parting. His other hand slid to my neck, gentle but firm, pushing me forward until our bodies pressed together. I could feel him…hard, warm, real. My clit throbbed painfully at the contact, aching, wet and ready to get ruined. 


I gasped so loud that I felt my cheeks heating up.
“I’ve been thinking about these lips all day,” he murmured slowly.


Then he kissed me. And my world… Just stopped.


His mouth crashed over mine, hot and demanding, tasting like mint and the whiskey he probably drank during dinner. 


My brain went completely offline. This is real. This is really happening! Aiden is kissing me. Aiden wants me. I melted into it, hands fisting his hoodie, moaning into his mouth like the desperate girl I was.


Just then, a hand waved in front of my face.
“Kiddo? Hello? Earth to Gabby.”


I blinked hard, snapping back. Aiden was still standing three feet away, eyebrows raised, looking concerned. No pinning. No kissing. Just him, fully dressed, watching me like I’d lost my mind.


Fuck. Of course it was in my head!


I felt my face flame hotter than the sun. Aiden would never do that. I was always going to be the annoying little sister who had nightmares and crawled into his bed when it thundered. Nothing more.


“Are you even listening to me?” he asked, voice laced with frustration.


I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest to hide how hard my nipples still were. “Get to the point, Aiden. Why are you here? I don’t have all night.”


He exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair. God, that motion. My mind immediately supplied the image of me doing it…fingers tangled in those dark strands while I rode him slow and deep, his groans filling my room. 


A shiver ran down my spine and I clenched my thighs together tight, trying to ease the ache. 


When his eyes flicked toward me, I pretended to study the wall like it was the most interesting thing in the world, leaning back against it to keep my distance. If I got any closer, I might actually jump him.


“Why do you hate the idea of me becoming part of this family so badly?” he asked, voice low and serious. 


He stepped closer, but not close enough. “I thought we were cool, Gabby. Closer than you are with Julian, even. Talk to me. What’s the problem?”

How the hell do I say it? The words burned in my throat. 


Because if you become my brother, I lose any chance of being your woman. 


Every time Mom and Dad brought up adoption papers, I threw the biggest tantrums of my life. One time I locked myself in the bathroom and screamed I’d drown myself if they made him a Walter.


How was I supposed to tell him that I can’t have him as a family? That I need him as mine.


He spoke again, softer this time. “Do you really not like me that much? Even after everything?”


The words burst out before I could stop them.
“No. It’s not that.” My voice cracked. “I like you. I  really…really like you.”


He frowned, confused. “Then why—”


I couldn’t do it anymore. Years of this secret pressing on my chest like a weight. I pushed off the wall and walked toward him, slow, deliberate, until we were face to face, barely inches apart. 


I could smell him. Feel the warmth coming off his body. My hands trembled at my sides, but I was determined to let it out.


“Aiden,” I said, voice barely above a whisper. “I said I really, really like you. That’s why you can’t be my brother.”


His expression shifted…first confusion, brows pulling together as he tried to process. Then his eyes widened as realization hit him like a truck.


Disgust followed right after.
It crept across his face slowly, twisting his features. The same face I’d loved for years now looked at me like I was something filthy. 


My chest caved in. It hurt worse than I ever imagined.


“Are you out of your fucking mind?” he snapped, voice rising. “You’re my little sister, Gabby. What kind of sick nonsense is this?”


Tears stung my eyes. I swallowed hard, but my voice still shook. “Don’t call it nonsense. I’m not a little girl anymore. I can… I can please you, A. The way she does. Even better.”


He looked away, jaw clenched so tight I saw the muscle jump. I stepped into his line of sight, refusing to let him escape.


“Look at me, Aiden!” My voice broke. “I’m a young woman. I have feelings for you. Real ones. I really…really like you.”


His hand shot out, clamping over my mouth hard enough to muffle the rest. With the other, he yanked me forward and shoved me back. I stumbled, falling onto my bed with a gasp, heart hammering.


He stood over me, anger and confusion warring on his face. “I never want to hear that shit come out of your mouth again. It’s disgusting, Gabby. I feel sick just thinking about it.” 


His voice dropped, cold and hard. “So all those nights you crawled into my bed saying you had nightmares and wanted to sleep next to me…you were feeling that way?”


Tears spilled down my cheeks now, hot and fast. I tried to speak, but he cut me off.


“You disgust me, Gabby. If this is why you’ve been fighting the adoption… then I’m going to do everything I can to make it happen. I’m becoming a Walter. Whether you like it or not,” he said with a finality that made my heart ache so badly.


Then he turned and started walking toward the door. I sat there frozen, tears streaming, chest heaving with silent sobs. He paused at the door, hand on the knob.


“Stay the hell away from me, Gabriella. As far as you can.”


The door slammed behind him and the sound echoed like a gunshot.


Gabriella. 
He never called me that. Never.


Oh my God…
What have I done?