The Stepbrother

“Emma!!!” my mother called, bursting through the door of my bedroom.

“What is it mom?”, I groaned and hid my face under the covers, wanting her to go away so I could drift back off to sleep. I was honestly so exhausted, every muscle ached from the dancing, the drinking, and well, everything else I wasn’t ready to remember yet.

The hangover was also a dull throb behind my eyes and I needed more sleep.

“I thought you already know what is going to happen today”, She spoke.

“I know it mum, and am gonna prepare myself “, I rolled my eyes and turned to face her but with the bedsheets still wrapped around my body.

“Why are you still sleeping then, Jason Smith is coming over today! We’ve decided it’s finally time he meets you and later you meet his son” she was smiling ear to ear as she peeled the covers away from me.

“Jason Smith has a son?” I asked kinda shocked. "Older than you actually", She spoke and walked into my closet then pulled out a tight knee length black sundress.

“Put this on and get decent, he’ll be here in half an hour,” she placed it on my bed and literally skipped, out of my room.

Yes she was so happy and I was happy for her because I was tired of seeing her chase a new guy every other week. Shaking my head, I pushed the thoughts about Jason Smith at the back of my mind and I reached for my phone, checking the time.

The screen lit up with the time: 11:47 a.m and seventeen unread messages in the group chat.

Mia: EMMA WTF HAPPENED LAST NIGHT

Sarah: Are you alive??

Mia: If you’re kidnapped, blink your eyes.

Sarah: We saw him carry you out like some mafia romance hero. Did you sleep together?. Did he fuck you roughly?. Spill. NOW.

Mia: Also you left your shoes. I have them hostage.

I stared at the screen and a flush creeped up my neck as fragments of the night replayed in my head, the dim club lights, the dare, straddling that mysterious stranger with his cold green eyes and inked forearms. The way I  boldly dry humped him... and then the hazy ride home.

What the hell had I been thinking?.

I typed a quick reply to Sarah and Mia then tossed the phone aside before the guilt could settle in too deep.

With a sigh, I hauled myself out of bed and into the bathroom. The hot shower was a mercy, steam filling the space as water cascaded over me, washing away the sticky residue of club smoke and sweat. I scrubbed vigorously, trying to erase the phantom scent of every one I collided with in the club.

By the time I stepped out, towel-drying my hair, I felt marginally human again. I slipped into the black sundress, then added a touch of makeup,  concealer to hide the dark circles and mascara to widen my eyes. It was just enough to look put-together, like the responsible daughter ready to welcome her mom’s new chapter.

The doorbell rung out and I heard my mother running through the foyer. Jason was probably here.

I slowly made my way down the stairs only to find my mother and Jason Smith  kissing themselves.

I cleared my throat and tucked my hands behind my back, disrupting their moment.

Jason smiled instantly when his eyes fall on me.  “Good afternoon, you must be Emma Isabelle", His hand reached out for a shake. "Yes, good afternoon too", I greeted him back with a forced smile on my face.

"Your mother has told me so much about you. I actually have a son year older than you. Maybe the two of you will become friends, during dinner”, He rambled on and on and all I really wanted to do was to jab my thumbs into his eye sockets.

I nodded politely though and let my mother lead him into the living room.

After their departure, I walked into the kitchen, grabbed a smoothie out of the refrigerator and  perched on a stool at the island. I scrolled mindlessly through my phone: social media feeds, unanswered texts from last night’s haze and a few memes from Mia that made me snort despite myself.

Time blurred as I took my smoothie, but in the background, I could hear the muffled sounds of movers, Jason’s team, apparently hauling boxes and furniture out of our modest house. Yes we are going to start living with the new man, my mum got.

After spending a pretty long time , organising everything in the house, we finally got into the suv of Jason Smith and headed to the Sheraton Lobster, one of the most expensive hotels. Yes that’s where we are going to have dinner from with his son.

 Mom chattered animatedly in the front with him, while I sank into the back, earbuds in, letting a playlist of indie tracks drown out the world. My mind drifted unbidden to the stranger from last night, the one with the sharp jaw, the tattoos peeking from rolled sleeves, the cold detachment that had somehow pulled me in.

Who was he? Just a random club encounter, or something more? The memory of his hands on me, lifting me effortlessly, sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine. 

“Emma", My mom tapped on my shoulder, bringing me back to reality.

"Huh?” I blinked, pulling out an earbud. “We have reached Emma”, She spoke and I nodded my head.

As we walked up to the hostess stand , they all smiled at us and took us to the table, Jason had booked.

As we walked, I listened to Jason drone on about how he owned several night clubs as well as being CEO of the biggest publishing firm on the coast. I wasn’t interested at all in his conversation and it was my mum responding to her throughout.

“There he is my son”, I returned my attention to him when i heard that.

“Emma meet your stepbrother  and .......”, I didn’t hear the next words when my eyes fall on the man already seated.

I found myself momentarily frozen at what I was seeing.

Was i dreaming or I wasn’t?

But why did he look familiar with his blonde hair and green eyes.....

No fucking way. He was the guy from the club. The one I’d given a lap dance to, bold and reckless under the strobe lights.

My heart hammered in my chest, heat flooding my face as the pieces clicked into place. Stepbrother. This was going to be a disaster.

“Don’t be rude, Emma, go and introduce yourself", my mother scolded, bringing me back to reality.

“Yeah! Sorry”, I cleared my throat. 

I walked awkwardly to him and extended my hand. “I’m Emma Isabelle,” I said in a low voice. 

“Alexander, its nice too......”, The moment, he gripped my hand, a look of sheer horror immediately washed over his face and I automatically knew the reason why.

“Have you ever  met before “, My mom asked.

“No”, I replied quickly with a fake smile then sat down. I was honestly screwed up. “Don’t worry you will get to know yourselves”, Jason murmured and I rolled my eyes.

The waitress later came over and took everyone’s drink order, leaving menus behind. I opened the menu feeling awkward and glad to have something to kind of distract me for a couple of minutes.

“Does everyone know what there getting?” Jason asked smiling at mom like a goofy teenager and then looked around at us.

“Yeah”, Its me and mom who responded and then his son looked at us. He in fact glared at us with his green eyes. "Get me a steak", He spoke lastly and the waitress noted it down.

The waitress returned so soon, balancing plates with professional calm. She set down Mom’s lobster tail, Jason’s filet, Alexander’s blood-rare steak, and my untouched seared scallops. The smell of butter and garlic should have made my mouth water. Instead, nausea coiled in my gut.

I ate for some few minutes then pushed the plate away. 

“Excuse me, I want to use the.....”,

“We are done with eating, you going to use the one at home”, My mouth dropped open when I turned to the one who cut me off in mid sentence.

ALEXANDER!

I glared at him with anger fueling in my body.

“There is a washroom at my home, STEPSISTER” , He emphasised the word step sister with a smirk on his face.

"Your home?", I gasped.