Earn Your Chance.

Lina's POV:

LA could be many things. 

For some, it was heaven on Earth. But to me, this was hell in a mansion. 

Why?

A fucking devil dwelled in it! No, the devil was seated across me. 

He slouched in a chair, and his leather jacket didn't belong in this civilized space. 

Hell, neither did he. 

But Riven Rythrone was here. He was my soon to be.. stepbrother. 

"Darling, is there something wrong with the croissant?" Ma spoke, and I lifted my eyes to her. 

From my squeezed nose, and knitted eyebrows, it'd seem I hated the croissant. 

But boy, I wished that was it. 

The savoury sweet taste of breakfast was ruined by this blue eyed presence. I couldn't hide my displeasure. 

"No, Ma" I whispered, dropping my gaze and shoulders. 

I was tensed. Way too tensed. 

"My words are merely words but believe me, Lina, you'll enjoy it here" Mr Ryker added in his effortless rich tone. 

I didn't need to look at the man to know he meant it. 

Who wouldn't enjoy staying in a mansion?

The fresh scent of tulips in crystal vases mingled with that of money. They literally blessed my lungs. 

Anyone would kill to be his relative. But his step daughter? A step sister to Riven!?

"And Mer's College is so gorgeous, darling. I can't wait for you to start!"

"True. They've A grade teaching equipment and..."

Their voices were fading. Even the clicks of cutleries turned to scrambled noise. 

Noise that soon morphed into Olivia's voice. My fork froze in my hand then I tightened it. 

With a little head tilt, his sharp gaze almost cut my damn skin. 

Yeah, almost. 

As I remembered last night, I knew this devil was capable of that and more. He somehow took Olivia and I then made her dangle over shark tanks. 

All because I collided into him, and he foolishly lost his watch. 

That wasn't my fault! At all!

‘You'll get your chance soon’

Damn him!

It took so much out of me to not stab this fork into his hand. Nah, his heart would be better. Then he'd die. 

He'd die, and I wouldn't have to earn any bloody chance to find something I wasn't responsible for. 

"Ugh!" I tched unknowingly but the sound met with a clack. 

"My fork fell" Then the devil – oh, I'm sorry – Riven spoke. 

I wanted to face my dish but his cold stare froze me. 

"Darling" Ma called, and I stiffly looked at her. "Be a dear and help your brother" She gave off that her smile. 

I hated it. It was sweet enough to cause diabetes. 

"My son's not limbless, dear" My attention flickered to Mr Ryker's for a moment. 

"But–"

"Of course I'm not, Old Man" I could swear Riven's tongue was made of blade. 

He kept slicing everyone's utterance. 

"But I'd never reach it" I side eyed him but he didn't look at me. 

The psychopath in a jacket had an elbow placed on the table. Tch. 

I never expected him to have manners. Talk more or less of basic table etiquette. 

"It's too far. Someone more capable else should reach it" 

Those blue eyes became slanted, settling deeper on Mr Ryker . The aged but handsome man's jaw ticked. 

Tension began rising while I lowered myself. 

It was a dumb fork. I'd just grab it and that was that. 

There was no need to watch a father son opera cos of a piece of metal. 

"Aren't you in support of that, Old Man?" Riven's voice boomed throughout the dinning room.  

Hell, I even felt it down here. 

"We came here for breakfast and introductions; behave yourself, son"

"Sweetheart, please"

With my knees dung into the rug,I reached for the fork. But.. I didn't see it. 

The table cloth has rays of light piercing it. Under the table wasn't dark so either. 

My eyes moved from one spot to another. Then it landed on my dear step brother pair of shoes. 

Now, the cost of his footwear didn't get my eyed bugling. But the damn fork was there! He was stepping on it. 

The fuck?

With a sharp exhale, I crawled to it then poked his sneaker. 

Instantly, my spine tingled, and knowingly, I looked up. 

Riven stared at me. 

Not with orbs filled with boredom like before. Or taunts. Or even awe. 

But... expectation. 

My brows creased, and one of his.. giggled. His smirk was lopsided, revealing one of his unusually pointy tooth. 

Then he led my gaze like a shepherd to a sheep to his crotch. 

What?

‘You'll get your chance’ 

My eyes turned wider as I remembered his words. Wait, this was my chance!?

Hell to the fuck no!

I paled and my throat dry. I even gulped down my own saliva but it remained the same. 

So was Riven's intention?

"M-Ma, I think I'm st-stained. I can't come up–" On all fours I remained then balled my fists. 

"–yet" My lips quivered as my voice echoed in a muffle. 

"Oh! I understand darling. We'll be done soon" Not even Ma's warm voice deforested my froze state. 

Nothing would. Especially with Riven ogling at me with frosty, anticipating eyes. 

Nothing was said between us but I knew. I knew this bastard – no disrespect to Mr Ryker though – would something If I don't. 

It'd involve Olivia. He'd definitely pull her back in his sick web, and he'd suck her dry. 

"Damn me" My stomach twisted violently yet I moved closer and closer. 

He remained still until I was near. Then he moved his thigh, brushing it against my shoulder. 

‘This was insane!’

My heart slammed against my ribs as I moved a shaking hand. 

‘This was insanity!’ My knuckles brushed against his pants. 

‘Riven Rythrone was fucking unwell!’ These words pounded in my head. 

Still, my fingers swept past the metal of his belt. The clinks from culteris meeting porcelain killed the faint one under the table. 

And also my unsteady breaths. 

Then I glanced swiftly at Riven but it didn't meet his. Heck, in the next moment, my fingers didn't touch his belt as he.. stood up. 

The bastard stood up!

"I believe you sweet couple are too much for me" Riven chuckled, the sound low. 

As the chair scraped back, my soul returned too. 

"And I hate sweets" With that, his steps receded and I.. I finally breathed. 

Oh God. 

My nails dung into my palms, eyes shut and whimpers almost escaping my mouth. 

Ma and Mr Ryker began talking but I didn't hear them. I didn't wa

nt too. 

As I pressed my forehead to my knees, I wanted one thing. 

To get swallowed up by the Earth. I needed it. 

Unless.. unless that demon psycho would be my brother soon!