Chapter Two

My heart was still trying to punch its way out of my chest when the footsteps finally faded down the hallway. I stayed frozen under the covers for another five minutes, phone clutched like a weapon. Who the hell was creeping around at almost 3 a.m.? Was William checking on me? One of the night staff? Or worse…  someone who heard Liam’s low groans and my pathetic whimpers?

I finally slipped out of bed on shaky legs, pulled on a pair of loose basketball shorts and a hoodie, and cracked the door. The hallway was empty, just fancy wall designs casting long shadows on the dark wood floors. The Harrington mansion felt like a damn haunted castle sometimes.

I needed water or maybe something stronger. My body was still buzzing from Liam’s hands, his mouth, the way he’d pinned me down and whispered filthy shit in my ear. I was  completely dick-whipped by my stepbrother. Life was wild.

The kitchen lights were already on when I got downstairs. It made my stomach drop..

Liam stood at the massive marble island, shirtless again, drinking straight from a bottle of water. The tattoos on his arm and ribs looked even hotter under the warm lighting. He glanced up, eyes narrowing when he saw me.

“What are you doing down here?” he hissed quietly. “I told you to stay in bed.”

“Someone was outside my door,” I whispered back, walking closer. “Right after you left. Testing the handle and everything.”

Liam’s jaw clenched. He set the bottle down hard enough to make a soft thud. In two steps he had me backed against the counter, one hand braced beside my head. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m not paranoid.”

He cursed under his breath, forehead dropping to mine for a second. His free hand slid under my hoodie, palm hot against my bare side. “This is exactly why we have to be careful, Alex. If my dad walks in right now and sees us like this…”

I tilted my head up, brushing my lips against his. “Then stop sneaking out every night like you can’t live without me.”

He kissed me instead of answering, deep and messy, tasting like mint and desperation. His tongue slid against mine while his hand dipped lower, squeezing my ass and pulling me flush against him. I could feel him getting hard again through his sweatpants. My own dick was already interested, pressing against the thin fabric of my shorts.

“Fuck, you’re insatiable,” he growled against my neck, biting down just hard enough to leave a mark I’d have to hide tomorrow. His hand wrapped around me through the shorts, stroking slow and teasing. “Should’ve fucked you properly earlier instead of rushing.”

I moaned softly, hips rocking into his fist. “Do it now. Quick. No one’s here.”

Liam glanced toward the hallway, torn. The conflict was always there, I know he wanted me so bad it made him stupid, but the fear of getting caught won most of the time. Tonight though, the risk must’ve turned him on too. He spun me around, bending me over the island counter. Cold marble pressed against my chest as he yanked my shorts down.

“Quiet,” he warned, voice rough. He spat in his hand and pressed a finger against me, still loose and sensitive from earlier. I bit my arm to stay silent as he worked me open fast, adding a second finger while his other hand stroked me.

“Liam… please,” I begged, pushing back against him.

He pulled his fingers out and replaced them with the thick head of his cock. One slow push and he was buried inside me again, stretching me perfectly. We both groaned. He fucked me hard and deep right there in the kitchen, one hand over my mouth, the other jerking me in time with his thrusts.

“You feel so fucking good,” he panted against my ear. “Mine. Even if I can’t say it out loud yet.”

The angle was perfect, hitting that spot that made my eyes roll back. I came first, spilling over his fingers and the floor with a muffled cry. Liam followed right after, burying himself deep and filling me with a low growl.

We stayed like that for a few seconds, breathing hard. Then reality hit. He pulled out carefully, cleaned us up with paper towels like it was routine now, and helped me fix my clothes.

“Go back to bed,” he said, kissing my forehead quickly. “I’ll check the cameras in the morning to see who was outside your door.”

I nodded, legs still shaky as I headed upstairs. But sleep didn’t come easy. My mind kept spinning.

The next morning at breakfast was the usual performance. William sat at the head of the table reading the Financial Times, my mom Ella chatting about her new charity thing. Liam sat across from me looking every bit the perfect son in a button-down, typing on his laptop between bites.

I kept my eyes on my phone mostly, but every time our feet brushed under the table, heat shot through me.

“Boys,” William said suddenly, folding his paper. “The annual charity gala is in three weeks. Important for the company image. I expect both of you there, looking the part. Alex, you’ll need a proper suit.”

Liam’s foot pressed harder against mine in warning. “We’ll be there, Dad.”

Ella smiled brightly. “It’ll be good for family bonding!”

If only she knew how much “bonding” we’d already done.

Later that afternoon, I was in the home gym trying to burn off the tension when Liam found me. He closed the door behind him and locked it. I was on the weight bench, shirt off, sweating.

Without a word he straddled the bench, pulling me into a deep kiss. His hands roamed my chest, pinching my nipples the way he knew I liked.

“Cameras showed nothing clear last night,” he murmured between kisses. “But one of the new staff members was in the east wing. We need to be more careful.”

I pushed him back slightly, breathing hard. “Or we could just tell them. Rip the bandaid off.”

Liam’s expression darkened and he stood up, pacing. “You don’t get it, Alex. This merger could make or break the company. Dad is  old-school and finding out his heir is fucking his stepbrother? It’d be nuclear. I’m not ready to lose everything yet.”

“Everything including me?” I shot back, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

He stopped pacing. The silence stretched.

Before he could answer, my phone buzzed on the floor. An unknown number.

I picked it up and opened the message.

“I know what you two do at night. Keep sneaking around and the whole family will know by tomorrow. Meet me alone at the old garage tonight or else.”

A photo was  attached,  blurry but clear enough to see Liam and me kissing in the hallway last week.

My blood ran cold.

“Liam…” I whispered, holding up the phone.

He took it, face hardening into that dangerous expression I rarely saw.

“Someone’s playing games,” he growled. “And they just made a big fucking mistake.”

But as he pulled me close, protective arm around my shoulders, I couldn’t shake the dread. Our secret wasn’t ours anymore and whoever had it was ready to blow our world apart.