Stepbrother Dearest by Penelope Ward Read Free Book Online Page B

try to hang out with me.”
    It felt like steam was about to blow out of my ears. “No one asked you to come home tonight! I was
    actually enjoying having the house to myself.”
    “Really? Were you gonna lie on the couch with your vibrator or something?”
    My heart dropped. My vibrator.
    Shit!
    It was in my underwear drawer, too. I had forgotten I’d moved it in there after I cleaned out my bedside
    table. I hadn’t used it in a while and had totally forgotten about it.
    He’d taken that too!
    He continued, “Look at your face. You just realized it was missing? How have you been getting off?
    Either your fingers are sore or you must be in serious need of tension relief.”
    My face must have turned a hundred shades of red. “You bastard.”
    My eye twitched.
    “You’re winking at me again. Sorry, I can’t help you out. Maybe you need to watch…a different kind of
    movie tonight? That might get you off. I have some if you want to borrow one to—you know—wet your
    whistle.”
    His words from the other night once again replayed in my head. “ Have some self-respect.”
    I’d decided I was done with him tonight. I’d take the high road and go back to my room without saying
    another word but not before I grabbed the container of noodles and dumped it all over his lap. “Wet that,
    dickhead.”
    His raspy laugh cut through me as I made my way up the stairs.
    That night, I was still fuming as I squirmed around in my sheets. Who did he think he was with his
    passive aggressive behavior? He’d tried to play it off like I was the one seeking his attention, when he’d
    been texting me during his date before coming home early to intrude on my encounter with Bentley.
    My obsessive thoughts continued until about two in the morning when I was interrupted by what
    sounded like yelling coming from Elec’s room.

CHAPTER 7

    Elec was tossing and turning as he cried out, “Mami, please. No! Wake up! Wake up!” His breathing was
    erratic, and all of his bedding had fallen on the floor.
    “Pleeeeease,” he screamed.
    My heart was pounding as I shook him. “Elec! Elec. It’s just a dream.”
    Still in a state of semi-sleep, he gripped and squeezed my arm so hard that it hurt. When his eyes flew
    open, he still seemed to be in a haze. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. He sat up and looked at me
    in shock as if he didn’t know where he was.
    “It’s Greta. You were having a nightmare. I heard you yelling and thought something was wrong. It’s
    okay. You’re okay.”
    His breathing was still intense and slowly regulated. When his grip loosened on my arm, clarity returned
    to his eyes.
    He let go of me. “This is the second time I’ve caught you in my room when I’ve been in a state of semi-
    consciousness. How do I know you’re not just hanging out here doing things to me while I’m sleeping?”
    Are you kidding me?
    I’d had enough of his shit.
    Maybe it was the fact that I was wired from no sleep or maybe it was because I’d just hit my limit with
    all of his jabs, but instead of responding, I pushed him with all my might. It may have been a juvenile thing, but I’d been dying to do it, and this moment seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
    He laughed heartily which pissed me off even more. “Well, it’s about damn time.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “I’ve been waiting for you to lose it on me.”
    “You think it’s funny that you’ve caused me to resort to that?”
    “No, I think you’re funny…like really funny. Nothing has ever given me more amusement than busting
    your chops.”
    “Well, great. Glad I could do that for you.”
    Fuck. Tears were forming in my eyes.
    This could not be happening.
    It was almost that time of the month, and there was nothing I could do to control these emotions. I tried
    to cover my face but knew he had seen the first teardrop fall.
    Elec’s smile faded. “What the fuck?”
    I needed to just leave. There was no way to explain my asinine reaction