Entangled With My Cheating Ex And Stepbrother

Chapter TwoArlyn.My phone rang just as the driver my mother had sent to pick me up pulled up into the driveway of a mansion.“Hey, Mom.” I answered the call, my eyes wide as I assessed the building. “I am literally in front of the house, and can I just say…what the fuck? Did you marry Jesus?”My mom laughed; her sweet, sultry voice came through the phone, and I couldn't help but smile. “I'm glad you are here, love!”“Thanks, Mom. I'm glad I'm here too.” I said, stepping out of the car, still in awe of the place.The mansion was huge.Bigger than anything I had ever seen before.Dad wasn't poor by any means. He was comfortable and made sure we all were, but even his freak house wasn't as bad.This…this was insane.The front door burst open just then, and the most beautiful woman on the planet, aka my mother, came rushing out.Even the way she rushed out was elegant and princess-like.Behind her was a tall older man. Her husband, I presumed.I had only seen his picture, but he was abs

CHAPTER FOURReidToo late…. I realized I should’ve stayed in New York.I knew it the second I stepped out of the car and saw Bradley’s mansion lit up like a frigging Xmas tree. It was so bright it hurt my eyes just to look at it longer than necessary. And it all looked too fake, like it was there to divert attention from something else.But I hadn't come for him, and I sure as hell didn't come for the walking sex toy he tied the knot with.I wouldn't even be here if I had my way, but Ella begged, and Mom had done her best to make me feel guilty, blah blah blah… And here I was.Pretending.That I didn't, Bradley, my dad, that I thought his brand-new wife was great, and that I wasn't bothered by this pretend family get-together.At least for my mom's and Ella's sake, I would pretend we were one big happy family, but nothing prepared me for her.Arlyn.The airport girl.I recognized her the second she looked at me. The shock in her eyes on recognizing me almost made me burst out laughin

CHAPTER SixArlyn“Arl.” Liam said my name softly.I kept on looking dumbfounded at Liam, my brain trying to work up a connection between him and Reid.“You know her?” It was Reid who asked Liam, but he didn't respond, looking at me through narrowed eyes.“What's she doing here?” He asked no one in particular.I felt rather than saw my mother looking at both of us, and I returned her look, drawing a blank expression over my face to cover up my initial shock, but it was already too late. Everyone had seen my reaction.“Do you two know each other?” she asked curiously, asking almost the same thing Reid had asked.“No.”“Yes.”We answered at exactly the same time, and I saw Reid cock an eyebrow at us out of the corner of my eye.“Yes, we do.” Liam repeated even though I was subtly shaking my head at him. I watched the corners of his lips and knew he was going to take this as an opportunity.Reid walked back to his seat, and Liam took one opposite me, his eyes still locked on me.The staf

CHAPTER EightArlynI walked away as fast as my legs could carry me, not stopping until I had put some distance between myself and the gym.What had I been expecting from him?I moved to a tall window overlooking the lawn, closed my eyes, and took breathing exercises, trying to calm my racing heart.It was no use, though.My heart was doing that stupid trembling thing again.I smacked myself in the head, knowing I shouldn’t have gone in there, but I had anyway. Not after overhearing his voice through the half-open door. Not after sensing the tension in the air.The moment I had gone in, I knew something had happened between him and Liam.And when he looked at me… God.That glare wasn’t just anger or irritation. It felt like I’d stumbled into the center of a storm that had nothing to do with me and everything to do with me at the same time.My cheeks still burned at the memory.What do you want?I asked myself that same question he asked me over and over. What did I want? I don't even

ArlynI stood there for several long seconds after Reid disappeared down the hallway, my mind blank except for the echo of his footsteps and the small, confused meow from whatever tiny creature he had carried. A kitten. Reid, the same man who had looked at me like I was a problem he wished someone else would solve, had been holding a fluffy little animal like it was the most normal thing in the world.It made him seem softer. Dangerous. Complicated.I did not want complicated.I forced myself to start walking toward the stairs, pretending my pulse had not spiked just from seeing him half dressed. The house was too quiet on this end, every sound amplified. The faint creak of the floor under my socks. The distant clatter of dishes from the kitchen downstairs. The hum of the heating system.The entire time, all I could think about was the way his eyes had dragged over me. Slow. Intentional. Like he was checking if I had changed overnight.I reached the bottom floor and inhaled the warm s