My Bestfriend's Stepbrother Secret Baby

~~Claire~~

Maddie and I had one sacred rule that held our friendship together.

NEVER DATE EACH OTHER'S RELATIVES.

But that rule began to develop a hole the day I walked in on Caleb pleasuring himself while staring at a picture of me.

And it all started at Maddie's birthday party.

It was being thrown at Caleb's penthouse.

He had been away in Russia for six years, studying. Now that he was back, his father had appointed him CEO of the family company.

And honestly, his return couldn't have come at a better time for me.

I'd just graduated from college, and while celebrating Maddie's birthday was my main reason for attending, I had another plan tucked up my sleeve.

I wanted him to give me a job at the company.

Maddie had promised to put in a good word for me, but she'd also insisted I speak to him myself. That meant swallowing my nerves and convincing him I was worth hiring.

Easy, right?

Except this was Caleb, and it might not be as easy as it sounded.

When my taxi pulled up outside his building, it was a few minutes past nine. The night breeze brushed my cheeks, carrying the faint smell of the night and exhaust fumes.

I paid the driver, adjusted my dress, and glanced up at the building, trying not to look like someone who'd never been anywhere this fancy.

Music thumped from inside, while laughter and excited shouts spilled through the entrance.

At least the party was already in full swing.

I straightened my shoulders, checked that my gift was safely tucked in my bag, and headed inside.

Maddie was waiting for me in the front yard, looking every bit like the birthday girl, from her perfectly styled hair to her gorgeous outfit.

"OMG!" she screamed the moment she spotted me, rushing over with a huge grin. "Girl, you look so fucking hot!"

I burst out laughing, my cheeks warming as I glanced down at my dress.

All those hours of working had been worth it.

Ever since she'd told me about the party, I'd been picking up extra shifts at the restaurant where I worked, saving every cent until I could afford something decent to wear. I wanted to look good for her birthday without asking her for money. Maddie had already done more than enough for me.

"Please, I should be the one saying that." I smiled, admiring her outfit. "Happy birthday, love!"

I held out my gift, and she immediately scrunched up her face like I'd handed her a bag of trash.

"Girl, what the hell is this?" she whined, clutching it to her chest. "You know you didn't have to bring me anything, right?"

"Can you stop complaining for once?"

She gasped, looking offended, but the smile tugging at her lips ruined the act.

"You're so rude!"

"And you're so dramatic," I shot back, laughing as she pulled me into a tight hug.

Her familiar perfume filled my nose as I wrapped my arms around her. When we pulled apart, we kissed each other on the cheeks.

"Thank you," she murmured, squeezing my hand.

I smiled, glad I'd been able to do something for her.

Before I could reply, she grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the entrance.

"Come on! Let's get you inside before you start acting like an old woman out here!"

I rolled my eyes, laughing as she pulled me through the door and into the middle of the party.

People were everywhere, talking, drinking, and dancing.

But my eyes kept searching for one particular person.

Caleb.

I looked around the living room and toward the stairs, but I couldn't find him.

"Where's your brother?" I asked.

Her smile faltered.

"He's not coming. He has some work to do tonight." She pointed toward the stairs. "And nobody's allowed upstairs, so we're stuck partying down here."

"Oh."

I tried to hide my disappointment, but it still settled heavily in my stomach. I'd been hoping to see him tonight, and now I didn't even know when I'd get another chance.

I pushed the thought aside and looked around.

Everything screamed money, from the decorations to the drinks and the girls' expensive-looking gowns.

Suddenly, I became very aware of my own dress.

I tugged at the fabric, wondering if I'd made a mistake wearing it. It had looked beautiful at home, but standing among these people, I felt like I was trying too hard to fit in.

Then I lifted my gaze.

And there he was.

Caleb.

He stood across the room, looking straight at me.

For a moment, everything around me seemed to fade. All I could focus on were those almond shaped familiar blue eyes.

I knew Maddie was just trying to protect me. Caleb had been a notorious playboy back in high school and the last thing Maddie wanted was for her best friend to become another name on his long list of conquests.

But getting over him had always been a problem to me for six years.

He wore a dark shirt with its sleeves pushed up to his elbow. He looked older than I remembered, with sharper features and broader shoulders.

But he still looked at me in the same way that used to leave me stumble over my words back then.

Fuck.

I'd thought six years would be enough to get over that stupid crush, but standing there under his gaze, I wasn't feeling nearly as over him as I'd hoped.

Back then, we'd spoken only a handful of times, and every interaction had left me confused. Caleb had a way of making me feel like I was the only girl in the room one minute, then acting like I barely existed the next.

He'd given me just enough attention to make me wonder if he liked me, but never enough to be sure.

Then Maddie and I became bestfriends.

And Caleb?

He'd practically vanished from my life after that.

Now he was standing right in front of me, looking like he'd stepped out of one of those ridiculous romance novels I used to read.

I curled my fingers around the strap of my purse. I wanted to look away, but some stubborn part of me refused to do it first.

Then Caleb lifted his hand and waved.

My face lit up before I could stop it.

I started to raise my hand to wave back, only to hear Maddie snort beside me.

"Girl, enough with the ogling. Can we get on with the party?"

I whipped my head toward her, my cheeks burning.

"I wasn't ogling him," I muttered.

"Oh, please." She laughed. "You were practically undressing the poor man with your eyes."

"Maddie!" I hissed, glancing around to make sure nobody had heard her.

She only laughed harder and dragged me toward a group of her college friends.

I tried to join their conversations, even when I had no idea what they were talking about. Maddie also insisted I drink with them. I refused at first, but eventually gave in and took a few sips.

That was enough for me.

Maddie, however, seemed determined to empty every glass she could find.

Soon, she was swaying on her feet.

"Maddie, slow down," I said, taking the glass from her hand.

She laughed and reached for another drink.

I sighed, wondering how I was supposed to get her through her own birthday party in one piece.

Then she grabbed both my hands and pulled me toward the dance floor.

"Come on! Let's dance!"

But before we could take a step, the heel of my left shoe snapped.

"Oh, shit," I muttered, looking down at it.

I'd worn these shoes to prom and kept them for special occasions. I had no idea they were this fragile.

"This fucking shoe." I lifted my foot to inspect the damage.

Maddie bent down to look at it.

The heel was completely broken.

"No need to worry," she slurred. "I have a pair of shoes upstairs. Let's get you changed."

I nodded, and we headed toward the staircase. But before we could get there, one of her friends, Mitch, stopped her.

The way they looked at each other made the chemistry between them obvious.

"Hey, wanna have a drink, Maddie?" he asked.

She glanced between us before turning to me.

"Claire, you know your way around the house..."

"No, I don't. This is Caleb's house. I've never been here before."

"Just go upstairs. The third door on your left is mine." She hurried off with Mitch before I could protest.

I stared after her.

Unbelievable.

I'd come here to celebrate her birthday, and now I was being abandoned with a broken shoe and no idea where anything was.

Still, I needed it, so I started upstairs.

The hallway was dimly lit, and the music faded into a dull thud behind me. I counted the doors as I walked, trying to follow Maddie's instructions.

The third door on the left.

I was almost there when I heard a sound from inside the room.

A low growl.

I stopped.

Then a voice followed, rough and quiet enough that I almost thought I'd imagined it.

"Claire... fuck."

My heart gave a strange little kick.

I knew that voice.

Caleb?